Belles

February 27, 2012
There’s plenty of drama but few surprises in this contemporary rags-to-riches story from Calonita (Reality Check), first in a four-book series. When 15-year-old orphan Izzie’s grandmother/guardian is placed in a nursing home, Izzie is whisked off to live with her senator uncle and his family, whom she’s never met. Although Emerald Cove, N.C., is only 20 minutes away, it couldn’t be more different from the “rough” community where Izzie was raised. Despite being greeted cordially by the Monroe family, Izzie has trouble fitting in. Her feelings of isolation increase when her cousin Myra and other girls at school give her the cold shoulder. Told from the alternating viewpoints of the two cousins, the book traces Izzie’s struggles to adjust and the growing pressure Myra is under from Savannah, the queen bee of the school, to sabotage Izzie’s every attempt to prove herself decent and trustworthy. Although the premise and the mean-girl pranks are slightly larger than life, the protagonists’ emotional development and changing attitudes are realistically expressed, as their priorities are redefined and their loyalties are tested. Ages 12–up. Agent: Laura Dail, Laura Dail Literary Agency.

February 1, 2012
In the first book of a formulaic new series, a lower-class girl is introduced to Southern high society in all its catty glory. Isabelle Scott, better known as Izzie, lives in down-on-its-luck Harborside, spending time with best friend Kylie and crushing on cute Brayden Townsend. When her ailing grandmother is sent to a nursing home, Izzie goes to live in nearby, ritzy Emerald Cove with the family of Bill Monroe, a distant relation and state senator. For the weak-willed Mirabelle Monroe, nicknamed Mira, Izzie's arrival is an unwanted upheaval that comes in the middle of her father's campaign for the U.S. Senate. Due to Izzie's background, everyone at Emerald Prep freezes her out, led by queen bee--and Mira's best friend--Savannah Ingram. Predictably, Brayden is revealed to be Savannah's boyfriend, inspiring Savannah to target Izzie for ostracism. When Mira gets dumped by Savannah for defending Izzie, Mira and Izzie develop a tentative friendship, one they'll need when a family secret is revealed. Unnecessary complications arise with Lucas Hale, the campaign manager who threatens Izzie, and also a land deal by Savannah's father that would destroy Izzie's beloved Harborside Community Center. One-note characters act as you would expect in this generic, paint-by-numbers effort. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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April 1, 2012

Gr 8-11-Isabelle, 15, is a focused, mature teen cared for by her ailing grandmother. Her mother was killed in a car accident and she knows nothing about her father. Izzie loves everything about Harborside Beach, NC-working as a lifeguard; her friends and familiar places on the boardwalk; the swim team; her new surfer friend, Brayden; and the support of her community. When her grandmother's health fails, she is sent to live with a long-lost relative and his daughter, Mirabell. Mira's world of private school and designer dresses is turned topsy-turvy when Izzie does not fit into or understand the glamorous world of Emerald Cove. Overshadowing the girls' dilemma are the constant demands of political correctness required as Mira's father runs for United States Senator and Mira's devotion to her best friend, Savannah, who is apparently the school's queen bee. Using believable teen vernacular and situations characteristic of the wealthy, Calonita paints a picture of the materialistic values that divide the haves and have nots. Izzie continually doubts her ability to ever adapt and Mira begins to nourish her true self, which she has always hidden for fear of being ostracized by the all-important and powerful Savannah. Peripheral characters contribute to the push-and-pull of the easy path versus the one that will require courage. It turns out that Brayden never told Izzie that he is from Emerald Cove and, worse, she finds out he is Savannah's boyfriend. When Savannah persecutes Izzie, he, too, will have to make a choice. There are many twists and turns to keep the story interesting and to keep readers hoping that these teens will follow their true desire to grow into kinder, nicer, more substantive people.-Joanne K. Cecere, Monroe-Woodbury High School, Central Valley, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2012
Grades 7-12 Isabelle Scott, 15, lives with her grandmother in Harborview, a down-market North Carolina boardwalk town. Between swimming, working, and spending time with friends, life is fineif only Gram wasn't going downhill mentally. Gram has made arrangements, however, and when she is unable to care for her granddaughter, Izzie finds herself living in posh Emerald Cove with relatives she has never met before. Calonita wades into soapy territory here, especially as Izzie and her same-age cousin, Mirabelle, try to make it work at home and in school, but the story is told with plenty of panache. There's a secret that frames the narrative, and which is pretty easy to figure out. The fish-out-of-water elements have the most bang, complete with designer names, catty social clubs, and forbidden romance. A political campaign also plays a role. Told in alternating chapters by Izzie and Mira, this dual perspective adds an effective layer to the story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)