The Debs

by Susan McBride

Book Overview

LAURA DELACROIX BELL--this dazzling trust fund girl's size 14 figure doesn't stop her from attracting the sexiest scoundrel in town, or the admiring eye of the Glass Slipper Club. However, a salacious... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385735197
• ISBN13: 9780385735193
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 246 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.5" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

THE DEBS is told through the eyes of four girls in Houston, Texas. These four girls being... Laura Delacroix Bell, Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie, Ginger Fore, and Jo-Lynn Bidwill. Laura, Mac, and Ginger have been best friends for ages. Jo-Lynn is basically their enemy. The one thing these four girls all have in common is the desire to be a Debutante Rosebud in the illustrious Glass Slipper Club. Laura is a size-14 girl whose mother is friends with the head of the GSC committee. She is totally psyched to be a Rosebud, and she and her mother both think she's a shoe-in. But Jo-Lynn has had it out for her ever since she dated Avery, who is one of the most popular guys in school. After Laura gets back from fat camp, Avery happens to show up at the airport. Will this end up causing Laura even more trouble with Jo-Lynn? Mac would definitely rather be reading than become a deb. But it was her late mother's dream for Mac, so of course Mac needs to do it. Also, it doesn't help that her new step-mom, Honey Potts, is obsessed with Mac becoming a deb, too. With her two best friends also in the running, she decides it might not be such bad idea after all. Ginger is really excited at the thought of becoming a Rosebud, and she'd really love to be able to wear her grandmother's vintage ball gown on the big presentation day. But when a really cute college guy, Javier, gets her into a bit of trouble involving a protest over a tree that is supposed to be torn down to make more room for parking at her school, she could end up in hot water. Hopefully, it won't cost her the chance to become a Rosebud. Jo-Lynn is a former beauty queen who makes it her mission in life to take out the so-called "debu-trash." Her main target, of course, being Laura Bell. What she has in store for Laura is not in the least ladylike. But she has no idea that payback could be finding a way straight to her door. What's a stuck-up and spoiled beauty queen to do? This was such a great book. I loved how each chapter was told through each different girls' experience. And I liked how great of friends Laura, Mac, and Ginger are. They would do anything for each other (including finding a way to take down Jo-Lynn) and I think that was the greatest thing about this book. Ms. McBride has a great writing style and I loved each and every one of her characters. I even liked Jo-Lynn, despite her witchiness. All in all, this was just a fabulous book about the lives of four different girls who all want the same thing. Definitely check it out. Hopefully, you'll love it as much as I did! Reviewed by: Breanna F.

The Story Siren Reviews:

Laura Bell, Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie and Ginger Fore have a lot to look forward to! These best friends will be starting their senior year and eagerly awaiting their invitations to Glass Slipper Club! Then they can officially start their debutante season as Rosebuds! There is a prestigious selection process to become a Rosebud, and these girls need to behave like a debutante would. Unfortunately, Jo-Lynn Bidwill, the evil queen, is waiting on her invitation as well. Her mother happens to be the head of the selection committee, so you can almost guarantee Jo-Lynn's name will be on the list. Jo-Lynn would love nothing more than to see Laura Bell out of contention for good, and she may just have her way. What an enticing beginning to what I'm sure will be a fabulous series!! The Debs certainly left me craving more! I can't wait to see what happens to these three girls! And I really hope Jo-Lynn gets what is coming to her. This was a fast read for me, but I think it definitely had to do with the fact that I was engulfed with the story! The chapters sort of alternate among the four girls, so you get a peek at each one's life. That made the story so much more enjoyable for me. If you are looking for a fun read this summer, look no further than The Debs! I know I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the next book in the series Love, Lies and Texas Dips, coming June 2009! I seriously don't think I can wait that long!

A real page turner for teenagers wanting a study break, and a treat for Susan McBride fans of all ag

Susan McBride's fans of her mystery series will be delighted to find the same sense of humor and page-turning story telling in this new novel that they've come to expect from Susan. YA readers will discover a new series that is fun with terrific dialogue --this will give girls a much-needed break from their studies this school year. And there is a great writing contest connected with this book -- details are on the last page -- winner gets to take 3 friends to New York City for a shopping spree at the new Lilly Pulitzer Store on Madison Ave. The buzz is great for this book -- more than 1,000 people had seen the booktrailers by the time this book showed up in bookstores!

