Belles [Hardcover]

Jen Calonita (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2012 | Series: Belles

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Isabelle Scott, 15, lives with her grandmother in Harborview, a down-market North Carolina boardwalk town. Between swimming, working, and spending time with friends, life is fine—if only Gram wasn’t going downhill mentally. Gram has made arrangements, however, and when she is unable to care for her granddaughter, Izzie finds herself living in posh Emerald Cove with relatives she has never met before. Calonita wades into soapy territory here, especially as Izzie and her same-age cousin, Mirabelle, try to make it work at home and in school, but the story is told with plenty of panache. There’s a secret that frames the narrative, and which is pretty easy to figure out. The fish-out-of-water elements have the most bang, complete with designer names, catty social clubs, and forbidden romance. A political campaign also plays a role. Told in alternating chapters by Izzie and Mira, this dual perspective adds an effective layer to the story. Grades 7-12. --Ilene Cooper

Review

Praise for Belles:

"Belles is a must-read, full of scandals, sisterhood, Southern charm, and secrets!"

(Sara Shepard, #1 bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series )

"Proving Southern belles can backstab with the best of 'em, Jen Calonita weaves a soapy tale that keeps you guessing from beginning to end."

(Kate Brian, New York Times bestselling author of the Private and Privilege series )

"A page-turner that has it all--tingly romance, shocking secrets, and tons of heart. You're going to love it."

(Sarah Mlynowski, author of Gimme a Call and Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) )

"This adorable, heartwarming book is pure beach-ready fun." (Justine )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Poppy; 1 edition (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316091138
• ISBN-13: 978-0316091138
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #861,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jen Calonita has always loved writing. Her first published piece was in the sixth grade newspaper where she wrote about an attack snake who bothered her canoe on a class field trip. These days she writes about teen drama, relationships and romance.

An entertainment journalist for ten years, Jen interviewed everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Zac Efron. It was her work in the entertainment world that inspired her first series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life. The six-book series is about a teen starlet named Kaitlin Burke who grows weary of the fame game, but loves being an actress. The series has been published in Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Japan and Russia.

Jen has also published two stand-alone novels. Booklist called Sleepaway Girls: "The picture-perfect setting, the sweet little kids, the seductive freedom from parents, and the lure of adult-like responsibility make this the perfect read-alike to suggest to fans of Ann Brashares' Traveling Pants series."
Reality Check is about best friends who get their own reality TV show. Booklist said: "Fans of Meg Cabot's Airhead series and Calonita's Secrets of My Hollywood Life will eat this fun, timely, cautionary tale right up."

Her latest series is Belles. The series is about two Southern girls and one life-changing secret. The third book in the series, The Grass is Always Greener, will be out in April 2013.

When the self-professed entertainment junkie is not working, she can be found doing one of three things: scrapbooking, watching Once Upon a Time and Nashville, or going to the movies. Jen resides in Merrick, New York with her husband Mike, sons Tyler and Dylan, and their Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow.

For more about Jen, check out her website: www.jencalonitaonline.com, follow her on Twitter at: www.twitter.com as JenCalonita, Pinterest as Jen Calonita or on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/jen.calonita

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart warming, charming - a definite must read! June 19, 2012

By The Bumble Girl

Format:Hardcover

Belles just flows; it is heart warming and promising - Jen Calonita just kept on giving me more and more, charming me with wonderful memorable characters and amazing scenes!

Isabelle Scott, aka Izzie, is trying to keep her little family together ever since her mother passed away when she was ten. She goes to school, teaches swim classes, takes care of her sick grandmother and all the household chores. She does everything and anything in order to keep her social worker happy so she doesn't have to be placed into foster care... but when Izzie's grandmother's Alzheimer's gets worse, the social worker has no choice but to do what is right and place grandma in a home and reveals that Izzie is going to go live with her long lost Uncle at a nearby town, Emerald Cove.
In one night, Izzie's life is turned upside down. She is taken away from her homely town on the boardwalk and thrust into a gated community, private school, thousand dollar dresses and 'mean girls'.
But Izzie is so well grounded, she knows how to handle herself and does it so well.

Izzie's cousin, Mirabelle, was a bit hard to like in the beginning. As a true southern belle, Mira put on her smile and did her best to just go through the niceties in welcoming Izzie. And of course, we all saw through that. But as the story went along, we see changes in Mira, and hope for the best.

More drama and secrets unfold - you couldn't ask for more!

I really enjoyed how Calonita would smoothly alternate between Izzie and Mira's thoughts. I got to see and hear both sides of their stories. I also love and appreciate how Calonita ended the book. Pure perfection and I cannot wait to read Belles sequel, Winter White, being released on October 9th, 2012.

*I recieved a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Beach/Lazy Summer Day Read July 9, 2012

By Apollo

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Often times when you finish one series by an author, you can't be sure if the next series will be as good. However, Jen Calonita's book is great! If you enjoyed the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series, you will love this book as well. True, this book is an easy read, I finished it within a day at the beach, but it is a great story that sucks you in. The chapters go back and forth between Isabelle (Izzy) and Mirabelle's points of view, which keeps it interesting as you get to see parts of the plot unfold before the other character who is not narrating does. It's a light book, more for enjoyment than for learning or moral lessons, but it still has a great story to it. Plot characteristics: high school drama, family difficulties/issues, and the main character is NOT in a LOVE TRIANGLE with two boys (sorry it's my pet peeve, everyone seems to be trying to play up the love triangle and starting the "team xxx" and "team yyy" fights).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A modern Cinderella story June 9, 2012

By Kris

Format:Hardcover

Jen Calonita brings Cinderella to modern times. Izzie lived a rough life, taking care of her grandmother and trying to make ends meet. She had good friends and neighbors, people who respected her and were concerned over her wellbeing. Then a social worker intervenes and sends her to live with a distant relative, and Izzie enters the world of the rich and glamorous. Here, the fairy-tale world takes a twists, and Izzie becomes new girl in a rich private school, threatened by the queen bee whose boyfriend she takes an interest in.

The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Izzie and her cousin Mira, two very different individuals. Izzie is down-to-earth and easy to connect with. Having taken care of her grandmother and herself for some time, Izzie is independent and doesn't easily fall prey to moments of weakness. She cares about people and doesn't let her sudden rich lifestyle get to her head. Mira, on the other hand, is the queen bee's minion. Having lived a privileged life, Mira comes off as a bit conceited and bratty at first. She is afraid to stand up for herself and makes decisions based off what she thinks others will do instead of trying to think for herself. Without her telling part of the story, it would have been hard for me to find something in her to relate to.

Drama, politics, and rumors fly in Belles, with the added charm of a little romance sprinkled in. I grew to love many of the cast. This is a fun contemporary read, a good one to pick up if you're not looking for an especially dark or heavy atmosphere. I definitely recommend picking it up when you get the chance!