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Pretenders #1
Pretenders
It takes place at a high school in New Jersey. Summer is over. Sophomore year begins tomorrow. Outfits are being planned. Lunch buddies are being secured. Texts are flying. All seems normal when…ping! Everyone in the sophomore class gets an email.
SUBJECT: The Phoenix Five: License To Spill.
Attached is a mega document.
A letter from a mysterious student starts the book. It explains that at the end of each year the school yearbook- The Phoenix- names the five most outstanding freshman. She (or he) always suspected that last years’ five (3 girls, 2 boys) were phonies. She (or he) always thought they tried too hard to be popular. But she (or he) never had the proof. Until now. She (or he) stole the secret diaries they were asked to keep by their English teacher. She (or he) has compiled them into a book.
This is that book.
SUBJECT: The Phoenix Five: License To Spill.
Attached is a mega document.
A letter from a mysterious student starts the book. It explains that at the end of each year the school yearbook- The Phoenix- names the five most outstanding freshman. She (or he) always suspected that last years’ five (3 girls, 2 boys) were phonies. She (or he) always thought they tried too hard to be popular. But she (or he) never had the proof. Until now. She (or he) stole the secret diaries they were asked to keep by their English teacher. She (or he) has compiled them into a book.
This is that book.
293 pages, Unknown Binding
First published October 1, 2013
90 people are currently reading
2251 people want to read
About the author
Lisi Harrison
95 books2,843 followersLisi Harrison is the author of the #1 New York Times best-selling series "The Clique", "Alphas", "Monster High," Pretenders," and her first adult novel: "The Dirty Book Club" out 10.10.17. Lisi was born in Toronto, Canada, and lived in NYC for 15 years while she worked at MTV. She now lives in Laguna Beach, CA and is a member or her own Dirty Book Club.
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December 23, 2013
See more reviews on my blog
A cliffhanger does not mean the same thing as randomly cauterizing your plot in the middle of the rising action, but no one bothered to tell this book. There is no climax to this thing, no resolution of any sort. Instead the book just gets chopped off in the middle of set-up. It builds and builds and builds and then HAH, NOPE, YOU GET NOTHING. And that is not a cliffhanger, that is prematurely ejaculated book.
If not for that ending, I would have rated it higher. It wasn’t really for me, but mostly because of style choices. I didn’t like the faux-diary style (it was written more like regular narration with an overabundance of quirks than like a diary) but others will. It had had a very young-teenage voice, which is appropriate given that all the characters are freshmen. The pace was extremely slow and plodding at the start, but it picked up right before the epic literary blueballing. With five characters, there was a lot of setting up to be done, and it got rather tedious, but for people who enjoy slice-of-life high school it would probably be fine. It’s pretty clear that the author has favorites, though. Jagger barely got any page time at all. Between the young voice and the mired-in-early-HS-drama, it just wasn’t for me, but I can see how others would like it.
The biggest problem I had (other than the COMPLETEL LACK OF AN ENDING, NOT GOING TO FORGET THAT) was how much it failed to deliver on the premise. The idea is that all these kids are “pretenders,” faking their way to popularity or whatever, and the whole point of “publishing their journals” is to expose how hard they are working to cover up this or that. Well…I didn’t see a lot of pretending going on. Vanessa was a girl who worked really hard at her grades…and got good grades and didn’t try to act like anything else was going on. Lily was a girl who desperately wanted to be normal…so she acted in the way she desperately wanted. Ooo, wow, such drama. And so on and so forth. No one was particularly trying to pretend at anything. Wanting something and then going after that something is not pretending, that’s just…the human experience. I think this premise might have played better if we could see more of the school and where they stood in the esteem of their classmates, but the cast size is very small. As far as we know, each of these characters only interacts with two or three people on any given day, which makes it hard to feel like they’re putting on any kind of a show. How can you show without an audience?
A review copy was provided free through NetGalley
A cliffhanger does not mean the same thing as randomly cauterizing your plot in the middle of the rising action, but no one bothered to tell this book. There is no climax to this thing, no resolution of any sort. Instead the book just gets chopped off in the middle of set-up. It builds and builds and builds and then HAH, NOPE, YOU GET NOTHING. And that is not a cliffhanger, that is prematurely ejaculated book.
If not for that ending, I would have rated it higher. It wasn’t really for me, but mostly because of style choices. I didn’t like the faux-diary style (it was written more like regular narration with an overabundance of quirks than like a diary) but others will. It had had a very young-teenage voice, which is appropriate given that all the characters are freshmen. The pace was extremely slow and plodding at the start, but it picked up right before the epic literary blueballing. With five characters, there was a lot of setting up to be done, and it got rather tedious, but for people who enjoy slice-of-life high school it would probably be fine. It’s pretty clear that the author has favorites, though. Jagger barely got any page time at all. Between the young voice and the mired-in-early-HS-drama, it just wasn’t for me, but I can see how others would like it.
The biggest problem I had (other than the COMPLETEL LACK OF AN ENDING, NOT GOING TO FORGET THAT) was how much it failed to deliver on the premise. The idea is that all these kids are “pretenders,” faking their way to popularity or whatever, and the whole point of “publishing their journals” is to expose how hard they are working to cover up this or that. Well…I didn’t see a lot of pretending going on. Vanessa was a girl who worked really hard at her grades…and got good grades and didn’t try to act like anything else was going on. Lily was a girl who desperately wanted to be normal…so she acted in the way she desperately wanted. Ooo, wow, such drama. And so on and so forth. No one was particularly trying to pretend at anything. Wanting something and then going after that something is not pretending, that’s just…the human experience. I think this premise might have played better if we could see more of the school and where they stood in the esteem of their classmates, but the cast size is very small. As far as we know, each of these characters only interacts with two or three people on any given day, which makes it hard to feel like they’re putting on any kind of a show. How can you show without an audience?
A review copy was provided free through NetGalley
May 19, 2020
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
one didn't work for me at all. I hate writing less than favorable reviews. If I am not enjoying a book, I will usually not finish the book and don't spend any time writing a review for it. This was one of those books that kept me reading and things were heading towards a generous 3-star rating before I got to the last parts of this book.
This book is told through journal entries from a group of high school students. It took me a while to really remember what was going on in each of the kid's lives. The two male students were a little more distinctive but the three female students tended to blend a bit in my head. I did eventually get a better feel for each of the characters and it helped that their lives started to become more connected as the book progressed.
My biggest problem with this book is the ending. I should really say the lack of an ending. I have read books that end in cliffhangers and while it is not my favorite, I have learned to deal with it. This was worse than a normal cliffhanger. This felt like someone ripped a book in half and only gave you part of it. There was no resolution whatsoever when this book came to an abrupt stop. Instead of making me want to rush out and grab the next book in this series, I am completely turned off from this series.
I am not recommending this book to others. I liked the concept of following this group of students through their journal entries but considering the fact that there is no resolution when the book comes to an abrupt stop, I found it to be a very unsatisfying read.
I received a digital review copy of this book from the Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - Poppy via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
Why did I even read this? This was not good. I thought about giving up at one point but decided to push on. I should have stopped while I was ahead. It took me a while to really get a feel for each of the kids and I wouldn't say that I really liked any of them. I probably would have rated the book 3 stars if it wasn't for that ending. Or I should say the lack of an ending. The book just stopped without resolving anything. This was worse than a cliffhanger because we finally got just a little bit of action and then there was no more book. I won't bother reading the next book in the series.
one didn't work for me at all. I hate writing less than favorable reviews. If I am not enjoying a book, I will usually not finish the book and don't spend any time writing a review for it. This was one of those books that kept me reading and things were heading towards a generous 3-star rating before I got to the last parts of this book.
This book is told through journal entries from a group of high school students. It took me a while to really remember what was going on in each of the kid's lives. The two male students were a little more distinctive but the three female students tended to blend a bit in my head. I did eventually get a better feel for each of the characters and it helped that their lives started to become more connected as the book progressed.
My biggest problem with this book is the ending. I should really say the lack of an ending. I have read books that end in cliffhangers and while it is not my favorite, I have learned to deal with it. This was worse than a normal cliffhanger. This felt like someone ripped a book in half and only gave you part of it. There was no resolution whatsoever when this book came to an abrupt stop. Instead of making me want to rush out and grab the next book in this series, I am completely turned off from this series.
I am not recommending this book to others. I liked the concept of following this group of students through their journal entries but considering the fact that there is no resolution when the book comes to an abrupt stop, I found it to be a very unsatisfying read.
I received a digital review copy of this book from the Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - Poppy via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
Why did I even read this? This was not good. I thought about giving up at one point but decided to push on. I should have stopped while I was ahead. It took me a while to really get a feel for each of the kids and I wouldn't say that I really liked any of them. I probably would have rated the book 3 stars if it wasn't for that ending. Or I should say the lack of an ending. The book just stopped without resolving anything. This was worse than a cliffhanger because we finally got just a little bit of action and then there was no more book. I won't bother reading the next book in the series.
October 11, 2013
Consider yourself WARNED - this book is the first of a series and it just ends. Full stop, no closure for any of the characters. You will have to read the next book if you want to know how any of this works out.
I LOVED this book until it ended. Everything about it drew me in, and I turned pages like crazy. And then...it just ended. Every single character was left dangling with a full-stop cliff hanger. I've never been so furious. I don't mind books that are part of a series with an over-all arc, but I expect each individual book to have some form of closure at the end. This had none of it. Worst of all, there was no warning that this would be the case - that this was the first book in a series. If I had known that, I wouldn't have started it until the next book was available. I feel so used and frustrated.
I LOVED this book until it ended. Everything about it drew me in, and I turned pages like crazy. And then...it just ended. Every single character was left dangling with a full-stop cliff hanger. I've never been so furious. I don't mind books that are part of a series with an over-all arc, but I expect each individual book to have some form of closure at the end. This had none of it. Worst of all, there was no warning that this would be the case - that this was the first book in a series. If I had known that, I wouldn't have started it until the next book was available. I feel so used and frustrated.
January 8, 2015
Meine Rezension: http://youtu.be/ncvHmeOKI-E
June 2, 2014
Is it possible to say that this is Lisi Harrison's worst book and I didn't enjoy it that much? Yes, you got it Massie Block.
After becoming obsessed with Lisi's Clique series and finishing it many years ago when the final book was released, I was very sad. The Clique was an amazing series and it was one of the first series/books that brought me into the YA Fiction world, and look at where I am today.
But it's already been many years, and I've been waiting for something else by Lisi Harrison. Then boom Pretenders comes out but I was afraid to see what would come out from it. The summary didn't really sound captivating and it was somewhat childish.
When you compare an adult book to this, you just want to laugh. This is nothing, and I definitely see that this should be released as a 9-12 years old fiction book. It's very light and immature and if you're looking for a hardcore gorgeous romance contemporary, just run away from this book. But I still overall recommend it. It wasn't absolutely horrible or unbearable to read. It was just... okay.
In an English class, everyone is assigned a journal. A journal where five freshman students will be spending time writing about their daily lives and secrets and hopes and dreams. But then, their hopes and dreams are revealed to everyone, and no one's safe from keeping secrets.
This book was somewhat a much dumber, crazier but less hectic version of The Clique. It focuses on the same concepts and drama and I just felt that there was a Massie everywhere, and her ghost. LOL. Am I weird? Okay, but they did make Massie references which fans will definitely understand and catch all throughout this book.
My main dilemma with this book was that I didn't catch any moral and uniqueness than from any other contemporary books. It was just so bland and plain and we all saw what was coming. I won't say that I was extremely bored, because I obviously wasn't, but what was the meaning of this? I seriously have to call a philosopher and tell them to read this book and tell me.
Close your eyes. (Obviously you won't and can't cause you need to read this.) But picture two guys and five girls writing about their love lives and problems in a journal. Doesn't that sound cheesy? I know right. I was dumb for picking this up, though. Just because your favourite author has written a new book, doesn't mean that you should pick the book up. Just look at Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys and The Scorpio Races!
The characters in this book were okay, I have to admit that. I all loved and enjoyed reading their POVs equally, and they all had different wacky personalities which really brightened up the book. Everyone had something different and cute about them!
Here was what the romance was like:
THERE WAS NO ROMANCE WHATSOEVER. Sure there was some flirting and maybe a few kisses here and there, but I'm very surprised because this is written by The Lisi Harrison- master of making girls' hearts squirm. And this is just another reason why this book was so immature and weird.
This whole book didn't really have any events. We were on a hill to the top the whole time, and then in the end, it just ended where everything just began, if you know what I mean. This is very horrible to do to the reader, but I made it.
Although I completely recommend it to someone who doesn't really want a plot, I don't think I'll be interested in reading the sequel and the rest of this series.
March 1, 2014
Every year at the fucktabulous Noble High, 5 students are nominated as the most outstanding of that year. They are dubbed the "Phoenix Five". One of these spectacular teens has snagged the personal journals of the rest, and wants to expose them all as fakes. This individual distributes the journals to the entire school for all to see.
Basically what you get are the ramblings of five teens. One girl who pretends to be various actresses, two forgettable guys, some other random chick. The final teen is a girl who is obsessed with one of the guys and stalks him. She also steals his stuff and hoards it in her closet.
The journals consist of crushes, teen angst, crushes, more teen angst, parties, unattainable crushes, and last but not least, teen angst. It bored me to tears.
If you need a teen angst fix, I highly recommend watching these guys.
They got it right.
Just to add, this book wins the award for worst ending in the history of any book I have ever read. Simply because there isn't one.
Zero Ninja-Bunnehs
(Arc received in exchange for an honest review.)
Basically what you get are the ramblings of five teens. One girl who pretends to be various actresses, two forgettable guys, some other random chick. The final teen is a girl who is obsessed with one of the guys and stalks him. She also steals his stuff and hoards it in her closet.
The journals consist of crushes, teen angst, crushes, more teen angst, parties, unattainable crushes, and last but not least, teen angst. It bored me to tears.
If you need a teen angst fix, I highly recommend watching these guys.
They got it right.
Just to add, this book wins the award for worst ending in the history of any book I have ever read. Simply because there isn't one.
Zero Ninja-Bunnehs
(Arc received in exchange for an honest review.)
January 5, 2015
A reminder that I'm too old for these kinds of books. I've never read the Clique series, but Lisi Harrison has a good presence in the adolescent genre and if she tried, her writing can appeal to a more mature audience. The real big problem I had with this book is that there isn't a clear satisfaction that the reader can take away since the book's seemingly only purpose is to set up the characters, the backgrounds, and their problems only to find that the end is a cliffhanger. I don't think it could be possible to have a favorite character or a favorite moment, but perhaps this can be traced back to the fact that I'm nearing the quarter-life-crisis where most thoughts of fictional teenagers seem banal. Or maybe I'm missing out on something because I've gotten this advanced copy before the actual publication date, and some things may change. Otherwise, I felt like three-quarters of the book is missing, and I would actually have to put my money into getting the second book to finish the first. This must be what getting an Xbox One feels like.
Read
July 19, 2015Loved it! Can't wait to find out what happens in the rest of the saga!
December 11, 2013
4.5 Stars
Each year the yearbook at Noble High announces The Phoenix Five. The five most outstanding freshman, chosen to represent the class. But as the next school year begins, someone has decided that these five are nothing but fakes... and they've decided to prove it. It seems that in freshman year English class students were made to keep a journal. One that was never to be read by anyone, not even the teacher. But now each of The Phoenix Five's journals have been stolen and leaked to the entire school.... and what will they reveal?? Maybe it will show that none of these students were ever deserving of awards. Maybe it will reveal secrets that no one was ever meant to see. The kicker here? The person who stole and released the journals is one of The Phoenix Five him/herself!!
My Thoughts:
This was a total impulse pick up for me. I was at the library, saw it on the NEW shelf, remembered seeing it on one of my New Releases posts a while ago, and grabbed it. I figured a book written entirely by journal entries was definitely something I would like.... and it was!!
This book is written in alternating journal entries from five freshman starting Noble High who all end up being interconnected. Every one of them has secrets. Some came with baggage and some create it as they go, but they all end up in a mess one way or the other. Here is a summary of these characters:
Sheridan- A drama girl who strives for the lead in every play... and she's usually successful. Her BFF (and only real friend), Audri, seems to be slipping away due to a crush and the super annoying Octavia.
Andrew- Basketball = Life. Due to his parents' financial situation, his dream of playing varsity is severely put in jeopardy.... until his sister shows him a way to come up with the money: Be a walking billboard.
Lily- Ex-Homie (homeschooler) who is a little overwhelmed by socializing at Pub (public school). The deal she made with her mom is that she maintains straight A's or she's being yanked back home. But Lily is too worried about socializing and obsessing over Andrew to focus on school.
Vanessa- A type A who just wants a peaceful home life. Unfortunately the only time her parents don't fight is when she brings home some type of award or awesome grade. Now she's crushing on Blake (Lily's closeted gay BFF) and desperately trying to keep her family together.
Jagger- Emancipated minor who's parents are apparently in jail. He lives in the back of a pet store in exchange for a place to sleep. Known only by Jagger, like Madonna or Cher. The mystery surrounding him intrigues his classmates, especially Audri.
I really really enjoyed reading this book. I can't find a better word for these characters other than fun. I had so much fun reading about them that I became a little bit addicted to it and ended up reading this far too late into the night. I love books that make me do that! My favorite person to read about was Sheridan. She has all the typical insecurities of a teenage girl, but she's a talented actress which she couldn't be without confidence. In order to gain this confidence, she adopts personas of different actresses and the characters they portray. Usually something like this would annoy me, but that didn't happen here. I mean high school is hard. I wish I would have figured out how to channel some confident girl when I was in 9th grade. Even if it was an act. There's nothing worse than wearing your insecurities on your sleeve in high school. I have a feeling that Sheridan is going to learn how to be herself someday, but until then, I like seeing her "become" all these different characters
The big surprise for me was how intense and fast everything happened right at the end of the book. It left me a little too cut off. I get a cliffhanger in a series, but this felt a little unfinished. Also I didn't know this was a series (although I figured it out when I was still in September at 1/2 way through). But the series thing is okay with me... as long as I don't have to WAIT forever for the next book. Because I really really want to know what happens!!! And at this point it is really hard to imagine how in the hell these kids are going to end up getting chosen as most outstanding freshman. They are all a little crazy and odd and they aren't exactly hiding it.
I will say that if you're looking for something intense and for the secrets to be like life or death, this probably isn't your book. The secrets are definitely more of the everyday kind. I found it a nice break from books that have me rolling my eyes thinking yeah right this could happen. Most of the stuff that happens in this book is more down to Earth.
OVERALL: So fun!! I really had fun reading this book which consisted of alternating journal entries. I loved how all five characters were so different, but at the same time they all meshed together. If you feel like reading something fresh and different, I would definitely recommend this fun, drama-filled series! I also think this would be perfect for younger teens and/or fans of Pretty Little Liars.
My Blog:
Each year the yearbook at Noble High announces The Phoenix Five. The five most outstanding freshman, chosen to represent the class. But as the next school year begins, someone has decided that these five are nothing but fakes... and they've decided to prove it. It seems that in freshman year English class students were made to keep a journal. One that was never to be read by anyone, not even the teacher. But now each of The Phoenix Five's journals have been stolen and leaked to the entire school.... and what will they reveal?? Maybe it will show that none of these students were ever deserving of awards. Maybe it will reveal secrets that no one was ever meant to see. The kicker here? The person who stole and released the journals is one of The Phoenix Five him/herself!!
My Thoughts:
This was a total impulse pick up for me. I was at the library, saw it on the NEW shelf, remembered seeing it on one of my New Releases posts a while ago, and grabbed it. I figured a book written entirely by journal entries was definitely something I would like.... and it was!!
This book is written in alternating journal entries from five freshman starting Noble High who all end up being interconnected. Every one of them has secrets. Some came with baggage and some create it as they go, but they all end up in a mess one way or the other. Here is a summary of these characters:
Sheridan- A drama girl who strives for the lead in every play... and she's usually successful. Her BFF (and only real friend), Audri, seems to be slipping away due to a crush and the super annoying Octavia.
