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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Completely addictive YA fluff read. They knew what they we re doing getting me started on the series with a free download — I'm hooked.
"Gossip Girl" is better, a lot better. Superficial and dull!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I didn't like it.
edit for 2024: I'll be honest, I didn't like it because I wasn't the target audience at the time. Highly doubt I'll get to reading it again but if anyone is reading it down the line, at least take my review with a ton of salt.
edit for 2024: I'll be honest, I didn't like it because I wasn't the target audience at the time. Highly doubt I'll get to reading it again but if anyone is reading it down the line, at least take my review with a ton of salt.
This series will always be a 5 star. I don’t make the rules.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The characters are abysmal, the way they are acting doesn't make sense, people don't talk or act like that in real life, they actually have some personality and personal motivations, in this book they are just so badly written, they exist only to further the fmc's plot, they don't exist on their own.
There is virtually no plot. Nothing happens in this book. I also can't say that the writing is good. The concept of character development seems foreign to the author. However, the worst thing about this story is the mc.
She is a dog, a doormat, a weakling. She is pitiful. She is embarrassing and a pick me.
All she does is let other people walk over her. Her obsession with the Billings girls doesn't even make sense. She is supposed to be smart, but she acts like an idiot. Supposedly she came to this school to escape her home life based on her studies and her lacrosse ( + another sport i don't remember) abilities, but she doesn't focus on her studies and her home situation is never explained properly, the author doesn't go in depth about it, doesn't even make an effort with it. Mentioning it a few times is not enough. What she focus on is these girls who are nothing special. She does everything in her power to get in their good graces, even humiliating herself in front of others, acting like their servant.
She acts dumb throughout the whole book. I don't understand how she is supposed to be someone who is considered smart enough to enter an elite school.
The romance is also poor. They don't have an ounce of chemistry and are as interesting as watching paint dry. At one point he tries to sa her, but she forgives him. Like huh? A waste of time.
There is virtually no plot. Nothing happens in this book. I also can't say that the writing is good. The concept of character development seems foreign to the author. However, the worst thing about this story is the mc.
She is a dog, a doormat, a weakling. She is pitiful. She is embarrassing and a pick me.
All she does is let other people walk over her. Her obsession with the Billings girls doesn't even make sense. She is supposed to be smart, but she acts like an idiot. Supposedly she came to this school to escape her home life based on her studies and her lacrosse ( + another sport i don't remember) abilities, but she doesn't focus on her studies and her home situation is never explained properly, the author doesn't go in depth about it, doesn't even make an effort with it. Mentioning it a few times is not enough. What she focus on is these girls who are nothing special. She does everything in her power to get in their good graces, even humiliating herself in front of others, acting like their servant.
She acts dumb throughout the whole book. I don't understand how she is supposed to be someone who is considered smart enough to enter an elite school.
The romance is also poor. They don't have an ounce of chemistry and are as interesting as watching paint dry. At one point he tries to sa her, but she forgives him. Like huh? A waste of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
This was recommended to me after reading and loving Pretty Little Liars and seeking out another YA mystery/whodunnit. I have to admit I spent most of this book questioning if that recommendation was even correct, since there's no mystery until literally the last few pages. Even then it's only implied that someone has died or gone missing, and there's a weird coven ceremony thrown in at the end.
As such, I can only really review this book as a piece of YA chick-lit, and in that respect it's quite a good book. It's nothing groundbreaking, as the storyline basically centres around a poor misfit who gets sent to a swanky private school and tries to get with the in crowd. It's a quick read, entertaining, the characters are mostly well-written and I don't recall ever wanting to slam my head against the desk out of frustration. I can't put my finger on it but I like Kate Brian's writing style. She doesn't do anything exciting, but she doesn't do anything bad either. Like I said, I didn't feel like headdesking as a result of her writing.
I have to admit I don't really like Reed though. I feel bad for her awful home life and I sympathise with her, but I just find her a bit bland and annoying. I get that she's never had female friends, but she's just weirdly obsessed and annoyingly desperate to get in with the Billings girls. Her attraction to them really did seem like it bordered on sexual for a while, and while Noelle calling her glass-licker was mean, the image it conjured up wasn't too far from reality. It also irritates me that Reed lets the Billings girls use and abuse her, because I thought she'd have more backbone for someone who grew up with only male friends. Other than that, I generally just find her lacking in personality. I guess it's fitting though, since she comes from a town where everything is grey - even her personality.
