Product Description

Reed Brennan's future is looking as bright as the two-karat diamonds in her new housemates' ears. Being accepted to the most prestigious private boarding school in the country wasn't enough for Reed. She had to break every rule to do it, but she has accomplished the impossible:

Reed is a Billings Girl now.

And with her new status come respect, envy, and, most important, opportunity. Not to mention the parties. Unfortunately, at the next illicit party in the Easton campus woods, her roommate snaps some pictures of Reed in more than one compromising position. She uses the photos to blackmail Reed: Dig up dirt on the most powerful and popular Billings Girls or she will have Reed expelled.

And speaking of parties, the Legacy is coming up. It's the invitation-only Halloween party in NYC and it's rumored that Thomas -- Reed's MIA boyfriend -- will be making an appearance there. Too bad Reed isn't even close to invited.

Life as a Billings Girl is every bit as glamorous as Reed imagined. What she didn't bargain for is the tangled web of private lies these girls weave.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #257770 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781416918745
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—Reed Brennan is a blue-collar girl looking to upgrade to a new life, starting with her scholarship to Easton, an exclusive boarding school. She is invited to join the "Billings Girls," a clique with money, connections, and power-if she can pass her initiation. She is being blackmailed by a classmate for dirt on the Girls, even while her hazing involves waiting on them hand and foot. Meanwhile, the police are investigating the disappearance of her former boyfriend, Thomas. Finally there is The Legacy, a party that she feels she must attend because he might be there. Competition for an invitation is fierce, because the only way in is as the date of someone whose family has had children at the school for generations. Brian carefully treads the line between suspense and soap opera with characters and situations that are interesting yet familiar. Buy this book for fans of Cecily von Ziegesar's "It Girl" or Zoey Dean's "A-List" series (both Little, Brown), or other soapy reads.—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Kate Brian is the author of the NY Times and USA Today best-selling Private series and it's spin-off series, Privilege. She has also written many other books for teens including Sweet 16 and Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"Ugh! I just cannot take this sweater one more second," London Simmons said, pulling a creamy white cashmere sweater over her head and tossing it at her silver garbage can. Her dark brown hair grazed her bare back, falling into perfect waves.

"London! You cannot just throw away cashmere," her roommate, Vienna Clark, replied.

London and Vienna, or "the Twin Cities," as the rest of Billings called them, were two very buxom, very big-haired socialites who had apparently been friends forever. They had summoned me to their room the moment I had gotten back from dinner because they needed some help "feng shui-ing," as London had put it, which actually meant they wanted me to organize their shoes by color, then by heel height. At the moment, I was on the floor, doing exactly that.

"At least donate it or something," Vienna suggested.

London, who was admiring her double-D's in the mirror, turned to look at me.

"Sorry," she said, plucking the sweater out of the can. "Did you want this?"

Her brown eyes were completely innocent. She blinked, waiting for my excited reply.

"Uh, no thanks," I said flatly.

"Not to her! To the needy!" Vienna said, rolling her eyes as she picked up her nail file and walked over. "Don't mind her, Glass-licker," she told me, pulling the sweater out of London's fingers. "The skinnier she gets, the dumber she gets."

I smirked.

"Omigosh! You're just jealous!" London said, swiping at Vienna.

They both settled back on their beds again to continue their primping rituals. I yanked another pair of red shoes out of the back of the closet and lined them up with all the other red shoes, comparing heel heights. I was almost done. Then I could finally, finally get back to my room and shower.

"I saw Walt Whittaker on campus today," London said casually.

Instantly, all the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Somehow I had managed to avoid Whit all day. Every time he saw me he blushed and looked away. Apparently he was just as embarrassed by our encounter as I was. He'd spent most of our mealtimes chatting with professors over at their tables, something I'd never seen a single student do before, and outside the caf I hadn't seen him at all. But did the Twin Cities know that we had hooked up?

"V, I am so going to make him mine."

Apparently not.

Vienna snorted a laugh. "Please. Every other girl on this campus is gonna be after Whittaker in the next couple of weeks."

Wha-huh? Why?

"So? You don't think I can get him?" London asked incredulously.

"You've got as good a shot as anyone else," Vienna replied. "But no one knows what goes on inside that thick head. Personally, I've always thought he was gay."

I stifled a laugh and shoved the last pair of red shoes into place. If he was gay it would certainly account for his lack of skills in the feeling-up department.

"Just because he's gay doesn't mean I can't use him," London said.

