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The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High
Shannon’s ‘clique’ is just her and her best friend and she has a super-embarrassing nickname that won’t go away. It is no huge shock when her classmates vote her least likely to be crowned Prom Queen. What is shocking is the new hidden camera reality show she finds herself starring in, titled The Prom Queen Wannabes! Shannon and two other Wannabes must battle to be elected Prom Queen and snag the One! Million! Dollar! prize. After a summer of makeovers and training at Prom Queen Camp, the hidden cameras watch the three of them enter their senior year equipped with secret skills to help wage war on the popular set. Things at Westfield High are about to get ugly, and Shannon must decide how much she's willing to give up for a shot at winning that tiara.
309 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2014
14 people are currently reading
1816 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 5, 2021
Okay, I would like to start off saying that this book has been one of my favorites. I blindly picked it up at a used book outlet, thinking this was going to be another 3 star review. I actually put it back twice, but it still ended up in my pile.
Thank goodness or I wouldn't have read this comedy about reality T.V. I mean it isn't 100% comedy but the last few chapters had me hooked to the point that I was practically yelling at my sister, who was trying to break my concentration about parts in the book "Slayers: Friends and Traitors" by C.J. Hill.
"With that we shove past the surprise cameraman and are nearly out of the room before I remember, "Wait! Girls! Grab your tiaras!""
"I just see Victoria reeling through the air with her arms windmilling as she soars off the stage.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: There are some things in this book, such as starving yourself to become popular and fit into outfits and such. And the main character has a reason for a nickname that makes this book more of a pushy romance. Other than that, there is moderate swearing. 13-14 and up for the content listed above.
Hope you enjoyed my review! Follow me for more like this. Happy Reading! -Ruby Rose
Thank goodness or I wouldn't have read this comedy about reality T.V. I mean it isn't 100% comedy but the last few chapters had me hooked to the point that I was practically yelling at my sister, who was trying to break my concentration about parts in the book "Slayers: Friends and Traitors" by C.J. Hill.
"With that we shove past the surprise cameraman and are nearly out of the room before I remember, "Wait! Girls! Grab your tiaras!""
"I just see Victoria reeling through the air with her arms windmilling as she soars off the stage.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: There are some things in this book, such as starving yourself to become popular and fit into outfits and such. And the main character has a reason for a nickname that makes this book more of a pushy romance. Other than that, there is moderate swearing. 13-14 and up for the content listed above.
Hope you enjoyed my review! Follow me for more like this. Happy Reading! -Ruby Rose
February 19, 2021
Oh my, this was a hilarious fun book!
It all starts when Shannon, Kelly and Amy get called to the office, there they find out they are the ones to be voted least likely for prom queen. And then they are thrown into a reality show, all about that, and to make them prom queen material.
I really loved Shannon, Kelly and Amy, well ok, at least in the beginning. Even after everything, Kelly and Amy stick mostly to being true to who they are, even when they are all primped up and even after all the lessons they got. Shannon however, quickly turns into a total bitch, dates the wrong guy (and makes the other break his heart), dumps her friends, says mean things and more. Luckily *insert cheer* she finds it out, and starts to change and start to rebel. And my, that part was so much fun.
I really hated the Noralique stuff, they were too controlling and while I can imagine that you want to know everything so that you have material, there is a line. What they did to Shannon, Kelly and Amy was just bad, same goes for various other things (which I won't mention, because, well spoiler.)
I am not one who is big on reality shows. I like reading about them, but I am not the one who squeals when they are on tv. Actually... I barely watch tv. :) So a lot of references just went over my head.
The ending of this book, was just in one word: Epic! I won't spoil anything, or say anything, you will just have to read the book.
I would really recommend this book to everyone. It is a fun short book with romance, reality shows and more!
It all starts when Shannon, Kelly and Amy get called to the office, there they find out they are the ones to be voted least likely for prom queen. And then they are thrown into a reality show, all about that, and to make them prom queen material.
I really loved Shannon, Kelly and Amy, well ok, at least in the beginning. Even after everything, Kelly and Amy stick mostly to being true to who they are, even when they are all primped up and even after all the lessons they got. Shannon however, quickly turns into a total bitch, dates the wrong guy (and makes the other break his heart), dumps her friends, says mean things and more. Luckily *insert cheer* she finds it out, and starts to change and start to rebel. And my, that part was so much fun.
I really hated the Noralique stuff, they were too controlling and while I can imagine that you want to know everything so that you have material, there is a line. What they did to Shannon, Kelly and Amy was just bad, same goes for various other things (which I won't mention, because, well spoiler.)
I am not one who is big on reality shows. I like reading about them, but I am not the one who squeals when they are on tv. Actually... I barely watch tv. :) So a lot of references just went over my head.
The ending of this book, was just in one word: Epic! I won't spoil anything, or say anything, you will just have to read the book.
I would really recommend this book to everyone. It is a fun short book with romance, reality shows and more!
May 9, 2021
Horrible manipulation, but great writing.
First thing i look in a book these days is the writing, buildup, and just overall way they put their ideas into words.
Outstanding in the beginning, writing top notch but the plot just didn't reach that OMG I LOVE IT PLEASE SEX NOW!!
Plot:
Typical loser to prom queen set up... but with a flip.
This is all some retarded prom queen tv-show and the top 3 losers get a chance to
"OMG OMG DREAM COME TRUE ONE. MILLION. DOLLARS. CUTE, SEXY, HOT, POPULAR PROM QUEEN DRAMA WATCH OUT"
Theres also this cute nerdy guy who has a crush on her.
Its very realistic but unrealistic.
Its like a movie but in a book.
The cool thing is, that in movies they make it all so cringy, especially the endings. But having a movie in book format is so satisfying because it leaves you space to just make it your own perfect dream ending.
Writing style:
The authors definately a talented little goobster. I have a feeling that she could do better. Overall just the way she wrote it and how not all of the characters were innocent. realistic but unrealistic.
The ending was also...
quirky
youll get it when you read it...
funky wacky
4 stars:
Really really good, but not quite there yet. Its a sweet read.
First thing i look in a book these days is the writing, buildup, and just overall way they put their ideas into words.
Outstanding in the beginning, writing top notch but the plot just didn't reach that OMG I LOVE IT PLEASE SEX NOW!!
Plot:
Typical loser to prom queen set up... but with a flip.
This is all some retarded prom queen tv-show and the top 3 losers get a chance to
"OMG OMG DREAM COME TRUE ONE. MILLION. DOLLARS. CUTE, SEXY, HOT, POPULAR PROM QUEEN DRAMA WATCH OUT"
Theres also this cute nerdy guy who has a crush on her.
Its very realistic but unrealistic.
Its like a movie but in a book.
The cool thing is, that in movies they make it all so cringy, especially the endings. But having a movie in book format is so satisfying because it leaves you space to just make it your own perfect dream ending.
Writing style:
The authors definately a talented little goobster. I have a feeling that she could do better. Overall just the way she wrote it and how not all of the characters were innocent. realistic but unrealistic.
The ending was also...
quirky
youll get it when you read it...
funky wacky
4 stars:
Really really good, but not quite there yet. Its a sweet read.
February 3, 2014
I'm a total sucker for covers like this. I know it's really nothing special, but something about the yellow prom dress with the tough-girl boots really pulled me in and I immediately requested this without even reading the synopsis. I really wanted to enjoy this book, and did find parts of it pretty entertaining, but, in the end, I found it just plain too silly and unbelievable to really enjoy.
A full review can be found on my blog: Natflix&Books
July 24, 2014
Buddy read with Kat
Is competition based reality TV your secret shame?
Then you will love this book.
Do you hate the staged manipulation of reality TV and everything it stands for?
You may still love this book.
What this book isn't: a timeless literary work of art that will change the world.
What this book is: pure, unadulterated, outrageous, off-the-rails fun. To enjoy it, you have to be willing to suspend all disbelief and accept the initial premise, which basically involves a High School allowing itself to be bought off and condoning the outrageous events that ensue (like the classwide poll described below), because nothing in this book could really happen. You have to have a light attitude towards many of the topics that come up, else you’re gonna have a bad time. You have to accept that a lot of the plot is predictable, else you’re gonna have a bad time. If you just go with it, this book could just be the most fun you've had reading a book all year. It’s like reading the worst reality show in history. It’s ridiculous and awesome.
