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Winning
House of Cards meets Election in this wickedly entertaining story about an uber-ambitious high school junior.
Whoever said being nice would get you to the top?
Certainly not Alexandra Miles. She isn’t nice, but she’s more than skilled at playing the part. She floats through the halls of Spencer High, effortlessly orchestrating the actions of everyone around her, making people bend to her whim without even noticing they’re doing it. She is the queen of Spencer High—and it’s time to make it official.
Alexandra has a goal, you see—Homecoming Queen. Her ambitions are far grander than her small town will allow, but homecoming is just the first step to achieving total domination. So when peppy, popular Erin Hewett moves to town and seems to have a real shot at the crown, Alexandra has to take action.
With the help of her trusted friend Sam, she devises her most devious plot yet. She’ll introduce an unexpected third competitor in the mix, one whose meteoric rise—and devastating fall—will destroy Erin’s chances once and for all. Alexandra can run a scheme like this in her sleep. What could possibly go wrong?
Whoever said being nice would get you to the top?
Certainly not Alexandra Miles. She isn’t nice, but she’s more than skilled at playing the part. She floats through the halls of Spencer High, effortlessly orchestrating the actions of everyone around her, making people bend to her whim without even noticing they’re doing it. She is the queen of Spencer High—and it’s time to make it official.
Alexandra has a goal, you see—Homecoming Queen. Her ambitions are far grander than her small town will allow, but homecoming is just the first step to achieving total domination. So when peppy, popular Erin Hewett moves to town and seems to have a real shot at the crown, Alexandra has to take action.
With the help of her trusted friend Sam, she devises her most devious plot yet. She’ll introduce an unexpected third competitor in the mix, one whose meteoric rise—and devastating fall—will destroy Erin’s chances once and for all. Alexandra can run a scheme like this in her sleep. What could possibly go wrong?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2016
20 people are currently reading
3303 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
March 16, 2016
Some girls are born to wear a baseball cap without an ounce of irony. Think of those long-legged, gamine creatures whose tans are never fake-baked, whose shoulders are broader than those of their boyfriends, and who tend to have a pair of blindingly white sneakers they save for “dress up.”MY FEELS. I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS RIGHT NOW. What an awesomely hilarious, surprisingly feminist book.
Some girls are born wanting so desperately to blend in that they spend hours trying to coax their locks into one of those messy-bun-and-elastic-headband combos that are so on-trend.
I am not like any of those girls.
No, I was born to wear a crown.
I have recently become addicted to House of Cards. I've never been interested in political drama, but one episode in, and before I knew it, I was binge watching like there's no tomorrow. It's fucking awesome, y'all. The conniving. The plotting. The ruthless ambition. SO MUCH EVIL. It makes my heart happy :D So when I saw the "for fans of House of Cards" thing in this book's blurb, I was off clicking "request" faster than a dress on prom night.
This book has humor, intelligence, wit, and a lesbian. UNF. If you want clichéd high school characters that you love to love, this book isn't for you. If you love an anti-hero, and you're somewhat of a power-hungry beeyotch irl (or appreciate one), you will love this book. I know I did. Throughout the book, this was my expression.
I love a bad-ass bitch, and Alexandra is the baddest bitch of all. Furthermore, she knows it, she flaunts it, and she is not ashamed of it.
Yes, I am the future Homecoming Queen of Spencer High, and my underwear model-hot boyfriend is both quarterback and captain of our nationally ranked football team. Together, we’re not only high school royalty, we’re the stuff of legends.Alexandra's goal this year is to be homecoming queen. Let's get one thing straight. Alexandra is not stupid. She is brilliant. She's got excellent grades, plenty of extracurricular activities, and as she said herself, she can get a scholarship to anywhere in the country. Alexandra lives in a small town. She wants to gtfo of it. An admirable dream. But getting a scholarship is easy. This, homecoming queen -> Miss Indiana -> Miss America. That's a better way to do it.
Does this make me a cliché, too?
Maybe. But clichés are the currency of the world. At the end of the day, I’m the one other girls aspire to be, the one every straight boy—and at least one not-so-straight girl—dreams of being with.
Alexandra isn't just a pretty face, and she knows it. She is cunning, devious, and ruthless. On the surface, she is the one that everyone likes...but not for the reason you'd expect.
The majority of my classmates know that I am someone they’re supposed to like. I have the ear of every teacher, coach, and administrator here. I make things happen at this school. I am someone they want on their side.Alexandra (Lexi) is a shoo-in to win, but then a new girl appears at school to threaten her plans. Together with Sam, her "loyal little sycophant," Lexi plots and schemes her way to the throne. Hilarity ensues.
OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK
I love the ambiguity. There's a fine line between good guys and bad guys. The wimp has a spine. Everyone has an agenda. It has the essence of House of Cards, for once, the blurb does the book justice. Sam can best be described as Doug the Chief of Staff. Seemingly a sycophant, the underling who gets things done, but she has a complex personality of her own.
Lexi, however ruthless of a person she is, is a good person. She isn't prejudiced. She stands up for what she believes in. She sticks up for Sam when other girls were prejudiced against her sexuality.
It was Lexi who stuck up for me. “You’re a disgusting homophobe,” she told Ashley. “Not to mention a conceited one. Just because someone likes girls doesn’t mean they’ll like you.”Lexi has Sam's loyalty because she earned it.
Lexi is such an interesting character. A conundrum. As a society, we tend to find extremely beautiful women and pageant girls to be dumb, dimwitted characters. Lexi is the opposite of that. She's got class, not spelled with a K. She may participate in pageants. She may aspire to be Homecoming Queen, but there is never, ever a doubt that she is brilliant. If ever there was a book about girl power, this is it. She is so fierce, yet she tugs at my heartstrings. The way she comes to self-actualization makes me feel things.
The crown is not the prize—I am.All in all, a spectacular debut.
All quotes were taken from an Advanced Reader's Copy subject to change in the final edition.
May 11, 2016
If Regina George wanted to be Homecoming Queen, there'd be hell to pay for anyone who got in her way.
This is pretty much the premise of the WINNING, which is immensely readable and keeps you on your toes. Just when you think one girl is about to swindle another, the other girl almost always manages to see it coming and turns the tables. I liked that we saw various different POVs, and that one of them was the Queen Bee herself, Alexandra Miles. She's a ruthless, manipulative schemer without an ounce of pity, and her determination to win her crown (with the kind of loopy logic that only exists in rom-coms) spares no expense or feeling.
