Title: New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison (Twitter)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: January 31, 2012
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 304 Pages
Source: Publisher

They call me 'New Girl'...Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her. Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be. And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

She’s the New Girl. It’s hard to be that girl, in and of itself, but it’s even harder when the It girl disappears and her absence opens the spot for the new girl at the prestigious school. Life is complicated and messy at Manderly Academy with conniving, lying and deceitful students, dark secrets and a messy underbelly that, for some reason, the new girl has become a part of. For some reason though, the New Girl is slipping into Becca’s shoes. It’s both a gift and a curse though because if, God forbit, Becca ever returns, the New Girl is going to have to retreat into the shadows again because Becca rules Manderly…and a new girl is always a new girl.

New Girl is a treacherous take on contemporary fiction, brimming with twists and turns that threaten to send the story spiraling out of control at any given second. This is the second novel I’ve read by Paige Harbison, and it’s no less challenging than the first. The author is skilled at crafting artfully dislikable characters, which I’m assuming was her intention. There’s a deep-seeded animosity that fuels New Girl along, spreading the characters thin through intense angst and discord. Rather than give us the calm before the storm that we seek, New Girl thrusts the reader into a full-on onslaught of bitter teenage rivalry and sinks its teeth into you from the start.

New Girl was quite the challenging read for me. I’m going to state that outright because I have an extremely difficult time becoming invested in largely unapproachable characters. That said, there were a few breaths of fresh air throughout. The “New Girl,” herself, was actually a rather sweet character. Though we don’t learn her name until the very end of the book, which was either really clever or completely convoluted (I haven’t quite decided), the new girl shields us from the torment that Becca and her cronies wield daily. Becca was one of those characters that I wanted to kick in the face…multiple times. Her cruelty, manipulative nature and overall foul demeanor made me loathe her from the start, and I struggled to reconcile with the fact that everyone seemed entirely content to continue doing her bidding despite it. She, quite literally, reigned over the school, and that was difficult for me to read. Furthermore, there was a lot of weakness going on with many of the characters. For instance, the new girl very frequently caved to Max’s insistence, making her appear weak. I wanted to like Max and the new girl’s blossoming romance, but because of the stop-and-go nature of it, the dominant vs. submissive personalities and the weakness I saw throughout, I just couldn’t relate. At times, New Girl was over-the-top outrageously dramatic, then completely flat at other times. I felt that changing from the past to the present, as well as the switch between perspectives was a gutsy move for a novel like New Girl and, ultimately, it lost me because I felt the novel was too stunted to carry the weight of the challenge.

Overall, New Girl was a pretty well-written novel, though I struggled to find the true meaning of the book. I enjoy a challenge, but for me, it was too messy to carry the weight of such heavy drama. Clever in much of its approach to bullying and teenage relationships/drama though, New Girl will definitely find its place in many a YA shelf. I give it a 2 out of 5, and I recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction and the novel, Here Lies Bridget.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Books Whose Titles Or Covers Made Me Buy Them:

1. Wither by Lauren DeStefano - Granted, this one is gorgeous on a zillion different levels, but it's almost art, too, which is fabulous. Plus, I actually enjoyed the book.

2. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer - The colours and the moon on this cover sold me in a second when I first started blogging. I loved how each book of the series looked dark and haunting with an enormous moon looming overhead.

3. Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison - I adore this cover, and the colours in general, but I didn't love the book, unfortunately. It was certainly enough to make me crave the book though!

4. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - I bought this one because of the title and because of the fact that it's based on Greek mythology. It was a great buy because I'm obsessed with the series.

5. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - This honestly goes without saying, but what good is a list without Harry? Any book with Harry in the title is an automatic win for me, as cheesy as that may be.

6. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - Sue me, but I don't particularly love the cover of these ones. I do, however, love the title of this one, and that had me sold from the start.

7. Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles - Some books capture you with gorgeous, intricate covers. Others capture you because they're stark, bare and haunting. This one had me because of that.

