Not-So-Simple Life (Diary of a Teenage Girl: Maya, Book 1) [Paperback]

Melody Carlson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2008

Fifteen-year-old Maya Stark seems to have it all–fame, fortune, a Beverly Hills lifestyle, and an eighties pop star dad who’s making a comeback. But looks can be deceiving, and on the inside, Maya is miserable. Her parents are divorced, her dad is away on tour, and being biracial, she struggles with her identity. Then, to make matters worse, her mother has returned to using drugs and is quickly depleting their finances. In a plan to become emancipated from her messed-up mom, Maya takes a job on Rodeo Drive. Selling designer clothes compromises Maya’s earth-friendly “green girl” values, but she is desperate.

Just when Maya thinks she’s got it all worked out, her life caves in. Her mom “embezzles” Maya’s savings and is later arrested on DUI and cocaine possession charges and is facing jail time. With nowhere to live, Maya is sent to spend the summer with her relatives. In the collision of two very different worlds, Maya must figure out where she fits in–or does she fit in at all?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Carlson's bestselling Diary of a Teenage Girl series gets a new star in Maya, who is the cousin of previous Carlson heroine Kim Peterson. Like the other dozen-plus books in the series, this one features teens with serious family problems—in Maya's case, a drug-addicted and abusive mom and a dad who's rich and famous but has no time for her. The grounded Maya, with her environmental idealism and her resourceful maturity, is a plucky heroine. Carlson exposes the seamy underside of glamorous Hollywood, including the music and modeling worlds, so it's no surprise that Maya doesn't miss the fast lane when she goes to live a small-town life at her cousin's. There she is exposed to Christianity and begins to explore faith. Fans of the series will welcome this new character even as they enjoy the crossover appearances of characters they've come to love. (July 15)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“As Maya Stark pours her heart out in her journal, readers are treated to an inside view of a life that is at times exotic and unfamiliar, and at other times hauntingly similar to our own. Maya’s struggles become our struggles, her pain our pain, and her successes, therefore, even sweeter. A Not-So-Simple Life is another triumph for Melody Carlson.”
- Virginia Smith, author of Sincerely, Mayla and Stuck in the Middle

“Fantastic book! Maya is so easy to like–this is a hard story to put down!”
- Erynn Mangum, author of Miss Match

“Melody Carlson has proven her skill once again at writing gritty stories about characters in difficult situations. In A Not-so-Simple Life, Maya Stark seeks to escape life under the controlling hand of her drug-addict mother by acting on a plan for independence with admirable determination.”
- Michelle Buckman, author of Maggie Come Lately and My Beautiful Disaster

“I just finished Melody’s book and loved it! The journal format makes the story, and Maya, so real and believable. Readers will easily be able to identify with the realistic approach to a prevalent situation.”
- Patricia Rushford, author of the Max & Me Mysteries

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601421176
• ISBN-13: 978-1601421173
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Melody Carlson has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We cannot control what happens in our life, October 14, 2009

By 

Novel Teen (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Not-So-Simple Life (Diary of a Teenage Girl: Maya, Book 1) (Paperback)

Maya Stark might have a celebrity dad and live in Beverly Hills, but that doesn't mean her life is easy. Her parents are divorced, her dad is touring, and her mom is on and off the drug and alcohol wagon so often Maya never knows who to expect. The problems with her mom force Maya to be the adult in the family. She cooks and cleans and hides what money she can from her mom. It's not enough. Despite Maya's earth-friendly values, she gets a job at an upscale clothing boutique in Beverly Hills. Her plan: save up enough money to get legally emancipated from her parents so she can take charge of her life.

But just when Maya thinks it's all going to work out, life falls apart. She has no choice but to spend the rest of the summer with her cousin. Will Maya ever find home sweet home?

A Not So Simple Life was a great read. Maya drew me into her world. I loved seeing her fight for her freedom and stand up to her parents. Despite her attempts, she's proof that we cannot control what happens in our life. That only God is in control. It was a relief to see Maya figure that out. I hope more of us do. Melody Carlson is off to another great series with Maya. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, October 29, 2008

By 

CeeCee "Booksplurge.blogspot.com" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Not-So-Simple Life (Diary of a Teenage Girl: Maya, Book 1) (Paperback)

Often today, we hear adults bashing teens without celebrating the ones who overcome adversity. Carlson portrays a teen whose back is up against the wall but comes out determined to overcome her negative situations. I liked Maya from the first page. Shoot, her courage inspired me.

I know she's a fictional character! But still.

This book will appeal to teens who hero worship celebrities and their lifestyles. The entertainment world is not always pretty and this story offers an realistic glimpse into it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep them coming!, October 22, 2008

By 

Jennifer O. Jones "jlojones" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Not-So-Simple Life (Diary of a Teenage Girl: Maya, Book 1) (Paperback)

My daughter tells me that this is her favorite book of the Diary of a Teenage Girl series.