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It Chicks
What they want is fame.
All they have is drama.
Welcome to Louis B. Armstrong, New York City’s most prestigious performing arts school, where the gifted, wanna-be starlets, and It Chicks are all on the rise. But when rehearsals give way to hot and heavy after-school sessions away from the barre and without the mic, the real drama begins.
Meet the hottest cast in
Tangie, the Dreamer. Skye the Drama Queen. Eden the Bombshell. Trey the Bad Boy. CJ the Thug with the Heart of Gold. Izzy the Wild Child. Regina the Silent Threat. And the Marisol, Kamillah, Blackadocious, Vineet, and Lyle.
They’re all playing the fame game and will do whatever it takes to nail it.
All they have is drama.
Welcome to Louis B. Armstrong, New York City’s most prestigious performing arts school, where the gifted, wanna-be starlets, and It Chicks are all on the rise. But when rehearsals give way to hot and heavy after-school sessions away from the barre and without the mic, the real drama begins.
Meet the hottest cast in
Tangie, the Dreamer. Skye the Drama Queen. Eden the Bombshell. Trey the Bad Boy. CJ the Thug with the Heart of Gold. Izzy the Wild Child. Regina the Silent Threat. And the Marisol, Kamillah, Blackadocious, Vineet, and Lyle.
They’re all playing the fame game and will do whatever it takes to nail it.
295 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2007
9 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Tia Williams
33 books5,981 followersTia Williams began her career as a beauty editor for magazines including Elle, Glamour, Lucky, Teen People, and Essence. In 2004, she pioneered the beauty blog industry with her award-winning site, Shake Your Beauty - and published her debut novel, The Accidental Diva. She went on to pen two young adult novels: It Chicks, and Sixteen Candles. Her 2016 bestseller, The Perfect Find, is being adapted for a Netflix film starring Gabrielle Union – and her latest novel, Seven Days in June, debuts in June 2021. Tia is currently an Editorial Director at Estee Lauder Companies, and lives with her daughter and husband in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 14, 2008
i hope there is another book after this because there is no way it can just end without me finding out what happened
October 19, 2010
What they want is fame.
All they have is drama.
They go to Louis B. Armstrong, New York City"s most prestigious performing arts school, where the gifted, wanna-be starlets, and It Chicks are coming on the rise. But when rehearsals give way to hot and heavy after-school sessions away from the mic, the real drama begins.
They"re all playing the fame game and will do whatever it takes to nail it.
This book I reccomend it to girl's that actually like drama.
All they have is drama.
They go to Louis B. Armstrong, New York City"s most prestigious performing arts school, where the gifted, wanna-be starlets, and It Chicks are coming on the rise. But when rehearsals give way to hot and heavy after-school sessions away from the mic, the real drama begins.
They"re all playing the fame game and will do whatever it takes to nail it.
This book I reccomend it to girl's that actually like drama.
Read
January 10, 2025It Chicks
It’s the first day of school and Tangie’s just been accepted at her dream school (Louis Armstrong Academy of Performing and Creative Arts.) We find out a little background. Her friends (Skye and CJ) got accepted to the school previously but Tangie got a bad case of nerves during her audtion. It’s always been her dream to dance at this school. She meets up with her friend Skye and her sister Eden. Eden gives her some advice: In the jungle, never forget to wear insect repellent. Eden and Trey were the “It” couple, but now they’ve split up and Eden’s been popping Valium and isn’t over it yet.
And they aren’t the only ones Tangie hasn’t spoken to CJ (Skye’s cousin) for 3 months. The short of it is, CJ lived with his sick mother but when he turned thug he got sent to live with his aunt. His aunt found his sketches, realized he had talent, and he got into Carrington Arm. Then he was allowed to live with his grandmother again. He and Tangie then became a thing in the sixth grade. They made a bet in the 8th grade that if one didn’t get accepted the other wouldn’t go. But he did and she didn’t.
At a party, CJ tells Tangie (that after 4 years of being friends) he wants to be exclusive. Tangie tho sees it as he’s just gotten bored (and gone through all the other girls at the school) and she tells him she can’t. So, she downs some shots, and in a burst of anger calls him a skanky player and tells everyone he belongs to Armstrong’s “hood outreach” program. She wrote him from dance camp. He didn’t write back. Skye tells her to work it out before her back to school party.
At orientation, Tangie meets Aziza (Izzy) who she recognizes from auditions. When Tangie showed up for auditions she started to have a panic attack (anxiety) and Izzy traded numbers with her so she could go last. Tangie and Izzy share background about their horrible (absentee) parents. Izzy does a little of everything. She’s a hip hop dancer. She’s an artist. She’s an aspiring rapper. She was also a makeup artist. They talk about guys they’re into. (Izzy’s into a sophomore. She’s a freshman). They learn that have to have “self-awareness” sessions (once a week).