8. The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher - This is truly one of the most stunning covers I've ever seen. I bought the book for that reason alone. I didn't love the book, but the cover is gold.

9. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - I had an ARC of this one, but I bough a hardcover, as well, because I needed two times the pretty on my shelf. I also won an art print of the cover, which I cannot wait to hang in all its glory.

10. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - I bought this because of the title - not because of the cover, though I don't mind the cover too much. It's a striking title, and it stands apart.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Book Endings That Left Me With My Mouth Hanging Open :

1. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - Holy Cliffhanger of Doom. If you haven't read this one yet, you're seriously missing out. Not only is the book phenomenally tense, but the cliffhanger was one I never even saw coming. And I'm dying. Seriously. Dying. I need book two. PLEASE!

2. Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles - Though when I finished this one, I really wanted a second book, I wish I hadn't wished so hard for one. While, yes, it was left with tons of questions and a cliffhanger ending, it would have been perfect had it not been spoiled by book two, in my humble opinion.

3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - Personally, I loved this book. I thought it was epic. The ending, however, was an epic letdown for me. Seriously? I was not expecting ribbons and bows, but I certainly got it...it was just a little unfulfilling, I guess.

4. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - This one blew my mind because the ending was perfect. It wasn't overdone, but it wasn't underwhelming either. There was a sense of justice and peace. I felt good when I closed the book.

5. In My Father's House by Ann Rinaldi - Oscie Mason was headstrong and willful. She wasn't looking for love, and she certainly wasn't expecting it in the middle of the Civil War with her stepfather and she constantly at odds. But she found it...and it was denied? What? Hey...no fair!

6. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar - I had so many emotions when I finished that this book, that my mouth would have been hanging open either way. I felt satisfied with Carly and Ryan's story, but at the same time, I wanted more. I wasn't finished watching Carly grow stronger, or Ryan break down her walls.

7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling - This book never fails to make me cry. For the record, I love all the books, but this one in particular was the changing of the tide in so many ways. I knew the story was getting darker, but this ending haunts me, and while it leads to the next book, I was still satisfied with how it ended...heartbroken, but satisfied.

8. Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle - I know every list always has this on it, but it's one of my favourites. So, sue me. The ending of this one was sad, happy, heartbreaking, heartwarming and a million other things all at once. Did I love it? Heck yes. Did I wish it could have played out another way? Heck yes! Could it have worked another way? No, and that's why I love it every time.

9. Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison - Okay, maybe I'm not fair on this one because, frankly, I didn't like it, but still. Really? The ending was the epitome of everything fixing itself in about ten pages to create a happily ever after scenario. I might not like real life all the time, but it's more believable. This one didn't work for me, and the ending sealed the deal.

10. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard - This woman can write a cliffhanger. I loved the Pretty Little Liars series, but I think this one tops it, if I'm being honest. It consistently has me on my toes, and book one had me begging for book two right away.

Happy (Anti)Valentine’s Day, my friends! I know a lot of you (Ginger) love this pesky little holiday, but I’ve truly never been a fan. Ever. So, in honour of my supreme dislike of this holiday, I decided I would do my very own UnValentine’s Day post for you all. Today, I’ve decided to talk about those characters in YA that you can’t help but love to hate. No matter how hard you try, you just want to pull your hair out and punch these characters in the face for their idiocy. So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the ultimate characters I LOVE to hate in literature (for various reasons).

Bella Swan. You silly, son of a B. You whine, and moan, and cry about everything. You break easily. You can’t make up your own mind unless someone makes it up for you first and, frankly, you’re as wishy-washy as they come. You cry in the woods like a baby when your glittery boyfriend breaks up with you to save your life. You decide to sacrifice yourself to save someone that’s immortal (redundant much?) You are everything that girls should NOT be. Way to not be empowering at all and convince all little girls to believe there is a glittery undead man out there for them, too.

Voldemort, you're a tricky b*tch. You tried, and failed to kill a baby? Yes, LOVE protected him, but you being the badass you claim to be really should have known better. That's a pretty huge fail on your part, dude. Then, you go after immortality after the whole "rawr! must kill baby!" thing, and you end up looking like a snake? Where's the plus in that? Minions will bow at your feet, yes, but we're all secretly dry-heaving.

Sauron, you're a big eye. Need I really say more? First of all, you kill little hobbits. Second, you really, really want this lil' gold ring that will make you super duper powerful. Good God, man. Go buy a ring, say it makes you powerful because everyone's scared of you already and they'll believe you, and then get some Visine. Your bloodshot eye is creeping me out.

And the runners up are as follows:

Patch from Crescendo - Thank you for losing every redeeming quality you had in book one to become a truly inconsequential douche in book two. How utterly refreshing.

Bridget from Here Lies Bridget - You should be on The Real Housewives of wherever you live. You would fit in perfectly with your divatude. 

Edward from Twilight - Please. Comb. Your. Hair. Also, please stop sparkling, and go easy on the pasty foundation. You look like a corpse...oh wait...

Quincie from Tantalize - Wait. Who? Guess I don't remember her at all. Oopsies.

As a quick closing note to cover my butt because we book bloggers seem to need to do so these days. These are my very own personal opinions and, frankly, some of these books are absolutely favourites of mine, so please don't take offense to my humble witticisms here.

So tell me, my (Anti)Valentines, which characters do you absolutely love to hate?

Talk to Me Tuesday is a brand new weekly meme where we will discuss anything (and everything) literary-related in an open forum of honesty. Questions for the next week will be posted one week prior to the post on the Features page. If you'd like to participate in this weekly feature, simply create your post, link back to me, and add your post to the wonderful Mr. Linky below. Have fun, and have at it!

This week's question: What makes a great novel, in your opinion?

It’s kind of like the age-old question for book reviewers and book nerds, alike. What makes the perfect book for you? What makes you want to read a book again, and again, and again? I sat down the other day and decided to analyze it, and I decided it’s a bit like a trifecta for me. Three things (mainly) make a book great for me, and when just a single element is lacking, a book lags in my opinion and slips in my reviews.

First, I need great characters. I need them to be well-rounded and motivated in the sense that there is a reason they exist in the book. For example, in a book like Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, we were given Lea, an emotionally troubled girl desperate to vanish from the face of the earth through her disease, anorexia. She is haunted by a pact she made with her best friend, determined to continue her own destruction for fear of failure, and hell-bent on being the best at something, even if it means her ultimate demise. There are, however, characters that are too surface-level for me, and leave me wishing a book was stronger in that element. A perfect example for me in this case is Bridget from Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison. She’s promising, yes, but I never felt like her character ever really broke through her mean-girl stereotype except for self-survival.

Then, we have the plot. This is arguably the most important element of the story because without a sturdy and steady plot, there is no pace, and without the pace, let’s be honest…the whole book falls to pieces. Every plot is different (obviously), but every plot needs its share of background, a good flow, and a climax. For me, a great example of an awesome plot is that of Dark Song by Gail Giles. It starts with a spoiled little rich girl, rips her from her roots, throws in a bad influence, and leads to something that could very well destroy a family and a life. It moves steadily and consistently without lulls and major plot holes. A lot of books, unfortunately miss the mark with the climax. A prime example of an unfortunate fail for me was Witch & Wizard by James Patterson. It’s bland, boring, and spends too much time on minute and obscure details to ever get going. It promises a powerful premise but falls hopelessly short.

Last, there’s the writing style and voice. In YA literature, which I primarily read and review, there’s a delicate balance that must be upheld at all times. There’s a misconception that YA lit needs to be dumbed down and writing in blah/boring terms because the people who read YA are sans education or far too young. Contrary to what one might think, we can handle seriousness and great prose. We can analyze the themes properly. Some books, like Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, respect this and challenge our minds. Other books, like Trapped by Michael Northrop, miss the mark because they simple err on the side of youth, forgetting that we’re every bit as capable of reading and understanding powerful books and messages.

