Review: She’s So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott

Apr 19, 2010 by shanyn

Title: She’s So Dead to Us
Author: Kieran Scott (Kate Brian)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 25, 2010

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Book Summary:
When having money is all that matters, what happens when you lose it all?

Perfect, picturesque Orchard Hill. It was the last thing Ally Ryan saw in the rear-view mirror as her mother drove them out of town and away from the shame of the scandal her father caused when his hedge fund went south and practically bankrupted all their friends — friends that liked having trust funds and new cars, and that didn’t like constant reminders that they had been swindled. So it was adios, Orchard Hill. Thanks for nothing.

Now, two years later, Ally’s mother has landed a job back at the site of their downfall. So instead of Ally’s new low-key, happy life, it’ll be back into the snake pit with the likes of Shannen Moore and Hammond Ross.

But then there’s Jake Graydon. Handsome, wealthy, bored Jake Graydon. He moved to town after Ally left and knows nothing of her scandal, but does know that he likes her. And she likes him. So off into the sunset they can go, right? Too bad Jake’s friends have a problem with his new crush since it would make Ally happy. And if anyone deserves to be unhappy, it’s Ally Ryan.

Ally was hoping to have left all the drama in the past, but some things just can’t be forgotten. Isn’t there more to life than money?

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Review:
I was initially pulled in to this book because of the cover – for some reason I like the destroyed pearl necklace. The plot also seemed entertaining – a rich girl whose family loses their money, moves out of town, and moves back over a year later hoping to still have her old friends.

The beginning of the book was hard for me to get into because it was heavy on internal dialogue from Ally, our main character. Once I started to figure out the plot and keep the characters straight (with the help of Jake, another chapter narrator), I got interested in the story.

Unfortunately, a few things fell flat with me. The first thing that I noticed that threw me off was how many times one of ‘the guys’ would reach over and hit another guy in the chest with the back of his hand. Weird for me to notice? Perhaps. I still got a little irritated that it was happening so much that I got annoyed with it.

I also did not really feel that connected with the story. Yes, I had some EXTREME emotions while reading this book – I often was filled with rage at how the ‘rich group’ (‘Cresties’) treated Ally and the other ‘Norms.’ But nothing really changed throughout the book – they were constantly being rude, playing pranks, and acting, quite frankly, like bitches. I had to remind myself that social transformations do not happen instantly in a high school setting, but when I’m reading a book I prefer the plot is based on something or other happening.

Speaking of social transformations, Jake, who is supposed to be the boy we swoon over, was a jerk one too many times for me. Refusing to take Ally anywhere in public where the Cresties could see them, using her for a make out session. I definitely did not fall for the Jake-Ally romance like I was supposed to.

To top it all off, the book ends in a cliffhanger. I felt like someone had ripped the last few chapters of the book out. I’m guessing a sequel is in the works – and I am also guessing that I am going to enjoy the sequel twice as much as this installment because it will have some sort of growth and resolution.

The bad things aside, I still read the whole book – I am not opposed to not finishing a book if I don’t like it. I was expected more than I got in the end, but I don’t feel like all hope is lost for the sequel.

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