Savvy Girl

by Lynn Messina

Book Overview

Seventeen-year-old Chrissy Gibbons has landed her dream job--a summer internship at her favorite magazine, Savvy. Being an intern is hard work, but the job becomes a lot more fun when Chrissy is befriended by a glamorous fashion editor who takes her to all the best parties. As the summer winds down, though, Chrissy realizes that in the whirlwind of parties and boys, she's been neglecting what could be her big break in the magazine business: an opportunity...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152061614
• ISBN13: 9780152061616
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.9" x 7.0"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

Made Me Miss My Butterfly Boy Days

I have enjoyed every single book by Lynn Messina, so I counted down the days until this one came out. Ironically it took me forever to read the book once I bought it and strangely, I didn't like it at first. Cons: The first 31 pages were slow, but I refused to give up because again, I've liked every Messina book I've read. When I got to "Fatal Crush or Hunger Pangs," I remembered why I really like this author. She has a dry wit and the dialogue is dead on for the characters. But it seemed like this chapter was the one when Chrissy Gibbons, the 17-year-old New Yorker intern who is working for a well-known fashion magazine trying to become a columnist, becomes more down to Earth. Chrissy starts off as this sort of valley girl character who says "so" before everything as though it's an adjective. It was annoying, however, I know girls who speak this way so I tolerated it. When Chrissy started cursing and talking about hip hop, it threw me off because it didn't really fit with the character at the opening of the book. I can't imagine this young lady listening to hip hop or spouting off vulgarity. So I was a little skeptical of this character's personality. My only other con is that Chrissy was doing way too much drinking for a seventeen year old. If this was a backyard garage party, I could see it. But her parents were way too easy on her (and parents can always tell when their child is drunk, especially Chrissy's attentive parents). Not one bartender questioned her age, and that seemed very strange even for an exclusive party considering Chrissy was not described as a mature-looking woman. Pros: As soon as Michael Davies came into the picture, her teenage awkwardness and schoolgirl crush set in. That's when she started reminding me of a real teenager. I thought Lily, Chrissy's best friend who is slightly spoiled and has parents going through a divorce, was completely believable throughout the read. Messina took readers on an easy-to-read tale of a teenager who has gotten in over her head hanging out with the head honchos in the fashion and magazine industry--attending exclusive parties, drinking, looking for gorgeous boys, irritating her parents, and making her outside friendships fragile. All of this is very much common while growing up, just this time it was with a fashion magazine. Back to the topic of drinking (con above), Messina described Chrissy as very atypical, but after the explanation of her mentor (Lois') background, it made sense that Lois wouldn't pay attention or care about this. Anyway, once the parties started, the book picked up. But the confusion on the very first train ride was what made me know I was going to love this book, and I did, especially the ending.

Chrissy has to make a lot of judgment calls in her savvy life

Chrissy is living large, that is, for a 17 year old. How fabulous to have a summer journalism internship at "Savvy Magazine." Rubbing shoulders with gorgeous models, high-profile industry icons, movie stars, and good-looking guys, is a dream come true for Chrissy. Although best friend Lucy is so supportive and loves to hear about Chrissy's cool journalism internship in the big Apple, New York, at the same time she is also upset about her parent's divorce. Chrissy finds it difficult to stay focused on her friend's personal problems because she is so caught up in her glamorous experiences at and for "Savvy Magazine." Befriended by, Jessica, a famous model turned magazine executive, Chrissy puts aside friends and family for glitz and glamour. Chrissy lets the late-night parties, drinking, and flirting with a handsome hunk, Michael Davies, derail her from her personal and family values. To top it all off each of the four interns, Chrissy included, are given the awesome opportunity to have their own monthly magazine column. But first, they must write a killer story to win over the magazine editor. Does Chrissy get past her own need to party and hang with the rich and famous? Does her late-night partying cause challenges with her parents at home? Does she abandon her best friend Lucy? Does she write the knock-out story or lose her opportunity because of her own selfishness? Chrissy's journey and life lessons may surprise you. Armchair Interview says: Enjoy!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

What could be more exciting than a summer internship at the coolest magazine? Chrissy Gibbons has landed a prized position as a summer intern at Savvy magazine. However, the summer doesn't turn out to be the one she expected. Chrissy expects to be writing exciting articles and wowing the editors at Savvy. In reality, she is stuffing envelopes and fielding the letters that Adele should be handling. Adele spends her day planning her wedding and dealing with one mishap after another. Chrissy handles the mundane jobs but wants more out of her experience. The editor of the magazine announces a new column. One of the summer interns will be selected to write a monthly column, Savvy Girl. Chrissy wants the prized column more than anything. As the summer unfolds, Chrissy's opportunity to write a stunning column gets sidetracked by far more glamorous opportunities. Jessica, the fashion editor, has taken a shine to Chrissy and keeps inviting her along to exciting parties and fashion events. Soon, Chrissy is forgetting plans she's made with her best friend, and coming home drunk. When a mutual friend makes her realize that her best friend is pretty upset with her home life, Chrissy realizes that she's changed, and not for the better. The realization helps her write the Savvy Girl column she's been neglecting and helps her become the person she knows she should be. Lynn Messina is best known for her Red Dress Ink adult romance novels; SAVVY GIRL is her first book for young adults. She's captured the uncertainty of a young adult beautifully. Chrissy is desperate to fit in at her high fashion intern job, but needs to realize that she's still a teenager and has a lot more to learn about life. Reviewed by: Jaglvr