The thing about MEAN GIRLS, however, was that the film was not only a satirical look at social hierarchies in high school, but it was also so freaking funny. That's where the weakness lies in WINNING; it's definitely entertaining, and you want to see people get their comeuppance, but it's neither sharp-witted enough in its narrative and dialogue, nor smart and original enough in its plot to go down as a truly great and memorable book. And then the door is left open for a sequel as well? Bleh.
Still. Points for an unabashed anti-heroine, for juggling multiple POVs well, and for a lesbian BFF subplot. These girls are cruel to each other, and it's weirdly gratifying and fun to watch...but not quite as fun as it could've been. I want a story like this to be screamingly funny--and to really go for the jugular, not just settle for a slap on the wrist.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
Side note to those who might get upset over these things in YA, with spoilers: there's liberal back-stabbing and underage drinking,
This is pretty much the premise of the WINNING, which is immensely readable and keeps you on your toes. Just when you think one girl is about to swindle another, the other girl almost always manages to see it coming and turns the tables. I liked that we saw various different POVs, and that one of them was the Queen Bee herself, Alexandra Miles. She's a ruthless, manipulative schemer without an ounce of pity, and her determination to win her crown (with the kind of loopy logic that only exists in rom-coms) spares no expense or feeling.
The thing about MEAN GIRLS, however, was that the film was not only a satirical look at social hierarchies in high school, but it was also so freaking funny. That's where the weakness lies in WINNING; it's definitely entertaining, and you want to see people get their comeuppance, but it's neither sharp-witted enough in its narrative and dialogue, nor smart and original enough in its plot to go down as a truly great and memorable book. And then the door is left open for a sequel as well? Bleh.
Still. Points for an unabashed anti-heroine, for juggling multiple POVs well, and for a lesbian BFF subplot. These girls are cruel to each other, and it's weirdly gratifying and fun to watch...but not quite as fun as it could've been. I want a story like this to be screamingly funny--and to really go for the jugular, not just settle for a slap on the wrist.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
Side note to those who might get upset over these things in YA, with spoilers: there's liberal back-stabbing and underage drinking,
June 1, 2016
"It's my job to size people up. To see what's hiding beneath the surface—and then use that to my advantage.
You see, I'm not like any of those girls.
No, I was born to wear a crown."
All those fantasy books comparing themselves to Game of Thrones might as well throw in the towel. This is the next Game of Thrones. A no-holds-barred, claws-out fight to the death for dominance of Spencer High.
Alexandra Miles is the undisputed queen of her high school. Think overachieving Regina George with more bite. Or Queen Cersei. She's as ruthless as the Queen Regent of Westeros, always ready to squash dissenters, always calculating her next move.
"People like Sloane Fahey—who, let's face it, have little to lose—can become dangerous variables in a heartbeat. They're not easily controlled because their actions are far too erratic."
Alexandra's ultimate goal is the Homecoming Queen crown. Those who've won it in the past have gone on to win national pageants, which is what she's been training for since she was a kid—and happens to be her ticket out of town and a better life.
Even her love life is part of the game.
"As Matt coos, 'This is our fate, I'm yours,' I realize that there's a very good possibility we will end up on YouTube. In fact, we may even go viral. I cover my face with my hands, careful not to smudge my eyeliner, then look up, partially masking my smile behind my fingertips.
[...]
My boyfriend's grin grows even wider, threatening to split his beautiful face in half. I have played my part well.
In case it's not blatantly clear, I loved the hell out of her. I'm tired of the blonde bimbo stereotype. Alexandra is an amazing anti-heroine, resourceful and vindictive without losing her relatable factor. Even when she's doing horrible stuff like , I was rooting for her.
But then this new girl Erin shows up.
"I can practically hear the eye roll in how she says Lexi's name. Dangerous. We were right to think we needed to watch out for this girl."
Can you feel the earth rumble?
Other than Alexandra and Erin, there are other players in the game. Each, save Erin, get their own POVs: Sam, Lexi's loyal underling who functions as her intel team; Sloane, the Janis from Mean Girls character who hates Alexandra's guts and dying to drag her down, and Ivy, a shy wallflower that plays a large role in a spoilery plotline.
On the surface, it's a juvenile fight for Homecoming Queen. But it is so much more and then some.
"It won't be easy, fighting my way back.
But I know I can, and I know I will.
I am—and always will be—Queen Alexandra Miles.
Winner."
WHERE IS THE SEQUEL?
ARC provided by Edelweiss. Quotes taken from an uncorrected galley proof and may be subject to change.
September 1, 2017
“I can't,” she moans. “I can't— I'm not—”
“Gay?” I finish for her.
“No,” she says. “It's not that. I'm not... out.”
Yes, the blurb makes this sound like pettiness and Mean Girls. And not to shit on Mean Girls, but this book is a whole lot darker. With less humor, more character development, and more intrigue (definitely more intrigue) this barely compares. The only thing they have in common is being awesome
// CHARACTER WORK
This book is about two girls, Lexie and Erin, competing for the crown of prom queen. Lexie, being the incredibly devious girl that she is (God, I love her), decides to introduce a new competitor. But this book is so much more involved than a typical Mean Girls ripoff: none of the characters are the typical good girls.
Alexandra is a great antihero, who inspires sympathy despite being such a jerk. She's got a tragic backstory, and all her motivations are so sensical. Sam (my personal favorite) was so great because she was so morally ambiguous. She doesn't make the plans, she executes them. Ivy was really fun to read about as well, and I liked her character. Sloane was a bit more cardboard, frankly, but that's okay. She was still enjoyable.
This book does a great job drawing from Mean Girls and others like it without copying them. Often, books like Mean Girls have a “good” main character take down the Mean Evil Clique. Here, Lara Deloza adds much more nuance to the typical Mean Girls story. I liked that the author didn't use the good/evil dichotomy, and instead really entrenched us in the world of high school politics.
// SCHEMING AND PLOTTING
I loved how devious this was. The plot twists and turns, yet it's is never boring. There's enough scheming in this book to outpace all of Mean Girls. Needless to say, I totally loved it.
I do have one complaint here— the ending was a bit anticlimactic. It was a good ending, but it felt a bit rushed in the final scene.
