Review: Legacy by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

After Cheyenne Martin's death, everyone at Easton Academy is struggling to recover from yet another tragedy--especially the girls of Billinsg Hall. With Cheyenne gone, they need to elect a new leader. And who better than Reed Brennan, the ultimate Billings Girl?

As the new Billings Girl president, Reed suddenly has access to power she never imagined. Gossip is reported to her immediately, she has first dibs on everything from dining tables to dorm rooms, and Billings's most powerful alumnae are at her beck and call. So when Easton's students discover they're the only prep school on the East Coast not invited to this year's ultra-exclusive Legacy party, everyone turns to Reed to get them back on the list.

Reed is the most powerful girl at Easton.

She revels in her newfound status, but knows better than anyone that the Billings leaders have a tainted legacy: Ariana was institutionalized, Noelle was expelled, and Cheyenne just died. History has a way of repeating itself at Easton, and now that Reed has everything she's ever wanted, she has everything to lose.

Normally, I don't like to start with negative comments on a book review, but on this one, it's kind of the thing that bugged me while reading the whole book. What happened to the characters, Ms. Brian? They just fell apart! While I wouldn't go so far as to call them two-dimensional, they weren't exactly the flesh-and-blood people I know and love. This is, what? The seventh novel of the Private series? And you choose now to start unraveling these amazingly glamorous, bitchy people? No, no, no!
The biggest complaint I had with the characters was especially on Noelle and Josh. Noelle comes back to Easton in this novel after Cheyenne's death, and she gives up her position as leader to Reed. Now, I can understand a friend doing that--but the way she did it was totally un-Noelle. And then, on top of that, I felt I didn't see enough of her smartass attitude the whole book. What's a Private book worth if it doesn't have a Noelle-ish feel to it?

And then...Josh. The guy Reed's going out with and supposedly loves. Now, it's perfectly normal for a gal to have a crush on another super-hot guy when her boyfriend's a clingy fool. But then why are you still going out with so-mentioned clingy fool? Josh's character didn't bother me in other novels, but in this one, he was getting under my skin. He hates the Billings Girls. We get that. But the way he rubs it in Reed's face, makes her feel like dirt...that was horrible. I don't know if the author did that on purpose, but if she wanted us rooting for Reed's sweet, loving, tender boyfriend, maybe she needs to try again.

And...that's all for the complaints. I'm done with critiquing, now onto telling everyone what I loved about Legacy! Okay, first of all, Reed's position as president is so kickass that I'm a teensy bit jealous. Of a book character. She gets everything, which is awesome! This is what Reed Brennan has deserved all along, and I'm really happy for her because of this new developmental twist in the plot. Plus, while I was ranting above, you may have noticed I did rag on Reed. This is because Reed was a great main character in this novel! She held her own, stood her ground, used her resources, and if she had a little bit of boy trouble, it was totally justified. So you go, girl.

However, if you read my review about the previous book, you'll find out that I was irked by some of the random moments that didn't seem to be resolved. There was a huge one here: a "computer glitch" that's sending Cheyenne's second suicide note, which basically blames Reed, to Reed every single day. Every single hour. Hmm...let's focus on crap about the Legacy and not even bother to explain what the hell this is about to readers, shall we? Argh! That just drove me crazy. I'm so engrossed in the series that I can't help but be a tad angry at the fact that information is kept back from us, as readers. But whatever. I hope she solves it in the next novel.

Now, I've been parroting to y'all that I only have the first half of the Private series ready to read and review at home. While that is true, I've placed requests on the rest of the Private series at the library, so they should be mine soon! Yes! And make sure you come by to check 'em out, because Legacy gets four stars!