She's So Dead to Us

Sep 16, 2011 Ariana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alternating-pov

Usually, wanting to punch all the characters in a book it is not a really good sign.. and I won't say that this is not the case because in fact it really is.

I hate horrible friends (all Ally's supposed ex best friends), and rich kids with nothing else to do but to bully someone for their own entertainment (same as before), and rich people telling me what a difficult time they are having because their parents can't effort a palace AND a beach house (same as before), and rich stupid kids with ric...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jun 20, 2010 Morgan F rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pulse-it, young-adult, series, goodreads-author, 2010, read-2010, multiple, romance, medium-sized, realistic, e-book

Okay, let me start off by saying how misleading the cover and title are. I was expecting some light, two-star read. Boy, I was wrong.

It's been two years since Ally Ryan's father swindled millions from the wealthiest families of Orchard Hill, and she and her family were forced to leave town in shame. But now she is back, even though not all of her old friends are happy to see her. When Ally goes to visit her old mansion, she finds someone else living there. The smokin' Jake Graydon who has take...more Okay, let me start off by saying how misleading the cover and title are. I was expecting some light, two-star read. Boy, I was wrong.

It's been two years since Ally Ryan's father swindled millions from the wealthiest families of Orchard Hill, and she and her family were forced to leave town in shame. But now she is back, even though not all of her old friends are happy to see her. When Ally goes to visit her old mansion, she finds someone else living there. The smokin' Jake Graydon who has taken her place among her former Crestie friends. The two feel the sparks, but it ain't so easy because it isn't just them in the equation.

I really like this book. It was one of those that take you completely by surprise. I was sucked in immediately, and I had a really hard time putting it down. The writing was easily consumable, and the characters were a blast. The plot had some twists and turns I wasn't expecting, and it refrained from being gimmicky for the most part.

There were two narrators to this story; Jake and Ally. They provided a nice balance for each other. And surprisingly, I liked both of them. Ally was a great female character. She was athletic and confident, while still having vulnerability. I liked how she wasn't all about "getting her man" and then whining about it. She stood up to the people who tormented her and was always in the game. Jake was swoonworthy and a pretty believable guy. He was arrogant, but had a conscience. I liked the romance between them. It wasn't all about the lust, but had some heat.

The teens acted like teens. Some of the girls were bitches. Some of the guys were dorks. They cussed and partied without being of Gossip Girl proportions. Trevor and Todd reminded me a lot of the Weasley twins. Annie was fun. I really liked the whole cast. Maybe the whole Crestie/norms thing was a little unrealistic, but then again, I don't have any mansions around where I live.

This book is really one of the best of its kind. Entertaining without frilliness. But the one thing I did not like at all was the ending. For all of you that are going to read it, know right now that it is not a stand alone, and that it is the first of a planned trilogy. I was not aware of this going into it, and was very put off by the cliffhanger ending. My rebellious side was like "Nuh-uh, hell no. We ain't gonna get sucked in by this ploy." If the book was of a lesser quality, then I definitely wouldn't read the sequels. It is just because it is so good that I am going to be first in line for the second book.

This is off-topic, but one thing I don't understand is why Kieran Scott uses her pen name for some works, but her real name for her others. What is the point of a pen name at all if everyone knows it's a pen name?(less)

15 likes · like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Alyson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, romance

Kind of like Gossip Girl in the 'burbs, but less trashy and fun. Horrible rich kids being horrible to the world's most indecisive heroine (She [rightfully] hates them! Then she wants to be friends with them! Then they do something awful and she hates them again! Then she still wants to be friends! Lather, rinse, repeat: over, and over, and over, and over, and over...) Ally's a spineless idiot, basically. A fun, entertaining idiot, to be sure, with moments of clarity and strength, but an idiot no...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Elena rated it 5 of 5 stars

OH. MY. GOD. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! I MEAN IT'S PERFECT!
I'M TOTALLY PSYCHED!!!

Okay so, where do I start, where do I start?
Okay I'll start from the beginning.

First thoughts on She's So Dead To Us:

What a weird cover. Seriously? Couldn't you pick a nicer one, Kieran Scott? Whatever, I'll give you a chance anyway.
Weird title, too. Usually books with lame titles like that end up being lame and pretty awful themselves.
Synopsis? So done and re-done. Are you even going to try?

All right then. Let's start....more

6 likes · like · see review

Apr 13, 2011 Rowena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been wanting to read this book since I found out about the sequel, He's So Not Worth It. The blurb for HSNWI looked cute and I think it was Alex that brought this book to my attention. Immediately, I had to have it and after finally freeing up some reading time, I read this book.

I enjoyed it too!

This book follows Ally Ryan as she makes her way back to her hometown after going away because her Dad made their family an enemy to everyone in their old hometown. Bad adult decisions caused Ally's...more I've been wanting to read this book since I found out about the sequel, He's So Not Worth It. The blurb for HSNWI looked cute and I think it was Alex that brought this book to my attention. Immediately, I had to have it and after finally freeing up some reading time, I read this book.

I enjoyed it too!

