Messy

Gr 9 Up—In this hilarious companion to Spoiled (Little, Brown, 2011), snarky Max McCormack rejoices when her best friend and confidante, Molly Berlin, returns to LA to live with her famous movie-star dad and her half sister, Brooke, celebutante around town. Max is working on her application for NYU's summer writing program, and she has some pretty serious writer's block. And unlike Molly, who has an overflowing bank account, she worries that she won't have the tuition, even though she has a job at Fu'd, the new hip spot that serves fake meat. Luckily, Molly sees an awesome ad on craigslist: an It Girl is looking for a stand-in, official blogographer. Max can't abide It Girls, but she really needs the money. Much to her surprise (and dismay), said girl turns out to be the half sister and, according to Max, a half-wit. Swayed by Brooke's persuasive attitude and salary offer, Max signs on. But the blog takes off and Brooke starts getting accolades for it. And she also cozies up to Max's crush....Will Max call off her Cyrano act for good? This story of hidden identities and love triangles is a fun and fast read. The authors do a great job of incorporating the backstory for those new to Max and Molly's world. Readers will love Max's voice and perspective, and they might even come to love Brooke. All of the characters have well-developed personalities, and teens will want to be along for any future adventures.—Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR