Invitation Only (Private) [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Kate Brian (Author), Cassandra Campbell (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2009 | Series: Private

Reed Brennan's future is looking as bright as the two-karat diamonds in her new housemates' ears. Being accepted to the most prestigious private boarding school in the country wasn't enough for Reed. She had to break every rule to do it, but she has accomplished the impossible:Reed is a Billings Girl now.And with her new status come respect, envy, and, most important, opportunity. Not to mention the parties. Unfortunately, at the next illicit party in the Easton campus woods, her roommate snaps some pictures of Reed in more than one compromising position. She uses the photos to blackmail Reed: Dig up dirt on the most powerful and popular Billings Girls or she will have Reed expelled.And speaking of parties, the Legacy is coming up. It's the invitation-only Halloween party in New York City, and it's rumored that Thomas-Reed's MIA boyfriend-will be making an appearance there. Too bad Reed isn't even close to invited.Life as a Billings Girl is every bit as glamorous as Reed imagined. What she didn't bargain for is the tangled web of private lies these girls weave.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up—Reed Brennan is a blue-collar girl looking to upgrade to a new life, starting with her scholarship to Easton, an exclusive boarding school. She is invited to join the "Billings Girls," a clique with money, connections, and power-if she can pass her initiation. She is being blackmailed by a classmate for dirt on the Girls, even while her hazing involves waiting on them hand and foot. Meanwhile, the police are investigating the disappearance of her former boyfriend, Thomas. Finally there is The Legacy, a party that she feels she must attend because he might be there. Competition for an invitation is fierce, because the only way in is as the date of someone whose family has had children at the school for generations. Brian carefully treads the line between suspense and soap opera with characters and situations that are interesting yet familiar. Buy this book for fans of Cecily von Ziegesar's "It Girl" or Zoey Dean's "A-List" series (both Little, Brown), or other soapy reads.—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Tantor Media; Unabridged,Library - Unabridged CD edition (August 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400142326
• ISBN-13: 978-1400142323
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A decadent sequel that no reader will be able to resist, October 25, 2006

By 

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

This review is from: Invitation Only (Private, Book 2) (Paperback)

Sophomore Reed Brennan can't believe her luck. After spending a mere few months at the posh Easton Academy, she has already become one of the illustrious Billings Girls. Her future couldn't be brighter. Sure, she had to break a few rules (lying, stealing, cheating), but it was all worth it, for now she has claimed a prize that every girl dreams of: acceptance. But that's not all, now Reed has first-hand access to the secret parties thrown late at night in the middle of the woods, and, while they sound more exciting with each whisper that passes, Reed is unfortunate enough to encounter her psycho roommate, Natasha, who just happens to be looking for a way to blackmail Reed into doing her bidding (i.e. digging up dirt on some of the most beautiful Billings Girls ever). And when Reed gets drunk at the illicit party, and ends up in a compromising position with someone other than her MIA boyfriend, Thomas, Natasha gets the act on tape, and holds it over Reed's head, insisting that she get evidence of wrongdoings of Kiran, Taylor, Noelle, and Ariana, or get her scholarship taken away and be shipped back to her crazy mother and father. Now, Reed is doing her best to hold her own, and avoid being caught as she snoops the hollowed halls of her dorm, while at the same time attempting to wrangle an invitation to The Legacy, one of the most exclusive Halloween parties in New York City. A party that Thomas is rumored to be making an appearance at, and which Reed knows that she can't miss for the world. A party that could change her life forever, and see just how lucky she is to be...a Billings Girl.

When I read PRIVATE, I felt that Kate Brian wouldn't be able to top the scandalous-ness featured within the pages. However, upon opening INVITATION ONLY, I realized that I was quite wrong. In the tradition of Cecily von Ziegesar's GOSSIP GIRL and IT GIRL series, Brian has created an illustrious group of over-privileged characters. Characters who make you wary, but unable to stop yourself from turning the next page. Reed is an appealing character whose ability to bend over backwards to please the Billings Girls is impressive, while at the same time borderline insane. Her interactions with her so-called friends (Kiran, Taylor, Noelle, and Ariana) are bizarre, yet impossible to resist. And, while Reed may be the star of the series, it is Noelle who steals the show (at least in my mind), as she comes up with various demented plots that make the reader truly realize just how much time she has on her hands, and how evil the inner-workings of her mind really are. A decadent sequel that no reader will be able to resist.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Sequel That Strikes Back, August 11, 2008

By 

Nellers - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invitation Only (Private, Book 2) (Paperback)

The Private series returns, with a great sequel with an even greater ending.

But first, the beginning starts out as a school party, where Reed enjoys the activities that most teenagers enjoy: drinking. As a Billings girl, she finally feels that she's part of something. And with Thomas still AWOL, she's single. But not for long.

Upon that party enters Walt Whittaker, the round influential student who talks like Mr. Darcy and acts like him too. He finds a quick interest in Reed, even though she's drunk. Together, they take part in some "compromising" positions in the forest, with roomate Natasha to scrap book it all.

When Reed finds out that Natasha has proof of their actions, she's caught in another dilemma with a Billings girl. Natasha orders Reed to find any dirt on Noelle, Kiran, Ariana, and Taylor to prove that they kicked Leanne out. If she doesn't, those little pictures ensure Reed's expulsion.

If you think that's hard, try being the Cinderella of the Billings house. Reed, being the newbie of the house, is assigned cleaning duty roughly every morning. But there's always a silver lining to every problem, for this becomes an easier way to find out the Billings girls' dirt.

As she tries to find information enough to satisfy Natasha and get Walt off her back, Reed is also introduced to the idea of the Legacy, a mysterious party held only for those of presitgious families from generations back. A new party? Whoo! Except guess what, Reed isn't invited.

The only way she can get an IN is if Walt invites her, because his family dates so far back that he gets an exclusive plus one. But with his obvious infatuation for Reed, this doesn't seem to be a problem.

Or does it? When Reed finds out that her fellow sophmore friend Constance Talbot has been harboring a huge crush on long-time friend Walt, Reed doesn't know what to choose: party or friendship?

Well, with the constant promises of Thomas attending the party, Reed can't help but choose the shallow option. As Walt's guest, it ensures her an invite to the Legacy, as well as the cold shoulder from Constance.

With that in mind, she also deals with her bargain with Natasha. As she digs for information on the Billings girls, Reed finds out that Kiran is a closet-binge eater, Taylor is a psycho, Noelle keeps scarily nude pictures of her boy toy, and that Ariana assisted (with the help of Noelle) in the expulsion of Leanne Shore. Bingo. Information obtained.

But Reed is also stuck with another dilemma: destroy her friends or destroy her Easton career? Her, being the ever good friend, confronts the girls on the information she snooped before the party, expecting an instant kick out from Billings.

Surprisingly, they don't kick her out. Don't even smack her. Instead, they gift her with an amazing gown for the party with no questions asked. As always, Reed is confused. But that's not the only thing that confuses her.

Enter Josh Hollis, the hot blonde roommate/friend of Thomas who becomes a friend to Reed. But within reading, readers know that the bond he seeks out of Reed is NOT friendship, but something more. That much is apparent when Reed gets jittery around him, and he around her.

They both anticipate to see Thomas at the party, but are sadly disappointed when he didn't appear. Instead, Reed finds Natasha making out....with a girl...Leanne Shore, to be precise. In that moment, Natasha reveals that she was blackmailed to blackmail Reed. If she didn't, then the Billings girls would spread all over that Leanne was a lesbian (her being still in-closeted).

Reed then confronts the Billings girls with anger, but they assure her that it was necessary to gain her trust. With Reed being trustworthy, they can now count on her as a real Billings girl and trust her with all secrets. Well, maybe not all of them.

More secrets erupt as the Easton elite return from the party, all drunk and partied out. Reed and Josh are found cozy, napping on top of each other adorably. But this picture is instantly torn when they find out what is awaiting them at Easton.

News...of Thomas, dead.

It was a thrilling ending, yet I sort of had a thing for Thomas. Oh well, fictional men can't live forever (only some). But this opens new opportunities for the next book. More questions need to be resolved and answered, and that's why this book series is so addicting. It always leaves you wanting more.

The sequel was just as good as the first one, and certainly paves a promising path for the third.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invitation Only, April 28, 2008

By 

Belinda Strebel "Streebs Class" (IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Invitation Only (Private, Book 2) (Paperback)

Invitation Only
By: Kate Brian

Reed has entered the high-classed, lip-glossed world of the Billings. All of her fairytales are just beginning, but when her boyfriend disappers everything seems to crumble. Will she be strong enough to survive? Could the disappearance of her boyfriend Thomas Pearson be her down fall in the Billings?
Reed is a normal teen who is just beginning her sophisticated life in Billings. Reed's drive and compassion for Thomas makes her investigate farther into his disappearance. But not everybody at Easton is looking for answers to his disappearance. Could they be hiding something? Her search will eventually lead her into another guy's arms over the lonely Thanksgiving Break, but he could be hiding some skeletons in his closet.
I loved this book because while Reed was on her journey for the truth I felt like I was right beside her. It was fascinating and kept me on the edge of my seat. It is a fast pace read with tiny cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. This is a book for people who like to be captured into an alternate reality of someone else's life. Will you join Reed on her journey for the truth?

By: Kim G.