Ambition (Private) [Library Binding]

Kate Brian (Author)

Book Description

Series: Private | Publication Date: April 9, 2009

The higher you climb, the farther you have to fall...Reed Brennan knew being elected president of exclusive Billings Hall would change her life. What she didn't count on was being dumped by her boyfriend, Josh Hollis, or being held responsible for a fire that destroyed Easton Academy's oldest building. And now the administration wants to shut Billings down. Forever.As president, it's up to Reed to save Billings Hall. What better way to win over the headmaster than to host a glam fund-raising event in New York City? Everyone needs a date, and the newly single Reed is the most eligible girl on campus. All of Easton's hottest boys are angling to take her out, and for once, Reed's biggest problem is which one to choose.Reed has never felt so popular or powerful-until the police start asking questions about Cheyenne Martin's death. Excited party buzz quickly turns to whispered rumors and dark moods, and one thing becomes clear: There is someone who wants to see Billings, and Reed, go down. And they will do anything to make it happen.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kieran Scott writes under the pen name Kate Brian, whose best-known books are The Princess and the Pauper, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys, The Virginity Club, Sweet 16, Fake Boyfriend, and the prolific Private series. Several books in the Private series have been on the New York Times children's bestseller list as well as the USA Today bestseller list. Cassandra Campbell has recorded nearly two hundred audio books and directed many more. She has been nominated for and won multiple Audie Awards, as well as the prestigious Odyssey Award. She has received numerous starred audio reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Library Journal as well as thirteen AudioFile Earphones Awards. Cassandra was also named a Best Voice by AudioFile for 2009 and 2010.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 279 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439592934
• ISBN-13: 978-1439592939
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,727,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a total Jersey girl. I grew up in Bergen County, went to Rutgers University, lived in Hoboken for a year (requisite post-college party time) and then moved back to Bergen, got married, and bought a house ten minutes from where I grew up. I graduated from Rutgers with a double major in English and Journalism, worked as an Editor for four years, then decided I liked writing better and struck out on my own. You've been reading my books ever since!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The unputdownable drama continues..., May 8, 2008

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Ambition (Private, Book 7) (Paperback)

In Legacy, Easton Academy's oldest building burned down, and it was all the Billings girls' fault. After all, it wouldn't have happened had they not snuck out to crash the biggest party of the year. Which is why Cromwell, the new headmaster, has decided to shut down the Billings hall once and for all. As president at Billings, Reed Brennan cannot allow that to happen. So she makes a deal with Cromwell -- she will host a fundraiser to raise money for the school. Cromwell agrees, but on one condition: she has to raise five million dollars. And no, her multi-billionaire friends are not allowed to fork over the cash. So she sets her plans into action... or maybe Noelle is the one arranging everything. Is Noelle, control freak that she is, trying to outmaneuver Reed, making her seem incompetent in front of their friends? To make things worse, Josh is dating Ivy. Ivy, the mysterious Easton student who hates Billings more than life itself. At least they have THAT in common! To top it all off, Reed is still getting e-mails from Cheyenne, and now she's getting other things that had once belonged to her as well. Someone is messing with her, wants to drive her crazy, but who? And why? But not everything going on in Reed's life is bad. All of the men at Easton want to go out with her -- the president at Billings, the It girl of the moment. But all she really wants is Josh, or does she? After all, the thought of Dash and Noelle back together makes her physically ill...

Once again, Kate Brian has outdone herself with another riveting installment of this entertaining teen series. There is more drama, more problems for Reed, and in this one she'll really see the trueness of Noelle's power and wrath. The only bad thing I can say about this installment is that I am not happy with the cliffhanger because it means I'll have to wait till September -- for the release of Revelation -- to find out what happens next. The story itself is readable from beginning to end, but there are those errors that bug me, like Brian's lack of continuity when it comes to the characters' physical appearance. It appears that Josh's eyes are now blue. Will they be green again in the next installment? I still have a hard time picturing many of the secondary characters because, with the exception of a few, their appearance changes with each new installment. And I'm not talking about a different shade of hair color. A character that had at first been described as olive-skinned and dark-eyed suddenly becomes a blue-eyed blonde, etc. I do hope Brian has a better grasp of her own characters in the future. Other than that, I LOVED this book. I think it's the best one since Untouchable and, as said before, I very much look forward to reading Revelation. Read this, but if you're new to it, you have to start from the very beginning, with Private. These are NOT good standalones.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A decadent indulgence!, May 9, 2008

