I was a young teen when this book came out and it quickly became a favorite of mine. Caroline Cooney, for all that she wrote a lot of lighthearted fluff, is a master of dialogue, her books are always shot through with witty quips and memorable turns of phrase. Despite the fact that I can recite passages from this book by heart, it's been ages since I actually sat down and read it. The 80s fashion details are glorious, I really dislike how current trends are to leave out fashion in order to render to books timeless, to me part of the enjoyment of a book written on a certain era (as opposed to set there after the fact) is the genuine descriptions of what is au courant at the moment. This book has all the romance, high school drama and genuine heroes one could once, plus our perennial bad girl Molly, who readers love to hate. This book is an inextricable part of my youth, so I can't judge it fairly, but it's definitely a winner as far as I'm concerned.
"Pretty dresses, desperate hearts."Set in the eighties, this book is about five teenage girls and their experiences at their first formal, the Autumn Leaves Dance. They suffer anxieties, dramas and home truths. Secrets are revealed and lessons are learned. Love is in the air too! I loved the detailed descriptions of the dresses and how they made each girl stand out. I especially loved Beth Rose's vintage dress that her grandmother gave to her, which added to her magical night. Beth Rose's storyline was my favourite as it was fairytale-esque and how I wished my teenage life had been. Plus she got to fall in love with Gary! Wish this had been made into an eighties teen movie! Looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and seeing how the characters' lives progress.
