Lara M. Zeises
Author of The Sweet Life of Stella Madison
About the Author
Works by Lara M. Zeises
Associated Works
Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume (2007) — Contributor — 344 copies, 16 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1976-01-20
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- young adult writer
- Short biography
- Lara M. Zeises is the author of four novels for young adults. Her first, Bringing Up the Bones (2002), was named an honor book for the 2001 Delacorte Press Prize Competition. Her second, Contents Under Pressure (2004), began as her thesis project at Emerson College, where in 2001 she earned her MFA in creative writing. It has been named to the 2006 International Reading Association's Young Adult Choices list (among others) and was voted the 2006 Delaware Blue Hen Teen Book Award winner. Lara's third novel, Anyone But You (2005), was a Teen People Top 10 Pick. An excerpt from that project helped earn Lara a 2005 Emerging Artist Fellowship in Literature-Fiction from the Delaware Division of the Arts. The Sweet Life of Stella Madison followed in 2009; of it, Kirkus said, "The author keeps the narrative moving along at a good clip with some well-developed, recognizable characters.... Good, chatty fun."
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Places of residence
- Delaware, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Losing someone you love is never easy, but when you throw in the added question - Did he love me as much as I loved him? - to the equation, things get sticky. Bridget's life has essentially shattered around her with the death of her boyfriend, and she still manages to make sense of the madness and rise from the rubble.
I love the questions this novel raises: Is it love if only one person feels it? Are forgivable acts really unforgivable, or are they sometimes understandable? Does a show more relationship stand a chance if it starts out too physical? Is one way of dealing with grief better than another? show less
I love the questions this novel raises: Is it love if only one person feels it? Are forgivable acts really unforgivable, or are they sometimes understandable? Does a show more relationship stand a chance if it starts out too physical? Is one way of dealing with grief better than another? show less
The Sweet Life of Stella Madison is an exciting mix of food, friends, family, boys and summer experiences! I had a great time reading it. But seriously, this book will make you hungry! I found the foundation of food this story had rather unique. From the dinner menus at the beginning of chapters to how to order food when eating for the purpose of a review or even really tasting food for the first time. All those pieces are there.
I really liked reading about Stella's summer internship at the show more newspaper. I only wish she had started it sooner into the story. I feel like she just really got going there and it was over. I would have liked that to be a bigger part of the story.
I loved the character of Jeremy, Stella's mother's young intern. What a charmer, but he really understood Stella I felt. I felt bad for Stella's loving boyfriend, Max, who was oblivious to Stella's crush on Jeremy. I also loved Stella's parents and their jobs, definitely helped enhance the story, put her in a very interesting environment! Stella's friends were also sweet even if they were in the background most of the time.
I could have used a little more from the ending but overall I found The Sweet Life of Stella Madison to be a sweet and delicious story, pun intended! show less
I really liked reading about Stella's summer internship at the show more newspaper. I only wish she had started it sooner into the story. I feel like she just really got going there and it was over. I would have liked that to be a bigger part of the story.
I loved the character of Jeremy, Stella's mother's young intern. What a charmer, but he really understood Stella I felt. I felt bad for Stella's loving boyfriend, Max, who was oblivious to Stella's crush on Jeremy. I also loved Stella's parents and their jobs, definitely helped enhance the story, put her in a very interesting environment! Stella's friends were also sweet even if they were in the background most of the time.
I could have used a little more from the ending but overall I found The Sweet Life of Stella Madison to be a sweet and delicious story, pun intended! show less
This book is as sweet as the title plays off. I’m a food junkie who thinks that a marathon of Food Network Challenges is heaven. So of course when you give me a book about food it’s like a perfect match!
This food for thought can be a double-edged sword. Readers who are not familiar with certain foods and food terms will most likely be lost in the little details. Although Stella’s palette aims toward fast food and street food, the heavy menus from restaurants will be mind-boggling. show more Viewers of Bravo’s Top Chef, however, will feel right at home. The author does aid the readers with a small scene on how to properly consume (excuse me, I mean taste) food and the preparations of the perfect gnocchi.
Stella Madison is a teen that describes herself as a rubber ball bouncing in any direction; she has no sense of what she wants, she rolls with what’s given to her. So when she meets Jeremy, Max is suddenly out of her mind only to reappear when the guilt comes crawling back. Some might find Stella fickle with her whine, whine, whine about what she got herself into—Jeremy or Max? For some odd reason I did not find this true at all. I’m blaming on the writing. There’s a fine line where I felt that the author stayed within the realistic and coming-of-age story. This is Stella growing up and trying to tackle that rubber ball effect.
The whole book had a sense of cuteness, humor, and compassion. It deals with heartbreak, divorce, and a sexy European intern.
Overall: Food lovers and book lovers, pick up a copy of this book! show less
This food for thought can be a double-edged sword. Readers who are not familiar with certain foods and food terms will most likely be lost in the little details. Although Stella’s palette aims toward fast food and street food, the heavy menus from restaurants will be mind-boggling. show more Viewers of Bravo’s Top Chef, however, will feel right at home. The author does aid the readers with a small scene on how to properly consume (excuse me, I mean taste) food and the preparations of the perfect gnocchi.
Stella Madison is a teen that describes herself as a rubber ball bouncing in any direction; she has no sense of what she wants, she rolls with what’s given to her. So when she meets Jeremy, Max is suddenly out of her mind only to reappear when the guilt comes crawling back. Some might find Stella fickle with her whine, whine, whine about what she got herself into—Jeremy or Max? For some odd reason I did not find this true at all. I’m blaming on the writing. There’s a fine line where I felt that the author stayed within the realistic and coming-of-age story. This is Stella growing up and trying to tackle that rubber ball effect.
The whole book had a sense of cuteness, humor, and compassion. It deals with heartbreak, divorce, and a sexy European intern.
Overall: Food lovers and book lovers, pick up a copy of this book! show less
This novel explores the inevitable weirdness that comes from that first time in a platonic best friendship when the guy and the girl suddenly realize they're the opposite sex. The interesting twist is that they're stepbrother and stepsister. No, Zeises doesn't go anywhere illegal or creepy with that, but it's interesting to watch Critter and Seattle dance around that as they try to navigate their friendships, relationships, and crazy family life. As always, Zeises leaves readers ruminating show more about the characters and their choices. There's a lot of focus on family in this book, which I love, because families really are microcosms of society, so the way people exist within their family structures definitely spills out into the world. There's also quite a bit about the huge spectrum that exists between "buddies" and "boyfriend-girlfriend." show less
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 4
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 262
- Popularity
- #87,813
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 15
- ISBNs
- 21
- Languages
- 1