VERDICT: Highly recommended for fans of scheming antiheroes, even if the framing might be odd.
June 9, 2016
This was fun, and I'm sorry it's not getting more attention, especially with one of the POV characters being a lesbian who actually gets some. There was definitely more I wanted out of it - the POV divisions/who gets how much airtime and for what didn't really work for me (I didn't need Ivy or Sloane, personally, and I kept waiting for Erin, which I wanted for about a billion reasons), and the lack of depth of the characters kept me from having the right read on the plot until it was over, but the premise and easy reading style alone, not to mention a little cute f/f-ness, should be getting this much more widely read than it is.
ETA, 3/25/16: Honestly, the more I think about this book, the more I appreciate it. I do have those qualms about it, but man, is it rare for out queer girls to get storylines like this. It's especially interesting the way her queerness is approached by different characters - how it's used to manipulate her to varying levels of success, but how she uses it right back, but then it also has its own pure relationship that's great...which leads me to my (spoiler-containing) explanation of the above comment about "the right read," now that I feel I can better articulate it after some thought.
ETA, 3/25/16: Honestly, the more I think about this book, the more I appreciate it. I do have those qualms about it, but man, is it rare for out queer girls to get storylines like this. It's especially interesting the way her queerness is approached by different characters - how it's used to manipulate her to varying levels of success, but how she uses it right back, but then it also has its own pure relationship that's great...which leads me to my (spoiler-containing) explanation of the above comment about "the right read," now that I feel I can better articulate it after some thought.
March 22, 2017
I liked the concept of this book but I think it could have been better executed.
I didn't hate the characters but I also wasn't super into them. They all seemed pretty much the same and I couldn't really get invested in what happened to them. I liked the writing a lot though. I'd definitely be interested in other books by Lara Deloza.
I didn't hate the characters but I also wasn't super into them. They all seemed pretty much the same and I couldn't really get invested in what happened to them. I liked the writing a lot though. I'd definitely be interested in other books by Lara Deloza.
May 31, 2016
I'm actually surprised to say that I liked Winning more than I thought I would. It reminds me of Mean Girls and Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars! I think it was a interesting to read about such an unlikeable character, who would stoop to such extreme lengths to get what she wanted. Pretty typical teen shenanigans BUT there were definitely a couple of things that surprised me!
September 21, 2017
this is a lot like if mean girls (the comparisons are inevitable and remarked upon in the book itself) was a drama - a lot smarter and more nuanced (if less funny). i love dramatic, bloodthirsty high school politics, and this definitely delivered. one thing i liked stylistically was that all the different characters' pov chapters really felt like different characters with their own voices (which is not something a lot of authors do imo). on top of all this, theres a lesbian couple with a happy ending!
the one thing i didnt like was that it just felt kind of halfbaked. sloane's entire character felt unnecessary plot-wise as well as her personality not especially bringing anything to the table (except the idea that if senior boys are 'allowed' to prey on freshman girls, senior girls should be able to prey on freshman boys because EQUALITY). i think the book could have used more development overall. i didnt really feel that connected to the characters (except alexandra)
all in all, i would recommend this to people looking for high school lesbians and mean girls-esque high school drama
the one thing i didnt like was that it just felt kind of halfbaked. sloane's entire character felt unnecessary plot-wise as well as her personality not especially bringing anything to the table (except the idea that if senior boys are 'allowed' to prey on freshman girls, senior girls should be able to prey on freshman boys because EQUALITY). i think the book could have used more development overall. i didnt really feel that connected to the characters (except alexandra)
all in all, i would recommend this to people looking for high school lesbians and mean girls-esque high school drama
March 8, 2019
So I started by hating all caracters (yes, all of them), rolling my eyes every time I met another high-school cliché and blaming myself for choosing yet another YA when I know that I am too old for them. But at some point I got into the great Alexandra's scheme and forgot to roll eyes and question my poor decisions. I guess it's obvious that this book is compared to the "Mean girls", but this comparison doesn't do it justice. "Winning" is not only way meaner, but also a bit less shallow and at least tries to show some character development.
February 12, 2021
See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I got from YA Books Central.
About five years ago, Charlie Sheen had a meltdown and coined phrase after phrase. One of them was “winning” and it seems apt that this novel has the title it does. Why? Because Winning the novel is just as ridiculous and terrifying as Sheen’s downward spiral and will have you reacting in many of the same ways. (Still more entertaining than most Charlie Sheen-starring shows or films, though.)
Winning is told through four different points of view: Lexi, the pageant queen who serves as both primary narrator and antagonist; Sam, Lexi’s best friend; Sloane, a former victim of Lexi’s bullying; and Ivy, an outcast who spends all of her time ignoring what people say about her big incident. The four come into conflict when a new girl named Erin moves to town and Lexi pulls together a plan to make sure sweet, genuine Erin doesn’t beat her in the race for homecoming queen.
The book knows its readers are smart and will recognize that Lexi is a terrible, terrible person who uses Sam’s attraction to her to keep Sam in line, works to build Ivy’s confidence up solely to knock her back down and make herself look good, and has no problem. That’s why I call her the antagonist when primary narrators like her are usually the protagonist. Still, for how awful she is, she’s an incredibly interesting character with little gleams of humanity here and there. The more you learn about her home life and the way her mother raised her, the more sympathetic she gets.
Still the antagonist, though. A sympathetic bad guy is still a bad guy. A sequel about her would be wonderful considering where she is at story’s end, but this is absolutely a standalone novel.
All four narrators have clear, distinct narrative voices and excellent characterization. They’ve all got secrets that slowly unravel too, like the horrifying story behind Ivy’s suddenly-punch-though-a-window-and-scream-bloody-murder incident. For Ivy in particular, what happened to her is spoken of and understood implicitly. Deloza’s decision to have Ivy avoid specific details is realistic and handled in a way that’s unlikely to trigger readers.
Thanks to the enthusiasm with which Lexi pursues her goals, it’s easy to get caught up in her plot. Still, you remember every now and again that this is all done in the name of being homecoming queen. Building an already-beaten-up girl’s confidence again just to humiliate her in a new way, drugging people, and worse–all so she can be homecoming queen. I’m only four years out of high school and I can’t even remember who homecoming queen was! It’s a worthless title but convincingly written like it matters more than anything else, which speaks to Deloza’s talent. Even the plan to take Lexi down made me stop every now and then and wonder what was in the town’s water supply!
