Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
MIRA Ink (2012), Edition: First edition, 300 pages
Description
Romance. Young Adult Fiction. HTML:Welcome to Maderley Academy I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited.... So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no. It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley�??the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by not perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me. Then, there's the name on my lips�??Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place. Waiting to take it… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member HarkiQuinn
I finished this book in a day. 25 hours. So a day in a half. Regardless my point is that I could not put it down until I read every last word. Paige Harbison's writing style demands your attention, her characters crave to be analyzed and the mystery of Becca Normandy will keep you glued to the
New Girl seems to play tribute to the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and even though I have never read Rebecca, I did go over the summary and New Girl seems like a very clever idea.
Our main character is in her senior year of high school, living it up in her hometown in Florida. Going to the beach, chilling with her best friend, and hanging out with her family until her parents deliver some great news: she's going to boarding school. Crossing a time zone, she is welcomed to Manderly with rumors. The reason why she got into Manderly was because a student, Becca Normandy, has been missing for months now, and no one knows if she is dead or alive. Even though Becca is gone, she seems to be more present with each day that passes.
The story follows 'the new girl,' whose name you do not learn until the very last page of the book. She has been accepted to Manderly Academy after Becca disappears but the entire student body only sees her as someone who wishes to replace the Mandery sweetheart. The reader will struggle with the new girl as she tries to establish an identity at a school that doesn't want to accept her. The plot is fast paced with twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. I had to know what happened to Becca and how she became Manderly's sweetheart!
All of the characters were wonderfully in depth, especially the mysterious Becca who probably need two novels just to analyze her inner workings. I also loved how strong our new girl was. Even when life handed her lemons, she made lemonade and added a shot of vodka for the hell of it. She stood up for herself, she went after what she wanted, and that gets major kudos from me. The rest of the characters played out like the average CW show with the guy she shouldn't have, the girls who maybe weren't really her friends, the psycho roommate and the boy that wants her. Although it was formulaic it worked. All of the characters complemented each other and each character held onto a piece of Rebecca that the new girl would need to unravel the mystery around her.
The writing style was very current and very true to how today's youth both speaks and thinks. Riddled with pop culture references like Jersey Shore (one I'm ashamed to have recognized), Harbison has no problem tapping into the mind of the average 17 year old who is wrought with issues like boys, schools, and missing pretty girls. I especially loved that Paige Harbison included chapters from the previous year of Manderly so that we could get to know Becca as we witness how others in present day Manderly students are affected by her disappearance. We also see how some scenes are not painted as prettily as others remember them to be.
I adored this book. I did not know what to expect until the very last chapters. Was Becca dead? Was she haunting the school? Was she alive? Was she stalking the new girl who has taken her place? So many questions and for the most part, we are given the answers that we crave. There are only one or two questions that are left unanswered which bothered me a little, but it did not take away from my overall experience.
One thing that did make me raise an eyebrow was how the author dealt with sex. Yes some of the characters have sex, and seeing how I read quite a few adult novels as well, I'm used to flowery and detailed language to describe the act. I guess that doesn't happen to often in the Young Adult genre. Instead of the poetry and obscure terminology that I used to with the adult romance genre, Harbison write one simple phrase to indicate that the deed was being done: "they did it." Perhaps it's just me but it made me feel a bit awkward to have sexual acts described as "she/they/he did it" and to be done with it. But hey that's just me.
I recommend this for any one of loves teen drama like Gossip Girls. And I especially recommend this novel for those who are fans of either Pretty Little Liars or The Lying Game.
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pages. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of this year. New Girl seems to play tribute to the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and even though I have never read Rebecca, I did go over the summary and New Girl seems like a very clever idea.
Our main character is in her senior year of high school, living it up in her hometown in Florida. Going to the beach, chilling with her best friend, and hanging out with her family until her parents deliver some great news: she's going to boarding school. Crossing a time zone, she is welcomed to Manderly with rumors. The reason why she got into Manderly was because a student, Becca Normandy, has been missing for months now, and no one knows if she is dead or alive. Even though Becca is gone, she seems to be more present with each day that passes.
The story follows 'the new girl,' whose name you do not learn until the very last page of the book. She has been accepted to Manderly Academy after Becca disappears but the entire student body only sees her as someone who wishes to replace the Mandery sweetheart. The reader will struggle with the new girl as she tries to establish an identity at a school that doesn't want to accept her. The plot is fast paced with twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. I had to know what happened to Becca and how she became Manderly's sweetheart!
All of the characters were wonderfully in depth, especially the mysterious Becca who probably need two novels just to analyze her inner workings. I also loved how strong our new girl was. Even when life handed her lemons, she made lemonade and added a shot of vodka for the hell of it. She stood up for herself, she went after what she wanted, and that gets major kudos from me. The rest of the characters played out like the average CW show with the guy she shouldn't have, the girls who maybe weren't really her friends, the psycho roommate and the boy that wants her. Although it was formulaic it worked. All of the characters complemented each other and each character held onto a piece of Rebecca that the new girl would need to unravel the mystery around her.
The writing style was very current and very true to how today's youth both speaks and thinks. Riddled with pop culture references like Jersey Shore (one I'm ashamed to have recognized), Harbison has no problem tapping into the mind of the average 17 year old who is wrought with issues like boys, schools, and missing pretty girls. I especially loved that Paige Harbison included chapters from the previous year of Manderly so that we could get to know Becca as we witness how others in present day Manderly students are affected by her disappearance. We also see how some scenes are not painted as prettily as others remember them to be.
I adored this book. I did not know what to expect until the very last chapters. Was Becca dead? Was she haunting the school? Was she alive? Was she stalking the new girl who has taken her place? So many questions and for the most part, we are given the answers that we crave. There are only one or two questions that are left unanswered which bothered me a little, but it did not take away from my overall experience.
One thing that did make me raise an eyebrow was how the author dealt with sex. Yes some of the characters have sex, and seeing how I read quite a few adult novels as well, I'm used to flowery and detailed language to describe the act. I guess that doesn't happen to often in the Young Adult genre. Instead of the poetry and obscure terminology that I used to with the adult romance genre, Harbison write one simple phrase to indicate that the deed was being done: "they did it." Perhaps it's just me but it made me feel a bit awkward to have sexual acts described as "she/they/he did it" and to be done with it. But hey that's just me.
I recommend this for any one of loves teen drama like Gossip Girls. And I especially recommend this novel for those who are fans of either Pretty Little Liars or The Lying Game.
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LibraryThing member ilikethesebooks
I found out after reading New Girl that this novel is a retelling of Rebecca, but I have not read the original, so I am in no position to tell how accurately they matched up. My review is solely bases on New Girl (how it should be).
What struck me about this novel was not necessarily the characters
There were a few things that did not fit to me - not that I didn't like them, just that they didn't really make sense. First off, the main character is sent to boarding school because her parents had been secretly applying since she first asked them years ago (because she was infatuated with Harry Potter) and they think they are doing something extremely nice for their daughter when she is finally accepted. Okay, that's nice. But - she doesn't want to go to boarding school anymore. Why she doesn't tell her parents and not go makes no sense to me. Also, at the school, there is an old boat house where the kids have parties. I get how they tricked the guard into letting them go down there before the MC gets there... but after a student goes missing there, wouldn't it make sense to have more security and/or padlock the place?
I tried to ignore my rational thoughts (this is fiction, I attempted to convince myself) because I really did enjoy the novel. I can't pin point exactly why, but I really wanted to get to the end and see how it all played out! The narration goes between the main character and the missing girl (before she goes missing up unto the point) and that was really unique how it was set up that way. Also, not saying anything, but I really enjoy what the author does with the main character's name (you'll see what I mean if you read it).
Beware though, there is a lot of drugs, sex, violence (rape/self-harm) woven into the plot. It is not extraneous, but if that is going to bother you, I thought I'd give you a heads up. But really, don't let that stop you. The novel is intriguing, suspenseful, mysterious and creepy - a powerful combination.
What struck me about this novel was not necessarily the characters
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or the plot, but the overall feel of the story. It reminded me of Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma in the way that every page coats you with a layer of mystery and that feeling that something is just not quite right...There were a few things that did not fit to me - not that I didn't like them, just that they didn't really make sense. First off, the main character is sent to boarding school because her parents had been secretly applying since she first asked them years ago (because she was infatuated with Harry Potter) and they think they are doing something extremely nice for their daughter when she is finally accepted. Okay, that's nice. But - she doesn't want to go to boarding school anymore. Why she doesn't tell her parents and not go makes no sense to me. Also, at the school, there is an old boat house where the kids have parties. I get how they tricked the guard into letting them go down there before the MC gets there... but after a student goes missing there, wouldn't it make sense to have more security and/or padlock the place?
I tried to ignore my rational thoughts (this is fiction, I attempted to convince myself) because I really did enjoy the novel. I can't pin point exactly why, but I really wanted to get to the end and see how it all played out! The narration goes between the main character and the missing girl (before she goes missing up unto the point) and that was really unique how it was set up that way. Also, not saying anything, but I really enjoy what the author does with the main character's name (you'll see what I mean if you read it).
Beware though, there is a lot of drugs, sex, violence (rape/self-harm) woven into the plot. It is not extraneous, but if that is going to bother you, I thought I'd give you a heads up. But really, don't let that stop you. The novel is intriguing, suspenseful, mysterious and creepy - a powerful combination.
