Customer Rating:  
Summary: Oh there's no place like home for the holidays
Comment: These books are my total guilty reading pleasure. I know I'm older than the characters or the intended audience but there's just something about the stories that I just can't quit reading. I know the characters all act in ways they shouldn't and are doing illegal things and spend way more money than anyone should. However the writing is fast paced and you really get into the story. If you haven't read any of the books in this series before, you should probably start from the beginning as many past events get brought up a lot.
It was a nice change of pace to FINALLY see Tinsley and Jenny become friends. I was really getting tired of Tinsley acting stuck up and mean to Jenny for stupid little reasons. I was kind of sad that the four girls didn't get to hang out together but all of the stories was good. I really like Brett's adventures back home. That would have been a hoot to see. It's a nice change of pace to see her out of her element and defending her family even though she's been hating them all this time. I actually kind of hope Tinsley and Julian (I love that name) get back together. He seemed like the one person who makes her act human. I was rather disappointed by the Easy/Callie story. There could have been so much more to that and with all their history, it just rises up so dramatically and then falls flat.
My only real gripe is since Jenny returns back to NYC it would have been nice to see some cameos from the original Gossip Girl gang. I know they're in college but wouldn't they be home for break? It would have been fun to see Serena, Vanessa, Nate or Chuck just waltz by in the story and to have Tinsley meet with them and see some interaction. I would have loved to see the most popular girl at Waverly meet her match with the most popular girl at Constance Billard. But alas I don't think that'll ever happen. Also who is the girl on the cover supposed to be? I have not read anyone in the books that matches that description.
There's actually no sex in this book, which was a nice change of pace. There's the usual cursing but I think it was toned down. Drinking is present so if you're not a fan of that, just beware. It was a really quick read and I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to seeing what's going to happen next with the foursome. Hopefully everyone will stay friends for at least one more book....
Customer Rating:
Summary: A series addition you'll be thankful to get your hands on
Comment: Thanksgiving. A time for friends, family, a long-awaited break from the pressures of school, and giving thanks for everything we have received over the past year. Or so it should be. For Waverly Owls, Thanksgiving is a time to kiss classes goodbye, party until the wee hours of the night, find solace in a long weekend, and avoid the drama of our oft-times bizarre and aggravating families. Just ask It Girls Jenny Humphrey, Tinsley Carmichael, Callie Vernon, and Brett Messerschmidt.
Jenny Humphrey never thought that Tinsley Carmichael would turn into someone she could call a friend, but over the past few weeks, the two of them have blossomed into bosom buddies who share secrets, give each other advice, and gossip about guys. Throw in Southern Belle Callie Vernon, and you've got yourself the Three Musketeers. Callie, Jenny, and Tinsley all think that they're destined to have a delightful three-day weekend in the city, but things go horribly wrong the minute they arrive in NYC. For one, Jenny's apartment is full of bald-headed, robed Hare Krishnas who are creepier than words can describe. Tinsley's parents have left town without any forewarning, abandoning her with no sign of an available hotel room anywhere. Callie, on the other hand, is destined for the time of her life. She's about to meet up with her beloved boyfriend, Easy Walsh, on the top of the Empire State Building. With no place to crash, the trio head to nerdy Yvonne Stidder's place to party like it's 1999. But partying isn't the only thing on the menu. Tinsley is determined to win back the affections of flirty freshman Julian McCafferty, Jenny is longing to put the memories of her relationship with Easy in the past, and Callie is simply eager to hook up with her soul mate once again.
Brett, on the other hand, is looking to simply stir up trouble for her new in-laws back in New Jersey. Spending the long weekend in her animal print McMansion, Brett knows that her Thanksgiving is going to be ruined, but when she discovers that she has the power to teach her future in-laws a lesson they'll never forget, she ceases the opportunity. Guess they'll soon learn that tangoing with an It Girl is never a good idea.
The closing pages of TEMPTED left me salivating to learn what would happen to our favorite It Girls - Callie, Jenny, Tinsley, and Brett. INFAMOUS picks up right where that storyline left off, providing new drama, gossip, and adventures for our favorite characters. As usual, Jenny is her typical naïve self; but with the assistance of romance expert Tinsley by her side, she may refrain from making the same "love" mistakes she's made in the past. Tinsley, while constantly trying to maintain a hard exterior, has finally met her match in Julian McCafferty - a boy who proves he may just be the one to tame our favorite wild child. Brett, having been exiled to Jersey, shows readers that, even when you're away from the city you can have a good time - at the expense of others. And Callie, with all her wild dreams of the picture perfect wedding to Easy is living proof that maybe, just maybe, distance doesn't make the heart grow fonder, but, rather, makes the memory of your current love dim with each passing day. Once more, Cecily von Ziegesar has penned a novel that is both delicious and sinful. With the IT Girls by your side, it's impossible not to have a holiday you'll never forget. A series addition you'll be thankful to get your hands on.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great follow up to Tempted
Comment: Infamous picks up where Tempted left off and Von Ziegesar doesn't disappoint. Just when you think you know what's going to happen next the complete opposite occurs. Several of the characters are changing, they're not who they used to be in previous books. Infamous like all the other books in the It Girl series does a great job of focusing on important story lines but also has enough balance so that no character is featured more than any other. I definitely recommend this book if you're a fan of the Gossip Girl and It Girl series. I can't wait to see what happens next.
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