beauty girl bookshelf: 'These Girls' by Sarah Pekkanen

reading a good book is always a satisfying way to spend time. it's so enjoyable to be able to escape into another story, another life, universe or time, through the pages of a novel, even if only for a brief bit of time each day. i'm happy to have been given the opportunuty to read a new one, titled These Girls, by Sarah Pekkanen. wherever you read it {home, on a long drive or flight, poolside, at the beach}, it's a great book to get caught up in!

here's a bit of info about the main characters, Cate, Renee and Abby:

Cate has recently been promoted to features editor at the very popular magazine, Gloss. while she's concerned that her colleagues at the magazine think she got the job due to reasons that have nothing to do with her work performance, there's a bigger issue she's terrified will be revealed...

Renee also works at the magazine and has her sights on the beauty editor position that recently opened up. she's qualified and puts herself in the running for the job, but she doubts she'll get it because of her physical appearance. in her quest to land the position, Renee decides to start taking diet pills to lose weight...

Abby is a student and has recently come to nyc with a secret. this secret has left her broken, so she's looking to pick up the pieces and start over. layered in her story, she's also questioning the truth of a tragic event that happened in her family as a child...

Sarah Pekkanen's writing style is very conversational and reads so fluidly. the story, while not perfect, is engaging; the women are likable and complex without being out of touch, and i can easily see myself being friends with each of them! descriptions of places {especially nyc} and feelings are described beautifully, but my favorite thing about These Girls is that it reveled in the value of friendship. yes, there are themes of betrayal, dishonesty, and a bit of cattiness, but these are elements that have their place in the issues of each woman's story.

if you're looking for a summer beach read, definitely pick up These Girls.
for more info, visit Sarah's website, sarahpekkanen.com. you can also follow her on twitter {she loves chatting with readers!} and facebook.

 

*book sent to me for the purpose of review by the publisher, Atria Books/Simon & Schuster; pic taken by me :)