Abby McDonald
Author of Dangerous Girls
About the Author
Works by Abby McDonald
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- McDonald, Abigail
- Birthdate
- 1985
- Gender
- female
- Education
- University of Oxford (BA|PPE|2006)
- Occupations
- music journalist
entertainment critic
screenwriter - Agent
- Curtis Brown
Rosemary Stimola - Short biography
- Born in Sussex, UK. Graduated 2006 in Politics, Philosophy & Economics from Oxford University.
Abby McDonald grew up in Sussex, England and studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Oxford University. She began writing at college, and graduated to work as a music journalist and entertainment critic; drawing on her loves of pop culture, film and feminism, and interviewing acts as diverse as LeAnn Rimes, The Kings of Leon, and Marilyn Manson. She is now a full-time novelist and screen-writer.
After spells in Montreal and London, Abby recently moved to Los Angeles, where she is enjoying blue skies, drive-thru everything, and an abundance of frozen yoghurt. She is twenty-five years old. [last two paragraphs adapted from Amazon.com, 10/03/2013] - Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Sussex, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Montréal, Québec, Canada
London, England, UK
Los Angeles, California, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- UK
Members
Reviews
I think it’s safe to say, a lot of us have been there. In love –or like- with our guy best friend. I know that was me in high school. LOL Not as bad as Sadie, but my best friend was that uber cool guy like the guys I’ve been reading in YA romances. I still reminisce fondly over the things we got into and the stuff we did. Can you say weekend trip to Amsterdam? One of the best times of my life, and he was there. *sigh*
Anyway, Sadie’s situation is different. She met Garrett when he show more first moved to their town when she was 14. He’s a year ahead of her in school and a year older. And she fell hard for him. She couldn’t believe someone as cool as him wanted to hang out with her. And when school started and he didn’t abandon her for cooler kids, she knew they were meant to be. So for two years Sadie was his best friend, even when he dated other girls. But now it’s the end of sophomore year and they’re off to go to a 6 week literary camp. Except Sadie doesn’t get accepted (she’s too young). And the night before he leaves, Garrett gives Sadie some mixed signals at a party. And so she thinks this is it, this is the summer where they’re finally together. But Garrett falls for someone else at writing camp and Sadie is devastated. She hits rock bottom. However, when her first attempt at Garrett detox fails and she backslides, that’s when she realizes there is something lower than rock bottom. LOL (That scene was mortifyingly funny.)
Now before you get your hopes up that Sadie gets over Garrett by falling for someone else, this is NOT a romance. This book is about Sadie’s path to self-discovery. She was so tied up in Garrett for two very formative years that without him, Sadie doesn’t even realize who SHE is. And with the help of new and old friends, Sadie is going to discover what she likes, who she is and the blinders will come off where Garrett is concerned. I liked these kinds of stories because it’s all about girl power – and that’s always a good thing. And it isn’t easy. Garrett has tentacles into every part of Sadie’s identity and there are a few defensive moments when her friends challenge her on things she thinks she likes. She realizes though that a lot of things she likes or doesn’t like is because of Garrett’s tastes. Sadie had it BAD. And I honestly liked that Sadie didn’t immediately latch onto another guy. That would not have been a good thing. Because she would have been like Julia Roberts’ Runaway Bride character when she liked whatever the guy liked. She needed to find out who she was first.
Don’t think that it turned her off from love though. It didn’t. Her friends also go through some relationship stuff where Sadie can see that love is not a bad thing. Losing yourself in another person is bad. But love is a wonderful thing. Getting Over Garrett Delaney was a cute and thoughtful book. show less
Anyway, Sadie’s situation is different. She met Garrett when he show more first moved to their town when she was 14. He’s a year ahead of her in school and a year older. And she fell hard for him. She couldn’t believe someone as cool as him wanted to hang out with her. And when school started and he didn’t abandon her for cooler kids, she knew they were meant to be. So for two years Sadie was his best friend, even when he dated other girls. But now it’s the end of sophomore year and they’re off to go to a 6 week literary camp. Except Sadie doesn’t get accepted (she’s too young). And the night before he leaves, Garrett gives Sadie some mixed signals at a party. And so she thinks this is it, this is the summer where they’re finally together. But Garrett falls for someone else at writing camp and Sadie is devastated. She hits rock bottom. However, when her first attempt at Garrett detox fails and she backslides, that’s when she realizes there is something lower than rock bottom. LOL (That scene was mortifyingly funny.)
