Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Alexandra

Carly has had the perfect high school experience: good grades, dating the lacrosse captain, and a shoo-in for Princeton (grades + legacy = acceptance). She's never been stellar at standardized tests, but she figured she'd do well enough. She figured wrong. She completely tanks the SATs. She has one chance to take them again, and her entire future is riding on it. She's desperate. How can she possibly pull them up enough in time? On the other hand, not going to Princeton is not an option. Then she receives a mysterious not from "The Taker," who offers to take the test for her and guarantees her the scores she needs. Recklessly, she says yes. She is instructed to continue studying so not to arouse suspicion, so she works with her neighbor, Ronald Gross (rhymes with Floss) for the next several weeks. The whole time, she is nearly sick with worry about being caught. Sure, not going to Princeton would be bad. But no school will take a cheater. The will-she-or-won't-she question will keep the reader on the edge of her seat for the entire novel. Carly and her friends are all realistic characters, and her dilemma is something any high school junior or senior will relate to. This is one SAT book that is actually fun -- although a bit nerve-wracking -- to read.