It’s like a Lifetime movie meets an 80s movie (of the John Hughes oeuvre) meets Jawbreaker and Mean Girls.
Meet Shannon. Shannon has never climbed high on the social ladder at school, but due to an unfortunate incident occurring during a dodge ball game, Shannon has been banished to no-man’s land. She’s been doomed to suffer her junior year with relentless teasing (bullying) about the event ever since, with the worst harassment coming from Grace – the Queen Bee ruler of the popularity hierarchy. It’s ok, though – wearing her steel-toed boots like armor, and with the support of her best (only) friend, who is anything but ordinary, Shannon accepts her place in permanent geekdom. See, Shannon doesn’t strive for popularity, she doesn’t strive to be Prom Queen, but she really would like to be accepted and get rid of the nickname that has plagued her all year. Nowhere is it more clear that she is desperate for acceptance than it is once she loses her armor.
And then one day the entire class is asked to fill out a poll: the three girls most likely to be voted Prom Queen. And the three least likely. She treks to the counselor’s office where she meets Amy, a social outcast and frequent bully target due to her weight; and Kelly, a “burnout” who would be completely at home in a Cure video (I realize I’m dating myself right now).
Turns out, an ambitious producer is creating an entirely new and different reality TV show: From Wannabes to Prom Queens! And she wants these girls to be the stars, the object being to displace the currently reigning Prom Queens and get elected themselves. They all scoff until they learn that the grand prize is One! Million! Dollars! Pretty strong motivation, yea? Even girls who think they are above this Prom Queen nonsense have to think twice with that kind of carrot.
If they agree, they leave for Prom Queen camp right after school lets out for the year, and their new per-style-alities will be revealed at the start of senior year. The catch? They cannot tell anyone, outside of their immediate families, what they are up to. In the meantime, the school will be outfitted with cameras everywhere and the school secretly filmed all year until April, when the show begins airing in preparation for the Prom. The very first page of the book begins at the Prom, in the middle of a nail-breaking, hair-pulling fight between all the potential queens, and you know then that this just will not end well.
So off to Prom Queen camp they go. Prom Queen camp is basically ANTM, and I loved how they immediately had to “cut” and do retakes because the girls weren’t acting their parts appropriately in this reality show. I mean, we all know it happens, but reading it there is somehow funnier to me.
And then the reveal when they return to school. Have you ever seen Jawbreaker? You know that scene when the queens are walking down the hallway with their theme song playing? Yea, that. That’s what this is. Only now everyone is being filmed without realizing it.
I absolutely loved the writing style and Shannon’s narrative voice. It’s light, clever, and modern with a very good flow, which made barreling through this book extremely fast. Better yet, it’s funny! Genuinely laugh-out-loud funny moments abound in this book. The actual prom scene had me snorting in laughter, it was so over-the top.
The book is peppered with pop culture references, only not: America’s Next Top Model becomes Make me a Model. Dancing with the Stars? Try Dancing with Semicelebrities. Besides being clever, I thought these references kept the writing modern, but not so much so that it will be dated in a couple years. The references work seamlessly into the narrative as though this is simply a parallel universe. They aren’t jammed in there to prove the book is hip (I’m looking at you, House of Night). No, in fact, the book itself is acutely aware that it’s jumping the shark, even having a scene in which it references its own shark jumping.
This is the epitome of over-the-top satire about societal beauty ideals, the manufactured nature of “reality” television, the fleeting nature of popularity, vanity, the true bonds of friendship, and the lengths to which people will go if you dangle a carrot full of money in front of their face. There are even some great undertones here aboutevil corporate overlords corporate manipulation and power, and a sly, scathing commentary on consumerism and being a follower.
I also thought there were some great messages here about being yourself and liking yourself . Shannon used to accept herself, then she sold her soul for this show. Before she even realized what happened, she pretty much morphed into everything she hated – into someone she didn’t recognize. She has to face that ugly truth and ask herself if any of this is worth it. She is potentially throwing away the things that mattered to her – her friends, a potential love interest, and even her favorite hobby – for what? Some money? Popularity? Not that any of us would have turned it down, but it was a great example of how these situations can change a person, and how being yourself, and staying true to what you love, is the best course of action.
Ultimately, I felt like the book was all about embracing one’s self, flaws and all, without a care for what anyone else thinks.
It’s also about what matters: “Friends matter, not popularity.” Because really, who cares how popular you are if you don’t have a single confidante to share your hopes and dreams with? It’s not about the quantity of your friends, it’s about the quality of those friendships.
Now, I noted one reviewer who felt there were “numerous” examples of fat and slut shaming. I disagree. You can’t read these comments in a vacuum, you need to read it in context. The few times that the world “slut” is used, it’s definitely not something that is condoned – the reality is, many people, especially young people, use these words in a cavalier way. The question is whether these attitudes are being condoned, and they are not. The same is true of the so-called fat shaming. In no way does this book suggest that the way Amy is treated due to her size is in any way okay. In other words, teenagers are assholes, and the author would be lying to pretend otherwise.
Needless to say, this might be the most fun I’ve had reading a book all year, which is why I am granting it five stars. It is predictable. It is over the top. It is completely unrealistic (no school in its right mind would ever condone any of this). But it is also complete, unadulterated fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, light read that will just make you smile.
But in the dual worlds of reality television and high school, perceived truth is what matters.
Is competition based reality TV your secret shame?
Then you will love this book.
Do you hate the staged manipulation of reality TV and everything it stands for?
You may still love this book.
What this book isn't: a timeless literary work of art that will change the world.
What this book is: pure, unadulterated, outrageous, off-the-rails fun. To enjoy it, you have to be willing to suspend all disbelief and accept the initial premise, which basically involves a High School allowing itself to be bought off and condoning the outrageous events that ensue (like the classwide poll described below), because nothing in this book could really happen. You have to have a light attitude towards many of the topics that come up, else you’re gonna have a bad time. You have to accept that a lot of the plot is predictable, else you’re gonna have a bad time. If you just go with it, this book could just be the most fun you've had reading a book all year. It’s like reading the worst reality show in history. It’s ridiculous and awesome.
It’s like a Lifetime movie meets an 80s movie (of the John Hughes oeuvre) meets Jawbreaker and Mean Girls.
Meet Shannon. Shannon has never climbed high on the social ladder at school, but due to an unfortunate incident occurring during a dodge ball game, Shannon has been banished to no-man’s land. She’s been doomed to suffer her junior year with relentless teasing (bullying) about the event ever since, with the worst harassment coming from Grace – the Queen Bee ruler of the popularity hierarchy. It’s ok, though – wearing her steel-toed boots like armor, and with the support of her best (only) friend, who is anything but ordinary, Shannon accepts her place in permanent geekdom. See, Shannon doesn’t strive for popularity, she doesn’t strive to be Prom Queen, but she really would like to be accepted and get rid of the nickname that has plagued her all year. Nowhere is it more clear that she is desperate for acceptance than it is once she loses her armor.
And then one day the entire class is asked to fill out a poll: the three girls most likely to be voted Prom Queen. And the three least likely. She treks to the counselor’s office where she meets Amy, a social outcast and frequent bully target due to her weight; and Kelly, a “burnout” who would be completely at home in a Cure video (I realize I’m dating myself right now).
Turns out, an ambitious producer is creating an entirely new and different reality TV show: From Wannabes to Prom Queens! And she wants these girls to be the stars, the object being to displace the currently reigning Prom Queens and get elected themselves. They all scoff until they learn that the grand prize is One! Million! Dollars! Pretty strong motivation, yea? Even girls who think they are above this Prom Queen nonsense have to think twice with that kind of carrot.
If they agree, they leave for Prom Queen camp right after school lets out for the year, and their new per-style-alities will be revealed at the start of senior year. The catch? They cannot tell anyone, outside of their immediate families, what they are up to. In the meantime, the school will be outfitted with cameras everywhere and the school secretly filmed all year until April, when the show begins airing in preparation for the Prom. The very first page of the book begins at the Prom, in the middle of a nail-breaking, hair-pulling fight between all the potential queens, and you know then that this just will not end well.