Now before you get your hopes up that Sadie gets over Garrett by falling for someone else, this is NOT a romance. This book is about Sadie’s path to self-discovery. She was so tied up in Garrett for two very formative years that without him, Sadie doesn’t even realize who SHE is. And with the help of new and old friends, Sadie is going to discover what she likes, who she is and the blinders will come off where Garrett is concerned. I liked these kinds of stories because it’s all about girl power – and that’s always a good thing. And it isn’t easy. Garrett has tentacles into every part of Sadie’s identity and there are a few defensive moments when her friends challenge her on things she thinks she likes. She realizes though that a lot of things she likes or doesn’t like is because of Garrett’s tastes. Sadie had it BAD. And I honestly liked that Sadie didn’t immediately latch onto another guy. That would not have been a good thing. Because she would have been like Julia Roberts’ Runaway Bride character when she liked whatever the guy liked. She needed to find out who she was first.
Don’t think that it turned her off from love though. It didn’t. Her friends also go through some relationship stuff where Sadie can see that love is not a bad thing. Losing yourself in another person is bad. But love is a wonderful thing. Getting Over Garrett Delaney was a cute and thoughtful book. show less
Dangerous Girls takes you on a roller coaster ride through high school, the anatomy of best friends, boys and an of course, a murder trial. Told from the point of view of the prime suspect, Anna, we are thrown into her world and the universal search for justice in the murder of her best friend, Elise. There is a toxicity to their friendship, and this plays a vital role throughout. Dangerous Girls has so many layers and twists that even when you think you've figured out who did it, new show more details emerge and you are left questioning everything. Furthermore, this book has you reexamining all you see and hear on TV in regards to real life cases. As Anna says, "Wouldn't we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?" The story is not told in chronological order, but I found the switches between past and present to be seamless and perfect for the narrative at hand.Haas writes a great book, full of suspense and psychological thrills. show less
This is one of those stories that I was into from page one. I have always been interested in stories where two people switch lives. But this one was especially enjoyable thanks to McDonald's excellent writing and two great main characters.
Each chapter changes from Tasha's point of view to Emily's. I loved both characters. There was something in both of them that I could relate to. Tasha is the party girl. She is more interested in going out and boys then she is her studies. I liked how show more McDonald wrote the "hot-tub incident". It really showed how out of proportion a story can get in the tabloids. Emily is the one who is all about studies, the right schools and her future career. Everything has to be neat and tidy in her life. I have to admit I carry some of Emily's OCD qualities.
Both characters seem to be polar opposites in the beginning. They are both lost in each other's lives and eventually turn to each other for help. It was great to see these two girls come together as friends. It just shows that even someone completely different than you can be a great friend, and bring out parts of you you might be hiding.
This story really touches on what it means to be a feminist in today's society. It had me thinking about some of the things I do, or things I believe, and how I act on them. You hear a lot about politics in this book, particularly politics involving women, and it was nice to see how much the author knew about the subject. McDonald used her strength in knowledge in her writing and it shone through for me.
While the romance in this story for both girls was sweet, I wished the male characters were a little more developed. But of course, this story's main focus wasn't the romance. I had mixed feelings about the ending. On one hand, I like how it ended realistically. In real life, not everything ends in a neatly wrapped little package, some things are still left unknown. But on the other hand, I would have liked to see a little more closure, especially with Tasha. With that being said, if McDonald were to write a sequel I would be all for it.
Sophomore Switch managed to be cute and sweet, but poignant and insightful at the same time. This is a great book for any girl. show less
Each chapter changes from Tasha's point of view to Emily's. I loved both characters. There was something in both of them that I could relate to. Tasha is the party girl. She is more interested in going out and boys then she is her studies. I liked how show more McDonald wrote the "hot-tub incident". It really showed how out of proportion a story can get in the tabloids. Emily is the one who is all about studies, the right schools and her future career. Everything has to be neat and tidy in her life. I have to admit I carry some of Emily's OCD qualities.