As well-written as all four narrators and the major supporting characters are, the central four’s voices see their flows interrupted from time to time. Their narration will forego contractions for some reason and it just doesn’t “feel” right when you try to read the passages out loud to yourself. Other than that, how much you love the novel is dependent on how much you can go with the premise and care about the homecoming scheme as much as Lexi.
If high school has you stressed as you’re trying to climb the social ladder or be named something or other (prom court, most likely to succeed, a club president, etc.), chill out. You’ll be there for four years and it’s your primary social environment, yeah but it’s still just high school in the end. It’s merely a place to learn stuff and the rest will be what you want to make of it! If you take it too seriously, you become Lexi and you really don’t want to be her. Girl has issues. Winning is both an entertaining read and a grounding experience I think could change a teen’s life for the better.
*Sam is lesbian; Erin is either lesbian or bi, but it’s never specified
*Lexi’s mom is drug-addicted
About five years ago, Charlie Sheen had a meltdown and coined phrase after phrase. One of them was “winning” and it seems apt that this novel has the title it does. Why? Because Winning the novel is just as ridiculous and terrifying as Sheen’s downward spiral and will have you reacting in many of the same ways. (Still more entertaining than most Charlie Sheen-starring shows or films, though.)
Winning is told through four different points of view: Lexi, the pageant queen who serves as both primary narrator and antagonist; Sam, Lexi’s best friend; Sloane, a former victim of Lexi’s bullying; and Ivy, an outcast who spends all of her time ignoring what people say about her big incident. The four come into conflict when a new girl named Erin moves to town and Lexi pulls together a plan to make sure sweet, genuine Erin doesn’t beat her in the race for homecoming queen.
The book knows its readers are smart and will recognize that Lexi is a terrible, terrible person who uses Sam’s attraction to her to keep Sam in line, works to build Ivy’s confidence up solely to knock her back down and make herself look good, and has no problem. That’s why I call her the antagonist when primary narrators like her are usually the protagonist. Still, for how awful she is, she’s an incredibly interesting character with little gleams of humanity here and there. The more you learn about her home life and the way her mother raised her, the more sympathetic she gets.
Still the antagonist, though. A sympathetic bad guy is still a bad guy. A sequel about her would be wonderful considering where she is at story’s end, but this is absolutely a standalone novel.
All four narrators have clear, distinct narrative voices and excellent characterization. They’ve all got secrets that slowly unravel too, like the horrifying story behind Ivy’s suddenly-punch-though-a-window-and-scream-bloody-murder incident. For Ivy in particular, what happened to her is spoken of and understood implicitly. Deloza’s decision to have Ivy avoid specific details is realistic and handled in a way that’s unlikely to trigger readers.
Thanks to the enthusiasm with which Lexi pursues her goals, it’s easy to get caught up in her plot. Still, you remember every now and again that this is all done in the name of being homecoming queen. Building an already-beaten-up girl’s confidence again just to humiliate her in a new way, drugging people, and worse–all so she can be homecoming queen. I’m only four years out of high school and I can’t even remember who homecoming queen was! It’s a worthless title but convincingly written like it matters more than anything else, which speaks to Deloza’s talent. Even the plan to take Lexi down made me stop every now and then and wonder what was in the town’s water supply!
As well-written as all four narrators and the major supporting characters are, the central four’s voices see their flows interrupted from time to time. Their narration will forego contractions for some reason and it just doesn’t “feel” right when you try to read the passages out loud to yourself. Other than that, how much you love the novel is dependent on how much you can go with the premise and care about the homecoming scheme as much as Lexi.
If high school has you stressed as you’re trying to climb the social ladder or be named something or other (prom court, most likely to succeed, a club president, etc.), chill out. You’ll be there for four years and it’s your primary social environment, yeah but it’s still just high school in the end. It’s merely a place to learn stuff and the rest will be what you want to make of it! If you take it too seriously, you become Lexi and you really don’t want to be her. Girl has issues. Winning is both an entertaining read and a grounding experience I think could change a teen’s life for the better.
setting-aside-for-now
June 9, 2016Mean girls and a cutthroat competition for homecoming queen. I read about 50 pages and while this did have its entertaining moments, I also feel like I've read/watched a lot of similar stories (Mean Girls, Glee, Heathers...) and at some point I realized that I just didn't care who was homecoming queen.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
November 18, 2017
3.5 stars.
Winning had an enticing narration style that made you root for every character, even Alexandra. It was a nice variety of characters, each with their own motives. The end of the story was a little underwhelming, but I can live with that, since everything had been resolved.
Winning had an enticing narration style that made you root for every character, even Alexandra. It was a nice variety of characters, each with their own motives. The end of the story was a little underwhelming, but I can live with that, since everything had been resolved.
June 26, 2016
I consider Wining to be a pretty unique book. It's hard to come across books with the supposed "villain" as the main character, but it's even hard to find books where that "villain" is unapologetic. It was interesting for me to see all the scheming and ruthlessness done just to achieve the results that the school's "queen" wants.
However, the thing is, I wasn't really able to enjoy this book that much. At first it was entertaining and refreshing, but as the story went on, it just became dragging. I felt like rolling my eyes and I didn't really see a point anymore. I wanted to put this book down, but I couldn't because I always have a hard time DNF-ing books. As a result, I read this for a week, which for me is really, really slow.
I'd like to say that I enjoyed this book but I really did not. I'm only giving this book 2 stars because I think it was unique and kinda entertaining at first. It's also hard to make a contemporary character who is "evil" through and through and who would stop at nothing to get what she wants.
Want to read
December 30, 2015That cover is totes adorbs.
July 30, 2016
On one hand, this is delightful.
I love Lexi. She is so wickedly devious.
On the other hand, this is a book where a bunch of jealous bitches, including adults who should know better, treat an ambitious, determined teenage girl like shit because she has an alcoholic mother.
Lexi is too likable for that ending to feel triumphant. Instead, all of these side characters don't hold a candle to how charismatic she is, and it is a chore to wade through their bullshit. So what we got is a book that punished the fuck out of the only girl who earned her right to be a total bitch. And I don't mean by tragic backstory, I mean she was a magnificent, powerful bitch. So I didn't like her downfall. None of the usurpers deserved her throne. And the ending was very rushed.
But I loved Lexi. By god, I loved her.
