What do you think?
Rate this book
Private #1
Private
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.
They are the most beautiful, intelligent, and intensely confident girls on campus. And they know it. They hold all the power in a world where power is fleeting but means everything. Reed vows to do whatever it takes to be accepted into their inner circle.
Reed uses every part of herself—the good, the bad, the beautiful—to get closer to the Billings Girls. 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.
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.
They are the most beautiful, intelligent, and intensely confident girls on campus. And they know it. They hold all the power in a world where power is fleeting but means everything. Reed vows to do whatever it takes to be accepted into their inner circle.
Reed uses every part of herself—the good, the bad, the beautiful—to get closer to the Billings Girls. 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.
227 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2006
About the author
Kate Brian
48 books2,294 followersKate Brian is the author of the SHADOWLANDS TRILOGY (SHADOWLANDS, HEREAFTER & ENDLESS), as well as the New York Times bestselling PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, and the wildly popular MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS. She also writes teen fiction under the name Kieran Scott.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,197 reviews
February 20, 2009
Reading this book was mild torture.
The protagonist Reed Brennan is extremely flawed and one-dimensional. She truly has no redeeming qualities, interests or goals. Readers learn that she hates her home life and that she wants to become a Billings Girl, an elite group of 3rd and 4th year students who live in a special dorm. Her obsession with them is trite and poorly written. I kept waiting for her to grow a spine or to evolve even slightly. Apparently, this happens in book two, three, or four in the series. I am not sure.
This novel could have been as entertaining as certain films that feature teen cliques and/or high society teens. But, "Private" lacks the humor of "Mean Girls," the darkness of "Heathers," the steamy drama of "Cruel Intentions," and the fun of "Clueless." Kate Brian failed to use her imagination. I was bored.
The protagonist Reed Brennan is extremely flawed and one-dimensional. She truly has no redeeming qualities, interests or goals. Readers learn that she hates her home life and that she wants to become a Billings Girl, an elite group of 3rd and 4th year students who live in a special dorm. Her obsession with them is trite and poorly written. I kept waiting for her to grow a spine or to evolve even slightly. Apparently, this happens in book two, three, or four in the series. I am not sure.
This novel could have been as entertaining as certain films that feature teen cliques and/or high society teens. But, "Private" lacks the humor of "Mean Girls," the darkness of "Heathers," the steamy drama of "Cruel Intentions," and the fun of "Clueless." Kate Brian failed to use her imagination. I was bored.
October 1, 2019
quality literature, luv
November 4, 2012
NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN!ABSOLUTELY AWFUL! I only read this book coz I lost a bet and I swear it was the worst punishment I've ever gotten.
This book made me want to claw my eyes out within the first three pages. All she cares about is what other people think of her and what she can do to fit in. Reed basically copies everything everyone does and spends her time reassuring herself that she belongs at Easton. She moans and moans about how she has to stay at Easton because she can't go back home. Her life at home is too bad and she has to make life at Easton work because it's her only option. Okay fine whatever but then she she sees the Billings Girls and they're SOOOOOOOO amazing she has to become one of them. They are her ONLY chance of becoming popular and likable in her school.
She spends her time wishing she could be a part of Billings and lets that distract her from her work. I have to say that this is book different in some aspect because instead of whining and whinging about a boy she's doing that with the Billings Girls. Instead of worrying why a guy hasn't called her back and what she had done wrong, she done that with the Billings Girls! and I'm just like ARGHHHHH! GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE! You only went to that school to get away from your mother and your old life and to get a fresh start! You didn't go there for the Billings Girls!The way she described the girls in the book is just plain wrong! I questioned her sexuality more than a few times while I was reading the book.
"They just wanted some new girl they could order around. Well, fine. If that's what it took, that's what I would do"
"And I had to be invited back. I had to be. I'd get them breakfast every morning, I'd endure this lump of humiliation in my chest everyday, if they would just invite me back."
ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Can you spell D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-I-O-N??!!!!!!!!!! They're making fun of her and ordering her around and she's like "it's fine because I want to be accepted" She lost the shred of self-respect she had left when she did that. How can you be that desperate to fit in??!! It's despicable, degrading and absolutely deplorable!!!!!!!! she should have said "do I look like I was brought on this Earth to serve you coffee?" not "would you like anything else?"!!!!!! When the Billings Girls tell her to jump all she can say is how high?
She seems to think she will be instantly liked and all her problems will be solved once she becomes one of them. After what they did to Kiran, one of their own, she still wanted to be like them. That's the kin of person she wants to become.
Even after they didn't invite her back she wanted to sit there again! WHY WHY WHY WHY!!!!!! So they can make derogatory comments at her and make her feel even more insecure? I think she love it. When they tear her apart and make her feel like nothing because I can't fathom why else she would WANT to to back there.
"I sighed and glanced over at the Billings table, wondering how I was going to take a whole year of eating three meals a day over here when I had already experienced what it was like to be over there."
What exactly did she experience??!!!! Them ordering her around and throwing acerbic comments in her direction. Reed was so obsequious in this book it made me sick to my stomach!
"Why didn't she stand up for herself?"
SERIOUSLY?! SERIOUSLY?! What because Kiran was sooooooooo other worldly, she was the only one that could stand up to Noelle? After what she saw Noelle do to Kiran she wanted to be apart of Billings!!!! She reached new levels of desperation in that part of the book.
The plot was mediocre, the characters were detestable. I wanted to die just to escape from reading the book! DO NOT PICK THIS BOOK UP AT THE LIBRARY! DO NOT BUY IT FOR YOUR CHILD! AND DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! SPEND YOUR MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOUR EYES BLEED!
September 23, 2013
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET TORTURED.
Never, EVER, EVER in my life have a read such a naive character! Reed Brennan, the main character (our point of view), is bitchy, annoying, shallow,and fu*king DESPERATE.
Why? Because throughout the book ALL Reed whined about was how she wanted to be one of those plastic barbie dolls.
Someone please blow my brains out.
227 pages, 227 PAGES. Can someone kindly explain to me how this story (or SERIES) got published?
There was no sign of growth that Reed had gotten to her senses, the fact that she used Thomas around to get to the Billings girls, or that she even gave a f*ck about her other friends, Constance and Missy.
WHAT. THE. F*CK.
The fact that Thomas was actually begging to be apologised when at the night of the woods, EVERYTHING HE WAS SAYING WHILE HE WAS DRUNK WAS RIGHT.
Another thing, did anyone notice how much the author used quote on quote "My heart went out to _______." ?
The fuck is this piece of shit that I just read?
So okay, the first time you said it, it was cool. But WHEN YOU SAY IT AT LEAST FIVE TIMES, IT'S NOT COOL, IT'S NOT CHILL, IT'S FU*KING ANNOYING.
Bullshi*. Just bullsh*t.
Never, EVER, EVER in my life have a read such a naive character! Reed Brennan, the main character (our point of view), is bitchy, annoying, shallow,and fu*king DESPERATE.
Why? Because throughout the book ALL Reed whined about was how she wanted to be one of those plastic barbie dolls.
Someone please blow my brains out.
227 pages, 227 PAGES. Can someone kindly explain to me how this story (or SERIES) got published?
There was no sign of growth that Reed had gotten to her senses, the fact that she used Thomas around to get to the Billings girls, or that she even gave a f*ck about her other friends, Constance and Missy.
WHAT. THE. F*CK.
The fact that Thomas was actually begging to be apologised when at the night of the woods, EVERYTHING HE WAS SAYING WHILE HE WAS DRUNK WAS RIGHT.
Another thing, did anyone notice how much the author used quote on quote "My heart went out to _______." ?
The fuck is this piece of shit that I just read?
So okay, the first time you said it, it was cool. But WHEN YOU SAY IT AT LEAST FIVE TIMES, IT'S NOT COOL, IT'S NOT CHILL, IT'S FU*KING ANNOYING.
Bullshi*. Just bullsh*t.
April 14, 2016
I'm in the process of rereading all my old favorite books from high school and I am so amused. This wasn't particularly great but this whole series is BOOK CRACK. It's appealing in the same way as the show PLL is. I just can't stop. If you want something super quick and scandalous, this is it.
November 9, 2016
This was quite a slow contemporary story about a girl starting at a new private boarding school.
Reed was an okay character, but I didn’t really get where her obsession with the ‘Billings Girls’ came from! One minute she was just starting a new school, and the next she just couldn’t get over her infatuation with these mean girls.
The storyline in this was about Reed starting at a new school, and wanting to be in a clique of girls called the ‘Billings Girls’ who lived in a specific house on campus. We also got a little bit of romance, but mostly the story was about the Billings Girls getting Reed to do random things for them, including stealing tests! That being said, it didn’t seem like much happened in this book, and the pace was pretty slow.
The ending to this was quite abrupt, and I wasn’t quite sure I believed what happened.
6 out of 10
Reed was an okay character, but I didn’t really get where her obsession with the ‘Billings Girls’ came from! One minute she was just starting a new school, and the next she just couldn’t get over her infatuation with these mean girls.
The storyline in this was about Reed starting at a new school, and wanting to be in a clique of girls called the ‘Billings Girls’ who lived in a specific house on campus. We also got a little bit of romance, but mostly the story was about the Billings Girls getting Reed to do random things for them, including stealing tests! That being said, it didn’t seem like much happened in this book, and the pace was pretty slow.
The ending to this was quite abrupt, and I wasn’t quite sure I believed what happened.
6 out of 10
August 2, 2020
OoOoOo…it’s starting to feel like high school again! I started reading this series when I was in high school, and my oh my was I HOOKED. I recently found this series again and figured I would relive the overly dramatic and pretentious characters that make up this wonderfully snooty tale. It’s the story we all know and love, a scholarship girl comes to a prestigious academy and chases after the rich and popular preps that inhabit it…and don’t forget the scandals!
Reed Brennan has just been accepted at Easton Academy on scholarship, and the chance to get away from her family couldn’t have come sooner. Coming from Pennsylvania and from a family that just barely makes it financially, Reed is about to enter a world where money and power is everything. Soon after her arrival at Easton, Reed comes face to face with the elite “Billing Girls” who have the entire campus wrapped around their fingers. Unfortunately for Reed, her first impression with the girls is anything but positive, and she finds herself in the firing range of the girls tormenting and dangerous requests. Determined to make a place for herself and enter Billings, Reed goes to extreme lengths to become accepted.
So let’s start with Reed, our wonderful main character. To me she feels…how shall I put this…desperate? I am constantly rolling my eyes at this girl for allowing this HORRIBLE girls to treat her like they do. They are VICIOUS. Though she did stick up for herself once or twice, the reader will constantly find her cowering down to Noelle and the rest of the Billings girls. Though when I do think back to what it was like in high school, I can understand her actions to a point. The need to be accepted among your peers, especially females, is crazy. Plus if Reed can infiltrate Billings, she will then have the world at her finger tips.
As Reed becomes consumed in the upscale lifestyle and mysterious Billing girls, she is also enraptured by the gorgeous Thomas. Thomas is surrounded by the popular crowd but it doesn’t take him long to start chasing after Reed. Thomas has a wonderful “bad boy” feeling about him, so it is no wonder that this is the first male character that us female readers will fall in love with. What becomes of their relationship is shocking, and this is where our story will truly pick up and start to become dark and twisted.
This series is PACKED with scandals and dirty little secrets. Think gossip girl, but at a boarding school where everyone just gossips to each other. Most of the characters in this story come from a lot of money and have family members that had previously attended Easton, making many of these characters “legacies”. With such money and power surrounding our main character Reed, it’s obvious that there is bound to be some trouble afoot. I guarantee that you guys will FLY though this Series. I am already on book 6 and I still can’t put these down. Though I would have LOVED to do a review of each book, which just doesn’t seem possible with how quickly I am devouring this series again.
Reed Brennan has just been accepted at Easton Academy on scholarship, and the chance to get away from her family couldn’t have come sooner. Coming from Pennsylvania and from a family that just barely makes it financially, Reed is about to enter a world where money and power is everything. Soon after her arrival at Easton, Reed comes face to face with the elite “Billing Girls” who have the entire campus wrapped around their fingers. Unfortunately for Reed, her first impression with the girls is anything but positive, and she finds herself in the firing range of the girls tormenting and dangerous requests. Determined to make a place for herself and enter Billings, Reed goes to extreme lengths to become accepted.
So let’s start with Reed, our wonderful main character. To me she feels…how shall I put this…desperate? I am constantly rolling my eyes at this girl for allowing this HORRIBLE girls to treat her like they do. They are VICIOUS. Though she did stick up for herself once or twice, the reader will constantly find her cowering down to Noelle and the rest of the Billings girls. Though when I do think back to what it was like in high school, I can understand her actions to a point. The need to be accepted among your peers, especially females, is crazy. Plus if Reed can infiltrate Billings, she will then have the world at her finger tips.
As Reed becomes consumed in the upscale lifestyle and mysterious Billing girls, she is also enraptured by the gorgeous Thomas. Thomas is surrounded by the popular crowd but it doesn’t take him long to start chasing after Reed. Thomas has a wonderful “bad boy” feeling about him, so it is no wonder that this is the first male character that us female readers will fall in love with. What becomes of their relationship is shocking, and this is where our story will truly pick up and start to become dark and twisted.
This series is PACKED with scandals and dirty little secrets. Think gossip girl, but at a boarding school where everyone just gossips to each other. Most of the characters in this story come from a lot of money and have family members that had previously attended Easton, making many of these characters “legacies”. With such money and power surrounding our main character Reed, it’s obvious that there is bound to be some trouble afoot. I guarantee that you guys will FLY though this Series. I am already on book 6 and I still can’t put these down. Though I would have LOVED to do a review of each book, which just doesn’t seem possible with how quickly I am devouring this series again.
July 21, 2017
I had expected to love this because I usually love boarding-school genres. I loved Enid Blyton’s The Twins at St Clare's and First Term at Malory Towers series. I also managed to read up to 10 books of the Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal (stopping finally when it felt repetitive), marveling at how easy and relatable they were to read. But Private just didn’t make it. It was an easy read, but the story was just out of place, I’m not sure I’ll read the rest or give it another chance.
THE STORY
Private tells the story through the eyes of Reed Brennan, who is admitted to Easton Academy, one of the top-ranked institutions in the country. Reed had never had many friends at her old school, so she wants to fit in at Easton real bad. She meets Constance, her blabbering roommate, and with her, the Billboard Girls. They’re the ‘cool’ girls at Easton’s. They live in a separate dormitory, excel at basically everything, and have colleges lined up behind them.
Reed somehow gets invited to sit for lunch with them once, and she is determined to do all it takes to stay. But Thomas, the boy she has a crush on, thinks that the Billboard girls are not worth her time and the girls in turn, thinks he is a douchebag. But Reed wants to make it all work, make the two odd ends meet.
WHY IT WAS BAD
○▪ Reed. The main protagonist was the narrator of the story but she didn’t even make her presence noticeable. She had very few dialogues and her personality, I’d rather not say. She is a spineless, self-depreciating idiot. Her obsessive stalking of the Billboard Girls was annoying, and so was the way she practically threw herself at Thomas. I’m sorry, but I prefer charismatic, confident girls. For me, Reed’s voice was just bland and forced.
○▪ The plot was a bit overdone. Everything was just about the Billboard girls and how cool they were (for reasons beyond me) and in the whole fuss, Reed just muted into the background.
○▪ Character development was zero. I’d falsely hoped that as the story progressed, Reed would pull herself up, grow a bit of confidence. But no, she was just the same as was everyone else.
WHAT WAS GOOD ABOUT IT
○▪ Constance, Reed’s roommate. She was the only fairly lovable character I could cling to, but she barely made any appearance throughout the book.
○▪The genre. The first reason I felt compelled to read this book. But this book belongs to the lower caste of the genre.
○▪ The fact that it got over quickly.
THE STORY
Private tells the story through the eyes of Reed Brennan, who is admitted to Easton Academy, one of the top-ranked institutions in the country. Reed had never had many friends at her old school, so she wants to fit in at Easton real bad. She meets Constance, her blabbering roommate, and with her, the Billboard Girls. They’re the ‘cool’ girls at Easton’s. They live in a separate dormitory, excel at basically everything, and have colleges lined up behind them.
Reed somehow gets invited to sit for lunch with them once, and she is determined to do all it takes to stay. But Thomas, the boy she has a crush on, thinks that the Billboard girls are not worth her time and the girls in turn, thinks he is a douchebag. But Reed wants to make it all work, make the two odd ends meet.
WHY IT WAS BAD
○▪ Reed. The main protagonist was the narrator of the story but she didn’t even make her presence noticeable. She had very few dialogues and her personality, I’d rather not say. She is a spineless, self-depreciating idiot. Her obsessive stalking of the Billboard Girls was annoying, and so was the way she practically threw herself at Thomas. I’m sorry, but I prefer charismatic, confident girls. For me, Reed’s voice was just bland and forced.
○▪ The plot was a bit overdone. Everything was just about the Billboard girls and how cool they were (for reasons beyond me) and in the whole fuss, Reed just muted into the background.
