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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
One of my all time favorite book series!!! Love to read them over and over!
I'm going to admit right here that I decided to read Private because I was looking for more series like Pretty Little Liars. Weirdly, there aren't actually a ton of YA mystery/suspense books out there (or not as many as you might assume anyway). Because I was looking for a YA mystery, Private #1 was a bit disappointing. I'm sure the mystery part comes in later since it was definitely hinted at in this book, but no actual mystery shows up here in the first book. That is sort of unfortunate because it means that there isn't a lot to "hook" the reader in Private #1. I've seen a lot of reviews here on Goodreads that indicate disappointment in the series and numerous comments on those reviews saying "Wait! It gets better later!" That's all fine and good, but honestly, the fun should start right at the beginning.
The first book of the Private series, also called Private centers on Reed Brennan, a high school sophomore who is transferring to a swanky boarding school called Easton Academy. She hates her hometown and she hates her home, so boarding school is supposed to be a fresh start. At Easton, Reed eschews the company of her fellow sophomores and instead attempts to join the coolest clique in school. Noelle, Ariana, Kiran, and Taylor are all upperclassmen Billings Girls, meaning that they live in the best dorm on campus and rule the school. Reed also lusts after a senior boy named Thomas - though the Billings Girls seem to have an issue with this. If Reed is going to make it at Easton Academy she's going to have to study - and party - hard.
All in all,Private wasn't horrible, but at this point I definitely think the weakest link is Reed. Even though boarding schools don't interest me overly much (I think that once you've been to college, boarding school pretty much loses its appeal - it's basically college lite), I'd be down to read a book about a clique that asserts some sort of mysterious influence over a school. I just wish we had a more interesting character to be our guide at Easton Academy than Reed. Reed is at times a boring and irritating character. Reed has a rough homelife, which is fine/whatever, and it's useful because it creates a reason for her to want to be at boarding school as well as adding some necessary angst into her life (can you really have a book about teenagers without lots of angst?). Other facets of her personality and her motivations are a bit more murky. On the one hand, Reed is presented as "strong" - she talks back to a teacher in front of the entire class, she asserts herself with the other sophomores, and she ocassionally stands up to Thomas - but on the other hand, she is a complete doormat, especially with the Billings Girls. It wouldn't be so much of an issue, except for the fact that her behavior is presented as if it's supposed to be relatable and completely understandable and it really is not at all. Reed's need to be "in" with the popular crowd and to be with the cool senior is actually quite pathetic. If the book in any way acknowledged this I might be ok with reading about it, but it just doesn't. I guess a comparable character in YA would be Jenny from [a:Cecily von Ziegesar|12665|Cecily von Ziegesar|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1197412886p2/12665.jpg]'s series who also is a "normal" "poor" girl who's just striving to be a part of the popular crowd. Jenny works as a character because she really is quite young and naive (at first) and it's obvious to the reader why she thinks being in the cool clique is necessary. With Reed, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. As a reader I didn't really understand Reed's need to be one of the Billings Girls and why she would willingly endure their hazing and nasty treatment. I'm hoping that some of these characters are redeemed in further books, but it's not off to a promising start. At the very least, I hope something interesting actually happens, because that will go a long way in making me forget about the characters (ha). I gave Private 3 stars, but if we had half-ratings, I might have gone for a 2.5. Here's to hoping that the next book will be better or at least more interesting.
The first book of the Private series, also called Private centers on Reed Brennan, a high school sophomore who is transferring to a swanky boarding school called Easton Academy. She hates her hometown and she hates her home, so boarding school is supposed to be a fresh start. At Easton, Reed eschews the company of her fellow sophomores and instead attempts to join the coolest clique in school. Noelle, Ariana, Kiran, and Taylor are all upperclassmen Billings Girls, meaning that they live in the best dorm on campus and rule the school. Reed also lusts after a senior boy named Thomas - though the Billings Girls seem to have an issue with this. If Reed is going to make it at Easton Academy she's going to have to study - and party - hard.
All in all,Private wasn't horrible, but at this point I definitely think the weakest link is Reed. Even though boarding schools don't interest me overly much (I think that once you've been to college, boarding school pretty much loses its appeal - it's basically college lite), I'd be down to read a book about a clique that asserts some sort of mysterious influence over a school. I just wish we had a more interesting character to be our guide at Easton Academy than Reed. Reed is at times a boring and irritating character. Reed has a rough homelife, which is fine/whatever, and it's useful because it creates a reason for her to want to be at boarding school as well as adding some necessary angst into her life (can you really have a book about teenagers without lots of angst?). Other facets of her personality and her motivations are a bit more murky. On the one hand, Reed is presented as "strong" - she talks back to a teacher in front of the entire class, she asserts herself with the other sophomores, and she ocassionally stands up to Thomas - but on the other hand, she is a complete doormat, especially with the Billings Girls. It wouldn't be so much of an issue, except for the fact that her behavior is presented as if it's supposed to be relatable and completely understandable and it really is not at all. Reed's need to be "in" with the popular crowd and to be with the cool senior is actually quite pathetic. If the book in any way acknowledged this I might be ok with reading about it, but it just doesn't. I guess a comparable character in YA would be Jenny from [a:Cecily von Ziegesar|12665|Cecily von Ziegesar|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1197412886p2/12665.jpg]'s series who also is a "normal" "poor" girl who's just striving to be a part of the popular crowd. Jenny works as a character because she really is quite young and naive (at first) and it's obvious to the reader why she thinks being in the cool clique is necessary. With Reed, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. As a reader I didn't really understand Reed's need to be one of the Billings Girls and why she would willingly endure their hazing and nasty treatment. I'm hoping that some of these characters are redeemed in further books, but it's not off to a promising start. At the very least, I hope something interesting actually happens, because that will go a long way in making me forget about the characters (ha). I gave Private 3 stars, but if we had half-ratings, I might have gone for a 2.5. Here's to hoping that the next book will be better or at least more interesting.
