Review: Privilege by Kate Brian

CONTEMPORARY TEEN FICTION

Most girls would die for a life of privilege...some would even kill for it.

Ariana Osgood ruled exclusive Easton Academy--until she was arrested for murdering Thomas Pearson. She's spent the past two years at the Brenda T. Trumbull Correctional Facility for Women plotting her escape and is determined to get a second chance at the glamorous life she left behind. And Ariana will do anything to get her way...

From the author of the bestselling PRIVATE novels comes a new series about the dark world of wealth, secrets, and PRIVILEGE.

Wow! I was psyched to be starting a new series by Kate Brian after finishing the last book in the Private series, and I got excellent results from this book.

Now, I wasn't really sure how much I would like a story written from the perspective of a crazy, psychotic bitch who goes around murdering innocent people and hates my fave book character, Reed, with a burning passion. I was willing to give the Privilege series a chance, but I didn't think I'd find it as enjoyable as Private. I was wrong! Ariana is a very complex character, and she definitely deserves to be locked up for her weird way of easily committing murder. But the way she's written about gives the story behind this Reed-hating murderer a new twist...

In Privilege, Ariana's been locked up in a crappy prison cell with her new best friend, Kaitlynn, for almost two years. But she has a plan to break out, and she goes ahead and puts it into action by pretending to commit suicide and then escaping the facility, wiping the permanent smirk off her asshole of a psychologist's face. Once she's out, she has Kaitlynn's stories of the girl's old life to help her in the world. Apparently, Kaitlynn once had a friend named Briana Leigh, who was also friends with Emma Walsh--another mutual acquaintance of both Briana Leigh and Kaitlynn. Then, according to Kaitlynn's story, Briana Leigh wanted her father's money, so she offed the old croaker and landed Kaitlynn in prison by framing her best friend. Ariana believes her friend's story wholeheartedly and uses it to her complete advantage once she gets out. She walks up to Briana Leigh, pretends to be Emma Walsh, and lives with the snotty BL in her huge mansion. All she really wants is the girl's money and a chance to have a new life. But when Ariana's so-called suicide is being questioined by the authorities, and when Briana turns out to be a real bitch, Ariana knows the easiest way to get her every wish granted is to murder the girl...

 I have to say, I'm really impressed by this new series. Somehow, Ariana's casual approach to murder doesn't seem so...crazy anymore. It's almost as if I can understand why she's murdering people left and right to get he way. I mean, if I was in the same position as Ariana, I'd probably try to get BL's money, and while I wouldn't murder her, I'd do anything to land myself a future. And somehow, even though Ariana uses the most awful, gruesome way to do it, I admire her independence and resilience. Girl's got a plan for life, and she's not about to let living in a stupid prison cell and another polka-dot-wearing bitch hinder her.

However, the twist that I get near the ending makes me hate Ariana all over again. I won't give too much away, but all I can say is: Ariana miscalculated Briana Leigh's bitchiness, and it seems that the girl is dead for no good reason...shocking, right? I couldn't stop turning the pages throughout the whole book, but when I got to this part, I was reading at double my normal speed. My heart rate was up, and I was definitely hooked onto the suspense and mystery.


Now, I know y'all might be thinking that Privilege doesn't have half the drama, glamour, suspense, and mystery as Private does. And on some level, you may be right. But the way Privilege satisfies my craving for books is totally different than the way Private does. Both ways, though, the Privilege series is off to a great start, landing five stars!