In the next chapter we find out why Eden and Trey broke up. He cheated on Prom Night. She’s venting about to her girl Marisol. But she got him back by showing a video he did with Missy to the principal. Armstrong students aren’t allowed to take professional gigs or they get pushed back and have to take developmental classes. Marisol thinks they need to be dating men that will help with their careers anyway. She advises her to remember who she is and reclaim her power.
CJ wants only Tangie. Wants to have sex with her. But for some dumb reason *doesn’t* want her because he’s scared of getting in a commitment and has found an easy girl over the summer. Meanwhile, Izzy has done Tangie’s makeup and is stunned at the transformation. While they wait for Skye’s friends (Regina and Kamillah Skye gives Tangie the breakdown of the different majors. The breakdown is: actresses (most popular-nice to everyone) actors (conceited, shallow, dumb as ish), female dancers (“Bunheads got a lot of hate), male dancers (gay) hip-hop dancers (male, players, try to hard to be hard), creative art majors (the coolest guys), music majors (nerdy, boring), vocalist (sing to damn much-they even sing conversations-).
Regina is a screen-writer and director and Kamillah is a fashionista. While Regina’s gone on a errand for Skye. They talk about Regina’s new “little sister” who’s a wild child and thus the talk this morning. After a moment, Tangie realizes it’s Izzy. They see C.J but when he looks at Tangy, he looks away and goes back in the school. Tangie is so distracted by C.J’s dismissal that she’s late to Mrs. Carmen’s class (dance). This gets her the punishment of free-styling in front of the class, but she turns it up. Earning her the approval of the teacher, and her classmates. A girl named Gigi congratulates her for getting their teacher’s attention (a good thing) but attention strays when she finds out she hasn’t trained at a “acceptable” enough dance school.
Trey interrupts the class and Tangy is surprised to find he’s not what she imagined him to be. He blows off Mrs. Carmen and insinuates that they slept together (before she puts him out). Mrs. Carmen meets with Tangie after class and we see that she’s heard of her. CJ gets his first assignment from “The Illustrator”-a full-length drawing of a male or female nude-. Izzy volunteers to pose for him, but she lets him know she’s not trying to be his girlfriend. She says she’s new at the school and not trying to tie herself down. C.J feels like he just met the female version of himself and this makes him want her all the more. Unable to resist, he kisses her. While this is happening a black girl and an Asian girl are walking down the hall talking ish about all the celebrities that Izzy let him (Common, The whole G-Unit, Jay Z). Izzy isn’t having it and walks up to the black girl and snatches her weave out before CJ breaks it up. Yet, thinking it’s hot and how he’s loving how gansta Izzy is.
Skye gives what she thinks is a great performance for a scene in her drama class, but is surprised when the teacher tells them they’ll be critiqued by one of the seniors. It turns out to be her sister (Eden) who steals the scene. Even her leading man Nick is spellbound. Skye asked Regina to get her the 411 on him. Regina thinks she recognizes him from somewhere. Mrs. Carm tells her she was impressed with her dancing. She doesn’t hold back. She thinks she has what it takes to audition of the “Fall Fling Dance Night”. The thing is she’ll need a tutor and she needs to “work on her body”. Tangie is so upset she runs out of the room and forgets her bag. When she goes back to get it, Trey is there doing a routine. She stands there and admires him for a second. Then after talking with him for a little bit, he asks her what’s wrong. He advises her not to change anything because of Carm (who’s just looking for a robot) and offers to be her tutor. She thinks he’s about to kiss her but instead he tells her he’ll kiss her when he thinks she’s ready.
There’s a moment at “The Get-Down” when Tangie sees Skye is jealous because Trey offered to tutor her (and talked to her). There’s also an awkward moment when Tangie realizes her cool *** friend and her ex are messing around. Izzy doesn’t pick up on that CJ also has history with Tangie. Skye’s advice to Tangie (who already knows from Kamallah about Izzy and CJ) is to keep her eyes open because the girls at the school are back stabbers. Also, to get over C.J (her cousin is a player). But then Skye’s upset herself because she just heard her mother and Eden fighting and she overheard her mother saying at least Eden could get a job. And that she’d given up her career for them. (Eden wasn’t phased by any of it and she and her friend just popped some E, had a shot, and headed out to a party).
Regina has a secret. The thought of boys makes her ill. Still, she has to pretend because she’s one of the top 10 baddest b’s. (Number 3 on the list). She found this support group on line that meets once a week. From the first meeting it was the only place she felt like she belonged and was comfortable enough to finally tell someone she was in love with Skye. During one session there’s a new comer and it’s Nick. The guy Skye’s crushing on. After he tells her his story about how he and his boyfriend got caught, then got sent to live with his uncle, and attend the academy (all in an attempt by his father to “teach him how to be a man”, Regina makes him promise to not out her.
