October 8, 2007
5 Minutes for Books — Dangerous Admissions
This is the first of two reviews and giveaways in 5 Minutes for Books. Scroll down or click here for the second one.
I love novels with a strong sense of place. Dangerous Admissions has one. Set in Manhattan, I could see the side streets and apartment buildings and coffee shops and bars that the characters frequent. Set in an exclusive private prep school, I could easily imagine the teenagers who probably look more sloppy than sophisticated, and the old dark campus buildings. The characters resonate: a teen boy with not much on his mind other than his secret crush; a headmaster who is beloved by some and hated by others (who just happens to turn up dead); a single mom, displaced from her job, looking for another while she plays amateur detective while she works her part-time job on campus; a recent grad who is struggling to make it on the outside; and a rich, eccentric, brusque yet caring old woman.
How does author Jane O’Connor paint this landscape so well? She’s been there.
“My sons each spent 13 years at a very high-powered place, and so twice my husband and I suffered through the process of applying,” O’Connor explains. “Of course, it was our kids, not us, who were actually applying, but the angst involved as parents often made it feel as if we were the ones waiting for the proverbial fat envelopes. One day, an idea for a
mystery just popped into my head. The story would revolve around nasty doings at a New York private school where the seniors are all vying for slots at the same ivy-covered places.”
High-powered private schools provide a setting full of excesses and as exotic to most readers as the tribal customs of the Maori. “I think it’s beyond awful how competitive the process of getting into college has become,” explains O’Connor. “Kids don’t get to enjoy being dumb teenagers, and high school is ruined for them because by eighth grade they are already obsessing and have their eye on the ivy-covered prize.”
Dangerous Admissions is Jane O’Connor’s first novel for adults, after writing the successful Fancy Nancy books for children. O’Connor has switched her focus without a hitch. The privileged prep school high school students are characterized so well that this book would resonate with young adult readers as well (in the modern, very explicit genre that Young Adult often is today). This book does contain mature themes and language.
The publisher has donated three copies to give away, so if you are interested, please leave a comment (U.S. shipping addresses only). The winners will be announced in next week’s column.
The winner of Smart-opedia: The Amazing Book about Everything is Callista (comment 5)
The winner of the LittleMissMatched Pajama Party in a Box is (comment 23) Amy R.
and the Marvelous and Fabulous Me Quiz Book is Amanda (comment 27)
Filed under * Feature Columns, 5 Minutes for Books, Books, Contests by Jennifer
Thank you soooooooooo much for sharing this post! (ps. Kirtsy and StumbleUpon are our favorites)
63 Comments on 5 Minutes for Books — Dangerous Admissions »
#1 - Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings @ 12:44 am
Count me in!
I blogged the giveaway too in my Monday Edition of Contests Galore
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/10/monday-edition-contests-galore.html
#2 - TheAngelForever @ 1:59 am
Looks like a great book. Thanks for the contest!
#3 - Amanda @ 2:04 am
I blogged about this giveaway on my blog
HERE
#4 - Michelle @ 5:26 am
Please sign me up to be entered.
#5 - Melissa Markham @ 6:21 am
Please enter me in the contest. Sounds like a great book!
#6 - homemom3 @ 7:48 am
Sounds like a great book. Would love to read it, count me in.
#7 - Amanda @ 8:14 am
Great contest! Count me in!
#8 - Mama Zen @ 8:30 am
This sounds marvelous!
#9 - Jess @ 8:54 am
I love to read, I have not read this Author yet, but I would love too!
#10 - Heather @ 8:57 am
I always love checking out new books!
#11 - Sarah @ 9:02 am
Books!…I love to read!!
#12 - Penny G @ 9:08 am
Sounds like a fun book to read!
#13 - Liz @ 9:32 am
Looks like a fun read and maybe I’d learn something as well…
#14 - Michele @ 10:40 am
Please sign me up.
#15 - Erin Read @ 11:36 am
Looks like it is a great read. Please count me in.
#16 - Le Anne @ 11:37 am
Count me in. I love great books to get lost in.
Le Anne
yardsaleprincess1@yahoo.com
#17 - Deb - Mom of 3 Girls @ 12:06 pm
Oh this sounds good - count me in!
#18 - Wendy @ 12:24 pm
sounds like a great book:)
#19 - Ashley @ 12:26 pm
enter me please!
#20 - Dawn @ 1:52 pm
This sounds like a good book.
#21 - Brooke @ 1:54 pm
If I don’t win it (and I really hope I do!), I’m taking it out from the library.
#22 - Holly @ 2:12 pm
that sounds good! Thanks!
#23 - Amy R. @ 2:13 pm
Looks interesting!
#24 - tammy b @ 3:33 pm
i’m interested
#25 - Cynthia @ 5:58 pm
ohhhh, I’m intrigued!
#26 - Julie Sivley @ 7:02 pm
Loving taking the time to read lately… this would be great! Thanks for counting me in!
#27 - Jen @ 7:23 pm
Count me in.
#28 - Richelle F @ 8:12 pm
Sounds like a great book!
#29 - Brandi @ Home, Hope and Future @ 8:28 pm
oooh, I love to read and really love to win things! ha ha!
Brandi
#30 - Karen (Mommy of Three) @ 8:30 pm
Count me in:)
#31 - Drama Mama @ 9:17 pm
Love it! Enter me Please!
#32 - AshleyR @ 11:18 pm
Count me in!!
#33 - Cecilia @ 12:05 am
Me too… me too…
#34 - Jennie @ 1:20 am
Sounds like an interesting read!
#35 - Sarah at In the Trenches of Mommyhood @ 9:17 am
Sounds like a good book–count me in!
#36 - Kari @ 9:22 am
YEAH! I love books!!
#37 - Rachel Bolin @ 11:02 am
I absolutely love to curl up with a good book!
#38 - Alexia @ 11:36 am
This sounds like an interesting read.
#39 - Melanie @ 12:43 pm
Sounds good to me.
#40 - Vickie @ 2:25 pm
Please count me in. I’m always looking for a good read.
#41 - Lisa O @ 6:22 pm
Always looking for a good read.
Thanks,
Lisa
#42 - peppylady @ 9:08 pm
Reading the first two line sure got my interest please put my name in the hat
#43 - Valerie Mitchell @ 10:00 pm
looks great!
#44 - Christy H. @ 9:12 am
Please enter me in this contest. Thanks
#45 - ktjrdn @ 10:24 am
I’d love to see what the buzz is about. This book has been well-publicized on the internet lately.
#46 - Lisa W @ 10:25 am
I love books! Please enter me!
#47 - Kathy Conley @ 2:39 pm
I want to win!
#48 - Nicole Price @ 10:29 am
Please count me in
#49 - Pamela White @ 12:25 am
I love reading new books pick me
#50 - Sherry Wells @ 3:39 am
I love mystery novels and these days its hard to find one without a lot of bad language. Coming from a children’s author sounds very interesting. I’d love to be one of the winners. Please count me in.
Thanks,
Sher
#51 - Donna @ 7:29 am
I’d love a new book!
#52 - Linda SS @ 8:24 am
I LOVE this author! My granddaughter and I check out Fancy Nancy from the library practically every time we go…it’s our favorite. I’d love to read an adult book by Jane O’Connor
#53 - Caryn @ 12:52 am
Count me in please
#54 - philip halter @ 6:01 pm
great site
#55 - Briggie @ 8:00 pm
i love a book that transports you, please count me in.
#56 - Nina Cunningham @ 10:15 pm
I’d love to win this…thanks!
#57 - Jean F @ 3:19 am
This book looks quite interesting, thank you for having this contest!
#58 - REBECCA @ 7:45 am
LOVE TO READ-THIS SOUNDS GOOD
#59 - kathy pease @ 11:05 am
have a great day
#60 - Heather C @ 7:03 pm
Always looking to read the newest thing. Thanks.
#61 - dawn F @ 10:04 pm
I want it.
#62 - Myrna @ 10:31 am
Am I too late?
#63 - Saturday Review of Books: October 13, 2007 at Semicolon @ 10:26 am
[...] Withrow (Reading Lolita in Tehran)15. Framed (The Woman in White)16. Framed (The Story Girl)17. 5MinforMom (Dangerous Admissions)18. 5MinforMom (Queen of the Castle)19. KarenDV (A Girl from [...]