So Not the Drama by Paula Chase 2007 Book 1 Del Rio Bay Clique Series
Rating: 4.5/5
IQ “Why is it ok for someone from the projects to say we’re stuck up or not keeping it real? But when we say something about how they live or say they’re ghetto, everyone gets offended and says we’re stereotyping and being boogee?” -Mina
Hoping Del Rio Bay High will live up to her greatest expectations, Mina has big plans for infiltrating the school's social glitterati. After all, she's been mad popular for as long as she can remember—and she isn't about to go from Middle School Royalty to High School Ambiguity. But Del Rio Bay is a big school, so it'll take some plotting to avoid getting lost in the crowd. Good thing she isn't afraid of a little hard work—and that her playground peeps, Lizzie, Michael, and JZ, have got her back.
But it isn't long before Mina's big plans for securing her social status take a back seat to some drama that was so not expected. Lizzie's scored an invite from the beautiful people that Mina can only dream about, and not only is Michael tripping about being back in school, but now he's beefing with JZ. Worst of all, Mina's sociology class experiment to rid the world—or at least Del Rio Bay High—of prejudice is about to backfire. Because it might just mean she'll have to rid herself of her very best friend...
I’m so glad I re-read this book. I loved it even more than I when I read it the first time. I read it in 7th grade and I think I further appreciated the book when I entered high school. I loved So Not the Drama even more, because I saw the truth in a lot of the humorous and not so humorous situations. I gave So Not the Drama to my sister to read and she loved it, even though she’s not in high school. She found it really funny.
This book is so quotable, and I love the chapter titles (which consist of song lyrics and a funny quote) and how the song lyrics match the content in each chapter. My favorite chapter title is “It’s not stalking if he doesn’t have a restraining order.” Too funny! Another good quote from the book is about cliques “Mrs. Simms, I don’t mean any harm, but high school is a huge caste system. It’s like Cliques ‘R’ Us. We deal with it every day. And even people who claim to be above cliques are a clique!” –Mina. That is so true (at my school at least).
My least favorite character (besides the characters you’re supposed to hate) was Mina. She was so obsessed with becoming popular; it just got annoying after a while. Also all her excitement over school starting was a pain (mainly because I’m not a big fan of school so I don’t see how anyone can be excited about it starting). But Mina was really sweet and loyal. Talked a lot, but that’s better than not talking at all (in my opinion). The Incredible Quote is hers and I think she makes a valid point.
My favorite character was Jacinta. She kept it real and if I was forced to leave my neighborhood and go to a different school that everyone at my old school said was full of stuck-up white kids and ‘chocolate faces that act vanilla”, I would probably have an attitude at first as well. She was funny too. All the characters are great embodiments of high schoolers, representing their many complexities.
I can’t recommend this book enough. Anyone in high school and especially incoming freshman should read this book!
And check back here tomorrow for my interview with Del Rio Bay Clique author Paula Chase-Hyman.
One more thing. Go comment at Literanista feed the hungry post! She needs 30 comments. Read my post about it here and follow the link in that post. And I was just kidding about the whole 'tell them Reading in Color sent you'. You don't need to say that :)
