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Summary: This book is a riot! Don't miss it!
Review: I spent a lot of time laughing out loud while reading this book. Lola is a wonderful character, all spunk and sass and WAY overdramatic, which makes her observations on life lots of fun to read. Dare I admit I see a bit of the teenage me in Lola the Drama Queen? The reason this book only got four stars is because it ended rather abruptly--and far, far too soon! I really hope the author writes another book about these great characters (although at this point, i'm not sure what they could do that wouldn't be anti-climactic.)
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Summary: Perfect book for 12-16 year-olds! A great Christmas gift!
Review: I started Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen yesterday and stayed up half the night finishing it! Sure I regretted it that morning when I had to wake up at 6 to go to high school but it was definatly worth it! Who would be able to put down the fabulously realistic and humorous Lola and her best friend Ella? I can't wait to get my hands on My Perfect Life, the sequel, and read on. For all potenial buyers, this is a great gift for 12-16 year-olds and a really fun book.
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Summary: A fun book
Review: I thought that this was a relatively fun, fresh book, but there was some... shall I say bad things about it. Mary Cep, or as she stubbornly likes to be known as Lola, is a major drama queen. She is positive she will be the next big thing in Hollywood. Some time. When Lola's mother moves her and her two totally gross little sisters out of New York City and into the suburbs, Lola is sure she will be the savior to so many poor souls in Dellwood. Or as she calls it, Deadwood. Then she meets Carla Santini, the local bully and snob, and that whole part of the book's (the WHOLE book!) is pretty predictable. It's through Lola's obsessive love for her favorite band, Sidhartha, that Lola gets her and her best friend and "sister of my soul", Ella, alot of... adventure. I won't give away the rest. Parts of this book was really funny and it was hard not to laugh out loud, whether I was in public or not, but Lola's interpretation of every thing got boring. Finally when you get to the exciting part, it's Lola's friend, Ella, who is being more of the heroine. I felt that this book ended alot like it began. In "the Big Freeze". The book is worth reading, but still lacking in many ways. ~Atalanta
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Summary: Such a great book! now they have to ruin it...
Review: I totally looovveedd this book! Lola is so cool...wow good stuff but guess what? Lindsay Lohna (parent Trap, Freaky Friday, ya...) is gonna play Lola in the new movie Confessions of A Teenage Drama Queen! totally cool! NOT. o lord.
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Summary: Worth the Drama?
Review: I'm a high school senior. I've had enough experience to witness the ups and downs of drama queens. Sure, there are the true actresses who have been in every theater production since freshmen year, but there are the non-thespians who pull out all the stops to display their inner drama. This is to be expected in high school, right? Well, if these people seem like "quite-the-characters", you haven't seen nothin' yet. Wait until you are introduced into the life of Lola Cep (or Mary Elizabeth if you want to be legal about the whole matter). She is the actress and emotional drama rolled into one hilariously funny character. There are only the tiniest bits of annoyances in the drama. It's so easy to overlook this when you're constantly ooh-ing and aah-ing the adventures of Lola. Lola has just moved from New York City (the cultural capital of the world!) into the suburbs of New Jersey. She must start over at a new school and she plans to make her title as the "Drama Queen" known. While most of the students secretly like her, they are all hindered by the bitchy princess Carla Santini. This character might be a little overdone, but don't be too sure. I'm sure there are some high school girls like this. She is the dominating center of the school. If she doesn't want people to talk to Lola, they don't. Simple as that. When Carla finds out that Lola is expecting to take some of the spotlight, things get especially bad. Lola and her less outgoing best friend, Ella, are being given the "Big Freeze" (silent treatment) because of Carla. The rest of the book takes you through the the school play that will be put on and the girls on a quest to see their favorite band at the farewell concert (not having tickets isn't a problem, is it?). While there are some bumps along the way, this is one ride that you don't want to miss. You love to root for Lola but will feel involved and hurt when you discover some of her "exaggerated truths". You'll laugh out loud, gasp, and even cry a little. Though the plot is a typical good vs. "evil", it's packaged in a much more exciting box. You'll enjoy this drama!
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Summary: Confessions of the Reader
Review: In Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Mary Elizabeth (or Lola, which she prefers) Ceps is a younge drama queen who is used to having all the attention and being a star. However, when she moves to 'Deadwood', or Dellwood, New Jersey, she finds that she has a major competitor, Carla Santini. However, she also finds a best friend in Ella Gerard. Ella and Lola go on many adventures together, including going to a concert and lying to their parents. But through thick and thin, Lola tries and tries to become the ultimate teenage drama queen. Will she succeed? Read it and find out!
