The Debs
by Susan McBride
Published by Delacorte Press
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Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart
It was so much fun attending the book launch of Susan McBride’s new series and new genre in our adopted city of St. Louis. Although I’m still piqued that Avon dropped her Debutante Dropout series (along with a gazillion other authors and series), I am delighted to report that her new book, The Debs, is a smashing way to kick off her new young adult series.
McBride returns to her hometown of Houston. School is starting at the exclusive Pine Forest Prep, and it’s time for the Houston’s most hoity-toity group of socialites, members of the ultra-exclusive Glass Slipper Club, to name their ten debutantes for the season. All three protagonists seem like they would be shoe-ins to become this year’s Rosebuds.
The girls—Laura Delacroix Bell, Michelle “Mac” Mackenize, and Ginger Fore—are best friends. Each see a viable reason why she should not receive one of the hand-delivered invitations at the end of the first week of school. For Laura, she’s a size 14 and didn’t loose even an ounce during her summer at fat camp. Mac is more interested in brains than beauty and, should she be considered, may decline the invitation. Ginger gets herself dragged off to jail just as the ink is drying on the invitation envelopes.
The antagonist is Jo Lynn Bidwell, a beauty pageant graduate and Laura’s archenemy. Jo Lynn reaches far down into her pageant bag for her meanest tricks and will do anything and everything to blackball Laura, Mac, and Ginger.
It’s nice to see that McBride hasn’t lost her sense of humor in writing The Debs. And she maintains the pacing and timing that is essential to a great read. How she remembered the angst of high school, I’ll never know. Of course, for McBride, that wasn’t all that many years ago.
So be sure and pick up a copy of The Debs. I guarantee the young adult girl in your life will love it. And for the moms, grandmoms, aunts, and cousins, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll thank God you’re out of high school! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go polish my tiara!
Armchair Interviews says: High school can be most painful.
Author’s Web site: http://www.SusanMcBride.com