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ambition (Private, Book 7) (Paperback)

Reed Brennan fled to Connecticut's Easton Academy to get away from her Podunk town of Croton, Pennsylvania, and the craziness that enshrouded her family like a black cloth. The hallowed halls promised intelligence, safety, and the ability to hobnob with some of the most elite, fashionable, and prestigious people in the country. To Reed, Easton was everything; especially after she met the Billings Girls. Girls with the power to do, or accomplish anything. Reed craved to be just like them. But now that she's in, she's had to do nothing but contend with drama...the worst being murder. Reed thought that Easton's killing spree was all in the past. She's about to be proved wrong.

If there was one thing that Reed Brennan never could have expected, it was to be voted as president of Billings House. But she was, and now she holds the illustrious title. Pretty surprising since she's nothing but a scholarship student, while the rest of her classmates are the all-so-powerful privileged ones that people would do anything to be. But someone had to take over the spot after Cheyenne Martin decided to off herself. Luckily, Reed has Noelle by her side to get everything running smoothly; and to, hopefully, put the memory of her ex-boyfriend, Josh Hollis, and his budding romance with her enemy, Ivy Slade, in the past. But even with Noelle there, things are not going to be easy. After being blamed for burning down one of Easton's most historical buildings during an off-campus jaunt to crash the Legacy party, Easton's Headmaster Cromwell has decided to close down Billings. That is, unless the girls can raise approximately five million dollars for Easton. The task seems difficult, but Reed and the rest of the Billings girls have access to some of the most powerful, and elite individuals in the country. People who would love nothing more than to save Billings. Enlisting the help of her housemates, Reed puts together a gala fundraiser full of glitz and glam, determined to meet Headmaster Cromwell's challenge, and keep Billings alive and kicking. But in-between making sure that everything is perfect for the fundraiser, and preparing for Thanksgiving break, Reed will have to find a way to dodge some of Easton's hottest boys who are suddenly in hot pursuit of the now single Billings president. And, much to her chagrin, avoid the rumors that Cheyenne Martin was actually murdered, and didn't commit suicide; while simultaneously catching the person who has decided to take Reed, and Billings, down.

Words cannot describe how I feel about Kate Brian's AMBITION. Once more, Brian has managed to pen a story that is equal parts mystery and scandal, crafting more and more drama that works to absolutely reel the reader in. As Billings' new president, Reed has begun to display more maturity, determination, and, dare I say it, ambition. While her devastation of losing Josh is written all over her face, she manages to stay strong in the face of every challenge that she meets. Noelle, on the other hand, seems to be more domineering than in the past - if that's even possible; even reverting back to some of her old nitpicky ways. I thought that the conflict between Noelle and Reed was a long time coming; but can't help but feel that Sabine may have some tricks up her sleeve, as she seems to be spurring conflict between the two. There also seems to be suspicion within the Billings house, which even the reader feels as they examine each and every character. The addition of Reed going out on various dates added a little lighthearted humor to the otherwise oftentimes dreary, haunting storyline; while the illustrious gala that takes place works to make the reader want to don her finest and head out for a night on the town. Another scandalous novel that sets the pace for future PRIVATE additions. A decadent indulgence!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, the series keeps taking me to unexpected places - surprisingly high-quality writing and plotting, May 10, 2008

By 

Gen of North Coast Gardening (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Ambition (Private, Book 7) (Paperback)

The series keeps getting more compelling. I don't know how the author keeps finding new ways of upping the ante on these books and making them more suspenseful without it feeling contrived, but she has been very successful. As soon as I get one of these I curl up with it and don't want to put it down until I have finished, and this was no exception.

In this book, Reed is forced to deal with the fallout of the Legacy party, and Billings looks like it will be shut down. Reed can't let that happen on her watch, and the Billings Girls come up with a plan. Of course, there is other fallout from Legacy, and Reed has to deal with the loss of her boyfriend and the knowledge that she betrayed Noelle.

It becomes clear that someone is out to get Billings House, and that person will stop at nothing. Of course, Noelle and the Billings girls are equally determined.

This was excellent from start to finish, and if you have been reading these books, I am sure you don't need me to tell you to go out and get this one - you are probably already as addicted as I am.