Frenemies [Paperback]

Alexa Young (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 13, 2008 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Frenemies

What happens when two besties become full-blown worsties?

Avalon Greene rules the fashion scene at her sunny SoCal middle school with a diamond-clad fist, calling out classmates for their fashion-do's and most unfortunate clothes-pas. She's determined to host the social event of the season—a soiree in honor of her forever-friendship with Halley! Unfortunately, Halley's new look is one thing Avalon just can't celebrate. . . .

Halley Brandon is just back from art camp and can't wait to share her funky new style with her best friend, Avalon. But when Avalon cries fashion foul, Halley realizes her best friend's true colors may clash with her own. Has their ultra-fabulous friendship finally gone out of style?

From sharing custody of their puppy, Pucci, to drawing up a list of who gets which friends, Avalon and Halley discover what happens when you battle the person who knows everything about you—and isn't afraid to use your secrets to get what she wants.

Best friends. Worst enemies. Frenemies.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 245 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061175617
• ISBN-13: 978-0061175619
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,070,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Yup, this was good. May 28, 2008

By Steph

Format:Paperback

I'm bad at listing out reasons I liked certain books. Frenemies is one of those - I can't pinpoint exactly what worked here. If I had to take a guess, I would say it's the execution. The plot itself wouldn't be able to carry the novel as strongly as the writing did. For that Alexa Young deserves a commended performance. Her snappy, subtly-engaging narrative is brilliant, graceful and effortless. Tip of the iceberg though.

I'm sure we all remember what it was like to be thirteen, when even the slightest weird sidelong glance from our best friends would shake our self-confidence. So it's no wonder that when Halley comes back from art camp and is styling is a whole new (and weird, according to Avalon) way, Avalon's quips about her new fashion choices put a strain on their friendship. It's a fast transition, and before they know it, they're parting ways.

My only criticism for this novel comes in here, at the friendship portion: We never really see just how good of friends these two girls are. There isn't a lot of back story, which is fine since this is a series. Alexa assures me she's working on making people realize how deep this friendship runs. (Which means character development and character soul-searching, and that makes me go squee!) That said, the split was handled particularly well in the sense that the reader gets to really feel the hardship it poses on both Halley and Avalon. While they're both working hard at establishing new scenes and new personas, they both also miss each other very much, even if they'll never admit it. This rang true. Very much so.

I know some reviewers seem to think this book is either immature or too fashion-focused. They're entitled to their own opinion, sure, but I respectfully disagree with both.... If anything, I thought both Halley and Avalon were, all things considered, very mature girls. Sure, they got childish when playing pranks to get back at one another (friendship feud, hello), but who doesn't? Some of the things they did were outright hilarious. And the fashion thing was there, sure, but it didn't reach overkill levels; in fact, I hardly even noticed it. Then again, this isn't something that really bothers me.

I will never bash Gossip Girl, A-List, It Girl, The Clique, or any other Poppy novel because of their shallow and somewhat unrealistic characters. Those books are serving their marketable purpose and they're pretty damn good for what they're designed to do, which is be guilty pleasures. All I know is this: if Alexa Young set out to create a series resembling any of the Poppy books for the younger set, she failed. This book embodies good writing, fashion, friendship and foes seamlessly, which . Frenemies isn't the cheap-entertainment good; it's the genuine kind.

Strong recommendation from Reviewer X. I'll be following this series very, very closely. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Story Siren Reviews: May 18, 2008

By The Story Siren VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Avalon Green, blond and beautiful, and Halley Brandon, dark-haired and breathtaking, have been best friends since forever. The one thing that they've always had in common is fashion. The girls are getting ready to start eighth grade after their summer apart. Avalon has planned a huge party celebrating their friendship, but when Halley arrives home from her summer at art camp the girls realize that something is different.

The girls have grown apart during the summer. Or perhaps they have just discovered who they are and are coming into their own. Either way, when their disagreement reach epic proportions, a dissolution of the friendship is written up. They take out all the stops to get back at each other, everything from verbal bashing to public humiliation.

Will the girls be able to look past everything they've put each other through to become best frenemies?

I had read some let's say mediocre reviews for Frenemies, so I wasn't exactly sure what to think. But I actually really liked Frenemies! I read on my day off and I couldn't put it down. I have to admit I was laughing out loud throughout the book, I'm glad I read it at home. Alexa seems like such a fun and energetic person and you can totally see she puts all of that into her writing. The lady cracks me up! And the story has relevance, you've all seen the girls and guys for that matter who were childhood friends, and then realize that maybe they are going in different directions. I'm sure it wasn't played out as dramatic as this story, but that is what makes it so entertaining. I think readers of Poseur and Melissa Walker's Violet on the Runway would enjoy this book. It's very fashion orientated, but I thought that aspect was fun!... My fashion exploits tend to run in the t-shirt and jeans department, what can I say. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the Frenemies saga, Faketastic! Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Compulsive Reader's Reviews May 13, 2008

By The Compulsive Reader VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Halley and Avalon have been best friends for life. They live next door to each other, and their mothers have been friends for ages. These girls are privileged, talented, and smart--and they know it. They intend to rule eighth grade together, and to kick off the new school year, they plan a huge bash celebrating their friendship. But when Halley comes back from summer camp, the two girls find themselves disagreeing on just about everything, and within a week they're each other's archenemy. But they'll soon learn that the only thing to do with your worst enemy is to make them your frenemy...

Pre-teens will enjoy yet again another tale of the rich and privileged girl's struggle for survival in a school that's not all the different from their own. It's impossible to choose sides with these two bright and intelligent girls as they learn that part of growing up means that sometimes you need to find your own way. Readers will gasp, cry, and laugh along as Avalon and Halley struggle to come out on top with their many ploys and clever tricks, and just maybe even find a way to become friends again.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too May 13, 2008

By TeensReadToo

Format:Paperback

Move over THE CLIQUE and THE ASHLEYS...the FRENEMIES are here to stay.

Avalon and Halley have been best friends forever. Their backyards connect and they share custody of their dog, Pucci. They are the fashion gurus at Seaview Middle School.

The summer going into eighth grade changes everything between the two BFFs. Halley has gone off to an art program at Berkley for the summer, leaving Avalon alone. While at Berkley, Halley befriends Sofee, the girl that up until the end of school, Avalon and Halley had nicknamed Softee. To while away her summer alone, Avalon has become friends with Brianna Cho, the head cheerleader. Neither girl approves of the new friendships.

From the first day home from Berkley, Halley can tell things aren't the way they had been with Avalon. The two try to catch up on how they spent their summer as they prepare for the first day of school. Avalon shares her idea of having a back-to-school party, celebrating their friendship. Halley has a hard time getting into the excitement, but goes along with the plan.

Before long, it seems like the new friendships each has built over the summer have caused a major rift in their own friendship. The two start feuding in deliciously snarky (trust me, this word is used a lot in the book!) ways. With the intervention of their parents, the two girls develop a truce. But by the time the combined party rolls around, is the truce going to last?

The story was a lot of fun, especially with all the catty maneuvers they pull on each other. With best friends like these, who needs enemies?

Reviewed by: Jaglvr