This book follows Ally Ryan as she makes her way back to her hometown after going away because her Dad made their family an enemy to everyone in their old hometown. Bad adult decisions caused Ally's family to unravel. Her father disappeared, leaving her mother to shoulder the responsibility of keeping her and Ally afloat. When Ally's Mom gets a job in the town that they fled from, Ally is torn between wanting her friends back and trying to move on. The first thing she does when she gets back into town is rides her bike to her old house...and meets the new occupant of her new room.

A cutie patootie boy that she wouldn't mind getting to know.

Things really heat up when Ally's old friends start finding out she's back in town and the mean girl things that go down make for an interesting story.

This was a really fast read for me. Lots of things were going on in my personal when I was reading this book and this book really helped me get away from my worries for a while. I enjoyed the book as a whole but there were quite a few times that I wanted to smack some sense into Ally. I get that she wanted her old life back and she thought her old friends would forgive her but what I didn't understand is why after everything that they put her through, why she wanted to be friends with them? I mean, why did she keep going back?

The same with Jake. I adored Jake but there were times when I wanted to give him a swift kick in the ass because why in the world was he friends with Shannen? Shannen was nothing but a devious and mean hearted b word.

The story revolves around Ally trying to find her new place back in her hometown and also around Jake and Ally's budding relationship. Things pop off at every turn and you won't be able to help yourself as you turn the pages.

What I liked about this book was that both Ally and Jake were normal teenagers. Jake wasn't this dark, twisted but romantic hero who was wise beyond his years (or even older than dirt because he's a vampire or whatever), he was just a normal teenage boy with normal teenage boy thoughts and he drove me crazy, he made me laugh and I adored him. I want more of Jake!

It was the same with Ally. She was just your normal everyday, average teenage girl with normal teenage girl thoughts that sometimes drove you crazy. But it was easy to follow her story, her voice made it easy to fall in line with everything going on. You felt for her, you were happy for her and all that jazz.

Some of the things that drove me crazy besides the characters at times was Ally's Mom. Why she was so gung ho about getting back in with the Cresties, I'll never know or understand but whatever, overall the story was entertaining and the characters leaped right off the pages. They were real and they brought out real feelings in you and I enjoyed that. I'm anxious for y'all to read the next book, it just keeps the party going.

This review was originally posted on The Book Scoop by Rowena.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 09, 2011 Monica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I thought it was going to be just another silly shallow novel, and in a way it was, but it was also really good. A few of the characters had a surprising depth to them and were really well thought out. I really liked the main character, Ally. She was so strong facing her old friends after her father ruined them financially. She even protected her mother as best she could from the heart ache she knew would occur if her mom found out what had been...more I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I thought it was going to be just another silly shallow novel, and in a way it was, but it was also really good. A few of the characters had a surprising depth to them and were really well thought out. I really liked the main character, Ally. She was so strong facing her old friends after her father ruined them financially. She even protected her mother as best she could from the heart ache she knew would occur if her mom found out what had been happening. Jake, who was Ally's love interest, was an interesting character. He was so dependent upon what his friends thought that he hid his relationship with Ally, because she was a "norm" (poor) and he was a "crestie" (rich), and almost ruined it until he got approval from one of the people in his group. If I was Ally I so would not have taken him back! (Oh who am I kidding, he was hot! I totally would!) Also, the teens actually seemed realistic, they drank and cursed and had parties and had a dorky little band play in someone's basement. It was realistic and I could actually see this happening somewhere.

I loved the plot too! There were so many shocking little twists and turns and secrets floating around you never really knew what was going to happen next. There were a lot of things that surprised me (like the end, I didn't realize that this was the first in a series! *jumps for joy*) There was also a little instant messaging thing they did after every chapter and I know a lot of people hated it but I enjoyed it because you didn't know who was saying these things so it gave you some more insight about how people felt about the main characters. The ending was SUCH a cliffhanger I seriously cannot wait for the next book to come out! I know this one just came out but I need the second one like now!

This book really surprised me, I started reading it thinking it was just going to be so-so, but it really wowed me and left me wanting more! This is definitely one of the best books I've read in a while.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 21, 2011 Aleeeeeza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read

One thing you may not know me about me is that I ALWAYS catch on to popular stuff really late. I read Harry Potter after all the seven books had been released long since. I read Twilight when the first movie had been released for six months. But the reason I’m dishing out this info is because I caught on really late to Gossip Girl as well—the T.V. show, I mean, not the books. I’ve only seen, like, six episodes of the first season, but I can safely say that I am HOOKED. I always thought that seei...more One thing you may not know me about me is that I ALWAYS catch on to popular stuff really late. I read Harry Potter after all the seven books had been released long since. I read Twilight when the first movie had been released for six months. But the reason I’m dishing out this info is because I caught on really late to Gossip Girl as well—the T.V. show, I mean, not the books. I’ve only seen, like, six episodes of the first season, but I can safely say that I am HOOKED. I always thought that seeing these stereotypical rich kids act like the arrogant dimwits they are would be VERY annoying and boring and infuriating. Well, actually, it turned out to be pretty fantastic and very guilty-pleasure-y, too.