So off to Prom Queen camp they go. Prom Queen camp is basically ANTM, and I loved how they immediately had to “cut” and do retakes because the girls weren’t acting their parts appropriately in this reality show. I mean, we all know it happens, but reading it there is somehow funnier to me.
And then the reveal when they return to school. Have you ever seen Jawbreaker? You know that scene when the queens are walking down the hallway with their theme song playing? Yea, that. That’s what this is. Only now everyone is being filmed without realizing it.
I absolutely loved the writing style and Shannon’s narrative voice. It’s light, clever, and modern with a very good flow, which made barreling through this book extremely fast. Better yet, it’s funny! Genuinely laugh-out-loud funny moments abound in this book. The actual prom scene had me snorting in laughter, it was so over-the top.
The book is peppered with pop culture references, only not: America’s Next Top Model becomes Make me a Model. Dancing with the Stars? Try Dancing with Semicelebrities. Besides being clever, I thought these references kept the writing modern, but not so much so that it will be dated in a couple years. The references work seamlessly into the narrative as though this is simply a parallel universe. They aren’t jammed in there to prove the book is hip (I’m looking at you, House of Night). No, in fact, the book itself is acutely aware that it’s jumping the shark, even having a scene in which it references its own shark jumping.
This is the epitome of over-the-top satire about societal beauty ideals, the manufactured nature of “reality” television, the fleeting nature of popularity, vanity, the true bonds of friendship, and the lengths to which people will go if you dangle a carrot full of money in front of their face. There are even some great undertones here about
I also thought there were some great messages here about being yourself and liking yourself . Shannon used to accept herself, then she sold her soul for this show. Before she even realized what happened, she pretty much morphed into everything she hated – into someone she didn’t recognize. She has to face that ugly truth and ask herself if any of this is worth it. She is potentially throwing away the things that mattered to her – her friends, a potential love interest, and even her favorite hobby – for what? Some money? Popularity? Not that any of us would have turned it down, but it was a great example of how these situations can change a person, and how being yourself, and staying true to what you love, is the best course of action.
Ultimately, I felt like the book was all about embracing one’s self, flaws and all, without a care for what anyone else thinks.
It’s also about what matters: “Friends matter, not popularity.” Because really, who cares how popular you are if you don’t have a single confidante to share your hopes and dreams with? It’s not about the quantity of your friends, it’s about the quality of those friendships.
Now, I noted one reviewer who felt there were “numerous” examples of fat and slut shaming. I disagree. You can’t read these comments in a vacuum, you need to read it in context. The few times that the world “slut” is used, it’s definitely not something that is condoned – the reality is, many people, especially young people, use these words in a cavalier way. The question is whether these attitudes are being condoned, and they are not. The same is true of the so-called fat shaming. In no way does this book suggest that the way Amy is treated due to her size is in any way okay. In other words, teenagers are assholes, and the author would be lying to pretend otherwise.
Needless to say, this might be the most fun I’ve had reading a book all year, which is why I am granting it five stars. It is predictable. It is over the top. It is completely unrealistic (no school in its right mind would ever condone any of this). But it is also complete, unadulterated fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, light read that will just make you smile.
January 14, 2014
3.5 stars;
A pretty funny, slightly-over-the-top reality-tv high school drama shenanigan of a read. [PS. Interview with Laurie at Bookmuchies!]
Laurie Boyle Crompton gives us another fun teen book with a mix of reality T.V with The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High. The story beings with Shannon, voted as one of 3 least likely to ever be prom queen after an incident with a finger cot and the unfortunate nickname of Elf Ucker left her a popularity pariah. As result she's selected to participate in a new reality show called The Prom Queen Wannabes where we get to watch three social outcast get their makeovers and try to become prom queen.
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High is totally that cute teen/Disney feel good movie mashed up with Mean Girls and Reality TV, with a little lesson wrapped up on the story. It definitely has it clique moments, but also lots of fun and hilarious moments too. The story is kind of told in 4 parts, the prologue, the summer makeover, the senior filming and the grand finale. At the beginning Shannon only had her best friend Marnie and her possibly-its-a-two-way-crush oddball geeky Rick. But than Shannon spends the summer getting her makeover, where she ends up becoming good friends with the two prom queen trainees, Amy and Kelly. It was fun following them around as they navigate the tricky world of high school and reality television. Coming back for senior year, Shannon learns that the dark side of popularity and reality tv.
What makes this book is the cute and silly shenanigans and chaos that Shannon gets into, especially at the end during the finale/prom (which was my favourite part of the book). It had that overly dramatic high school drama and the overly dramatic-ness of reality tv, but without it taking itself too seriously and therefore keeping it just light and fluffy enough for that fun teen flick feel.
See what I mean? Shannon is a pretty funny heroine to follow around.
Overall, it's your basic cute teen contemporary, with those little life lessons thrown in there, and that's not necessary a bad thing. For me, it's the campy-ness that makes this book so much fun. There's some cute moments, some laugh-out-loud moments, and some cringe-y moments, just like how high school should be. If your a fan of cute contemporaries and reality shows, this is the book for you.
Oh before I run off, I just want to talk about the romance a bit. I think Rick (our heroine's adorable crush) was only in the book for may 20% of the book ...but damn did I love that kid. We need more Rick time! He was totally that typical geeky-nerdy guy but man does he know how to charm!
I'll experiment pheromones with you any day, Rick. Haha. Seriously, the ending had me cracking up. Worth every minute to see the hilarious chaos that was senior prom.
{*Thank to Sourcebook Fire for the ARC in exchange for the an honest review. Original review at Bookmunchies.
A pretty funny, slightly-over-the-top reality-tv high school drama shenanigan of a read. [PS. Interview with Laurie at Bookmuchies!]
Laurie Boyle Crompton gives us another fun teen book with a mix of reality T.V with The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High. The story beings with Shannon, voted as one of 3 least likely to ever be prom queen after an incident with a finger cot and the unfortunate nickname of Elf Ucker left her a popularity pariah. As result she's selected to participate in a new reality show called The Prom Queen Wannabes where we get to watch three social outcast get their makeovers and try to become prom queen.
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High is totally that cute teen/Disney feel good movie mashed up with Mean Girls and Reality TV, with a little lesson wrapped up on the story. It definitely has it clique moments, but also lots of fun and hilarious moments too. The story is kind of told in 4 parts, the prologue, the summer makeover, the senior filming and the grand finale. At the beginning Shannon only had her best friend Marnie and her possibly-its-a-two-way-crush oddball geeky Rick. But than Shannon spends the summer getting her makeover, where she ends up becoming good friends with the two prom queen trainees, Amy and Kelly. It was fun following them around as they navigate the tricky world of high school and reality television. Coming back for senior year, Shannon learns that the dark side of popularity and reality tv.
What makes this book is the cute and silly shenanigans and chaos that Shannon gets into, especially at the end during the finale/prom (which was my favourite part of the book). It had that overly dramatic high school drama and the overly dramatic-ness of reality tv, but without it taking itself too seriously and therefore keeping it just light and fluffy enough for that fun teen flick feel.
Amy thinks Kelly is starting to get over her mother issues, but anyone can see that Raul is just healing her with is Latin hotness. (39% eARC)
We look amazing. I'm wearing perfectly tailored clothes with pink pumps that show off how excellent I am at walking now. (37% eARC)
See what I mean? Shannon is a pretty funny heroine to follow around.
Overall, it's your basic cute teen contemporary, with those little life lessons thrown in there, and that's not necessary a bad thing. For me, it's the campy-ness that makes this book so much fun. There's some cute moments, some laugh-out-loud moments, and some cringe-y moments, just like how high school should be. If your a fan of cute contemporaries and reality shows, this is the book for you.
Oh before I run off, I just want to talk about the romance a bit. I think Rick (our heroine's adorable crush) was only in the book for may 20% of the book ...but damn did I love that kid. We need more Rick time! He was totally that typical geeky-nerdy guy but man does he know how to charm!
"So do I even get a hint about this big secret project you'll be kicking ass on?" We arrive at the door to the Spanish room and Rick unhooks our arms and cradles my hand in his. A flash of warmth runs through me as he leans in slowly. He's about to kiss me for real.
I tip my head upward and close my eyes as my lips tingle with raw anticipation. I feel my hair being brushed away from my ear and Rick's warm breath on my cheek as he whispers, "Pheromones." (42% eARC)
I'll experiment pheromones with you any day, Rick. Haha. Seriously, the ending had me cracking up. Worth every minute to see the hilarious chaos that was senior prom.
{*Thank to Sourcebook Fire for the ARC in exchange for the an honest review. Original review at Bookmunchies.
January 23, 2015
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High is a wonderful book written by Laurie Boyle Crompton. It is written in first person and the main character Shannon Depola is the one introducing us to the story which makes it interesting hearing it from the person itself. The story is about high school students and everything they experience during those years of being put in different social classes. Some are considered popular and others are considered geeks and get humiliated by the popular ones. And at Westfield High the biggest nobody, Shannon, is constantly being humiliated by the most popular girl in school, Grace.
At first it’s just like every other schools around the world, some students are neglected and others worshiped. But as we keep reading, the story gets more and more interesting. Shannon Depola, Kelly Marco and Amy Waller are voted as the three girls less likely to become prom queen. At first the readers, as well as the characters would think it is a joke because no school would make their students vote on such a thing. But when the three girls are brought together in one room and put in front of top model Victoria, we all know that it is something serious. The story is easy to follow and there is no chance that the readers will get lost reading it.
At one point, the three girls are told that they will be sent to Prom Queen Camp during the summer and when they are back on their senior year, they will all fight for the ultimate label of popularity, Prom Queen. And it is all going to be watched on national television by America. But the best part of it all is that, the girl that gets crowned Prom Queen will be the one claims one million dollars. When the girls get back to school after a summer of torture, they get way more attention than before but it is not completely a good kind of attention. What I find interesting about the whole book is that Shannon, Amy and Kelly go thru really hard times like losing their previous friends and becoming the kind of people they hate. They realize that instead of helping them, being on television, is actually making everything worse inside and outside of school. They have no privacy at all and not everything that America is seeing is totally thru. But after all the miserable times, they all decide that one million dollars and a tiara is not worth losing what they had. I find this story really educational because it teaches us not to take anything for granted and that sometimes we have to accept things as they are in order to stay true to ourselves. I believe that teenagers that read this book can learn a lot get inspired by Laurie Boyle’s story.
January 2, 2014
If you love drama, drama and more drama, comedy and a side of reality thrown at you, then this is definitely your kind of read! Ms. Crompton has a gift for creating realistic and likeable characters...
Our main character Shannon is not having the best of high school experiences - especially with a nickname like 'Elf Ucker'. She does her best to keep herself under the radar and out of the spotlight from the 'mean girls'... until her worst fears become a reality: she is voted most UNLIKELY to become prom queen. She knew things were bad, but not that bad. So when a very popular cosmetics company approaches her, and the other 2 girls most unlikely to become prom queens, to star on a reality show much like America's Next Top Model - how can she say no! How can anybody say no to a makeover, expensive clothes, new car, life coaches and the chance to win a million dollars?? It will give her the opportunity to finally become and have what she's always thought she wanted.
Will her dreams come true?
Will she win the boy of her dreams?
Will she become the prom queen?
Or, will reality become, for lack of a better word, reality!
Shannon and what the other girls go through are exactly what we've seen on reality tv with over-the-top dramatization, back-stabbing and lots of boo-hooing; but, we also get to see the other side to what these girls actually go through - the emotional breakdowns and breakthroughs, the manipulation of what the producers want you to see versus what actually happened, how these girls grow and mature for the worse and then the better and so much more. Such a page turner!
A very fun, quirky, quick read for the younger YA audience!
Definitely a book to dive into - thought provoking with good laugh out loud moments!
Our main character Shannon is not having the best of high school experiences - especially with a nickname like 'Elf Ucker'. She does her best to keep herself under the radar and out of the spotlight from the 'mean girls'... until her worst fears become a reality: she is voted most UNLIKELY to become prom queen. She knew things were bad, but not that bad. So when a very popular cosmetics company approaches her, and the other 2 girls most unlikely to become prom queens, to star on a reality show much like America's Next Top Model - how can she say no! How can anybody say no to a makeover, expensive clothes, new car, life coaches and the chance to win a million dollars?? It will give her the opportunity to finally become and have what she's always thought she wanted.
Will her dreams come true?
Will she win the boy of her dreams?
Will she become the prom queen?
Or, will reality become, for lack of a better word, reality!
Shannon and what the other girls go through are exactly what we've seen on reality tv with over-the-top dramatization, back-stabbing and lots of boo-hooing; but, we also get to see the other side to what these girls actually go through - the emotional breakdowns and breakthroughs, the manipulation of what the producers want you to see versus what actually happened, how these girls grow and mature for the worse and then the better and so much more. Such a page turner!
A very fun, quirky, quick read for the younger YA audience!
Definitely a book to dive into - thought provoking with good laugh out loud moments!
February 17, 2014
Love reality TV? I do. Love drama? Check. Mix in some YA and a few social outcast and you have the perfect book. I loved The Real Prom Queens!
I always seem to be rooting for the underdog and this book is full of people to root for. The characters are great for this high school setting full of twists and turns.
The plot takes over as these wanna-be’s are thrown into stardom and not sure how to react. The journey is hysterical in this coming of age book.
Oh, and I love the cover!
I always seem to be rooting for the underdog and this book is full of people to root for. The characters are great for this high school setting full of twists and turns.
The plot takes over as these wanna-be’s are thrown into stardom and not sure how to react. The journey is hysterical in this coming of age book.
Oh, and I love the cover!
April 20, 2015
Loved this book. It was fun and would make a perfect teen movie. The main character is Shannon who is very likable who along with two other girls get cast in a reality tv show about going from losers to prom queen. The storyline is funny , outrageous with a great over the top ending. Great weekend read when you want something fun
November 22, 2016
3.5
It was cute, funny, entertaining and a little ridiculous, but it had a good message. Would any of this be allowed to happen in real life? I doubt it. But that doesn't really matter. I wanted a nice, quick read that made me feel good, and this book delivered.
It was cute, funny, entertaining and a little ridiculous, but it had a good message. Would any of this be allowed to happen in real life? I doubt it. But that doesn't really matter. I wanted a nice, quick read that made me feel good, and this book delivered.
April 20, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It started out kinda slow to me but then it got crazy and was so much fun to read. It definitely makes you think about how "real" reality tv really is.
March 12, 2025
This is a sweet little book about high school, the perils of social castes and reality tv. Shannon begs her mom to let her on a new show that’s being filmed at her school called ‘From Wannabes to Prom Queens.’ And when her mom finally relents, Shannon and her two friends that are also in the show find that reality tv isn’t all it’s meant to be and the edit can make or break you. Can their friendship survive it?
Can Shannon make prom Queen?
This was a quick read that celebrated high school ideals and real world vs reality tv. Definitely looking into books by the author.
Can Shannon make prom Queen?
This was a quick read that celebrated high school ideals and real world vs reality tv. Definitely looking into books by the author.
August 6, 2018
I can't bring myself to rate it higher than three stars, but it was actually pretty interesting and thought provoking when it comes to how girls act, think, feel, etc. Since I've been a bit of a tomboy in some ways, girls still baffle me at times, so this was an interesting perspective to engage with.
May 18, 2021
2.5 stars
Interesting ? It was slow to get into, for me. At the end it seemed to become propaganda for anti-consumerism, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m not sure this book was entirely the place for it... Idk.
Also the almost-pedophilia written off as okay bc Kelly was okay with it and would be 18 in 6 months uh ???
Interesting ? It was slow to get into, for me. At the end it seemed to become propaganda for anti-consumerism, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m not sure this book was entirely the place for it... Idk.
Also the almost-pedophilia written off as okay bc Kelly was okay with it and would be 18 in 6 months uh ???
September 17, 2017
I wasn't a huge fan of the middle part. From after camp to Luke it was pretty boring and even after Luke until Marnie it was pretty boring. I was alright but there was so much potential to make it great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2018
Loved this book a good look into how the cliques in high schools can be and how social order is as well as addressing reality tv and how it affects people funny too they should make a film of this book
February 22, 2020
A very delightful read with moments that elicited smiles from me.
March 10, 2025
I gave this book a 5 star because, This was almost like a twisted story . it completely changed the perspective of our main character . She became more confident and popular.
January 3, 2014
*Also posted at Oops! I Read A Book Again*
Thank you to Sabrina of Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the review copy. This in no way affected my views of the novel.
I read TPQoWH during New Year's Eve and I opened 2014 with a bang by finishing it and boy, I am so glad I did. I was so happy on the first day of the year because of this book. It had me giggling, chuckling, snorting, laughing, blushing, wincing and feeling warm all over. Here's why.
Shannon's an outcast in her school. It would have been better if people just didn't mind her but because of a truly embarrassing event, she got an even more embarrassing nickname that just won't go away. Aside from her best friend Marnie and these two nerds (Rick and James) who she considers as friends with least resistance, Shannon has no one on her side in school. So when the chance to star in the reality show The Prom Queen Wannabes! arises, she grabs it for the chance to lose her nickname, be popular and win One! Million! Dollars! Along with the chubby Amy and the prickly goth Kelly, who were also voted least to be prom queen, they go to Prom Queen Camp to train. Posture, fashion aka Per-style-ality, body language, flirting, they learn anything and everything you might possibly need to go up the high school social ladder.
However, as Shannon gets popular, she loses her best friend Marnie, her crush-but-I-think-there-is-something-going-on-between-us Rick and herself. Getting crowned prom queen becomes her only goal and she ends up being a bitch. You know how when you're reading or watching something wherein the main character is just making wrong decisions left and right and you know she's going to regret all of it and it's like a trainwreck you just have to read/watch? That was TPQoWH for me. I blush in embarrassment, cringe with Shannon's decisions but I was just so engaged and I can't stop reading. Sure enough, Shannon realizes all of her mistakes at the end and rights her wrongs. Character development for the win!
If you've read Blaze, you definitely know Laurie Boyle Crompton likes to put her main characters on the deep trench and then redeem them. (If you haven't read Blaze, you totally should!) The same is present in TPQoWH, along with discussing bulimia, consumerism, how media sets the standards for beauty, high school, popularity, bullying, body issues, family issues and a whole lot more I tell you. A whole lot more. Never did TPQoWH felt draggy because of all the mini-arcs it has. And then most important of all, The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High was never preachy, which I admit is such a plus. Awareness on issues must be provided and presented to teens but in the end, it shouldn't be pushed to them forcefully.
The romance was cute because HELLO, geeky and nerdy romance is always cute. But above all, I love Shannon's friendship with Marnie and how even though she and her younger sister Josie are so different, Josie picked her up when she's on her lowest. My sister and I are different and we usually argue and fight over stuff but when it comes to the important things, we got each other's backs.
It's a fact: Laurie Boyle Crompton is a master of writing highly entertaining, geekily funny and makes-you-blush-embarrassing young adult novels with lots of fun and heart. Uniquely crazy and over-the-top, The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High will leave you cringing, laughing and aaaaaww-ing over Shannon's mayhem of a ride.
Thank you to Sabrina of Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the review copy. This in no way affected my views of the novel.
I read TPQoWH during New Year's Eve and I opened 2014 with a bang by finishing it and boy, I am so glad I did. I was so happy on the first day of the year because of this book. It had me giggling, chuckling, snorting, laughing, blushing, wincing and feeling warm all over. Here's why.
Shannon's an outcast in her school. It would have been better if people just didn't mind her but because of a truly embarrassing event, she got an even more embarrassing nickname that just won't go away. Aside from her best friend Marnie and these two nerds (Rick and James) who she considers as friends with least resistance, Shannon has no one on her side in school. So when the chance to star in the reality show The Prom Queen Wannabes! arises, she grabs it for the chance to lose her nickname, be popular and win One! Million! Dollars! Along with the chubby Amy and the prickly goth Kelly, who were also voted least to be prom queen, they go to Prom Queen Camp to train. Posture, fashion aka Per-style-ality, body language, flirting, they learn anything and everything you might possibly need to go up the high school social ladder.
However, as Shannon gets popular, she loses her best friend Marnie, her crush-but-I-think-there-is-something-going-on-between-us Rick and herself. Getting crowned prom queen becomes her only goal and she ends up being a bitch. You know how when you're reading or watching something wherein the main character is just making wrong decisions left and right and you know she's going to regret all of it and it's like a trainwreck you just have to read/watch? That was TPQoWH for me. I blush in embarrassment, cringe with Shannon's decisions but I was just so engaged and I can't stop reading. Sure enough, Shannon realizes all of her mistakes at the end and rights her wrongs. Character development for the win!
If you've read Blaze, you definitely know Laurie Boyle Crompton likes to put her main characters on the deep trench and then redeem them. (If you haven't read Blaze, you totally should!) The same is present in TPQoWH, along with discussing bulimia, consumerism, how media sets the standards for beauty, high school, popularity, bullying, body issues, family issues and a whole lot more I tell you. A whole lot more. Never did TPQoWH felt draggy because of all the mini-arcs it has. And then most important of all, The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High was never preachy, which I admit is such a plus. Awareness on issues must be provided and presented to teens but in the end, it shouldn't be pushed to them forcefully.
The romance was cute because HELLO, geeky and nerdy romance is always cute. But above all, I love Shannon's friendship with Marnie and how even though she and her younger sister Josie are so different, Josie picked her up when she's on her lowest. My sister and I are different and we usually argue and fight over stuff but when it comes to the important things, we got each other's backs.
It's a fact: Laurie Boyle Crompton is a master of writing highly entertaining, geekily funny and makes-you-blush-embarrassing young adult novels with lots of fun and heart. Uniquely crazy and over-the-top, The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High will leave you cringing, laughing and aaaaaww-ing over Shannon's mayhem of a ride.
February 24, 2014
To say Shannon is unpopular is an understatement. She was perfectly happy going through high school unnoticed–someone who swam outside of any sort of social circle–but then an unfortunate incident in gym class changed all that. And not for the better. Now Shannon is unpopular AND the center of ridicule thanks to the popular, mega-bitch Grace.
When Shannon and two other girls (Kelly–the pierced, angry bad girl and Amy–the overweight wallflower) are voted the three least likely to ever be voted prom queen, they are surprised to find the poll was initiated by a television company, and the three of them will be whisked off to “Prom Queen Camp” over the summer. When they return to school in the fall, they will do so with makeovers and a new set of social skills that will pit them against the most popular girls in school as they race for prom queen on national TV.
I absolutely love Ms. Crompton’s writing style and voice. She has a wicked sense of humor that closely matches my own. I thoroughly enjoyed Blaze and this one was just as entertaining. I am in no way a fan of reality TV. I used to be. I loved the first two or three seasons of The Real World, and used to have a slight obsession with America’s Next Top Model (don’t judge). But the novelty quickly wore off, and it’s so obvious that these shows are anything but real. The producers have found that drama brings ratings and I think it’s an awful idea to setup cat fights and other altercations simply to bring in viewers. What kind of message is that sending to kids?
Okay, I’ll step off my soapbox now.
With that said, I felt the Ms. Crompton did an amazing job of capturing the ridiculousness of reality TV and how far the producers will go for ratings. I can totally see this show actually happening and I’m surprised the concept hasn’t been used. I loved how it all unfurled, and I especially enjoyed the raucous last few chapters.
As was to be expected, the characters in the book were all very entertaining. Shannon was awkward, quirky and totally different — at least in the beginning. She has an obsession with quilting and calms herself by imagining new quilting patterns. When she goes off to Prom Queen Camp, she begins to change and once she has her makeover, I felt I lost touch with her a bit. For a good portion of the second act, I didn’t care for her at all, but by the time the end of the book came around, I liked her again. This was brilliant on the authors part. She perfectly illustrated what popularity and reality TV did to change Shannon.
I think my favorite character in the book was Kelly, one of the other contestants. She was crass and grumpy and didn’t buy into any of this. She was only doing it for the chance to win the money to help her family. She had the most interesting back story and I totally connected with her.
Amy, the third girl, was kind of the indirect comedic relief. If Melissa McCarthy were younger, she could totally play this character in a movie version.
The rest of the characters all served their purpose well and I didn’t feel as though any of them were wasted. Grace, the mean girl of the school, was especially hateful.
If you like a quirky, fun, contemporary read that gets a little outlandish, I highly recommend this one. And, if you haven’t already checked out Blaze (also by this author) I highly recommend it as well.
When Shannon and two other girls (Kelly–the pierced, angry bad girl and Amy–the overweight wallflower) are voted the three least likely to ever be voted prom queen, they are surprised to find the poll was initiated by a television company, and the three of them will be whisked off to “Prom Queen Camp” over the summer. When they return to school in the fall, they will do so with makeovers and a new set of social skills that will pit them against the most popular girls in school as they race for prom queen on national TV.
I absolutely love Ms. Crompton’s writing style and voice. She has a wicked sense of humor that closely matches my own. I thoroughly enjoyed Blaze and this one was just as entertaining. I am in no way a fan of reality TV. I used to be. I loved the first two or three seasons of The Real World, and used to have a slight obsession with America’s Next Top Model (don’t judge). But the novelty quickly wore off, and it’s so obvious that these shows are anything but real. The producers have found that drama brings ratings and I think it’s an awful idea to setup cat fights and other altercations simply to bring in viewers. What kind of message is that sending to kids?
Okay, I’ll step off my soapbox now.
With that said, I felt the Ms. Crompton did an amazing job of capturing the ridiculousness of reality TV and how far the producers will go for ratings. I can totally see this show actually happening and I’m surprised the concept hasn’t been used. I loved how it all unfurled, and I especially enjoyed the raucous last few chapters.
As was to be expected, the characters in the book were all very entertaining. Shannon was awkward, quirky and totally different — at least in the beginning. She has an obsession with quilting and calms herself by imagining new quilting patterns. When she goes off to Prom Queen Camp, she begins to change and once she has her makeover, I felt I lost touch with her a bit. For a good portion of the second act, I didn’t care for her at all, but by the time the end of the book came around, I liked her again. This was brilliant on the authors part. She perfectly illustrated what popularity and reality TV did to change Shannon.
I think my favorite character in the book was Kelly, one of the other contestants. She was crass and grumpy and didn’t buy into any of this. She was only doing it for the chance to win the money to help her family. She had the most interesting back story and I totally connected with her.
Amy, the third girl, was kind of the indirect comedic relief. If Melissa McCarthy were younger, she could totally play this character in a movie version.
The rest of the characters all served their purpose well and I didn’t feel as though any of them were wasted. Grace, the mean girl of the school, was especially hateful.
If you like a quirky, fun, contemporary read that gets a little outlandish, I highly recommend this one. And, if you haven’t already checked out Blaze (also by this author) I highly recommend it as well.
January 23, 2014
I will start with saying I am not really a huge fan of these types of novels, but because it included a reality show storyline I was intrigued. It was a lot better than I first initially thought it was going to be.
So The Real Prom Queens takes three underdogs and puts them into a reality show making them wannabe prom queen candidates. Shannon has lost all of her friends except for her best friend after a horribly embarrassing incident. It has forever made her a loser in the eyes of her peers, Kelly is the piercing clad girl who hates the world and Amy is the wallflower fat girl. Theses three girls were voted least likely to win prom queen by their peers.
When the opportunity comes in the form of a reality TV show to become popular, Shannon thinks its going to be good thing. Maybe she can finally get out of the shadow of her famous humiliation of her Junior year. The girls are set off to Prom Queen boot camp where they have a huge makeover. Nobody can know what is happening to them but their immediate family as there will be camera put up around their houses. They have this makeover during the summer and when they come back to school for their senior year they will have their big reveal.
At first it works out pretty good as they come back to school and are really popular. The thing is, is Shannon isn’t allowed to hang out with her best friend and her bestie is not very happy with the new Shannon. Also, the one guy that sort of likes her is deem not good enough for a prom queen and she ends up with the Captain of the football team on her arm. At first, this is really fun as she gets to smear it in the face of her enemy, Grace. Grace is the reigning Queen B of the school and voted most likely to be prom queen.
Shannon doesn’t see how much the reality show has changed her until they start airing the shows on TV. Her soaring to fame and popularity has turned her into something she never wanted to be. Now she is just like the one person she despised, Grace. Kelly, is only in it for the money and she hates having to conform but she needs the money that they could win if elected prom queen. Amy, is the only one who actually comes out the best of all of them. She loses weight, gets a hot boyfriend who actually likes her and she has an awesome singing voice.
During the airing of the show they find out just how much the show twist what they do for the purpose of good TV ratings and its actually during one of the shows that Shannon can’t believe how far she has gone. So she decides to take back her loser self and hopefully salvage a friendship and more. I liked all three characters but I think Kelly was my favorite out of the three.
I really wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book because the first part of the book was not really hooking me. Once the reality show actually starts airing and Shannon starts to wise up does it get interesting for me and the ending was a blast. It’s sort of a twist on the mean girl type books. I not a fan of Reality TV but reading about them is a lot more fun than watching them. If you like this type of book then you will probably enjoy this book.
So The Real Prom Queens takes three underdogs and puts them into a reality show making them wannabe prom queen candidates. Shannon has lost all of her friends except for her best friend after a horribly embarrassing incident. It has forever made her a loser in the eyes of her peers, Kelly is the piercing clad girl who hates the world and Amy is the wallflower fat girl. Theses three girls were voted least likely to win prom queen by their peers.
When the opportunity comes in the form of a reality TV show to become popular, Shannon thinks its going to be good thing. Maybe she can finally get out of the shadow of her famous humiliation of her Junior year. The girls are set off to Prom Queen boot camp where they have a huge makeover. Nobody can know what is happening to them but their immediate family as there will be camera put up around their houses. They have this makeover during the summer and when they come back to school for their senior year they will have their big reveal.
At first it works out pretty good as they come back to school and are really popular. The thing is, is Shannon isn’t allowed to hang out with her best friend and her bestie is not very happy with the new Shannon. Also, the one guy that sort of likes her is deem not good enough for a prom queen and she ends up with the Captain of the football team on her arm. At first, this is really fun as she gets to smear it in the face of her enemy, Grace. Grace is the reigning Queen B of the school and voted most likely to be prom queen.
Shannon doesn’t see how much the reality show has changed her until they start airing the shows on TV. Her soaring to fame and popularity has turned her into something she never wanted to be. Now she is just like the one person she despised, Grace. Kelly, is only in it for the money and she hates having to conform but she needs the money that they could win if elected prom queen. Amy, is the only one who actually comes out the best of all of them. She loses weight, gets a hot boyfriend who actually likes her and she has an awesome singing voice.
During the airing of the show they find out just how much the show twist what they do for the purpose of good TV ratings and its actually during one of the shows that Shannon can’t believe how far she has gone. So she decides to take back her loser self and hopefully salvage a friendship and more. I liked all three characters but I think Kelly was my favorite out of the three.
I really wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book because the first part of the book was not really hooking me. Once the reality show actually starts airing and Shannon starts to wise up does it get interesting for me and the ending was a blast. It’s sort of a twist on the mean girl type books. I not a fan of Reality TV but reading about them is a lot more fun than watching them. If you like this type of book then you will probably enjoy this book.
February 3, 2014
Rating 4.5/5 - Originally posted at:http://actinupwithbooks.blogspot.com/...
As a fan of reality TV and competition shows and a fan of Laurie's debut novel, Blaze, I knew that her new book was going to be one fun ride. I expected many laughs while reading The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High and that is exactly what I got. Laurie had me hooked from the very beginning, when Shannon unwittingly and naively agrees to participate in the hidden-camera reality TV show.
In The Real Prom Queens, Laurie takes bits and pieces of reality shows to create this outlandish reality show: The Prom Queen Wannabes! As I continued to read, it was one laughable disaster after another and build-up after build-up knowing that it wasn't going to end well. But for every moment that is meant to make the reader laugh, we also get to find out about the behind the scenes manipulations that all but destroy the participants of the reality show competition.
The wannabe characters Shannon, Amy, and Kelly were fun to read. They weren't so different from everyone that you would want to be friends with. They just weren't high on the Prom Queen social ladder. What I really liked about their interactions was that there was a level of comraderie in their status. They were competition with each-other for the title of Prom Queen and the "One! Million! Dollar!" prize, but real friendships were built out of their common experience.
I loved the "supporting" cast/characters too. Josie, Shannon's popular younger sister, Marnie, the corporation and label-hating BFF, and the nerdy and cute, love interest, Rick, kept it interesting. Even the mean-girl competition, Grace, was run to read. She kept me guessing in how she was going to ruin Shannon next.