I don't like Thomas either. I thought him and Reed were cute when they initially started flirting, but I think they lost all chemistry after that. Physical chemistry isn't a problem, but I just don't understand why he likes her. It's very much like Twilight where I would finish the books and then couldn't recall what Bella and Edward had talked about for 500 pages. The only common ground they seem to have are their fucked up families, but other than that I don't think they actually had conversations. I was also majorly creeped out when Thomas sprung the L word on Reed after 5 whole minutes of dating. I guess it could be the author foreshadowing his psychotic nature or showing how starved for love he is in his family, but mostly it came across as weird.
I don't have any major beef with the other characters, though I do occasionally want to punch Missy Thurber and Noelle in the face. This is not because they're poorly written though like Reed or Thomas, actually the complete opposite - I hate them because they're so incredibly bitchy. I think Ariana is absolutely adorable, and I'm really creeped out by the soulless look she gave at the coven gathering (it probably wasn't a coven but I'm just going to call it that for now). I also feel sorry for Taylor and Constance and love them as characters. I wish Reed would just pay Constance some attention for once, and I wish the Billings girls would actually treat Taylor like their equal, rather than their nerdy minion.
This probably sounds horrible, but while I don't like Reed, I love her fucked up home life. Sometimes she's a bit annoying and all woe is me but within fairly good reason. I thought she was going to be some irritating teen bitching about her parents not letting her go to the movies, but her mother is truly awful. I like that she's not just a junkie or alcoholic, not just abusive, and not just absent, but all of the above with a healthy dose of pure evil. I'm hoping the author shows Reed at home in some of the books because I'd love to see that venomous interaction. I also love that her father is stuck at home with this horrid woman, having to listen to her bitch and resent his existence every single day. I feel so awful for him and it's so depressing but makes for such a good read.
Overall: Private was a decent entertaining read, though if you're looking for a murder mystery you won't exactly get it in this book. Try the next one! It's a nice chick-lit read though if you're a fan of Gossip Girl/It Girl or the high school politics of Pretty Little Liars. It's well-written and the characters are great for the most part. Series are hard to review because you can't get a feel for them until you've finished all the books, so I can't really say more!
As such, I can only really review this book as a piece of YA chick-lit, and in that respect it's quite a good book. It's nothing groundbreaking, as the storyline basically centres around a poor misfit who gets sent to a swanky private school and tries to get with the in crowd. It's a quick read, entertaining, the characters are mostly well-written and I don't recall ever wanting to slam my head against the desk out of frustration. I can't put my finger on it but I like Kate Brian's writing style. She doesn't do anything exciting, but she doesn't do anything bad either. Like I said, I didn't feel like headdesking as a result of her writing.
I have to admit I don't really like Reed though. I feel bad for her awful home life and I sympathise with her, but I just find her a bit bland and annoying. I get that she's never had female friends, but she's just weirdly obsessed and annoyingly desperate to get in with the Billings girls. Her attraction to them really did seem like it bordered on sexual for a while, and while Noelle calling her glass-licker was mean, the image it conjured up wasn't too far from reality. It also irritates me that Reed lets the Billings girls use and abuse her, because I thought she'd have more backbone for someone who grew up with only male friends. Other than that, I generally just find her lacking in personality. I guess it's fitting though, since she comes from a town where everything is grey - even her personality.
I don't like Thomas either. I thought him and Reed were cute when they initially started flirting, but I think they lost all chemistry after that. Physical chemistry isn't a problem, but I just don't understand why he likes her. It's very much like Twilight where I would finish the books and then couldn't recall what Bella and Edward had talked about for 500 pages. The only common ground they seem to have are their fucked up families, but other than that I don't think they actually had conversations. I was also majorly creeped out when Thomas sprung the L word on Reed after 5 whole minutes of dating. I guess it could be the author foreshadowing his psychotic nature or showing how starved for love he is in his family, but mostly it came across as weird.
I don't have any major beef with the other characters, though I do occasionally want to punch Missy Thurber and Noelle in the face. This is not because they're poorly written though like Reed or Thomas, actually the complete opposite - I hate them because they're so incredibly bitchy. I think Ariana is absolutely adorable, and I'm really creeped out by the soulless look she gave at the coven gathering (it probably wasn't a coven but I'm just going to call it that for now). I also feel sorry for Taylor and Constance and love them as characters. I wish Reed would just pay Constance some attention for once, and I wish the Billings girls would actually treat Taylor like their equal, rather than their nerdy minion.
This probably sounds horrible, but while I don't like Reed, I love her fucked up home life. Sometimes she's a bit annoying and all woe is me but within fairly good reason. I thought she was going to be some irritating teen bitching about her parents not letting her go to the movies, but her mother is truly awful. I like that she's not just a junkie or alcoholic, not just abusive, and not just absent, but all of the above with a healthy dose of pure evil. I'm hoping the author shows Reed at home in some of the books because I'd love to see that venomous interaction. I also love that her father is stuck at home with this horrid woman, having to listen to her bitch and resent his existence every single day. I feel so awful for him and it's so depressing but makes for such a good read.
Overall: Private was a decent entertaining read, though if you're looking for a murder mystery you won't exactly get it in this book. Try the next one! It's a nice chick-lit read though if you're a fan of Gossip Girl/It Girl or the high school politics of Pretty Little Liars. It's well-written and the characters are great for the most part. Series are hard to review because you can't get a feel for them until you've finished all the books, so I can't really say more!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Just fine. I love settings like this one, but a lot of the plot points and drama felt pointless and over dramatic, which I guess is sometimes the exact point of this style of teen novel, so this book likely just wasn’t for me. I will not be continuing with the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Eating disorder
Orignal Post: http://thoughtsofamadhatter.blogspot.com/2011/04/private-private-1-by-kate-brian.html
I won this book on Misha Fitt's Book Bitts. I had never heard of the series before and thought it should very fun and interesting. However, even though it was a good read nothing very interesting happen. Private is just a starter book in the series. I am only hope the next one is more exciting.
Private is about young Reed to gets a scholarship at Easton Academy, a very rich school. Reed very quickly becomes "Friends" Billings girls. Reed just wants to fit in and they are popular and beautiful, The girls every girl wants to be and the girls every guy would want to date. Soon Reed finds herself being their kind of slave and doing things that could get her expelled from school if she was caught.
Honestly, Reed isn't the best main character. She comes across very one-dimensional at the start. However, I grow to quite like her. Is easy to understand why she wants to be accepted and doing stupid tasks for the Billings girls. Her home life is hard for her so she never really had many friends. I am undecided if I like the Billing Girls or not. Sometimes they come across is selfcentred and sometimes they actually seem like the care for Reed. There are four main Billing Girls, Noelle, Ariana, Taylor and Kiram. Noelle is the bitch of the group and most popular and fear girl at school. Ariana is quite mysterious actually. We don't really know much about her aside from the fact that she is beautiful and always has her nose in a book. Kiram comes across strong and feared however, their are moments where you catch a glimpse of vulernabilty in her. Then there is Taylor, she is adorable. She is so sweet and super smart its hard not to like her.
Aswell as the Billing Girls Reed quickly falls for the sexy Thomas, who is sweet and really cares for Reed. However, the Billing Girls dont like him much and it soon turns sour.
As stated above, Private is very much a starter book. An introduction to the story and the characters. The isn't really a big build up to anything. Its just a fun light read that was good and gives you a taster for the next book. Which I have ordered and can't wait to read.
I recommend this to anyone who likes Chick-Lit that is quick and doesn't need the use of brain power.
I won this book on Misha Fitt's Book Bitts. I had never heard of the series before and thought it should very fun and interesting. However, even though it was a good read nothing very interesting happen. Private is just a starter book in the series. I am only hope the next one is more exciting.
Private is about young Reed to gets a scholarship at Easton Academy, a very rich school. Reed very quickly becomes "Friends" Billings girls. Reed just wants to fit in and they are popular and beautiful, The girls every girl wants to be and the girls every guy would want to date. Soon Reed finds herself being their kind of slave and doing things that could get her expelled from school if she was caught.
Honestly, Reed isn't the best main character. She comes across very one-dimensional at the start. However, I grow to quite like her. Is easy to understand why she wants to be accepted and doing stupid tasks for the Billings girls. Her home life is hard for her so she never really had many friends. I am undecided if I like the Billing Girls or not. Sometimes they come across is selfcentred and sometimes they actually seem like the care for Reed. There are four main Billing Girls, Noelle, Ariana, Taylor and Kiram. Noelle is the bitch of the group and most popular and fear girl at school. Ariana is quite mysterious actually. We don't really know much about her aside from the fact that she is beautiful and always has her nose in a book. Kiram comes across strong and feared however, their are moments where you catch a glimpse of vulernabilty in her. Then there is Taylor, she is adorable. She is so sweet and super smart its hard not to like her.
Aswell as the Billing Girls Reed quickly falls for the sexy Thomas, who is sweet and really cares for Reed. However, the Billing Girls dont like him much and it soon turns sour.
As stated above, Private is very much a starter book. An introduction to the story and the characters. The isn't really a big build up to anything. Its just a fun light read that was good and gives you a taster for the next book. Which I have ordered and can't wait to read.
I recommend this to anyone who likes Chick-Lit that is quick and doesn't need the use of brain power.