The storyline of the book revolves around Ally Ryan, who’s just come back to Orchard View after one a half year, when she left because one of her father’s schemes had tanked and left her friends’ families—AKA Cresties, which is what the people from the rich side of town are called—stripped of loads of money. Now she’s back, and it turns out they still harbor their resentment, which makes it pretty hard for Ally to adjust back into her hometown like the good old days. Enter Jake Graydon, a super-duper hot guy who’d moved into Ally’s house while she was away, who’s attracted to her, and who Ally is attracted to as well, and you have the perfect guilty-pleasure-y sounding read.

Except that it’s not actually that guilty-pleasure-y. While the book was LOADS of fun, it wasn’t the kind of books that I feel guilty for taking pleasure from (okay, that didn't come out right...). It’s actually witty, fun read with well-rounded characters with legit drama. So the cover and the title—they’re actually sort of misleading.

That being said, dude, Kieran Scott can SO spin together a fantastic plot. Seriously. The way the events unfold, the tension grows, the realistic interactions between the characters—I couldn’t stop reading! Add that to the fact that the voices in the book are totally kick-butt and addicting—it’s told from both Ally’s and Jake’s perspectives, which was awesome, since getting to know both sides of the stories was actually pretty important.

I did, however, have issues with how gullible Ally could be at times—I mean, after being given the cold shoulder by the Crestires and tricked by them over and over again, you’d expect she’d tell ‘em to screw off. I know she wants her old life back and all, but I wish she’d realized sooner that the Cresties were no good. There were some characters that, in my opinion, should’ve been given more screen—page?—time, but since this is a series, I was willing to overlook that.

All in all, a fun, relaxing read that definitely had me wanting more. Oh, did I mention the cliffhanger at the end? At times like these I’m SO glad I have the ARC of the sequel, because waiting for it would’ve been total torture.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 17, 2010 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-books

She's So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott
Pages: 288
Release Date: May 25, 2010

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
Born with a silver spoon, living with a plastic spork. The first book in a new trilogy about losing it all and being better off.

Kieran Scott's new novel, She's So Dead To Us, is brilliant. Thanks to Kieran who gave me a signed copy for winning one of her contests! I read this one in one sitting.

I loved the story plot. Ally Ryan just moved back to Orchard Hill. Her mom may be hopeful about their...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2010 April rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, ya, contemporary

Ally Ryan used to lead a charmed life. She was popular, dated the cutest boys, and was super rich, living in the biggest mansion on the Crest, a ritzy neighborhood. Of course, the plot would be sort of boring if there wasn't some kind of big huge change. Well, friends, Ally's dad is no financial whiz, yet people think he is so they trust him with their money. HAH! Ya'll remember when economyFAIL? Well, everyone who invested with Ally's dad loses a lot of money. Ally and her family move away in s...more

1 like · like · see review

May 21, 2012 Shannon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

so far, i'm thinking the writing is possibly worst than 50 shades...if it doesn't get better soon I may stab myself in the eye. i didn't think it was possible to use 'butthole hideous' in a sentence 3 times...

1 like · like · see review

May 01, 2013 Abbie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, ya-romance

I didn't have high expectations for this book and I'm glad I didn't because this seemed like a typical Gossip Girl/The Clique style novel. It was filled with high school drama, secret romances, and shocking revelations. It was rather predictable and slow for me but I finished reading it in one sitting.

So basically, the book is about Ally Ryan's unwelcome return to Orchard Hill, Maryland. The quaint little town where she grew up. But after her father lost the socialite families' stocks she and he...more

like · see review

Jan 17, 2013 Josie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

She's so dead to us by kieran scott was a great explanation of one perpective in high school and the struggles that go along with it. I personally enjoyed reading it very much. The concept of it reminded me of gossip girl, a series I love to watch. Ally Ryan had everything going for her she was popular and wealthy and had the same sort of friends until her family loses all their money and has to move away. When they move away her dad disappears no note, no explanation, nothing. When she has to m...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Sel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Bookcase to Heaven™ review.

*

Written from the perspectives of both Jake and Ally, this novel takes us down the familiar path of high-school drama, yet still manages to shine bright like a diamond from the growing pile of Young Adult contemporary works.

SHE'S SO DEAD TO US is not conceptually unique, but neither is it your typical run-of-the-mill teenage romance. Two teenagers crushing on each other from opposite ends of the social hierarchy is in essence, almost a Cinderella-esque story. However...more A Bookcase to Heaven™ review.

*

Written from the perspectives of both Jake and Ally, this novel takes us down the familiar path of high-school drama, yet still manages to shine bright like a diamond from the growing pile of Young Adult contemporary works.

SHE'S SO DEAD TO US is not conceptually unique, but neither is it your typical run-of-the-mill teenage romance. Two teenagers crushing on each other from opposite ends of the social hierarchy is in essence, almost a Cinderella-esque story. However, add into the mixture an estranged father gone missing, a protagonist who went from riches to rags, fickle friends who each harbour their own dirty little secrets and a boy who puts the play word in "playboy"... And you get something that is intense, emotional and awfully enjoyable.