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High was very entertaining and fun. It was easy to see that there isn't any reality in reality-tv. Even though this story isn't about a real person's experience with reality-tv competition, it still shows how easy it is to get swept up in the supposed glamour of being on television and the lengths a show's creator will go to create a story or create chaos for ratings and something that "makes good television."
Fans of Libba Bray's Beauty Queens should check this out.
As a fan of reality TV and competition shows and a fan of Laurie's debut novel, Blaze, I knew that her new book was going to be one fun ride. I expected many laughs while reading The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High and that is exactly what I got. Laurie had me hooked from the very beginning, when Shannon unwittingly and naively agrees to participate in the hidden-camera reality TV show.
In The Real Prom Queens, Laurie takes bits and pieces of reality shows to create this outlandish reality show: The Prom Queen Wannabes! As I continued to read, it was one laughable disaster after another and build-up after build-up knowing that it wasn't going to end well. But for every moment that is meant to make the reader laugh, we also get to find out about the behind the scenes manipulations that all but destroy the participants of the reality show competition.
The wannabe characters Shannon, Amy, and Kelly were fun to read. They weren't so different from everyone that you would want to be friends with. They just weren't high on the Prom Queen social ladder. What I really liked about their interactions was that there was a level of comraderie in their status. They were competition with each-other for the title of Prom Queen and the "One! Million! Dollar!" prize, but real friendships were built out of their common experience.
I loved the "supporting" cast/characters too. Josie, Shannon's popular younger sister, Marnie, the corporation and label-hating BFF, and the nerdy and cute, love interest, Rick, kept it interesting. Even the mean-girl competition, Grace, was run to read. She kept me guessing in how she was going to ruin Shannon next.
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High was very entertaining and fun. It was easy to see that there isn't any reality in reality-tv. Even though this story isn't about a real person's experience with reality-tv competition, it still shows how easy it is to get swept up in the supposed glamour of being on television and the lengths a show's creator will go to create a story or create chaos for ratings and something that "makes good television."
Fans of Libba Bray's Beauty Queens should check this out.
February 4, 2014
4.5 stars
Not being in the US, I don't exactly have access to the whole slew of reality shows from that country. The best I know are the big names, and then a few from the UK (more often than not dubbed in French) and France through satellite TV. So the reality TV angle didn't really make me jump for joy or excitement to get another such 'fix'.
No - what intrigued me is that this story had the typical "make me over and it'll all be better but I will lose myself along the way and hopefully, find my real self and redeem myself before it's too late."
My impression was spot on. I mean, yeah - come on, it's YA; there's got to be a 'moral' to the story somewhere in there. And there was...in a manner that totally makes you see that the grass is not at all greener on the other side! Shannon loses herself until it's almost too late - yes, we all saw that one coming (and the resolution, too), but the way Ms. Crompton brings this story to a close? Epic!
Loved the humour in there (come on, it's got to be worth it for One! Million! Dollars! Sorry, couldn't resist putting that one in *grin*) and the whole view of high school (I went to an all-girl school and we don't have prom here. yes, I know - shame!) made it like you are living vicariously through Shannon.
Thumbs up to the author for dealing with the issue of bullying - something totally silly can really wreck the life of a kid when bullies gang up and even peer pressure or group effect makes the others join the fray. This was illustrated very clearly in all the suffering Shannon has to endure because she's a bit "different". You really do end up feeling for her...though there are times when you want to bash her, too. But hey, you don't learn without making mistakes.... and a large part of this book is about this.
Light yet deep, fluffy yet serious, this is on the whole a giggle fest that however does not end up vapid and leaves you with a message to accept yourself as you are - this is what matters, ultimately.
Not being in the US, I don't exactly have access to the whole slew of reality shows from that country. The best I know are the big names, and then a few from the UK (more often than not dubbed in French) and France through satellite TV. So the reality TV angle didn't really make me jump for joy or excitement to get another such 'fix'.
No - what intrigued me is that this story had the typical "make me over and it'll all be better but I will lose myself along the way and hopefully, find my real self and redeem myself before it's too late."
My impression was spot on. I mean, yeah - come on, it's YA; there's got to be a 'moral' to the story somewhere in there. And there was...in a manner that totally makes you see that the grass is not at all greener on the other side! Shannon loses herself until it's almost too late - yes, we all saw that one coming (and the resolution, too), but the way Ms. Crompton brings this story to a close? Epic!
Loved the humour in there (come on, it's got to be worth it for One! Million! Dollars! Sorry, couldn't resist putting that one in *grin*) and the whole view of high school (I went to an all-girl school and we don't have prom here. yes, I know - shame!) made it like you are living vicariously through Shannon.
Thumbs up to the author for dealing with the issue of bullying - something totally silly can really wreck the life of a kid when bullies gang up and even peer pressure or group effect makes the others join the fray. This was illustrated very clearly in all the suffering Shannon has to endure because she's a bit "different". You really do end up feeling for her...though there are times when you want to bash her, too. But hey, you don't learn without making mistakes.... and a large part of this book is about this.
Light yet deep, fluffy yet serious, this is on the whole a giggle fest that however does not end up vapid and leaves you with a message to accept yourself as you are - this is what matters, ultimately.
May 5, 2015
Imagine your most embarrassing moment in high school, then imagine the entire student body picking up on it and not letting go. That's the situation Shannon finds herself in at the end of her junior year. She was playing dodgeball in phys ed when she slipped on the new floor and a finger cot slipped from her pocket. Unfortunately, it was Rick, the one guy she sorta likes who noticed it and before he realized what he was doing, pointed it out. Evil Grace, the nastiest of the popular girls, pounces on it and starts joking that it's an elf condom. Well you can guess where that went. Even though She has a very good reason for having it, Shannon is so intimidated, she can't defend herself.
When She's called to the guidance office out of her trigonometry class, she's puzzled. When she sees antisocial, multi-pierced gothgirl Kelly and extra shy and very heavy Amy sitting there as well, she's even more bemused. They're led to a back room by two glitzy women who inform them that their peers have voted them least likely to be prom queen, but if their parents sign a contract, the three girls will secretly get makeovers, poise, dancing and modeling lessons, tons of new clothing and makeup, a car and a shot at winning a million dollars if they're successful in getting elected prom queen, all as part of a new reality TV show.
What happens after the three sign on, how the producers manipulate things, what Shannon discovers about friendship, loyalty and who really counts, all make this a fast, funny and pretty intelligent read. There are no unique plot themes or twists here, but the author takes a number of standard ones and weaves them in excellent fashion. This is a dandy book for teens who like high school drama or who have been the butt of teasing or shunned by fellow students. The end scene when the queen is crowned is hilarious. This is a great book for both school and public libraries.
When She's called to the guidance office out of her trigonometry class, she's puzzled. When she sees antisocial, multi-pierced gothgirl Kelly and extra shy and very heavy Amy sitting there as well, she's even more bemused. They're led to a back room by two glitzy women who inform them that their peers have voted them least likely to be prom queen, but if their parents sign a contract, the three girls will secretly get makeovers, poise, dancing and modeling lessons, tons of new clothing and makeup, a car and a shot at winning a million dollars if they're successful in getting elected prom queen, all as part of a new reality TV show.
What happens after the three sign on, how the producers manipulate things, what Shannon discovers about friendship, loyalty and who really counts, all make this a fast, funny and pretty intelligent read. There are no unique plot themes or twists here, but the author takes a number of standard ones and weaves them in excellent fashion. This is a dandy book for teens who like high school drama or who have been the butt of teasing or shunned by fellow students. The end scene when the queen is crowned is hilarious. This is a great book for both school and public libraries.
February 13, 2014
3.75 STARS
I haven't read very many books set in a reality TV world--only You Look Different in Real Life comes to mind, so the premise of Prom Queens was definitely what pulled me in. In this day and age, what high schooler, or any person really, doesn't dream of having the chance to be on TV and possibly become a millionaire? Shannon isn't excited at first, but once she gets into it the game she tells herself she's playing becomes more and more real. But she'll quickly learn that reality TV is actually the farthest thing from its' namesake.