Andrew- Basketball = Life. Due to his parents' financial situation, his dream of playing varsity is severely put in jeopardy.... until his sister shows him a way to come up with the money: Be a walking billboard.
Lily- Ex-Homie (homeschooler) who is a little overwhelmed by socializing at Pub (public school). The deal she made with her mom is that she maintains straight A's or she's being yanked back home. But Lily is too worried about socializing and obsessing over Andrew to focus on school.
Vanessa- A type A who just wants a peaceful home life. Unfortunately the only time her parents don't fight is when she brings home some type of award or awesome grade. Now she's crushing on Blake (Lily's closeted gay BFF) and desperately trying to keep her family together.
Jagger- Emancipated minor who's parents are apparently in jail. He lives in the back of a pet store in exchange for a place to sleep. Known only by Jagger, like Madonna or Cher. The mystery surrounding him intrigues his classmates, especially Audri.
I really really enjoyed reading this book. I can't find a better word for these characters other than fun. I had so much fun reading about them that I became a little bit addicted to it and ended up reading this far too late into the night. I love books that make me do that! My favorite person to read about was Sheridan. She has all the typical insecurities of a teenage girl, but she's a talented actress which she couldn't be without confidence. In order to gain this confidence, she adopts personas of different actresses and the characters they portray. Usually something like this would annoy me, but that didn't happen here. I mean high school is hard. I wish I would have figured out how to channel some confident girl when I was in 9th grade. Even if it was an act. There's nothing worse than wearing your insecurities on your sleeve in high school. I have a feeling that Sheridan is going to learn how to be herself someday, but until then, I like seeing her "become" all these different characters
The big surprise for me was how intense and fast everything happened right at the end of the book. It left me a little too cut off. I get a cliffhanger in a series, but this felt a little unfinished. Also I didn't know this was a series (although I figured it out when I was still in September at 1/2 way through). But the series thing is okay with me... as long as I don't have to WAIT forever for the next book. Because I really really want to know what happens!!! And at this point it is really hard to imagine how in the hell these kids are going to end up getting chosen as most outstanding freshman. They are all a little crazy and odd and they aren't exactly hiding it.
I will say that if you're looking for something intense and for the secrets to be like life or death, this probably isn't your book. The secrets are definitely more of the everyday kind. I found it a nice break from books that have me rolling my eyes thinking yeah right this could happen. Most of the stuff that happens in this book is more down to Earth.
OVERALL: So fun!! I really had fun reading this book which consisted of alternating journal entries. I loved how all five characters were so different, but at the same time they all meshed together. If you feel like reading something fresh and different, I would definitely recommend this fun, drama-filled series! I also think this would be perfect for younger teens and/or fans of Pretty Little Liars.
My Blog:
October 31, 2013
To be honest, I was quite disappointed.
In fifth and sixth grade, I was obsessed with the Clique novels. I loved Alphas even more, when that series came out. Monster High was okay, but I never did get around to reading the last book.
When I heard the premise: “Three girls, two guys, five secrets”, I thought it sounded exciting, and so I checked it out.
It was not what I was expecting.
The entire novel felt like a watered-down version of Pretty Little Liars for the younger set. The characters were boring, self-absorbed, and shallow. Each felt cookie-cutter. You had your “boy-next-door basketball jock,” the “drama queen,” an “overachiever perfectionist,” and the “dorky skater girl.” There even was the “gay best friend” and “hot popular older sister.” The only character who really caught my attention was Jagger, who would be the typical “loner bad-boy with a mysterious past” except that he’s emancipated, and apparently his parents are on death row, which takes the “mysterious past” thing to an entirely different level.
Duffy, the jock, reminded me so much of another not-so-smart basketball player in a different book. However, the other character was eleven years old, while Duffy is fourteen or fifteen. Just goes to show the level of maturity of the protagonists here.
I really hated how, as soon as the girls (especially Lily, the dork) found some guy they found attractive, it was like their entire worlds revolved around him. Lily stalks Duffy, steals pretty much anything he’s touched for her collection, and leaves home-school for public school to get more face time with him. She blows hundreds of dollars on stuff he tells her to buy, not seeing that he’s just using her.
Vanessa, the overachiever, was another disappointment. While I do like how sharp and cunning she is, I feel like her motives are flimsy and too blatant--“When I get an A, my parents take us out to this restaurant, where they don’t argue.” I mean, come on, couldn’t she have something a bit deeper? Something about how good grades are something she feels like she has control over while the rest of her world is spinning loose, or how she defines herself by her GPA? And of course, as soon as she meets this super-cute guy (who’s gay, but she doesn’t know that) it’s game over and her grades go down. It’s like the book is saying it’s impossible to balance a social life and academics, or that loooooveee (more like infatuation) gives you the right to let your studies slip.
(A digression: Noble High is supposedly the best school in the country. However, these students throw parties and worry much more about which boy likes them than their studies. Duffy and Sheridan are not on the intelligent side. A school where 47% of the graduating seniors go to Ivies would almost certainly require an entrance exam and essay for admission, even if it’s a public school, and the entire student body would be comprised of Vanessas, uptight perfectionists. And the freshmen would be taking more than one AP class, which may be good at a regular high school but not at the top institute in the nation, and I doubt Algebra would be even offered as a course, as “that’s so seventh-grade.” And yes, I would know this for a fact.)
I will be reading the sequel, but if it fails to impress, it’s unlikely I’ll be looking at the third.
(Random side-note: I did like how she intentionally dated these, though. I was a freshman in the 2012-2013 school year, like these kids, so that was cool.)
In fifth and sixth grade, I was obsessed with the Clique novels. I loved Alphas even more, when that series came out. Monster High was okay, but I never did get around to reading the last book.
When I heard the premise: “Three girls, two guys, five secrets”, I thought it sounded exciting, and so I checked it out.
It was not what I was expecting.
The entire novel felt like a watered-down version of Pretty Little Liars for the younger set. The characters were boring, self-absorbed, and shallow. Each felt cookie-cutter. You had your “boy-next-door basketball jock,” the “drama queen,” an “overachiever perfectionist,” and the “dorky skater girl.” There even was the “gay best friend” and “hot popular older sister.” The only character who really caught my attention was Jagger, who would be the typical “loner bad-boy with a mysterious past” except that he’s emancipated, and apparently his parents are on death row, which takes the “mysterious past” thing to an entirely different level.
Duffy, the jock, reminded me so much of another not-so-smart basketball player in a different book. However, the other character was eleven years old, while Duffy is fourteen or fifteen. Just goes to show the level of maturity of the protagonists here.
I really hated how, as soon as the girls (especially Lily, the dork) found some guy they found attractive, it was like their entire worlds revolved around him. Lily stalks Duffy, steals pretty much anything he’s touched for her collection, and leaves home-school for public school to get more face time with him. She blows hundreds of dollars on stuff he tells her to buy, not seeing that he’s just using her.
Vanessa, the overachiever, was another disappointment. While I do like how sharp and cunning she is, I feel like her motives are flimsy and too blatant--“When I get an A, my parents take us out to this restaurant, where they don’t argue.” I mean, come on, couldn’t she have something a bit deeper? Something about how good grades are something she feels like she has control over while the rest of her world is spinning loose, or how she defines herself by her GPA? And of course, as soon as she meets this super-cute guy (who’s gay, but she doesn’t know that) it’s game over and her grades go down. It’s like the book is saying it’s impossible to balance a social life and academics, or that loooooveee (more like infatuation) gives you the right to let your studies slip.
(A digression: Noble High is supposedly the best school in the country. However, these students throw parties and worry much more about which boy likes them than their studies. Duffy and Sheridan are not on the intelligent side. A school where 47% of the graduating seniors go to Ivies would almost certainly require an entrance exam and essay for admission, even if it’s a public school, and the entire student body would be comprised of Vanessas, uptight perfectionists. And the freshmen would be taking more than one AP class, which may be good at a regular high school but not at the top institute in the nation, and I doubt Algebra would be even offered as a course, as “that’s so seventh-grade.” And yes, I would know this for a fact.)
I will be reading the sequel, but if it fails to impress, it’s unlikely I’ll be looking at the third.
(Random side-note: I did like how she intentionally dated these, though. I was a freshman in the 2012-2013 school year, like these kids, so that was cool.)
August 31, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley.)
5 teenagers, 5 diaries, what will happen?
Unfortunately, this book was just boring.
The characters –
Lily – certifiable (due to delusions). Originally told us she was 5-months pregnant with triplets, not sure if this was true, but if it was, why was she still going after other guys?
Vanessa – certifiable (due to inability to deal with reality). Totally focused on school, achievements, and grades. Also totally in denial about the state of her parent’s marriage.
Sheridan – certifiable (due to delusions of grandeur). Pretends her entire life is a movie scene, where she is a famous actress. Even when her life is nothing like a movie.
Duffy – Lacks intelligence. Who is stupid enough to accept dodgy clothes off a dodgy bloke, and $2500, with a promise to sell said dodgy clothes to friends? Yes, Duffy.
Jagger – certifiable (due to inability to come to terms with certain life events). Jagger seems to be having issues coming to terms with the fact that his parents are in jail, and probably shouldn’t spend so much time alone.
The storyline in this was just pitiful. There was the stupid storyline with Duffy, who was stupid enough to get himself involved with some crook, but as for other storylines I didn’t really find any.
This whole book was nothing more than 5 teenagers moaning, and moaning, and making stuff up, and making stupid decisions, and moaning some more. Ick. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the story didn’t even end. We got left with multiple cliff-hangers, and although I was pleased when the end appeared at 93% (yay! I don’t have to read any more!) Why wasn’t more resolved?! What was in the darn suitcase that Duffy found on his doorstep and called the police about?! Is Lily really pregnant?!
Urgh!
Overall; dull, filled with teenagers moaning, and had multiple cliff-hangers. Save me!
3 out of 10.
5 teenagers, 5 diaries, what will happen?
Unfortunately, this book was just boring.
The characters –
Lily – certifiable (due to delusions). Originally told us she was 5-months pregnant with triplets, not sure if this was true, but if it was, why was she still going after other guys?
Vanessa – certifiable (due to inability to deal with reality). Totally focused on school, achievements, and grades. Also totally in denial about the state of her parent’s marriage.
Sheridan – certifiable (due to delusions of grandeur). Pretends her entire life is a movie scene, where she is a famous actress. Even when her life is nothing like a movie.
Duffy – Lacks intelligence. Who is stupid enough to accept dodgy clothes off a dodgy bloke, and $2500, with a promise to sell said dodgy clothes to friends? Yes, Duffy.
Jagger – certifiable (due to inability to come to terms with certain life events). Jagger seems to be having issues coming to terms with the fact that his parents are in jail, and probably shouldn’t spend so much time alone.
The storyline in this was just pitiful. There was the stupid storyline with Duffy, who was stupid enough to get himself involved with some crook, but as for other storylines I didn’t really find any.
This whole book was nothing more than 5 teenagers moaning, and moaning, and making stuff up, and making stupid decisions, and moaning some more. Ick. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the story didn’t even end. We got left with multiple cliff-hangers, and although I was pleased when the end appeared at 93% (yay! I don’t have to read any more!) Why wasn’t more resolved?! What was in the darn suitcase that Duffy found on his doorstep and called the police about?! Is Lily really pregnant?!
Urgh!
Overall; dull, filled with teenagers moaning, and had multiple cliff-hangers. Save me!
3 out of 10.
November 14, 2013
I’ve never read a book by Lisi Harrison, and I probably never will besides this series. This is the first book in the series and just came out in October of 2013, so I’m not expecting a sequel anytime soon. And notice how I said this was a book, and not a novel. Siiiigh….
When I first picked this up, I thought this would be interesting and scandalous! The Barnes & Nobles YA section has failed me…it was only interesting at the end, and there wasn’t much scandal. Sheridan was your typical blond tryhard, Duffy your typical ‘I’m not like all the other jocks’ jock, Vanessa was your typical smart chick who wants a hot bf, Jagger typical bad boy, and Lily typical weirdo chick. Honestly, I just thought this was a highschool movie in book form. Wasn’t much for me to be completely engrossed on.
It felt like some entries were missing, which gave the story a choppy feel, and then some characters had more book space than others. If there are going to be 5 characters, I want to know equally about all of them. And I don’t wanna know who they are through other character’s entries. Take Jagger and Vanessa for example, compare the two and it seemed like the author cared more about Vanessa’s life, than that of Jagger’s. It would have been nice if there was a balance.
Also, it was a very basic book. Juvenile, and cliched. Everything that I expected to happen, happened. And there was no big twist at the end, even though there was a cliffhanger. No matter how much I didn’t like this book, I’ll be reading the second one when it comes out simply because I just have to know what happens next. If there’s one thing Harrison did right, it was leaving off at the climax.
So all in all, 2/5 because I cannot — will not — give this a 3 no matter how much I liked the ending.
When I first picked this up, I thought this would be interesting and scandalous! The Barnes & Nobles YA section has failed me…it was only interesting at the end, and there wasn’t much scandal. Sheridan was your typical blond tryhard, Duffy your typical ‘I’m not like all the other jocks’ jock, Vanessa was your typical smart chick who wants a hot bf, Jagger typical bad boy, and Lily typical weirdo chick. Honestly, I just thought this was a highschool movie in book form. Wasn’t much for me to be completely engrossed on.
It felt like some entries were missing, which gave the story a choppy feel, and then some characters had more book space than others. If there are going to be 5 characters, I want to know equally about all of them. And I don’t wanna know who they are through other character’s entries. Take Jagger and Vanessa for example, compare the two and it seemed like the author cared more about Vanessa’s life, than that of Jagger’s. It would have been nice if there was a balance.
Also, it was a very basic book. Juvenile, and cliched. Everything that I expected to happen, happened. And there was no big twist at the end, even though there was a cliffhanger. No matter how much I didn’t like this book, I’ll be reading the second one when it comes out simply because I just have to know what happens next. If there’s one thing Harrison did right, it was leaving off at the climax.
So all in all, 2/5 because I cannot — will not — give this a 3 no matter how much I liked the ending.
July 21, 2013
Was there this much drama in my high school? Yes, sort of -- the relationship dramas and identity issues and popularity contests and fashion experiments were there. I'm less sure about the more melodramatic parts of these five character's stories, such as the parents on death row and the boyfriend of a sister involved in a pyramid scam.
I wanted to hate this soapy high-school drama but I just couldn't. It wasn't bad, and I can think of a number of high-school girls at the library who will really like it. I read it in a few hours and I kept thinking, "oh, this isn't my thing, I should start skimming so I can finish faster", but I didn't, because the writing and plotting was much better than I expected. I still won't be reading the sequel, even with the (cheap) cliffhanger ending, because it's just not my kind of book, not even as a guilty pleasure, not even when I was a teenager. It's forgettable, and once the brand-name and pop culture references become outdated, it'll be forgotten, but for a well-plotted diversion for lovers of almost-believable melodrama, it does the trick. The two-stars is, in this case, just an inherent disconnect between reader and book.
I wanted to hate this soapy high-school drama but I just couldn't. It wasn't bad, and I can think of a number of high-school girls at the library who will really like it. I read it in a few hours and I kept thinking, "oh, this isn't my thing, I should start skimming so I can finish faster", but I didn't, because the writing and plotting was much better than I expected. I still won't be reading the sequel, even with the (cheap) cliffhanger ending, because it's just not my kind of book, not even as a guilty pleasure, not even when I was a teenager. It's forgettable, and once the brand-name and pop culture references become outdated, it'll be forgotten, but for a well-plotted diversion for lovers of almost-believable melodrama, it does the trick. The two-stars is, in this case, just an inherent disconnect between reader and book.
January 9, 2014
(I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review)
Pretenders and i did not get along at all.
It was so dull, housework started looking appealing.
By 60%, i was starting to lose the will to live.
The characters were absolutely ridiculous.
Lilly was by far the worst one. I really didn't like her.
I will defiantly not be reading book two.
Pretenders and i did not get along at all.
It was so dull, housework started looking appealing.
By 60%, i was starting to lose the will to live.
The characters were absolutely ridiculous.
Lilly was by far the worst one. I really didn't like her.
I will defiantly not be reading book two.
Read
February 19, 2022glad I only paid a quarter for this at the library book sale...
December 26, 2013
See more of my reviews at We Live and Breathe Books
I got Pretenders on Netgalley, having found out about it through an email. The concept intrigued me – the secret journals of five students were leaked, the book being a compilation of those journals. At Noble High School, all the freshmen were required to fill a journal of 250 pages for their English classes. The five journals included in the book come from the Phoenix Five – the five “most outstanding” freshmen, as elected by the school. I suppose at this point I should have figured out that Pretenders wasn’t going to cover the entire year, but foolishly I let myself believe that I would find out the fates of these characters. Imagine my surprise when the end of the book came just as everything was beginning to get interesting. Craziness starts happening and then there’s a page like, “Oh, you want to know what happens? TOO BAD BECAUSE THIS IS THE END OF THE BOOK. SEE YOU NEXT TIME.” Not cool. None of the characters have a full arc, there is no climax, and there is no resolution. Pretenders is half a book. Plain and simple.
Now that I have somewhat vented my frustration regarding the lack of whole book-ness, onto some analysis of the book.
The book follows five fairly clichéd character types: Sheridan the ditsy blonde, Duffy the jock, Jagger the mysterious bad boy, Lily the weirdo, and Vanessa the nerd. Despite how easy it is to pick out these archetypes, I found these characters rather charming. There was nothing especially deep about them, but they had charisma. There was something about them that kept me interested in their story – something relatable, I suppose. Between all the characters, Lisi Harrison was able to cover many challenges that a freshman in high school may be facing, so that was a plus. They were nothing to rave about, but I don’t really have anything terrible to say about them either.
While looking through some other reviews of Pretenders I read one that complained of how not all the characters had equal story time, how it seemed as though the author cared more about one character’s story than another. However, I believe that the journal entries were distributed differently to add to the characters. For example, Sheridan tried out for the school musical, struggled with making new friends, and had to deal with her best friend drifting away. She had so much going on and a lot to say about it. On the other hand, Jagger is a mystery – he is hiding something. If he had an equal amount of journal entries as Sheridan, I’m not even sure what he’d say. His journals were minimalistic, just touching on what was happening in his life, and anything more would ruin his mysterious nature.
Although I was frustrated with the cliffhanger ending, I’d still say that I found Pretenders to be a fairly enjoyable book. Yes, a lot of the book is exposition, but it was like getting to know real people and seeing what they’re like. Yes, sometimes the characters were annoying, but I was able to have sympathy for them at times. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being mad about the end of this book, but I’m actually looking forward to the next book, License to Spill, and to how the stories of these characters unfold.
I got Pretenders on Netgalley, having found out about it through an email. The concept intrigued me – the secret journals of five students were leaked, the book being a compilation of those journals. At Noble High School, all the freshmen were required to fill a journal of 250 pages for their English classes. The five journals included in the book come from the Phoenix Five – the five “most outstanding” freshmen, as elected by the school. I suppose at this point I should have figured out that Pretenders wasn’t going to cover the entire year, but foolishly I let myself believe that I would find out the fates of these characters. Imagine my surprise when the end of the book came just as everything was beginning to get interesting. Craziness starts happening and then there’s a page like, “Oh, you want to know what happens? TOO BAD BECAUSE THIS IS THE END OF THE BOOK. SEE YOU NEXT TIME.” Not cool. None of the characters have a full arc, there is no climax, and there is no resolution. Pretenders is half a book. Plain and simple.
Now that I have somewhat vented my frustration regarding the lack of whole book-ness, onto some analysis of the book.
The book follows five fairly clichéd character types: Sheridan the ditsy blonde, Duffy the jock, Jagger the mysterious bad boy, Lily the weirdo, and Vanessa the nerd. Despite how easy it is to pick out these archetypes, I found these characters rather charming. There was nothing especially deep about them, but they had charisma. There was something about them that kept me interested in their story – something relatable, I suppose. Between all the characters, Lisi Harrison was able to cover many challenges that a freshman in high school may be facing, so that was a plus. They were nothing to rave about, but I don’t really have anything terrible to say about them either.
