Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

Fictional stories based on the life of "It Girls," this book takes us through the ups, downs, secrets, gossip, triumphs, tribulations, and general cattiness of life as one of the popular ones. For these It Girls, it doesn't matter who you trample on to get to the top, as long as you get there - and stay there.

These girls use boys like pawns. They keep their friends close only as long as they agree with everything they say, and when they don't, then there's usually some type of scandal involved. They flaunt their bodies, they have mouths like sailors, and they have their parents tricked into believing they're princesses.

THE SECRET LIFE OF IT GIRLS is not a pretty book. It is, supposedly, a fictionalized account of true-life stories. I'm hoping, both as a woman and a parent, that it's not indicative of what so-called "It Girls" are really like. To me, being popular doesn't equate being as downright horrible as the girls in this book are. They're vicious, they're rude, and they are no one that I would want to hang around with - or would want my daughter to hang around with.

I admit that the story is an insightful look into a world that I knew little about. It's also a look into a world that I don't think I WANT to know anything about. It's scary, it's at times horrifying, and, if it really is THE SECRET LIFE OF IT GIRLS, it makes me hope that being one of them never falls onto my daughter's to-do-list.

I have no doubt that this book will appeal to teen girls the world over, whether one of the popular crowd or someone just wishing to be an It Girl. Regardless, this is a candid look into that secret world that will hopefully leave you with something to think about. ( )

This book is one that will be popular with teenage girls. It has a unique format and is told from the point of view of the teenage girl characters. The problem is that the story never goes very deep and some parts seem completely diconnected from the rest, although they are still interesting. This is the review from VOYA:
"Written as if by teenage girls, this book is all about girl drama, and the author does not shy away from attempts to keep the language real. These girls push and they pull; the friendship and power dynamics change. They call each other names and post scandalous photos online. They shop, they party hard, and they "hook up" with boys. Some are dealing with absent parents; others have become parents themselves. Many entries are written in IM (instant message) shorthand; others are in diary or journal format, made to look as if handwritten on notebook pages. The book is visually diverse, making use of different fonts, bold colors, snapshots, and margin doodles, which at times obscure the text. Teens accustomed to browsing Web pages, glossy magazines, or edgy underground 'zines will have no problems. The layout and style give the book an immediacy that makes it an attractive choice for reluctant readers with short attention spans. But the very things that make it popular are also likely to make that popularity short-lived. Although some characters and events overlap, the end result is pieces and not a cohesive whole. Readers get only a peek into the lives of these girls, enough to stir a reaction-especially to the more personal scenes-but not a lasting one. Girls who thrive on gossip and short bursts of text with lots of accompanying photos will grab the book off the shelf. VOYA CODES: 2Q 4P S (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2007, Ginee Seo Books/Atheneum/S & S, 128p.; Illus., $14.99. Ages 15 to 18." {Cheryl French, VOYA, June 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 2)) ( )