CJ pays Tangie a visit. They end up making up. Tangie finally gets what he was trying to tell her at the party and some heavy making out goes down, but it doesn’t turn into anything else because their interrupted by Tangie’s stepmother (Mariska) who tells him it’s getting late. In the moment, they both say I love you. Marisol and Eden end up at this party thrown by Freaky Flow Records. While Marisol makes moves to get her demo out, Eden makes her own moves on rapper Smoove (and ends up in his hotel room).
CJ talks to his boy Black about what went down with Tangie (but he leaves out the I love you part). He’s into Izzy but she wants an open relationship. But there’s just something between him and Tangie. If she wants to be together fa real he’ll give all the others up. So, he’ll see what she’s talking about and then he’ll decide about Izzy. Skye gets in C.J’s face about telling Tangie she loved her and schools him about why she was really with “Pete”. She has to break it down that she’d too scared to get close to him and he can’t lead her on. She tells unless he’s ready to give up his ways to stay away from Tangie. Plus she doesn’t want Tangie mixed up in his scene (dugs, hustlin). He just blows her off.
A Rolls pulls up and Eden gets out and publicly kisses Smoove Killer. Trey watches then pissed, but if she can move on so can he. He knows exactly with who. Kamallah shows Tangie an article (the next day) that was written up in the source from last year about Izzy’s band and her song writing some of the lyrics for bands like the Fugee’s and the Roots. Did she tell them she was 18 when she was 13? (She told Tangie she was 14). Or did she lie to them? Kamallah says she feels like she can’t be trusted. But Tangie says maybe she doesn’t want to “big herself up”. Or maybe she wants to keep it on the low because she’s already worked in the industry.
Tangie realizes Ramallah is messy when she brings up her and CJ’s history and what happened last night. (She wants to hear Tangie hate on Izzy). She runs into Izzy who asked why Kamallah wanted to know what year she was born. Then if she sensed tension between Tangie and CJ. Tangie tells her they were friends, but had a fall out. But things look better now. Izzy tells her that she knows she’s heard things about her but they’re all lies. Tangie asks if she’s with CJ and she says no. They hooked up over the summer, but they’re just friends. There is this guy that got her in trouble a few times but . Izzy comments that C.J’s been distracted but she knows how to cheer him up.
Izzy then tells Tangie she’s posing naked for CJ for art class. This does NOT sound like they’re just friends. Then Tangie starts to feel like a fool. Tangie asks Izzy if she’s ever been in love. She says its not worth it. While practicing channeling characters Skye notices Regina is all over Nick. Nick notices Regina isn’t being the sassy girl he spent all night with on the phone. After class, Nick tells Regina she shouldn’t let Skye treat her like ish. Izzy told her this too. She thinks about while Skye’s bitching her out and tells her that Nick is totally into her and she should go for it at her party coming up.
Trey shows up late and then suggests they go to his house to practice. CJ sees them leave on the way out. (Tangie’s been ignoring his texts all day). Trey teaches Tangie the routine to the Missy video. Then they talk. Tangie tells him about how she came to be and why she likes to fly. Then he tells her about his break up and how Eden isn’t what she seems. (She tried to run him over with a car). And how he himself isn’t what he seems. They start to kiss and then they go further but while trying to feel him up, Tangie squeezes to hard. Embarassed she tries to leave but he tells her she’s the best kisser he ever had and the best (girl) dancer. She hasn’t beat him yet. They dance some more and when its time for her to leave he says he’ll call her later.
C.J forgets temporarily why they’re there when Izzy takes off her clothes, but she quickly reminds him. Also, she’s not swayed by him saying he thinks they’d be good together. She tells him she wants to help him win “Spotlight” but other than that she’s not going there. Being with Smooth Killer Eden finds out has it’s ups and downs. He’s taken her to all the hottest spots and paparazzi has followed them everywhere. Plus, he’s been very generous. When she asks about Pearl (who’s supposed to be his other half), he says he deaded it because she was crazy. We also find out he has “violent tendencies”. Of course, he has a history of all the typical things (gang life, selling drugs). He’s also a liar. On a weed run, one of his chicks tells Eden he’s still screwing with Pearl and that he has syphilis. He begs her not to tell Pearl. Eden hears all this but lets him convince her he feels something between them which might take them to the next level. She decides the drama is worth it because of his status.
Tangela gets fed up and goes to confront C. J while he’s at work. It turns into a fight and she slaps him when he won’t tell her it meant nothing to him (and acts blasé about it). She tells him he doesn’t have to worry about her anymore. On, the way out, she sees he’s been sketching a naked picture of Izzy. Nick decides to date Skye but it’s not long before she sees he’s more interested in her walk-in-closet. Still, she dreams of them becoming a super-couple. But he avoids being touched by him and kissed by her. Regina advises her that maybe he just wants to go slow. After a movie, she invites him up to her room but he just wants to admire her clothes. He then plays it off like he just wants to see her in something sexy because of supermodel body. So, now Skye thinks she’s got him. She pounces on him, but he pushes her off. He has to tell her “He’s got someone back home”.
Trey tells Tangie some bull about how he got hurt after his public relationship and how he wants “protect her” so they should keep things quiet. She buys this with no questions. There’s a lot of hatin on Izzy from Kamillah and Skye when she sees the boys all fawning over her as she free-styles. There’s some tension between Skye and Tangie. Regine is shocked to hear that Nick kissed Skye. Then she decides it’s probably just part of his plan to stay there longer. Listening to Skye talk about Nick, she wants to talk about Trey but keeps her mouth shut knowing she’ll see it as a betrayal. Izzy shows everyone the paper where Eden and Smooth are headlining. Skye acts like she’s already in the know but it’s clear to Izzy she isn’t. She tells Tangie after she bounces she feels sorry for her.
She tells her there shouldn’t be secrets between them, but Tangie wishes she’d follow her own advice. Nick tells Regina he just kissed Skye to get out of a slip up. Regina suggests the best thing to do is tell her the truth. She won’t tell. He tells her around and says *she* should tell Skye about her. Trey and Tangie dance with such passion in class -and so in sync- that there are a lot of eyebrows raised. Mrs. Carm kicks him out again for show-boating.
She tells Tangie she wants her to find another tutor. She doesn’t like the influence on her dancing that’s starting to show. We then learn -when she’s alone- she made a promise to Tangy’s mom to protect her from guys like Trey. C.J brings Izzy to Skye’s party and is all over her, but Izzy doesn’t seem into it (to Tangie). Tangie decides to confide in Izzy about Trey. Meanwhile, Kamillah shows Regina and Skye a copy of the book Izzy’s guardian wrote. It confirms she’s homeless and says she has different personalities, has an ex that dangled her off the side of a building when she tried to leave him. Now they have to shut her down. Skye’s mom returns -drunk- and she and Nick put her in her room. Skye tries to come on to Nick again and he kisses her but then flees. After this, she calls off her friendship with Regina. She then goes through Nick’s man purse and finds a DVD “Mandingo Madness”.
Tangie gets thrown out too because Skye finds her in Eden’s room looking at old pictures of her and Trey. Tangie confesses to Skye she and Trey have been talking. Skye tells her he’s just using her. Kamillah gets a beatdown from Izzy when she sees her with the book. Then she calls the other guy to come get her. Tangie and CJ agree to disagree and just be friends -about Trey and Izzy- but then they end up messing around. CJ gets a call that Outkast say the sketch he did and want to use on their album cover but he doesn’t want to tell Tangie this. Now its off with him again. Tangela makes the cut for the auditions to be in the festival, but when she goes to tell Trey he looks right through her. Skye gives her a cold, bitter, response (since she didn’t get it) and storms off home. Tangie wonders if things will ever be the same again.
My Thoughts:
When I first started this book, I was prepared not to like it. I had it on my Open Library list of books to read. I thought it would be like a lot of other drama and cliché books I’d read about black teenagers. But surprisingly it wasn’t as bad as I thought I’d be. It reminded me of a mix between “Gossip Girl” and a Kimani True series called “Pace Academy” only with a Performing Arts school twist.
And there were some things that will feel like I’ve read this before. There’s the popular girl-bitchy one. (Skye). You know the one that’s “a friend” to the other girls in her clique but not friend. (Reminiscent of Massie from “The Clique). Then we have the sidekick that gets treated like ish (Reminiscent of Mona in PLL). Then there’s the good girl-bad boy thing (Drama High). Also, the back and forth couple that you just wanna yell at to GET TOGETHER ALREADY!
But the character that made this story stand out to me was Izzy. I just couldn’t help seeing her as a young (Lena from “A Different World” and Jada Pinkett). I was just as fascinated with her as everyone else. Her style! The ATTITUDE and how she didn’t let herself get caught up in feelings! I stayed wondering about her mysterious past and this person it keep hinting at that she was involved with. If there was a spin-off series JUST about Izzy, I’d probably like it more than this one.
Rating: 7 and a half
It’s the first day of school and Tangie’s just been accepted at her dream school (Louis Armstrong Academy of Performing and Creative Arts.) We find out a little background. Her friends (Skye and CJ) got accepted to the school previously but Tangie got a bad case of nerves during her audtion. It’s always been her dream to dance at this school. She meets up with her friend Skye and her sister Eden. Eden gives her some advice: In the jungle, never forget to wear insect repellent. Eden and Trey were the “It” couple, but now they’ve split up and Eden’s been popping Valium and isn’t over it yet.
And they aren’t the only ones Tangie hasn’t spoken to CJ (Skye’s cousin) for 3 months. The short of it is, CJ lived with his sick mother but when he turned thug he got sent to live with his aunt. His aunt found his sketches, realized he had talent, and he got into Carrington Arm. Then he was allowed to live with his grandmother again. He and Tangie then became a thing in the sixth grade. They made a bet in the 8th grade that if one didn’t get accepted the other wouldn’t go. But he did and she didn’t.
