The A-List

A-List #1

by Zoey Dean

Welcome to The A-List, a wickedly funny and risqué paperback original novel that takes readers behind the scenes of the intoxicating world of Hollywood glitterati. Seventeen-year-old Upper East Side blueblood Anna ("pronounced Aaaanah") Percy is on her way to Beverly Hills, California, where she'll live with her estranged dad for the rest of the school year while her mother travels to Europe with a friend. On the plane, Anna drinks too much champagne and gets hit on by record producer Rick Resnick. Luckily Princeton student Ben Birnbaum is there to save her and he invites Anna to famous actor Jackson Sharpe's wedding, where Anna meets the cast of rich and famous characters who are soon to be her classmates at Beverly Hills High. The fast times of Beverly Hill's most beautiful and glamorous people drive the page-turning action of this juicy new novel.

Genres: Young Adult, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Teen, High School

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2003

About the author

The author of The A-List series and How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls, which has been renamed and turned into a TV show known as Privileged on the CW in September 2008. Zoey Dean's books are produced by the media packager Alloy Entertainment, which created Gossip Girl, The Clique Series, and The A-List and sold them to Little, Brown and Company.
Zoey is currently working on The Talent series. She is also working on The A-List: Hollywood Royalty.
Zoey Dean divides her time between Beverly Hills, California, and her favorite small islands in the Caribbean.

See also: Cherie Bennett

Reviews

[Zoe Stewart (Zoe's All Booked) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate every single one of these characters, except for Anna. They're all truly horrible people. But fuck if I don't love this book.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading so many survival/dystopian books, I keep waiting for everyone in this to die. I kind of wish they would.

[Courtney]

I'll refrain from providing this with a rating because I am re-reading purely for the nostalgia value. I devoured cliche, trashy YA fiction like this and Gossip Girl in my middle school and high school years. I am not confident I ever finished this series, so I figured "why not go back and give it a go for something light?"

This doesn't necessarily age well, but it truly is a time capsule of the very early years of the 21st century. I doubt young readers today would even recognize some of the references to tabloid fodder and brands, but it was a fun trip down memory lane for me. I forgot how risqué some of the content was and am a little surprised at what I was consuming as a 12 year old. Whoops.

[Helen Pontak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intriguing novel about a teenage girl named Anna Percy. Anna is a straight A student and almost to good at everything. Her best friend Cynthia or Cyn however is the complete opposite. Cyn is wild, brave, and likes her spotlight but Anna is more of a subtle humble girl. Though Anna doesn't mind being a goody two shoes, she is jealous of Cyn and desperately wants to be like her. This novel is about how Anna travels to L.A. to do an internship and bond with her dad for a while. This doesn't happen, by the time she arrives in L.A. she's made what she calls a "Cyn move" and has already fallen and made out with a Princeton hottie named Ben Birnbaum. But sadness hits her when she finds out her father is not waiting for her at the airport, but the worst part is, she found him on drugs. The novel continues in a fun, exciting shocking way with different events and evil people. Cammie is Bens’s ex and desperately wants him back, she would do anything to ruin Anna’s time with Ben, but Anna stays strong and fights back. I absolutely love this book, it’s an easy read and only about 200 pages, you get so glued to it and won’t want to put it down!!! There is a whole series of about 8 books, there is no doubt I’m going to read those next…
And anyone who’s into devious girl fights, TONS of gossip and surprising events…
YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK ;)

[Stepheny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well this was a waste of time. Granted, I didnt really look to see what it was about or who the target audience might be... Which is probably 12 year old girls. Blech.

[Roshonda Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Diary,
So I met this boy named Ben on the plane to L.A. He had it all from the looks, brains, ugh! just everything. I couldn’t wait any longer. I took him to the bathroom and we did what we had to do. The sex was great! I was feeling him and I could tell he was feelig me too. We got off the plane in L.A. , exchanged numbers, and he even invited me to the famous Jackson Sharpe’s wedding! So much happened today. I’m ready to start a new life here . It’s L.A. baby no regrets and nothing can stop me from getting what’s mines.

Dear Diary,
Okay so I’m at the wedding with Ben. Then all of a sudden these three girls Cammie, Sam, and Dee came up to me. I can tell they don’t like me and it’s all because me and Ben are together! How pathetic! I mean I’m new to this town and I’m already into drama. But it’s weird. Because of a boy? Is he really that special? I need to find the real reason why they don’t like me. Until then I’ll talk to you later diary.

Dear Diary,
It’s my first day of high school here and guess who was there? Yup Cammie, Sam, and Dee. Sam made an effort to talk to me today. She’s really cool and she told me Cammie is the one who has all this hatred towards me. She and Ben used to date until he let for college. Aww Cammie your heartbroken? Poor baby your so childish! Pouting isn’t going to get Ben back. He’s mines now and you can try any little scheme but it won’t work for me.

Dear Diary,
Sam, Dee, and I hang out often now. Cammie always declines when she knows I’m coming. Ugh, stuck up bitch!! The tension between us is sso thick you can slice it with a butterknife. In school she makes these remarks about me and Ben. I’m so tired of it, I’m ready to just punch her. She’s causing all this frustration in my life. I don’t even want Ben anymore, I have a new boo his name’s Adam. So Cammie you can stop all your shit talking and have my sloppy seconds.

Dear Diary,
Hey Anna it’s Cammie. Yup the one and only. So Anna you really shouldn’t have left leave your diary on your desk at school. I see all the shit your talking in your diary. Yeah, I know you hate me but you can hate me moree. You know your “new boo” Adam? Umm I slept with himm a few days ago. The sex was muy bien ;). I’m sure he’ll be coming back for more. So you can go crying back to your little diary. I’ll do anything to run you out this town. Payback’s a bitch :)

XoXo,
Cammie

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was about 1/4 of the way through this when I realized it was a YA book, which I usually don't read. Then my first reaction was to clutch my pearls and fan myself, because I can't believe that THIS is a Young Adult book. Back in my day, when we had to walk 5 miles to school uphill both ways, you had to steal your mother's paperbacks to read smutty sex stuff. It was surely frowned upon to write books FOR teens that were all about smutty sex. Alas, times have changed.

To be fair, there wasn't really a lot of detail and the heroine of the piece is a beautiful, brainy virgin. But the book was about spoiled, wealthy Beverly Hills kids who do nothing but abuse substances and randomly hump each other. It's like a Jackie Collins novel with younger people and better dialogue - fun, but complete trash. So of course I enjoyed it, but if I had a teenage daughter I wouldn’t be suggesting that she read it.

[Leelynn (Sometimes Leelynn Reads) ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was reading it, it was like Gossip Girl meets 90210 in a fresh and unique way. Anna Percy is true Upper East Side material, and being thrust into the world of Beverly Hills is like a complete culture shock for her. Her main reason for leaving the comfort of the Upper East Side for the jungle that is Beverly Hills was one that would change her life forever. One thing that everyone needs to know, no matter where you life, is that there are mean girls everywhere. And they usually come in threes. In this book, it comes in the form of Sam, Dee and Cammie, with Cammie being the worst of them all. But just like any other book, everyone has their secrets, their reasons for being who they are. This is the beginning of their journey, and the secrets have already begun to start revealing themselves to the wrong people. Book 1 in an amazing series, I can't wait to revisit Anna, Sam, Cammie and Del, and the extravagant world of Beverly Hills.

+: The witty banter, Zoey Dean's attention to expensive taste, Cammie's bitchiness

-: Not enough of Cyn, horrible father figure, Dee's faux air-headed personality

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: 2005ish. Reread: 8/2017. Oooh yes, just as good as I wanted it to be! It was fun to reread and see all of the familiar names appear - a lot of thoughts and memories rushed back to me. I still don't remember much of the plot (what happens throughout the whole series), so that's nice. This book is very introductory, which isn't surprising since it's the first book in a 10 book series. I hope to keep banging through these. The nostalgia is realllll.

[Genevieve Carstairs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear god, here it goes.

So awhile ago I decided to read a lot of chick lit. A. LOT. And in my adventures into series about rich kids who whine about their privileged lives and fancy cars and daddy issues, well, this book turned up.
And, I'm sad to say, I got completely obsessed.

I know, I know. It's terrible. But let me explain why .
THESE BOOKS ARE DESIGNED TO HOOK YOU
For some reason, books about people who think its cause to cry if a nail chips amuses us. For example, I've watched some reality tv. Usually, it's to laugh at the people on the shows. Is it terrible? Slightly.
But it's freaking hilarious.
So if you are willing to lose a little dignity for a good laugh (or you like books like Gossip Girl ) then this is the book for you.
Will I be reading the series?
Sadly, I probably will. Mainly for Sam though, because she is kind of awesome (did I just say that????).
But I won't be marveling over how deep these characters are when in reality they are about as shallow as a kitty pool.

((BTW this was my first time doing a longer review, so any helpful criticism is welcome!))

[Sasa · Rating 1 out of 5]

A friend gave this book to me and it is hackneyed, trashy, and just plain bad. I read the first chapter and my brain molded into a disgusting wad of slush. I hate reading about women pitting themselves against other women, especially for petty reasons. This lazy writing for "plot" is always being used in the media and it's really irritating when there are so much better things to write about. Don't even bother picking this up.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wer Gossip Girl mochte, dem dürfte der Start dieser Reihe auf jeden Fall gefallen. Ich freu mich schon auf die nächsten Teile.

[ViAViA · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not bad; I'm not shocked my mom has this book, its basically how she sees California .
it's pretty funny; I don't think I'll read the rest of the series, although it would probably be really fun.

[AlyeskaFox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like Gossip Girl and all the adventures-of-the-rich-and-famous books that came before it, The A-List is the novel equivalent of the celebrity drama rags you poke through while waiting in line at the supermarket. It bombards you with perfect-looking people, expensive fashion and elite locales, but you don’t really give a damn about any of it because in the end, nothing actually happens. Couples hook up and break up, girls have petty catfights��sure, it’s superficially entertaining, but there was no depth or interest to pull me in and keep me reading.

The characters, first off, are flat as cardboard and only marginally more intriguing. Miss Anna (Perfect) Percy is described as being thin, blonde-haired, and good at every damn thing she puts her mind to. We’re hit over the head repeatedly with how intelligent she is, but I read the book cover-to-cover and didn’t catch the slightest whiff of brilliance. But she’s going to Yale! She likes Emily Dickinson and Anais Nin! (And can I add – just because you like classic literature and music doesn’t mean you’re cultured or a genius. I know incredibly smart individuals who enjoy watching Disney movies and reading Harry Potter when they’re not studying.) She even uses “big words”! My eyes almost rolled themselves right out of my head during the scene in which Anna used the world “palpable” and Ben nearly peed himself with excitement over how intelligent she sounded. Yep. If he thinks that passes for brains, the Princeton girls he hangs with must be dumb as rocks.

According to Anna, however, all this perfection just isn’t cutting it. She’s tired of being a well-bred princess living in a fancy upper East side apartment in NYC, because having an eight-digit trust fund and all the jewelry and clothes you could ever ask for is just so…dull. She needs an adventure, and thus, she hops on a plane to good ol’ Beverly Hills. We meet a whole new cast of characters, including the bratty-but-secretly-sweet Sam Sharpe and the hell-spawn Cammie Sheppard. Sam is, well, plump – and no, I’m not being judgmental here. Bless the author for actually including a girl with normal body proportions! I’m only mentioning it because it completely defines her character. Not a scene goes by in which Sam doesn’t buy bigger clothes than the other girls or moan about her hips/butt/stomach/you name it. Cammie’s on the other end of the spectrum, a girl so blindingly gorgeous that chapels have been built for men to worship the ground she walks upon (I exaggerate, but not much). We hear a lot about her enormous breasts and her luscious, curvy body…and then in the next scene, she’s buying tiny dresses and size-zero clothing. Honey – if your implants and hips are that shapely, you’re not going to fit into tiny tees and jeans. I know, everyone in this story is perfect (sorry, chubby Sam – you got the short end of the stick, didn’t you?) but you can’t have it both ways.

The rest of the book is boyfriend drama and bitching galore. Don’t forget the excessive and mind-numbing brand name dropping, which made me feel like I was reading the first fifty ad pages of Vanity Fair. I’m sure some people love to read about the pair of Joe’s jeans that Sam squeezed into or the Hermes handbag that Cynthia peed on, but I honestly couldn’t care less about Anna’s Chanel flats, the Kohler toilet seat that Cammie sat on, or the Charmin Ultra-Soft that she used to wipe her perfect ass afterward.

Did the book have some good moments? Yes. As nasty as Cammie is, her backstabbing was so dramatic as to be hilarious at times. The family scenes were real and emotional as well, such as between Anna and her father or Cammie and her late mother. Unfortunately, so much of it was lost among the overwhelming blandness of the characters and the “troubles” they suffered. I regret that so much of the story was told through angelic, flawless Anna’s eyes – it would have been interesting to hear things from a more genuine, three-dimentional character. Anna never really had anything at stake; she never truly suffered or had anything to lose.

I don’t think I plan on reading the other books. I suspect it’ll be like Gossip Girl – the same characters thrown into the same situations, with the couples being occasionally swapped around to keep things from getting boring, although little is actually resolved. If you’re looking for something silly to read (the literary equivalent of potato chips), this is a mildly entertaining book. But if you’re looking for depth and plot and characters you actually care about, I’d start looking elsewhere.

[malayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY OPINION: ***

Another one of those quick one day reads.

This book wasn't a jaw-dropping, stomach-whirling, mind-blowing story; hence, the three-star rating instead of the usual five stars.

Anna was kind of an annoying character. She was so easily swept up by this guy she met on a PLANE. Within one hour of meeting, they're making out in the plane's bathroom?!?! And they're dating already? I did not appreciate this almost insta love... except that it never struck me as "LOVE."

Ben. In the beginning, I really liked him. He seemed smart, nice, and a good guy. But by the end, my whole opinion of Ben changed into this monstrous picture of a cruel, annoying, rude Ben who was a PLAYER and a JERK. I don't understand the four girls who were all infatuated with BEN. I mean, maybe he's not "my type," but seriously... what was there to really like about him?

Adam. Parker. Django. WHY WERE THERE SO MANY GUYS THAT ANNA THOUGHT WAS NICE OR CUTE OR FELT LIKE THEY LIKED HER BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSTANTLY COMPLIMENTING HER?

In the beginning, Anna was comparing herself to her friend, Cynthia, and it made me think that Anna wasn't that... pretty? But then she got to Beverly Hills and everyone (the guys and girls) were like "SHE IS SO HOT," and it changed my mental image of Anna. I never really had a clear image of Anna... Even now, I don't know what color her eyes were.

Cammie. She was so MEAN and CRUEL but I could understand her character. She was in "love" with Ben, which is why she had an instant dislike for Anna... then again, judging from her own FRIENDS, she basically hates everyone.

Dee. Eh. I didn't really like her. I mean, she was meant to be the "simple and kind of not bright" girl. She was kind of irritating, especially when she told Anna that she was pregnant with Ben's baby?! Like what?

Sam. She called herself "fat" but honestly, you shouldn't have to worry about your body image. It's whats inside that counts, and she almost learned that lesson, but not quite. Sam was kind of annoying because she kept going on about Ben and Ben and Ben. Just move on.......................

Cynthia and Scott. Ummm... I didn't really see a point to having Scott as a character, except to show that he was a past crush that she almost moved on from, despite still being jealous of Cynthia, who got the guy? IDK honestly.

Am I the only that thought that Ben was making up that story? Maybe it was real but honestly, it sounded fake...

I would recommend this book to people who are looking for those short summer reads.

Main Character: Anna
Sidekick(s): Ben?, Sam, Dee, Cynthia, Susan, etc
Villain(s): Ben?, Cammie, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

How I Came To Read This Book: I think I snagged it after it being touted as the next Gossip Girl.

The Plot: Anna is your typical WASP-y East Coast upper cruster, a slightly less sophisticated, naive version of her GG compatriots. As her senior year comes to close (in just six short months) she opts to leave her cushy life behind for an equally cushy life in LA to live with her estranged father in his mega mansion. Anna is quickly thrust into the LA scene including a romantic tryst with a fellow plane passenger, a Hollywood-style wedding, showdowns with the 'Plastics' of the West Coast, and the most memorable New Year's of her life. In short, the very speedy timeline of this book (a mere day or so) is almost like 'The Hangover' for LA teens.

The Good & The Bad: The book packs a lot into a short, near impossible time frame, which is sort of a pro, sort of a con. You get solid introductions to all the players, although no one really evolves much past the issues introduced here. Anna remains a stuck-up tight-ass wanting to break free, Dee continues to be a weird little drama queen, Cammie starts her reign as a random bitch who will (predictably) have a sliver of a heart of gold in there somewhere, and Sam is the ‘fat’ starlet-to-be that wants to prove she’s more than just about everything everyone predicts she is. The main issue I have with this book is that while the GG series gently pokes fun at its own culture and characters through their insanity, these books basically ask you take it seriously, to pine for the rich and famous lifestyles these girls are rocking. The activities they engage in – from guzzling champagne to sexcapades with strangers on boats to middle of the night visits to a sex emporium – are hardly appropriate for the target audience (girls as young as 8 or 9) to fantasize about. The unfortunate hook though, is that’s what these books are about – bringing the impossible dream down to the mass peons of pre-teens that will pick this trite garbage and gobble it up (myself not included – I bought the first two books and stopped from there, a friend lent me some others in the series which I read last year and didn’t particularly like).

The Bottom Line: A disappointing, destructive entry in the YA ‘mean girls’ genre.

