skyhazzard's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book. It was good but not what I was expecting. I really liked the way the author wrote the story but not how the story happened, if that makes any sense. I've always liked the writing style that Alyson has, it's very easy to read and understand, like the characters real and you know them. But now how the story happened is going to take some explaining...
How I thought the story was gonna go:
Okay, Rio sounds pretty awesome and I was like I'm gonna like her right away (which I did). She was this artsy geek but looked gorgeous after finally growing into herself. She's new to school, finds a few people she likes that have common interests in her, then the popular people see her beauty and the leader sees her as a threat hence the reason she takes her in (kinda like Mean Girls a bit). Next thing you know Rio's part of the popular crowd, starts seeing the friends she made that were actually better for her, and she starts to change (looks, attitude). I was figuring she'd still be in love with Jas this whole time (which she was) and eventually be like screw it I like him. As people see how cool Rio is Kristi gets jealous cause she's the It Girl at school, not Rio. Soon sabotage takes place, then like a war breaks out. Kristi gets exposed as a complete and total bitch and Rio gets to be Rio (go back to her friends she made at the beginning but still be friendly with all the people she met when popular). And you know her and Jas end up together finally.
********How the story actually happened (CONTAINS SPOILERS):********
Rio's still pretty awesome in the beginning, makes to cool friends who she keeps thinking are dating but they're not), Kristi sees her still feels threatened so takes her into her group to keep an eye on her and control her. Rio pretty much ditches her old friends (including her best friends from New York), becomes caught up in the feeling of being popular, quits her old hobbies (photography and hanging with her dad when he's in town), so she's seriously changing. She thinks Kristi really likes her and trusts her in the beginning and next thing you know they're doing coke together (Rio, that's a warning sign! Real friends would put pressure on you to try it!). Then she's taking pills too and drinking. Insert boyfriend (or should I say boyfriends). Rio gets a boyfriend who actually wants to be in a relationship with her but then she cheats on him with the hottest senior who ends up being her boyfriend for awhile until she keeps dragging out having sex. Kristi's getting pissed because Rio is getting more popular than her, getting all the guys while she can't even get a date, and her friends are starting to hang out more with Rio than her. Enter sabotage. Kristi begins spreading rumors, putting Rio down, and eventually hooking up with her boyfriend. Next thing you know Rio is like a social pariah, nobody wants to hang with her or talk to her. No boyfriend, no friends, no life (since she practically gave it all up to be popular). She has a slight breakdown where she cuts her hair but that leads her to being honest with her mother for like the first time in her life. They grow closer because of this. Rio decides she's not going to be a victim any longer so she stand up for herself and with some help from someone who used to be her friend finds evidence that proves Kristi set her up for something she didn't do which ends up with Kristi getting expelled when they also searched her locker for drugs. Rio's taking action also resulted in Kristi's friends standing up to her too. In the end Rio ends up with the guys she's liked from the beginning and quite possibly more friends than she'd thought she'd get.
I think the book would have been better with more scenes between Rio and Jas and Mason because they had a friendship in the beginning but then it got thrown away till the end. Even them confronting her would have made me happy. I would have liked to see Rio not throw everything away for popularity right away, I would have liked to see her struggle with it. I could have also done with less drugs. And finally I wish Rio and Jas would have happened a bit sooner than the last page of the book.
How I thought the story was gonna go:
Okay, Rio sounds pretty awesome and I was like I'm gonna like her right away (which I did). She was this artsy geek but looked gorgeous after finally growing into herself. She's new to school, finds a few people she likes that have common interests in her, then the popular people see her beauty and the leader sees her as a threat hence the reason she takes her in (kinda like Mean Girls a bit). Next thing you know Rio's part of the popular crowd, starts seeing the friends she made that were actually better for her, and she starts to change (looks, attitude). I was figuring she'd still be in love with Jas this whole time (which she was) and eventually be like screw it I like him. As people see how cool Rio is Kristi gets jealous cause she's the It Girl at school, not Rio. Soon sabotage takes place, then like a war breaks out. Kristi gets exposed as a complete and total bitch and Rio gets to be Rio (go back to her friends she made at the beginning but still be friendly with all the people she met when popular). And you know her and Jas end up together finally.
