Beauty Shop for Rent: . . . fully equipped, inquire within [Hardcover]

Laura Bowers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Abbey Garner has a plan: to earn a million dollars by the time she's thirty-five. Financial independence will allow her to break the cycle of unhappiness endured by the women in her family. Determined to fulfill her dream, Abbey works at Granny Po's struggling beauty shop, where the feisty Gray Widows go to primp, polish, perm . . . and, of course, gossip. There, among the hair dryers and perm rods--and with the help of a new friend--Abbey finds the courage to open her heart and take risks required for her to live life to its fullest.

Debut author Laura Bowers creates a funny and touching first novel about family--both the one we are born to and the one we create ourselves.

(20070521)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–10—Abbey Garner, 15, has learned a lot from her hardworking great-grandmother, with whom she lives in rural Maryland. They run a beauty shop together, but Granny Po would like to retire and rent it out for profit. Abbey has mixed feelings when Gena arrives in town and arranges to turn Polly's Parlor into a successful day spa, but her ambivalence is quickly overcome when she reaps the benefits of learning about marketing, design, and finances from the newcomer while earning an increased salary. Abbey's goal has been to become a millionaire by age 35, and she's determined to avoid the romantic mistakes that seem to have affected every female in her family, even if it means possibly losing her longtime friendship with handsome Mitch. Although Abbey is happy, she misses her mother, who has a history of substance abuse, and blames her father for abandoning both of them. Then she makes the mistake of loaning her mother all of the money she's worked so hard to earn, so that they could buy a house and live together. Of course, her mother disappears again, and Abbey's search for her turns up a lot of unpleasant truths and family secrets, bringing the teen to a new level of maturity. This deceptively simple book reveals Abbey as a wonderful character who will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers. Her quiet, almost folksy lifestyle demonstrates the powerful impact of a loving family and good mentors.—Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY
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Review

* “It’s the multigenerational friendships—the feisty, sniping conversation with Granny Po and her close circle of friends, ‘The Widows,’ brim with humor—that make Bowers’s first novel a delight.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

(Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152057641
• ISBN-13: 978-0152057640
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,153,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My name is Laura Bowers and I'm the author of BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT, (Harcourt, 2007,) a novel I was inspired to write by a rusted sign that was posted in front of a charming old house.

Besides being a young adult author, I'm also a wife, mother, horse nut, reader, Baltimore Orioles fan--no matter what their record is, compulsive list keeper, and reality TV addict.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look out, Joan Bauer!, April 29, 2007

By 

Lara M. Zeises - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beauty Shop for Rent: . . . fully equipped, inquire within (Hardcover)

BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT represents what's missing in a lot of current YA fiction - good old-fashioned storytelling that doesn't need some sort of gimmick to make it stand out. The quirky cast of characters feel like real people, and not devices created to perform the plot. Abbey's voice sparkles right from the get-go, and her relationship with Granny Po and the rest of the gray widows is both hilarious and moving. This is more than just STEEL MAGNOLIAS for the younger set - this is a lovely coming of age story that stands on its own two feet, just like its heartwarming and headstrong protagonist.

And, despite what another Amazon reviewer seems to think, this is a very, very, very CLEAN read - I'd be as comfortable recommending this to a ten-year-old reader as I would someone going on sixteen.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Come On In, May 1, 2007

By 

Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beauty Shop for Rent: . . . fully equipped, inquire within (Hardcover)

Beauty Shop for Rent by Laura Bowers is fully equipped with quirky, memorable characters. Inquire within and you'll find a heartwarming story about a lovable teenage girl, her feisty great-grandmother, and the many people who love them.

The beauty is in the writing. The beauty is in the plotting. The beauty is in all of the characters, especially the protagonist. Readers will root for sweet, savvy Abbey, who is trying desperately not to follow in the tragic footsteps of the three generations of women before her.

As Abbey gives her deliquent mother a second chance - and a third, and a fourth - she runs the risk of losing all she's earned and challenging everything she knows about her family's history.

Step into this BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT for a good, clean read that will tickle your funny bone, massage your mind, and warm your heart. Highly recommended for teens and adults.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prepare to be charmed..., May 2, 2007

By 

Pamaloon (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beauty Shop for Rent: . . . fully equipped, inquire within (Hardcover)

Beauty Shop for Rent is going to wrap itself around you like your favorite blanket. This book has it all: engaging characters, humor, and a protagonist that you root for from page one. I'm giving my copy to my 16 year-old daughter, and buying another for her pal in Australia. A great read.