Confessions of a Hater

July 1, 2013
Life takes a dramatic turn for 15-year-old Hailey Harper, who is used to feeling “Ugly, uninformed and completely lost in a world where superficial bitches reigned supreme,” when her family’s cross-country move to Hollywood coincides with the discovery of her “perfect” older sister’s diary, “How to Be a Hater.” Using its snarky advice as a “roadmap to cool,” Hailey infiltrates her new school’s popular clique, then ditches them to form her own group of quirky, artistic “Invisibles.” Adult author Crane’s first YA novel dives into the world of teenage nastiness, exacerbated by near-instant replays on social media, as rival groups seek to outdo each other’s increasingly cruel pranks. Hailey’s conversational, humorous narrative voice persuasively conveys the inner struggles of a girl trying to find her place in the world, while simultaneously building apprehension as her distorted reasoning and actions threaten to betray her core values and real friends. With a personable protagonist and cast of complex supporting characters, Crane’s enjoyable, suspenseful coming-of-age novel captures the thrills, chills, highs, and lows of high school. Ages 13–up. Agent: Alanna Ramirez, Trident Media Group.

September 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-In this funny story of pranks and mean-girl antics, Hailey Harper is on her way to becoming the Queen Bee of mean-even if she doesn't realize it. Before she and her parents moved to Hollywood for her dad's new job, she was bullied and ignored at school. But after she starts following the advice outlined in her older sister's diary (and wearing her old clothes), her social luck changes. Yet when she briefly becomes part of the most popular clique at West Hollywood High, she realizes that the group's leader, Skyler, is pretty cruel. Hailey's determination to beat Skyler at her own game results in an all-out prank war. But as the stunts get nastier and nastier, Hailey starts to realize that maybe she's the top Mean Girl after all. This fast read will definitely entertain fans of realistic fiction with a little bit of romance mixed in. There are some semi-hot-and-heavy sex scenes toward the end of the book as well as casual references to alcohol peppered throughout. The story of Hailey's downfall is realistically written, and all of the characters are well developed and very lifelike. The ending is sewn up a little too perfectly, and the pop-culture references could quickly date the narrative. Nonetheless, this is a solid recommendation for those who'd like a glimpse into the life of a Hollywood hater.-Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2013
Grades 9-12 Mean girls, popular girls, haterscall them what you will, they're presiding over many a high school. Hailey Harper, newly relocated from Westchester to Hollywood, is using her older sister's diary to reinvent herself from self-described dork into a fab member of the in-crowd. Hailey, following the diary's rules on How to Be a Hater, is immediately accepted by queen bee Skyler and her minions, but she soon realizes she wants nothing to do with them, choosing instead to form her own band of misfits called The Invisibles. That's when the trouble starts. The Invisibles set out to hate the haters, and taking a page out of Skyler's nasty book, they start pulling mean-spirited pranks. As Hailey says, Payback's a bitch. The first half of this is a ton of fun, and the voice is both unique and authentically teen; the plot points of the second half, however, don't always feel believable, and the novel can come off feeling somewhat preachy. Still, girls who love books about the social pecking order will gravitate to Hailey's search for authenticity. A cool cover will draw 'em.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)