Anything Memorable?: Is it just me or was the role of Cammie written to be played by (a younger) Lindsay Lohan in an adapted version? I can’t picture her otherwise.

50-Book Challenge?: Nope

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're looking for the shallowest, guiltiest summer pleasure read, this is probably it.

These books had always been advertised in my copies of The Clique series growing up, so they've been in the back of my mind for some time now. Much like Tudor-era historical fiction, rich kids or mean girl lit (whatever the appropriate genre title is), is another can't-resist guilty pleasure of mine. And it's July, why shouldn't I pick up something easy and quick to read while I'm on break at work? As an added bonus, my library had an ebook version I could download.

So. If you pick up this book hoping to find sharp commentary on or a deconstruction of rich privilege, the LA lifestyle, or the struggles of becoming or being famous, you're not going to get much from this book. If you're okay with it simply poking fun at those topics while also embracing them 1000%, you'll probably get a little more mileage out of the book. For me, my enjoyment was pretty inconsistent. I'd find myself engaged and laughing at one chapter and then totally bored with the next. The chapters with Sam are probably the best and most interesting.

You won't win any feminist points reading this (girls vs. girls, mainly fighting over ~A Boy~, the most perfect boy in existence) but hey. Critiquing the media you consume is important. And this is one doesn't have a lot to offer. Although it guess it embraces female sexuality and the right to engage or not engage in sex when ready?

I can't believe I just typed that sentence about this book.

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hackneyed, trashy, and just plain bad. I'm sorry, but this book just wasn't all that great. I realize this is supposed to be a type of "chit lit," which was one of the reasons I borrowed it, but it was just a lot worse than I thought it would be. There was a lot of swearing and sexual content, and the plot was quite terrible.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

ok, so i read this becuase my 8th grade girls are reading it. ew.

ew. ew. ew. ew. ew.

oh yeah, and ew. i so hope that my students don't think of these characters as role models. and if they do, i hope they pick up the subtle "don't do cocaine, it's bad" message.

oh wait, that message isn't in there. awesome.

boo, book, boo.

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book hits every single cliché about teenage girls. It's a white Hollywood version of Crazy Rich Asians. Luckily it's a short read because by the time I truly started to hate it, I was almost done with the book.

[shannon✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I didn’t hate the book but I also can’t exactly say that I’ve enjoyed it. I also felt a bit uncomfortable with certain comments, but I’m not surprised as this book has been released a long time ago. I’m curious to know how sll things regarding Ben will evolve.

[Mariah · Rating 1 out of 5]

EWWWWWWWW! DON'T EVER BOTHER READING THIS BOOK. IT WAS ALL ABOUT BAD STUFF. I COULDN'T MAKE IT PAST THE 1ST CHAPTER. THERE WAS A TON OF CUSSING TOO.

[Mary Claire Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still a preteen at heart - seriously I love high school drama

[Dez Chavez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up all the books in the series because I wanted a trip down nostalgia lane... I like all the throwback references. I like there were some words that I legit did not know the definition to. I liked that I was inspired to listen to some jazz I've never heard of before. The jazz that Ben and Anna were listening to on the yacht. I'm determined to read every book so I can giggle at the silliness. I mean, I read the Clique series in middle school and I also read Gossip Girl and watched Gossip Girl. I really do hate the language and conversation around bodies... Apparently size 10 is problematic. Sigh. That's not healthy for young people to read. But no one claimed that this was going to be an empowering read.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was truly so fun - some of the lines were genuinely hilarious and so absurd that i couldn't help but have a good time

"it was so much easier when you didn't give a damn. then you could do anything and everything on your terms, without getting hurt. you were in control. not him. you.

that's the kind of girl i want to be. forget love and happy endings - i'll settle for being in control. if anyone does the leaving, it should be me."

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick entertaining read. I remember reading it when I was younger and I wanted something light and fun to read today. Glad to know it’s a series that I can devour. I would recommend to fans of Gossip Girl and similar YA novels.

[thay kaizer · Rating 2 out of 5]

decidi reler esse porque li o primeiro livro quando era adolescente e nunca continuei porque não trouxeram os outros volumes em português. e nossa como é um produto do próprio tempo. praticamente um gossip girl da shopee.

dito isso já comecei o segundo livro pq eu devo me odiar talvez.

[Jacquelyn Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is officially my first ever reread. I read it back in middle school and remember loving it, I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed. I will update this review soon.

[Laura Hutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic series from my childhood

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars is gracious…omg I was so catholic school girl brainwashed when I read these books. The nostalgia keeps me going…