Title: New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison
Publication date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780373210428
Welcome to Manderley Academy
I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited…. So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.
It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley—the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by not perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me.
Then, there's the name on my lips—Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place. Waiting to take it back.
This book is a retelling of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier which I have yet to read so I can't compare the story, we are introduced to the "New Girl" as she gets accepted to Manderley Academy, when she arrives at Manderley all drama unleashes, the New Girl realizes she was accepted just because Becca Normandy disappeared and now she is living under her shadow, nobody wants to know the New Girl, everything she does is compared to Becca and if that wasn't enough, her roommate is obsessed with Becca, this leads to some creepy chapters that I really enjoyed.
The book alternates between the New Girl and Becca's perspective. I like being able to read both points of view, this just adds to the suspense. Becca is extremely difficult to like, she always gets what she wants at any costs, using her beauty to manipulate those around her. The mystery of her disappearance was the reason I kept reading until the end. We get to see how the New Girl starts to stand strong against all the tension.
I didn't cared for the romance. Max was just annoying for me, he was attached to Becca by nothing more than pressure and had me rolling my eyes from time to time.
I personally found some situations in the book difficult to believe starting for the reason the parents of the New Girl send her to boarding school and the end just fell flat for me, that's the reason I gave only 3 stars.This book had some sexual situations that I don't think where very descriptive.
Overall I enjoyed the writing style and the story in general was entertaining throughout the book.
Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.