The Clique Summer Collection: Massie

Title: Massie

Author: Lisi Harrison

Pages: 123

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Beach Read

Recommended to: Girls, ages 11-14

Rating: A-

It's summertime, which means one thing to OCD alpha Massie Block: her elite summer riding camp at Galwaugh Stables, where she's been collecting blue ribbons from the camp's show for the past six years. And this year, she's ready to dominate again. Too bad that she's stuck with Fall-a Abdul on her team, showing that desperate times really do call for desperate measures when she goes too far to win. Before Massie knows it, she's packing up her Louis Vuittons, bidding her horse good-bye, and heading back to her family's Southampton summer home to her less-then-thrilled parents and a boring summer of hanging out with frizzy-haired LBRs. But instead of her parents being sympathetic and soothing, they do the unmentionable: take away her Visa and force her to get an actual job (gasp!). But then Massie discovers her dream jobby (A hobby that is also your job! Hooray!)- a position selling fabulous makeup at an ah-mazing cosmetics line, working to make totally unattractive LBRs into supermodel-gorgeous beings through kindness and compassion, which may be much harder then it sounds...especially when Massie's got a sharp tongue and an even sharper eye...Can Massie become one of the cosmetics elites, keep her patience, and not misrepresent Be Pretty while trying to achieve inner beauty all the while? Whew. It's going to be one busy summer!

   Having a Clique summer collection was a great idea, and I, being a major Clique fan, thought  it was cool to see how each girl act separated and out of school. Each book (there are 5, Massie being the first) highlights every Pretty Committee member's summer escapades. Some of the characters that are seem sort of minor in the actual series (such as Kristen and Dylan) get to shine in their own little mini-volume. The covers are colorful and enticing; the books are kick-butt, easy little reads packed with juicy summer fun; and The Clique is as fabulous as ever. If you're looking for a short-but-fantastic beach read, Massie is perfect for you. I absolutely ah-dore the author, Lisi Harrison's writing, what with the neat similes, the perfectly thought-out dialogue, and the realistic and likeable characters (Plus her blog is really fun to read, she updates it every Wednesday). I can't wait to read the second book in the summer collection, called Dylan (it's on my bookshelf right now!). Apparently she goes to Hawaii so her mom can interview a hotheaded tennis star. But more about that later...(: