"Mixed Bags" by Melody Carlson

About this book:

  “With six teenage girls living under one roof, things are bound to get interesting. Mix six teenaged girls and one 60s fashion icon (retired, of course) in an old Victorian-era boarding home. Add guys and dating, a little high-school angst, and huge personalities and you’ve got the Carter House Girls.
  When her mom died, DJ was forced to move in with her grandmother, internationally famous 60s fashion model Katherine Carter. Now Mrs. Carter s opened a boarding home for young ladies, and DJ who would rather wear her basketball uniform than haute couture is sure they’ll all be unbearable fashion snobs. One by one, the girls arrive and begin to figure out how to fit into this new family, getting to know each other and forming friendships. Sure, there’s an aspiring diva or two, but before long, the Carter House girls are dating, fighting, laughing, shopping, and sharing clothes, purses, shoes not to mention their deepest secrets. DJ might not turn into the perfect little lady her grandmother has in mind, but one thing’s for certain with all these new sisters, her life will never be the same!”


Series: Book #1 (of eight) in the “Carter House Girls” series. {Another series by this author, “On the Runway” mentions these characters after the final book. {Read#1 of that series review Here!} I personally would read the CHG series then the OTR series. :) }

Spiritual Content- Rhiannon talks about God, the Bible & happiness and also witnesses to the girls; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; A Prayer; Scriptures are mentioned; Mentions of being religious; Eliza says she’s from the Bible belt and is a Christian “Of course”; DJ thinks that what Rhiannon “preaches” about is too good to be true; *Spoiler* Five pages till the end, DJ prays to ask God into her heart. *End of Spoiler*;

              *Note: Two mentions of going to hell; A mention that Casey know looks like she might sneak out in the middle of the night to worship Satan; A mention of a fashion goddess.

                

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crock’, a ‘crummy’, two ‘dumb’s, two forms of ‘idiot’s, two forms of ‘suck’s, three ‘freaking’s, three ‘shut up’s, four ‘witch’s, seven ‘stupid’s; A possible curse is cut off; Sarcasm, sass & eye rolling; Taylor drinks, has a fake ID & buys beer and wine (semi-detailed); Grandmother drinks wine & martinis; Taylor smokes & DJ considers but doesn’t (semi-detailed); DJ’s parents were divorced; Casey is rebelling against her Christian upbringing (goth, piercings, etc) and mentions of her computer game with guns & screaming people; A party with drinking and underage drinking; Mentions of drugs; Mentions of drunks, underage drinking & alcoholics; A mention of a movie with blood, guts & gore;  

             *Note: Many mention of designers & celebrities; Mentions of & going to Starbucks; A mention of Boy Scouts.

Sexual Content- a check kiss, a not-detailed kiss, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two semi-detailed kisses and a detailed kiss (which is more like a make-out session); Noticing; Mentions of kissing & making out; Touches (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of eating disorders; Flirting & Flirts; Many mentions of curves, boob implants, shaving & looks; Mentions of guys hooting at a girl’s legs & cleavage; a ‘babe’, a ‘hot’ when referring to how someone looks; Boys, boyfriends & girlfriends, dating, dates, jealousy, & all that drama; A mention of a pervert; Mentions of getting and keeping a guy’s attention & seductive voices; A couple mentions of having it and when to have sex on a date; Grandmother thinks that DJ had unprotected sex and doesn’t want the girls having casual sex (this conversation leads to a mini-talk on kinds of sex. And just a note: DJ did not have sex.); A mix-up with a purse having a package of condoms; Conner says his dad took off; DJ’s father was involved with another woman before her parents were divorced;

              *Note: Many, many, many Mentions of (and sometimes wearing) tiny skimpy bikinis (that leave nothing to the imagination), shorts, miniskirts, bras, see-through tops, & cleavage showing. DJ won’t wear anything that shows her belly, cleavage or butt.

-Desiree Jeanette “DJ” Lane, age 16

                                        P.O.V. of DJ
                                                        198 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Add 2-3 stars for girls in Public & Private School}

When I first read this series (pre-BFCG), I rated it all four stars. Now as I’m older and wiser my tastes have changed a bit, not quite my cup of tea. I still enjoy this series, but I’m still iffy on Conner.

See y’all on Monday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.