At a party, CJ tells Tangie (that after 4 years of being friends) he wants to be exclusive. Tangie tho sees it as he’s just gotten bored (and gone through all the other girls at the school) and she tells him she can’t. So, she downs some shots, and in a burst of anger calls him a skanky player and tells everyone he belongs to Armstrong’s “hood outreach” program. She wrote him from dance camp. He didn’t write back. Skye tells her to work it out before her back to school party.
At orientation, Tangie meets Aziza (Izzy) who she recognizes from auditions. When Tangie showed up for auditions she started to have a panic attack (anxiety) and Izzy traded numbers with her so she could go last. Tangie and Izzy share background about their horrible (absentee) parents. Izzy does a little of everything. She’s a hip hop dancer. She’s an artist. She’s an aspiring rapper. She was also a makeup artist. They talk about guys they’re into. (Izzy’s into a sophomore. She’s a freshman). They learn that have to have “self-awareness” sessions (once a week).
In the next chapter we find out why Eden and Trey broke up. He cheated on Prom Night. She’s venting about to her girl Marisol. But she got him back by showing a video he did with Missy to the principal. Armstrong students aren’t allowed to take professional gigs or they get pushed back and have to take developmental classes. Marisol thinks they need to be dating men that will help with their careers anyway. She advises her to remember who she is and reclaim her power.
CJ wants only Tangie. Wants to have sex with her. But for some dumb reason *doesn’t* want her because he’s scared of getting in a commitment and has found an easy girl over the summer. Meanwhile, Izzy has done Tangie’s makeup and is stunned at the transformation. While they wait for Skye’s friends (Regina and Kamillah Skye gives Tangie the breakdown of the different majors. The breakdown is: actresses (most popular-nice to everyone) actors (conceited, shallow, dumb as ish), female dancers (“Bunheads got a lot of hate), male dancers (gay) hip-hop dancers (male, players, try to hard to be hard), creative art majors (the coolest guys), music majors (nerdy, boring), vocalist (sing to damn much-they even sing conversations-).
Regina is a screen-writer and director and Kamillah is a fashionista. While Regina’s gone on a errand for Skye. They talk about Regina’s new “little sister” who’s a wild child and thus the talk this morning. After a moment, Tangie realizes it’s Izzy. They see C.J but when he looks at Tangy, he looks away and goes back in the school. Tangie is so distracted by C.J’s dismissal that she’s late to Mrs. Carmen’s class (dance). This gets her the punishment of free-styling in front of the class, but she turns it up. Earning her the approval of the teacher, and her classmates. A girl named Gigi congratulates her for getting their teacher’s attention (a good thing) but attention strays when she finds out she hasn’t trained at a “acceptable” enough dance school.
Trey interrupts the class and Tangy is surprised to find he’s not what she imagined him to be. He blows off Mrs. Carmen and insinuates that they slept together (before she puts him out). Mrs. Carmen meets with Tangie after class and we see that she’s heard of her. CJ gets his first assignment from “The Illustrator”-a full-length drawing of a male or female nude-. Izzy volunteers to pose for him, but she lets him know she’s not trying to be his girlfriend. She says she’s new at the school and not trying to tie herself down. C.J feels like he just met the female version of himself and this makes him want her all the more. Unable to resist, he kisses her. While this is happening a black girl and an Asian girl are walking down the hall talking ish about all the celebrities that Izzy let him (Common, The whole G-Unit, Jay Z). Izzy isn’t having it and walks up to the black girl and snatches her weave out before CJ breaks it up. Yet, thinking it’s hot and how he’s loving how gansta Izzy is.
Skye gives what she thinks is a great performance for a scene in her drama class, but is surprised when the teacher tells them they’ll be critiqued by one of the seniors. It turns out to be her sister (Eden) who steals the scene. Even her leading man Nick is spellbound. Skye asked Regina to get her the 411 on him. Regina thinks she recognizes him from somewhere. Mrs. Carm tells her she was impressed with her dancing. She doesn’t hold back. She thinks she has what it takes to audition of the “Fall Fling Dance Night”. The thing is she’ll need a tutor and she needs to “work on her body”. Tangie is so upset she runs out of the room and forgets her bag. When she goes back to get it, Trey is there doing a routine. She stands there and admires him for a second. Then after talking with him for a little bit, he asks her what’s wrong. He advises her not to change anything because of Carm (who’s just looking for a robot) and offers to be her tutor. She thinks he’s about to kiss her but instead he tells her he’ll kiss her when he thinks she’s ready.
