Hottie

January 1, 2009
Firestarter meets The O.C. in this mindlessly fun superhero send-up. Smart but shallow Beverly Hills High freshman Alison Cole manages to convince Daddy she needs "Symmetry, " a dodgy new plastic-surgery procedure. Thanks to a power surge while in the CAT-scan machine, the already stunning Alison emerges no more symmetrical than before but with the ability to shoot flames from her fingertips. Bewildered by her new power, she turns to über-nerd and insta-sidekick David Eels, who has read every superhero comic ever written and is eager to be the brains to her blonde. Together they fight against backstabbing girlfriends, mind-bending evil stepmothers and washed-up movie stars –turned-thugs. All while looking fabulous, of course, and coming up with memorable catch phrases like "I 'm Hottie. And you 're fired! " Using short action-packed chapters, Bernstein, a screenwriter, faithfully details the classic superhero stages: transformation, training, performing, rejection and, finally, acceptance. Though this one-joke paperback original goes on a little too long, seasoned chick-lit readers are bound to enjoy this Malibu Barbie makeover of a traditionally men-in-tights trope. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

June 1, 2009
Gr 7-10-After gorgeous Alison is elected president of her Beverly Hills High School freshman class, some well-placed criticisms lead her to pursue a new form of plastic surgery that promises even more beauty through perfect symmetry. A power surge disrupts the process and though she emerges as beautiful as ever, she also gains the ability to shoot fire through her fingertips. When a few ill-timed shots of flame and some backstabbing by her friends lead to the teen's fall from popularity, she teams up with the class nerd to use her powers to fight crime and assumes the secret identity of "Hottie." First-time novelist Bernstein's rather long book takes a while to get going; however, once Hottie is on the scene, the diagetic narrator moves the plot right along. No mere superhero story, the novel introduces a love triangle and a supervillain whose identity is revealed in a surprise ending. Like Cecily von Ziegesar's "Gossip Girl" novels (Little, Brown), "Hottie" drops brand names and Hollywood stars liberally; however, the book's funny but outlandish premise ensures that these details are not aspirational guidelines but more satirical asides."Amy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston"

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