You see, sometimes, there is no need for every contemporary tale to adhere to the rules of being wholly realistic. In this novel, there is a huge divide between the Cresties-- rich kids who have exclusive five-course Sunday dinners, Long Beach Island shore houses and cars for their seventeenth birthday-- and the Norms (the name is self-explanatory). Indeed, this divide might seem over-dramatised at certain parts of the novel and the group of friends that revolve around Jake and Ally might appear melodramatic at times. Yet, these are simply just the backdrop of the central story-- the love-hate relationship between Jake and Ally.

Their love story is wonderful, thanks to Kieran Scott's entertaining writing style. The story flows easily with no difficulty at all and you will be entirely engrossed from the very first page to the last. When Ally first meets Jake outside her old mansion, their encounter is described from both of their point of views, and my heart started pounding so fast as though I was the one feeling the sparks on the spot. Their relationship spans over a long period of time and each of the events that contribute to their romance is unforgettable. There is a major conflict in this novel because of how Jake is torn between his Crestie friends and Ally who is the pariah amongst the Cresties. To see how Jake starts from trying to deny his attraction towards her, to regretting playing hurtful pranks on her and finally, defending her in front of all the Cresties and dating her openly, your heart will wrench in the process, but you will never want to stop reading.

The story touches me because it is a story about teenagers. As a teenager myself, the relationship between Jake and Ally in a school setting is much easier to relate to than those paranormal romances. Never before have I seen any relationship develop so deliciously, to the extent that even a conversation between them will made my heartbeat accelerate!

And the climax came at the ending, which was one which eschewed any real resolution and left us groaning on the last page. Strangely enough, I had the weirdest urge to just reread the whole book again and savour every moment between Ally and Jake before I get my hands on the next instalment.

This is how good this novel is. It's sweet. It's scathing. It's a cut above the rest.

Source: Purchased
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 11, 2012 Zoe rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

WHY ON EARTH DOES THIS HAVE SUCH A HIGH RATING?
This book sort of wanders around aimlessly. It's unpleasant with a lot of negative feelings, bitchy people, and horribly confrontational scenarios.
But the writing is natural and engaging. It took a while for me to settle into the book. I was trying to decide if it was too teeny bopper for me. The awkward scenes are played out well considering it's a difficult storyline. Eventually I was drawn in, curious to find out whether the rich snobs would be...more

like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, summer-reads

I found out about this series when I saw the 3rd book advertised thinking it was a standalone. When I found out it was a series I had to get the first one.

I absolutely loved this book. It was like a movie playing out in my head all the way through. Ally Ryan is an excellent protagonist, she's just returned home to the 'Crestie' side of town. She's an outcast now after her father lost millions of dollars of her friends money. He friends no longer want to speak to her or have anything to do with...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 GW rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Jan 15, 2012 Kari Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At one time in her life, Ally Ryan couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Orchard Hill. That was before her father lost tons of money in a hedge fund, including not only the Ryan’s money, but also the money of all their friends. The Ryan’s moved and started fresh, but now, Ally and her mom are moving back. And now, it’s the last place Ally Ryan wants to be.

She is forced to face all of her former friends. And former is the operative word. They all blame Alley personally for her dad’s flub, even tho...more At one time in her life, Ally Ryan couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Orchard Hill. That was before her father lost tons of money in a hedge fund, including not only the Ryan’s money, but also the money of all their friends. The Ryan’s moved and started fresh, but now, Ally and her mom are moving back. And now, it’s the last place Ally Ryan wants to be.

She is forced to face all of her former friends. And former is the operative word. They all blame Alley personally for her dad’s flub, even though her dad up and left Ally and her mom and she hasn’t her from him in ages. She doesn’t even know if he’s still alive.

But Ally must perservere, even though she’s not a Crestie anymore. And luckily, not everyone hates her. She makes new friends with some of the less popular, but much more interesting… and does have the support of Jake Graydon who now lives in Ally’s old house and can’t blame her for any money loss because his family didn’t move to the area until the Ryan’s left.

And the teenage world is dangerous! When wealth is involved, it’s even worse. As if Ally hasn’t faced enough embarassment and shame at the expense of her father, she is about to learn that is just the tip of the iceberg and that being a Crestie may not mean the same thing to her that it used to.

This is the first “Kieran Scott” book I have read. I have read several under the “Kate Brian” pen name and loved them all. Plus with a cover like this, how could I not get this book?

This book was very well thought out. I loved the plot line of the unfortunate bad dad, the daughter paying for his mistake and the inevitable snobby upper class teenager. One thing this book didn’t have that I had gotten so used to in the Kate Brian books is death. I know that’s not a bad thing, but it is a staple in the Private series and I have gotten used to trying to figure out who was going to be next to die, that when it didn’t happen in this book, I was a bit shocked. I guess that’s what happens when you are so used to another style. Just like actresses in movies, when they play a role you love, you don’t want it to ever change, even though you know it’s not going to be the same.

This was a fun, quick read and in Brian….err Scott fashion, she left me hanging at the end of the book. Some habits are hard to break But this is one that I hope she never does!

I give She’s So Dead to Us 4 bookmarks.