There’s a moment at “The Get-Down” when Tangie sees Skye is jealous because Trey offered to tutor her (and talked to her). There’s also an awkward moment when Tangie realizes her cool *** friend and her ex are messing around. Izzy doesn’t pick up on that CJ also has history with Tangie. Skye’s advice to Tangie (who already knows from Kamallah about Izzy and CJ) is to keep her eyes open because the girls at the school are back stabbers. Also, to get over C.J (her cousin is a player). But then Skye’s upset herself because she just heard her mother and Eden fighting and she overheard her mother saying at least Eden could get a job. And that she’d given up her career for them. (Eden wasn’t phased by any of it and she and her friend just popped some E, had a shot, and headed out to a party).
Regina has a secret. The thought of boys makes her ill. Still, she has to pretend because she’s one of the top 10 baddest b’s. (Number 3 on the list). She found this support group on line that meets once a week. From the first meeting it was the only place she felt like she belonged and was comfortable enough to finally tell someone she was in love with Skye. During one session there’s a new comer and it’s Nick. The guy Skye’s crushing on. After he tells her his story about how he and his boyfriend got caught, then got sent to live with his uncle, and attend the academy (all in an attempt by his father to “teach him how to be a man”, Regina makes him promise to not out her.
CJ pays Tangie a visit. They end up making up. Tangie finally gets what he was trying to tell her at the party and some heavy making out goes down, but it doesn’t turn into anything else because their interrupted by Tangie’s stepmother (Mariska) who tells him it’s getting late. In the moment, they both say I love you. Marisol and Eden end up at this party thrown by Freaky Flow Records. While Marisol makes moves to get her demo out, Eden makes her own moves on rapper Smoove (and ends up in his hotel room).
CJ talks to his boy Black about what went down with Tangie (but he leaves out the I love you part). He’s into Izzy but she wants an open relationship. But there’s just something between him and Tangie. If she wants to be together fa real he’ll give all the others up. So, he’ll see what she’s talking about and then he’ll decide about Izzy. Skye gets in C.J’s face about telling Tangie she loved her and schools him about why she was really with “Pete”. She has to break it down that she’d too scared to get close to him and he can’t lead her on. She tells unless he’s ready to give up his ways to stay away from Tangie. Plus she doesn’t want Tangie mixed up in his scene (dugs, hustlin). He just blows her off.
A Rolls pulls up and Eden gets out and publicly kisses Smoove Killer. Trey watches then pissed, but if she can move on so can he. He knows exactly with who. Kamallah shows Tangie an article (the next day) that was written up in the source from last year about Izzy’s band and her song writing some of the lyrics for bands like the Fugee’s and the Roots. Did she tell them she was 18 when she was 13? (She told Tangie she was 14). Or did she lie to them? Kamallah says she feels like she can’t be trusted. But Tangie says maybe she doesn’t want to “big herself up”. Or maybe she wants to keep it on the low because she’s already worked in the industry.
Tangie realizes Ramallah is messy when she brings up her and CJ’s history and what happened last night. (She wants to hear Tangie hate on Izzy). She runs into Izzy who asked why Kamallah wanted to know what year she was born. Then if she sensed tension between Tangie and CJ. Tangie tells her they were friends, but had a fall out. But things look better now. Izzy tells her that she knows she’s heard things about her but they’re all lies. Tangie asks if she’s with CJ and she says no. They hooked up over the summer, but they’re just friends. There is this guy that got her in trouble a few times but . Izzy comments that C.J’s been distracted but she knows how to cheer him up.
Izzy then tells Tangie she’s posing naked for CJ for art class. This does NOT sound like they’re just friends. Then Tangie starts to feel like a fool. Tangie asks Izzy if she’s ever been in love. She says its not worth it. While practicing channeling characters Skye notices Regina is all over Nick. Nick notices Regina isn’t being the sassy girl he spent all night with on the phone. After class, Nick tells Regina she shouldn’t let Skye treat her like ish. Izzy told her this too. She thinks about while Skye’s bitching her out and tells her that Nick is totally into her and she should go for it at her party coming up.
Trey shows up late and then suggests they go to his house to practice. CJ sees them leave on the way out. (Tangie’s been ignoring his texts all day). Trey teaches Tangie the routine to the Missy video. Then they talk. Tangie tells him about how she came to be and why she likes to fly. Then he tells her about his break up and how Eden isn’t what she seems. (She tried to run him over with a car). And how he himself isn’t what he seems. They start to kiss and then they go further but while trying to feel him up, Tangie squeezes to hard. Embarassed she tries to leave but he tells her she’s the best kisser he ever had and the best (girl) dancer. She hasn’t beat him yet. They dance some more and when its time for her to leave he says he’ll call her later.
C.J forgets temporarily why they’re there when Izzy takes off her clothes, but she quickly reminds him. Also, she’s not swayed by him saying he thinks they’d be good together. She tells him she wants to help him win “Spotlight” but other than that she’s not going there. Being with Smooth Killer Eden finds out has it’s ups and downs. He’s taken her to all the hottest spots and paparazzi has followed them everywhere. Plus, he’s been very generous. When she asks about Pearl (who’s supposed to be his other half), he says he deaded it because she was crazy. We also find out he has “violent tendencies”. Of course, he has a history of all the typical things (gang life, selling drugs). He’s also a liar. On a weed run, one of his chicks tells Eden he’s still screwing with Pearl and that he has syphilis. He begs her not to tell Pearl. Eden hears all this but lets him convince her he feels something between them which might take them to the next level. She decides the drama is worth it because of his status.