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LibraryThing member theepicrat
What is with the growing popularity of books that go bump in the night? new girl follows this dark vein as we follow New Girl into a new school where the queen bee Becca rules with an iron fist despite the fact that she has vanished into thin air. Paige Harbison expertly builds the tension slowly
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but surely as it dances around the question of Becca’s current whereabouts – not to mention, New Girl’s actual name. If I had to describe new girl using other books, I would probably say it is a chimera of here lies bridget, choker, and all those “new girl at boarding school and rooms with the weird girl” stories. All the jealousies, heartaches, and spine tinglies will help to suck readers into new girl as the story behind Becca’s disappearance resurfaces and threatens to pull New Girl into dangerous waters. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmieG
New Girl is a contemporary young-adult novel inspired by the classic 1938 romantic suspense bestseller, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
They call her “New Girl”… Ever since she arrived at the exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy that is what she is called. The new girl, unknown, but not
New Girl is narrated by a young lady, who has recently been given admission to a prestigious boarding school, Manderly, in New Hampshire. After she arrives, she discovers that the only reason she is there is because another student, Becca, has gone missing. Now she must fight against the assumption that she is trying to replace Becca, in every way imaginable. The reader does not find out the narrator’s name until the very end of the book, so don’t think you just missed it along the way (like I did at first--*grin*).
New Girl is probably the least enjoyable novel I have read this year. Granted, it’s early in the year, but I have read approximately ten books and this is at the top of my “I didn’t like this” list. There were several times as I read that I literally felt my mouth hanging open because I couldn’t believe that this was happening in a novel intended for the young adult audience (which we all know includes teens). Because of the nature of my job and having teenagers myself, I do read novels with an eye toward the appropriateness for tweens and teens (after all, the blog is called Mom Reads My Books). This one should NOT be read by anyone under the age of 16 and then your teen better be relatively mature. I am a pretty easy-going mom, I don’t usually censor what my girls read, but I am very hesitant to let my girls read this book. Harbison glorified drinking, drugs and sex throughout the entire book. The most popular girl at school turned out to be the one who slept around the most and got everyone to start partying. If Harbison is going to continue to write for young adults, she needs to keep her audience in mind. Or start marketing her books to adults.
While the premise of the story is great, the execution is poorly done. It is very unrealistic. No parent in their right mind would ship their straight-A, college-bound, well-behaved daughter off to boarding school during her senior year, especially based on the fact that she last expressed interest in attending it when she was in junior high. Teachers and parents are not as oblivious as New Girl makes them seem, or as infrequently seen as Harbison would have her readers believe. Harbison also expects the intelligent reader to believe that an entire school full of people will suddenly become hard-core partiers, despite the insinuation that most, if not all, of the students were pretty tame prior to Becca arriving at school. There was only a cursory mention of classes and school work. This was a boarding school that seemed to forget the “school” part. Really, it seemed as if the only thing any of the students at Manderly Academy did was party. And party some more. Basically, I found the entire premise of the story difficult to believe.
There is not one character in this book that has any redeeming qualities. The majority of the girls in the book were vapid, horrid girls who lived to be snotty and rude. The worst character by far was the missing girl, Becca. She was mean, emotionally stunted and selfish. And those may have been her best qualities. The young men were no better; their main goal in life seemed to be to have sex. I didn’t have an ounce of sympathy for anyone in this book except for maybe the main character. Who wants to read a book in which you are unable to relate to any of the characters?
Reading New Girl was like watching a really bad episode of Gossip Girl or something similar. Every clichéd bad thing teenagers have ever done—or may ever do—was in this book: sex, drugs, drinking, lying, swearing and general overall rule breaking. You name it; the teens in this book did it. I felt like I was driving past a horrific train wreck and I couldn’t look away.
And just a minor point, but I really felt like the main character’s name reveal was very anti-climatic. After devoting so much time to reading this entire book that I really didn’t enjoy, I was hopeful that the main character’s name would be some eye-opening, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel moment that would make the book worth reading. It wasn’t. I actually had to go back and re-read it to make sure I hadn’t missed something, because I really thought it would have some deeper meaning to tie in with the story. Ummm, yeah, so not the case; it’s just a common, everyday name.
I will not be recommending New Girl to anyone. It is filled with gratuitous sex, extremely bad language, and even a rape. It disturbed me and I am a grown woman who has practically seen it all. I don’t feel that this book is appropriate for any one under the age of 17 or 18.
They call her “New Girl”… Ever since she arrived at the exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy that is what she is called. The new girl, unknown, but not
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unnoticed, because of her, Becca Normandy. Her picture is everywhere. Her name is on everyone’s lips. “New Girl” doesn’t compare. And the only reason she is at Manderly is because Becca is missing and a spot opened up. Everyone treats her like it is her fault. Everyone that is except Max Holloway. But everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend, only she is gone and the new girl is there, replacing her. Except it isn’t that easy. Becca’s life must have been so much better, if you believe what everyone tells you. And maybe she is still out there, waiting to take it back (Summary adapted from the summary provided by Harlequin Teen via NetGalley).New Girl is narrated by a young lady, who has recently been given admission to a prestigious boarding school, Manderly, in New Hampshire. After she arrives, she discovers that the only reason she is there is because another student, Becca, has gone missing. Now she must fight against the assumption that she is trying to replace Becca, in every way imaginable. The reader does not find out the narrator’s name until the very end of the book, so don’t think you just missed it along the way (like I did at first--*grin*).
New Girl is probably the least enjoyable novel I have read this year. Granted, it’s early in the year, but I have read approximately ten books and this is at the top of my “I didn’t like this” list. There were several times as I read that I literally felt my mouth hanging open because I couldn’t believe that this was happening in a novel intended for the young adult audience (which we all know includes teens). Because of the nature of my job and having teenagers myself, I do read novels with an eye toward the appropriateness for tweens and teens (after all, the blog is called Mom Reads My Books). This one should NOT be read by anyone under the age of 16 and then your teen better be relatively mature. I am a pretty easy-going mom, I don’t usually censor what my girls read, but I am very hesitant to let my girls read this book. Harbison glorified drinking, drugs and sex throughout the entire book. The most popular girl at school turned out to be the one who slept around the most and got everyone to start partying. If Harbison is going to continue to write for young adults, she needs to keep her audience in mind. Or start marketing her books to adults.
While the premise of the story is great, the execution is poorly done. It is very unrealistic. No parent in their right mind would ship their straight-A, college-bound, well-behaved daughter off to boarding school during her senior year, especially based on the fact that she last expressed interest in attending it when she was in junior high. Teachers and parents are not as oblivious as New Girl makes them seem, or as infrequently seen as Harbison would have her readers believe. Harbison also expects the intelligent reader to believe that an entire school full of people will suddenly become hard-core partiers, despite the insinuation that most, if not all, of the students were pretty tame prior to Becca arriving at school. There was only a cursory mention of classes and school work. This was a boarding school that seemed to forget the “school” part. Really, it seemed as if the only thing any of the students at Manderly Academy did was party. And party some more. Basically, I found the entire premise of the story difficult to believe.
There is not one character in this book that has any redeeming qualities. The majority of the girls in the book were vapid, horrid girls who lived to be snotty and rude. The worst character by far was the missing girl, Becca. She was mean, emotionally stunted and selfish. And those may have been her best qualities. The young men were no better; their main goal in life seemed to be to have sex. I didn’t have an ounce of sympathy for anyone in this book except for maybe the main character. Who wants to read a book in which you are unable to relate to any of the characters?
Reading New Girl was like watching a really bad episode of Gossip Girl or something similar. Every clichéd bad thing teenagers have ever done—or may ever do—was in this book: sex, drugs, drinking, lying, swearing and general overall rule breaking. You name it; the teens in this book did it. I felt like I was driving past a horrific train wreck and I couldn’t look away.
And just a minor point, but I really felt like the main character’s name reveal was very anti-climatic. After devoting so much time to reading this entire book that I really didn’t enjoy, I was hopeful that the main character’s name would be some eye-opening, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel moment that would make the book worth reading. It wasn’t. I actually had to go back and re-read it to make sure I hadn’t missed something, because I really thought it would have some deeper meaning to tie in with the story. Ummm, yeah, so not the case; it’s just a common, everyday name.
I will not be recommending New Girl to anyone. It is filled with gratuitous sex, extremely bad language, and even a rape. It disturbed me and I am a grown woman who has practically seen it all. I don’t feel that this book is appropriate for any one under the age of 17 or 18.
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LibraryThing member Juhina
New girl was such an unexpected surprise for me! The cover pulled me in but the synopsis was meh. HOWEVER, from the first page I got sucked in. I loved the mystery and secrets behind the story.
We start off with the protagonist being shipped off to boarding school for her senior year of high school
I honestly felt sorry for her, why did she have to be blamed for replacing Becca's place? she's never even met the girl but people still whispered about her constantly and called her a "wannabe Becca". At the same time I felt frustrated. Why couldn't she stand up for herself? she just let them treat her like dirt and never did anything about it.
The unraveling of the mystery was exciting, it kept me hooked and it basically set the tone for the book, which was dark and mysterious throughout. Even the crush and then the relationship our protagonist had with max, who is Becca's ex-boyfriend, was complicated and had a heavy and mysterious aura that kept me on the edge of my seat. Whether it was from the characters, or just the way the protagonist describes the surroundings, it was an all around creepy, mysterious, and addicting read. I loved it!
We start off with the protagonist being shipped off to boarding school for her senior year of high school
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While this might have been her dream back when she was a kid and fascinated with Hogwarts, all she wanted now was to spend her last year with her friends and family. To make things worse, the slot that opened up for her was perviously taken by a girl that just went missing. So she starts her school year with the label "New Girl" and having to deal with being constantly overshadowed by Becca, the missing girl, wherever she went. I honestly felt sorry for her, why did she have to be blamed for replacing Becca's place? she's never even met the girl but people still whispered about her constantly and called her a "wannabe Becca". At the same time I felt frustrated. Why couldn't she stand up for herself? she just let them treat her like dirt and never did anything about it.
The unraveling of the mystery was exciting, it kept me hooked and it basically set the tone for the book, which was dark and mysterious throughout. Even the crush and then the relationship our protagonist had with max, who is Becca's ex-boyfriend, was complicated and had a heavy and mysterious aura that kept me on the edge of my seat. Whether it was from the characters, or just the way the protagonist describes the surroundings, it was an all around creepy, mysterious, and addicting read. I loved it!
