Real As It Gets

December 15, 2013
After a new drug leads to fatalities among celebrities and classmates, teen TV-gossip diva Maya Morgan launches an investigation. The strung-out former beauty queen whose story opens this third volume of the Rumor Central series represents only one of many plotlines. Maya's player cousin, Travis, comes from New York to Miami to live with Maya and her family, and tension rises when Travis starts dating Maya's best friend, Sheridan. Maya goes out with a dreamy date, but sometimes he acts like he's hiding something. Maya's nerdy friend, Alvin, starts dating a girl, and Maya can't understand why she feels so angry about it. (This last plotline receives the least closure, but it will likely be addressed more fully in a future installment.) Maya's back story is skillfully reintroduced piece by piece, and new and returning readers alike have ample tools to keep track of the many boys and BFFs in Maya's life. The drug investigation, which brings together many of the characters and storylines, leads to a suspenseful and dangerous climax, but Maya's confident, clever and funny narrative voice makes the seriousness feel in keeping with the rest of the story. From gossip to guns, a fast-paced and enjoyable ride. (Fiction. 12-18)

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April 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Maya Morgan's adventures as a teen gossip show host reach new levels of drama in this addition to the series. As an only child, Maya is used to her independent lifestyle, but it is suddenly turned upside-down by the arrival of her troublesome cousin, Travis. He hooks up with her BFF Sheridan, against Maya's wishes. Soon thereafter, Travis introduces Maya to his friend Sammy, a supposedly successful music producer, and they start dating. In the midst of all the romance, there is a new synthetic and dangerous drug on the streets of Miami, K2, ruining the lives of both average teens and celebrities. Maya decides to go undercover and infiltrate the drug ring. Things go awry when she is kidnapped, and she discovers that sometimes the people closest to us are the ones with the worst of intentions. Unfortunately, the novel has a vapid plot, corny dialogue, and characters whose stories barely intertwine. There are better choices within the urban YA genre.-Lindsay Klemas, JM Rapport School for Career Development, Bronx, NY

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