Tangela gets fed up and goes to confront C. J while he’s at work. It turns into a fight and she slaps him when he won’t tell her it meant nothing to him (and acts blasé about it). She tells him he doesn’t have to worry about her anymore. On, the way out, she sees he’s been sketching a naked picture of Izzy. Nick decides to date Skye but it’s not long before she sees he’s more interested in her walk-in-closet. Still, she dreams of them becoming a super-couple. But he avoids being touched by him and kissed by her. Regina advises her that maybe he just wants to go slow. After a movie, she invites him up to her room but he just wants to admire her clothes. He then plays it off like he just wants to see her in something sexy because of supermodel body. So, now Skye thinks she’s got him. She pounces on him, but he pushes her off. He has to tell her “He’s got someone back home”.
Trey tells Tangie some bull about how he got hurt after his public relationship and how he wants “protect her” so they should keep things quiet. She buys this with no questions. There’s a lot of hatin on Izzy from Kamillah and Skye when she sees the boys all fawning over her as she free-styles. There’s some tension between Skye and Tangie. Regine is shocked to hear that Nick kissed Skye. Then she decides it’s probably just part of his plan to stay there longer. Listening to Skye talk about Nick, she wants to talk about Trey but keeps her mouth shut knowing she’ll see it as a betrayal. Izzy shows everyone the paper where Eden and Smooth are headlining. Skye acts like she’s already in the know but it’s clear to Izzy she isn’t. She tells Tangie after she bounces she feels sorry for her.
She tells her there shouldn’t be secrets between them, but Tangie wishes she’d follow her own advice. Nick tells Regina he just kissed Skye to get out of a slip up. Regina suggests the best thing to do is tell her the truth. She won’t tell. He tells her around and says *she* should tell Skye about her. Trey and Tangie dance with such passion in class -and so in sync- that there are a lot of eyebrows raised. Mrs. Carm kicks him out again for show-boating.
She tells Tangie she wants her to find another tutor. She doesn’t like the influence on her dancing that’s starting to show. We then learn -when she’s alone- she made a promise to Tangy’s mom to protect her from guys like Trey. C.J brings Izzy to Skye’s party and is all over her, but Izzy doesn’t seem into it (to Tangie). Tangie decides to confide in Izzy about Trey. Meanwhile, Kamillah shows Regina and Skye a copy of the book Izzy’s guardian wrote. It confirms she’s homeless and says she has different personalities, has an ex that dangled her off the side of a building when she tried to leave him. Now they have to shut her down. Skye’s mom returns -drunk- and she and Nick put her in her room. Skye tries to come on to Nick again and he kisses her but then flees. After this, she calls off her friendship with Regina. She then goes through Nick’s man purse and finds a DVD “Mandingo Madness”.
Tangie gets thrown out too because Skye finds her in Eden’s room looking at old pictures of her and Trey. Tangie confesses to Skye she and Trey have been talking. Skye tells her he’s just using her. Kamillah gets a beatdown from Izzy when she sees her with the book. Then she calls the other guy to come get her. Tangie and CJ agree to disagree and just be friends -about Trey and Izzy- but then they end up messing around. CJ gets a call that Outkast say the sketch he did and want to use on their album cover but he doesn’t want to tell Tangie this. Now its off with him again. Tangela makes the cut for the auditions to be in the festival, but when she goes to tell Trey he looks right through her. Skye gives her a cold, bitter, response (since she didn’t get it) and storms off home. Tangie wonders if things will ever be the same again.
My Thoughts:
When I first started this book, I was prepared not to like it. I had it on my Open Library list of books to read. I thought it would be like a lot of other drama and cliché books I’d read about black teenagers. But surprisingly it wasn’t as bad as I thought I’d be. It reminded me of a mix between “Gossip Girl” and a Kimani True series called “Pace Academy” only with a Performing Arts school twist.
And there were some things that will feel like I’ve read this before. There’s the popular girl-bitchy one. (Skye). You know the one that’s “a friend” to the other girls in her clique but not friend. (Reminiscent of Massie from “The Clique). Then we have the sidekick that gets treated like ish (Reminiscent of Mona in PLL). Then there’s the good girl-bad boy thing (Drama High). Also, the back and forth couple that you just wanna yell at to GET TOGETHER ALREADY!
But the character that made this story stand out to me was Izzy. I just couldn’t help seeing her as a young (Lena from “A Different World” and Jada Pinkett). I was just as fascinated with her as everyone else. Her style! The ATTITUDE and how she didn’t let herself get caught up in feelings! I stayed wondering about her mysterious past and this person it keep hinting at that she was involved with. If there was a spin-off series JUST about Izzy, I’d probably like it more than this one.