Then they both laughed. I pushed myself up and slapped my hands on my apron. Part of me was dying to know what London wanted to use Whit for. Money? Doubtful. Everyone around here had more than they knew what to do with. But an even bigger part of me was dying to get the hell out of there. Plus I had a feeling they wouldn't tell me anyway.

"All done," I said.

"You're excused," London said dismissively.

I shot her a look of death that she didn't even notice, then turned and walked out. I practically ran down the dimly lit hall to my room, blowing by all the black-and-white framed photos of Billings "Through the Ages." At some point I had appreciated the beautiful touches of Billings, the gleaming woodwork, the thick carpeting, the bronze wall sconces, the French windows at either end of each hallway. But now all I saw was more stuff to clean, more to scrub, more to wax. I couldn't get back to my room and away from it all fast enough. My hand was on the doorknob when I heard someone enter the hall behind me.

"Miss Brennan."

I stopped and closed my eyes. So close.

Mrs. Lattimer, the middle-aged house mother of Billings House, approached me at a broken pace, her stride hindered by her skinny pencil skirt. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun and her white shirt was, as always, buttoned all the way up, with three strands of pearls sitting on top. Mrs. Lattimer was skinny and pointy; her skin was rough as leather. She was never seen without a thick layer of eyeliner and mascara, as if she thought drawing attention to her watery eyes would cause the average person to miss the rather large birthmark on her chin. I had met her on my first night at Billings and she had looked me over as if confused by my very existence. I had avoided her ever since.

"Miss Brennan, I understand that you made all the beds this morning," she said, her craggly hands clasped in front of her.

Wait a minute. She knew about that?

"You somehow, however, overlooked my own," she said, lifting her chin. "I would appreciate it if you afforded me the same courtesy you have the other women of this dorm."

She was kidding. She had to be kidding. Not only did she know about this hazing ritual, but she condoned it? She wanted in on it?

"Do I make myself clear?" she asked.

"Uh...sure," I said.

"Good," she said with a nod. We both stood there for a long moment. "Well. Go about your business," she said, shooing me with her hand.

"Right. Okay."

I shoved the door open, closed it behind me, and leaned back against it, wishing there was a lock. A bolt. Some kind of alarm system that could alert me to approaching heiresses. I couldn't believe our house mother was in on this. As if I didn't have enough to do already, enough to worry about.

Taking a deep breath, I sank down a bit, unable to move another muscle. My nerves were fried. All day I had been waiting for my classroom doors to open, waiting to be called to Hell Hall to talk to the police. I was completely unable to concentrate and had managed to shred no fewer than ten sheets of loose-leaf into tiny squares. But nothing had happened. The day had ended without a single interruption and now a rumor was floating around that the police were starting with the senior class and working their way down, that they might not even get to us lowly sophomores until late in the week.

Personally, I wanted to get it over with. I felt like my blood had been replaced with pure caffeine. Why didn't they at least come get me? Hadn't the crack investigators found out yet that Thomas had a girlfriend?

I pushed away from the door and dropped down on my bed, looking blankly around my new room. My new room. In all the insanity I'd had yet to have the time to fully appreciate the space. It was at least three times bigger than my old room in Bradwell, with a huge arched window overlooking the quad. My desk was immense, with a built-in bulletin board and study lamp, and the double dresser near the wall actually dwarfed the smallish bed. It was also only half full and completely devoid of pictures, jewelry boxes, and knickknacks, unlike every other dresser in this place -- which, by the way, were that much more difficult to dust and polish.

Yes, my side of the room was pathetically bare compared to Natasha's, which was replete with posters hung at exact right angles, perfectly organized books and papers, a clear plastic tackle-style box keeping each piece of her incredibly expensive jewelry separate from all the others. But it was home. My home in Billings. I had to remember that. I was here. And all the chores they could throw at me were worth it.

I think.

Finally I shoved myself away from the wall and trudged over to my desk. Some of my books were still in a crate on the floor from when the Billings Girls had gathered them and brought them over. Might as well unpack now while I still had a sliver of energy left in me. I picked up a few of my extra history tomes, which had been assigned to me the first day of school, and lifted them onto the shelf above the desk. The middle one slipped out and fell with a thud to the floor, and try as I might to grab the others, they all slipped and slid and followed, one landing right on my toes.

"Dammit," I said under my breath, dropping to my knees.

I leaned my back into the side of my bed and sighed as several bones cracked and a few muscles uncoiled. Wow, was it nice to be sitting. Maybe the unpacking could wait.