Shannon was a weirdly likable character. She has a weird, unexplainable hobby; she only has one friend; and though it's only her hard-working mom raising her and her sister, she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. I also liked that she wasn't like a lot of other whiny YA main characters who are the only ones in their world who doesn't notice when a boy likes them. But what girl wouldn't want the makeover of a lifetime and the chance to be prom queen?
Although Shannon goes along with everything that's happening to her at first, once she sees the deception and losses that are piling up, she starts having second thoughts. And that's when the book really gets good.
The final chapters at the prom were hilarious and outlandish. I loved the final stand the girls made and how everything ended up for all the characters after the show was said and done.
There are plenty of funny moments in the book, and I think contemporary YA readers will love it.
I haven't read very many books set in a reality TV world--only You Look Different in Real Life comes to mind, so the premise of Prom Queens was definitely what pulled me in. In this day and age, what high schooler, or any person really, doesn't dream of having the chance to be on TV and possibly become a millionaire? Shannon isn't excited at first, but once she gets into it the game she tells herself she's playing becomes more and more real. But she'll quickly learn that reality TV is actually the farthest thing from its' namesake.
Shannon was a weirdly likable character. She has a weird, unexplainable hobby; she only has one friend; and though it's only her hard-working mom raising her and her sister, she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. I also liked that she wasn't like a lot of other whiny YA main characters who are the only ones in their world who doesn't notice when a boy likes them. But what girl wouldn't want the makeover of a lifetime and the chance to be prom queen?
Although Shannon goes along with everything that's happening to her at first, once she sees the deception and losses that are piling up, she starts having second thoughts. And that's when the book really gets good.
The final chapters at the prom were hilarious and outlandish. I loved the final stand the girls made and how everything ended up for all the characters after the show was said and done.
There are plenty of funny moments in the book, and I think contemporary YA readers will love it.
May 29, 2015
so I took a break from this book for a long time and then realized it was a great book even from only reading 3 chapters of it before putting it down and completely stopping reading for a while. not because of the book, but because i go through spurts where I read a lot and then other spurts of just not reading anything. needless to say, I don't think I'm gonna be finishing my 75 book challenge this year. okay, back to the book. it was really easy to get into like some books are confusing at first and you have to reread to understand them but this one wasn't like that. it started off kind of boring in a way just because it was explaining everything about shannons character from shannons point of view and her mom, etc. but I mean what can you expect from a book? it's supposed to introduce you to the characters and I got a really good feel for the characters. marnie annoyed me a little bit just because she was a little over excessive when it came to advertisements and brand names, but I think the book really gave a positive message. that you don't have to be stick thin or get liposuction or wear a ton of makeup to be considered pretty. i loved the ending and how they totally went against norealique and that she still won the million dollars which I was hoping for. overall the book is pretty cliche: girl likes guy and has confidence issues - girl loses sense of self and close friends - girl realizes that she lost her sense of self - girl then gets friends and guy back. so yeah it was cliche, but that didn't stop it from being a great read as well as having some laugh out loud moments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2014
I’m not a huge fan of reality TV (actually, I kind of hate it. It’s ridiculous and embarrassing and I never watch it), but when I was offered a copy of The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High I had to accept it – after all, it is written by Laurie Boyle Crompton and she’s kind of awesome (I really liked Blaze!).
"The more cast members embarrass themselves, the better the reality show."
I found the story both funny and a bit much. It was loaded with drama and teenage anxiety. Shannon wasn’t a horrible MC, but I didn’t like her. She was so superficial and stupid and full of it. She keeps talking about how much she likes her best friend, but she treats her horribly. All she cares about is her reputation and herself. I would have loved to read the story from Kelly’s POV – she is so real and I understood her actions and her motivation. I really liked her and cheered her on all through the story. Her part of the drama was the most realistic, heartbreaking and enjoyable.
I think this book would make an awesome movie! Kind of like a mixture of Mean Girls and America’s Next Top Model – and who wouldn’t want to watch that!? It has all the right components; it’s funny, loaded with drama and has a cute, but predictable story.
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High is a funny and nice read and I would recommend it to teens (15-16 years old). If you’re older than that, don’t let that keep you from reading it – just lower your expectations a bit and enjoy the story for what it is: a whole lot of fun!
"The more cast members embarrass themselves, the better the reality show."
I found the story both funny and a bit much. It was loaded with drama and teenage anxiety. Shannon wasn’t a horrible MC, but I didn’t like her. She was so superficial and stupid and full of it. She keeps talking about how much she likes her best friend, but she treats her horribly. All she cares about is her reputation and herself. I would have loved to read the story from Kelly’s POV – she is so real and I understood her actions and her motivation. I really liked her and cheered her on all through the story. Her part of the drama was the most realistic, heartbreaking and enjoyable.
I think this book would make an awesome movie! Kind of like a mixture of Mean Girls and America’s Next Top Model – and who wouldn’t want to watch that!? It has all the right components; it’s funny, loaded with drama and has a cute, but predictable story.
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High is a funny and nice read and I would recommend it to teens (15-16 years old). If you’re older than that, don’t let that keep you from reading it – just lower your expectations a bit and enjoy the story for what it is: a whole lot of fun!
August 28, 2014
It's kind of sad that this book isn't even that far off from the realm of possibility today, what with shows like Toddlers in Tiaras and My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding hitting up TLC (The Learning Channel? REALLY?) and MTV. You do have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this book though, simply because every aspect of reality tv is exaggerated hugely.
I have to admit that I'm a huge reality show junkie, loving the likes of Big Brother, The Amazing Race and The Bachelor franchise. I guess the product placement still exists there (who's ready for another Twistos Twist?), but it's not as blatantly annoying as all the "Nörealique" jazz.
This book is snarky and ridiculous. It sends some pretty screwed up messages about popularity—first, how easy it is for television editors to change public perception, then how easy it is to gain the public favour by reciting platitudes of self-assurance nowadays (as joked about by Kristan, who started talking about staying true to oneself and then crowing about her increase in votes).
Everyone ended up with a happy ending, and this story seems to match up with a lot of "real" accounts about reality tv. It makes people do a lot of crazy things for however long they're part of it, but they appreciate the experience once the dust settles.
I have to admit that I'm a huge reality show junkie, loving the likes of Big Brother, The Amazing Race and The Bachelor franchise. I guess the product placement still exists there (who's ready for another Twistos Twist?), but it's not as blatantly annoying as all the "Nörealique" jazz.
This book is snarky and ridiculous. It sends some pretty screwed up messages about popularity—first, how easy it is for television editors to change public perception, then how easy it is to gain the public favour by reciting platitudes of self-assurance nowadays (as joked about by Kristan, who started talking about staying true to oneself and then crowing about her increase in votes).
Everyone ended up with a happy ending, and this story seems to match up with a lot of "real" accounts about reality tv. It makes people do a lot of crazy things for however long they're part of it, but they appreciate the experience once the dust settles.
December 2, 2014
The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High is basically a reality TV show resurrected as a book. This book is about three high schoolers, Shannon, Amy, and Kelly, who are voted least likely to be prom queen but end up up being cast in a reality competition show with results that affect not only their lives but everyone at Westfield High's too. Throughout this book, they all learn a lot about themselves, their enemies, their friends, and each other, and form unlikely bonds.
Whenever I watch any kind of reality show, I wonder how the characters are feeling, what they are thinking, about what is actually real and what is not, and of course, how on earth they made it, meaning what is happening behind-the-scenes. This book answered all my questions and actually made me feel for the characters, unlike a "reality" show, which just ends up enabling me to have a reason to judge the characters. This literary work is a "reality check" of "reality" shows, which is my favorite thing about it. I would give this book around 3.5 stars. If you love reality shows or if you hate them, I would definitely recommend you to consider reading this book. And if you are just plain curious about how they are made, then I invite you to explore this book also.
Whenever I watch any kind of reality show, I wonder how the characters are feeling, what they are thinking, about what is actually real and what is not, and of course, how on earth they made it, meaning what is happening behind-the-scenes. This book answered all my questions and actually made me feel for the characters, unlike a "reality" show, which just ends up enabling me to have a reason to judge the characters. This literary work is a "reality check" of "reality" shows, which is my favorite thing about it. I would give this book around 3.5 stars. If you love reality shows or if you hate them, I would definitely recommend you to consider reading this book. And if you are just plain curious about how they are made, then I invite you to explore this book also.
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