From School Library Journal
Grade 9 UpβIsabel, 16, is not the warmest soul. She credits her place at the top of the school pecking order to her status as the biggest bitch to ever stalk the halls of the institution. She rules the roost at home, too; her father's attempts to set limits are met with sharp retorts and defiance. No one could ever guess how uncertain and frightened she feels. She has horrible nightmares on the few nights she is able to sleep and, more often than not, drinks to ease any doubts about her burgeoning relationship with a college student whom she met at a party. The teen's prickly nature and first-strike mentality are explained in part by the recent death of her mother; however, while readers may in fact know people like Isabel, she is not easy to relate to or even care about. Upon discovering her father's plans to send her away to school, she seeks solace in alcohol and in former enemies, and ends up narrowly avoiding tragedy. The resolution seems inevitable, yet is not completely satisfying. Veteran readers of Manning might be interested in the activities of Isabel's boyfriend, Smith, and his roommates, who are ex-members of the band The Hormones from the author's Guitar Girl (Dutton, 2004)._βAmy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston_
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From
Sixteen-year-old Isabel insults her friends, sabotages her enemies, steals from her father, bullies her brother, lies, drinks, and smokes. She also makes the most of her hard-fought position as the queen bee and "biggest bitch" at her school. But Isabel's story is more than that of a bad girl gone worse; it's about a girl unable to grieve for her mother until she hits bottom. The one bright spot in Isabel's life is Smith, a thoughtful college student Isabel meets at a party. She lies to him about her age and has a sexual relationship with him. Although he helps her find respite from the person she has become and despises, the lies required to maintain the relationship accelerate Isabel's final unraveling. Despite Isabel's abrasiveness, readers will see through her facade, find themselves drawn to her, and be saddened by her self-destructive downward spiral. When all appears lost, a sudden, tidy redemption ends the novel on a hopeful note. Fans of Manning's Guitar Girl (2003) will recognize some familiar characters here. Heather Booth
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