Art Geeks and Prom Queens

I have read a few of Noel's books in the past (read: Immortals series) and, although they weren't some of my favorite, I still enjoyed reading them. I've also heard a lot of people say that Noel's contemporary stories are a lot better than her paranormal, so I thought I would give one a chance. I did, and here goes the review...

Right off the bat, even just reading the blurb on the back of the book, I knew that it was going to be reminiscent of Mean Girls. I enjoyed Mean Girls when I was younger, so nothing made me think I wouldn't enjoy this story. However, everything that I didn't like in Mean Girls... I didn't like in this novel.

Rio, our main girl, starts out as a slightly awkward yet stronger girl. Sure, she's unsure of herself but she doesn't give much thought to what everyone thinks of her and she doesn't have to be popular to enjoy her days at school. At least... that's what I thought. Then she begins socializing with the popular girls at school and she changes - drastically. Suddenly she's too cool to hang out with her other friends, she likes to party, she likes to experiment with alcohol and drugs... basically, she turns into a follower. A very annoying one at that. Even her dialogue changes to fit the new personality she seems to have grown into. There are things she says in this novel (A LOT of things, actually) that made me want to roll my eyes. Like this:

"JC looks at Tyler, eyes narrowed, jaw clenched, hands shaking, And even though I'm totally against violence of any type, I have to admit a part of me is thinking:
Ohmygod! Are they gonna fight? Over me?
Because how cool would that be!"

See? But, as the novel goes on, she gets a little better and even more tolerable. However, a small part of me couldn't help but think that Rio wasn't the only one I had problems with - I just picked on her the most because she was the protagonist. To be honest, she was a little flat. And even worse, all of the other characters seemed to be almost one-dimensional and fell flat for me as well - even predictable. The "good" characters seemed to be good, and the "bad" characters were bad - with almost no redeemable qualities whatsoever. I couldn't help but think that some of the situations the characters were in seemed a little far-fetched. I understand teens aren't saints, but it seemed as though every single character used some form of alcohol and/or drugs. It was a little much.

I bet you're probably thinking that I hate this story, right? Despite what I have said though, I did enjoy this story. Yes, there were things that I think should be different in the story.. but it doesn't mean that it's absolutely horrid for being a little outside of what I think makes a great story. There were definite redeeming qualities to the story. Alyson's writing, though a little too conversational and simple for my taste, flowed well enough and eased you through the story. The story itself, even if slightly far-fetched, is something that is relatable and has a decent message that can be taken away. There were some good supporting characters that I enjoyed, and even the revised cover caught my attention.

If you enjoy stories like Mean Girls, I'm sure that you will enjoy this novel. And you'll probably enjoy this if you're a fan of Noel's other stories as well.

When her fashion-plate mom (a former model) and her high-powered dad (a successful lawyer) move her from New York to Southern California, Rio is sure its going to be tough. Shes leaving behind her good friends to be shoved pell-mell into a fancy private school where everyone seems perfect and together. Where everyone seems like the kind of people her mother would really love for Rio to be friends with.

Even though her mother is a beautiful society gal, Rio has never aspired to be more than an art geek. Shes used to baggy clothes and hiding behind her camera. But with her mothers encouragement, she makes friends with Kristi, the beautiful, rich, cheerleader that runs the school.

Things seem perfect for a while well, perfect, if you dont mind Kristi telling you who to hang out with and what to wear. But then Rio becomes too successful. Shes getting dates when Kristi isnt. Things start to spin out of control for Rio between keeping up appearances, pressure from the boys (including a sizzling hot senior), and the various vices that Kristi has introduced her to: drugs, drinking, and hooking up.

Rio finds out that looking perfect and feeling perfect are two very different things. Will she be able to cross Kristi and live to tell the tale? Will she be true to herself or give in to the popular crowd? Will she tell her mother that all the pressure shes under is just too much?

While the plot might sound outwardly a bit like a Gossip Girls novel, theres more of a heart in this story. Readers will really root for Rio even when shes making some bad decisions and will pull for her when the going gets tough. Realistic scenes and sharp dialog make this book a real winner. Recommended for ages 14 and up.