Private

Fifteen-year-old Reed Brennan wins a scholarship to the prestigious Easton Academy - a move that will take her away from her cruel pill-popping mother and into a life of glamor. But Reed soon realizes it will take more than attendance to be accepted at Easton - she struggles in her classes, with her wardrobe, and with the other students. And soon she realizes that the key to acceptance at Easton lies with the Billings girls - the smartest, most beautiful, most powerful girls in school. And Reed will do anything to join their inner circle.

This is fairly typical teen chicklit fare. Reed will do anything to be accepted by the popular crowd, and they soon put that to the test through a series of hazing rituals from the demeaning (maid show more work, fetching them food, etc.) to the more sinister, not to mention breaking up with her new boyfriend of whom the Billings girls do not approve.

I was disappointed in Reed. I understood her need to get away from her mother, her need to be popular, but for me she certainly went too far to get it. She was downright cruel to her parents and to other kids at the behest of girls who couldn't even be bothered to be somewhat nice to her. Even when she stood up for herself, she soon slid back into toady territory with the explanation that she 'needed' their approval lest she end up a nobody from this prestigious school.

All told, I didn't much approve of the message or the main characters, so I didn't see much to like here. Absolutely nothing new or special about it. show less

There wasn't enough substance in this book for me. It was a quick read, and for the most part enjoyable, but the main character was too two-dimensional. I had no idea just WHY, for a girl who was supposed to be so smart, Reed was determined to get in with the Billings girls. The reader also gets no indication of why the Billings girls would bother with a lowly sophomore, who also happened to be the new girl. This book could easily have been at least fifty pages longer and been better for it.

Private by Kate Brian is a dramatic, teenage angst drama perfect for the Young Adult audience.

This novel is a great turn in the Young Adult genre. Why? Because it's not supernatural. I love that this book is not part of the supernatural trend, and it is all about teenagers and their petty drama.

We follow 15 year old Reid Brennan in Easton Academy where she is a scholarship student among many rich kids. It is full of the typical teenage drama - popular cliches, boys, silly drama, high school angst and gossip.

It is entirely what you expect it to be - dramatic and fun! An outside girl is trying to fit in with the popular girls, and of course she will do whatever she wants to be apart of them! And of course you throw a hot, bad boy into show more the mix and the drama and gossip gets juicier.

I absolutely loved this book. It moves at a fast pace - something is always happening! Sometimes it's romance, sometimes it's drama, sometimes it's both! But it doesn't leave you feeling bored!!

I find it hard to pick up a Young Adult novel that doesn't go on and on about plot lines we don't actually need. Private gets to the point, pulling every piece of drama out of Kate Brian's magical dramatic bag.

It does have it's low points - our main character does not have a back bone like many teens to do today. She is pushed around easily and her emotions get the best of her. School work isn't mentioned that much, but in a soap opera type book who cares about the grades and studying parts of Reid's "real life"?

It's a great read for someone who wants a teenage soap opera. It is for sure, very entertaining!

I would suggest it to anyone who likes novels such as Pretty Little Liars, but with less murder. If you are not interested in petty drama, silly high school drama and soap opera like plot lines, it is not the book for you. It is a book that requires little thought to read, and I find it great only for the amusement - I don't have to follow any crazy plot lines or insane theories. It's just a soap opera! So do not expect Gone Girl with plot twists and awesome endings. It is definitely your cookie cutter drama. Our main character is going to complain about being a teenage girl and she's not going to try to change. Our cast of characters are all very cookie cutter as well, we don't have any awesome background stories - this book isn't going to be made into an Oscar-worthy movie, that's for sure.

This book would sit well with young readers - it's the type of book they need at aged 13ish. It's relatable to that age group, but if you are an older teen or an adult it will seem pretty lame. It's not realistic to the adult mind, but to a pre-teen reader who deals with this type of drama at school, it'll hit a home run right to home base.

It's quick. It's scandalous. And it's mindless for the adult reader.

Four out of five stars! I would love to pick up the next book soon! show less

a very fun read. light and quick, it's easy to slide right into Reed's life as she works her away around a new school - a new boarding school that is! - and around the ins and outs of friendship, love and trying to keep her grades up.

It's very light so it doens't go in to too much detail about boarding school life. This is Reed's sophmore year and the first time she's away from her parents 24/7. Not that her homelife is so great.

But, of course, there is the 'it' crowd of girls. There's the hot bad boy Thomas that she bumps into on day one. There's a roommate that barely pauses for breathe. There's eating etiquette (jeez! who knew?!)

Reed was a very likable character and the story was compelling me to keep flipping the pages. I can't show more wait for the rest of the series.

I'm a little worried, though, that the end made it sounds like this is possibly going in a paranormal direction - not something I was anticipating....

and, OMG, if Noelle calls her glass-licker one more time! GRR! And Thomas....I'm torn between feeling bad for him and agreeing with Noelle's assessment that he's danger! show less

Tradition, Honor, Excellence...and secrets so dark they're almost invisible...

Fifteen-year-old Reed Brennan wins a scholarship to Easton Academy -- the golden ticket away from her pill-popping mother and run-of-the-mill suburban life. But when she arrives on the beautiful, tradition-steeped campus of Easton, everyone is just a bit more sophisticated, a bit more gorgeous, and a lot wealthier than she ever thought possible. Reed realizes that even though she has been accepted to Easton, Easton has not accepted her. She feels like she's on the outside, looking in.

Until she meets the Billings Girls.

Reed uses every part of herself -- the good, the bad, the beautiful -- to get closer to the Billings Girls. Will Reed regret all that she has show more given up to try and get in with these girls? Will she recover her inner strength and find a place at Easton apart from them? Or will the Billings Girls find that they have more in common than otherwise with Reed Brennan, and let her into their fold as a real friend?

She quickly discovers that inside their secret parties and mountains of attitude, hanging in their designer clothing-packed closets the Billings Girls have skeletons. And they'll do anything to keep their secrets private.

I couldn't put this book down. This is one of the most entertaining YA books I have recently read. It is readable from beginning to end. Gossip Girl and other chick lit series couldn't possibly hold a candle. Ultimate guilty pleasure for bitch lit :)

Book Details:

Title Private (Private, Book 1)
Author Kate Brian
Reviewed By Purplycookie show less

This is by no means my kind of book. It's a blatant girly book, and it screams Gossip Girls. I got it as a present last year and just got around to picking it up- wanting a light read.

It basically features 16 year old Reed, who moves away from her dysfunctional family to a posh, private school on a partial scholarship. Naturally, she's willing to do anything to fit in there.

It really, really surprised me. I was absolutely sucked in from the beginning. I thought Reed was very likable (though she could do with not changing her mind so often) and the plot kept me wanting to read more.

I'm not a major fan of the cliff-hanger ending, because I'd love to see what happens next, but it's a long series and I'm not sure I really want to read it. show more

I would, however, like to know what Brian's editor was on while going through this one. The mistakes throughout were just ridiculous. I fail to see how an ''I'' goes without being capitalized, or how sentences can be missing fairly vital words.

Over all though, very impressed with this one. show less

Warning: Review may contain spoilers!

Reed Brennan desperately wants to escape her hometown of Crofton, PA. Her mother suffered a tragic accident and now pops pills and drinks away her pain. She takes most of her suffering out on Reed. Meanwhile Reed’s father tries to hold the family together, but Reed knows this is a burden for her dad. When she’s offered a scholarship to Easton Academy, she knows this is her opportunity to leave and live the life she’s always dreamed about.

The first day she stepped foot on campus, she felt she was out of her league. The other students were different than her peers at her former high school. Suddenly doubts fill her mind and she begins to wonder if Croton, PA is her fate after all.

While walking show more back to her dorm, she meets Thomas Pearson, the most popular (and gorgeous) senior on campus. Reed is immediately attracted to him and secretly wishes she’ll run into him again.

It’s not until her chance glimpse of the “mysterious girls” that things start to turn around for Reed. She learns their true identities during a meal in the cafeteria: Noelle, Ariana, Kiran and Taylor AKA the Billings Girls.

Billings House is the dorm on campus. If you’re fortunate to live there, then you are set for life. All the girls want to be a Billings Girls. Much to Reed’s amazement, she wants to befriend them as well. These girls represent everything that Reed doesn’t have: wealth, beauty, power, confidence and loyalty. Due to her home life, Reed isolated herself from her peers and did not have social relationships. Now that she’s at Easton, she’s realizing she has missed out on a major part of being a teenage girl.

The Billings Girls take an interest in Reed as well, and before Reed knows it, she has become part of their group (well on the peripheral). There is a price to be one of them. These girls begin to ask Reed to steal an exam, break up with a guy and any other demeaning task they can think of. As Reed struggles to belong to their group and do what’s right, she begins to wonder if their friendship (if indeed it is friendship) is worth it.

Meanwhile, her relationship with Thomas develops and soon they become a couple. Things are going well with them, until Reed learns Thomas’s secret. Devastated that he lied to her, she ends their relationship, but isn’t sure if she did the right thing. He attempts to explain to her why he did not confide in her and wants to get back together. The Billings Girls tell her she’s better off without him and makes her promise to have nothing to do with him. Reed finds herself torn between these new feelings for Thomas and wanting to secure her place with the Billing Girls.

Just as Reed makes her decision, Thomas goes missing and one of the Billings Girls is expelled from Easton for cheating. Which means there’s a spot open. . . in the Billings House. Will Reed be the next Billings Girl?

I really liked this book! I was immediately hooked with Reed’s humble background versus the entitlement of the Billings Girls. Although I didn’t agree with the decisions that Reed made, it was hard not to empathize with her. Reed is so desparate to be a “normal” girl and leave her past behind, that this often clouded her judgment. Following her conscience repeatedly conflicted with the goal of becoming the next Billings Girl.

I liked that the book ended with a cliff hanger. So where is Thomas? Will Reed fill the open spot in the house? What was the real reason behind the expulsion of the former Billings Girl? To be continued in. . . Invitation Only. show less