While looking through some other reviews of Pretenders I read one that complained of how not all the characters had equal story time, how it seemed as though the author cared more about one character’s story than another. However, I believe that the journal entries were distributed differently to add to the characters. For example, Sheridan tried out for the school musical, struggled with making new friends, and had to deal with her best friend drifting away. She had so much going on and a lot to say about it. On the other hand, Jagger is a mystery – he is hiding something. If he had an equal amount of journal entries as Sheridan, I’m not even sure what he’d say. His journals were minimalistic, just touching on what was happening in his life, and anything more would ruin his mysterious nature.
Although I was frustrated with the cliffhanger ending, I’d still say that I found Pretenders to be a fairly enjoyable book. Yes, a lot of the book is exposition, but it was like getting to know real people and seeing what they’re like. Yes, sometimes the characters were annoying, but I was able to have sympathy for them at times. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being mad about the end of this book, but I’m actually looking forward to the next book, License to Spill, and to how the stories of these characters unfold.
September 23, 2013
Pretenders by Lisi Harrison is a first-reads I received at the BEA (Book Expo) Conference and is due to release on October 1st, 2013. The prologue takes place one year after chapter 1 begins and explains that the "voice" narrating the tale is one of the five characters who completed 250 pages of journal entries for an English class over the course of the school year. The five students were elected as the Phoenix Five freshman in a type of most likely to succeed kind of award. The journals which were never meant to be read by anyone were stolen by the narrator of the prologue and combined into one story telling the lives of the freshman class through the eyes of five of its members. The narrator expressed the desire to expose the Phoenix Five for the frauds that they were. The story was going quick and strong until you hit mid-term season and what appears to be the climax is set up in the journals. Then the story just ends with a "to be continued..."
Let me emphasize the title of the book, The Pretenders by Lisi Harrison. It doesn't say The Pretenders part 1. It just drops the story right in the middle. Another half a school year has yet to play out before the journal entries are to be turned in and the vote for the Phoenix Five made to determine which freshman were chosen and possibly why. No, instead the tale ends with the police descending on one of the chosen for some things she did and others that she didn't do; right in the middle of the story. That was real irritating. It was rolling along fine, quick and interesting, but then it slams into this dead end, but it's not an end. It really lowered the rating for this half novel. My suggestion, if want to read this book, wait until the remainder of the story hits the bookshelves. There is a phrase that you can dress them up, but you can't take them out...well this story got half-dressed and shouldn't have come out without it's pants on; that's the naked truth.
Let me emphasize the title of the book, The Pretenders by Lisi Harrison. It doesn't say The Pretenders part 1. It just drops the story right in the middle. Another half a school year has yet to play out before the journal entries are to be turned in and the vote for the Phoenix Five made to determine which freshman were chosen and possibly why. No, instead the tale ends with the police descending on one of the chosen for some things she did and others that she didn't do; right in the middle of the story. That was real irritating. It was rolling along fine, quick and interesting, but then it slams into this dead end, but it's not an end. It really lowered the rating for this half novel. My suggestion, if want to read this book, wait until the remainder of the story hits the bookshelves. There is a phrase that you can dress them up, but you can't take them out...well this story got half-dressed and shouldn't have come out without it's pants on; that's the naked truth.
September 10, 2013
This series opener has a terrific hook - someone has stolen the English journals of the "Phoenix Five" - five high school freshmen voted "outstanding" by the student body. Their secret crushes, family conflicts, fragile insecurities, and darkest fears have been made public, revealed in alternating chapters in the book you now hold in your hands.
Told from multiple points of view, these are the private journals of 3 girls and 2 boys including Sheridan (the diva of school theater whose journal entries include stage directions), Lily (the formerly homeschooled freshman whose parents forbid TV, cell phones, and high speed internet), Vanessa (the overachieving perfect daughter who thinks good grades and prestigious awards will solve a family crisis), Duffy (the basketball player with a secret and somewhat embarrassing job), and Jagger (the emancipated minor who lives alone because his parents are on death row - or so he says...).
Not my kind of book, but I can see the appeal to readers looking for a clean series (at least in the ARC of book one) written in an accessible format (journal entries) about the private thoughts and feelings of high school freshmen, bearing in mind that these journal writers are unreliable narrators of their own stories. Nagging questions are left unanswered and the book ends on a huge cliffhanger; readers who like this one will be anxious for the next installment.
Told from multiple points of view, these are the private journals of 3 girls and 2 boys including Sheridan (the diva of school theater whose journal entries include stage directions), Lily (the formerly homeschooled freshman whose parents forbid TV, cell phones, and high speed internet), Vanessa (the overachieving perfect daughter who thinks good grades and prestigious awards will solve a family crisis), Duffy (the basketball player with a secret and somewhat embarrassing job), and Jagger (the emancipated minor who lives alone because his parents are on death row - or so he says...).
Not my kind of book, but I can see the appeal to readers looking for a clean series (at least in the ARC of book one) written in an accessible format (journal entries) about the private thoughts and feelings of high school freshmen, bearing in mind that these journal writers are unreliable narrators of their own stories. Nagging questions are left unanswered and the book ends on a huge cliffhanger; readers who like this one will be anxious for the next installment.
February 28, 2014
I know that over 80% of my books are rated at least four to five stars. I should really rate how I want to, and not try to be nice. THIS book isn't one if them! I rated it with five soaring stars because I liked how the story alternated points of views. Each story was hmm... Maybe five to eight pages each? I think my favorite character (s) were Vanessa and Sheridan. Sheridan reminded me of myself, since she's UBER-dramatic about things, as I am. And Vanessa cares about her grades, I do too, but not as much. I care if they are As and Bs --- lower, I cry. I felt bad for Lily, because she liked Duffy, and he just sold her the clothes [that were meant for boys] and didn't give any second thoughts. I sorta' see Blake and Lily together... But you know how Blake is.
The only thing I didn't like was the cliffhanger. I think Ms. Harrison meant for the reader to be excited because.. Wait. Drumroll please...
She's making another book!!! It's gonna be a series!!!
The only thing I didn't like was the cliffhanger. I think Ms. Harrison meant for the reader to be excited because.. Wait. Drumroll please...
She's making another book!!! It's gonna be a series!!!
September 5, 2016
Pretenders is a book that shows the point of view of five principal characters. I liked the way the book was written because it is something different. I rate this book five because the ending had me wanting more, and there is a second book so I'll definitely read it. It is easy to read, it is not confusing at all, it'll make you want to keep reading. I totally recommend it. Overall, Pretenders is one of my favorite books.
May 25, 2015
Aunque el principio no lo entendía, sigue con mucha intriga y me ha gustado mucho! Quiero seguir y saber más!
April 21, 2015
The best way to describe this book: the worst book I have ever read whose sequel I want to read.
Pretenders is a terrible book. Superficial, childish, silly, and annoying. It revolves around the journal entries of 5 of the most popular kids at Noble High, which supposedly is supposed to show how each of the popular kids hide who they really are to become popular and stay that way. It was supposed to show how everyone is a Pretender. I thought this book would provide some level of depth. I was wrong.
Each of the 5 characters annoyed me or frustrated me in some way. Some more than others.
Sheridan is a blonde who is new to Noble High, and wants to make a good impression on everyone. How does she do this? By "channeling different celebrities" every day. So each day, Sheridan takes on the persona of a certain celebrity: Leighton Meester, Reese Witherspoon, and Blake Lively are all examples of celebrities that she "channels". She doesn't have a personality, and never appears to school or any other social events as herself. Ugh.
Duffy irritated me the least. He is a blonde, green eyed teenager who plays on the varsity basketball team as a freshman. He's a good kid, for the most part. There's no character trait of his that really turns me off. He is a bit bland though, and there is nothing that separates him from other similar people. He's just your stereotypical boy next door. The only thing that nagged me a bit was that he sent very ambiguous signals to both Sheridan and Lily, which is bound to create catastrophe in the next book. I will admit though, I care about him the most out of all five people.
Lily is a public school first timer. After spending all of her life home schooled, she decides to enter public school to support her gay best friend Blake, as he goes to public school for the first time. It soon becomes more than that though; she develops an attraction- no, an OBSESSION to- Duffy. And Duffy has no idea. Lily's story is bland- it focuses on Duffy and Duffy only, which is too bad, because she seems like a smart girl with a lot of potential. Bah.
Jagger is a kid with a very dark past. He lives alone because his parents are in jail. We don't know much about him yet, except that he's hiding a lot of information from those who are very close to him.
Vanessa makes me want to tear up the book. A self-proclaimed overachiever, she is focused on grades and grades only. She laments the fact that these secret journals are not being graded,but rather, are only being checked for completion by the English teacher. She leaves footnotes in her journal entries (yes, footnotes), commenting on the beauty of her sentences or trivial things that she didn't want to include in the actual journal entry. She also thinks very highly of herself. In one of the footnotes she says,
"I currently have 159 awards (Complete list available upon request). I have served as student council president for three consecutive years. I was captain of the 8th grade track and field team. I have been a Girl Scout for 7 years. I have never received a grade lower than A."
I hate her. And apparently, she tries to get good grades to keep her parents' marriage from falling apart, but frankly, I don't care. BONUS: She itches when her parents argue. Yup.
So the superficial storylines continue for a long time. Hitting on girls, hitting on boys, making friends, making enemies, establishing rivalries, all that insubstantial high school stuff. The writing doesn't help. It is incredibly childish, full of overly immature contractions and slang words, and all in all is on par with the writing level of a twelve year old. Maybe that's the target audience, and I'm just too old.
But right near the end, something changed. Not the book, but me. I started to get slightly invested in some of the characters. I rapidly tried to remind myself that this book is incredibly stupid and that it is killing my brain cells, but I couldn't help but care a little bit about the characters, no matter how flawed they were. The climax is, well, climactic. All of the drama intensifies and comes to a boiling point. I got confused somewhere near the end, so I will write down in spoilers what happened, to make sure that I understand what happened. You can skip over this part.
Sorry about that. Anyway, be warned. This book ends on a major cliffhanger. Nothing is resolved, and the shoe is just about to drop for all of the characters. I am fairly pissed off at the author for manipulating me into reading the next book, but now I have no choice.
Pretenders is a horrible book. Insubstantial, childish, and cringeworthy. The characters are all pretty stupid and flawed, and it is very hard to like many of them. But it is also a quick, light read. And who knows? Maybe you'll inexplicably get invested in the story. Like I unfortunately did.
Pretenders is a terrible book. Superficial, childish, silly, and annoying. It revolves around the journal entries of 5 of the most popular kids at Noble High, which supposedly is supposed to show how each of the popular kids hide who they really are to become popular and stay that way. It was supposed to show how everyone is a Pretender. I thought this book would provide some level of depth. I was wrong.
Each of the 5 characters annoyed me or frustrated me in some way. Some more than others.
Sheridan is a blonde who is new to Noble High, and wants to make a good impression on everyone. How does she do this? By "channeling different celebrities" every day. So each day, Sheridan takes on the persona of a certain celebrity: Leighton Meester, Reese Witherspoon, and Blake Lively are all examples of celebrities that she "channels". She doesn't have a personality, and never appears to school or any other social events as herself. Ugh.
Duffy irritated me the least. He is a blonde, green eyed teenager who plays on the varsity basketball team as a freshman. He's a good kid, for the most part. There's no character trait of his that really turns me off. He is a bit bland though, and there is nothing that separates him from other similar people. He's just your stereotypical boy next door. The only thing that nagged me a bit was that he sent very ambiguous signals to both Sheridan and Lily, which is bound to create catastrophe in the next book. I will admit though, I care about him the most out of all five people.
Lily is a public school first timer. After spending all of her life home schooled, she decides to enter public school to support her gay best friend Blake, as he goes to public school for the first time. It soon becomes more than that though; she develops an attraction- no, an OBSESSION to- Duffy. And Duffy has no idea. Lily's story is bland- it focuses on Duffy and Duffy only, which is too bad, because she seems like a smart girl with a lot of potential. Bah.
Jagger is a kid with a very dark past. He lives alone because his parents are in jail. We don't know much about him yet, except that he's hiding a lot of information from those who are very close to him.
Vanessa makes me want to tear up the book. A self-proclaimed overachiever, she is focused on grades and grades only. She laments the fact that these secret journals are not being graded,but rather, are only being checked for completion by the English teacher. She leaves footnotes in her journal entries (yes, footnotes), commenting on the beauty of her sentences or trivial things that she didn't want to include in the actual journal entry. She also thinks very highly of herself. In one of the footnotes she says,
"I currently have 159 awards (Complete list available upon request). I have served as student council president for three consecutive years. I was captain of the 8th grade track and field team. I have been a Girl Scout for 7 years. I have never received a grade lower than A."
I hate her. And apparently, she tries to get good grades to keep her parents' marriage from falling apart, but frankly, I don't care. BONUS: She itches when her parents argue. Yup.
So the superficial storylines continue for a long time. Hitting on girls, hitting on boys, making friends, making enemies, establishing rivalries, all that insubstantial high school stuff. The writing doesn't help. It is incredibly childish, full of overly immature contractions and slang words, and all in all is on par with the writing level of a twelve year old. Maybe that's the target audience, and I'm just too old.
But right near the end, something changed. Not the book, but me. I started to get slightly invested in some of the characters. I rapidly tried to remind myself that this book is incredibly stupid and that it is killing my brain cells, but I couldn't help but care a little bit about the characters, no matter how flawed they were. The climax is, well, climactic. All of the drama intensifies and comes to a boiling point. I got confused somewhere near the end, so I will write down in spoilers what happened, to make sure that I understand what happened. You can skip over this part.
Sorry about that. Anyway, be warned. This book ends on a major cliffhanger. Nothing is resolved, and the shoe is just about to drop for all of the characters. I am fairly pissed off at the author for manipulating me into reading the next book, but now I have no choice.
Pretenders is a horrible book. Insubstantial, childish, and cringeworthy. The characters are all pretty stupid and flawed, and it is very hard to like many of them. But it is also a quick, light read. And who knows? Maybe you'll inexplicably get invested in the story. Like I unfortunately did.
January 15, 2019
leaves u on a cliff hanger and makes u want to read the next one
July 30, 2016
ugh.
Review originally posted at The Not-So-Literary Heiresses
Pretenders felt a lot like a getting-to-know-you book. You get introduced to all these characters, but aren't really given much in terms of story. You don't get to know how they become the Phoenix Five. You get to see the characters getting into conflicts, but don't get to see if they would turn out better or not. And so on. This is a book full of questions, but no answers. I like the whole idea of reading The Phoenix Five's journals to know who they really are, but I would also like for it to go somewhere. Pretenders barely took off. Just when it actually starts to get interesting, the author abruptly ends the book. I personally hate series books that end without a proper resolution, and this might be the worse I've seen so far. I know you're supposed to pick up the next book, but it just feels like you're being pushed to do so.
A book with Multiple POV's is always difficult to pull off, but Lisi Harrison was quite successful in that aspect. It's possible that she was able to do this because of the little quirks that she gave to each of the characters. Sheridan, the aspiring actress, writes her journal entries like a script. Vanessa, the over-achiever, likes writing in metaphors and adding endnotes (which I hated because the pages had to be flipped back and forth). Jagger, the secretive one, has very little words. Duffy, the basketball player with 2 sisters, talks a lot about basketball and writes "Feeling" as his sister advised him to write what he feels. Lily, the homeschooled turned public student, talks a lot about how different she is, as well as her obsession with Duffy. The problem I had was getting to know the side characters, especially when they start intersecting into the other characters' journals. I kept on asking "Who?"
There are too many characters and it would take me forever to talk about them so I will try to summarize each one in a sentence or two. Jagger didn't really give much to go on because he barely wrote anything (very secretive!), but he seemed like a decent guy who cares about his studies and choosing a girl for her personality. Duffy mostly just cared about his basketball career and went through awful lengths to borrow the money he needed. Sheridan likes pretending to be someone she's not, channeling different actresses into her wardrobe and personality.Vanessa has this constant need to be on the top to the point that she's delusional about people trying to steal the spot from her. Lily was the most deplorable of the lot as she spilled secrets and stole a LOT from Duffy. She was certainly delusional about Duffy and did all kinds of crazy things. They all have family problems too, which affects them and who they are. I assume I would have probably liked these characters if they weren't milked for what they're worth. There were parts that I found really amusing. I even laughed. My issue with the whole thing is that I don't really know what to think of them because I wasn't given enough in the book to fully form opinions. And from those few pages, I didn't really like what I saw.
One thing I like about reading books is relating with the characters and putting myself in their shoes, but all I felt was that I was too old for this book. Which is funny since I just read a middle grade book that I easily loved. So maybe the teenage drama and stupidity in this book was just too much for me. I like reading books in one sitting, but I had to take a lot of breaks from reading Pretenders. If I didn't, I might possibly have marked this as DNF.
Overall, Pretenders did not meet my expectations, and I didn't even set the bar high. I couldn't really connect with the characters, and I was annoyed by some of them. There wasn't much growth either. The plot didn't really go anywhere. The questions weren't given answers. But the so-called ending was definitely the dealbreaker. I don't think I would be following this series because I have a feeling that I would just be left frustrated after each book. I also have a feeling that this might be long one.
Review originally posted at The Not-So-Literary Heiresses
Pretenders felt a lot like a getting-to-know-you book. You get introduced to all these characters, but aren't really given much in terms of story. You don't get to know how they become the Phoenix Five. You get to see the characters getting into conflicts, but don't get to see if they would turn out better or not. And so on. This is a book full of questions, but no answers. I like the whole idea of reading The Phoenix Five's journals to know who they really are, but I would also like for it to go somewhere. Pretenders barely took off. Just when it actually starts to get interesting, the author abruptly ends the book. I personally hate series books that end without a proper resolution, and this might be the worse I've seen so far. I know you're supposed to pick up the next book, but it just feels like you're being pushed to do so.
A book with Multiple POV's is always difficult to pull off, but Lisi Harrison was quite successful in that aspect. It's possible that she was able to do this because of the little quirks that she gave to each of the characters. Sheridan, the aspiring actress, writes her journal entries like a script. Vanessa, the over-achiever, likes writing in metaphors and adding endnotes (which I hated because the pages had to be flipped back and forth). Jagger, the secretive one, has very little words. Duffy, the basketball player with 2 sisters, talks a lot about basketball and writes "Feeling" as his sister advised him to write what he feels. Lily, the homeschooled turned public student, talks a lot about how different she is, as well as her obsession with Duffy. The problem I had was getting to know the side characters, especially when they start intersecting into the other characters' journals. I kept on asking "Who?"
There are too many characters and it would take me forever to talk about them so I will try to summarize each one in a sentence or two. Jagger didn't really give much to go on because he barely wrote anything (very secretive!), but he seemed like a decent guy who cares about his studies and choosing a girl for her personality. Duffy mostly just cared about his basketball career and went through awful lengths to borrow the money he needed. Sheridan likes pretending to be someone she's not, channeling different actresses into her wardrobe and personality.Vanessa has this constant need to be on the top to the point that she's delusional about people trying to steal the spot from her. Lily was the most deplorable of the lot as she spilled secrets and stole a LOT from Duffy. She was certainly delusional about Duffy and did all kinds of crazy things. They all have family problems too, which affects them and who they are. I assume I would have probably liked these characters if they weren't milked for what they're worth. There were parts that I found really amusing. I even laughed. My issue with the whole thing is that I don't really know what to think of them because I wasn't given enough in the book to fully form opinions. And from those few pages, I didn't really like what I saw.
One thing I like about reading books is relating with the characters and putting myself in their shoes, but all I felt was that I was too old for this book. Which is funny since I just read a middle grade book that I easily loved. So maybe the teenage drama and stupidity in this book was just too much for me. I like reading books in one sitting, but I had to take a lot of breaks from reading Pretenders. If I didn't, I might possibly have marked this as DNF.
Overall, Pretenders did not meet my expectations, and I didn't even set the bar high. I couldn't really connect with the characters, and I was annoyed by some of them. There wasn't much growth either. The plot didn't really go anywhere. The questions weren't given answers. But the so-called ending was definitely the dealbreaker. I don't think I would be following this series because I have a feeling that I would just be left frustrated after each book. I also have a feeling that this might be long one.
