Gossip Girl: Because I'm Worth It

Rating:
Summary: The fourth installment of guilty pleasure
Review: In the fourth installment of Gossip Girl things are about to drastically change. These rich, beautiful, wild life Upper EastSide New York kids are still up to their backstabbling, malicious ways but this time life is gonna throw them some curveballs.

Blair is still waiting to see if she'll be accepted by Yale but after the whole interview mess and accidental affair with an older man things don't look so great, but meanwhile her obsession with ex-boyfriend Nate continues, though she is finding new avenues in her life, including letting go of her major Audrey Hepburn obssesion. Yeah, bet we expected that. Nate himself is turning over a new leaf after getting busted for drugs. He is sent to counseling where he saves a girl who overdoses. A drugged Snow White beauty would be a nice way to describe her and it looks like Nate's romantic status is headed in a different direction.

More emphasis is put into Dan and Vannessa's relationship, and less on Serena, though I find her increasingly annoying. Dan, the romantic poet gets his poem published in the New Yorker somewhat by accident and then meets a yellow toothed lady whom he goes off and has an affair with. Call that messed up!

Serena and Aaron are finally an item, but who knows how long that will last knowing Serena...Jen is moving on to a new man since Dan no longer seems to have time for her...Things are changing and the scandals/soap opera is getting weirder by the minute but the biggest question is still: Who is Gossip Girl? Could it be someone we least expect??? A definite must read though not as good as the previous few. Some storylines were a bit dull but still not one to miss:) Probably not your mother's favorite cup of tea but who can resist some guilty pleasure?

Rating:
Summary: Was it worth it?
Review: After the past three books, Gossip Girl 4 was a let down. Von Zieger has me trapped in a world of intrigue, scandal and of course gossip. Even though the lives of Serena, Blair and Nate have me entranced, I found this book not as believable or as interesting as the first three. In book 4, Dan and Vanessa's stories are emphasised more and Serena and Blair's not as much. Truthfully, I don't want to hear about Vanessa and Dan. Their characters and stories are boring and predictable. Of course Dan gets and article published in the New Yorker and Vanessa's video is used as a backdrop for some fashion parade. Dan has an affair. Did you really think he'd stay faithful? The more interesting plotline is Blair's, who has an affair with an older man. Serena and Aaron are finally going out. Will they stay together? I think you know the answer. Nate goes to rehab and meets the girl of his dreams. Finally, we are left to wonder whether Chuck is (...), yes Chuck. Hello, he wears a monogrammed pinky ring!

Rating:
Summary: Worth the read - hey, it is fiction
Review: This is the fourth book in the Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar. It starts out where the third book left off, with the gang going more and more crazy. This series, although it is funny, is very unrealistic to a person who has never lived a privileged New York life, but it is still worth the read - hey, it is fiction! There are many new characters introduced in this edition of GG and they are all a little more off kilter then the originals. Nate meets a new girl, who is completely out of control and just when a normal person would have given up on her, he is typical Nate and hangs around. Jennifer makes a new best friend once she realizes that her brother has moved on and doesn't really have time for her anymore. This friend seems normal at first but just watch out! Dan and Vanessa meet some interesting new people and their relationship is more messed up than ever!

In the first few books, I really liked Serena but in this book she really starts to show her true colors. I won't say much more so you can form your own opinion. Blair is more messed up than ever, but anyone who has read all the books should have seen that coming.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book as far as this series goes. There are two main reasons that I am giving this book 3 out of 5 stars: First, it seems that the author is trying to hard to get all of the characters to continue interacting with each other, it is becoming painfully obvious in this book. Some seemingly random characters become very closely attached to other more important characters in unbelievably obscure ways. Second, the new character introductions are so out there that few of the characters are actually believable. None of them are people that a reader wants to fall in love with!


Rating:
Summary: Fabulous
Review: Once again, readers are plunged into the trashy, smutty, delicious world of Nate, Blair, Serena and co. No, these books aren't "family friendly." These teens drink, smoke, do drugs, screw like bunnies, and are a step away from becoming juvenile deliquents. Contrary to what some other reviewers have written, however, I have to respectfully disagree about whether the books deliver a bad message. Yes, a character does drugs ... but he's busted and then meets someone who overdoses. Yes, the young couples have sex .... but then they break up, showing how it can be dangerous to "commit" yourself to someone. The teens misbehave, but they do face consequences. Most of them are not role models, and that point is made very clear. And let's face it - the 9th graders whom this book is recommended for, probably hear more and see more smut in their schools, or at parties or on TV, than this book offers. Isn't it better to deliver a message in a package that's realistic and entertaining? Then again, you can always tune in to the treacly trash that is 7th Heaven where 20-somethings still live with their parents and it's OK to spy on your grown children. Yeah, like that's really going to teach kids anything. I say, let your kids read a well-written book like this and then discuss the issues, rather than let them simply hear about things through their friends.

Rating:
Summary: Yikes!
Review: I bought this for my 15 year old niece, and decided to read it before I gave it to her. After reading the first chapter, I realized this book is extremely trashy -- full of awful things I'd never want to be responsible for giving her to read. Parents who see these books in their daughters' rooms should toss them out. They have a seductive appeal in the way they're written, but are dangerous in the conduct they condone and encourage. I threw it in the garbage.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Read This
Review: I recently picked up this book at the library, thinking it must be a great book since everyone raves about them. Ugh! What a bunch of smut! I couldn't get past the first 3 pages before I slammed it shut. I have never encountered a book this terrible. The whole series is a waste of time. There are plenty of other books that teenagers like me could be reading. These books are sending terrible messages to teens. Whoever thinks that these books are well-written is seriously wrong. All the author has to do is throw a few words in about drugs, sex, and alcohol and mindless idiots are hooked. So no, I'd have to disagree on the well-written part. Also, anyone who says that parents should let their kids read these books is seriously mistaken. Oh sure, you can say that the characters in Gossip Girl learn from their mistakes, but they don't. The way I see it, this series encourages teens to get involved the the things listed above. Does Gossip Girl show what happens to these teens if they keep up with these nasty habits? Oh no, I guess Cecily von Ziegesar left that out. Maybe it wouldn't be a bestseller then. I know that we don't live in a perfect world, but there's no reason to encourage teens to get involved with drugs, sex, and alcohol. Let's be honest with ourselves, Gossip Girl doesn't belong in a bookstore, it belongs in the trash. Have a nice day.

Rating:
Summary: Love it!!
Review: I waited FOREVER for my local bookstore to finally get this book and it didn't disappoint. Well, it kind of did it its not being as good as the others, but overall it was still really good. A fun read.