○▪ Character development was zero. I’d falsely hoped that as the story progressed, Reed would pull herself up, grow a bit of confidence. But no, she was just the same as was everyone else.
WHAT WAS GOOD ABOUT IT
○▪ Constance, Reed’s roommate. She was the only fairly lovable character I could cling to, but she barely made any appearance throughout the book.
○▪The genre. The first reason I felt compelled to read this book. But this book belongs to the lower caste of the genre.
○▪ The fact that it got over quickly.
March 21, 2009
I was mortified by Private. No, not because I looked deep into myself and saw some of the traits of the protagonist, because it was dumb. I'd heard many good things about the book until finally I cracked and got it from the library.
It was a total waste of time. Here's the plot (or my interpretation):
Poor Reed has a problem (okay, a few problems). She has a barely-mentioned druggie mom who absolutely traumatizes her, so she heads of to a private school. Sounds great, right? But she has no interests except for flirting with a hot guy who she just happens to meet on the first day and ogling a school clique, the Billings Girls. These Billings Girls, they're so glamorous and enigmatic. Reed would do anything to be "friends" with these girls. Who wouldn't want to be in a group where no one is happy, not even the one who makes the rules? They're so AWESOME, who wants to have relationships with all these other boring girls that surround Reed. On top of this, she's having a hard time with homework. But it's not her fault! Her teachers are just jerks. Oh well, things will work out once she's part of the infamous Billings girls ... Right? Suuuuure.
P.S. I did finish it, but just because people who write bad things about books when they don't give it enough of a chance to read it through bug me.
It was a total waste of time. Here's the plot (or my interpretation):
Poor Reed has a problem (okay, a few problems). She has a barely-mentioned druggie mom who absolutely traumatizes her, so she heads of to a private school. Sounds great, right? But she has no interests except for flirting with a hot guy who she just happens to meet on the first day and ogling a school clique, the Billings Girls. These Billings Girls, they're so glamorous and enigmatic. Reed would do anything to be "friends" with these girls. Who wouldn't want to be in a group where no one is happy, not even the one who makes the rules? They're so AWESOME, who wants to have relationships with all these other boring girls that surround Reed. On top of this, she's having a hard time with homework. But it's not her fault! Her teachers are just jerks. Oh well, things will work out once she's part of the infamous Billings girls ... Right? Suuuuure.
P.S. I did finish it, but just because people who write bad things about books when they don't give it enough of a chance to read it through bug me.
April 29, 2020
Review: http://jinxedreviews.com/2020/04/28/r...
Disclaimer: minor spoilers (only in relation to problematic content)
Reed Brennan is a suburban scholarship student beginning her Sophomore year at Easton Academy. She is excited for this fresh start away from her pill-addicted mother and complacent father. Unfortunately, she finds that it’ll take much more to belong at Easton Academy than just stepping onto its manicured lawns.
Soon after starting, Reed finds herself attracted to the Billings girls—particularly Noelle, Ariana, Kiran, and Taylor—upperclassmen who seem to have it all. Popular. Rich. Smart. Reed decides she will do whatever it takes to be one of them. Meanwhile, due to an incident, the Billings girls have decided that they want nothing to do with Reed and name call her. Even so, Reed is persistent.
So the Billings girls decide to test how far Reed will go. Noelle and her friends ask Reed to do harmless things such as fetching them food or running errands for them. They keep calling her names, mainly “glass-licker.” At first, I couldn’t judge Reed harshly. I think a lot of us would do similar things to belong. I could even understand and relate to Reed keeping her head down when they called her names or criticized her. I’ve been there and done that. When you don’t feel like you have anyone, even your family, you’re willing to tolerate others who are only your friends in name.
However, it quickly evolves into something less innocuous. In one instance, Reed is asked to deliver a harsh message on behalf of Noelle while pretending it came from Kiran. Reed is also asked to steal an answer key for a test. Noelle and her friends also ask her to do something to get a teacher fired. There may have been more. Even if there wasn’t, there’s a clear power imbalance between Reed and Noelle’s friends—and they clearly abuse it.
You may note that I never refer to Noelle, Kiran, Taylor, and Ariana as Reed’s friends. They aren’t. Reed may consider them such, but their actions show that they don’t feel the same way about her.
As if that’s not enough, there’s another awful person in Reed’s life: Thomas, her crush and the person she’s kind of dating. (His behavior makes it unclear, especially that ending.) Thomas is first introduced as a mysterious and aloof Senior. Throughout Reed and Thoma’s short relationship, however, we find that not only does he have problems with alcohol but also with his anger. We quickly realize that he has more secrets and problems than he is willing to admit.
There is even a point where Thomas tries to force himself on Reed. Not only did he not ask for her consent, but the place and time were inappropriate—especially since they had just had a fight. It took a lot for Reed to push him off of her. Even then, Thomas retorted and pushed her back, causing Reed to sprain her ankle.
I will say a lot of things about Noelle and her friends but at least in this instance, they did support Reed when she needed it. They make sure she gets to her dorm safely. They even warn Reed to stay far away from Thomas, for obvious reasons. (Not that she does but at least they tried.)
We are told that Reed is smart—hence her scholarship. However, Reed consistently makes half-assed decisions primarily led by her desire to be a Billings girl and/or Thomas’s girlfriend.
It is ridiculous. Both Noelle and Thomas have told her she has to pick one or the other; still Reed tries to have both but is somehow surprised when it backfires. (Neither people she’s pursuing are even good for her!)
The thing that frustrated me most is that Reed had the opportunity to have decent friends (such as her roommate) and an average existence at Easton Academy. Instead, she chose to pursue people who are no good for her. People who distract her from maintaining her scholarship and succeeding at school. People who only mess with her mentally. It is these people that Reed gives a second (and third) chance despite them being unwilling to change.
Even though I wanted to DNF, I continued to read because I hoped that there were some redeeming qualities about this book. Unfortunately, there were none. Private is a shoddy attempt at a boarding-school drama with a non-existent plot, underdeveloped characters, and problematic relationships. You are better off passing on this book (and series).
Disclaimer: minor spoilers (only in relation to problematic content)
Reed Brennan is a suburban scholarship student beginning her Sophomore year at Easton Academy. She is excited for this fresh start away from her pill-addicted mother and complacent father. Unfortunately, she finds that it’ll take much more to belong at Easton Academy than just stepping onto its manicured lawns.
Soon after starting, Reed finds herself attracted to the Billings girls—particularly Noelle, Ariana, Kiran, and Taylor—upperclassmen who seem to have it all. Popular. Rich. Smart. Reed decides she will do whatever it takes to be one of them. Meanwhile, due to an incident, the Billings girls have decided that they want nothing to do with Reed and name call her. Even so, Reed is persistent.
So the Billings girls decide to test how far Reed will go. Noelle and her friends ask Reed to do harmless things such as fetching them food or running errands for them. They keep calling her names, mainly “glass-licker.” At first, I couldn’t judge Reed harshly. I think a lot of us would do similar things to belong. I could even understand and relate to Reed keeping her head down when they called her names or criticized her. I’ve been there and done that. When you don’t feel like you have anyone, even your family, you’re willing to tolerate others who are only your friends in name.
However, it quickly evolves into something less innocuous. In one instance, Reed is asked to deliver a harsh message on behalf of Noelle while pretending it came from Kiran. Reed is also asked to steal an answer key for a test. Noelle and her friends also ask her to do something to get a teacher fired. There may have been more. Even if there wasn’t, there’s a clear power imbalance between Reed and Noelle’s friends—and they clearly abuse it.
You may note that I never refer to Noelle, Kiran, Taylor, and Ariana as Reed’s friends. They aren’t. Reed may consider them such, but their actions show that they don’t feel the same way about her.
As if that’s not enough, there’s another awful person in Reed’s life: Thomas, her crush and the person she’s kind of dating. (His behavior makes it unclear, especially that ending.) Thomas is first introduced as a mysterious and aloof Senior. Throughout Reed and Thoma’s short relationship, however, we find that not only does he have problems with alcohol but also with his anger. We quickly realize that he has more secrets and problems than he is willing to admit.
There is even a point where Thomas tries to force himself on Reed. Not only did he not ask for her consent, but the place and time were inappropriate—especially since they had just had a fight. It took a lot for Reed to push him off of her. Even then, Thomas retorted and pushed her back, causing Reed to sprain her ankle.
I will say a lot of things about Noelle and her friends but at least in this instance, they did support Reed when she needed it. They make sure she gets to her dorm safely. They even warn Reed to stay far away from Thomas, for obvious reasons. (Not that she does but at least they tried.)
