Getting Revenge On Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook

I’m not sure what got my attention first in the bookshop; the word REVENGE screaming at me in pink capital letters, the tagline – This time, the mean girl is going down – or the picture of a Barbie doll laying on the grass with a knife sticking out of her back. It was, however, the combination of all three that made me rush to the counter, buy it and devour it in one sitting.

It’s a poorly kept secret that I adore any YA girly, bitchy fiction. I love the concept of teenage mean girl pecking orders and can’t help but watch with mild amusement as this behaviour consumes most of my days at work.  The same way it did 20 years ago when I was actually a student and sadly a part of it myself.  Like aspects of Shakespeare, the mean girl theme is enduring, and it is one that I myself am trying to break into the writing market with. Perhaps I really should finish that manuscript before I make statements like that, as it is merely just a dream for now. But enough about me, let’s talk about the book.

The book is the story of Helen Worthington and Lauren Wood, two former besties whose falling out is so horrid and humiliating that Helen is forced to move towns to escape. Three years later she returns, with a new look and a new name. Lauren may have climbed her way to the top of the school pecking order to be the most popular girl in school, and she may have forgotten all about her former BFF, but Helen certainly hasn’t forgotten about her. Her plan is to destroy Lauren Wood by taking away everything that’s important to her and she will stop at nothing to do it. After all, popularity is the best revenge! But revenge isn’t always as sweet as you think it will be, as Helen soon finds out.

What I love most about this book are the characters and the writing. The characters, particularly our protagonist Helen, are so believable. As a reader, you are drawn into the story and become a part of it. You are silently cheering for Helen as she takes Lauren down piece by piece. You feel Helen’s pain, you feel her anger, you see her flaws and you can accept them because, let’s face it, most of us girls have been there and felt that way ourselves. These are the aspects of the book that keep you turning the pages. The writing draws you in, you can visualise everything going on in this world and you don’t want to leave it. And you certainly don’t want to leave it before the mean girl goes down.

I just loved this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves mean girl fiction, movies or TV shows. Do yourself a favour, turn off Gossip Girl (or some other teen related show) and read this book instead, you won’t regret it! Now that I’ve discovered the fabulous work of Eileen Cook, I know I can’t wait to read more.

For more information on Eileen Cook you can visit her website at: http://www.eileencook.com/ 

As always, any YA recommendations on what I should be reading or comments on any books you loved reading are always more than welcome. Make sure you comment and tell me, so I can check them out. 🙂