“A mesmerizing, head-spinning—and sometimes madcap-hilarious—take of have and have-nots.”— People (Book of the Week) NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY REAL SIMPLE AND KIRKUS REVIEWS • “In the smart, breezy, sweet spot between Meg Wolitzer and Elin Hilderbrand.”— Entertainment Weekly No matter what the world throws her way, at least Ruthie Beamish has the house . Located by the sea in a quiet Long Island village, the house is her nest egg—the retirement account shared with her ex-husband, Mike, and the college fund for their teenage daughter, Jem. The catch? To afford the house, Ruthie must let it go during the best part of the year. It’s Memorial Day weekend and the start of what Jem calls “the summer bummer”: the family’s annual exodus to make way for renters. This year, the Hamptons set has arrived. Adeline Clay is elegant and connected—and will never need to worry about money. Before long, she demonstrates an uncanny ability to help herself to Ruthie’s life. Is Adeline just being her fabulous self, or is she out to take what she wants? When an eccentric billionaire, his wayward daughter, a coterie of social climbers, and Ruthie’s old flame are thrown into the mix, the entire town finds itself on the verge of tumultuous change. But as Ruthie loses her grasp on her job, her home, and her family, she discovers a new talent for pushing back. By the end of one unhinged, unforgettable summer, nothing will be the same—least of all Ruthie. Praise for The High Season “Blundell knows the territory... Her account of Ruthie’s coming to grips with a career, a daughter and a community in flux is as touching as it is convincing.” — The Wall Street Journal “A huge page-turner . . . so compelling . . . a classic beach read, but very smart, very intelligently written.” — Us Weekly, Emily Giffin’s Summer Reading Recommendations “An acid-laced domestic drama set during one golden summer on the moneyed, beachy North Fork of Long Island.” — The New York Times “Judy Blundell wields words like an oyster knife in this shimmering story of art, money, and celebrity.” —Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Before the War “A wry, often hilarious story of a woman trying to keep it together when everything is going so, so wrong.” — Real Simple
Author
A pseudonym used by Jude Watson. Judy Blundell has written books for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers under several pseudonyms. Her novel, Premonitions, was an ALA Reluctant Readers Best Picks and was chosen by the New York Public Library as a 2004 Best Books for the Teen Age. Among her forthcoming projects is Book #4 in the New York Times bestselling series, The 39 Clues. Judy Blundell lives in Katonah, New York, with her husband and daughter. 2008 National Book Award winner for her YA novel What I Saw and How I Lied, Judy Blundell is well known to Star Wars fans by her pseudonym, Jude Watson. What could be more fun than writing in your journal? Well, how about writing Queen Amidala's journal for her? Jude Watson is currently the most celebrated author in the prequel-era of the Star Wars phenomenon. She's no stranger to science fiction—her own series, entitled Danger.com, is a mystery series based on the Internet. Watson became involved with LucasBooks when an editor she had worked with in the past selected her to write Captive to Evil by Princess Leia Organa (Star Wars Journal). Since then Watson has penned the Star Wars Jedi Apprentice series as well as journals for Queen Amidala and Darth Maul. Readers of the Queen Amidala journal become privy to all her top secrets such as why she applies her lipstick in such an odd manner and how she manages her two identities as Queen Amidala and as Padme. The book is a doorway to all her thoughts, fears and strategies for everything from dealing with droid blasts to negotiating with the less-than-trustworthy Neimoidians! In Jude's series, Jedi Quest, she explores the world of the Jedi through Jedi Master Obiwan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker. So how does Jude keep all the characters and events in order? Jude definitely relies on the movies and the folks at LucasBooks, and she has even used A Guide to the Star Wars Universe by Bill Slavicsek as a handy reference. Jude also credits the creative collaboration with Scholastic editor David Levithan and Lucas editors Jane Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens as being extremely helpful. On the Lucas editors, she comments, "They are also incredibly cool—not only do they know the Star Wars universe inside and out, they really urge writers to bring their own ideas to the table." Although the books are written for children ranging from 9 to 13 years of age, Watson has found a large fan base with adults! That's not a surprise since the stories are not only timeless, but also universal. From Scholastic.com