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LibraryThing member novelgoddess
You are the “new girl”…you are taking the spot of a missing, much beloved former student named Becca Normandy. You are rooming in Becca’s old room, with Becca’s previous roommate/BFF. You even have a slight resemblance to Becca. All you hear all year long is “Becca, Becca, Becca”. You
But what happened to Becca? Why so much comparison? Why so much ire? Time will tell and it’s going to be a very LONG year!
What I liked about this retelling of “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier was the pacing. It could have easily gotten bogged down in minutae but didn’t. The pace kept me interested and reading. I liked New Girl…she found her strength and voice by the end. Early on she was just trying to fit in and hope some of the constant comparisons would ease up…but she reached her limit and started sticking up for herself. I liked the roommate, Dana…she was over-the-top and I really thought it was going to turn out that she had a hand in Becca’s disappearance (“Me thinks she doth protest a bit too much”), or at least the facebook post.
I didn’t like Becca, of course…what a manipulating sociopath! Geez, the lengths she went to! Talk about over-the-top. I didn’t like that New Girl put up with so much of Dana’s abuse. The sex was gratuitous. Not that I am a prude, I just felt it was over-the-top as well.
Overall I am a Paige Harbison fan and will continue to read her books, but this one wasn’t a favorite of mine.
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even draw interest from the 2 boys that were front and center in Becca’s life. But what happened to Becca? Why so much comparison? Why so much ire? Time will tell and it’s going to be a very LONG year!
What I liked about this retelling of “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier was the pacing. It could have easily gotten bogged down in minutae but didn’t. The pace kept me interested and reading. I liked New Girl…she found her strength and voice by the end. Early on she was just trying to fit in and hope some of the constant comparisons would ease up…but she reached her limit and started sticking up for herself. I liked the roommate, Dana…she was over-the-top and I really thought it was going to turn out that she had a hand in Becca’s disappearance (“Me thinks she doth protest a bit too much”), or at least the facebook post.
I didn’t like Becca, of course…what a manipulating sociopath! Geez, the lengths she went to! Talk about over-the-top. I didn’t like that New Girl put up with so much of Dana’s abuse. The sex was gratuitous. Not that I am a prude, I just felt it was over-the-top as well.
Overall I am a Paige Harbison fan and will continue to read her books, but this one wasn’t a favorite of mine.
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LibraryThing member hrose2931
***Might be mildly spoilerish but doesn't give away ending or important parts of story***
Teens have a hard enough time trying to figure out who they are as they go through their years between 12 and 17 or 18. But imagine being called "New Girl" all through the school year, because that's who you
The beauty of this novel is that we never get a name for the New Girl. She just goes with New Girl and allows people to call her that and treat her like the New Girl. She futilely tries to stand up for herself and we are inside her head knowing that she is not some spineless creature, she's just never been in this position, friendless, outcast, social pariah. She's always been friendly outgoing, social. It's new territory, for the New Girl. And trying to deny she's wanting Becca's life is pointless because in some ways she does. Who doesn't want to be beautiful and loved by everyone and she kind of does like Max and she feels bad about all of it.
But this is the year that things change for the New Girl. I didn't think she should have put up with the treatment she got from Max. I wouldn't have. She deserved better than that. Max was sweet with her sometimes, but he blew so hot and cold, she couldn't count on him. The New Girl learned to rely on herself and that she could make it by herself in a place of isolation. She grew up. Found out what the real world was like and tested the waters for the coming years. Her plans had always been to go to FSU (boo hiss) with all her friends from high school, but this year away, taught her that maybe, she should challenge herself. Maybe step out of her comfort zone. In her isolation, she learns who she really is and isn't.
The chapters are told in alternating points of view, though it might be told three chapters Me as in the new girl and two chapters Becca which was the year before. We can tell she, Becca, is a troubled girl, certainly narcissistic , but also more impressed with appearance than her own happiness. Max plus Becca equals most beautiful couple on campus, and Becca most envied. But is she happiest with him? It doesn't seem to matter. She does seem to have a heart and we see bits and pieces of it leak through her plans.
But the "New Girl" garners the most sympathy from us. Be it a tirade from her roommate who was Becca's one true friend and former roommate or a "You can't like Max or Johnny, because you'd just be hurt when Becca is comes back. Max is going to marry her. We're trying to spare you from getting hurt," talk from Madison and Julia.
This novel was filled with tension from the time the "New Girl" set foot on the campus of Manderly until she graduated. I kept waiting for Becca to return, or for her roommate to try to kill her. And I'm not saying attempts were not made on her life. Her roommate was extremely abusive. The climax is unexpected and the accusations that fly are extremely revealing. I loved this book. The tension, the "New Girl" finding herself and refusing to give in to the constant pressure of being something she wasn't, the mystery behind Becca's disappearance, it all lead to a great story. I've never read Rebecca so I don't know how it did as a retelling, but as a novel for today, I thought it was excellent!
Oh, as a rating, there was a lot of casual sex, drinking and drugs, the typical fare of boarding schools that actually does happen parents. So be advised. The sex is not detailed, but there is a lot of it and the drinking is excessive. You've been warned. I think all of it was necessary for the story.
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Teens have a hard enough time trying to figure out who they are as they go through their years between 12 and 17 or 18. But imagine being called "New Girl" all through the school year, because that's who you
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are and no one tries to get to know you. They're too busy trying to tell you who you'll never be. You'll never be the effervescent Becca, the other new girl, last year's new girl who is missing. She is assured time and time again that she will never live up to Becca's image, personality, nor will she ever be allowed or gain the interest of Max nor Johnny because they both were in love with Becca and are just waiting for her return to rekindle their romance. Everyone believes she's coming back, or so she's led to believe. The beauty of this novel is that we never get a name for the New Girl. She just goes with New Girl and allows people to call her that and treat her like the New Girl. She futilely tries to stand up for herself and we are inside her head knowing that she is not some spineless creature, she's just never been in this position, friendless, outcast, social pariah. She's always been friendly outgoing, social. It's new territory, for the New Girl. And trying to deny she's wanting Becca's life is pointless because in some ways she does. Who doesn't want to be beautiful and loved by everyone and she kind of does like Max and she feels bad about all of it.
But this is the year that things change for the New Girl. I didn't think she should have put up with the treatment she got from Max. I wouldn't have. She deserved better than that. Max was sweet with her sometimes, but he blew so hot and cold, she couldn't count on him. The New Girl learned to rely on herself and that she could make it by herself in a place of isolation. She grew up. Found out what the real world was like and tested the waters for the coming years. Her plans had always been to go to FSU (boo hiss) with all her friends from high school, but this year away, taught her that maybe, she should challenge herself. Maybe step out of her comfort zone. In her isolation, she learns who she really is and isn't.
The chapters are told in alternating points of view, though it might be told three chapters Me as in the new girl and two chapters Becca which was the year before. We can tell she, Becca, is a troubled girl, certainly narcissistic , but also more impressed with appearance than her own happiness. Max plus Becca equals most beautiful couple on campus, and Becca most envied. But is she happiest with him? It doesn't seem to matter. She does seem to have a heart and we see bits and pieces of it leak through her plans.
But the "New Girl" garners the most sympathy from us. Be it a tirade from her roommate who was Becca's one true friend and former roommate or a "You can't like Max or Johnny, because you'd just be hurt when Becca is comes back. Max is going to marry her. We're trying to spare you from getting hurt," talk from Madison and Julia.
This novel was filled with tension from the time the "New Girl" set foot on the campus of Manderly until she graduated. I kept waiting for Becca to return, or for her roommate to try to kill her. And I'm not saying attempts were not made on her life. Her roommate was extremely abusive. The climax is unexpected and the accusations that fly are extremely revealing. I loved this book. The tension, the "New Girl" finding herself and refusing to give in to the constant pressure of being something she wasn't, the mystery behind Becca's disappearance, it all lead to a great story. I've never read Rebecca so I don't know how it did as a retelling, but as a novel for today, I thought it was excellent!
Oh, as a rating, there was a lot of casual sex, drinking and drugs, the typical fare of boarding schools that actually does happen parents. So be advised. The sex is not detailed, but there is a lot of it and the drinking is excessive. You've been warned. I think all of it was necessary for the story.
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LibraryThing member meags222
I received this copy from NetGalley for an honest review and I have to say I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading it. I had read and reviewed Harbison's debut novel Here Lies Bridget and I had mixed feelings on that one too. When I first started reading this novel I had no idea
-The novel is set at Manderly
-The missing girl in the book is named Becca, short for Rebecca
-There is a love triangle between two boys, best friends
-The narrator of the novel is never named but always referred to as "New Girl"
I could go on and on but I don't want to ruin too much of the plot. So, without knowing it I had picked up a re-telling of DuMaurier's Rebecca. I have to admit that while many people enjoy the classic Rebecca, I have never been a huge fan. I always found the characters to be infuriating. Well, not much is different with this book. I found myself really disliking many of the characters in this book.
*** SPOILER ALERT***
Johnny and Max, for one, could not get their act together. They claim to be best friends, yet they are both sleeping with the same girl even though they both don't really like her that much. Why would you waste your friendship on something like that? It seems like neither one of them can really speak their mind and in the end they string people along. I found this to be really frustrating in the narration by New Girl. Clearly, Max liked her but could never bring himself to commit because he felt guilty about his missing ex whom he never seemed to really enjoy anyhow.
The girls in this book are downright nasty, mean girls. Harbison is quite good at writing characters like this, as her novel Here Lies Bridget deals with this very thing. New Girl's roommate borders on psycho and I couldn't imagine having to share a room with someone like that.
I have to admit that while there were some things that I disliked about the novel, I did enjoy other things. The writing for one is quite good. It keeps you engaged until the very last page and I had no trouble reading this in 2 days. This is saying a lot because I was in the middle of writing report cards this week and things were a bit hectic. Harbison has a way of evoking your emotions in a way that you may not expect.
Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. As I said, while it may not be my favorite book of 2012, it's not going to rank on my most hated books either.
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what it was about and as I started reading I realized that there were way too many similarities to the novel Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier for it to be coincidence.-The novel is set at Manderly
-The missing girl in the book is named Becca, short for Rebecca
-There is a love triangle between two boys, best friends
-The narrator of the novel is never named but always referred to as "New Girl"
I could go on and on but I don't want to ruin too much of the plot. So, without knowing it I had picked up a re-telling of DuMaurier's Rebecca. I have to admit that while many people enjoy the classic Rebecca, I have never been a huge fan. I always found the characters to be infuriating. Well, not much is different with this book. I found myself really disliking many of the characters in this book.
*** SPOILER ALERT***
Johnny and Max, for one, could not get their act together. They claim to be best friends, yet they are both sleeping with the same girl even though they both don't really like her that much. Why would you waste your friendship on something like that? It seems like neither one of them can really speak their mind and in the end they string people along. I found this to be really frustrating in the narration by New Girl. Clearly, Max liked her but could never bring himself to commit because he felt guilty about his missing ex whom he never seemed to really enjoy anyhow.
The girls in this book are downright nasty, mean girls. Harbison is quite good at writing characters like this, as her novel Here Lies Bridget deals with this very thing. New Girl's roommate borders on psycho and I couldn't imagine having to share a room with someone like that.
I have to admit that while there were some things that I disliked about the novel, I did enjoy other things. The writing for one is quite good. It keeps you engaged until the very last page and I had no trouble reading this in 2 days. This is saying a lot because I was in the middle of writing report cards this week and things were a bit hectic. Harbison has a way of evoking your emotions in a way that you may not expect.
Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. As I said, while it may not be my favorite book of 2012, it's not going to rank on my most hated books either.
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LibraryThing member bkwormblogger
Synopsis: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
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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 backReview:If anyone is familiar with Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (one of my favourite books) then this story will be slightly familiar, however the premise is told in a new YA way about a school called Manderley and a girl who (in keeping with the original book) is only known by name at the end. Told from 2 POV's, one being Becca and one being New Girl, we are soon engulfed in a tightly woven tale that hums alongside each other perfectly. Pretty soon into the story you realise who is the innocent and who is the guilty party. And you can't help your own emotions get in the way. One minute you want to scream at Becca for being like she is, and in the next you want to scream at New Girl for not seeing it through unprejudiced eyes. The poisonous whispers of others soon affect New Girl and her rational way of thinking, especially when it comes to Max (Becca's ex) but are the poison whispers true or false? Only Becca can answer that.I loved this book! I loved the storytelling and the writing. I loved the way the answers began to slip into the story gradually. Around two-thirds in we have a slight repetition in events that slow it down a little but the characters are all written so fantastically well that you don't mind and can't help just going with it.And the end? I had a warm fuzzy feeling...and a big smile on my face...I hope you do too! Show Less
LibraryThing member booktwirps
Rebecca “Becca” Normandy comes to Manderley determined to make a splash. It’s not long before she’s throwing forbidden parties in the boat house and flirting with the most sought after guy at the academy. In a matter of days, all the guys want her and every girl wants to be her – just the
When the new girl arrives at Manderley the following year, she hopes to fly in under the radar, making a few friends, and finishing up her senior year in the school she used to dream of attending. That’s hard to do when everywhere you turn people are talking about the mysterious Becca who obviously still holds them under her spell. The new girl doesn’t expect to catch the eye of the mysterious Max Holloway, the boyfriend of the missing girl, who may or may not have had something to do with her disappearance. Who is this Becca and why can’t the new girl get away from her? Is she still alive, and if so, how long will it be before she comes back to claim what everyone says is rightfully hers?
New Girl is a fascinating retelling of Daphne du Maurier’s classic, Rebecca. Instead of an old English manor, Manderley is now an exclusive boarding school in New England. I’m a huge fan of the original, and when I read about this version, I knew I had to check it out. I loved how Ms. Harbison creatively worked this tale into a high school setting. The characters are just as interesting and mysterious as the original, and though I had an idea of how everything was going to end, I still enjoyed every page. The writing flows very nicely and the characters felt fresh. Just as in the original, the author effectively keeps the name of the protagonist a secret until the end, and I especially enjoyed her reimagining of the evil maid, Mrs. Danvers, into the mentally unstable, former roommate of Becca’s named Dana Veers. The story is told in both the first person POV of “the new girl” and the third person perspective of Becca. Ms. Harbison effectively switches viewpoints with little to no distraction to the reader, unraveling the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Becca at the perfect pace.
I highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a good romance surrounded in mystery. While this is geared toward YA audiences, it is pretty steamy in some parts, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under the age of sixteen.
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way she wanted it to be. By the end of the school year Becca has blown through Manderley with the force of a hurricane, ruining lives, stabbing people in the back and making everyone as miserable as she is. Then, at the final party of the school year, Becca goes missing.When the new girl arrives at Manderley the following year, she hopes to fly in under the radar, making a few friends, and finishing up her senior year in the school she used to dream of attending. That’s hard to do when everywhere you turn people are talking about the mysterious Becca who obviously still holds them under her spell. The new girl doesn’t expect to catch the eye of the mysterious Max Holloway, the boyfriend of the missing girl, who may or may not have had something to do with her disappearance. Who is this Becca and why can’t the new girl get away from her? Is she still alive, and if so, how long will it be before she comes back to claim what everyone says is rightfully hers?
New Girl is a fascinating retelling of Daphne du Maurier’s classic, Rebecca. Instead of an old English manor, Manderley is now an exclusive boarding school in New England. I’m a huge fan of the original, and when I read about this version, I knew I had to check it out. I loved how Ms. Harbison creatively worked this tale into a high school setting. The characters are just as interesting and mysterious as the original, and though I had an idea of how everything was going to end, I still enjoyed every page. The writing flows very nicely and the characters felt fresh. Just as in the original, the author effectively keeps the name of the protagonist a secret until the end, and I especially enjoyed her reimagining of the evil maid, Mrs. Danvers, into the mentally unstable, former roommate of Becca’s named Dana Veers. The story is told in both the first person POV of “the new girl” and the third person perspective of Becca. Ms. Harbison effectively switches viewpoints with little to no distraction to the reader, unraveling the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Becca at the perfect pace.
I highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a good romance surrounded in mystery. While this is geared toward YA audiences, it is pretty steamy in some parts, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under the age of sixteen.
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LibraryThing member BrianneRS1979
Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin, and Paige Harbison, I had the pleasure of reading New Girl. After finishing this book I have discovered that New Girl is a tribute to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I have not read Rebecca, and honestly hadnt heard of that book before. But thanks to New Girl, I am
Upon arrival, the New Girl discovers that she isnt welcome at all by her classmates and the mystery begins. A year before a student went missing and the classmates continue to wonder.New Girl is told in two point of views. The New Girl and the missing girl (Becca) Normally I don't enjoy books were the POV skips around alot but I enjoyed this and it was a well fit for the book.
Im not sure how I would rate New Girl, I was entertained and it kept my interest. But the fact that the students a year later continued to talk about the missing girl and accusing the New Girl of basically wanting to be here just didnt work for me. I wanted the New Girl to stand up for herself, tell her classmates to GET OVER IT! Over all I enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone for some light reading. It did contain drug and sexual content.I did enjoy the writing and am looking forward to reading more from Paige Harbison.
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going to have to read Rebecca.New girl is about a Florida teen who was accepted to a private boarding school in New Hampshire. When the New Girl was younger she had asked her parents to go to a boarding school because of her love for the Harry Potter books. She was hesitant to go her senior year but didnt want to disapoint her parents.Upon arrival, the New Girl discovers that she isnt welcome at all by her classmates and the mystery begins. A year before a student went missing and the classmates continue to wonder.New Girl is told in two point of views. The New Girl and the missing girl (Becca) Normally I don't enjoy books were the POV skips around alot but I enjoyed this and it was a well fit for the book.
Im not sure how I would rate New Girl, I was entertained and it kept my interest. But the fact that the students a year later continued to talk about the missing girl and accusing the New Girl of basically wanting to be here just didnt work for me. I wanted the New Girl to stand up for herself, tell her classmates to GET OVER IT! Over all I enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone for some light reading. It did contain drug and sexual content.I did enjoy the writing and am looking forward to reading more from Paige Harbison.
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LibraryThing member skaohee
So, imagine what you would do if your parents shipped you off to boarding school for your senior year. Now, imagine that they don't even think of this as a punishment - they think that it's what you want. And THEN, imagine that you get to said boarding school and everyone just calls you 'new girl'
Errrr - this was definitely a rather creepy read. It's a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca. And while I haven't read the classic, I definitely got the creepy vibe off of its retelling. I think one of the strong points of this novel was its mystery. What happened to Becca? Is she alive? And why the heck is the new roommate so WEIRD? The plot and mystery kept me reading til the end. But the main character? Meh, she was just okay for me. She was whiny and "why doesn't anyone like me" boo-hoo but I didn't feel bad for her. She's suppose to come to this realization at the end of the novel, but I just wanted to say "DUH".
Also, the writing itself just mediocre. Example: "And then they did it again." This line is in reference to two characters having sex. I mean..REALLY!? O_o There wasn't a better way to describe that scene?
If you like mysterious, creepy books, try this one out.
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because the girl whose spot you've taken, has gone missing and is presumed dead. It feels like no one wants you there, except maybe the missing girl's boyfriend.Errrr - this was definitely a rather creepy read. It's a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca. And while I haven't read the classic, I definitely got the creepy vibe off of its retelling. I think one of the strong points of this novel was its mystery. What happened to Becca? Is she alive? And why the heck is the new roommate so WEIRD? The plot and mystery kept me reading til the end. But the main character? Meh, she was just okay for me. She was whiny and "why doesn't anyone like me" boo-hoo but I didn't feel bad for her. She's suppose to come to this realization at the end of the novel, but I just wanted to say "DUH".
Also, the writing itself just mediocre. Example: "And then they did it again." This line is in reference to two characters having sex. I mean..REALLY!? O_o There wasn't a better way to describe that scene?
