Scandal by Kate Brian Review

Book: Scandal

Author: Kate Brian

Age: YA

Release date: March 9, 2010

Pages: 240

Source: Bought

Summary:

Brave New World...

After her terrifying Caribbean vacation, Reed can't wait to get back to campus and resume her normal life of classes, shopping trips with the Billings Girls, and late-night gossip sessions. But when she arrives at Easton, she gets the shock of a lifetime.

Billings House is gone.

The administration has razed the scandal-rocked dorm and separated the Billings Girls. Outraged, Reed takes immediate action, turning Billings into a secret literary society--with a whole new set of rules. Eleven spots are open to any girl strong enough to endure initiation. Every girl on campus wants in, and it's up to Reed to pick the best and brightest. And only the strongest will survive....

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't read at least the last book, then please do not go any further.

Review: With the eleventh installment in the Private Series, Reed finds herself coming back from a disastrous vacation, and tossed into yet another disaster. Billings House is nothing but a pile of dirt, and the Billings Girls are no more. The new Headmaster Hathaway intends to make his mark on the place, and create an equal setting within the school.

But Reed isn't quite done with Billings. When a mysterious book makes its way into Reed's hands, she sets off to re-create the Billings Literary Society. But if she plays by the rules, only eleven can make it, even though fifteen are aiming for a piece of the action, and it's up to Reed to have the final say of who's in and who's out.

I've got to admit, Reed really bothered me in this book. Instead of just letting four extra people in, she had to go and be exclusive. Although, the appeal of the Society is obvious, because it's about more than just Billings, it's about honor, truth, friendship.

Then Reed has some relationship issues, both friendship-wise and romantically. I can say, I felt sorry for one jilted romantic interest, but agreed with Reed's choice in the end.

I enjoyed that the book was back at Easton, which I sorely missed, but I do not see this as one of Brian's best novels in the Private series. I still stand by the fact that the first four were by far the best.

Highlights: An intriguing ending, as usual. I still adore Brian's writing, because she always gets me hooked from the first page to the last. I always find it very difficult to put any book of her's down!

Lowlights: There wasn't too much action going on, and of course, Reed couldn't just use her head for once. This is one of those series where I loved the first books, but now the later ones are not living up to the original standards. I'm hopeful that the next will rekindle my love for the Private series.

Rating:   

Lea