We are told that Reed is smart—hence her scholarship. However, Reed consistently makes half-assed decisions primarily led by her desire to be a Billings girl and/or Thomas’s girlfriend.
It is ridiculous. Both Noelle and Thomas have told her she has to pick one or the other; still Reed tries to have both but is somehow surprised when it backfires. (Neither people she’s pursuing are even good for her!)
The thing that frustrated me most is that Reed had the opportunity to have decent friends (such as her roommate) and an average existence at Easton Academy. Instead, she chose to pursue people who are no good for her. People who distract her from maintaining her scholarship and succeeding at school. People who only mess with her mentally. It is these people that Reed gives a second (and third) chance despite them being unwilling to change.
Even though I wanted to DNF, I continued to read because I hoped that there were some redeeming qualities about this book. Unfortunately, there were none. Private is a shoddy attempt at a boarding-school drama with a non-existent plot, underdeveloped characters, and problematic relationships. You are better off passing on this book (and series).
April 22, 2009
The main character, Reed, is a very sad person and I really feel sorry for her. The only reason that I finished this book is to see if she would ever stand up to her abusive boyfriend and the awful Billings girls, or distance herself from them. She never does. This book sends an unhealthy message to teen girls because Reed goes back to a boyfriend who abuses her physically and emotionally, as well as begging for friendship from girls who taunt her, humiliate her, and call her names. The issues of girl bullies and abusive boyfriends are important ones to address with teens, but this book deals with the issues in a very unhealthy way.
Reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
Reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2009
Oddly enough, I both loved and hated this book. There were quite a few things that I didn’t like. For example, throughout almost the whole story Noelle calls Reed “glass-licker”, and it rubbed me the wrong way. I also disliked how Reed would do anything they asked and barely bat an eye about it. But, the events were interesting and at times suspenseful. I think Reed wanted the perfect life, and felt like The Billings Girls had it. I think there’s a lot more to her character that hasn’t been revealed in the first book. I think I’ll read the next one and see were the story goes.
As for secrets…not sure about that. The only secret Reed discovers become common knowledge within a couple chapters. Maybe it’s hinting and future things she discovers.
As for secrets…not sure about that. The only secret Reed discovers become common knowledge within a couple chapters. Maybe it’s hinting and future things she discovers.
August 25, 2023
Also find this review on - Don't Stop Readin'
Given the fact that I’m reviewing the first book in the series after finishing 12 of them, my opinions might be a bitbiased changed now. But I’ll try to capture what I felt after reading it back then as much as I can.
So, in my opinion Private was awful. Stupid, immature, boring, repetitive and did I mention totally AWFUL?
Anyone with a healthy, well-functioning brain would read this book and discard the whole series right away but I had actually made up my mind beforehand that whatever happens, I'd finish all 14 books no matter what. Call me crazy if you want to! I certainly do.
Soooo… The story is - Reed Brennan, just a middle-class girl who gets admission to a highly prestigious Easton Academy through scholarship, where mostly kids who are ridiculously loaded go to. There is a special dorm named “Billings House” for girls who are basically overachievers. Girls who are good at everything- studies, sports, bitching, plotting, shopping, partying..you name it are admitted to this special house from where a person can get a direct ticket to any Ivy League school.
On the first day itself Reed starts obsessing over this and gawks at Billings’ girls like a serial killer stalking his next victim, really.
You know what my first problem was? Reed Brennan, the series' protag. She is kind of an anti-social person which is something I don't like to read about. She is smart, sure, but not gregarious, she is not the one to make friends easily and as mentioned in her intro, especially 'girlfriends'.
So her getting into Billings seems like a long shot because you need an all-round behaviour and personality to be voted-in to that house. But the girl is very determined and competitive, I’ll give her that. Although sometimes it becomes way too much and I don't mean it in a good way. She seemed sooooo desperate at times that she might as well have slept with the school staff to get into Billings. The House president, Noelle Lange and her gang – Arianna Osgood, Taylor Bell, Kiran Hayes make Reed’s life miserable by asking her to do tasks that could’ve gotten her expelled continuously. At no point though Reed stops kissing their asses and moping their mess.
If I were in her place I would’ve stayed away from these girls or tried to bring them down instead of wagging my tail behind them.
In between her boot-licking to get into Billings the story is focused a lot on her personal life too. Apparently, guys dig these kind of boring and unfriendly girls because the hottest and richest guy at Easton, Thomas Pearson, confesses his love for her in like, 2 weeks. *rolls eyes*.
Nothing out of ordinary, right? Makes one wonder why this series was so hyped up in the first place. Neither were there any ‘dark secrets’ about Easton as mentioned on the book cover as well as in its blurb nor anything fun about reading a book filled with High School drama. At first I had thought of this as a book where a girl would struggle to achieve the royal status of being a Billing Girl and adapting to a place where billionaires study
But to make you feel better, there indeed are MANY mysteries and secrets surrounding the Academy and Billings which are slowly revealed in the series later, . If you’re a Pretty Little Liars fan then I suggest you continue reading this because Kate Brian has really handled the remainder of the series very well.
Recommends it to: Honestly, no one. But if you can move past the awfulness of first book and read remaining of the series patiently then to - 1) People who like Chick Lit + Thrillers. 2) Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Games fans.
Given the fact that I’m reviewing the first book in the series after finishing 12 of them, my opinions might be a bit
So, in my opinion Private was awful. Stupid, immature, boring, repetitive and did I mention totally AWFUL?
Anyone with a healthy, well-functioning brain would read this book and discard the whole series right away but I had actually made up my mind beforehand that whatever happens, I'd finish all 14 books no matter what. Call me crazy if you want to! I certainly do.
Soooo… The story is - Reed Brennan, just a middle-class girl who gets admission to a highly prestigious Easton Academy through scholarship, where mostly kids who are ridiculously loaded go to. There is a special dorm named “Billings House” for girls who are basically overachievers. Girls who are good at everything- studies, sports, bitching, plotting, shopping, partying..you name it are admitted to this special house from where a person can get a direct ticket to any Ivy League school.
On the first day itself Reed starts obsessing over this and gawks at Billings’ girls like a serial killer stalking his next victim, really.
You know what my first problem was? Reed Brennan, the series' protag. She is kind of an anti-social person which is something I don't like to read about. She is smart, sure, but not gregarious, she is not the one to make friends easily and as mentioned in her intro, especially 'girlfriends'.
So her getting into Billings seems like a long shot because you need an all-round behaviour and personality to be voted-in to that house. But the girl is very determined and competitive, I’ll give her that. Although sometimes it becomes way too much and I don't mean it in a good way. She seemed sooooo desperate at times that she might as well have slept with the school staff to get into Billings. The House president, Noelle Lange and her gang – Arianna Osgood, Taylor Bell, Kiran Hayes make Reed’s life miserable by asking her to do tasks that could’ve gotten her expelled continuously. At no point though Reed stops kissing their asses and moping their mess.
If I were in her place I would’ve stayed away from these girls or tried to bring them down instead of wagging my tail behind them.
In between her boot-licking to get into Billings the story is focused a lot on her personal life too. Apparently, guys dig these kind of boring and unfriendly girls because the hottest and richest guy at Easton, Thomas Pearson, confesses his love for her in like, 2 weeks. *rolls eyes*.
Nothing out of ordinary, right? Makes one wonder why this series was so hyped up in the first place. Neither were there any ‘dark secrets’ about Easton as mentioned on the book cover as well as in its blurb nor anything fun about reading a book filled with High School drama. At first I had thought of this as a book where a girl would struggle to achieve the royal status of being a Billing Girl and adapting to a place where billionaires study
But to make you feel better, there indeed are MANY mysteries and secrets surrounding the Academy and Billings which are slowly revealed in the series later, . If you’re a Pretty Little Liars fan then I suggest you continue reading this because Kate Brian has really handled the remainder of the series very well.
Recommends it to: Honestly, no one. But if you can move past the awfulness of first book and read remaining of the series patiently then to - 1) People who like Chick Lit + Thrillers. 2) Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Games fans.
December 12, 2008
This book is about a 15-year-old girl named Reed Brennan. She went to a high school in Croton, Pennsylvania. When she got a half scholarship to Easton Academy. There everyone is rich and comes from a big city, like New York. Also they all wear brand names. She has never seen any group of girls they are so rich. The group of girls is called the “Billing Girls”. She tries everything to get in the cool house with them. In order to get in you need great grades. That is her only issue. But also there is a GUY… read the book to find out more
I could make a text to self connection because I remember when I go to a new school and see a group of girls already formed before I got there I would feel like I had to me in the most important and popular group there is. But after a while I realized that all I needed was a best friend or just someone to be next to me and we would talk. I think that Reed had the same issue. I think this because she was just a kid who was not rich enough to pay for the schools fee full. Also she didn’t have those good-looking cloths either. That is how we could connect.