If you like mysterious, creepy books, try this one out.
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
After reading the first page, I was astounded with the rude awakening the new girl Manderly gets. Not only did the author have me hooked but I always enjoy a book with mean people in it. Cause I know in the end, the redemption of what the characters goes through will come out to shine.
What I
The way the plot unfolded with the missing girl is a great story told. The point of view switches back and forth between the new girl and the old new girl Becca gave the story a great filling that I couldn't get enough of. I thought the similarities between the girls was astounding. Not to mention the boy trouble just doused it up a notch for me!
There wasn't really a love interest in the story but one that is surely starting at the ending of the story. Once everything is said and put to rest, Manderly is able to move on with her life. She created strong friendships with good loyalty. I like that in the end, even though Becca and Manderly seem alike, they are truly not the same.
This book is written so good that I could not get my eyes off of it. I was able to read it fast cause it had all the elements that I like in a book. A mystery disappearance, a new girl, mean girls, and friends harboring a deep secret that just yearns for the truth.
*drinking/implied sex/cursing/homicide*
What I
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enjoyed most about this book is the great plot line. Filled with a heavy overload of prejudiced, Manderly is taking the place of a girl who is love by all and missing. The way the girls treated the new girls made me want to go into the book and kick their little butts! These girls were mean, but gave the story so much action. Manderly took no crap from anyone and she held her head high better than anyone I ever known.The way the plot unfolded with the missing girl is a great story told. The point of view switches back and forth between the new girl and the old new girl Becca gave the story a great filling that I couldn't get enough of. I thought the similarities between the girls was astounding. Not to mention the boy trouble just doused it up a notch for me!
There wasn't really a love interest in the story but one that is surely starting at the ending of the story. Once everything is said and put to rest, Manderly is able to move on with her life. She created strong friendships with good loyalty. I like that in the end, even though Becca and Manderly seem alike, they are truly not the same.
This book is written so good that I could not get my eyes off of it. I was able to read it fast cause it had all the elements that I like in a book. A mystery disappearance, a new girl, mean girls, and friends harboring a deep secret that just yearns for the truth.
*drinking/implied sex/cursing/homicide*
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LibraryThing member summerskris
Creepy and mystifying, New Girl is a high-school retelling of the classic Rebecca by Daphe Du Maurier. The story is told in the alternating perspectives of "new girl" in the present and Becca one year ago. New Girl is a gem in contemporary literature. The characters are all so humanly conflicted:
The academy is stagnant because of Becca's loss, and no one will let the new girl forget that she can never be Becca. I admire the new girl. It takes great strength and perseverance to overcome a void such as the one that Becca left in the lives of the students of Manderly Academy. And she manages to do it--to make a place for herself at the academy with her own strength, unlike Becca who resorted to dirty tricks and her sex appeal.
I can't remember a character I hated more than Becca. She craves attention and is willing to do anything necessary to stay in the spotlight. She is cruel and manipulative, and I couldn't understand why (practically) nobody could see it. Yet I ended up pitying her. I pitied her for trying so hard and never really getting everything. I pitied her for ending up where she does.
Most eerily, I never noticed that the new girl's name is never mentioned until the very end, when Max calls her name. It feels symbolic, like she finally found her place in the world. I can't help wondering, like the new girl, what would have happened if a certain person made another appearance, and I agree that I couldn't see a happy ending. But still, what if? New Girl is creepy--shadowed by mysteries and the Becca's absence and filled with tormented characters, each with their own burdens. At the same time, it is irresistible. I was captivated from start to finish.
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because a single girl whirled in and out of their lives, leaving her mark in a horrific manner. Everyone is touched by her lies, especially this year's new girl, who never even met Becca.The academy is stagnant because of Becca's loss, and no one will let the new girl forget that she can never be Becca. I admire the new girl. It takes great strength and perseverance to overcome a void such as the one that Becca left in the lives of the students of Manderly Academy. And she manages to do it--to make a place for herself at the academy with her own strength, unlike Becca who resorted to dirty tricks and her sex appeal.
I can't remember a character I hated more than Becca. She craves attention and is willing to do anything necessary to stay in the spotlight. She is cruel and manipulative, and I couldn't understand why (practically) nobody could see it. Yet I ended up pitying her. I pitied her for trying so hard and never really getting everything. I pitied her for ending up where she does.
Most eerily, I never noticed that the new girl's name is never mentioned until the very end, when Max calls her name. It feels symbolic, like she finally found her place in the world. I can't help wondering, like the new girl, what would have happened if a certain person made another appearance, and I agree that I couldn't see a happy ending. But still, what if? New Girl is creepy--shadowed by mysteries and the Becca's absence and filled with tormented characters, each with their own burdens. At the same time, it is irresistible. I was captivated from start to finish.
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LibraryThing member Angelscryhavoc
Book Title: New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison
Published By: Harlequin teen
Genre: Young Adult
Recommended Age: +13
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 3 Ravens
A very interesting coming of age story that allows the reader to see the
I liked that no matter how hard others wished or tried to make her be someone she wasn’t she chose to be herself and stuck through it no matter what. Though the ending was a little sad in some ways especially since well you will find out . Just check it out and see if it’s something you like but be warned it is a little drama filled and tense at times. A serious book for a serious young adult.
Author: Paige Harbison
Published By: Harlequin teen
Genre: Young Adult
Recommended Age: +13
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 3 Ravens
A very interesting coming of age story that allows the reader to see the
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perspective of both girls through their eyes, The one where it seems the old girl is not being let go and the new girls is not being accepted the odd similarities of them both and the fact that no matter how hard you try sometimes you just have to accept yourself and say forget everyone else. Though the story seems oddly familiar and I’m sure that it’s been done in several books there were unique twists and turns, One thing I do like is how the girl was taken from the typical perfect life beach setting and placed among the cold environments of a private school. Where she was forced to grow up and make the right choices and mistakes on her own without the help of parents. I liked that no matter how hard others wished or tried to make her be someone she wasn’t she chose to be herself and stuck through it no matter what. Though the ending was a little sad in some ways especially since well you will find out . Just check it out and see if it’s something you like but be warned it is a little drama filled and tense at times. A serious book for a serious young adult.
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LibraryThing member SDPogue
I read a review about this book which prompted me to request it from NetGalley. I’m so glad I did. New Girl is a re-telling of Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I have never read Rebecca nor was I familiar with the story so I thought it would be a fun way to discover a classic and I would have no
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pre-conceived ideas of how the plot should go. The other thing I knew about the book was there was a twist at the ending. I had expected more of a twist than I got. That’s not to say it was a bad ending or twist but my overactive imagination was sure there was something so unexpected going to happen like the “New Girl” turned out to be Rebecca and everyone was playing along with her fantasy but it was nothing like that. The only twist is that you find out what really happened to Rebecca and it’s not that much of a twist. The story was great. I could not put the book down. I devoured it in hours (which always leaves me unsatisfied because it’s over). The main character’s name is not revealed until the last page or so which makes describing the book a little tricky. The “new girl” is accepted to Manderley, a private boarding school in New Hampshire. She has spent her whole life in a small town in Florida and is stunned to learn she will be spending her senior year at a boarding school she had been interested in years prior. She’s not that excited to go. She gets to the school to find that she is “replacing” Becca who mysteriously disappeared at the end of the last school year. The book flips between the new girl’s story and Becca’s. There’s not a lot of “plot” in this book but it’s an interesting picture into the life of the New Girl. I enjoyed her journey through her senior year. It wasn’t easy and yet her character remained believable. The circumstances remained believable. Sometimes it’s nice to just experience someone else’s life and that’s what New Girl really is. She’s not perfect but she’s not overly flawed, just human. She’s in a bad situation but doesn’t let that stop her from succeeding. It was nice to see her struggle and the awkwardness she felt as she changed. I think it’s a great book for young women to read. It’s probably too “girly” for boys but it’s still a great story to experience. Show Less
LibraryThing member StephsStacks
So, our New Girl comes to Manderly Academy for her senior year. Because space is limited, she takes a spot that recently opened up due to the mysterious disappearance of a student named Becca. The New Girl has all of the elements of your basic fish-out-of-water story: she feels awkward and not sure
Her roommate is a psycho who worshipped Becca (no bonding anytime soon here...) Also, apparently Becca's parents couldn't be bothered to clean out her side of the room and New Girl sleeps under a wall of smiling Beccas beaming down upon her. Her peers and love-interests are constantly comparing her to Becca. Putting New Girl (her name isn't revealed until the end of the story as a nod to the source material) in the position of having to always prove that she is not Becca. How annoying for her...
The New Girl has elements of teen sex and partying and I wouldn't recommend to to people who are sensitive to reading about such things. These elements did make me wonder what kind of crazy prep school this was because the kids went out every night and barely had to hide it. Which is fine, but your typical high schooler doesn't usually have the liberty the throw down every night of the week. Now college...that's a different story.
This story comes with a twist, though. Becca was a notorious party girl and her disappearance is a mystery that consumes the entire school. I loved trying figure out who-done-it and trying to discern the truth from rumours.
Harbison has crafted a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller (based on Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier) that was a pleasure to devour.
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what to do, people are snotty to her and the hottest two boys in school are sending smoldering glances her way (natch).Her roommate is a psycho who worshipped Becca (no bonding anytime soon here...) Also, apparently Becca's parents couldn't be bothered to clean out her side of the room and New Girl sleeps under a wall of smiling Beccas beaming down upon her. Her peers and love-interests are constantly comparing her to Becca. Putting New Girl (her name isn't revealed until the end of the story as a nod to the source material) in the position of having to always prove that she is not Becca. How annoying for her...
The New Girl has elements of teen sex and partying and I wouldn't recommend to to people who are sensitive to reading about such things. These elements did make me wonder what kind of crazy prep school this was because the kids went out every night and barely had to hide it. Which is fine, but your typical high schooler doesn't usually have the liberty the throw down every night of the week. Now college...that's a different story.