October 31, 2013
View the full review here:
http://www.iswimforoceans.com/2013/10...
The Phoenix Five are the elite...the best of the best...the most likely to succeed in everything in life. Awarded and revered, they are untouchable; until now. Stolen journals of the Phoenix Five reveal that nothing is real and everything the students - and the town - have seen is a lie. TO attain perfection, one must create the illusion of perfection; but if they leave a trace, it's bound to be found. And now, the truth is out there for everyone to see.
Offering readers the age-old premise of the truth behind the lie, Pretenders will have a solid base of readers and fans based on premise alone. The evocative hook is alluring, offering us a peek behind the mask of perfection - something I'm certain I'm not the only one who covets. Author, Lisi Harrison, has written a story that whittles five picture-perfect teens down to the truth behind the facade and give us the real, hard truth. Rife with spice, intrigue, drama and plenty of reveals, Pretenders is a rollercoaster read.
I mean it when I say with utter certainty that Pretenders has all the makings of a great first book in what could be a captivating new series. Ms. Harrison paints her characters, at first, in extremes - perfect and glossy. As the novel begins to peel back the layers though, the gray areas and the festering underbelly of their perfection is exposed. All these things make such an expose like that of Pretenders pack a powerful punch. Unfortunately, I had some qualms with the ultimate execution of much of the story. We are given five different POVs in this novel, and each is actually in diary form. Three girls and two boys pour their innermost feelings onto the pages, and I can honestly say that, at times, I couldn't remember which character I was reading about because each one seemed so dang similar to the last. They were immature, snotty, pretentious and fake - all of which I could forgive if I got to see a vulnerability to their characters that made them more accessible. That wasn't provided though. I think that, had the book been about 200 pages longer, this could have worked because the petty, shallow natures played well into the story. I just wanted much more progression than we actually got in the end. Furthermore, as this book is just the first installment in a new series, I was left with a lot of nagging questions about motives, events and even the characters themselves as we're thrust into a pretty massive cliffhanger, which felt more like being dropped off a cliff than anything else.
Overall, Pretenders was not a bad book, but it felt a bit lackluster for having given readers such an excellent premise. I wish there had been perhaps two fewer characters and a few more answers, both of which would have kept me invested in the series. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary stories and mysteries.
I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
http://www.iswimforoceans.com/2013/10...
The Phoenix Five are the elite...the best of the best...the most likely to succeed in everything in life. Awarded and revered, they are untouchable; until now. Stolen journals of the Phoenix Five reveal that nothing is real and everything the students - and the town - have seen is a lie. TO attain perfection, one must create the illusion of perfection; but if they leave a trace, it's bound to be found. And now, the truth is out there for everyone to see.
Offering readers the age-old premise of the truth behind the lie, Pretenders will have a solid base of readers and fans based on premise alone. The evocative hook is alluring, offering us a peek behind the mask of perfection - something I'm certain I'm not the only one who covets. Author, Lisi Harrison, has written a story that whittles five picture-perfect teens down to the truth behind the facade and give us the real, hard truth. Rife with spice, intrigue, drama and plenty of reveals, Pretenders is a rollercoaster read.
I mean it when I say with utter certainty that Pretenders has all the makings of a great first book in what could be a captivating new series. Ms. Harrison paints her characters, at first, in extremes - perfect and glossy. As the novel begins to peel back the layers though, the gray areas and the festering underbelly of their perfection is exposed. All these things make such an expose like that of Pretenders pack a powerful punch. Unfortunately, I had some qualms with the ultimate execution of much of the story. We are given five different POVs in this novel, and each is actually in diary form. Three girls and two boys pour their innermost feelings onto the pages, and I can honestly say that, at times, I couldn't remember which character I was reading about because each one seemed so dang similar to the last. They were immature, snotty, pretentious and fake - all of which I could forgive if I got to see a vulnerability to their characters that made them more accessible. That wasn't provided though. I think that, had the book been about 200 pages longer, this could have worked because the petty, shallow natures played well into the story. I just wanted much more progression than we actually got in the end. Furthermore, as this book is just the first installment in a new series, I was left with a lot of nagging questions about motives, events and even the characters themselves as we're thrust into a pretty massive cliffhanger, which felt more like being dropped off a cliff than anything else.
Overall, Pretenders was not a bad book, but it felt a bit lackluster for having given readers such an excellent premise. I wish there had been perhaps two fewer characters and a few more answers, both of which would have kept me invested in the series. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary stories and mysteries.
I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
January 17, 2015
2.5/5
This review is also available on my blog.
Not only does the blurb lie like nobody’s business (‘most popular students’?? They’re freshmen – no one knows who they are!) but it certainly doesn’t live up to its interesting premise. It sounded to me like something fast-paced and gripping, but even Pretty Little Liars is cooler than this. Seriously.
Firstly, as far as I can see having read this book, they aren’t really pretenders. They’re not even that fake, they don’t hide deep, dark secrets. Vanessa works madly to keep her grades up, because the more successful she is, the less her parents fight. Lily works madly to keep her grades up, or else she’ll be pulled out of public school and go back to homeschooling. Sheridan loves acting. Duffy loves basketball. Jagger is… you know what, I don’t know anything except that his parents are going to get the death penalty. So do these kids sound like fakes to you? Didn’t think so.
Vanessa changes her grade to an A with Lily’s help. Lily steals Duffy’s things because she’s obsessed with him. Sheridan is jealous of her best friend’s new best friend, and is upset about not getting the lead role in the school play. Duffy is secretly selling merch to raise money for basketball. And Jagger has a mysterious secret that. We. Know. Nothing. About. Okay, you can keep a secret for long enough to make it exciting, but any longer and I just stop caring. That’s pretty much what happened here, because I do not care about Jagger. I have no emotional attachment to him at all. A good little scandal might’ve had me interested but NO. And not just Jagger; these characters evoke the barest minimum of emotions. Yes, they do have hard lives to some extent, I will admit. But except Vanessa and Jagger, none of them have terrible lives. None of them have interesting secrets! If this book was going to keep my interest, it would have to pay up. These characters do not seem scandalous and edgy in the least, which is what I was expecting. I honestly think this would’ve been a much better concept if we’d seen them as seniors, and all stars in their own fields – that would’ve been so much more believable. This isn’t hard-core. I am so disappointed.
Not to mention that ending. There’s a difference between a good cliffhanger and a bad drop, and this is the latter. There’s no proper rising action in the story either, just pages of diaries whinging about their hard lives. Crank it up a little, I’m saying! And then there’s the random end. When I said, “wait, what?”, it wasn’t even in the oh-my-god-this-is-so-exciting-can’t-wait way. It was in the what-just-happened-I-barely-care way. Pretenders is another of those books that promises and doesn’t deliver. Sigh. Maybe it’ll be better as the series progresses but… I don’t think I’ll be sticking around to watch that.
This review is also available on my blog.
Not only does the blurb lie like nobody’s business (‘most popular students’?? They’re freshmen – no one knows who they are!) but it certainly doesn’t live up to its interesting premise. It sounded to me like something fast-paced and gripping, but even Pretty Little Liars is cooler than this. Seriously.
Firstly, as far as I can see having read this book, they aren’t really pretenders. They’re not even that fake, they don’t hide deep, dark secrets. Vanessa works madly to keep her grades up, because the more successful she is, the less her parents fight. Lily works madly to keep her grades up, or else she’ll be pulled out of public school and go back to homeschooling. Sheridan loves acting. Duffy loves basketball. Jagger is… you know what, I don’t know anything except that his parents are going to get the death penalty. So do these kids sound like fakes to you? Didn’t think so.
Vanessa changes her grade to an A with Lily’s help. Lily steals Duffy’s things because she’s obsessed with him. Sheridan is jealous of her best friend’s new best friend, and is upset about not getting the lead role in the school play. Duffy is secretly selling merch to raise money for basketball. And Jagger has a mysterious secret that. We. Know. Nothing. About. Okay, you can keep a secret for long enough to make it exciting, but any longer and I just stop caring. That’s pretty much what happened here, because I do not care about Jagger. I have no emotional attachment to him at all. A good little scandal might’ve had me interested but NO. And not just Jagger; these characters evoke the barest minimum of emotions. Yes, they do have hard lives to some extent, I will admit. But except Vanessa and Jagger, none of them have terrible lives. None of them have interesting secrets! If this book was going to keep my interest, it would have to pay up. These characters do not seem scandalous and edgy in the least, which is what I was expecting. I honestly think this would’ve been a much better concept if we’d seen them as seniors, and all stars in their own fields – that would’ve been so much more believable. This isn’t hard-core. I am so disappointed.
Not to mention that ending. There’s a difference between a good cliffhanger and a bad drop, and this is the latter. There’s no proper rising action in the story either, just pages of diaries whinging about their hard lives. Crank it up a little, I’m saying! And then there’s the random end. When I said, “wait, what?”, it wasn’t even in the oh-my-god-this-is-so-exciting-can’t-wait way. It was in the what-just-happened-I-barely-care way. Pretenders is another of those books that promises and doesn’t deliver. Sigh. Maybe it’ll be better as the series progresses but… I don’t think I’ll be sticking around to watch that.
July 26, 2016
I had heard decent things about another of this author’s series: completely based in that tween/teen angst and issues, with some characters that were actually ones you could call friend. Sadly, the hopes that I had for this book were not met, and the lack of any sort of resolution for any of the characters with the ending that was less cliff-hanger and more a badly placed The End really had me frustrated with the story.
The premise is that the most popular five students in a prestigious school have had their freshman English journals stolen. Journals purported to be part of an assignment for school that contain some reasonably socially damning information. There was my first issue: I do know that we live in that instant ‘not think of consequences’ society, where everything is open for sharing: but I don’t see students sharing their double life secrets or fears about discovery of the facades they have built to be part of a school project.
The story is more telenovela than expose of real emotion and feeling: dragging up the secret project of these five students is nothing more than bullying, and none of those responsible or delighting in the fall of the students at the pinnacle of the high school popularity ladder show real remorse, empathy or even an ability to be horrified at both the act and the consequences.
