Synopsis
What's the best revenge when your best friend ditches you for the popular crowd? Alyson Noel reveals all in her hot new young adult novel
VOYA
Sophomores Winter Snow Simmons and best friend Sloane plan to skyrocket to the A-Table at Ocean High School courtesy of makeovers and open cheerleading tryouts. Winter quickly realizes that the popular crowd has rejected her takeover bid, but accepted Sloane's. Betrayed at the tryouts, Winter flees to New York where Easton, an artistic, older guy, rebuilds her confidence. Flying higher, she returns home to crush on her mother's new cashier, Rey, and to join his grunge band. As revenge for Sloane's betrayal, Winter assumes online pseudonym Eleanor Rigby and blogs the more spectacular of Sloane's past solecisms, eventually coming to regret her online musings and moving on with Rey. Although there are some unique aspects to this story-her mother's organic food store, Winter's interest in vintage bands-Noel, author of Art Geeks and Prom Queens (St. Martin's, 2005/VOYA October 2005), concocts a basic teen novel of popularity, obsession, and revenge. Sloane's behavior is Cruella de Vil-conniving, and Winter is the helpless victim entitled to her online revenge without consequences. The resolution is a mite pat, with Winter, her mother, and sister newly matched up with stellar guys. Nevertheless readers will empathize with Winter's desire to not be "invisible" as well as her need to be herself. Because the oft-used plot is rampantly popular with teenage girls, most libraries will want to find space on their shelves for this book despite a predictable course of events.