Both characters seem to be polar opposites in the beginning. They are both lost in each other's lives and eventually turn to each other for help. It was great to see these two girls come together as friends. It just shows that even someone completely different than you can be a great friend, and bring out parts of you you might be hiding.
This story really touches on what it means to be a feminist in today's society. It had me thinking about some of the things I do, or things I believe, and how I act on them. You hear a lot about politics in this book, particularly politics involving women, and it was nice to see how much the author knew about the subject. McDonald used her strength in knowledge in her writing and it shone through for me.
While the romance in this story for both girls was sweet, I wished the male characters were a little more developed. But of course, this story's main focus wasn't the romance. I had mixed feelings about the ending. On one hand, I like how it ended realistically. In real life, not everything ends in a neatly wrapped little package, some things are still left unknown. But on the other hand, I would have liked to see a little more closure, especially with Tasha. With that being said, if McDonald were to write a sequel I would be all for it.
Sophomore Switch managed to be cute and sweet, but poignant and insightful at the same time. This is a great book for any girl. show less
Once I saw the cover of this book, I knew I would enjoy it. I don't think I've read a YA book that has focused this much on nature. I applaud Abby McDonald as it was such a nice change of pace. After reading a few pages, I was instantly fond of the main character, Jenna. In my opinion, compared to many of the other female protagonists out there, Jenna is such a good role model for young women and is extremely easy to relate to. When Jenna arrives in Canada, it's like another world for her. show more Although she may be an environmental activist at home, this is a whole new experience for her in Canada. She is thrown into a new situation and must adapt. Plus, she initially shares a room with her godmother's spiteful stepdaughter, Fiona, whom at first I'm convinced is Satan's spawn. Jenna must also try and make friends with the locals, which proves to be a daunting task since they view her as a silly city girl. Under all this is the sub plot of her parents and their possible impending divorce. I think that many young adults will really appreciate this book's message, but also enjoy the fun experiences that Jenna is involved in, such as white water rafting, hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing and rock climbing. And of course, there are ruggedly handsome Canadian boys.
There are a few things that I especially liked about this book. I loved Abby McDonald's references to a book that Jenna finds at a quirky bookstore. It's called the Modern Mountain Man's Survival Guide. Throughout the novel, McDonald references various parts of this Survival Guide, which can be applied to everyday life and not just hunting. This Survival Guide becomes Jenna's bible not only when dealing with wildlife, but also with people. I thought this was a great touch. I also loved the fact that Jenna was a strong female character. It's not often we see this in YA literature. Without giving too much away, Jenna becomes even more admirable when contrasted with her best friend, Olivia. Olivia defines herself by her boyfriend, which unfortunately happens a lot in high school and she essentially takes Jenna's friendship for granted.
Finally, this novel covers many life lessons and ultimately leaves Jenna thinking about the path she is on and her own belief system. Many of her beliefs are challenged and she is asked to think from a different point of view. Jenna essentially learns about herself through this experience. I sigh happily, because isn't that what all good young adult novels should do? With that said, I think that this book is the perfect accessory to any beach bag or trip to summer camp. It's the epitome of an enjoyable summer read. show less
There are a few things that I especially liked about this book. I loved Abby McDonald's references to a book that Jenna finds at a quirky bookstore. It's called the Modern Mountain Man's Survival Guide. Throughout the novel, McDonald references various parts of this Survival Guide, which can be applied to everyday life and not just hunting. This Survival Guide becomes Jenna's bible not only when dealing with wildlife, but also with people. I thought this was a great touch. I also loved the fact that Jenna was a strong female character. It's not often we see this in YA literature. Without giving too much away, Jenna becomes even more admirable when contrasted with her best friend, Olivia. Olivia defines herself by her boyfriend, which unfortunately happens a lot in high school and she essentially takes Jenna's friendship for granted.
Finally, this novel covers many life lessons and ultimately leaves Jenna thinking about the path she is on and her own belief system. Many of her beliefs are challenged and she is asked to think from a different point of view. Jenna essentially learns about herself through this experience. I sigh happily, because isn't that what all good young adult novels should do? With that said, I think that this book is the perfect accessory to any beach bag or trip to summer camp. It's the epitome of an enjoyable summer read. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Lists
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- Works
- 16
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 1,514
- Popularity
- #16,986
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 156
- ISBNs
- 100
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- 6
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