Alphas

Author: Lisi Harrison

Pages: 261

Published: 2009, Poppy/Little, Brown

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Cover Score: B

Overall Grade: A

Source: Bookstore

Summary: Welcome to Alpha Academy, where 100 of the brightest, best, most talented girls have been hand-picked by international billionaire Shira Brazille to be nurtured into the next generation of exceptional dancers, writers, actors, and inventors. But it's survival of the fittest, and at any moment any one of the girls could be sent home. Among the lucky 100 selected are Allie J, who is faking an identity and risking exposure at any moment; Skye Hamilton, who has always been number one; and Charlie Deery, who is only at Alphas because of a deal she made with Shira...With the distraction of the super-cute Brazille boys and drama around every corner, it's going to be the ultimate challenge. Who will come out as the number-one alpha in the end?

My thoughts: Alphas was a cute, surprisingly well-written, fast-paced read! I have to admit, I didn't have high expectations going into Lisi Harrison's The Clique spin-off. As much as I love the books, The Clique is fluff--hilarious and lovable, but fluff.

Alphas had a lot more depth, body, and was more mature. It still featured the same drama, the same pop culture references, the same competiton, the same fashion focus, and the same to-die-for details that make Ms. Harrison's writing so addictive.

But it was also super-different from The Clique: the characters were all so relatable and well-developed (and, to many reader's relief, not as mean). My favorite? Allie J, of course! Charlie was super-lovable, the type of person you'd want as your own bestie, and Skye was relatable and funny. And, of course, Shira was wonderfully and interestingly eccentric, which brings me to my next point: the futuristic, state-of-the-art Alpha Academy.

Alphas is definitely unique. Only here can you read about a super-exclusive academy for future "alphas", where each girl carries an "aPod" to read instructions from; goes to classes like romantic poetry, dance class, and writing class; and wears air-conditionable uniforms (super-stylish, of course). These aspects just made the book so much more enjoyable. The story was bursting with detail and color, making flipping the next page super-irresistable.

After a cliff-hanging ending, I can't wait to see what's next for the girls of Alphas!

Must-Read! Check it out Don't Bother