Private

By: Kate Brian

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Fifteen-year-old Reed Brennan wins a scholarship to Easton Academy---the golden ticket away from her pill-popping mother and run-of-the-mill suburban life. But when she arrives on the beautiful, tradition-steeped campus of Easton, everyone is just a bit more sophisticated, a bit more gorgeous, and a lot wealthier than she ever thought possible.

Reed realizes that even though she has been accepted to Easton, Easton has not accepted her. She feels like she's on the outside, looking in. Until she meets the Billings Girls. They are the most beautiful, intelligent, and intensely confident girls on campus. And they know it. They hold all the power in a world where power is fleeting but means everything. Reed vows to do whatever it takes to be accepted into their inner circle.

Reed uses every part of herself---the good, the bad, and the beautiful---to get closer to the Billings Girls. She quickly discovers that inside their secret parties and mountains of attitude, hanging in their designer clothing-packed closets the Billings Girls have skeletons. And they'll do anything to keep their secrets private.

©2006 Kate Brian (P)2009 Tantor

No Character Growth

The books idea was good. I liked the idea of going to a private school and then having something exclusive you wanted to work for. I did not like how the main character let herself be used and abused by the popular girls she was dying to be friends with. She had many normal girls wanting to be her friend but instead she wanted to be popular at any cost. She made lots of dumb decisions and in the end got what she wanted but I don't think it was what would really make her happy.

Short but strangely gripping

This book is quite short, and feels rushed at times. However, I find myself unable to stop thinking about it now that I’m finished reading it. I read this book in middle school and now, even as an adult, it holds up well and kept my interest. I think it captures the self doubt and poor decision making of teenagers well, and I felt like I could relate to Reed and her motivations.

This is only the First

If you have never had the chance to go to a boarding school, this book gives you a first person view/story chance to feel like y out become the MC. The MC, you can't help not to enjoy her. Really do not want to tell you too much, then there won't be anything to read. Will tell you this, have read the whole series, from the library. Am now in the process of buying them here and adding the audio.

The down part, the order that they go in jump when it comes to the audio. You have 1-5 with audio, no 6 or 7, then picks up again at 8... Pretty sure those are the ones, or close to it. Hope you get the idea.

Kate Brian also has another series, Privilege. There are only 6 in that set. Just as good.

Shadowlands, completely veered away from the aforementioned. Left me with a Wow after reading the three. This is a good weekend or vacation read.

one of my favorite series!

What is there not to love? scandal, sex, mystery, intrigue, old money tradition and so many secrets!