Rating: 7 and a half
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2008
Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com
IT CHICKS is definitely going to have to have a sequel! This book has the characters of GOSSIP GIRL and the setting of the movie Step Up! That makes for one CRAZY book, let me tell you!
The characters include Tangie, Skye, Eden (Skye's older sister), Trey (Eden's ex-boyfriend), C.J., Izzy, Nick, and Regina. Those are just the important characters, too!
Louis B. Armstrong is New York's most prestigious performing arts school, where anyone who has a chance of being a star attends high school. The book is their stories of how they got there, and what happens during the first week at the school.
The only thing I didn't like about the story was that the author skipped around a lot. In the beginning it was hard to tell who was who, but as you keep reading it gets easier.
This is another summer must-read!
IT CHICKS is definitely going to have to have a sequel! This book has the characters of GOSSIP GIRL and the setting of the movie Step Up! That makes for one CRAZY book, let me tell you!
The characters include Tangie, Skye, Eden (Skye's older sister), Trey (Eden's ex-boyfriend), C.J., Izzy, Nick, and Regina. Those are just the important characters, too!
Louis B. Armstrong is New York's most prestigious performing arts school, where anyone who has a chance of being a star attends high school. The book is their stories of how they got there, and what happens during the first week at the school.
The only thing I didn't like about the story was that the author skipped around a lot. In the beginning it was hard to tell who was who, but as you keep reading it gets easier.
This is another summer must-read!
January 3, 2010
This book is called "It Chicks" by: Tia Williams. This book is about kids: Tangie, Skye, Eden, C.J, Izzy, and Regina. They're all playing the fame game and will do whatever it takes to nail it. All there is, is drama. When you are in Louis B. Armstrong (NYC's most prestigious performing-arts school) there will be a lot of competition.
I can connect to this book because this book is about people who wanna become famous and successful in life. I wanna be somebody in life. I'm pretty sure other people wants to be famous in life too. But they have to really want it and earn it.
I gave this book 4 stars because it's an okay book. This book is full of drama, dialogue, and awesome characters. This book is perfect for the teenager wanting to learn lessons in friendship, love, etc.
I can connect to this book because this book is about people who wanna become famous and successful in life. I wanna be somebody in life. I'm pretty sure other people wants to be famous in life too. But they have to really want it and earn it.
I gave this book 4 stars because it's an okay book. This book is full of drama, dialogue, and awesome characters. This book is perfect for the teenager wanting to learn lessons in friendship, love, etc.
October 13, 2011
This book was so addicting and such a guilty pleasure! It was hard to put down! I adored the characters, even the ones that I hated. But, the one thing that really irritated me was . Otherwise, it was amazing! LOVE LOVE LOVED it! I would definitely recommend this if you want a quick, drama filled, fun, light read!
June 3, 2008
This book is an awesome book!!! One of my favorites mostly because of the cool characters and the setting!!! Said to have the likes of Gossip Girl and Step Up, this book is absolutely superb....Pick it up if you havent!!!! YOU WON'T REGRET IT lol!!!
February 11, 2008
Performing arts high school soap opera with diverse characters and up-to-date references. Super fun, but leaves you hanging at the end. NOTHING is resolved. Sigh.
February 27, 2008
As Kianna said, I really hope Tia comes out with a sequa; on this one...Sooo interesting there has to be one! There were too many things going on in the book that are left at the ending unexplaned...
March 25, 2008
if u love someone, say it and don't wait ti'll tha next day
March 23, 2009
this book is the best boook that drama with class in it. it is a non-put downer! you will be drawn to this book and i have recommened it to others around me!
September 8, 2010
it was kinda weird.
April 3, 2011
I LOVED this book. It was about girls in a dancing school and how their lives were all pretty different. If there is a sequel/series after this book, I will definitely read it.
January 13, 2011
a good one :)
November 1, 2011
By pg. 10, I realized it wasn't a good read for me.
September 12, 2008
i like this book
May 14, 2010
Diss Book Is so crazyyyy!!!
December 3, 2022
Too much will they or won't they in this multiracial, Black-centering performing arts high school romance. I don't even remember if they did, but probably.
July 15, 2016
I was watching some a book shelf tour on YouTube and the woman mentioned this book. I read this when I was a teenager and couldn't remember it as an adult. I have been trying to keep my good reads up to date but I could never remember this book. I'm so glad I took a chance and watched her videos because I have been trying to watch different booktubers for a while. Anyway I remember reading this as a teenager and completely loving it. I'm kind of excited to see this is a series and I will be getting both of these from the library. I am in my twenties now and have only giving this three stars because I can remember this book clearly but I know it has problems that teenage me could look past. As an adult I know I can't but I am still very excited to reread this because I have been obsessed with remembering this book for so long.
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