Winter White

September 15, 2012
The second book in the series begun by Belles (2012) doesn't improve upon its predecessor; in fact, it only cements the flaws in this limp take on Southern chick lit. Even though their father's political campaign is in turmoil, newfound sisters Izzie Scott and Mira Monroe take comfort in the good things in their lives. For Izzie, there's her slowly developing relationship with Brayden; Mira is hoping her friendship with Kellen can become more. Both girls are united in their anger toward their father and his secrets about Izzie's parentage. When cotillion season arrives, Mira can't wait to make her debut, although Izzie is skeptical about whether she belongs amid the white-gloved debutantes. Dylan, Brayden's rebellious sister, plays upon Izzie's self-doubt and acts as a cardboard puppet master, while one-note mean girl Savannah still causes problems for Izzie and Mira. Romances are tested, shallow problems overcome, and a political campaign is nearly derailed, once again because of a bad campaign worker, on the way to yet another "shocking" twist. This novel, told from both Izzie's and Mira's third-person perspectives, suffers from neither girl's voice having any life or depth. Character decisions and plot points are telegraphed without subtlety. This soapy melodrama comes off as a tiring chore instead of guilty pleasure reading. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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October 1, 2012

Gr 7-10-Calonita continues the drama of sophomores Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe, who discover that they are not cousins after all but half sisters. Their mutual father is running for political office in North Carolina and his opponents will stop at nothing to exploit the scandal. The Monroe family is bouncing from one interview to the next, trying to rally together, despite the strained relationship between the siblings and their dad. As the girls prepare for cotillion, they face their own struggles. Mira's former best friend has ostracized her and the one boy she wants to date is clueless about her feelings for him. Meanwhile Izzie's relationship with Brayden heats up only to be sidelined by his disapproving mother. When Izzie meets Brayden's rebellious sister, she thinks she's met the one person in Emerald Cove who gets her-except that his sister has an agenda of her own. To heighten the drama, someone's been feeding lies about the Monroe family to the press. Winter White is an engaging sequel to Belles (Little, Brown, 2012) but can be read as a stand-alone. Readers invested in the lives of these characters will want to continue with this saga. Somewhat predictable, but fun.-Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Rockaway Township Public Library, NJ

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