The Birthday Girl, Melissa de la Cruz
The Birthday Girl, Melissa de la Cruz
2 Rating(s)
List: $20.00 | Sale: $14.00
Club: $10.00

The Birthday Girl

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Narrator: Brittany Pressley

Unabridged: 7 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 08/06/2019


Synopsis

In the thrilling, suspenseful new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz, all of Ellie de Florent-Stinson’s secrets come to light in one eventful evening full of twists, turns, and surprises.  
 
Before she became a glamorous fashion designer, Ellie de Florent-Stinson was a trailer-park teen about to turn sixteen. But a night of birthday celebration doesn’t go exactly as planned and descends into a night she’ll never be able to forget.
 
Now, on the cusp of her fortieth birthday, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career; and a dazzling circle of friends.
 
Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. But hiding those skeletons has a cost, and it all comes to a head the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of Ellie’s life begins to crumble. 
 
Beautifully paced and full of surprises, The Birthday Girl is an enthralling tale of a life lived in shadow and its unavoidable consequences.

About The Author

Melissa de la Cruz is the #1 New York TimesUSA Today, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly internationally bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels, including Disney’s Descendants novels, the Blue Bloods series, and the Alex & Eliza trilogy. Witches of East End also became an hour-long television drama on the Lifetime network. Her books have sold more than eight million copies worldwide. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and, for many years, owned the Lear House in Palm Springs, where she threw many fun events but never a birthday party.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Debra on July 20, 2019

2.75 rounded up Life in the fast lane Surely make you lose your mind Life in the fast lane, yeah Eager for action and hot for the game The coming attraction, the drop of a name They knew all the right people They took all the right pills They threw outrageous parties They paid heavenly bills -The Eagles A b......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on August 05, 2019

Ellie is turning forty, and she’s throwing the party year in her Palm Springs house to celebrate. Ellie is one that has it all. She has the handsome husband, beautiful and accomplished children, and three homes. She’s a fashion designer and has a solid group of friends. You know what means, though, r......more

Goodreads review by Jessica on July 24, 2019

I received this book for free as part of an Instagram tour (Storygram Tours specifically) I did to promote the book. I give this book 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4. I was really looking forward to reading this book because I love Melissa de la Cruz’s books. However, this book wasn’t as good as I exp......more

Goodreads review by Mandy on August 30, 2019

Really enjoyed this book of 2 birthdays 24 years apart. The ending surprised me. Great narrator and story.......more

Goodreads review by Frank on October 25, 2019

2.5 rounded down. Nothing really that thrilling or suspenseful about this novel. I had seen some bad reviews going in, so my expectations were not very high, yet somehow I was STILL disappointed with this one! I suppose the cover really captivated me and my hopes were high, despite some negative rev......more


Quotes

“[Melissa de la Cruz] contrasts the glamorous but vacuous world of the backstabbing elite with gritty but often sweet memories of Ellie's impoverished youth. . . . Scandalous and bittersweet, our heroine's charmed life seems to teeter on designer stilettos as she gets closer to the truth of who she really is.”Kirkus Reviews

“Melissa de la Cruz expertly mixes biting satire with suspense and throws in more than a few surprises. . . . Readers will be riveted as long-simmering secrets come to light.”Publishers Weekly

“Alternating narratives and layers of unanswered questions keep the pace moving quickly, and readers interested in domestic drama with ominous undertones will be hooked.”—Booklist

“This is an intriguing domestic suspense novel that will engross readers as they explore Ellie’s life and past.”The Parkersburg News and Sentinel