Book: Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag

Release date: January 8, 2009

Publisher: Razorbill

From: Bookstore

Summary:
What happens in Paris…
Secrets–
PJ’s deep blue eyes and angelic long blond hair conceal a truth that’s anything but. Will her dark past stay where it belongs in the backwoods of Vermont, or haunt her in the city of light?
Passion–
Always the good girl, Olivia plans to twirl her way to the top of the Parisian ballet scene. But that’s not supposed to include dancing on a table all night…or stumbling into the arms of the wrong boy.
Lies–
With his emo-trendy bedhead, hilarious comebacks and Southern drawl, Zack could win over anyone. Too bad he’s after the only one who’s forbidden…
Scandal–
All Alex wants from Paris is to nab that berry-red Dior coat and seduce the perfect penny-loafer-wearing boy – and Alex always gets what she wants. But will her scheming pay off? Or is she risking more than she knows…?
Alex, Olivia, Zack and PJ are spending a year at the prestigious Lycée de Monceau in the sparkling city of Paris. This is their chance to sip cafe au lait in Le Marais, throw secret parties in their host families’ Versailles-size apartments, and have the time of their lives. But when the secrets they thought they left behind come out, everything could be ruined…

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Kait Rose

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag

January 3, 2010 • 4 stars, contemporary, review, series • 4 Comments

Book: Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag

Release date: January 8, 2009

Publisher: Razorbill

From: Bookstore

Summary:
What happens in Paris…
Secrets–
PJ’s deep blue eyes and angelic long blond hair conceal a truth that’s anything but. Will her dark past stay where it belongs in the backwoods of Vermont, or haunt her in the city of light?
Passion–
Always the good girl, Olivia plans to twirl her way to the top of the Parisian ballet scene. But that’s not supposed to include dancing on a table all night…or stumbling into the arms of the wrong boy.
Lies–
With his emo-trendy bedhead, hilarious comebacks and Southern drawl, Zack could win over anyone. Too bad he’s after the only one who’s forbidden…
Scandal–
All Alex wants from Paris is to nab that berry-red Dior coat and seduce the perfect penny-loafer-wearing boy – and Alex always gets what she wants. But will her scheming pay off? Or is she risking more than she knows…?
Alex, Olivia, Zack and PJ are spending a year at the prestigious Lycée de Monceau in the sparkling city of Paris. This is their chance to sip cafe au lait in Le Marais, throw secret parties in their host families’ Versailles-size apartments, and have the time of their lives. But when the secrets they thought they left behind come out, everything could be ruined…

*****

Beautiful Americans is the first of what promises to be an exciting trilogy. It’s the story of four Americans and their wild adventures in Paris for 9 months. This book is just the beginning of some crazy nights and even crazier teens.

Beautiful Americans is told from the points-of-view of Penelope Jane(PJ), Olivia, Zack, and Alex. I don’t think there could be any four people as different as these. PJ is a Vermont hippie who is running from quite a past. Olivia is a dancer who is in Paris to try to earn a dance scholarship to UCLA. Zack is Zack. He is kind of hard to describe. He is in Paris looking for himself and for love. Then there’s Alex. Alex is the spoiled rotten brat of the group. I couldn’t find any redeeming qualities for her. She is in Paris just because she wants to be and what Alex wants, Alex gets.

This was a pretty wild book. It reminded me a bit of Gossip Girl but in Paris and a lot less raunchy. It was way more suitable for younger teens and it had a lot more substance. I can’t really say what the plot was to this one except that it was their first semester of schooling in Paris. The second book looks like it will have more of a storyline that this one kind of set it up for. I look forward to starting that one. =]

Overall, Beautiful Americans is a fun read full of lies, scandal, sex, and secrets. I don’t think Lucy Silag left any subject untouched. It was a great book and I plan on diving into the next one as soon as possible!

Writing: 9/10

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 8/10

Ending: 9/10

Originality: 8/10

Overall: 42/50=B

Cover: 8/10=B-

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