Using a minimal amount of effort, I slid a couple of the books toward me and stacked them in my lap. In doing so, I uncovered a small piece of white paper, folded up tightly, sitting on the hardwood floor. Huh. Where had that come from?

I picked it up and turned it over in my hand. Unfamiliar. Had it fallen out of one of my books? They had all been taken out of the library the first week of school. Maybe it was an old love letter someone had left in there. Intrigued, I unfolded the page. My eye went directly to the signature. The note was computer printed but signed in ink.

By Thomas.

"What?" I said out loud.

Instantly my pulse started to pound in my ears. In my fingertips. In my eyes. I pulled my knees up to my chest, scattering the books to the floor, and read, the page trembling in my hands.

Dear Reed,

I'm leaving tonight. I don't know what else to do. A friend of mine knows of this holistic treatment thing where they don't require parental permission. I'm not going to tell you where it is, because I don't want you or anyone else trying to find me. I want to get better. And I don't think I can do that if I stay in touch with the people in my life.

Please don't be mad. It's better for you this way. You're too good for me. I'm shit for you. You know I am. I love you. I do. But you deserve better than me. So much better.

I just need some time. Some time on my own, away from my parents and all the insanity. You understand. I know you do. You know me better than anyone.

I love you so much, Reed. And I'll miss you. More than you'll ever know.

Love,

Thomas

Relief flooded through me so quickly and with such force that my eyes blurred with tears. I wiped them away, and read the ...

Customer Reviews

A decadent sequel that no reader will be able to resist
Sophomore Reed Brennan can't believe her luck. After spending a mere few months at the posh Easton Academy, she has already become one of the illustrious Billings Girls. Her future couldn't be brighter. Sure, she had to break a few rules (lying, stealing, cheating), but it was all worth it, for now she has claimed a prize that every girl dreams of: acceptance. But that's not all, now Reed has first-hand access to the secret parties thrown late at night in the middle of the woods, and, while they sound more exciting with each whisper that passes, Reed is unfortunate enough to encounter her psycho roommate, Natasha, who just happens to be looking for a way to blackmail Reed into doing her bidding (i.e. digging up dirt on some of the most beautiful Billings Girls ever). And when Reed gets drunk at the illicit party, and ends up in a compromising position with someone other than her MIA boyfriend, Thomas, Natasha gets the act on tape, and holds it over Reed's head, insisting that she get evidence of wrongdoings of Kiran, Taylor, Noelle, and Ariana, or get her scholarship taken away and be shipped back to her crazy mother and father. Now, Reed is doing her best to hold her own, and avoid being caught as she snoops the hollowed halls of her dorm, while at the same time attempting to wrangle an invitation to The Legacy, one of the most exclusive Halloween parties in New York City. A party that Thomas is rumored to be making an appearance at, and which Reed knows that she can't miss for the world. A party that could change her life forever, and see just how lucky she is to be...a Billings Girl.

When I read PRIVATE, I felt that Kate Brian wouldn't be able to top the scandalous-ness featured within the pages. However, upon opening INVITATION ONLY, I realized that I was quite wrong. In the tradition of Cecily von Ziegesar's GOSSIP GIRL and IT GIRL series, Brian has created an illustrious group of over-privileged characters. Characters who make you wary, but unable to stop yourself from turning the next page. Reed is an appealing character whose ability to bend over backwards to please the Billings Girls is impressive, while at the same time borderline insane. Her interactions with her so-called friends (Kiran, Taylor, Noelle, and Ariana) are bizarre, yet impossible to resist. And, while Reed may be the star of the series, it is Noelle who steals the show (at least in my mind), as she comes up with various demented plots that make the reader truly realize just how much time she has on her hands, and how evil the inner-workings of her mind really are. A decadent sequel that no reader will be able to resist.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

A Sequel That Strikes Back
The Private series returns, with a great sequel with an even greater ending.

But first, the beginning starts out as a school party, where Reed enjoys the activities that most teenagers enjoy: drinking. As a Billings girl, she finally feels that she's part of something. And with Thomas still AWOL, she's single. But not for long.

Upon that party enters Walt Whittaker, the round influential student who talks like Mr. Darcy and acts like him too. He finds a quick interest in Reed, even though she's drunk. Together, they take part in some "compromising" positions in the forest, with roomate Natasha to scrap book it all.

When Reed finds out that Natasha has proof of their actions, she's caught in another dilemma with a Billings girl. Natasha orders Reed to find any dirt on Noelle, Kiran, Ariana, and Taylor to prove that they kicked Leanne out. If she doesn't, those little pictures ensure Reed's expulsion.