(less)

like · see review

Dec 08, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(don't read if you didn't finish the book cuz I think I spoiled some of the details!)I just finished "She's So Dead to Us" by Kieran Scott and I loved it! I seriously didn't put it down untill I finished reading the last page(and I mean I read the acknowledgments too). The whole book was my favorite but if I had to choose I would pick the part when they were kissing in the car and Jake got hurt because of the stick-shift. I hated how everyone was so mean to Ally in the beginning. I would have to...more

like · see review

Nov 20, 2011 Joslynn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. It was dramatic, funny, and extremely well-written.
I loved reading about the Idiot Twins. I could already see them as your typical, dumb, "dare-devil" teenage boys. They were the best characters of the book.
My heart constantly broke for Ally and all the hardships she'd encountered because of her dad and "friends", but I couldn't help but think: Why didn't they move someplace else? Why did her and her mother just HAVE to move back to their former neighborhood, have All...more

like · see review

Nov 01, 2011 Pauline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011

Kieran Scott brings us a cute teenage love story, told alternatively by Ally (Down on her luck, former rich girl forced to return to her former town, where she is definitely a persona non grata due to her father's antics two years previously) and Jake (Rich, spoilt boy living in her old house, and very much part of the gang that doesn't want her).
Scott makes no efforts to divert from the traditional paths of teenage romance. We have the first meeting between hero and heroine, in an unlikely spo...more

like · see review

Oct 18, 2011 Doris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for this book that picked simply because it was a book-on-tape. I read it during the round trip from St Louis to Nashville, and several times had to turn it off because I got SO aggravated with the characters.

It started off causing me to give a head shake - Ally and her family are leaving town in the dead of night (we find out later its the night of her JV basketball victory.) The head shake was because she didn't call any of her friends or contact them to let the...more

like · see review

Sep 10, 2011 Alexis Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, teen, he-s-so-she-s-so

Review:

Where do I start?!? I loved this book so much I couldn't put it down! The plot, characters, setting, everything was amazing! I loved it!

Ally Ryan was a extraordinary main character. She handled the Cresties, Chloe, Shannen, Faith, Hammond, Trevor and Todd, so well, (bullying-wise) I was cheering her on from the start! I don't think that I could've handled what Ally did as well or as nicely as she did.

Chloe I felt for. She wasn't exactly one of the mean Cresties but she still followed thro...more Review:

Where do I start?!? I loved this book so much I couldn't put it down! The plot, characters, setting, everything was amazing! I loved it!

Ally Ryan was a extraordinary main character. She handled the Cresties, Chloe, Shannen, Faith, Hammond, Trevor and Todd, so well, (bullying-wise) I was cheering her on from the start! I don't think that I could've handled what Ally did as well or as nicely as she did.

Chloe I felt for. She wasn't exactly one of the mean Cresties but she still followed through with Faith and Shannen's orders. I think that if Chloe could've stood up against the two, she and Ally would've been able to re-become friends closer to the beginning then to the end. Hammond is kinda the same thing.

Shannen and Faith, boy were they mean! I wanted to strangle them so many times throughout the book because of how mean and controlling they were! I know there are people in the world like them but still! They were great characters in the story and really helped with the plot. Actually, they pretty much were the plot.

Annie was a great friend to Ally. She was one of those best friends you wished you had at some time in your life. She was not a Crestie, thank goodness! Annie always really supported Ally and helped her get over the fact of how mean the Cresties were being by showing Ally how they could have fun, Norm style.

Jake was one of those characters that had you thinking: "What side is he on exactly?" One minute he was denying that he had any feelings for Ally and the next he's holding her hand! He was such a sweet boy who really had no clue who to turn to or which side to be on. His family wasn't affected by Ally's dad's scam, they didn't move to Orchard Hill until a year later. I really hope that in the sequel, Jake will man up and apologize to Ally to what happened at the end of this novel.

I hated the ending of this book! It just kinda stopped and I didn't want it to end! Oh well, leaves room for another book. :-)

Rating:
5 STARS

Recommendation:
Readers 13+
(less)

like · see review

Aug 15, 2011 Gemma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Note: This review is gonna have a lot of Private comparisons in it, mostly 'this is how She's So Dead to Us is good and Private is bad' types. It's gonna sound like I'm knocking the Private books, but I'm not; truly and honestly I enjoy them, but they have many flaws that this one did not.

Let's face it: books like this one are never going to be considered literature (at least, for posterity's sake, I hope not). But as far as trashy chic lit books go, Kieran Scott/alias Kate Brian has figured out...more Note: This review is gonna have a lot of Private comparisons in it, mostly 'this is how She's So Dead to Us is good and Private is bad' types. It's gonna sound like I'm knocking the Private books, but I'm not; truly and honestly I enjoy them, but they have many flaws that this one did not.

Let's face it: books like this one are never going to be considered literature (at least, for posterity's sake, I hope not). But as far as trashy chic lit books go, Kieran Scott/alias Kate Brian has figured out how to write some pretty good ones.

She's So Dead to Us is set in a world similar to that of Private. This time they're not at an exclusive boarding school, but there's the same group of overprivileged rich girls living a life of luxury.

Ally Ryan used to be one of those rich girls, but now her Daddy's broke and she isn't anymore. She's living in a condo and now considered a 'norm' or normal (as opposed to a Crestie, which means overprivileged rich girl). Her friends are no longer nice to her and consider her dead to them. Hence the title.

This book has the potential to be absolutely unbearable. One of those whiny 'I wish I was like them' books (actually, like the first Private book itself). However, it's not quite so annoying.

I think that's because of the characters. They were actually good. They're not quite so stereotypical as the girls in Private; Kieran Scott/Kate Brian doesn't rush in to quickly label them as Pretty One, Brainy One, Dreamy One so the readers don't have to think. Their personality shows more through their words and actions then through the labels given to them. That enabled them to be more dimmensional and real than the Private girls will ever be.

And as far as narrators go, Ally was pretty much stellar. Narrators can make or break books; if Ally had been whiny, drippy and pathetic (Reed, cough cough), She's So Dead to Us would have been a disaster. But she's not. She's certainly not thrilled about her situation, but she doesn't feel the need to complain every single page about how terribly awful her life is. She's smart and funny and can stand up for herself. You feel that through her narrative. I liked her. That's pretty high praise, coming from me.

Also, the name brand dropping has stopped. There was maybe one or two references to Chanel in here, but it's not like 'She put on her Gucci sunglasses, which unfortunatley wiped off some of her Sephora makeup. "Oh no!" she cried, dropping her Kate Spade hand bag, which knocked over the bottle of Chanel No. 5, spilling it all over her Armani shoes and Prada scarf which were lying on the ground next to her MacBook and brand new iPad3.' That was an exaggeration, by the way, but honestly, isn't that what the Private books sometimes feel like? Like it's a challenge to see how many name brands Kate Brian can fit per page.

She's So Dead to Us didn't have that feeling. It's like the author finally realized that adding in all these designer brands was not going to benefit her writing, so she just... stopped. Thank goodness.

The only downside to this book's goodness is that it proves that the author can do better than she was doing with Private. The bar has been raised; maybe that's why she wrote this under a different name. I don't know. I'm only hoping that the last Private book might follow in a similar manner, and maybe the writing/characterization will magically improve.

But let's face it; that's never gonna happen.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 11, 2011 Tiny Pants rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed-library, fiction, young-adult

I finally got myself to a library, and got my hands on this one -- I'd wanted to read it for a while, given that a) it doesn't have anything supernatural in it, and b) I think a more topical/timely take on the usual rich bitches thing seemed interesting. I was right! This is gonna get spoiler-ish, so if you're squeamish, read on. If you're not, don't worry, no big reveals here.

In many ways, this book is enjoyable because it's basically a mash-up of a million other bits of teen media. First (and...more I finally got myself to a library, and got my hands on this one -- I'd wanted to read it for a while, given that a) it doesn't have anything supernatural in it, and b) I think a more topical/timely take on the usual rich bitches thing seemed interesting. I was right! This is gonna get spoiler-ish, so if you're squeamish, read on. If you're not, don't worry, no big reveals here.

In many ways, this book is enjoyable because it's basically a mash-up of a million other bits of teen media. First (and most annoyingly), Ally Ryan is basically Reed Brennan. Kieran Scott, a.k.a. Kate Brian, sure likes her sporty, spunky, girl-next-door types. I don't find them very interesting, honestly, but whatever. I think that's why I liked the Privilege series so well. Ariana might've been nuts, but you know what, that meant she was interesting. In any event, throughout this book stomachs were dropping and shoulders were coiling, and weirdly it was typeset in the same font, so this'll definitely remind you of Private. The second thing it reminded me of straight-off was Mean Girls: Outsider gets taken in by former insider who now is obsessed with demolishing the hot clique. Next up -- speaking of outsiders -- The Outsiders. Yes, weirdly, the whole Norms vs. Cresties dynamic was weirdly reminiscent of the Soc's and the Greasers. And last, Carrie. Yes, by Stephen King. Don't worry, minus the pig's blood and telekinesis. This book is almost like a mixtape of popular tropes in teen media.

Except, here's the thing -- Ally Ryan is no Carrie White. She's a little hard to sympathize with because she gets duped so many times that she stops seeming hopeful, and just comes off as stupid. And Jake... I didn't care for Jake at all. Everything from his point of view felt a bit wish-fulfillment-y, and it was all too predictable. My other biggest gripe with this book was there was a severe character overload, making it hard to keep track of the minor players (and so definitely difficult to care about them).

But still -- a YA novel with zero vampires, zombies, were-anything? I'll take it! And I'll gladly read the next two, thanks.(less)

like · see review

Jul 09, 2011 Malati rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ally's family has taken a long fall from the fortune that had at one time; when she returns to her hometown 18 months later after leaving in the middle of the night; things are much different. She and her mother no longer can afford the lifestyle they one lived. She's no longer a Crestie; she's a Norm now and her old friends remind her of this every chance they get. Throughout all this, Ally comes into herself; she's actually are really nice girl who's made a few mistakes.