I would give these book 5 stars because I thought the topic, “Mean girls” was a really good idea for the author to use. I liked that there was kind of a lesson that could have been taught. If you like romance novel of a book that has mean girls in it that you should totally read this book. You will really like it.
I could make a text to self connection because I remember when I go to a new school and see a group of girls already formed before I got there I would feel like I had to me in the most important and popular group there is. But after a while I realized that all I needed was a best friend or just someone to be next to me and we would talk. I think that Reed had the same issue. I think this because she was just a kid who was not rich enough to pay for the schools fee full. Also she didn’t have those good-looking cloths either. That is how we could connect.
I would give these book 5 stars because I thought the topic, “Mean girls” was a really good idea for the author to use. I liked that there was kind of a lesson that could have been taught. If you like romance novel of a book that has mean girls in it that you should totally read this book. You will really like it.
January 21, 2013
*spoilers*
Private by Kate Brian
1. The book by Kate Brian is the first of a series and is essentially about finding yourself and who you are from your greed and the people surrounding you.
2. Because it is written in the point of view of the main character, Reed Brennan, it makes us feel sorry for her in any situations that she gets caught up in. For example, when she gets called down to the office because her grades are bad (and since she’s at the boarding school based on a scholarship), and Ms. Naylor tells her that she wil be “put on academic probation” (124), instead of feeling like Reed had deserved it, we all wish she would pull her act together. If we were put in the point of view of a person in the Board of Directors, we would feel that it was a waste to give such a girl a scholarship, and revoke her admission right away. The resolution of the book makes one very satisfied yet also give the effect of a ciff hanger. Usually cliff hangers don’t neccessairly mean a good ending, therefore unsatisfaction, but within this book, it ends with Noelle saying that Reed is “one of [them] now” (227) finally becoming a “Billings Girl” (which is basically the point of the book). But then it’s still a cliff hanger because it makes us wonder what is going to happen wen she becomes a Billings Girl. Is she going to still be used? Will she be treated differently? Will she start to act differently, now that she’s categorized as one of them? Questions like that.
3. The user Anastasia says that Reed Brennan “spends her time wishing she could be a part of Billings and lets that distract her from her work.” Which is true. But it’s the first book out of the 14. We’ve got to give the girl a break. She’s new to the school so who doesn’t want to fit in? Who doesn’t want to be popular and have friends at a place where you know no one? Private is the first of 14 books as I mentioned, and I am pretty sure she is going to mature within the next books. This was just a starter to let everyone know who she was in the beginging and maybe throughout the serious, she finds her real dreams and goals. Everyone expects Reed to be mature from the start, but you have to realize that she is only a 15 year old girl and if she were to be mature and smart from the beginning, then what is the fun of the series?
4. Excerpt from the book:
My stomach twisted “But what about—”
“The Billings Girls?” he said. “Can someone tell me what’s so great about them?”
“I’m just trying to make friends” I said.
5. The author’s writing style is basically just dialouge. About 90% of the book is dialogue between Reed and her peers. It keeps us from zoning out because it’s consistently switching a point of view. I liked it because the book felt alive, real, and kept me awake, since I’m not that much of a reader.
6. I would definently recommend this book from anyone who likes things like “Gossip Girl” and such. It’s not a book where one can find intellectual life lessons or morals. It’s basically a really girly book and is entertaining for those who just want to triumphs of a teenage girl who wants to fit in.
Private by Kate Brian
1. The book by Kate Brian is the first of a series and is essentially about finding yourself and who you are from your greed and the people surrounding you.
2. Because it is written in the point of view of the main character, Reed Brennan, it makes us feel sorry for her in any situations that she gets caught up in. For example, when she gets called down to the office because her grades are bad (and since she’s at the boarding school based on a scholarship), and Ms. Naylor tells her that she wil be “put on academic probation” (124), instead of feeling like Reed had deserved it, we all wish she would pull her act together. If we were put in the point of view of a person in the Board of Directors, we would feel that it was a waste to give such a girl a scholarship, and revoke her admission right away. The resolution of the book makes one very satisfied yet also give the effect of a ciff hanger. Usually cliff hangers don’t neccessairly mean a good ending, therefore unsatisfaction, but within this book, it ends with Noelle saying that Reed is “one of [them] now” (227) finally becoming a “Billings Girl” (which is basically the point of the book). But then it’s still a cliff hanger because it makes us wonder what is going to happen wen she becomes a Billings Girl. Is she going to still be used? Will she be treated differently? Will she start to act differently, now that she’s categorized as one of them? Questions like that.
3. The user Anastasia says that Reed Brennan “spends her time wishing she could be a part of Billings and lets that distract her from her work.” Which is true. But it’s the first book out of the 14. We’ve got to give the girl a break. She’s new to the school so who doesn’t want to fit in? Who doesn’t want to be popular and have friends at a place where you know no one? Private is the first of 14 books as I mentioned, and I am pretty sure she is going to mature within the next books. This was just a starter to let everyone know who she was in the beginging and maybe throughout the serious, she finds her real dreams and goals. Everyone expects Reed to be mature from the start, but you have to realize that she is only a 15 year old girl and if she were to be mature and smart from the beginning, then what is the fun of the series?
4. Excerpt from the book:
My stomach twisted “But what about—”
“The Billings Girls?” he said. “Can someone tell me what’s so great about them?”
“I’m just trying to make friends” I said.
5. The author’s writing style is basically just dialouge. About 90% of the book is dialogue between Reed and her peers. It keeps us from zoning out because it’s consistently switching a point of view. I liked it because the book felt alive, real, and kept me awake, since I’m not that much of a reader.
6. I would definently recommend this book from anyone who likes things like “Gossip Girl” and such. It’s not a book where one can find intellectual life lessons or morals. It’s basically a really girly book and is entertaining for those who just want to triumphs of a teenage girl who wants to fit in.
May 31, 2010
Private is your classic, trashy, YA gossip girl esc novel. The story centers around Reed, a teenage girl attending a renowned prep school on a scholarship, and her attempt to become accepted to the most popular clique on campus, called "The Billings Girls". My friends have all been obsessing over this series for awhile, and I finally decided to see what the fuss was about. Since my friends and I had planned on going to the beach together, I decided to read it yesterday while working on my tan. Private was the perfect book to read while surrounded by noisy beach goers and my talkative friends, because it did not require a great deal of concentration. I finished the book in about three hours. Although entirely superficial and drama packed, pages around Thomas Pearson (Reed's studly boyfriend)were hot to read, and make the story not an entire waste of time. Although I would generally recommend a book with more substance and not really my type of book, Private is the perfect quick and easy read for sun bathing on the beach and I do plan on reading the next book in the series.
October 23, 2014
OK, I don't actually know why this book was on my Kindle. I often download books on hearing recommendations and then forget about them and discover them ages later, which I assume is what happened with this book as I have no memory of purchasing it, but that means someone that I know, or at least someone I follow on a blog or Twitter, recommended this book, and I don't understand how that's possible. It was AWFUL. I like YA, so that was not the problem. I also would actively like to avoid having my daughter read this book once she reaches the target age. It was terrible, and the messaging was totally messed up. I do NOT understand how this book got turned into a massive series (a quick glance at Amazon indicates at least 11 books, which, WHAT?) or why its overall rating is so high.
First of all, the whole premise was so worn and boring, and the author did NOTHING with it. Poor girl from little town comes to snobby private boarding school, feels like she doesn't fit in. Except she actually does fit in? All her peers like her and welcome her and she totally rejects them for some group of weirdo "special" girls who were hand-picked to be mean girls in a way that I hope and assume would never actually happen in a school-sanctioned way? She doesn't even consider being friends with her peers and develops an inexplicable obsession with these other girls? Does all sorts of nutso things for them that violate her own principles and morals (which we are supposed to be OK with because she won't go as far as getting someone fired unfairly) and then in the end, gets rewarded for it? Sucks at school and makes no effort, finally spends a single evening in the library with a smart girl and improves her grades and her academics are never mentioned again? Loses virginity to a guy she barely knows based on warped messaging and confusion and seems to barely think about it? Mentions something, AFTER having sex, about wondering if she should go on birth control or look for condoms, which she says are impossible to find, implying that the sex she did have was unprotected, but there is no further discussion of that? Makes totally weird decisions and is completely unlikable and it's never explained and there is no clear motivation? At the end is totally rewarded for all of her awful behavior and shunning of her own friends and generally terrible decisions? Mean girls are glorified and irresponsible behavior is presented as cool? Listen, I am not overprotective and I'm fine with my kids learning about sex, reading books with adult themes, etc. etc., but KEEP THIS BOOK AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER AHHHHH.
First of all, the whole premise was so worn and boring, and the author did NOTHING with it. Poor girl from little town comes to snobby private boarding school, feels like she doesn't fit in. Except she actually does fit in? All her peers like her and welcome her and she totally rejects them for some group of weirdo "special" girls who were hand-picked to be mean girls in a way that I hope and assume would never actually happen in a school-sanctioned way? She doesn't even consider being friends with her peers and develops an inexplicable obsession with these other girls? Does all sorts of nutso things for them that violate her own principles and morals (which we are supposed to be OK with because she won't go as far as getting someone fired unfairly) and then in the end, gets rewarded for it? Sucks at school and makes no effort, finally spends a single evening in the library with a smart girl and improves her grades and her academics are never mentioned again? Loses virginity to a guy she barely knows based on warped messaging and confusion and seems to barely think about it? Mentions something, AFTER having sex, about wondering if she should go on birth control or look for condoms, which she says are impossible to find, implying that the sex she did have was unprotected, but there is no further discussion of that? Makes totally weird decisions and is completely unlikable and it's never explained and there is no clear motivation? At the end is totally rewarded for all of her awful behavior and shunning of her own friends and generally terrible decisions? Mean girls are glorified and irresponsible behavior is presented as cool? Listen, I am not overprotective and I'm fine with my kids learning about sex, reading books with adult themes, etc. etc., but KEEP THIS BOOK AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER AHHHHH.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2013
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 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!
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 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!
July 17, 2023
Skoro petica. Stvarno sam uživala u ovoj knjižici o srednjoškolskim elitnim ženskim društvima i jednoj marginalki koja svim naporima pokušava da probije u najbogatije, najuticajnije i najperspektivnije. I najpakosnije.
Dopalo mi se što je Rid veoma ambiciozna i nimalo lažno moralna. Svesna je da ono što želi nije uzvišeno, da se dopadne grupici užasnih devojaka = konstantno ulizuje, ali napred je uvek tera strah od povratka u nesrećan porodični život, mrtav grad i sivu budućnost. Ponekad je gadno čitati koliko delova duše je spremna da uloži u svoju budućnost, a povremeno sam se pitala da li je razlog njene opsednutost da bude baš kao one. Blistava Billings.
Nisam je osuđivala, nisam navijala, samo gledala kako se stvari logično razvijaju.
Njen odnos sa dečkom je jedan od onih koji me inspirišu da ovu knjigu preporučim što većem broju mladih i zaljubljenih. Da ne odajem previše, njihova ljubavna priča je master klas na temu rečenica koje svakoj ženi trebaju da pale 🚨 u glavama.
Dopalo mi se što je Rid veoma ambiciozna i nimalo lažno moralna. Svesna je da ono što želi nije uzvišeno, da se dopadne grupici užasnih devojaka = konstantno ulizuje, ali napred je uvek tera strah od povratka u nesrećan porodični život, mrtav grad i sivu budućnost. Ponekad je gadno čitati koliko delova duše je spremna da uloži u svoju budućnost, a povremeno sam se pitala da li je razlog njene opsednutost da bude baš kao one. Blistava Billings.
Nisam je osuđivala, nisam navijala, samo gledala kako se stvari logično razvijaju.
Njen odnos sa dečkom je jedan od onih koji me inspirišu da ovu knjigu preporučim što većem broju mladih i zaljubljenih. Da ne odajem previše, njihova ljubavna priča je master klas na temu rečenica koje svakoj ženi trebaju da pale 🚨 u glavama.
March 9, 2019
Salve Confine.
Oggi vi parlo di un romanzo uscito da qualche giorno per Newton Compton editori e che ho finito di leggere giusto ieri.
Si tratta di "Private" di Kate Brian, primo volume di una serie che conta un bel po' di volumi.
Reed Brennan lascia la sua casa e la sua famiglia disfunzionale per frequentare L'Easton College, dove conta di cominciare una nuova vita lontana dalle angherie e dagli sbalzi d'umore di sua madre, alcolizzata e dipendente dai farmaci.
Una volta arrivata si rende subito conto che nulla sarà facile per lei, perché non fa parte di quel mondo ricco ed elitario, ma non si perde d'animo, vuole inserirsi in quel contesto più di qualsiasi cosa al mondo, per questo rimane affascinata dalle Billings Girls.
Queste sono un gruppo ristretto di ragazze ricche, potenti e sicure di sé, che alloggiano nell'edificio più elegante dell'Easton, il Billings, da cui prendono il nome. Tutte vogliono essere una Billings Girls, ma davvero a pochissime è concesso diventarlo.
Reed sente che facendo parte di quel gruppo niente potrà più toccarla e fa di tutto per farsi notare e ci riesce.
“Perché loro hanno tutto quello che io ho sempre voluto. Perché possono insegnarmi a essere come loro. Perché, se sto con loro, avrò un futuro.”
Nel frattempo ha cominciato una relazione con Thomas, il ragazzo più popolare e temuto del college che, però, non va molto d'accordo con la rosa delle Billings, quelle che comandano, e cioè Noelle, Ariana, Kiran e Taylor.
Reed è combattuta: compiacere le sue nuove quasi amiche in tutto e per tutto o seguire il suo cuore e il ragazzo che la ama?
Allora, non conosco questa autrice, non ho mai letto nulla di suo e non posso dire di essere rimasta affascinata dal suo stile, che ho trovato piuttosto comune, ma la lettura è semplice e veloce, non stanca né rallenta mai.
Infatti il ritmo è sempre serrato e la voglia di continuare a leggere, per scoprire quello che accade al capitolo successivo, non scema, anzi aumenta.
Peccato che non arriviamo mai al punto, a scoprire qualcosa che lenisca la nostra curiosità almeno per un po'.
Quando ho cominciato a leggere non sapevo si trattasse del primo di una serie, per cui ero rimasta abbastanza perplessa dell'andamento così enigmatico.
Così alla fine sono andata a cercare informazioni e quando ho visto che Private è il primo di ben 14 romanzi, esclusi spin off e varie, ho rivalutato un po' la scelta di non dire nulla, ma di continuare a mettere carne al fuoco fino all'ultima pagina.
Questo però ci lascia con tanti interrogativi, con una serie di personaggi praticamente bidimensionali e con un numero di misteri che lasciano intendere che continueranno ad aumentare.
Oltretutto la storia non è che sia proprio originale, almeno fino a questo punto. Essa infatti riprende un po' elementi di Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars e storie del genere, ma siccome in “Private” viene svelato davvero poco non mi pronuncio, né voglio sminuire la serie senza conoscere. Magari riserva più sorprese di quante me ne aspetto e non vedo l'ora di leggere il secondo, che spero la Newton porti in Italia.
I personaggi principali sono quasi tutti abbastanza intriganti.
Reed è quella che mi è piaciuta meno, è presentata come una ragazza con delle sofferenze alle spalle ma poi risulta di poco spessore e molto volubile.
Le Billings lasciano intendere parecchie cose, anche se non conosciamo praticamente nulla di loro, del loro background, se non che sono ricche figlie di papà, soprattutto Ariana. Lei è un enigma che non ho saputo svelare ma che non mi convince nelle vesti di dolce ragazza col naso tra i libri. Lei, secondo me, sarà quella che riserverà più colpi di scena fra tutte.
Siamo qui ad aspettare, comunque. Vedremo se la serie vale l'attenzione che intendo dedicarle.
Buona lettura.
2.5
Oggi vi parlo di un romanzo uscito da qualche giorno per Newton Compton editori e che ho finito di leggere giusto ieri.
Si tratta di "Private" di Kate Brian, primo volume di una serie che conta un bel po' di volumi.
Reed Brennan lascia la sua casa e la sua famiglia disfunzionale per frequentare L'Easton College, dove conta di cominciare una nuova vita lontana dalle angherie e dagli sbalzi d'umore di sua madre, alcolizzata e dipendente dai farmaci.
Una volta arrivata si rende subito conto che nulla sarà facile per lei, perché non fa parte di quel mondo ricco ed elitario, ma non si perde d'animo, vuole inserirsi in quel contesto più di qualsiasi cosa al mondo, per questo rimane affascinata dalle Billings Girls.
