The Clique Series

Lisi Harrison
Little, Brown & CompanyFictionISBN: 0316701297
220 pages

The Clique(The Clique #1)
Rich girl Massie is ticked off. She's missing out on her friends' Labor Day shopping spree and spa visit, because her father's friend is moving into their guesthouse with his family. Just because their daughter, Claire, is starting seventh grade at Massie's school, Massie is expected to pal around with her. Never mind that the new girl is a loser in old Keds and overalls who will never fit into Massie's tight circle. So that friend thing? It's never going to happen.Meanwhile, Claire is nervous. Westchester, New York seems like a new planet compared to Orlando, Florida. And Massie and her friends are the opposite of welcoming. At school, Claire finds all the students dressed identically, and expensively. Massie's group is all about designer wear --- a whole new concept for Claire.Massie's friends do a number on Claire, including viciously sneaking dabs of red paint onto the back of Claire's white jeans. When Claire's embarrassed male teacher sends her directly to the nurse's office, Massie's friends give her the wrong directions, sending her bumbling into the photography class darkroom.The clique continues in its unrelentingly cruel tricks on Claire. Claire, however, earns a certain secret grudging respect by handling the harassment with graceful pride. Massie would never admit it to anyone, but she starts to feel a tiny magnetic pull to the new girl, and even feels the slightest twinge of remorse at the way she and her friends treat her. That doesn't change their behavior, though.In the meantime, Claire wishes deep down that Massie and her pals could be her friends. Instead, she buddies up with fun and funny Layne, who is also not A-list. That friendship ends, though, when Massie steals Claire's new (and only) friend.Claire enjoys the rare occasions when she is accepted into Massie's group, but she inevitably pays for the pleasure by being targeted with mean pranks by them afterward. Claire's grace under pressure finally cracks, and she deals Massie some payback, sinking low for revenge.THE CLIQUE is a fun, fast read. The girls slowly reveal that they are more than the cardboard characters they appear to be. Claire is classy and intelligent, but occasionally shows some lapses in judgment. Massie and her friends gradually let slip intriguing hints that they are not quite the shallow monsters they seem.Any girl who has struggled with wanting to fit in will no doubt gobble this book down, while eagerly reaching for the next one in the series. What will happen next with Claire and Massie? Stay tuned.

Best Friends For Never(The Clique #2)
Lisi Harrison
Little, Brown & CompanyFictionISBN: 0316701319
208 pages
As we learned in the previous book, THE CLIQUE, Massie is queen of the seventh-grade social scene. She smugly takes her royalty for granted until the day she overhears a girl saying that Massie is "so over." In alarm, Massie decides that she absolutely must host a boy-girl Halloween party to maintain her status, but she knows her mother will never go for it. Then she comes up with a plan. Her parents want her to be friends with Claire --- who is currently living in their guesthouse --- in the worst way. Hmmm.Claire and Layne continue to be tight, but Claire secretly still yearns to be part of Massie's in-group. Then Massie comes to her with a proposal: pretend they're friends and their delighted parents will give them anything their hearts desire, which just happens to be that Halloween party, complete with boys. Claire, who is ready to find a boyfriend, agrees.Score! The parents fall for the "friends'" party idea. Massie is ecstatic until her pal Alicia informs her that kissing games are always played at boy-girl parties. Massie secretly panics at the very idea, while remaining outwardly cool.Massie also worries when two of her friends argue viciously over a boy. If her clique splits up, then she'll no longer be the A-list leader, party or no party. Massie panics when Alicia starts hanging out with Olivia, a girl from outside the clique --- the horror! Massie surely isn't going to let Olivia into her group, so what's going to happen to her friendship with Alicia?When Massie and her friends make a daring fashion statement at school, it backfires. The consequences are dire for the entire student body. Massie knows her reign as queen could very well be finished forever; in fact, she'll be lucky to survive the wrath of her classmates. She needs a friend, and Claire steps up to the (fashion) plate. Massie wavers...maybe the two of them actually could be true friends. But some foreshadowing suggests something --- or someone --- may come between them.Meanwhile, someone close to Massie betrays her in the most shocking and underhanded way imaginable. Revenge is in the air.BEST FRIENDS FOR NEVER is another quick, fun, enjoyable read...and this one has a perfect cliffhanger ending. So, quick! On to the next Clique book!

Revenge Of The Wannabes(The Clique #3)
Lisi Harrison
Little, Brown and CompanyFictionISBN: 0316701335
304 pages
Alicia Rivera is sick and tired of following where Massie, the head of the A-list clique, leads. Alicia wants to be known as more than "Massie Block's beautiful friend." She wants to be number one.Of course, her ditzy, gorgeous new pal Olivia will follow her anywhere. And the girls from her dance class believe Alicia is totally It. Or are they all using her to get into Massie's group? But no, they seem to truly believe Alicia could lead them.A shocking thought occurs to Alicia. She could have her OWN sleepovers. Sure, Massie has long claimed Friday night for her traditional sleepover parties consisting only of the four members of the inner circle. But maybe it's time for a change.Once Alicia commits to her own sleepovers, she is filled with sick dread. She is not only challenging Massie on the sleepover front, but she's afraid Massie will discover how Alicia and Olivia cheated her out of winning a huge contest.Sure enough, Massie calls Alicia on her defection, accusing Alicia of being an EW (eternal wannabe). Massie allows Claire to replace Alicia in the group. Massie hates Alicia. She comforts herself by obsessing about her secret crush, Cam.As contest winners, Alicia and Olivia head off to be interviewed by Teen People, where they're asked to model. Massie is absolutely livid when she finds out. It's time for revenge --- all-out war. And these girls can get down and dirty with their double-crossing, vicious insults, blackmail, eavesdropping, enlisting of spies, lying, and even rolling-on-the-ground catfights.Massie's world is rocked even further when she hears shocking news about Cam. Could it be that he might not want her? Is she turning into a loser?This third book in the Clique series continues to enthrall. Reading about Massie and her friends (and enemies) quickly becomes an addictive, guilty pleasure. So...where IS that fourth book?


Invasion Of The Wannabes(The Clique #4)
Lisi Harrison
Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 0316701343
224 pages
The fourth book in the Clique series begins with a secret. Massie knows Claire is moving away, although Claire has no idea --- and it's killing Massie! Claire is the sister Massie never had, and Massie already misses her. So when Claire's father announces the move, Claire is the shocked one.However, Massie's father talks them into staying by offering more pay and a totally rebuilt guesthouse. In the meantime, Claire's family will stay in Massie's house during the renovation. Massie is thrilled that Claire is staying, but she is NOT thrilled to have a roommate. She loves her room the way it is, plus she knows her other friends will be envious of the new living arrangements.Speaking of envy, Alicia's cousin, Nina, is visiting from Spain. She is too beautiful and way too flirtatious with Massie and Claire's crushes. All the boys are very impressed. Some of Massie's clique are also impressed with Nina's fashion style and experience with boys --- and that burns Massie up.As the Valentine's Day dance approaches, excitement bubbles through Massie's group. In order to take the guy they like to the dance, they must shoot him with a Velcro-tipped arrow. Of course, Massie has her eye on not only going with Derrington, but also for them to be crowned as the most popular couple, with the prestigious Cupid Award. However, Nina announces she can (and will) arrow every one of their crushes if the clique isn't nice to her.As the roommate situation worsens, Massie's things start vanishing. Massie turns accusatory. Can she discover who the thief is? Will she dethrone Nina?Once again, the mean girls make for intriguing reading. Although many of their actions continue to be cringe-worthy, they occasionally show a hint of heart. The frequent brand name dropping is fun (although it may date the series in the near future): Massie describes the feeling she gets around her crush as "...weak and tingly, like all the cells in her body had turned into Diet Coke bubbles...." Other amusing bits of whimsy include Claire telling fortunes with candy hearts and Kristen speaking in word jumbles ("Rorsy" for "Sorry"). The situation with the newcomer sets up some explosive reactions. It all makes for another installment of fun escape reading for Clique series fans to devour with gusto.

The PrettyCommittee Strikes Back Again(The Clique #5)
Lisi Harrison
Little Brown for Young ReadersFictionISBN-10: 0316115002ISBN-13: 9780316115001
272 pages
The story opens with great anticipation: An upcoming geography class field trip to Lake Placid has Massie and the members of TPC (The Pretty Committee) agog --- and not exactly over the pleasures of geography. The three days offer camping with the Briarwood boys. That would include, of course, Massie's crush, star goalie Derrick Harrington.TPC member Kristen can't afford the fee. When the other girls offer to help pay her way, she declares she will raise the money herself by teaching memory skills. Massie decides that she too will teach a class --- in kissing. Never mind that (only Claire knows this) Massie has actually never kissed a guy. Can she pull it off?Meanwhile, Claire is in agony over Cam breaking it off with her. Her friend Layne suggests she should go back to the old pre-TPC Claire to get him back. Although Claire knows the true reason Cam dumped her has nothing to do with the old vs. the new her, she's intrigued at the thought that it might work. Claire is so desperate, she writes Cam a poem and emails it to him.Massie's first lesson in kissing is less than successful. She decides she simply must kiss Derrick before she does any more teaching. Yet she's decidedly unsettled at the thought.At the extensive Packing List Party, during which TPC decides what to take camping, Derrick IMs Massie. He lets it slip that Josh (Claire's secret kisser and Alicia's crush) is totally into Claire. Oh no! What will happen to Claire if Alicia ever finds out? What will happen on the trip? Claire likes Cam (who hates her). Josh likes Claire. Alicia likes Josh. Can you say "the scene is set for disaster"?The girls are soon off on their boy --- oops, I mean "camping" adventure, fortified by mountains of Louis Vuitton luggage crammed with the Massie-dictated necessities (such as lavender-scented sheet spray, anti-frizz serum, and portable DVD players). But they definitely are not prepared for what comes next.This continues to be enjoyable escape reading. While the characters aren't entirely likeable, their shenanigans pull the reader in. I was mildly disappointed that the subplot about Kristen's memory classes never went anywhere; I wanted to hear more. However, I truly appreciate that Massie has her insecurities and vulnerabilities, adding a bit of depth to a mostly shallow character. THE PRETTY COMMITTEE STRIKES BACK has a shocking cliffhanger of an ending. I dare you to read it and not yearn to immediately read the next book in the series.

Dial L For Losers(The Clique#6)
Lisi Harrison
Little Brown for Young ReadersFictionISBN-10: 0316115045ISBN-13: 9780316115049
224 pages
What's happened to The Pretty Committee is the worst thing ever…or maybe, actually, the best thing ever. Yep, they've all been expelled from school after their camping trip capers. Some are suffering parental disapproval and punishment. Others not so much so (Massie's parents consider clothes shopping to be an educational experience. Sweet.)In the midst of their idle hours at Starbucks and the mall, they somehow feel just the tiniest bit aimless and bored. Massie would never admit it, but she actually experiences nostalgia for the old school days. But things are looking up when they’re invited to meet movie stars Abby Boyd and Hadley Durk, who are appearing on Dylan's mom's television show to promote their new movie, Dial L for Loser.At the studio, the girls are witness to (and, uh, actually start) a huge hullabaloo, including a food fight between the two stars. The girls return home and receive a call from the movie's producer. He's sick of movie star divas and wants The Pretty Committee to fly out (on a private jet) to audition for his movie! Unfortunately, only one girl will be chosen to be in the movie. Uh oh.Before you can say "Hollywood, here we come," Massie, Claire and Alicia (and a couple of incidental moms) are off to the bright lights. The jet is fantastic; the awaiting hotel suite is equally fab. At the audition, Claire feels at a distinct disadvantage. Her shirt is stained. She knows she's not a knock-out like Massie or Alicia. She also misses Cam. Massie, on the other hand, is positive she'll ace the audition. But both girls get the shock of their lives when the director chooses Claire. Massie suddenly feels like the world's biggest loser. Will she be able to rise above it, continuing to be TPC's top dog? Will Derrington still like her?There's lots of angst in a luxurious Hollywood setting, giving us another fun, fast-paced read. The ending leaves the reader wondering about the characters' future…and also wondering when that next book will be published. Soon, we hope!
It's Not Easy Being Mean (The Clique#7)
Lisi Harrison
Little Brown for Young ReadersFictionISBN-10: 0316115053ISBN-13: 9780316115056
224 pages
As the years march on, one constant changes in such a fractionally small way as to be imperceptible from one decade to the next: junior high drama. No matter where you are in the country (perhaps the world), the years between ages 12 and 15 are mentally draining for both teenagers and their parents. The Clique series by Lisi Harrison has always done a fine job of painting the reality of the daily situations encountered by wealthy 12-year-old Massie Block and her group of friends, better known as the Pretty Committee. Harrison's most recent book in the series, IT'S NOT EASY BEING MEAN, keeps up the breakneck gossip-driven pace of Massie and her friends --- Alicia Rivera, Kristen Gregory, Dylan Marvil and the slightly out-of-place Claire Lyons, the newest addition to the Pretty Committee. As the Pretty Committee prepares for their exit from seventh grade at upscale private school Octavian Country Day (OCD…I'm sure there's hidden meaning there), they encounter the opportunity of a teenage girl's lifetime --- the chance to gain access to "paradise." In this case, paradise is a mythical secret room that only a select group of eighth graders is allowed to know about, let alone enter. Finding the key and gaining entrance to the room pose a series of humorous and well-crafted problems for the spoiled young girls. While some readers, both young and old, may find the characters in IT'S NOT EASY BEING MEAN artificial and impossibly too mature for their age, it's entirely plausible to imagine their vocal styling and fashion sense to be appropriate for daughters of families whose income puts them firmly in the upper extremes of the economic bell curve. Do seventh grade girls really wear Prada and Gucci while texting on Razr phones and saying things like "ah-dorable" and "ah-mazing"? The answer is a resounding "Ohmygawd, Duh!" IT'S NOT EASY BEING MEAN will never hold the interest of boys or even girls who have left the hallowed halls of junior high behind on their quest for the even more delicate and debilitating cliques they will experience in high school. But for girls preparing to leave the world of elementary school or currently experiencing the daily chaos of hormones gone awry (aka junior high), the Clique series offers good, safe fun. Careful thought during the reading should reveal the messages that lie beneath the obvious tales presented in these books, for indeed there is much to be learned about how to lead an exciting life in junior high while avoiding the pitfalls of trying to fit in everywhere with everyone on a daily basis.