When the story ends, without any sense of resolution or even insight for any of the characters, I was incredibly frustrated. While I understand it is the first in the series, and as a general rule I don’t have huge issues with well-placed and thought through cliffhangers, I did have issue here. There is zero resolution or growth displayed by any of the characters and there really isn’t much of a question left beyond WHO was the one to steal the journal compilation. The why, unfortunately, seemed completely and utterly mean spirited and cowardly: a revengeful act by someone sure not to be called to account.
All that being said: tween and teen readers may just love this story. It does take some very real behaviors and feelings from the dramas that are in every junior and high school imaginable, and present them in a way that for some may provide a sense of compassion as they realize that not everyone, even the most popular kids, are entirely confident, together and without problems or worries. For my part, it won’t be a title that I would recommend to parents without suggesting that they also read the book, to discuss some of the very real issues and moral dilemmas presented.
I received an eBook copy via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
The premise is that the most popular five students in a prestigious school have had their freshman English journals stolen. Journals purported to be part of an assignment for school that contain some reasonably socially damning information. There was my first issue: I do know that we live in that instant ‘not think of consequences’ society, where everything is open for sharing: but I don’t see students sharing their double life secrets or fears about discovery of the facades they have built to be part of a school project.
The story is more telenovela than expose of real emotion and feeling: dragging up the secret project of these five students is nothing more than bullying, and none of those responsible or delighting in the fall of the students at the pinnacle of the high school popularity ladder show real remorse, empathy or even an ability to be horrified at both the act and the consequences.
When the story ends, without any sense of resolution or even insight for any of the characters, I was incredibly frustrated. While I understand it is the first in the series, and as a general rule I don’t have huge issues with well-placed and thought through cliffhangers, I did have issue here. There is zero resolution or growth displayed by any of the characters and there really isn’t much of a question left beyond WHO was the one to steal the journal compilation. The why, unfortunately, seemed completely and utterly mean spirited and cowardly: a revengeful act by someone sure not to be called to account.
All that being said: tween and teen readers may just love this story. It does take some very real behaviors and feelings from the dramas that are in every junior and high school imaginable, and present them in a way that for some may provide a sense of compassion as they realize that not everyone, even the most popular kids, are entirely confident, together and without problems or worries. For my part, it won’t be a title that I would recommend to parents without suggesting that they also read the book, to discuss some of the very real issues and moral dilemmas presented.
I received an eBook copy via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 26, 2015
One star seems like far too much to give to this book. I have no idea what I was thinking when I read this book for the first time in seventh grade and I also have no idea what I was thinking when I decided to reread it a few days ago. Maybe I have a thing for boring myself to death with overly exaggerated cliche high school drama stories with no closure. Nevertheless this was one of the worst books I have ever read and it was so very shallow but that's understandable since this came from the writer of The Clique series. Those series were extremely offending might I add, it made girls seem like the stereotypical version that movies has made us out to be. Anyways to get back to the point, my biggest pet peeve in books is when the book is so very shallow. Pretenders is definitely an example of a shallow book. All of the characters were random and some were idiotic to be honest, I had almost no idea what some of the characters were really like because there was almost no character buildup. The ending was just horrid. How can a writer do that to her fellow readers?! How could you just end a book in the middle of the rising action. If you are a person who needs closure in a book after having some major secret information being given to you, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. If you need closure, you will be forced to read "License to Spill". Okay and the next part is that the cliffhanger in the end was so spontaneous and it was rather annoying, seeming like Lisi Harrison just put it together the best she could in the span of about 30 seconds. I have no idea how to describe the mood the ending left me in and I have no idea what kind of ending that I had read. Harrison should at least have included who the author of the whole put together "diary" (X) was. And will someone please tell me why the characters are so obsessed with popularity. It's another reason why the book was extremely shallow and why I was so disappointed. I really wish that Harrison would stop with the whole "I'm gonna try my best to sound hip and modern by using all these slang terms and famous names of brands and celebrities". It sounds a lot like a desperate mom who really wants to find something to talk about with her child. Not really entertaining as you can see, and honestly it was actually giving me second hand embarrassment. All the characters were stuck up and I couldn't even tell what parts of the book were lies and what were truths. All in all I definitely don't recommend this book to anyone unless you're the type who really enjoys books on cliche "teens" and unsolved endings. Which if you are into those things, then by all means don't let this negative review get to you!
December 5, 2013
So why am I'm still buying books by Lisi Harrison? Although, I'm not a huge fan of her writing style and constant puns. Well, to be honest I mildly enjoy The Clique, I still have to finish The Alphas and Monsters High is probably the only book I love by her. And The Pretenders sounded promising.
Keyword: promising. The book is actually written in a journal style format, so it was actually easier and quicker to read through them. The plot is center around five noble high students who write their thoughts in their journals.
You have Sheridan - your resident pretty girl - that's having a hard time adjusting to Noble High. Her Elle-Fanning-esque BFF Audri is skinny, making friends, talking to a boy and has made a new BFF over the summer, Octavia (I kept pronouncing her name as Activia, surprisingly no puns about that) who's pretty bitchy. And she's not happy about it, not only that but she also changes into celeb personas (Blake Lively, Kristin Chenoweth, Scarlett Johansson, etc.) as acting practice or because she's not confident about her pearl self. She's one of my favorite characters. She was fun to read about and I wish she had more parts. Skye who?
And there's our pretty boy-slash-jock, Duffy. Who like his last name, doesn't have anything interesting to say. He was BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING. And he had a weird plot. Selling European clothes and something else, I didn't bother to comprehend since I was fast reading so I could get to Sheridan and Vanessa journals.
I love Vanessa, she was your ~perfectionist. Her journals were fun to read and I admire her cunning ways. But, like Duffy's plot. She was quite odd (scratching her arms constantly whenever her parents fought) and I could understand her motives. But still, they weren't strong enough.
Lily, is your homie (because she was homeschooled!) and she wants to be normal and fit in. Her journals were uninteresting. I just couldn't relate or understand her.
And there's Jagger, who I couldn't really bother to care about. Yawn.
The plot had everything to be entertaining, fun and juicy! But the execution was half-assed. I felt like I was reading draft for the most part and it could've been way better. And did I mention Lisi reference her Clique series?! SHE REFERENCE THEM. IN HER OWN BOOK. WITH ONE OF HER CHARACTERS. JUST...FHFHHASAL.
If you want a fast fun read, then The Pretenders is your book. I'll give 2 out of 5 stars.
Keyword: promising. The book is actually written in a journal style format, so it was actually easier and quicker to read through them. The plot is center around five noble high students who write their thoughts in their journals.
You have Sheridan - your resident pretty girl - that's having a hard time adjusting to Noble High. Her Elle-Fanning-esque BFF Audri is skinny, making friends, talking to a boy and has made a new BFF over the summer, Octavia (I kept pronouncing her name as Activia, surprisingly no puns about that) who's pretty bitchy. And she's not happy about it, not only that but she also changes into celeb personas (Blake Lively, Kristin Chenoweth, Scarlett Johansson, etc.) as acting practice or because she's not confident about her pearl self. She's one of my favorite characters. She was fun to read about and I wish she had more parts. Skye who?
And there's our pretty boy-slash-jock, Duffy. Who like his last name, doesn't have anything interesting to say. He was BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING, BORING. And he had a weird plot. Selling European clothes and something else, I didn't bother to comprehend since I was fast reading so I could get to Sheridan and Vanessa journals.
I love Vanessa, she was your ~perfectionist. Her journals were fun to read and I admire her cunning ways. But, like Duffy's plot. She was quite odd (scratching her arms constantly whenever her parents fought) and I could understand her motives. But still, they weren't strong enough.
Lily, is your homie (because she was homeschooled!) and she wants to be normal and fit in. Her journals were uninteresting. I just couldn't relate or understand her.
And there's Jagger, who I couldn't really bother to care about. Yawn.
The plot had everything to be entertaining, fun and juicy! But the execution was half-assed. I felt like I was reading draft for the most part and it could've been way better. And did I mention Lisi reference her Clique series?! SHE REFERENCE THEM. IN HER OWN BOOK. WITH ONE OF HER CHARACTERS. JUST...FHFHHASAL.
If you want a fast fun read, then The Pretenders is your book. I'll give 2 out of 5 stars.
December 2, 2013
Wow. This was.... pretty awful.
I have a love-hate relationship with Lisi Harrison's books. They're all pretty bad but for some reason are still fun to read. The Clique was a guilty pleasure series of mine, but she hasn't managed to capture that magic again.
I don't think this series is going to redeem her, either....
The premise seemed fun but everyone sounded 12 years old, and the two guys did not sound at all like guys. Also, this book only covered September and October of a school year, and the premise is that they lied throughout the entire year. Since it ended on October, I have a feeling this series is going to have way too many books if it keeps the pattern of only 2 months per book.
I also rolled my eyes at the pop-culture references (I didn't even know most of them) and the fact that one of her characters references Massie from the Clique! That was one of the lamest things I've ever read in my life. I can't believe she name-dropped HER OWN SERIES.
That being said, this ended in such a way that I actually want to know what happens next. I know, what's wrong with me? But I want to know:
It's really annoying that this ended so abruptly, and even more annoying that I care what happens next.
I have a love-hate relationship with Lisi Harrison's books. They're all pretty bad but for some reason are still fun to read. The Clique was a guilty pleasure series of mine, but she hasn't managed to capture that magic again.
I don't think this series is going to redeem her, either....
The premise seemed fun but everyone sounded 12 years old, and the two guys did not sound at all like guys. Also, this book only covered September and October of a school year, and the premise is that they lied throughout the entire year. Since it ended on October, I have a feeling this series is going to have way too many books if it keeps the pattern of only 2 months per book.
I also rolled my eyes at the pop-culture references (I didn't even know most of them) and the fact that one of her characters references Massie from the Clique! That was one of the lamest things I've ever read in my life. I can't believe she name-dropped HER OWN SERIES.
That being said, this ended in such a way that I actually want to know what happens next. I know, what's wrong with me? But I want to know:
It's really annoying that this ended so abruptly, and even more annoying that I care what happens next.
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