Next up...

I had been waiting for Beauty Queens by Libba Bray to come out since I had heard an excerpt at a book conference. Here's the premise- a plane full of teen beauty queens on the way to a pageant crashed on a (supposedly) deserted island. What do they do now??? Why practice for the pageant of course, what if they are rescued? A beauty queen is always prepared! The girls learn that looks aren't everything when trying to survive, but their 'talents' might just come in handy when it counts. This book is a comment on our society that is filled with reality tv. When the girls are visited by a boat of reality show pirates, mayhem ensues. This book is hilarious but also has a great message that girls are strong and capable and can use their brains! I mean when they take on an evil dictator (think Kim Jong Il in an Elvis outfit) and bring down a corrupt pageant leader, they learn some valuable lessons. Text is dense, and takes some getting used to but don't let that stop you. Enjoy the ride! And watch out for Miss Texas... she may have gone a little crazy.