I love Lexi. She is so wickedly devious.
On the other hand, this is a book where a bunch of jealous bitches, including adults who should know better, treat an ambitious, determined teenage girl like shit because she has an alcoholic mother.
Lexi is too likable for that ending to feel triumphant. Instead, all of these side characters don't hold a candle to how charismatic she is, and it is a chore to wade through their bullshit. So what we got is a book that punished the fuck out of the only girl who earned her right to be a total bitch. And I don't mean by tragic backstory, I mean she was a magnificent, powerful bitch. So I didn't like her downfall. None of the usurpers deserved her throne. And the ending was very rushed.
But I loved Lexi. By god, I loved her.
June 11, 2019
I feel as if this book is unfinished. I love the way the characters ended up banding together to show the "mean girl" what was up, but the ending left me unsatisfied...what is the retaliation? Did she learn anything? I would be interested in seeing a sequel or at least some kind of epilogue or bonus story/chapter that shows us how Alexandra fairs after the events in the book.
September 1, 2016
(I got a copy through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.)
I'm usually not much into "high school drama" (it's often too over the top for me, or perhaps my high school years were just too quiet and boringly normal, who knows), but this novel was quite pleasant to read, and what could've been total cliché characters were surprisingly fleshed out and interesting, in spite of fitting tropes.
Alexandra Miles is the expected Queen Bee, the one who'll no doubt become Homecoming Queen, like she has planned. Everything is planned, for her to get out of Spencer with a bang, not a whimper, become Miss America, and then... What else? What's more? Lexi doesn't know, and it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter too much either that she's living what used to be her mother's dream, the latter her having pushed her on the pageants road since she was a toddler. In short: Lexi is a queen, she knows it, she's smart and cunning on top of being pretty, and she won't settle down for anything less. And she's ready to go to quite a few lengths for that.
Enters Erin, the transfer student, Erin the cutie who's so adorable her mere presence soon starts to turn tables. She's a viable candidate for Homecoming Queen... a -very- viable candidate. This puts several things into motion, Lexi's plans not the least.
I liked Alexandra in general. She's the villain, she's cold and calculating, and overall all that's "nice" about her is just on the surface, acting, ploys to get what she wants and twirl people around her finger. She's good at that, really good, and she has the connections to boot, including her best friend Sam and her brother. She's despicable, too, the way she uses Sam and Wyatt's love for her to make them do her bidding. Yet once she comes home, once she has to face her drunken mother who forces her through the motions, you can't help but wonder if she's not just a kid who never received enough love—not an excuse, but an explanation. And when she believes in something, she pours her heart in it, for instance the way she stood up for Sam when the latter made her coming out. So, yes, she's selfish, self-centered, and not a likeable person... yet I still found myself rooting for her sometimes. Not necessarily in a "I want to see her crush the others" way; instead, in a "I don't want her to win but I also don't want her to be completely crushed at the end".
The story in general revolves around the girls. Male characters are present, but they're not the main focus, they're not the end to attain. These girls fend for themselves: Lexi aiming to be queen; Sam who sometimes questions her fierce loyalty; Erin the newcomer whose plans are a mystery; Sloane whom Alexandra humiliated and who's determined to act instead of remaining passive; Ivy who gets dragged along the way yet turns out to be stronger than she thinks. The narrative makes use of four POVs (Lexi, Sam, Sloane and Ivy), and manages to play on their unreliability: is this or that person a real schemer, or do they just seem they are because Lexi perceives them that way?
Bonus points as well for the lesbian characters, and for the subplot that makes them strong people on their own, without going for the "villain / victim / casualty" tropes. They're not 100% understood, but they're not complete pariahs either, and stand their ground: no victimisation here. The romantic undertones would work exactly the same if they were about a boy and a girl; it's all about understanding one's feelings, deciding who's the most important person after all, discovering love in an unexpected place, basically being human, with needs and feelings like everybody else.
Where I found the book wanting was in some of the plotting and decisions. Lexi's plot was a bit... strange and convoluted, and I kept wondering if the scheme she had hatched would be very efficient anyway. It seemed it was more cruel than anything else, and that it rested on a somewhat "naive" vision. Granted, this fits, in that she's brilliant but still 17, not a mastermind with decades of manipulations behind her; nevertheless, it also reminded me that this was, well, high school drama, and in that, it came too close to the usual clichés (such as "let's make X drunk so that she looks bad in front of the whole school" -- I guess Lexi had made me expect something more sophisticated, all in all). In the end, I suppose the plot was too simple to my liking, without as many twists and devious plans as I would've hoped. It would definitely have benefitted from more than the basic Homecoming thing.
I'm usually not much into "high school drama" (it's often too over the top for me, or perhaps my high school years were just too quiet and boringly normal, who knows), but this novel was quite pleasant to read, and what could've been total cliché characters were surprisingly fleshed out and interesting, in spite of fitting tropes.
Alexandra Miles is the expected Queen Bee, the one who'll no doubt become Homecoming Queen, like she has planned. Everything is planned, for her to get out of Spencer with a bang, not a whimper, become Miss America, and then... What else? What's more? Lexi doesn't know, and it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter too much either that she's living what used to be her mother's dream, the latter her having pushed her on the pageants road since she was a toddler. In short: Lexi is a queen, she knows it, she's smart and cunning on top of being pretty, and she won't settle down for anything less. And she's ready to go to quite a few lengths for that.
Enters Erin, the transfer student, Erin the cutie who's so adorable her mere presence soon starts to turn tables. She's a viable candidate for Homecoming Queen... a -very- viable candidate. This puts several things into motion, Lexi's plans not the least.
I liked Alexandra in general. She's the villain, she's cold and calculating, and overall all that's "nice" about her is just on the surface, acting, ploys to get what she wants and twirl people around her finger. She's good at that, really good, and she has the connections to boot, including her best friend Sam and her brother. She's despicable, too, the way she uses Sam and Wyatt's love for her to make them do her bidding. Yet once she comes home, once she has to face her drunken mother who forces her through the motions, you can't help but wonder if she's not just a kid who never received enough love—not an excuse, but an explanation. And when she believes in something, she pours her heart in it, for instance the way she stood up for Sam when the latter made her coming out. So, yes, she's selfish, self-centered, and not a likeable person... yet I still found myself rooting for her sometimes. Not necessarily in a "I want to see her crush the others" way; instead, in a "I don't want her to win but I also don't want her to be completely crushed at the end".
The story in general revolves around the girls. Male characters are present, but they're not the main focus, they're not the end to attain. These girls fend for themselves: Lexi aiming to be queen; Sam who sometimes questions her fierce loyalty; Erin the newcomer whose plans are a mystery; Sloane whom Alexandra humiliated and who's determined to act instead of remaining passive; Ivy who gets dragged along the way yet turns out to be stronger than she thinks. The narrative makes use of four POVs (Lexi, Sam, Sloane and Ivy), and manages to play on their unreliability: is this or that person a real schemer, or do they just seem they are because Lexi perceives them that way?
Bonus points as well for the lesbian characters, and for the subplot that makes them strong people on their own, without going for the "villain / victim / casualty" tropes. They're not 100% understood, but they're not complete pariahs either, and stand their ground: no victimisation here. The romantic undertones would work exactly the same if they were about a boy and a girl; it's all about understanding one's feelings, deciding who's the most important person after all, discovering love in an unexpected place, basically being human, with needs and feelings like everybody else.
Where I found the book wanting was in some of the plotting and decisions. Lexi's plot was a bit... strange and convoluted, and I kept wondering if the scheme she had hatched would be very efficient anyway. It seemed it was more cruel than anything else, and that it rested on a somewhat "naive" vision. Granted, this fits, in that she's brilliant but still 17, not a mastermind with decades of manipulations behind her; nevertheless, it also reminded me that this was, well, high school drama, and in that, it came too close to the usual clichés (such as "let's make X drunk so that she looks bad in front of the whole school" -- I guess Lexi had made me expect something more sophisticated, all in all). In the end, I suppose the plot was too simple to my liking, without as many twists and devious plans as I would've hoped. It would definitely have benefitted from more than the basic Homecoming thing.
August 13, 2016
This book was AMAZING. Like, why hadn't I grabbed this book earlier? I mean, it has an pretty basic storyline, which is basically an group of girls getting revenge and trying to become Homecoming Queen, but that's not the reason why I handed the book 5 stars, I handed it because of the characters. Because, if I were to be honest, I absolutely LOVED the characters! (Alexandra's mainly my favorite. Because she's so FIERCE and POWERFUL, and she plots so much I get what she gets!)
Ahead will contain spoilers. Please don't read UNLESS you have read the book!
_______________________________________________
Sometimes I like to wonder why I always root for the 'mean girls' of stories. Not because I'm one myself, not because they're the glamorous ones that always get what they want, but the reason why is because I really enjoy how the plot everything. Yes, I admit that whatever they plan is pretty vicious, but I mean, it's also pretty great on how they always SET there minds on one main thing, then they will do WHATEVER it will take to reach that goal. They would do anything, even destroy the life around people, to REACH that goal. Which is what I really enjoy about them. I mean, it's that power and strength I really enjoy about them.
So that's exactly how I feel about Alexandra. She is, like she says, the Queen. She may be the Mean-Queen-In-Disguise, but she's still an Queen. And the way she THINKS AND PLANS OF EVERYTHING, it's quite interesting, huh? She's always an step ahead of people, predicting and everything, until near the ending where the people where she was ahead of turns the table and then THEY were the people a step ahead of her. And to be honest, I feel pretty bad for her. Just the same of how I feel for those other girls, but still.
All I have to say though is this book was really entertaining and interesting, (and also extremely dramatic) for the summer.
It's almost like an breather for me from all the books I've been reading about assassins and kings. But it was great either way!
Ahead will contain spoilers. Please don't read UNLESS you have read the book!
_______________________________________________
Sometimes I like to wonder why I always root for the 'mean girls' of stories. Not because I'm one myself, not because they're the glamorous ones that always get what they want, but the reason why is because I really enjoy how the plot everything. Yes, I admit that whatever they plan is pretty vicious, but I mean, it's also pretty great on how they always SET there minds on one main thing, then they will do WHATEVER it will take to reach that goal. They would do anything, even destroy the life around people, to REACH that goal. Which is what I really enjoy about them. I mean, it's that power and strength I really enjoy about them.
So that's exactly how I feel about Alexandra. She is, like she says, the Queen. She may be the Mean-Queen-In-Disguise, but she's still an Queen. And the way she THINKS AND PLANS OF EVERYTHING, it's quite interesting, huh? She's always an step ahead of people, predicting and everything, until near the ending where the people where she was ahead of turns the table and then THEY were the people a step ahead of her. And to be honest, I feel pretty bad for her. Just the same of how I feel for those other girls, but still.
All I have to say though is this book was really entertaining and interesting, (and also extremely dramatic) for the summer.
It's almost like an breather for me from all the books I've been reading about assassins and kings. But it was great either way!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2019
Why the hell should I care about Alexandra Miles's opinion of me? I think it has something to do with her freakishly strong magnetism. She's like the sun. You never really stop wanting to feel that warm, buttery light on your face. Even if you've been burned by it.
There's a good possibility that I'm being overly generous with my rating of this book for two main reasons: 1) My self-proclaimed guilty pleasure is trashy teen high school drama books - I absolutely DIED over reading PLL, and I binged all 8 seasons of Gossip Girl in a month and 2) This is exactly the kind of book I needed to read right now. I picked this book up in a bookstore because the cover was gorgeous and it was in great condition and it was actually $2. I've been in a bit of slump - I've just been reading so much heavy sci-fi and classics and complicated/dark fantasy lately that it has been burning me out. So, my cure? A 300-page teen drama. And it accomplished its mission well enough.
When it comes to betrayal, a little goes a long way.
This book is like the movie Mean Girls, if it was told from the perspectives of Regina, Gretchen, Janis, and Damian. The funny thing is, one of the narrators even recognizes the extreme similarities and makes connections between the characters in Winning and the characters from the film. Also, if Regina George was more like Blair Waldorf - smart in her scheming, vindictive, cruel, and not concerned with "collateral damage".
I really liked seeing the viewpoint of Alexandra (the Queen Bee/Regina George/Blair Waldorf). Obviously, the way she's written makes her absolutely horrible, and I think this is one unlikable character where it is very obvious that you are not supposed to like her. (Side note: Sloane mentions that Regina is better than Alexandra because Regina is "unabashedly bitchy" instead of fake nice, but um hello have you even seen the movie? She is fake nice to most of the people she interacts with and then trash talks them later.)