This story comes with a twist, though. Becca was a notorious party girl and her disappearance is a mystery that consumes the entire school. I loved trying figure out who-done-it and trying to discern the truth from rumours.
Harbison has crafted a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller (based on Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier) that was a pleasure to devour.
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LibraryThing member AngelaFristoe
I was really surprised by this book. When I first started reading I thought it was going to be a bit fluffier. Maybe some kind of Gossip Girl meets Harry Potter. I was definitely surprised, in a good way, especially after I've run into three books before this that I either couldn't finish or had to
Told using two different points of view, the missing Becca and the "New Girl", Harbison gives an amazing contrast of two girls who essential want the same thing. Acceptance and love. But go about it in completely different ways, each resulting in very different outcomes.
Harbison writes the "New Girl" (her name doesn't appear until the very end, so I won't spoil it for you) as a normal teen, who at first appears to be on the meek side. Even though she has no desire to go to boarding school, she does it because she knows how happy her parents are to give her the opportunity. Yes, it is a weak move, but it's also kindhearted and as someone who moved during high school I could also see her excitement about maybe being able to create an entirely different person, even if it never happens. The best part about the "New Girl" for me was how she comes to the realization that she deserves more than to just be a sad replacement for the missing Becca. There were moments were I became frustrated by her lack of willingness to tell her parents or someone about what was happening at school, but closer to the end there is a point where she begins to understand why she didn't.
Becca's point of view is much more sexually charged, and she defines herself by her sexual appeal to the boys and the girls around her. She is all about appearing perfect and desirable. I didn't really like her character at first, because she was such a negative contrast to the "New Girl", but she grew on me and by the end I could understand why she was doing the things she did.
This book is definitely not for anyone who is against sex in YA books. Harbison doesn't go into gritty detail, but it's pretty obvious that the characters are sexually active and not just with one person. I like that she doesn't just gloss over, although the scenes are a lot more detailed with Becca than "New Girl" and for me it made sense. Becca uses sex as a way of taking control and uses the boys she's with. It's not about love and she has no boundaries for intimacy, so reading about her sex life isn't surprising. "New Girl" does see it as an expression of emotion and that sex is something private that while she doesn't hide, she doesn't see why it is anyone else's business what she is doing, so it comes across as more of an implication of sex instead of the harsher details the reader gets with Becca.
I definitely recommend New Girl and will be looking for more from Harbison.
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struggle through.Told using two different points of view, the missing Becca and the "New Girl", Harbison gives an amazing contrast of two girls who essential want the same thing. Acceptance and love. But go about it in completely different ways, each resulting in very different outcomes.
Harbison writes the "New Girl" (her name doesn't appear until the very end, so I won't spoil it for you) as a normal teen, who at first appears to be on the meek side. Even though she has no desire to go to boarding school, she does it because she knows how happy her parents are to give her the opportunity. Yes, it is a weak move, but it's also kindhearted and as someone who moved during high school I could also see her excitement about maybe being able to create an entirely different person, even if it never happens. The best part about the "New Girl" for me was how she comes to the realization that she deserves more than to just be a sad replacement for the missing Becca. There were moments were I became frustrated by her lack of willingness to tell her parents or someone about what was happening at school, but closer to the end there is a point where she begins to understand why she didn't.
Becca's point of view is much more sexually charged, and she defines herself by her sexual appeal to the boys and the girls around her. She is all about appearing perfect and desirable. I didn't really like her character at first, because she was such a negative contrast to the "New Girl", but she grew on me and by the end I could understand why she was doing the things she did.
This book is definitely not for anyone who is against sex in YA books. Harbison doesn't go into gritty detail, but it's pretty obvious that the characters are sexually active and not just with one person. I like that she doesn't just gloss over, although the scenes are a lot more detailed with Becca than "New Girl" and for me it made sense. Becca uses sex as a way of taking control and uses the boys she's with. It's not about love and she has no boundaries for intimacy, so reading about her sex life isn't surprising. "New Girl" does see it as an expression of emotion and that sex is something private that while she doesn't hide, she doesn't see why it is anyone else's business what she is doing, so it comes across as more of an implication of sex instead of the harsher details the reader gets with Becca.
I definitely recommend New Girl and will be looking for more from Harbison.
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LibraryThing member PrettyDeadlyReviews
Just reading the description of New Girl, I just knew something wasn't quite... right. Something was off and weird about the story, and that's just the kind of story I love. Paige Harbison, one of my favorite authors, managed to revisit the classic Rebecca in a new and modern and fresh way. I
New Girl is very much a character driven story. The only reason the new girl got into Manderly, a prestigious New England boarding school, was because a spot opened up for her in the wake of a student's disappearance. In comes Rebecca 'Becca' Normandy. Told in alternating POV between the new girl and Becca, we experience two wholly separate, yet interconnected lives.
I loved Becca. She was obviously a very disturbed girl, and thus unreliable and completely unstable. She used and disposed of people left and right, and honestly didn't give a damn. But I could see that underneath she was very complex, and something must have happened to make her that way. We never do find out the cause of Becca's hurting, but because of it, I grew to sympathize with her. When we finally figure out what's behind her disappearance, my heart was pounding and breaking all at once for Becca.
But if I loved Becca, I was over the moon for the new girl. (I won't spoil her name for you as you don't actually find it out until the last page.) The new girl was brave and smart and she showed respect to her parents (extra extra bonus points.) Harbison did a wonderful job at effectively isolating the new girl, even from her friends and family back at home in Florida. All of the new girl's classmates hated her, accusing her of trying to steal Becca's place. I really felt for her; even her roommate was beside herself with fury at the new girl's mere presence. But she was never afraid to stand up for herself, to separate herself from Becca and show everyone that she was someone worth knowing, worth liking. I absolutely commend Harbison for creating a female main character with that kind of self confidence.
The relationship between the new girl and Max was weird at first. But by getting to know Max through Becca's eyes, I learned to love him, and really root for his and the new girl's relationship. It may seem weird that Max put up with all of Becca's antics -- the cheating, the lying, the manipulation -- especially if he doesn't really care about her all that much. To me, though, that just shows that he's a truly nice guy and he doesn't want to hurt anyone. It was obvious to him that Becca was having some kind of crisis, and instead of ignoring her, he did what he could.
The ending for me was spot on. Becca's ending, and the new girl's ending. Harbison wrapped up everything, and answered the questions that I had, all the while leaving much up to the readers' interpretation. There was a complete balance to it that's hard to achieve. On Becca's side, I felt complete, and that I had the closure I needed to deal with her story. But on the new girl's end, everything was in front of her, and she had so much to look forward to.
I don't really think I can praise this book enough. It had me sucked in from the beginning and I just could NOT put it down. There was a perfect balance between mystery, romance, and the typical boarding school atmosphere. I also recommend Paige Harbison's Here Lies Bridget. I loved that book a LOT too, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.
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devoured this book in one night, and I'm telling you: go buy this!New Girl is very much a character driven story. The only reason the new girl got into Manderly, a prestigious New England boarding school, was because a spot opened up for her in the wake of a student's disappearance. In comes Rebecca 'Becca' Normandy. Told in alternating POV between the new girl and Becca, we experience two wholly separate, yet interconnected lives.
I loved Becca. She was obviously a very disturbed girl, and thus unreliable and completely unstable. She used and disposed of people left and right, and honestly didn't give a damn. But I could see that underneath she was very complex, and something must have happened to make her that way. We never do find out the cause of Becca's hurting, but because of it, I grew to sympathize with her. When we finally figure out what's behind her disappearance, my heart was pounding and breaking all at once for Becca.
But if I loved Becca, I was over the moon for the new girl. (I won't spoil her name for you as you don't actually find it out until the last page.) The new girl was brave and smart and she showed respect to her parents (extra extra bonus points.) Harbison did a wonderful job at effectively isolating the new girl, even from her friends and family back at home in Florida. All of the new girl's classmates hated her, accusing her of trying to steal Becca's place. I really felt for her; even her roommate was beside herself with fury at the new girl's mere presence. But she was never afraid to stand up for herself, to separate herself from Becca and show everyone that she was someone worth knowing, worth liking. I absolutely commend Harbison for creating a female main character with that kind of self confidence.
The relationship between the new girl and Max was weird at first. But by getting to know Max through Becca's eyes, I learned to love him, and really root for his and the new girl's relationship. It may seem weird that Max put up with all of Becca's antics -- the cheating, the lying, the manipulation -- especially if he doesn't really care about her all that much. To me, though, that just shows that he's a truly nice guy and he doesn't want to hurt anyone. It was obvious to him that Becca was having some kind of crisis, and instead of ignoring her, he did what he could.
The ending for me was spot on. Becca's ending, and the new girl's ending. Harbison wrapped up everything, and answered the questions that I had, all the while leaving much up to the readers' interpretation. There was a complete balance to it that's hard to achieve. On Becca's side, I felt complete, and that I had the closure I needed to deal with her story. But on the new girl's end, everything was in front of her, and she had so much to look forward to.
I don't really think I can praise this book enough. It had me sucked in from the beginning and I just could NOT put it down. There was a perfect balance between mystery, romance, and the typical boarding school atmosphere. I also recommend Paige Harbison's Here Lies Bridget. I loved that book a LOT too, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.
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LibraryThing member beckymmoe
I went back and forth on this one. At times it was very good--an engrossing, suspenseful read. At other times it got a bit confusing and disjointed--I actually had to go back more than once to make sure I hadn't skipped a page or two because with what was going on I seemed to have missed a step (I
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I did realize ahead of time that it was a remake of Rebecca--that's a big part of why I read it. I'd read the original a loooong time before (mostly because of the name--though no one thought to tell me ahead of time that the character who the book was named after was 1) dead and 2) a controlling, manipulative, not-nice person--thanks, mom! ;-)) so I had a vague idea prior to reading it what was probably going to happen. According to my (admittedly not perfect) recall, it did follow the story fairly well, and the modern changes for the most part made sense. There were times during the reading of it when I couldn't put it down and thought perhaps it would earn a four-star rating at least. In the end, though, there were some specific things about this book that put it firmly in the three-star category for me.