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Summary: entertaining, enlightening, overall wonderful
Review: Lola Cep (or Sep, she can't decide) truly has character. An aspiring actress, but current drama queen, moves from her big city (New York) to a small "boring" countryside area. Throughout this book she battles with the "popular, queen, win everything girl in school"-Carla Santini. When Lola mourns that her favorite band, "Sidharta", is breaking up, Carla makes a big commotion about going to their fairwell concert in New York City. Of course Lola has to step up and say she was invited too, even though she wasn't. Throughout this adventure, she invites her quiet-Martha Stewart kind of best friend through the adventures. Will she go to the Sidharta concert? Will Carla know she was lying? I enjoyed this book, as it was entertaining, fun, and enlightening. I highly reccommend it. It really brought back humurous memories of my time in grade school.
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Summary: A giggle-out-loud riot
Review: Mary Elizabeth "Call me Lola" Cep is the new girl atDellwood High in NJ. A star at her old school in New York, shediscovers the role of drama queen at Dellwood is already taken - by her soon-to-be rival Carla Santini. The two girls vie for the same part at auditions for the school play, and compete for invitations to a party given by THE band of the minute. This is a funny, funny story. Sheldon is dead on with her insights into teen fashion and pop culture, high school social hierarchy, and parent/teen relationships. Lola is a likeable character with a strong voice. Her melodrama and tendency to twist the truth, even outright lie, make the story a giggle-out-loud riot. Supporting characters are uneven, some realistically zany, some weak and predictable. There isn't enough humorous fiction published for teens, and they badly need a dose. Pass this one on to someone who needs to laugh
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Summary: In the words of Lola Sep : devestatingly hysterical
Review: Mary Elizabeth Cep (but for her sake, let's call her Lola) experiences dramtic culture shock upon moving from the glittering New York City to the Stepford-esque Dellwood. Though thoroughly depresed at first, Lola soon grows on the idea that his is an oppurtunity to become a guiding light to her new peers who have been living a life the likes of which haven't been seen since "Leave it to Beaver" was cancelled. Cep considers herself a guiding light to those lost in the dark of the suburbs. Through out the story we meet many diverse charachters: the innocent sheltered Ella Gerard, the born-to-win,born-to-run Carla Santini, Mrs. Baggoli - a clever drama/english teacher (who fondly reminds me of a teacher I had in middle school), Lola's "unimaginative" family, and the very unique Sam Creek. We are also immersed in talk of the band "Sidhartha," the lead singer of which Lola considers "the bard of the Soho district."
I tore this book cover to cover, falling so in love with each charachter and musing over Lola's rants about society today. Dyan Sheldon is a genius in writing this book. It seems she almost becomes posessed by Lola's spirit as the book continues. Behind the cover rests a jungle of dazzling wit and reflection such that even those who hate reading will be unable to ignore. This book is definately a favorite of mine, and though not well known, is destined to be a classic once the numbers discover it.
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Summary: Second Time's the Charm
Review: Mary Elizabeth Cep (or Lola, which is what she prefers to be called, since she has known that her true name was Lola since birth), is outraged when her hippy/potter Mother moves her, and her two younger twin sisters, Paula and Pam, from their beloved life in New York City, to a little town in the suburbs called Dellwood (Deadwood), New Jersey. Lola is a flamingo among a flock of pigeons, and realizes it even more when she begins attending Dellwood High School, with the popular, rich, and vicious Carla Santini. Dellwood's answer to God. Lola soon realizes that Carla holds down the part as resident teenage drama queen, and feels that it's up to her to claim her rightful title from Carla Santini, and land the lead part in the school's production of the play PYGMALION. Of course, how was Lola to know that if Carla doesn't get what she wants, she is very, very unhappy, and is prepared to make your life a living hell. I originally read and reviewed CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN in late 2001, early 2002, giving it a 3 star rating. But when I heard that the movie CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, starring Lindsay Lohan was being released, I decided to re-read it, and found that this time around I enjoyed the plot and characters much more than the first time that I read it. Yes, Lola is often over-dramatic and whiny, but that's what makes her a fun and unique character. Carla Santini is the token mean girl, who will do anything to destroy someone who is becoming more recognized than herself. Ella is a quiet character, who is intelligent, yet very cautious about everything, until Lola comes into her life. And Sam is the guy every girl wants in her life, someone who comes to the rescue when you need help. Overall, this was a fantastic book that all teens will enjoy. I am now looking forward to reading the sequel, MY PERFECT LIFE, also by Dyan Sheldon, which is written from Ella's perspective, and I recommend that all fans of CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN do the same. Erika Sorocco
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