Capital Girls

August 20, 2012
Writing under a pseudonym, Marilyn Rauber and Amy Reingold borrow heavily from the conventions of the Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars series in their glitzy, farfetched debut. Set against the backdrop of the White House and D.C. high society, the frenetic story takes place during the aftermath of thrill-seeking Taylor Cane's death. She was one of the Capital Girls: a group of best friends who supposedly had each other's backs in their scandal- and politics-immersed environment. Other members of the group include socialite Jackie, who is cheating on her boyfriend, the president's son; Southern belle Laura Beth; and Lettie, from Paraguay, the only Capital Girl whose family isn't privileged. With Taylor dead, secrets come out, and new girl Whitney, daughter of a prominent gossip columnist, steps in. The third-person narrationâwith first-person snippetsâchops up the otherwise breakneck pace as the girls indulge in drugs, sex, and alcohol, all under the gaze of the media spotlight. Readers may feel that they're reading a rerun, but those seeking cocktail-soaked gossip, hypocrisy, and backstabbing won't likely mind. Ages 13âup.

October 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Four Washington, DC, high school students explore the world of politics, friendship, love, and betrayal in this teenage drama. Taylor has died in a car crash, and Jackie, Lettie, and Laura Beth are left to pick up the pieces. Whitney, a "Californian hippie type," comes into town and is searching for information for her mother's gossip column. Jackie (Virgin Queen Bee), the main character, starts off as compassionate and stuck in a dull relationship while trying to cope with the loss of her best friend. Her mother is the president's Chief of Staff, and Jackie is dating the president's son. Lettie (Token Charity Case) is the daughter of the chauffeur of the Paraguayan ambassador to the United States. Laura Beth's (Southern Belle Wannabe) mother is a lush and has myriad political contacts. When Whitney is invited to join their clique, trouble is inevitable. The political climate is well captured, but the consistent use of name brands can be distracting. Readers will enjoy the multiple points of view and story line, but will have trouble sympathizing with the characters as they are not very likable. Reluctant readers will lose interest in the eye-rolling dialogue and predictable twists. Plot holes linger throughout, leaving frustrating questions. The abrupt ending clearly sets up the sequel.-Krista Welz, North Bergen Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
Grades 10-1 Just in time for election season comes this steamy series about the formerly four, now three, prep-school girls with ties to big-time politics. Taylor, well, Taylor is dead, killed in a car accident. But much of the story centers on the relationships she had with her buddies, the Capital Girls. Jackie is the daughter of the president's chief of staff (both women!) and is dating the president's son. Laura Beth is a southern belle, the daughter of a late Republican bigwig and his pushy wife. Lettie is the hard-working scholarship kid with an eye to the future. Then there's newcomer Whitney, sent to spy on the in-crowd by her gossip-reporter mom. And there's plenty to gossip about: illicit romances, political pressures, and the dead girl who ties the Capital Girls together. Oh yes, and will that immigration bill pass? The adults are caricatures and the kids are over-the-top, but for those who like their soap operas with some Washington dirt, this will suffice nicely (not that anything's nice in D.C.).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)