Jake is the boy that n...more

like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 Carla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, so Ally has just moved back to Orchard Hill, the town her and her family left when her dad made a boo boo and ended up loosing all the rich peoples monies. Except now, all of her old friends just HATE her. And when I say hate her, I obvs mean they act like they just walked off the set of Mean Girls (LOVE). No way can they forgive her, because it's like totes her fault what her dad did, even though she didn't know anything about it. And they won't let her forget either because thats just CR...more Okay, so Ally has just moved back to Orchard Hill, the town her and her family left when her dad made a boo boo and ended up loosing all the rich peoples monies. Except now, all of her old friends just HATE her. And when I say hate her, I obvs mean they act like they just walked off the set of Mean Girls (LOVE). No way can they forgive her, because it's like totes her fault what her dad did, even though she didn't know anything about it. And they won't let her forget either because thats just CRAY CRAY to let someone try and salvage their lives when you can just torture them instead (fun times). The only person she actually WANTS to let her into the super cool rich club is the super handsome super debonair Jake Graydon, who just happens to be the new guy who coincidently lives in her OLD house. OMG DRAMARAMA!!

I read this book on the road on the drive back to Texas. It kept me occupied on miles and miles of the same scenery of enormous green trees and sleeping creatures in the backseat. Honestly, I just could not put it down. It stayed glued to my fingers until the very last page. And dont'cha know, that's why I will always read anything Scott writes, because whilst it may not be the next great American novel, it may not win countless awards and be considered a literary genius, BUT her words and stories never fail to entertain me and suck me in. And if thats not the mark of a good book then I don't know what is.

AHHHH TEEN ANGST. Oh man there is so freaking much angst in this book it's like it just seeps into your skin and all you want to do is listen to emo songs and say things like "but WHY DOESN'T HE LIKE ME" to whoever will listen to you. And there is so much bitching and back stabbing and lies and deceit. I promise you, I was in my element! And when the arguments broke out, I was all GIRL FIGHT! And the book is not short of hot guys either. Which does a lot to make the story all the more interesting. And there is some rather swoonerific sexytimes action to make the story a lot lighter than it would've been without.

For those of you who have read this book, I mean is it me, or would you not have just punched them in the face? or just told them to grow the hell up? maybe it's because my high school life was totally different in the fact that none of us were members of country clubs and none of my friends had cars, or credit cards or designer hand bags. Is it really possible for people to treat their friends like that, really? because I know that if someone treated me like that, well, let's just say I wouldn't be nice and it'd be a total "Oh Carla" moment. And Ally dealt with it all very well, considering. I would love to think i would be mature enough to not let stuff like that bother me, but in honesty, I probably wouldn't *shrugs*

So all in all, such a fast paced and light read. The writing is smooth and snappy and the pages turn faster than you realise. Also, Cliffhanger OR WHAT?(less)

like · see review

May 14, 2011 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ally Ryan never thought that she would ever see Orchard Hill again, not after leaving two years earlier in the wake of a scandal caused by her father when a bad hedge fund investment ruined so many families. She’s built up a new life for herself, one that doesn’t involve defining herself by money. But when her mother gets a new job, Ally is forced to move back to the site of an era of her life she’d happily forget. Ally knows the transition won’t be easy, but if she’s hoping that her former frie...more Ally Ryan never thought that she would ever see Orchard Hill again, not after leaving two years earlier in the wake of a scandal caused by her father when a bad hedge fund investment ruined so many families. She’s built up a new life for herself, one that doesn’t involve defining herself by money. But when her mother gets a new job, Ally is forced to move back to the site of an era of her life she’d happily forget. Ally knows the transition won’t be easy, but if she’s hoping that her former friends will at least tolerate her presence, then she’s bound to be disappointed. Because her former Crestie friends don’t forget and they certainly don’t forgive Ally for her father’s mistakes. But then there’s Jake Graydon, a relative newcomer to the scene. He wasn’t around for the drama and doesn’t share his friends’ resentment for Ally. If anything, he’s intrigued and more than a little interested. But no matter how perfect Jake and Ally could be for each other, the chances of them getting together are slim to none if Ally’s former friends have anything to say. Because if there’s one person who deserves to be punished, it’s Ally, even if it’s at the expense of Jake’s happiness.

I have actually never read anything by Kieran Scott except some books written under her pseudonym Kate Brian. I was a huge fan of how Scott/Brian was able make high school drama so addicting in her Private series, and I’m so glad this skill translated in She’s So Dead to Us. The strongest aspect of this novel is by far the characters. Alternate first person narrations from both Ally’s and Jake’s points of view give the reader great insight into these characters’ minds. I got to know everything about Ally and Jake, including their most secret desires, their tentative hopes and fears, and all of their innermost thoughts. As a result, Ally and Jake feel incredibly realistic, and even if they’re not always likable, it’s always easy to understand their motives. Therefore, even though I wanted to yell at these characters from time to time because their reactions to the situations forced upon them were sometimes so frustrating, I had to keep reading because I wanted so badly for them to succeed in at least something. In all, She’s So Dead to Us is undeniably a very juicy read, but one that also has substantive characters in realistic situations, and it’s not just because of the huge cliffhanger that I’m dying to catch the sequel in He’s So Not Worth It.

She’s So Dead to Us appeals to fans of the Private series by Kate Brian and The Elite series by Jennifer Banash.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

like · see review

May 09, 2011 Jodi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought She's So Dead to Us was pretty good! I have a tendency to be really nit-picky with my reviews but I don't have too much to complain about here. The story was told from two different viewpoints - Ally, the shunned once-rich girl and Jake - the resident pretty boy. I liked that the story flipped between their perspectives, however, it would do it frequently during the same chapter which sometimes got confusing.
I also liked how the chapters were divided into different months of the school...more I thought She's So Dead to Us was pretty good! I have a tendency to be really nit-picky with my reviews but I don't have too much to complain about here. The story was told from two different viewpoints - Ally, the shunned once-rich girl and Jake - the resident pretty boy. I liked that the story flipped between their perspectives, however, it would do it frequently during the same chapter which sometimes got confusing.
I also liked how the chapters were divided into different months of the school year with some sort of Gossip Girl like conversation going on between anonymous "sources" on the high school scoop.
There were times when the story felt a little dragged out, which got a little tiresome. Then I was a little nervous towards the end when it seemed like things were speeding up suddenly. I was hoping that Scott wouldn't force a cheesy ending down our throats when she felt the book was getting too long. Kudos to Kieran Scott for not doing that, but rather providing a cliff hanger of an ending that had me running to amazon.com to see if a sequel was in the works (there is!) which I promptly pre-ordered for the YA department.
A lot of the reviews were saying that this was an un-original story idea - Mean Girls turning against one of their own. However, for me, it took a new twist on that old story by centering it around something that Ally's dad did to shame the family rather than nothing of her own doing. Ally was a really likable character who's point of view and attitude I really liked. Jake was a bit "eh" to me. I kept wanting to yell at him to grow a pair already, but unfortunately he reeked of a kid who cared way too much about what others thought of him. My only other complaint was that some of the characters seemed a bit unnecessary and that Scott disposed of them a little too quickly (David Drake, I'm talking about YOU). It had seemed like David was going to be a really key player in Ally's life (he reminded me of Ducky in Pretty in Pink!) and Scott started to do a good job evolving him and his relationships with, not only Ally, but the soccer team as well, and then just kind of decided it was time to get rid of him.
I won't slam She's So Dead to Us anymore because I am getting nit-picky again and the truth is, I really did enjoy this. I look forward to the sequel.
(less)

like · see review

May 03, 2011 Jodi Papazian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-reads

I thought She's So Dead to Us was pretty good! I have a tendency to be really nit-picky with my reviews but I don't have too much to complain about here. The story was told from two different viewpoints - Ally, the shunned once-rich girl and Jake - the resident pretty boy. I liked that the story flipped between their perspectives, however, it would do it frequently during the same chapter which sometimes got confusing.
I also liked how the chapters were divided into different months of the scho...more I thought She's So Dead to Us was pretty good! I have a tendency to be really nit-picky with my reviews but I don't have too much to complain about here. The story was told from two different viewpoints - Ally, the shunned once-rich girl and Jake - the resident pretty boy. I liked that the story flipped between their perspectives, however, it would do it frequently during the same chapter which sometimes got confusing.
I also liked how the chapters were divided into different months of the school year with some sort of Gossip Girl like conversation going on between anonymous "sources" on the high school scoop.
There were times when the story felt a little dragged out, which got a little tiresome. Then I was a little nervous towards the end when it seemed like things were speeding up suddenly. I was hoping that Scott wouldn't force a cheesy ending down our throats when she felt the book was getting too long. Kudos to Kieran Scott for not doing that, but rather providing a cliff hanger of an ending that had me running to amazon.com to see if a sequel was in the works (there is!) which I promptly pre-ordered for the YA department.
A lot of the reviews were saying that this was an un-original story idea - Mean Girls turning against one of their own. However, for me, it took a new twist on that old story by centering it around something that Ally's dad did to shame the family rather than nothing of her own doing. Ally was a really likable character who's point of view and attitude I really liked. Jake was a bit "eh" to me. I kept wanting to yell at him to grow a pair already, but unfortunately he reeked of a kid who cared way too much about what others thought of him. My only other complaint was that some of the characters seemed a bit unnecessary and that Scott disposed of them a little too quickly (David Drake, I'm talking about YOU). It had seemed like David was going to be a really key player in Ally's life (he reminded me of Ducky in Pretty in Pink!) and Scott started to do a good job evolving him and his relationships with, not only Ally, but the soccer team as well, and then just kind of decided it was time to get rid of him.
I won't slam She's So Dead to Us anymore because I am getting nit-picky again and the truth is, I really did enjoy this. It will certainly be easy to sell to the teens and I look forward to reading the sequel. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2011 Courtney Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

title link	preview: She's So Dead to Us
avg rating	preview: She's So Dead to Us Goodreads rating: 4.04 (4041 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8140515-she-s-so-dead-to-us?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328305871l/8140515.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8140515-she-s-so-dead-to-us?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott[/url]

She's So Dead to Us (He's So/She's So #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (8)

Videos About This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Kieran Scott

Books by Kieran Scott

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About She's So Dead to Us

Quotes from She's So Dead to Us