Chloe has been plotting to bring about the downfall of Arlington Prep's most popular students, six teens known as Level Ones, ever since they "destroyed" her best friend, Monica. First, she blackmails Will--he must act as her boyfriend or else she'll leak secrets that will get his father fired--who warms to taking down his "friends" because he isn't proud of his own actions regarding Monica. As Chloe gets in deeper with the Level Ones, however, she's faced with the harsh truth of who she wants to be, that she might be falling for Will, and that Monica may not have been the best friend Chloe wants to remember. As a rich girl attending private school, Chloe may come across as somewhat unlikable. The plot takes awhile to pick up speed, but readers will be rewarded with an ending that wraps everything up in a nice homage to the final scene of Cruel Intentions.

An elaborate revenge plot to take down the manipulative, bullying popular crowd consumes Chloe Whittaker's senior year in Australian author Valett's debut. The exclusive Arlington Prep near Beverly Hills isn't for the faint of heart. In fact, popular kids (dubbed Level Ones in the hierarchy cooked up by narrator Chloe, who considers herself an invisible Level Three, and her best friend, Monica) rule the school with an iron fist. Last year Monica became obsessed with the Level Ones, leading to her downfall and the fracturing of their friendship. Now Chloe will make them pay. To infiltrate the in-crowd, Chloe blackmails handsome, green-eyed lacrosse team captain Will Bishop, who tells her that posing as his girlfriend will yield the quickest access to his social circle. Soon, Chloe is perpetuating the very behavior she claims to loathe. Predictably, Chloe falls for Will, who is also on her hit list, while struggling with guilt over her actions. A suspension of disbelief is a must. Teachers blatantly ignore truly awful behavior by Level Ones, and the author waits until the very end to humanize them and reveal the truth about what happened to Monica. Overwrought dialogue and underdeveloped characters further hamper what might have been an affecting exploration of bullying and the corrupting nature of power. Most characters appear white; there is minor diversity in some secondary characters. A missed opportunity. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 9 Up--Arlington Preparatory school can be found snuggled in a canyon just north of Beverly Hills. The beautiful school houses the children of the West Coast's most influential people--the ultra-wealthy, media moguls, politicians, and celebrities. Like most high schools, Arlington Prep has a social ladder and there are winners and losers among those who dare to climb it. However, the games of rich children with little supervision have higher stakes and more dire consequences. Chloe Whittaker was loath to be part of the brutal social hierarchy at Arlington Prep until her best friend became tragically caught in the crossfire of the contest. Bent on revenge, Chloe devised a plan to infiltrate the "Level One" social clique so she could take them down. Through lies, manipulation, and blackmail, Chloe is able to gain access to the elite group. However, once she is there, she starts to question what makes her morally superior to these people if, in her efforts to get into their exclusive club, she has participated in the same cruel antics. Her internal conflict is heightened when she finds herself falling for the handsome and charming so-called Level One Boy, William Bishop, who was only supposed to be a pawn in her game. VERDICT This is a delicious piece of young adult candy. While readers won't find any deep sustenance from the plot, it is a fun page-turner sure to delight fans of teen drama. For lovers of Cecily von Ziegesar's "Gossip Girl," Sara Shepard's "Pretty Little Liars," Susan McBride's Very Bad Things, and Megan Abbott's Dare Me.--Ellen Fitzgerald, Naperville Public Library, IL