A cast full of despicable young people leaves no room for empathy. There are feeble attempts to explain their behavior but they are so unrelentingly superficial, cruel and mindless. ( )

Reviewed by Angela S. for TeensReadToo.com

**Previously published in the U.K. as SECRETS & LIARS

PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE is a scandalous read.

This book follows the lives of a group of popular, rich girls and guys at St. Cecilia's, a prestigious prep school in England.

The leader of the group is Alice Rochester. She is the most popular girl in school and everyone wants to be friends with her. The one girl she hates is Dylan, an American, who followed Alice's ex, Tristan, back to school after summer break.

Alice will do anything to take Dylan down. But is Dylan really as bad as she seems? Plus, Tally Abbot has a crush on her teacher, and while they are on a class trip she kisses him - and things get complicated. Also, Alice meets a guy named Boy, who is a real jerk and just stringing her along, which she finds out when they all go to Rome for her cousin's wedding.

With all the drama and backstabbing, this is one novel that takes you on a wild ride through the lives of England's most privileged kids, and makes you realize that though they may seem to have it all, that doesn't necessarily mean they're happy. Their parents are mostly too busy to bother with them and they have so much freedom that it sometimes hurts them.

This is a really excellent read, and a great start to the series now released in the U.S.! ( )