THE BRITTANYS by Brittany Ackerman - Review & Giveaway


One of most hotly anticipated and hyped novels this summer is debut author, Brittany Ackerman's, THE BRITTANYS (Vintage). You'll find yourself looking back to those high school years and literally cringing ... in a good way?

Remember how important it was to be in the most popular clique? I do. In ninth-grade it was who you are and in THE BRITTANYS they're not the most popular freshmen at their Florida prep school, but at least everyone knows their name(s). The Brittanys.

Brittany Rosenberg: drives her golf cart around her subdivision to meet boys.

Brittany Gottlieb: insists you can't lose your virginity if you haven't gotten your period. (She heard it somewhere!)

Brittany Tomassi: is from New York.

Brittany Jensen: once threw her tampon into a stranger's swimming pool. A brash, bold, unapologetic tomboy. And the greatest person in the whole wide world.

At least as far as the fifth Brittany--our narrator--is concerned. Even within their friend group, she and Jensen are a duo: with their matching JanSport backpacks, Tiffany chokers, and Victoria's Secret push-up bras, they are unstoppable. And now that they're finally growing up, they're going to do everything: dye their hair, attend no-parent parties, try pot . . . maybe even lose their virginities. 2004 is totally going to be their year!

But as is with friendships in ninth grade, they come and go. Your bestest, best friend today, may be just a memory tomorrow. Sometimes perspective from afar is the best way to find out what is important and real.

Ackerman's novel took me back all those many years to ninth grade when everything was SO important. What was happening right at that moment was ALL that was relevant. All we thought about were boys, clothes and not much has changed. Ackerman's novel for me was a blessing to realize I'm so way over that crap.



Brittany Ackerman is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University's Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing.  Since graduation, she has completed a residency at the Wellstone Center in the Redwoods, and has attended the Mont Blanc Workshop in Chamonix, France under the instruction of Alan Heathcock. She has also attended the Writers by Writers Methow Valley Workshop under the leadership of Ross Gay.   

Her first collection of essays and winner of the 2016 Nonfiction Award, The Perpetual Motion Machine, is out now Red Hen Press.

www.brittanyackerman.com

Thanks to Vintage Publishers and Penguin/RandomHouse we have one copy to giveaway. Just tell us the best and worst of ninth grade... certainly, you remember something. We'll choose a winner soon. Good luck.

GIVEAWAY: USA only, please

Comments

  1. Padmini RaoJune 15, 2021 at 9:29 AM

    The worst thing about 9th grade was being a freshman in high school and having the upper class man pick on me. The best things were the friends I made.
    suzie_rao@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. MelissaJune 15, 2021 at 11:59 AM

    Best of 9th grade was getting into a play and getting noticed by my crush at the time. Worst was already being labeled as unpopular from middle school and not being able to shake that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Burma TurnerJune 15, 2021 at 2:03 PM

    The best part of ninth grade was being in the band. We had an amazing teacher who made it fun for everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  4. travelerJune 15, 2021 at 2:06 PM

    Meeting new friends was great. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. diannekcJune 15, 2021 at 5:14 PM

    The best thing about 9th grade was going to a new school and making new friends.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. NancyJune 15, 2021 at 6:59 PM

    The best part of 9th grade was joining the speech and debate team. The worst part of 9th grade was wearing freshman beanies.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  7. JoJune 16, 2021 at 9:45 AM

    worst psycho boyfriend, best new friends

    ReplyDelete
  8. bn100June 17, 2021 at 12:32 PM

    new friends
    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. SvetaJune 19, 2021 at 1:17 AM

    Hmm taking geography class was possibly best part for me. Worst part is depression and when a boy you liked didn't like you back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SvetaJune 19, 2021 at 1:18 AM

      Right, my email: svet_chick1985@yahoo.com

      Delete
  10. Kayla Book Lover in FloridaJune 25, 2021 at 5:28 PM

    I remember getting to start on the Varsity volleyball 🏐 team over a senior. Whoa!

    ReplyDelete

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