Queste sono un gruppo ristretto di ragazze ricche, potenti e sicure di sé, che alloggiano nell'edificio più elegante dell'Easton, il Billings, da cui prendono il nome. Tutte vogliono essere una Billings Girls, ma davvero a pochissime è concesso diventarlo.
Reed sente che facendo parte di quel gruppo niente potrà più toccarla e fa di tutto per farsi notare e ci riesce.
“Perché loro hanno tutto quello che io ho sempre voluto. Perché possono insegnarmi a essere come loro. Perché, se sto con loro, avrò un futuro.”
Nel frattempo ha cominciato una relazione con Thomas, il ragazzo più popolare e temuto del college che, però, non va molto d'accordo con la rosa delle Billings, quelle che comandano, e cioè Noelle, Ariana, Kiran e Taylor.
Reed è combattuta: compiacere le sue nuove quasi amiche in tutto e per tutto o seguire il suo cuore e il ragazzo che la ama?
Allora, non conosco questa autrice, non ho mai letto nulla di suo e non posso dire di essere rimasta affascinata dal suo stile, che ho trovato piuttosto comune, ma la lettura è semplice e veloce, non stanca né rallenta mai.
Infatti il ritmo è sempre serrato e la voglia di continuare a leggere, per scoprire quello che accade al capitolo successivo, non scema, anzi aumenta.
Peccato che non arriviamo mai al punto, a scoprire qualcosa che lenisca la nostra curiosità almeno per un po'.
Quando ho cominciato a leggere non sapevo si trattasse del primo di una serie, per cui ero rimasta abbastanza perplessa dell'andamento così enigmatico.
Così alla fine sono andata a cercare informazioni e quando ho visto che Private è il primo di ben 14 romanzi, esclusi spin off e varie, ho rivalutato un po' la scelta di non dire nulla, ma di continuare a mettere carne al fuoco fino all'ultima pagina.
Questo però ci lascia con tanti interrogativi, con una serie di personaggi praticamente bidimensionali e con un numero di misteri che lasciano intendere che continueranno ad aumentare.
Oltretutto la storia non è che sia proprio originale, almeno fino a questo punto. Essa infatti riprende un po' elementi di Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars e storie del genere, ma siccome in “Private” viene svelato davvero poco non mi pronuncio, né voglio sminuire la serie senza conoscere. Magari riserva più sorprese di quante me ne aspetto e non vedo l'ora di leggere il secondo, che spero la Newton porti in Italia.
I personaggi principali sono quasi tutti abbastanza intriganti.
Reed è quella che mi è piaciuta meno, è presentata come una ragazza con delle sofferenze alle spalle ma poi risulta di poco spessore e molto volubile.
Le Billings lasciano intendere parecchie cose, anche se non conosciamo praticamente nulla di loro, del loro background, se non che sono ricche figlie di papà, soprattutto Ariana. Lei è un enigma che non ho saputo svelare ma che non mi convince nelle vesti di dolce ragazza col naso tra i libri. Lei, secondo me, sarà quella che riserverà più colpi di scena fra tutte.
Siamo qui ad aspettare, comunque. Vedremo se la serie vale l'attenzione che intendo dedicarle.
Buona lettura.
2.5
Read
January 31, 2010Dear Glass-Licker,
Oh Reed Brennan, what am I going to do with you? Why are you so delicate and oblivious? Still, I've got to give you props for sticking to your goal of fitting in at the ever-so prestigious Easton Academy. But what's with all the self-demeaning stunts you've pulled this semester? That is so not cool Reed. I know that you are ashamed of what you used to be (and pretty much still are), but that is no excuse. You have the potential of being much, much more.
XOXO,
Emily
So if all you readers out there put the Private series in the same category as books like The Clique, or A-List, I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. Maybe they aren't exactly the same, but the similarities are definitely present. While the characters were very different, the plot and setting were pretty close. Actually, Private was slightly reminiscent of Ally Carter's I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. And in my mind, that is a HUGE compliment.
When it comes to characters, I felt like Reed was not very complex at all. I mean come on! She was sniveling half the time, and when she wasn't, she was merely trying to get by on what little composure she did possess.
The only people who actually captured my attention were, of course, the Billings girls. What I really loved about them was their individuality. They weren't your obnoxious popular girls. They weren't the overdone stereotypical group of high-status snobs. It always kept me reading as I waited hungrily for their next move.
Absolutely fascinating.
Well done Kate Brian. Well done.
Well excuse me, I need to go. I have an appointment with the next book in the series, Invitation Only, that I simply can not miss.
Oh Reed Brennan, what am I going to do with you? Why are you so delicate and oblivious? Still, I've got to give you props for sticking to your goal of fitting in at the ever-so prestigious Easton Academy. But what's with all the self-demeaning stunts you've pulled this semester? That is so not cool Reed. I know that you are ashamed of what you used to be (and pretty much still are), but that is no excuse. You have the potential of being much, much more.
XOXO,
Emily
So if all you readers out there put the Private series in the same category as books like The Clique, or A-List, I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. Maybe they aren't exactly the same, but the similarities are definitely present. While the characters were very different, the plot and setting were pretty close. Actually, Private was slightly reminiscent of Ally Carter's I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. And in my mind, that is a HUGE compliment.
When it comes to characters, I felt like Reed was not very complex at all. I mean come on! She was sniveling half the time, and when she wasn't, she was merely trying to get by on what little composure she did possess.
The only people who actually captured my attention were, of course, the Billings girls. What I really loved about them was their individuality. They weren't your obnoxious popular girls. They weren't the overdone stereotypical group of high-status snobs. It always kept me reading as I waited hungrily for their next move.
Absolutely fascinating.
Well done Kate Brian. Well done.
Well excuse me, I need to go. I have an appointment with the next book in the series, Invitation Only, that I simply can not miss.
June 4, 2015
I read this book to fulfill a challenge for a read-a-thon I am participating in. I was not too sure about it since it is a 'boarding school' plotline, but I was pleasantly surprised with the story and really liked it.
In this book you have Reed Brennan who finds her scholarship to Easton, a private school, as a means of running away from her normal everyday life, but what she finds here is far more than she bargained for. She struggles figuring out who she can trust and actually count on.
I actually ended up liking this plot line so much more than I thought I would. I have never read a book quite like this as I don't normally think of stories like this interesting, but I found it to be very engaging. It was also very fluid and easy to read. I think it gives a good glimpse into what private schools are all about.
The characters I have to ay that I really don't care for any of them, not even our main character Reed. I find her to be weak and strong both at the same time. I kept thinking she needs to grow a back bone and then I found myself cheering her on. I am not going to get into why I felt that as it would spoil the story. The other characters in the story are confusing because I don't know if they are trustworthy or not. I feel like they are kind of wishy washy if that makes sense. The love interest, Thomas, I feel the same way about and of course there was a bad case of 'instalove' involved, but I can overlook that as I don't see that as a main focus of the story.
I am very interested in continuing this story with the next installment because there was a confusing cliffhanger at the end. I recommend this to anyone who likes stories in a prep/private school setting. I am giving this a 3.5 star rating.
In this book you have Reed Brennan who finds her scholarship to Easton, a private school, as a means of running away from her normal everyday life, but what she finds here is far more than she bargained for. She struggles figuring out who she can trust and actually count on.
I actually ended up liking this plot line so much more than I thought I would. I have never read a book quite like this as I don't normally think of stories like this interesting, but I found it to be very engaging. It was also very fluid and easy to read. I think it gives a good glimpse into what private schools are all about.
The characters I have to ay that I really don't care for any of them, not even our main character Reed. I find her to be weak and strong both at the same time. I kept thinking she needs to grow a back bone and then I found myself cheering her on. I am not going to get into why I felt that as it would spoil the story. The other characters in the story are confusing because I don't know if they are trustworthy or not. I feel like they are kind of wishy washy if that makes sense. The love interest, Thomas, I feel the same way about and of course there was a bad case of 'instalove' involved, but I can overlook that as I don't see that as a main focus of the story.
I am very interested in continuing this story with the next installment because there was a confusing cliffhanger at the end. I recommend this to anyone who likes stories in a prep/private school setting. I am giving this a 3.5 star rating.
February 10, 2017
“Leanne, would you kindly remove your nose from my ass? It's starting to chafe.
Overall Thoughts
I didn't know a thing about this series going into it. My boyfriend (now husband) would always go to the library to pick up books for me and he stumbled across this series and brought me the first book, thinking I would enjoy it. Well he was right, I was instantly hooked and reserving the next book within 24 hours. This series is definitely not realistic and is pretty dramatic lol , but it's lots of fun and it was the first time I'd ever read anything like this before. It went places I would of never thought. I know it looks super cheesy, and maybe it is to an extent lol, but the story is pretty good actually and kept me interested. There are a lot of books in this series but it's so easy to read through and very enjoyable. I recommend! Check this series out!