First, I couldn't get past the fact that New Girl's parents (that part was pretty clever, the fact that readers don't know her name for most of the book, and it's so well done that you don't even notice for quite a bit of it!) would be so totally and utterly clueless as to think that a girl who years before wanted to go to a private boarding school a la Harry Potter would honestly be thrilled about leaving her current school and friends her senior year to do so--especially one who is popular and well liked. Seriously, who could possibly be that uninformed as to the mind of a teenager?
Secondly, although I adjusted to the back-and-forth POV of New Girl in the present and Becca in the past (though that was a bit of an adjustment, especially at first) it feels at times like overkill--can't we discover what kind of a person she is through others, as in the du Maurier version? Then, towards the end, the author suddenly pinballs wildly between many POVs, not just the two that we heard from in the rest of the book. Readers are left feeling that surely there could have been a better way to present the information, one more in keeping with the rest of the novel. There's also a paranormal-ish twist to the novel that just ended falling a bit flat and feeling out of place.
On the positive side, the creepy roommate was a nice update of Mrs. Danvers in the original, and seeing things from Becca's viewpoint did succeed in making us understand her a bit better in the end, and make readers slightly more sympathetic and understanding of her than for her literary predecessor.
New Girl wasn't quite as timid and much less of a pushover than the second Mrs. de Winter in du Maurier's book, though at times her character wavers and seems less strong than she had previously, which was disconcerting. Max's character, though, seems much flatter than the original Mr. de Winters, and isn't terribly convincing as a sincere love interest for New Girl, especially when we see his often overly casual attitude toward Becca. (Sure, she was a manipulative witch, we got that. But did he ever want anything more from her than casual sex? It didn't seem like it. It was hard to buy his supposed genuine feeling for New Girl, therefore.)
The ending, of course, is totally different from the du Maurier version. Expected because it's YA? The ending the author had wanted to read instead? Unclear. Ultimately, I wasn't sorry I read this book, but it didn't quite meet my expectations.
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hadn't, not any of the times). Ultimately it was a fairly entertaining read, but definitely not one I'll be revisiting.Unlike some of the other reviewers, I did realize ahead of time that it was a remake of Rebecca--that's a big part of why I read it. I'd read the original a loooong time before (mostly because of the name--though no one thought to tell me ahead of time that the character who the book was named after was 1) dead and 2) a controlling, manipulative, not-nice person--thanks, mom! ;-)) so I had a vague idea prior to reading it what was probably going to happen. According to my (admittedly not perfect) recall, it did follow the story fairly well, and the modern changes for the most part made sense. There were times during the reading of it when I couldn't put it down and thought perhaps it would earn a four-star rating at least. In the end, though, there were some specific things about this book that put it firmly in the three-star category for me.
First, I couldn't get past the fact that New Girl's parents (that part was pretty clever, the fact that readers don't know her name for most of the book, and it's so well done that you don't even notice for quite a bit of it!) would be so totally and utterly clueless as to think that a girl who years before wanted to go to a private boarding school a la Harry Potter would honestly be thrilled about leaving her current school and friends her senior year to do so--especially one who is popular and well liked. Seriously, who could possibly be that uninformed as to the mind of a teenager?
Secondly, although I adjusted to the back-and-forth POV of New Girl in the present and Becca in the past (though that was a bit of an adjustment, especially at first) it feels at times like overkill--can't we discover what kind of a person she is through others, as in the du Maurier version? Then, towards the end, the author suddenly pinballs wildly between many POVs, not just the two that we heard from in the rest of the book. Readers are left feeling that surely there could have been a better way to present the information, one more in keeping with the rest of the novel. There's also a paranormal-ish twist to the novel that just ended falling a bit flat and feeling out of place.
On the positive side, the creepy roommate was a nice update of Mrs. Danvers in the original, and seeing things from Becca's viewpoint did succeed in making us understand her a bit better in the end, and make readers slightly more sympathetic and understanding of her than for her literary predecessor.
New Girl wasn't quite as timid and much less of a pushover than the second Mrs. de Winter in du Maurier's book, though at times her character wavers and seems less strong than she had previously, which was disconcerting. Max's character, though, seems much flatter than the original Mr. de Winters, and isn't terribly convincing as a sincere love interest for New Girl, especially when we see his often overly casual attitude toward Becca. (Sure, she was a manipulative witch, we got that. But did he ever want anything more from her than casual sex? It didn't seem like it. It was hard to buy his supposed genuine feeling for New Girl, therefore.)
The ending, of course, is totally different from the du Maurier version. Expected because it's YA? The ending the author had wanted to read instead? Unclear. Ultimately, I wasn't sorry I read this book, but it didn't quite meet my expectations.
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LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
So freaking cool! And not just because it was set in New Hampshire...because it's cold there. Punned! Anyway, with this book, I pronounce myself a Paige Harbison fan. Last year, I read her debut Here Lies Bridget and I liked it, but it wasn't too much out of the ordinary. This one, though, just
Why? Well, I've always had a weakness for books based on other books. New Girl is based on Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, which I have not yet read. Unfortunately, I had to look up a summary on Wikipedia, because I did not want to miss any references. Hopefully, I will forget about some of the plot twists before I try to read the book.
Anywho, based on my extensive knowledge of Rebecca (aka Wikipedia article), Harbison did a really amazing job modernizing this. The transitions she made in some of the characters, like turning Mrs. Danvers into Dana, Becca's roommate who refuses to let her go, is quite clever, as is the changing of the scene with the dress.
The story is told alternatingly between the New Girl's perspective in first person and Becca's perspective in third person. You might think that sounds clunky, but it really wasn't. This makes the fact that you never learn the New Girl's actual name but are so familiar with Becca's completely natural; I didn't even notice until partway through. Of course, I wanted to punch Becca in the face the whole time, but I really liked New Girl.
For those who like clever teen lit, you'll probably quite enjoy this. It's full of drama and told in an interesting way. I also suspect that people who love Rebecca and don't ordinarily read teen lit will, at the very least, get a kick out of New Girl.
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blew me away.Why? Well, I've always had a weakness for books based on other books. New Girl is based on Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, which I have not yet read. Unfortunately, I had to look up a summary on Wikipedia, because I did not want to miss any references. Hopefully, I will forget about some of the plot twists before I try to read the book.
Anywho, based on my extensive knowledge of Rebecca (aka Wikipedia article), Harbison did a really amazing job modernizing this. The transitions she made in some of the characters, like turning Mrs. Danvers into Dana, Becca's roommate who refuses to let her go, is quite clever, as is the changing of the scene with the dress.
The story is told alternatingly between the New Girl's perspective in first person and Becca's perspective in third person. You might think that sounds clunky, but it really wasn't. This makes the fact that you never learn the New Girl's actual name but are so familiar with Becca's completely natural; I didn't even notice until partway through. Of course, I wanted to punch Becca in the face the whole time, but I really liked New Girl.
For those who like clever teen lit, you'll probably quite enjoy this. It's full of drama and told in an interesting way. I also suspect that people who love Rebecca and don't ordinarily read teen lit will, at the very least, get a kick out of New Girl.
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LibraryThing member PrettyDeadly
Just reading the description of New Girl, I just knew something wasn't quite... right. Something was off and weird about the story, and that's just the kind of story I love. Paige Harbison, one of my favorite authors, managed to revisit the classic Rebecca in a new and modern and fresh way. I
New Girl is very much a character driven story. The only reason the new girl got into Manderly, a prestigious New England boarding school, was because a spot opened up for her in the wake of a student's disappearance. In comes Rebecca 'Becca' Normandy. Told in alternating POV between the new girl and Becca, we experience two wholly separate, yet interconnected lives.
I loved Becca. She was obviously a very disturbed girl, and thus unreliable and completely unstable. She used and disposed of people left and right, and honestly didn't give a damn. But I could see that underneath she was very complex, and something must have happened to make her that way. We never do find out the cause of Becca's hurting, but because of it, I grew to sympathize with her. When we finally figure out what's behind her disappearance, my heart was pounding and breaking all at once for Becca.
But if I loved Becca, I was over the moon for the new girl. (I won't spoil her name for you as you don't actually find it out until the last page.) The new girl was brave and smart and she showed respect to her parents (extra extra bonus points.) Harbison did a wonderful job at effectively isolating the new girl, even from her friends and family back at home in Florida. All of the new girl's classmates hated her, accusing her of trying to steal Becca's place. I really felt for her; even her roommate was beside herself with fury at the new girl's mere presence. But she was never afraid to stand up for herself, to separate herself from Becca and show everyone that she was someone worth knowing, worth liking. I absolutely commend Harbison for creating a female main character with that kind of self confidence.
The relationship between the new girl and Max was weird at first. But by getting to know Max through Becca's eyes, I learned to love him, and really root for his and the new girl's relationship. It may seem weird that Max put up with all of Becca's antics -- the cheating, the lying, the manipulation -- especially if he doesn't really care about her all that much. To me, though, that just shows that he's a truly nice guy and he doesn't want to hurt anyone. It was obvious to him that Becca was having some kind of crisis, and instead of ignoring her, he did what he could.
The ending for me was spot on. Becca's ending, and the new girl's ending. Harbison wrapped up everything, and answered the questions that I had, all the while leaving much up to the readers' interpretation. There was a complete balance to it that's hard to achieve. On Becca's side, I felt complete, and that I had the closure I needed to deal with her story. But on the new girl's end, everything was in front of her, and she had so much to look forward to.
I don't really think I can praise this book enough. It had me sucked in from the beginning and I just could NOT put it down. There was a perfect balance between mystery, romance, and the typical boarding school atmosphere. I also recommend Paige Harbison's Here Lies Bridget. I loved that book a LOT too, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.
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devoured this book in one night, and I'm telling you: go buy this!New Girl is very much a character driven story. The only reason the new girl got into Manderly, a prestigious New England boarding school, was because a spot opened up for her in the wake of a student's disappearance. In comes Rebecca 'Becca' Normandy. Told in alternating POV between the new girl and Becca, we experience two wholly separate, yet interconnected lives.
I loved Becca. She was obviously a very disturbed girl, and thus unreliable and completely unstable. She used and disposed of people left and right, and honestly didn't give a damn. But I could see that underneath she was very complex, and something must have happened to make her that way. We never do find out the cause of Becca's hurting, but because of it, I grew to sympathize with her. When we finally figure out what's behind her disappearance, my heart was pounding and breaking all at once for Becca.
But if I loved Becca, I was over the moon for the new girl. (I won't spoil her name for you as you don't actually find it out until the last page.) The new girl was brave and smart and she showed respect to her parents (extra extra bonus points.) Harbison did a wonderful job at effectively isolating the new girl, even from her friends and family back at home in Florida. All of the new girl's classmates hated her, accusing her of trying to steal Becca's place. I really felt for her; even her roommate was beside herself with fury at the new girl's mere presence. But she was never afraid to stand up for herself, to separate herself from Becca and show everyone that she was someone worth knowing, worth liking. I absolutely commend Harbison for creating a female main character with that kind of self confidence.
The relationship between the new girl and Max was weird at first. But by getting to know Max through Becca's eyes, I learned to love him, and really root for his and the new girl's relationship. It may seem weird that Max put up with all of Becca's antics -- the cheating, the lying, the manipulation -- especially if he doesn't really care about her all that much. To me, though, that just shows that he's a truly nice guy and he doesn't want to hurt anyone. It was obvious to him that Becca was having some kind of crisis, and instead of ignoring her, he did what he could.
The ending for me was spot on. Becca's ending, and the new girl's ending. Harbison wrapped up everything, and answered the questions that I had, all the while leaving much up to the readers' interpretation. There was a complete balance to it that's hard to achieve. On Becca's side, I felt complete, and that I had the closure I needed to deal with her story. But on the new girl's end, everything was in front of her, and she had so much to look forward to.
I don't really think I can praise this book enough. It had me sucked in from the beginning and I just could NOT put it down. There was a perfect balance between mystery, romance, and the typical boarding school atmosphere. I also recommend Paige Harbison's Here Lies Bridget. I loved that book a LOT too, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.
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LibraryThing member nicola26
Paige Harbison's book Here Lies Bridget was one of the best books I read in 2011 so of course I was dying to get my hands on New Girl and incredibly eager to start reading it. I can safely say that I am now a huge fan of Harbison and can't wait to see what she can give us next! New Girl completely
New Girl follows the life of a girl whose name we aren't give at the beginning. I thought this might make me less able to connect with the character but it worked perfectly. New Girl has moved to a new school after a spot opened up- the only problem is that spot used to belong to a popular girl who has since gone missing. The whole school appears angry at New Girl for 'taking Becca's place' and she starts to regret having ever wished to go to this school.
It's not all bad though as New Girl's personality shines through. She refuses to live in Becca's shadow and faces the new school with great confidence. This wins her a few fans and an added complication- the affection of Becca's ex-boyfriend Max. Max and New Girl struggle with their feelings throughout the book and I loved that New Girl was so headstrong and dignified about the whole thing. She had respect and pride in herself and it made this book very refreshing!
The book alternates between New Girl's present life and Becca's past life. It worked really well and the reader definitely gets to know both girls inside out. I was completely drawn into New Girl's world and could hardly look away from the page! I genuinely enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it- along with Here Lies Bridget!
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lived up to my expectations and it was a thrilling read.New Girl follows the life of a girl whose name we aren't give at the beginning. I thought this might make me less able to connect with the character but it worked perfectly. New Girl has moved to a new school after a spot opened up- the only problem is that spot used to belong to a popular girl who has since gone missing. The whole school appears angry at New Girl for 'taking Becca's place' and she starts to regret having ever wished to go to this school.
It's not all bad though as New Girl's personality shines through. She refuses to live in Becca's shadow and faces the new school with great confidence. This wins her a few fans and an added complication- the affection of Becca's ex-boyfriend Max. Max and New Girl struggle with their feelings throughout the book and I loved that New Girl was so headstrong and dignified about the whole thing. She had respect and pride in herself and it made this book very refreshing!
The book alternates between New Girl's present life and Becca's past life. It worked really well and the reader definitely gets to know both girls inside out. I was completely drawn into New Girl's world and could hardly look away from the page! I genuinely enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it- along with Here Lies Bridget!
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LibraryThing member sunshinejenn03
I can't think of a single reason to like this book and I'm surprised I finished it. The characters were flat and vapid; I found myself loathing every single one of them. The most interesting character, Dana, was so incredibly unstable, she was annoying and whiny. The new girl, whose name we don't
There is a love triangle in this, so if you hate them, don't read it. Personally, I don't mind them at all, but in New Girl, I felt that it was weak, and when there was conflict, it was put there to keep things interesting.
The plot point for Rebecca would have been alright, except that it dragged out and if you've ever read the book that New Girl is retelling, incidentally titled Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, then you can kind of guess how New Girl is going to end. Ergo, no surprises here, folks. Bummer.
No author can really avoid pop-culture references in their books, and I love them when they are done right because it helps the reader identify with the book. But the one big one in New Girl that really stood out to me was "Paint me like one of your French girls" from the movie, Titanic. The line should be "I want you to draw me like one of your French girls." Yes, it's a nit-picky detail, but part of a book's value is in the details, right? In Titanic, Jack was too poor to have any paints, therefore he used charcoal and paper. So this really bothered me.
I also had a really big problem with the filler in this story: teens were drinking and carrying on all the time on school property. I mean, ALL. THE. TIME. There was tons of language about sex, blow jobs and getting drunk. I felt like it glorified this lifestyle. Hey, I'm no prude, but come on now. If you are going to include something like this in your story, at least trump it with a message for the kids reading your book. That didn't happen here. I get it, this isn't the bible and for god's sake, it's just a book, right? But what was the take-away from all that? I couldn't figure it out.
I think if the author had spent time fleshing out the characters and staying true to her genre (this is a young adult, after all), it could have gone a lot differently. I really liked the synopsis, which is why I asked to review the book. But overall, I didn't like it and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone (I did, however, love the quote below).
**This review was updated to reflect my notes on 1/8.**
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learn until the very end of the book, felt so inconsequential that I actually don't remember her name now. I like strong characters, or at least characters who grow through a novel, but the new girl just complained a lot that people at Manderley didn't like her. Grow some backbone! The other interesting character, besides Dana, was Becca, whom the new girl replaced because she had gone missing. But she was only interesting because of her circumstance and the horrifying way she conducted herself around others (we do get to find out why later).There is a love triangle in this, so if you hate them, don't read it. Personally, I don't mind them at all, but in New Girl, I felt that it was weak, and when there was conflict, it was put there to keep things interesting.
The plot point for Rebecca would have been alright, except that it dragged out and if you've ever read the book that New Girl is retelling, incidentally titled Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, then you can kind of guess how New Girl is going to end. Ergo, no surprises here, folks. Bummer.
No author can really avoid pop-culture references in their books, and I love them when they are done right because it helps the reader identify with the book. But the one big one in New Girl that really stood out to me was "Paint me like one of your French girls" from the movie, Titanic. The line should be "I want you to draw me like one of your French girls." Yes, it's a nit-picky detail, but part of a book's value is in the details, right? In Titanic, Jack was too poor to have any paints, therefore he used charcoal and paper. So this really bothered me.
I also had a really big problem with the filler in this story: teens were drinking and carrying on all the time on school property. I mean, ALL. THE. TIME. There was tons of language about sex, blow jobs and getting drunk. I felt like it glorified this lifestyle. Hey, I'm no prude, but come on now. If you are going to include something like this in your story, at least trump it with a message for the kids reading your book. That didn't happen here. I get it, this isn't the bible and for god's sake, it's just a book, right? But what was the take-away from all that? I couldn't figure it out.
I think if the author had spent time fleshing out the characters and staying true to her genre (this is a young adult, after all), it could have gone a lot differently. I really liked the synopsis, which is why I asked to review the book. But overall, I didn't like it and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone (I did, however, love the quote below).
**This review was updated to reflect my notes on 1/8.**
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LibraryThing member Sugar_and_Snark
Rating 8/10
This was definitely one of those novel’s that grabbed me and pulled me straight in. The characters are infuriating, the premises very intriguing and the mystery tantalizing!
I have always thought that if a book makes you feels something, whether its hate or love, if it has any emotional
The one thing I didn’t like so much was the love interests. Becca/Max/Johnny sure was interesting but Max/(main character who’s name will remain a mystery till the end) was a bit dull and felt a bit forced to me, but that was my only real complaint.
The mystery is very strong and interesting and you will be clambering to know what really happened to Becca by the end! Riveting and a must read if you like a good mystery and don’t mind mean characters!
This was definitely one of those novel’s that grabbed me and pulled me straight in. The characters are infuriating, the premises very intriguing and the mystery tantalizing!
I have always thought that if a book makes you feels something, whether its hate or love, if it has any emotional
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effect then the author has done his/her job! The whole school is just so crazy and out of touch with reality that you just want to get in there and slap a few people around. Actually when my boyfriend asked me how my book was going I replied: “The people in this school are crazy and I don’t know how the main characters doesn’t lose it and slap them all!The one thing I didn’t like so much was the love interests. Becca/Max/Johnny sure was interesting but Max/(main character who’s name will remain a mystery till the end) was a bit dull and felt a bit forced to me, but that was my only real complaint.
The mystery is very strong and interesting and you will be clambering to know what really happened to Becca by the end! Riveting and a must read if you like a good mystery and don’t mind mean characters!
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012-01-31
Physical description
300 p.; 4.96 inches
ISBN
184845063X / 9781848450639
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DDC/MDS
| 813.6 |