Review-The Elite by Jennifer Banash

It’s the most exclusive luxury apartment building on New York’s Upper East Side. If you don’t live there—you don’t know how to live…

When Casey McCloy steps into The Bramford, she’s overwhelmed by the sophistication and elegance of it all. Fresh from the Midwest, she’s moved to NYC to live with her grandmother and attend the prestigious Meadowlark Academy. Here all that matters is who you know. The designer to know is Zac Posen. The girl to know is Madison Macallister: popular, pretty, platinum-blond. She’s not just Casey’s new classmate and neighbor; she’s an icon. So Casey aims to get in with Madison and her gorgeous gal-pals from the start. As the reigning queen of coolness, Madison is capable of destroying reputations with one well-timed whisper. Better to be on her good side.

But after a city-haute makeover from her new frenemy Madison, Casey is wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, and meeting the right people—including Drew, the boy-about-town who Madison thinks belongs to her and her alone…

It's been said this book is a lot like Gossip Girl, and it is. Except, you know, better. (No offense to the GG fans) This book may be set in New York and about some rich girls but it is different. I loved this book. It switches points of view in different chapters so that every character has their chance to shine, and no character seems more important than the others. Drew might seem like a run-of-the-mill player and Madison may seem like a bitch until you read their points of view.

You may think the first part of the book may be a little slow, but it definitely picks up in the later half. I love how this book makes you realize that even though people may be rich and have the perfect hair and perfect nails and the perfect outfits and seem to have perfect lives, they don't. They have to deal with peer pressure and family problems and boy troubles and secrets they're afraid of people knowing just like everybody else. Having money might make their lives easier and a little more fun but it definitely makes it harder, too.

Check this book out and it's sequel, In Too Deep, coming out in January 2009 and the final installment (unless you guys keep reading, hint hint) Simply Irresistible coming out June of 09. Also check out my interview with the author.