Here's what some of your fellow bloggers said makes a great novel for them:

The Book Vixen says, "It pulls me in from the get-go, never let's me go, and keeps me thinking about it long after the last page has been turned."

Linds from Bibliophile Brouhaha says, "A GREAT novel? One that takes you on the character's journey. When the story is so compelling, the voice so authentic, and the writing so solid, that you've become the character and the journey is your own."

Ginger from GReads says, "When the writer makes you forget that you're reading words on a page & the story takes a life of it's own inside your mind."

Obviously, these are my personal opinions, but without any of these elements, I have to deduct points in my reviews, which (I believe) my readers can attest to. I take no pleasure in tearing books down, but I do take great pleasure in reading challenging and unique books. Luckily for us, there are a great many fabulous books on the market today and, therefore, there is no shortage of fantastic reading.

Want to weigh in and do your own Talk to Me Tuesday post for this week? Go ahead and link up!

Heroine, Bridget Duke, rules her high school, but when she crashes her car and ends up in limbo, she must confront the people she has wronged, all of whom want her to go to hell. The outcome of these meetings will decide her final destination.
Taken from GoodReads.

Here Lies Bridget is the story of teenage Bridget who rules her small town high school by fear. She's manipulative, catty, superior, and is used to getting what she wants, when she wants it, and from whom she wants it. She never thought anyone would dare to argue back. When a series of her lies and manipulations spirals out of control and she begins to lose her grip as queen bee, Bridget makes a rash decision landing her in a limbo with a jury of her peers. Can she redeem herself in time, or will she pay the ultimate price for her actions?

I've been really excited to read Here Lies Bridget for a while now, and I was so excited to see it was on NetGalley. The story of teenage bullying is, by no means, a new story, but Here Lies Bridget takes a different approach and tackles the question of whether or not there is redemption for these bullies. Written by Paige Harbison, this story takes a new approach with an engaging voice and completely unique insight into a bullying teenager's mind.

I've got to be honest. I'm on the fence about Here Lies Bridget. In theory, it's a great story. That said, I absolutely hated Bridget. I rarely, if ever, actually hate the MC. This story presented a unique challenge for me though. Written in first person, I had to somehow get inside the head of a character I loathed. Then, as I watched her make these calculating decisions, never giving a crap thought to what her actions might cost her, suddenly when the situation turns on her, she recants. Her sudden change in demeanor...I just couldn't reconcile myself with it in such a short period of time, and I only saw it as self-preservation. I also have to admit that the character of Anna threw a wrench in the plot for me because, while I thought it was unique, I'm still confused about her interaction with the other characters.

Here Lies Bridget is a quick read, and it's really not bad, but I can't give a rave review about it. I think the ultimate problem was a pacing error. If we're meant to hate a character and see a transformation, I need time to see that transformation come about, and I just didn't. I give Here Lies Bridget a 3 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to fans of YA and contemporary fiction. This book releases on Februrary 1, 2011.

I received this book free of charge from Harlequin Teen and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

Delirium - (For Review - Thank you, HarperTeen & NetGalley) - Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

Here Lies Bridget - (For Review - Thank you, Harlequin Teen & NetGalley) - Heroine, Bridget Duke, rules her high school, but when she crashes her car and ends up in limbo, she must confront the people she has wronged, all of whom want her to go to hell. The outcome of these meetings will decide her final destination..

Branded - (For Review - Thank you, Keary Taylor) - Night after night, Jessica stands trial before a council of vindictive angels for deeds she didn’t commit. Condemnation brings a branding as they dementedly laugh and point but exaltation starts a war over her soul. These are Jessica’s nightmares. Alex is everything Jessica could ever want and she’ll do anything to be with him. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck.

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Leave me a link, and I'll be sure to check it out!