It helps that there are multiple perspectives from the good guys, it stops us from siding too much with Alexandra when we know it's wrong. I didn't love Sloane's chapters just because I thought they were completely unnecessary. She acts like she's going to bring Alexandra down (ahem, Janis Ian), using her best friend (Gretchen) and by ruining her relationship with Matt (Aaron Samuels). But then she hardly plays a role in orchestrating Alexandra's great fall. I suppose they added her perspective because they wanted the book to be longer or more substantive, but if that's the case they really should have given some chapters to New Girl Erin. I understand why she didn't have any chapters, since it did help make her seem like an outsider, but for a book that is supposedly about a Queen Bee protecting her throne from a preppy New Girl, the New Girl isn't in the novel as much as you'd expect.
Just a small detail I want to point out - no matter how immature and evil Alexandra was, can we talk about Principal Frick? Like how can a principal "have it out" for a student? How is a school administrator allowed to so publicly hate a student? I'm not saying Alexandra didn't deserve to be hated, but Frick was just unprofessional.
Look, the writing isn't fantastic. The plot is clearly not original. The characters are one-dimensional, and the author is a little insensitive to certain societal taboos (having a sober person take advantage of a drunk/roofied person at a party, but it's okay because they weren't the one that roofied her and they end up dating later anyway). Overall, the story is cliche and predictable and not that compelling. But I still liked it. I enjoyed my time reading it, and I wanted to know how everything was going to happen. For me, this book was an escape into a 2000's teen movie. You know it's not real, or even a realistic reflection of high school, but it's still entertaining. So I may reduce my rating after I've had more time for it to sink in, but overall I was entertained and that's the important thing IMO.
There's a good possibility that I'm being overly generous with my rating of this book for two main reasons: 1) My self-proclaimed guilty pleasure is trashy teen high school drama books - I absolutely DIED over reading PLL, and I binged all 8 seasons of Gossip Girl in a month and 2) This is exactly the kind of book I needed to read right now. I picked this book up in a bookstore because the cover was gorgeous and it was in great condition and it was actually $2. I've been in a bit of slump - I've just been reading so much heavy sci-fi and classics and complicated/dark fantasy lately that it has been burning me out. So, my cure? A 300-page teen drama. And it accomplished its mission well enough.
When it comes to betrayal, a little goes a long way.
This book is like the movie Mean Girls, if it was told from the perspectives of Regina, Gretchen, Janis, and Damian. The funny thing is, one of the narrators even recognizes the extreme similarities and makes connections between the characters in Winning and the characters from the film. Also, if Regina George was more like Blair Waldorf - smart in her scheming, vindictive, cruel, and not concerned with "collateral damage".
I really liked seeing the viewpoint of Alexandra (the Queen Bee/Regina George/Blair Waldorf). Obviously, the way she's written makes her absolutely horrible, and I think this is one unlikable character where it is very obvious that you are not supposed to like her. (Side note: Sloane mentions that Regina is better than Alexandra because Regina is "unabashedly bitchy" instead of fake nice, but um hello have you even seen the movie? She is fake nice to most of the people she interacts with and then trash talks them later.)
It helps that there are multiple perspectives from the good guys, it stops us from siding too much with Alexandra when we know it's wrong. I didn't love Sloane's chapters just because I thought they were completely unnecessary. She acts like she's going to bring Alexandra down (ahem, Janis Ian), using her best friend (Gretchen) and by ruining her relationship with Matt (Aaron Samuels). But then she hardly plays a role in orchestrating Alexandra's great fall. I suppose they added her perspective because they wanted the book to be longer or more substantive, but if that's the case they really should have given some chapters to New Girl Erin. I understand why she didn't have any chapters, since it did help make her seem like an outsider, but for a book that is supposedly about a Queen Bee protecting her throne from a preppy New Girl, the New Girl isn't in the novel as much as you'd expect.
Just a small detail I want to point out - no matter how immature and evil Alexandra was, can we talk about Principal Frick? Like how can a principal "have it out" for a student? How is a school administrator allowed to so publicly hate a student? I'm not saying Alexandra didn't deserve to be hated, but Frick was just unprofessional.
Look, the writing isn't fantastic. The plot is clearly not original. The characters are one-dimensional, and the author is a little insensitive to certain societal taboos (having a sober person take advantage of a drunk/roofied person at a party, but it's okay because they weren't the one that roofied her and they end up dating later anyway). Overall, the story is cliche and predictable and not that compelling. But I still liked it. I enjoyed my time reading it, and I wanted to know how everything was going to happen. For me, this book was an escape into a 2000's teen movie. You know it's not real, or even a realistic reflection of high school, but it's still entertaining. So I may reduce my rating after I've had more time for it to sink in, but overall I was entertained and that's the important thing IMO.
September 28, 2016
I'm not actually sure I know where to start with this book. It was good in a I'm - scared - of - overachieving - girls kinda way. I felt like I was reading Mean Girls, but about Homecoming.... Anyone who lives in America, can you please enlighten me as to whether your schools are really like they are portrayed? If they are, I'm so glad I grew up in England!!
Alexandra Miles is our Grade A Psycho Girl who uses and abuses people to stay at the top. She tries to hide her horrible ways behind a sickly sweet demeanour of being nice to people ... but obviously no one buys it! Everyone knows exactly who and what she is! Girls like this actually genuinely scare me! AS a reader, I was hoping that she would see the error of her ways and actually change by the end of the book... however, it was not meant to be!
I felt really sorry for her best friend Sam! I mean, she is her own worst enemy because she was best friends with such a psycho, but the way she was treated was horrible!! I was happy that, by the end of the book, she really does change and we see someone who is liable in general rather than the best friend of the schools queen bee! I really liked her as a character and I felt sorry for her throughout most of the book! I'm glad she found her ending the way that she did!!
I think the character that went through the most change was Ivy! Sure, Alexandra helped to make her the person that she was, but she still remained true to herself! she didn't turn into queen wannabe and she became a stronger person because of that! She got a push in the right direction from Alexandra and then she stood on her own two feet and defended herself when she needed to! Which is something she would never have done at the beginning of the book! Way to go Ivy! I felt like a proud mother with her!
The ending of the book definitely left it open for a sequel - however, whether one has been planned or not, I don't know. We could easily revisit this high school where it left off and watch the girls go for another round. I think it would be interesting to see where the author takes these characters if she does decide to do a sequel!
