ARC Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

by Carmen Shaw 11:27 PM 2 comments

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend…but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

Overall Thoughts:
This was a very puzzling story. It confused me... alot, but I think that was just apart of it's appeal.

New Girl is about a teenage girl who is sent from her school, St. Augustine in hot Florida, to Manderly Academy in chilly New Hampshire because her parents think that's what she wants. When she arrives at Manderly, she comes to realize that the only reason she got in was because a girl named Becca Normandy has gone missing, and a spot opened up for her. Her arrival has caused some people to think that she is trying to replace Becca in some way, especially when she starts to get cozy with Becca's boyfriend, Max Holloway.

What I liked about this story:
I liked that the author didn't reveal New Girl's name until the very end. I've never read a story where I didn't automatically know the main character's name from the very beginning so I thought that was so clever and unique. I also liked how conflicted Max was towards New Girl. He obviously liked her and wanted to be with her, but he wasn't able to just jump back into another relationship, especially with someone people said was trying to copy his past girlfriend. My favorite thing about this story though was the mystery of it all. The big question was: Will Becca come back? That sole question created suspense and tension and ordered me to continue reading until my curiosity was quenched.

What I disliked about this story:
I didn't really understand some of the character's actions. I wasn't able to comprehend why they did some of the things they did. I found myself wondering if I was in their position, would I do what they did? And the answer was usually no, which is okay because everyone is different, but I couldn't even reason with WHY they did whatever it is that they did because I didn't understand their mind set.

Verdict:
I liked this story, though the character's actions and motives were a bit confusing. It was full of mystery and suspense, and was a really quick read.

3 TARGETS!