The DEBS are here to stay!

Fans of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl will rejoice upon discovering this new series by the award-winning mystery author Susan McBride. Four Texas teen girls vie for entrance into the exclusive Glass Slipper Club, the pinnacle for southern debutantes. Laura Delacroix Bell is a beautiful size-14 heiress in a size 2 world. Her heart has been broken by a University of Texas Longhorn Golden Boy, and his yo-yo affections for her have her confused but willing to take a chance on him. Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie is still mourning the death of her mother and is debuting solely out of devotion to her mother's dream. If only her new stepmother Honey Potts wasn't so determined to "help" Mac debut and shop her way into the perfect GSC mold. Ginger Fore is being romanced by a University of Houston senior she met at a Go Green rally, but the environmentally-friendly temptation may have her marching for his cause right into prison. Facing down the three heroines is Jo-Lynn Bidwell, leader of the Bimbo Cartel and who has a passion for destroying Laura that is rivaled only by Jo-Lynn's lust for Dillon, a hunk who has a secret that could blow up her world. McBride gives readers the guilty pleasure of a voyeuristic glimpse into the fashion-obsessed, superficial, and ultimately delicious world of Texas debutante society. For all of their privileges, the GLC candidates are relatable to teens and they will each have readers sympathizing with their struggles with body issues, mother conflicts, and love. Full of humor, pop culture references, and engaging and likable characters, readers will be charge through this novel and be clamoring for the next in this extremely entertaining series.

Enchanting Review: The Debs

THE DEBS SUSAN McBRIDE Contemporary Young Adult Rating: 5 Enchantments Membership to the exclusive "Glass Slipper Club" via the coveted invite to the Deb ball is one of the biggest highlights of the start of Deb season in Houston, Texas. But for three best friends and their bitter rival, the ruling Jo Lynn Bidwill, Deb season could turn out to be nothing less than war--especially with Jo Lynn on a personal mission to make sure Laura isn't on the receiving end of one of the Glass Slipper Club Deb ball invites. When Laura Delacroix-Bell, Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie and Ginger Fore reunite after a summer apart, the three BFF couldn't imagine their friendship may actually be threatened. But when Laura starts hanging around her on-again, off-again guy Avery, Ginger and Mac are left feeling pushed aside yet again as their own troubles start. THE DEBS is a great start to what should be a highly entertaining series. Set against the backdrop of Houston's debutante scene, these three best friends couldn't be more different if they tried. Laura doesn't really care about her size fourteen figure, even if it's probably one of the reasons Jo-L can't stand her. She's still got Avery's attention and that matters a heck of a lot more to her, except for one little secret she's determined to keep hidden. Mac's more interested in anything other than her future as a Deb, especially since her step-mother wants to use it as an excuse to bond and Ginger may be about to throw her debutante future away for a mysterious college guy. When the invitations are finally handed out, will any of them be receiving one? I can't say how much I enjoyed this book. I loved Laura, Mac and Ginger and the Queen of Mean, Jo Lynn is so easy to hate as she's willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants and what she wants most is Laura to be on the outs. My favorite scene from THE DEBS is when Laura decides to crash Jo-L's party after an invite from Avery, even though she knows it's the totally wrong thing to do, especially since she's going on her own without Mac and Ginger. But when Jo-L and the Bimbo Cartel come outside to drive her away, Laura can't push aside the year's worth of hatred bubbles to the surface and the two rivals finally confront each other in a heated scene. Jo Lynn Bidwill is truly one of the most despicable characters I've read in a long time. Can't wait to see what Ms. McBride has in store for everyone in the sequel! Readers looking for a fun, entertaining page turner won't go wrong picking this one up. Susan McBride is the author of The Debutante Drop-out adult mystery series. She grew up in the heart of Texan Deb country, but now lives with her husband in Missouri. THE DEBS is Ms. McBride's first YA novel. The sequel, LOVE, LIES & TEXAS DIPS will be released June 2009. Visit her online at www.susanmcbride.com for excerpts and to check out the trailer for THE DEBS. Lisa YA Director Enchanting Reviews July 2008