Skip to main content

Book Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

New Girl
Title: New Girl 
Author: Paige Harbison
Series: Standalone
Pages: 304
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Date of Publication: 31st January 2012
Source: netGalley
Synopsis from Goodreads: 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.


My Thoughts:
I'll start by saying I'm kind of breaking my policy just this once, for this review. I HAVE NOT READ ALL OF THIS BOOK. I got to half way and I had to give up. I don't normally review books I have not finished, as I feel it is unfair as they may miraculously become awesome towards the end, but I feel like there are things I would like to say about this, and this is the best way for me to say it without sounding like I'm having a bitchy rant on Twitter, which is not what I want to happen, because I'm not.

I LOVE boarding school stories. Emotions and dramas are often exaggerated and heightened due to friends and frenemies living together 24/7, and if they are well written, they are AWESOME. So understandably, I had high hopes for this one, and I was left extremely disappointed rather quickly. The beginning was OK - it kept me reading for the first quarter, at least, and I was intrigued as to who Becca was and what happened to her and why she suddenly left so quickly at the end of the year. But, unfortunately, the further I got through the book, the more frustrated and quite frankly disgusted at Becca I got.

Everyone at Manderly thinks that Becca is perfect. She's blonde, sexy, and has a way with people that just makes everyone fall in love with her. She truly is one of those people that they describe as, 'all the boys are in love with her, and all the girls want to be her'. Well, sort of. Everyone in the book thinks that. I certainly do not. If I'm being completely honest, I thought she was a slut. She had sex three times with two different guys within the first 30% of the book, even though she wasn't in a relationship with either guy. She then goes on to say how she doesn't want people to think she's a slut and she cares about more than just sex, but really, what else am I meant to think?

And then there's the fact that she's EXTREMELY manipulative and cocky and just generally really annoying. She's stuck up and thinks she's amazing - and she believes she can get other people to do absolutely anything for her. And to an extent, she's right (everyone else in the book is a pushover) and it just really annoyed me that she could get away with everything. It made no sense! I think it was totally unrealistic.

And then there was the new girl (who narrates the story, yet we do not find out her name until the last page, apparently (so I don't know what it is because I haven't read all the book)) so I'm just calling her NG, for New Girl. She was a bit pathetic, if I'm honest. I get that she was new to the school and I understand that she found it hard to make friends, but she just didn't really do anything. However, I did enjoy her point of view a lot more than Becca's (it's alternating dual narrative), I have to say... ;)

And it wasn't just the two main characters who I didn't like. The rest of the characters in the school were also completely unrealistic - I understand that everyone's sad because they're all missing Becca and are worried about her, but they wouldn't have such a huge hatred for a girl who was given Becca's place in a school that she'd been wanting to go to for years and years... Maybe I'm being ignorant but I just can't see that happening in real life...But then again I've never been to boarding school so I don't really know.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend New Girl. I think it had a lot of potential from the premise, and I think it *could* have been good. However, it's badly let down by poor characters and it's laden with cringe-worthy scenes that I won't go into detail of here. Maybe if you're a huge fan of YA contemporary dramas then this would be your thing, but it most definitely wasn't mine. I've linked some reviews of this book below from people who've enjoyed it more than I did, so you can decide for yourself whether or not to read this book.

*Thanks to netGalley and HarlequinTEEN for allowing me access to this galley in exchange for an honest review. In no way has this affected my opinion of the book. 


Other reviews of New Girl:
aLmYbNeNr
My Keeper Shelf
Books With Bite
Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic
Butterfly-o-meter

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on NEW GIRL. I'm one of the people who enjoyed the book. I really liked the drama. I agree Becca was more than annoying and disgusting, but I did like the new girl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a YA rewrite of "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, but judging from your reaction, it sounds like it wasn't done very subtly or successfully. Have you read the original? It's a fantastic, creepy, gothic book - but I just hope that this version won't have ruined it for you if you haven't read it yet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I didn't like the start either but I persisted with it and thought it ended up being pretty good. (I haven't read Rebecca, but keep meaning to.)

    http://www.yayeahyeah.com/2012/01/monday-musings-review-of-new-girl-by.html if you want to take a look at my thoughts - you never know, you might decide it's worth giving it another go. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for commenting! :D I love comments, so comment away! :D

*I am no longer accepting blog awards :( I do not have time to go through all the things that come with it, and though I'm honoured you thought of me, I'm sure you can find someone who will love it, and be able to carry out the rules :)

Popular posts from this blog

REVIEW: A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

Hello all! Hope you're all enjoying the summer! I'm currently on holiday in a huge castle in the South of France and enjoying relaxing, playing games, and of course reading a lot!  Today's post is a review of a dreamy summer romance that's perfect for your holiday TBRs! Title:  A Sky Painted Gold Author:  Laura Wood Series:   n/a Pages:   356 Publisher:  Scholastic Date of Publication:  5th July, 2018 Source:  Publisher for review* Synopsis from Goodreads: Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams. But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... And is there something darker lurking at the

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went Author: Gayle Forman Series: If I Stay #2 Pages: 260 Publisher: Random House Date of UK Publication: April 28th 2011 Source: Borrowed from friend Synopsis from Goodreads: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever. Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future and each other. Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance. My Thoughts: Where She Went continues the story from If I

REVIEW: Floored by Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood

Good morning! Hope you're having a good week! Today I have a review for one of the biggest titles at YALC this year. Title:  Floored Author:  Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood Series:  n/a Pages:   320 Publisher:  Macmillan Date of Publication:  12th July, 2018 Synopsis from Goodreads: When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shoul