If you think that's hard, try being the Cinderella of the Billings house. Reed, being the newbie of the house, is assigned cleaning duty roughly every morning. But there's always a silver lining to every problem, for this becomes an easier way to find out the Billings girls' dirt.

As she tries to find information enough to satisfy Natasha and get Walt off her back, Reed is also introduced to the idea of the Legacy, a mysterious party held only for those of presitgious families from generations back. A new party? Whoo! Except guess what, Reed isn't invited.

The only way she can get an IN is if Walt invites her, because his family dates so far back that he gets an exclusive plus one. But with his obvious infatuation for Reed, this doesn't seem to be a problem.

Or does it? When Reed finds out that her fellow sophmore friend Constance Talbot has been harboring a huge crush on long-time friend Walt, Reed doesn't know what to choose: party or friendship?

Well, with the constant promises of Thomas attending the party, Reed can't help but choose the shallow option. As Walt's guest, it ensures her an invite to the Legacy, as well as the cold shoulder from Constance.

With that in mind, she also deals with her bargain with Natasha. As she digs for information on the Billings girls, Reed finds out that Kiran is a closet-binge eater, Taylor is a psycho, Noelle keeps scarily nude pictures of her boy toy, and that Ariana assisted (with the help of Noelle) in the expulsion of Leanne Shore. Bingo. Information obtained.

But Reed is also stuck with another dilemma: destroy her friends or destroy her Easton career? Her, being the ever good friend, confronts the girls on the information she snooped before the party, expecting an instant kick out from Billings.

Surprisingly, they don't kick her out. Don't even smack her. Instead, they gift her with an amazing gown for the party with no questions asked. As always, Reed is confused. But that's not the only thing that confuses her.

Enter Josh Hollis, the hot blonde roommate/friend of Thomas who becomes a friend to Reed. But within reading, readers know that the bond he seeks out of Reed is NOT friendship, but something more. That much is apparent when Reed gets jittery around him, and he around her.

They both anticipate to see Thomas at the party, but are sadly disappointed when he didn't appear. Instead, Reed finds Natasha making out....with a girl...Leanne Shore, to be precise. In that moment, Natasha reveals that she was blackmailed to blackmail Reed. If she didn't, then the Billings girls would spread all over that Leanne was a lesbian (her being still in-closeted).

Reed then confronts the Billings girls with anger, but they assure her that it was necessary to gain her trust. With Reed being trustworthy, they can now count on her as a real Billings girl and trust her with all secrets. Well, maybe not all of them.

More secrets erupt as the Easton elite return from the party, all drunk and partied out. Reed and Josh are found cozy, napping on top of each other adorably. But this picture is instantly torn when they find out what is awaiting them at Easton.

News...of Thomas, dead.

It was a thrilling ending, yet I sort of had a thing for Thomas. Oh well, fictional men can't live forever (only some). But this opens new opportunities for the next book. More questions need to be resolved and answered, and that's why this book series is so addicting. It always leaves you wanting more.

The sequel was just as good as the first one, and certainly paves a promising path for the third.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
INVITATION ONLY, the second novel in the PRIVATE series, begins where we left off in the first book (Private (Private, Book 1)). Thomas went missing, one of the Billings Girls was expelled, and Reed Brennan finally moved into the dorm she had her eye on when she first came to the private school. But even though Reed was in the Billings house, that didn't exactly mean she was in the clique.

Turns out, the Billings Girls had a little hazing present for Reed that would keep her busy. That's right--Reed has to actually do the girls' beds every morning and clean up the dorm. Who knows exactly how long that will last.

But that's not the only thing on Reed's mind. Her boyfriend, Thomas Pearce, had just went missing during parents' weekend. And the only possible way that she would be able to see him again is at a social event called the Legacy, held in New York City that apparently Thomas is for sure making an appearance at. The only problem is that Reed has no idea what the Legacy is--but all she is worried about is getting there. Oh, and her new roommate took compromising photos of Reed and a certain someone, and is now using it to blackmail Reed.

From finding her boyfriend to overcoming her blackmailer to trying to officially become a Billings Girl, Reed has too much on her plate.

It seemed like it would be hard for Kate Brian to top the first book in the PRIVATE series, which was absolutely amazing, but no worries since she does not disappoint. INVITATION ONLY was even better than the first. With even more obstacles that Reed has to face, the story literally leaves the reader at the edge of their seats. And Kate Brian ends the story with another huge cliffhanger. This series definitely tops all the other series out there.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen