Mostly Good Girls

January 17, 2011
Sixteen-year-old Violet and her best friend, Katie, do everything together. They attend an all-girls prep school in the Boston area, and while their home lives differ slightly (Violet's parents are more supportive and less affluent), their shared concerns are typical: crushing on the same guy, worrying about PSAT scores and getting into an Ivy League college, and juggling afterschool activities. Success seems to come easily for Katie, while Violet is a workaholic, but both girls are deeply stressed by academic pressures. When Katie begins acting out (suggesting they get drunk, stealing Ritalin, dating a burnout), Violet's world is turned upside down. While debut author Sales conveys the dynamics of the girls' friendship with honesty and a light touch, her meandering vignette-style narrative doesn't gain focus until the second half of the book, when Katie's self-destructive streak emerges and Violet's insecure, competitive character gains more likeable dimensions. Katie emerges as the more compelling individual; readers will likely understand her decision to leave the shelter of her privileged private school world to seek more diverse life experiences. Ages 14–up.

October 1, 2010

Violet Tunis has always felt like second best, especially when she's around her particularly smart, wealthy and beautiful best friend, Katie, who seems to effortlessly be the best at everything. Having been friends from the seventh grade (after a brief three-day period when they were "sworn enemies"), by their junior year at their tony Boston private school, Westfield, Violet has come to accept and admire Katie's success. However, when Katie starts acting in a self-destructive manner by quitting crew, breaking Westfield's rules and engaging in risky behavior with drugs and alcohol, Violet is torn between her loyalty to Katie and her own internal barometer of right and wrong.  Written as a series of notably short chapters, the names of which provide a fair amount of punch on their own ("Sophistry in Spanish class"), some sections feel abruptly staccato and underdeveloped. Although overall an enjoyable, light read, there are few surprises, and the pat ending leaves this text feeling flat. (Fiction. 14 & up) 

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Starred review from October 1, 2010

Gr 9-11-Katie and Violet have been inseparable since seventh grade. The competition among the juniors at their all-girls private school is fierce, even between these friends. Violet doesn't understand Katie's recent decisions to keep her PSAT scores a secret, quit crew, get intoxicated, and date a guy who appears to be a loser. Violet is jealous that Katie can effortlessly do everything, making her question why she is seemingly throwing it all away. In an effort to rekindle their strained friendship, the girls publish an unauthorized parody of their school in the literary magazine that Violet edits. She takes the punishment that is doled out, but Katie does not comply with what is asked of her. With this turn of events, Violet finally learns what has been motivating Katie. Witty and unpretentious, Violet is a likable narrator. Some of her funniest reactions are in response to the dating advice Katie shares from a magazine she's read. Each of the classmates has a discernible personality. The girls discuss crushes, fashion, and gossip, but Sales delves into more serious issues like the pressure to be perfect and how it can manifest itself. Suggest this one to readers who enjoy the writing style of Ally Carter. A strong debut that is not be missed.-Lori A. Guenthner, Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown, MD

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
Grades 8-12 Violet Tunis is starting her junior year at Bostons prestigious Westfield School with an impressive to-do list, and she has set a difficult agenda for herself, from acing her exams to reeling in her crush, and maybe even becoming famous. What she has not anticipated is the subtle shift in her relationship with her best friend, Katie, a girl for whom success is effortless. Private-school culture functions only as a backdrop here; Sales focuses her debut on the dynamics between Violet and Katie, and the friendship story is refreshingly free of confrontational cliques and catty female stereotypes, while short, snappy chapters keep the story moving. At times whiny and clueless, Violet may strike some as an unlikable narrator, but she tells her story with honesty, and the reassessment of her goals at the end of the book rings true. Recommend this to fans of Meg Cabots novels and academy-based stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)