Sealed With A Diss(The Clique #8)
Lisi Harrison
Little, Brown for Young ReadersISBN-10: 0316115061ISBN-13: 9780316115063
272 pages
The Pretty Committee will fall heir to the incredible secret room under Octavian Country Day School --- but only if they can bring suitable dates to eighth-grader alpha female Skye's costume party. The P.C. must win the room because it is wired to broadcast the Briarwood Boys' sensitivity training classes, in which they talk about their feelings. The room holds the key to Massie becoming a boy expert, not to mention actually gaining a clue into her own interactions with boys she is interested in. Massie figures that she and Claire have the date thing covered. Massie can ask Derrington; Claire can ask Cam. But they immediately run into problems. Derrington acts way too immaturely to impress Skye and her friends, while Claire finds incriminating evidence that links Cam with someone named Nikki. Another complication arises when Skye insists that Massie deliver horse-loving hottie Chris Abeley to her as Skye's date for the party. This turns into a complicated love triangle because, unknown to Skye, there is major electricity between Massie and Chris. When Skye commands Massie to have Chris call her so she can invite him to her party, Massie negotiates. She talks Skye into letting her have access to the secret room to watch the boys for 45 minutes twice a week. Imagine Massie's shock when Skye informs her that, unless she successfully match-makes Chris with Skye, the Pretty Committee will never have ownership of the secret room. Chris continues to be oblivious to Skye's charms while becoming more besotted with Massie. Before you can say "mocha suede Miu Miu clogs," Massie finds herself in an impossibly worsening predicament. Can she pull off the Chris/Skye feat, thus procuring the secret room for the Pretty Committee --- or is she doomed to lose her alpha status forever? As might be expected, SEALED WITH A DISS is another fast food feast of a read, peppered liberally with brand names and current teen pop references. Yet the series' savvy readers will detect a hefty kernel of nourishment under the fluff, as the girls contemplate the morality (and karma) of privacy invasion.

Brattfest At Tiffany's(The Clique#9)
Lisi Harrison
Poppy/Little, Brown for Young ReadersISBN: 9780316006804
256 pages
The Pretty Committee is back and ready to become the alphas of the eighth grade. OCD --- that is, Octavian Country Day --- had better be ready.Except that OCD is no more. It has been replaced by BOCD. The local boys' school, Briarwood, has joined forces with OCD because their school has flooded. Massie and her girls are worried that the boys will automatically become the school's new alphas just because the OCD girls will be too boy crazy for them not to. So Massie devises a plan: the Pretty Committee will become the New Pretty Committee, and she, Dylan, Kristen, Alicia and Claire pledge to be on a boyfast all year. They will let no boy tear them away from the more important things in life --- fashion, beauty, and each other. Massie even has Tiffany's charm bracelets made for each NPC member so they won't forget their pledge.However, staying away from boys is harder than it sounds --- especially for Alicia and Claire. Alicia has a crush on Josh, who likes her back, and Claire can't figure out how to make her ex, Cam, jealous without it looking like she’s interested in him.To make matters worse, BOCD just isn't big enough to hold everyone from two schools. So a handful of students are sent to the "overflow trailers," yucky portables that function as one-room schoolhouses, keeping Massie, Dylan, Kristen and Claire (but not Alicia!) away from the rest of the school. Leave it to the NPC to find a way to make over not only the trailers, but the undesirable students who cohabitate them.BRATFEST AT TIFFANY'S is another clever Clique novel, with accented dialogue (Massie's "Oh my Gawd" begins to get on your nerves, but it’s cutely inserted into every word with that vowel sound) and trademark insult-questions ("Do you work for an American Airlines counter?"/"No"/"Then why are you checking our bags?"). Although not as re-readable as the beginning of the series was (the NPC, even if revamped, just doesn’t seem to be growing), this ninth installment is perfect for a quick beach read.