There were times when I had to push myself through this book a little bit because I thought the pacing was a little iffy. For me, the high school drama - whilst fun to read ever now and then - it can get a little same old same old, especially because every one of us lives through some sort of school drama at some point in our lives!! I did enjoy this book, but sometimes it felt like a little too much and I just kinda wanted to roll my eyes and put the book back down again!
All in all, I mostly enjoyed this book and the characters within it! I would definitely read a sequel to this book because I would be interested to know where the author takes these characters and just how far some of them are willing to go to remain on top! I gave this book 3/5 stars!
Alexandra Miles is our Grade A Psycho Girl who uses and abuses people to stay at the top. She tries to hide her horrible ways behind a sickly sweet demeanour of being nice to people ... but obviously no one buys it! Everyone knows exactly who and what she is! Girls like this actually genuinely scare me! AS a reader, I was hoping that she would see the error of her ways and actually change by the end of the book... however, it was not meant to be!
I felt really sorry for her best friend Sam! I mean, she is her own worst enemy because she was best friends with such a psycho, but the way she was treated was horrible!! I was happy that, by the end of the book, she really does change and we see someone who is liable in general rather than the best friend of the schools queen bee! I really liked her as a character and I felt sorry for her throughout most of the book! I'm glad she found her ending the way that she did!!
I think the character that went through the most change was Ivy! Sure, Alexandra helped to make her the person that she was, but she still remained true to herself! she didn't turn into queen wannabe and she became a stronger person because of that! She got a push in the right direction from Alexandra and then she stood on her own two feet and defended herself when she needed to! Which is something she would never have done at the beginning of the book! Way to go Ivy! I felt like a proud mother with her!
The ending of the book definitely left it open for a sequel - however, whether one has been planned or not, I don't know. We could easily revisit this high school where it left off and watch the girls go for another round. I think it would be interesting to see where the author takes these characters if she does decide to do a sequel!
There were times when I had to push myself through this book a little bit because I thought the pacing was a little iffy. For me, the high school drama - whilst fun to read ever now and then - it can get a little same old same old, especially because every one of us lives through some sort of school drama at some point in our lives!! I did enjoy this book, but sometimes it felt like a little too much and I just kinda wanted to roll my eyes and put the book back down again!
All in all, I mostly enjoyed this book and the characters within it! I would definitely read a sequel to this book because I would be interested to know where the author takes these characters and just how far some of them are willing to go to remain on top! I gave this book 3/5 stars!
March 13, 2016
Looooooooooved the alternating viewpoints in this book, because they really kept everything moving and tense, and loved all the cute lesbian makeouts. A really fun, quick read, with great characters.
Can't quite put my finger on what fell short for me
Really looking forward to what Deloza does next!
Can't quite put my finger on what fell short for me
Really looking forward to what Deloza does next!
September 2, 2016
ORIGINALLY POSTED: https://bibliomantics.com/2016/09/02/...
Mean Girls meets Election with a side of House of Cards in this story of one high school girl’s quest to win the crown: the homecoming crown that is. From fourth wall breaking to teen movie makeovers and epic betrayals, Winning is the guilty pleasure read to end all guilty pleasure reads — get ready to set aside all your plans when you pick up this one!
Mean Girls meets Election with a side of House of Cards in this story of one high school girl’s quest to win the crown: the homecoming crown that is. From fourth wall breaking to teen movie makeovers and epic betrayals, Winning is the guilty pleasure read to end all guilty pleasure reads — get ready to set aside all your plans when you pick up this one!
August 5, 2017
God, I didn't think it was possible to write contemporary Game of Thrones about a high school. I haven't read something like that...well...probably ever! I don't get it,why it is not all over the booktube or goodreads. I always thought people liked such kind of books. I hope it will get more hype in the future, because it is really worth it!
July 29, 2016
I'm really surprised this book isn't getting more attention! It was so much fun and made me have feels, even for the worst characters. It was like Mean Girls and She's All That, with a touch of Clueless, but it was all a tiny bit darker.
November 2, 2016
REAL REVIEW COMING SOON.
Read this book RIGHT NOW! It has a whip smart protagonist, hilarious schemes, and lesbian sexy scenes! READ IT!!!!
Read this book RIGHT NOW! It has a whip smart protagonist, hilarious schemes, and lesbian sexy scenes! READ IT!!!!
October 18, 2016
2.5 stars
September 13, 2018
Main Character was such a cold hearted bitch!! And I loved It!!
June 7, 2019
Should I love books like this, where girls are mercilessly tearing down other girls, as much as I do? Probably not, but oh how I do love them. The best ones though, like this one, weave in the tragic backstories, messy friendships, and girls fighting for each other as hard as they fight against each other, until it’s a mess of trying to figure out who you’re really rooting for and against. I wish it hadn’t ended so fast though, the Homecoming dance was only the last 5 pages at most, and I wanted it to linger more. I also kind of wish, with all of the other girls getting POV chapters, that Erin had had one, but maybe the author meant for her to be a bit of a dark horse. I also think this book being called “gay Mean Girls” is a bit of a stretch, but it’s not exactly incorrect either, I guess I just wish it had been gayer than it was.
July 8, 2020
It was refreshing to finally get a point of view from the bully, in books and movies it's usually about the poor girl/boy who has been picked on. I don't like the habit of revealing cards until the very end. Makes me question her motives. Lara Deloza did a good job of making sure this story came across smoothly, no insignificant fillers and no story derailing that usually seem to happen because of writer's block.
April 12, 2017
4.5 stars
For a book that was all about clichés, Winning sure was different. This is the first time I've read a book where I disliked all the characters and still loved the book. It was gripping right from the start. I loved that we got to peek into the psyche of the Queen B*tch Alexandra. Villain stories always fascinate me. I did think that there was way too much planned drama for just a regular high school, but the book was seriously entertaining nevertheless. Recommended!
Never waste a moment of your effort serving someone else's goals.
For a book that was all about clichés, Winning sure was different. This is the first time I've read a book where I disliked all the characters and still loved the book. It was gripping right from the start. I loved that we got to peek into the psyche of the Queen B*tch Alexandra. Villain stories always fascinate me. I did think that there was way too much planned drama for just a regular high school, but the book was seriously entertaining nevertheless. Recommended!
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