This book was completely amazing to me, just like the rest of the series.
Here were buildings of brick and stone, topped by shingled roofs and spires, tradition and pride oozing from every dated cornerstone. Here were ancient, weathered, arched doorways, thick wooden doors on iron hinges, cobblestone walks lined by neat beds of flowers. Here were pristine playing fields of bright green grass and gleaming white lines. Everything I saw was perfect. Nothing reminded me of home.
With the arrival of autumn and the days to winter growing closer, I tend to get very nostalgic. I repeat: very nostalgic. Back in my early years of high school, I had been obsessed with books in the similar vein as Private--the idea of boarding school life, the juicy drama of Gossip Girl. I remember just wandering the shelves at Barnes & Noble with the lunch money I had saved up (instead of eating school lunch? Yes, please.) and there was this little end cap with the first book in a new series that was so obviously targeted at girls my age. When I read the summary of Kate Brian's latest, I was in it to win it or whatever it is they say.
When I picked up the book the next morning during study hall, instead of doing my French homework, I knew I was a total goner. I haven't really touched the entire series in years but the books have had their place of display on my bookshelf for years and they just felt so appealing. Picking up Private again after so many years felt like coming home--I missed Reed Brennan and her adventures at Easton with the Billings Girls. Kate Brian's writing is just a smooth, fluffy and fast paced as I remembered it.
Continued: BOOKEDJ
With the arrival of autumn and the days to winter growing closer, I tend to get very nostalgic. I repeat: very nostalgic. Back in my early years of high school, I had been obsessed with books in the similar vein as Private--the idea of boarding school life, the juicy drama of Gossip Girl. I remember just wandering the shelves at Barnes & Noble with the lunch money I had saved up (instead of eating school lunch? Yes, please.) and there was this little end cap with the first book in a new series that was so obviously targeted at girls my age. When I read the summary of Kate Brian's latest, I was in it to win it or whatever it is they say.
When I picked up the book the next morning during study hall, instead of doing my French homework, I knew I was a total goner. I haven't really touched the entire series in years but the books have had their place of display on my bookshelf for years and they just felt so appealing. Picking up Private again after so many years felt like coming home--I missed Reed Brennan and her adventures at Easton with the Billings Girls. Kate Brian's writing is just a smooth, fluffy and fast paced as I remembered it.
Continued: BOOKEDJ
Books like this are meant to be read in a few days. It was an amusing book, but nothing more. Reed has only one thing on her mind: becoming popular. Flat, unreal characters, the only interesting person was Ariana, because she read Tolstoj, and that made her slightly more 'real'. A light read for now and then, but definitely not my favourite genre.
I really liked this book. Not really a book with any literary value...but such a sugary sweet read....I loved it.
I was tempted to put this book down a few times when I was reading it. Then Reed kept doing something that made me hope a little more for her character. The Billings girls are miserable people. They are popular but their own friends and potential boyfriends are within a small circle of people. They strive to make their friends miserable, forcing them to break up with 'unsuitable' boys and to risk expulsion for a prank.
I thought Reed finally got some integrity and some backbone when she stood up to the Billings girls about spiking the teacher's drink but no. There she was, craving to be friends with the girls that had her on a string and enjoyed pushing her away only to laugh at her assumptions that they weren't friends anymore. Reed seems to despise herself and that isn't something I like to read in a main character.
And I saw the main character, Reed, want to be one of the Billings girls so bad (and I get the draw I do) that she turned into one of them. Why would I want the mean girl to get everything she wanted?
Reed's whole mindset was on being a Billings girl and her boyfriend, Thomas. She has no other interests, no other friends, no other goals. The Billings girls get a fast track to future success but what does Reed want to use that for?
I like the boarding school stuff and this series seems to get more eventful as it goes on judging by the summaries. But I really could not care less about Reed and will not be buying other books in the series.
I thought Reed finally got some integrity and some backbone when she stood up to the Billings girls about spiking the teacher's drink but no. There she was, craving to be friends with the girls that had her on a string and enjoyed pushing her away only to laugh at her assumptions that they weren't friends anymore. Reed seems to despise herself and that isn't something I like to read in a main character.
And I saw the main character, Reed, want to be one of the Billings girls so bad (and I get the draw I do) that she turned into one of them. Why would I want the mean girl to get everything she wanted?
Reed's whole mindset was on being a Billings girl and her boyfriend, Thomas. She has no other interests, no other friends, no other goals. The Billings girls get a fast track to future success but what does Reed want to use that for?
I like the boarding school stuff and this series seems to get more eventful as it goes on judging by the summaries. But I really could not care less about Reed and will not be buying other books in the series.
One of my favorite book series! I revisit these books again and again.
Private es una historia juvenil bastante corriente. Promete muchísimo más de lo que en realidad da. Y mezcla muchos tópicos demasiado conocidos. Lo peor es la protagonista y todas esas cosas predecibles. Lo mejor son las Billings, sin duda alguna, que tienen un poco de Chicas Pesadas y de Pretty Little Liars, y que por momentos parecen una secta.
Wow, I am so glad that I waited till now to investigate this series. I had heard many things about it during my younger years but never thought it was a book for me, but now its a good break from the memoirs and romance novels that I have been reading.