********How the story actually happened (CONTAINS SPOILERS):********
Rio's still pretty awesome in the beginning, makes to cool friends who she keeps thinking are dating but they're not), Kristi sees her still feels threatened so takes her into her group to keep an eye on her and control her. Rio pretty much ditches her old friends (including her best friends from New York), becomes caught up in the feeling of being popular, quits her old hobbies (photography and hanging with her dad when he's in town), so she's seriously changing. She thinks Kristi really likes her and trusts her in the beginning and next thing you know they're doing coke together (Rio, that's a warning sign! Real friends would put pressure on you to try it!). Then she's taking pills too and drinking. Insert boyfriend (or should I say boyfriends). Rio gets a boyfriend who actually wants to be in a relationship with her but then she cheats on him with the hottest senior who ends up being her boyfriend for awhile until she keeps dragging out having sex. Kristi's getting pissed because Rio is getting more popular than her, getting all the guys while she can't even get a date, and her friends are starting to hang out more with Rio than her. Enter sabotage. Kristi begins spreading rumors, putting Rio down, and eventually hooking up with her boyfriend. Next thing you know Rio is like a social pariah, nobody wants to hang with her or talk to her. No boyfriend, no friends, no life (since she practically gave it all up to be popular). She has a slight breakdown where she cuts her hair but that leads her to being honest with her mother for like the first time in her life. They grow closer because of this. Rio decides she's not going to be a victim any longer so she stand up for herself and with some help from someone who used to be her friend finds evidence that proves Kristi set her up for something she didn't do which ends up with Kristi getting expelled when they also searched her locker for drugs. Rio's taking action also resulted in Kristi's friends standing up to her too. In the end Rio ends up with the guys she's liked from the beginning and quite possibly more friends than she'd thought she'd get.
I think the book would have been better with more scenes between Rio and Jas and Mason because they had a friendship in the beginning but then it got thrown away till the end. Even them confronting her would have made me happy. I would have liked to see Rio not throw everything away for popularity right away, I would have liked to see her struggle with it. I could have also done with less drugs. And finally I wish Rio and Jas would have happened a bit sooner than the last page of the book.
bookswithmeg's review against another edition
5.0
Alyson Noel is definitely one of my guilty pleasure authors. I've been reading her books for years and I have loved everything she's written. I've probably read this book 5 or 6 times now and I still enjoy it.
This book is about Rio (named after a Duran Duran song, not Brazil) who is uprooted from her life in New York and moved to California. Rio starts to quickly realize how different things are in California, from the way people dress, act, and how different the schools are. She sees herself as more of a photography nerd so when the most popular girl in school takes an interest in her she decides to try and ditch her geeky ways to become cool. When a bad incident happens at a party, she realizes how hard it is to fit in with the popular girls and realizes how mean they really are, Rio decides to stay true to herself while also taking down the mean girl.
I secretly love books about high school drama, especially ones like this. I don't know if it's because I've been out of high school for awhile but I never see myself growing tired of reading this book. I love Alyson Noel's writing style and I love how she portrays all of her characters. You honestly feel like you're in the book with them, the books are so detailed and relatable.
This book is about Rio (named after a Duran Duran song, not Brazil) who is uprooted from her life in New York and moved to California. Rio starts to quickly realize how different things are in California, from the way people dress, act, and how different the schools are. She sees herself as more of a photography nerd so when the most popular girl in school takes an interest in her she decides to try and ditch her geeky ways to become cool. When a bad incident happens at a party, she realizes how hard it is to fit in with the popular girls and realizes how mean they really are, Rio decides to stay true to herself while also taking down the mean girl.
I secretly love books about high school drama, especially ones like this. I don't know if it's because I've been out of high school for awhile but I never see myself growing tired of reading this book. I love Alyson Noel's writing style and I love how she portrays all of her characters. You honestly feel like you're in the book with them, the books are so detailed and relatable.
taylorfennerwrites's review against another edition
4.0
This book always reminds me of mean girls (the movie) a little bit; but the details are a little different. I've always liked the book though, it's been one of my favorites.
My rating: 3 1/2 out of 5
My rating: 3 1/2 out of 5
mxacp96's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Great listen and wonderfully written. Alyson Noel takes us on a high school journey of love and teenage hood. Listened to it in a day.
kincso02's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
myapplemonkey's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good book. Some parts made me giddy, while others made me angry. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
bookables's review against another edition
2.0
Hmmmm, this book was ok. As soon as I got into it, I felt like I was watching the movie Mean Girls. I mean it is almost just like the movie. As sad as it is, a lot of girls act like this high school. I do feel like the book does a good job over viewing that; but other than that, it's not to much to look forward too.