Review: Truth or Dare by Ella Monroe

Title: Truth or Dare (Captial Girls #3)
Author: Ella Monroe
Publication: April 23rd 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher...

Jackie, Lettie, and Laura Beth barely survived the holidays . . . literally.  Jackie's on lockdown while the hunt is on for her stalker, who somehow got into the White House and left her an ominous note. Laura Beth and Sol are finally back together after a scandal almost tore them apart, and Lettie, who’s forced to live with Whitney and her gossip-mongering mom, has let down her guard enough to fall in love with Daniel.  For the Capital Girls life is always complicated, especially when they're under 24-hour media scrutiny. But that won’t stop the three friends from making their senior year the most amazing ever—even as the mystery deepens over Taylor Cane's death and First Son Andrew Price’s role in it.

-- My Rating --

3.5 / 5 Oscars: Liked it...

-- My Thoughts --

     I read the second book in the series, a while ago, but I have never read the first book. But I don't feel left out at all. Actually, I was thrust back into Jackie, Laura Beth, and Lettie's life like I hadn't even left.
Minor spoilers if you have not read The Capital Girls (#1)
     Jackie's relationship with Andrew is crumbling to pieces. But the perfect TV relationship should not break. So, they are keeping it a secret. Laura Beth hates to rival with her best friend, but she wants a ticket to the White House, too. Lettie is all but happy to have her parents go away, but she moves on. And might even find the romance she needs.
     The one thing that interests me the most in this series, is the high-profile lifestyle. Jackie is always on TV, tabloids, gossip magazines, and it feels believable. I never thought I would say that a book about some teenage girls in the spotlight of politics would be believable, but it is. The characters, the three girls are strong-willed and relate-able. You can feel the energy pulsing off of them. But the other characters are not as fleshed out, which was disappointing.
     The plot of this book was predictable, more predictable than the second book, which was sad, too. But it still had its moments, and it  kept me satisfied and interested. So, it deserves the four stars it gets. The ending was lovely, and expected. I am not sure if there is a fourth book or not, because I want to know what happens to the girls. But even if there isn't, Ella Monroe left me perfectly satisfied and i wouldn't mind, at all.

Review: Secrets and Lies by Ella Monroe

Name of book: Secrets and Lies (Capital Girls #2)
Author: Ella Monroe
Publication: November 13th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher..
Goodreads

Jealousy, rivalry, and dark secrets threaten to tear the girls apart in this sizzling follow-up to Capital Girls

It’s the start of senior year, and Excelsior Prep is on Code 3 lockdown. Secret Service agents swarm the halls searching for the First Son’s girlfriend, Jackie Whitman. Outside a SWAT team hunts for the man who’s been threatening the First Family for weeks. Only this time he’s singled out Jackie, leaving a menacing message on the school’s voicemail. Jackie's safe for now, but for the Capital Girls—three privileged kids who live in a political fishbowl in the nation’s capital—every day is filled with tension and thrills. Though, even for them, a raid on the school by AK-47-toting marksmen is a standout.
And a stalker isn't Jackie's only problem.  Still shattered by the shocking news that Andrew cheated on her with Taylor the night Taylor died, Jackie's whole world has fallen apart.  Not only did the love of her life betray her, so did her best friend and idol.  What made Taylor do it? Who was she really?  On top of it all, Whiteny Remick is plotting to take Taylor's place, and Jackie will do anything to stop her.

1. -- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     I am very sorry that I haven't read the first book in the series; I didn't even know that this was a series! But when I started reading this one, I didn't feel confused. Just a few times. But this was a great read, throughout.

    Jackie, Laura-Beth, and Lettie are the Capital Girls. They are fun, they are beautiful, but their lives are far from perfect. Jackie can't escape the rumors surrounding her, and her boyfriend, Andrew, and their off-and-on relationships. But Jackie has a very good reason to avoid him. Lettie misses her brother, he was her anchor, and now, there is nothing left in the US and her family might go home. Laura-Beth is delighted that her relationship with Sol is getting more serious, but he is keeping secrets from her. And he is not the only one. Because these three girls are multi-layered with secrets. Secrets which threaten to ruin their friendship.

     What will happen to the three glamorous girls in the ever so-glamorous D.C.? Will Jackie end her relationship? Will Lettie leave the US? Will Laura-Beth find out Sol's dirty little secret? Will they find out each other’s darkly-kept secrets? Secrets and Lies, is a darkly-realistic tale of what it's like when secrets are the cake and lies are the icing.

     I liked this novel a lot. I find out that I like these contemporary novels about celebrity lives. I liked Ella Monroe's writing. Her pacing is flawless. Her main characters are superb. Well, I didn't like them at first, because they seem like the typical mean girls and queen bees, but as the story progresses, I felt for them and they grew on me. But I have to say that some of the secondary characters were very little developed, they were one dimensional, but I didn't mind that. Because the spotlight was on the "main" characters.

     If you want an enjoyable, light contemporary read, that deals with the ups and downs of being famous and popular, and then this one is for you! It's light, realistic, and exhilarating! But I HIGHLY recommend that you read the first book first.