Until Next Time,
Emerald BookWorm
Overall Thoughts
I didn't know a thing about this series going into it. My boyfriend (now husband) would always go to the library to pick up books for me and he stumbled across this series and brought me the first book, thinking I would enjoy it. Well he was right, I was instantly hooked and reserving the next book within 24 hours. This series is definitely not realistic and is pretty dramatic lol , but it's lots of fun and it was the first time I'd ever read anything like this before. It went places I would of never thought. I know it looks super cheesy, and maybe it is to an extent lol, but the story is pretty good actually and kept me interested. There are a lot of books in this series but it's so easy to read through and very enjoyable. I recommend! Check this series out!
Until Next Time,
Emerald BookWorm
March 19, 2019
My inner-teenage self is bursting with such pure, pure joy. I. Love. This. Series. 😍 #ForeverABillingsGirl
September 10, 2018
This book is different. I love going into books blind because the synopsis has a tendency to spoil things and I hate when that happens. This book isn't bad and I am planning on reading more from the series because I can't quite figure out what this book is all about. I think it's a type of contemporary but it's kind of dark. It's not even that anything dark has happened (at least until the end) and even then you are left with just an unknown. The feel of the book is just odd.Not sure if it's odd in a good way or bad yet.
The way it ended I have to see what is happening in book 2 and see if it gives anything more away to what type of book this is.
Reed is a girl wanting to flee from her home life. Her dad is amazing and she loves him dearly but her mother is an addict and puts Reed down and humiliates her any chance she gets. So Reed decided to go to Easton Academy away from her destructive mother. She is a loner and doesn't make friend very easily but she is trying to get into the cool crowd. The Billings Girls. She has captured the eye of the most popular boy is school and now she is getting some attention from the Billings Girls. Not sure if this is a good thing or bad but right now she is nothing more then their lackey and is their errand girl and she is asked to do stuff that could send her back home to her life she wanted to get away from.
I have to see what happens in book 2 because how it left off you just have to know.
The way it ended I have to see what is happening in book 2 and see if it gives anything more away to what type of book this is.
Reed is a girl wanting to flee from her home life. Her dad is amazing and she loves him dearly but her mother is an addict and puts Reed down and humiliates her any chance she gets. So Reed decided to go to Easton Academy away from her destructive mother. She is a loner and doesn't make friend very easily but she is trying to get into the cool crowd. The Billings Girls. She has captured the eye of the most popular boy is school and now she is getting some attention from the Billings Girls. Not sure if this is a good thing or bad but right now she is nothing more then their lackey and is their errand girl and she is asked to do stuff that could send her back home to her life she wanted to get away from.
I have to see what happens in book 2 because how it left off you just have to know.
August 1, 2019
I don't know why, but I love a boarding school setting, and this one came with lots of delicious drama. Reed was looking to escape her mother and her life at home, and did so by winning a scholarship to Easton Academy. As expected, she was constantly swimming upstream. She was looking for a way to fit in at the academy, and set her sights on becoming one of the Billings girls. This had all the things you expect from a crew of rich and privileged kids, and I am definitely looking forward to the next book.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
July 10, 2020
Re-reading this old series. Such high drama and intrigue!
May 6, 2020
2.5 / 5
In this, the first novel, we are introduced to our protag, one Reed Brennan. Fresh out of small town Pennsylvania, Reed is beginning her sophomore year at the prestigious Easton Academy, where she is way out of her league. Her best got her A's in her old school, but now it finds her barely scraping by, and barely able to focus. Part of that focusing problem has to do with Thomas Pearson, the cute senior boy who has taken an interest in her. Another part is the Billings Girls - elite members of the best house in campus, they capture Reed's attention immediately. She realizes that if she can manage to become one of them, her future is waiting for her on a silver platter. All she has to do is convince the main group of them - Noelle, Ariana, Kiran, and Taylor - to like her. But in this rich world of snobbery and scandal that task may as well be Herculean.
While this book was a little more juvenile than I remembered, I was still drawn into the world of Easton Academy. Being a fellow poor person, I still relate intimately with Reed's fascination for the rich and shameless, and while I myself wouldn't have made the decisions that Reed did, I can understand that impulse of hers to try and better her situation.
I will absolutely be continuing with this reread, as I know the next few books are well worth the slag through this one. I plan on reading them in publication order as well, which means both prequels will have to wait a bit. I also plan to read the sister series, Privilege, which follows one of my favorite characters from Private, but again, will have to wait until publishing order allows.
If you've never read these, and you enjoy private boarding school drama with some teenage angst and a bit of a murder-mystery thrown in, I hella recommend them. Just push through this first installment and you won't regret it.
“Tradition, Honor, Excellence.”Okay, so this one did not hold up that well for me. The last time I read this was over a decade ago as a freshman in high school, but I remember being absolutely sucked into it. Today, I was sorting my bookshelves and came across it and smiled. I immediately remembered how much I adored the series and decided that I would do a reread.
In this, the first novel, we are introduced to our protag, one Reed Brennan. Fresh out of small town Pennsylvania, Reed is beginning her sophomore year at the prestigious Easton Academy, where she is way out of her league. Her best got her A's in her old school, but now it finds her barely scraping by, and barely able to focus. Part of that focusing problem has to do with Thomas Pearson, the cute senior boy who has taken an interest in her. Another part is the Billings Girls - elite members of the best house in campus, they capture Reed's attention immediately. She realizes that if she can manage to become one of them, her future is waiting for her on a silver platter. All she has to do is convince the main group of them - Noelle, Ariana, Kiran, and Taylor - to like her. But in this rich world of snobbery and scandal that task may as well be Herculean.
While this book was a little more juvenile than I remembered, I was still drawn into the world of Easton Academy. Being a fellow poor person, I still relate intimately with Reed's fascination for the rich and shameless, and while I myself wouldn't have made the decisions that Reed did, I can understand that impulse of hers to try and better her situation.
I will absolutely be continuing with this reread, as I know the next few books are well worth the slag through this one. I plan on reading them in publication order as well, which means both prequels will have to wait a bit. I also plan to read the sister series, Privilege, which follows one of my favorite characters from Private, but again, will have to wait until publishing order allows.
If you've never read these, and you enjoy private boarding school drama with some teenage angst and a bit of a murder-mystery thrown in, I hella recommend them. Just push through this first installment and you won't regret it.
November 13, 2018
Find this review, plus more, on my blog: Booklikes OR Blogger
Basic Info
Format: Audio
Pages/Length: 6hrs
Genre: Young Adult
Reason For Reading: Buddy Read
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: Obsession
Cliff Hanger: No
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 1.5 stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 5
Plot: 4
Characters: 2
World Building: 5
Flow: 5
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 5
Ending: 5
Total: 3
In Depth
Best Part: It was short.
Worst Part: Fuckboys everywhere
Thoughts Had: You are dumb.
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: Eh
Recommending: No
Short Review: This book, what can i even say nice about it, it was short? Yah that's all i got. It was short. Now the shit parts. For starters, the love interest, hello fuckboy, hello i just want someone to fuck and this girl looks like someone who won't tell me now. He tells sob stories to make her like him more. He has 2 phones, enough said. The MC, wow, someone needs to love herself real quick, she falls for this guy and sees past all the bad shit, and doesn't say no to him at all. Bad characters, bad story.
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: Ha.
Best Friend Material: Ha.
August 18, 2008
I avoided this series for a long time, and upon actually reading it, I don't know why. I read the fifth book, loved it, and immediately went to the library to check out all the others. I would definitely recommend reading them in order -- the plot is continuous through the first four and then (I'm assuming as I haven't read yet) through the second four, and there's not a lot of rehash of "the story so far" so it will all make more sense to read in order.
While this is indeed yet another mean-girls-in-boarding-school series, it's done better than many others. For one, the main character is reasonably relatable, and for two, the usual endless litany of brand names and status signifiers is reduced to a trickle; just enough to set the stage. Add to this a thriller/mystery angle that makes them total page-turners, and success! I read this book in one sitting, just the thing to get through an otherwise boring flight.
While this is indeed yet another mean-girls-in-boarding-school series, it's done better than many others. For one, the main character is reasonably relatable, and for two, the usual endless litany of brand names and status signifiers is reduced to a trickle; just enough to set the stage. Add to this a thriller/mystery angle that makes them total page-turners, and success! I read this book in one sitting, just the thing to get through an otherwise boring flight.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,197 reviews