Amigas and School Scandals

by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Book Overview

Home Is Where The Drama Is. . . Mariana Ruiz is bringing a lot home from her vacation in Puerto Rico, including memories of a hot summer romance, a new understanding of her (sometimes crazy) family. . .and her cousin Lilly Sanchez, who's enrolling in Mariana's suburban Philadelphia high school. Mariana's best friends, Madison and Emily, aren't thrilled about the new arrival, especially when Lilly soars through the ranks of Spring Mills High's social...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0758225555
• ISBN13: 9780758225559
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Kensington -Teen
• Length: 295 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Young Adult book - Wallach

First of a 3 book series by first time YA author. Enjoyed book and learned about the culture in Puerto Rico. Purchased the other books and loved the whole series.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

AMIGAS AND SCHOOL SCANDALS picks up where AMOR AND SUMMER SECRETS leaves off. Mariana Ruiz has returned to her home in Spring Mills. But she's bringing home extra baggage - her cousin Lily. Mariana's father convinced Lily's parents that she'd get a better education in suburban Philadelphia than she would in the hills of Puerto Rico. Mariana's friends, Madison and Emily, are stunned when they notice Lily's presence upon their welcome home greetings. Mariana and Lily have become as close as sisters since their summer, and Madison and Emily show some signs of jealousy at their bond. The situation becomes even touchier when Lily gains instant popularity her first day of school. Mariana, Emily, and especially Madison can't understand why Lily has garnered such attention upon her arrival. After all, Mariana and Lily could practically pass as twins. And Mariana has never received the attention that Lily is getting. Torn between the tension her best friends Emily and Madison have created with Lily, Mariana's sophomore year is starting off different than she expected. To add to the confusion, Emily has been acting weird and secretive around them. And her locker buddy, Bobby, has actually said more than "hi" to Mariana this year. Then again, they're now lab buddies. When the girls are invited up to Cornell to visit Mariana's brother, Vincent, at college, they jump at the chance. But soon, unexpected secrets are revealed and may blow up in everyone's faces. AMIGAS AND SCHOOL SCANDALS is an excellent continuation of Mariana's life. It flows naturally from the end of the first book of the series into this one. I wasn't too keen on Madison's character in the first book, but she develops more in the second story. Lily is a constant surprise, and Mariana continually grows and adapts to the changes around her. Ms. Wallach writes a series that instant captures the reader and keeps them enthralled until the final page. She makes you feel such a part of their lives that you want to see what will happen next. And if you do want to know what happens next with the gang, pick up ADIOS TO ALL THE DRAMA. Reviewed by: Jaglvr

High School Drama

After a summer vacation in Puerto Rico, Mariana Ruiz has returned to Spring Mills and her old life. But she's brought home her cousin, Lilly, who is enrolling in Mariana's high school. After only one day of classes, Lilly in an instant hit, and the most popular freshman in the school - and Mariana's best friends are less than thrilled with her arrival. Now Mariana needs to restore her strained relationships with Madison and Emily. Missing Madison's Sweet Sixteen party over the summer was a faux pas she may never live down, until Madison talks her into having her own party for her sixteenth birthday. But Mariana doesn't want a bash like Madison's, so Lilly helps with a compromise. Along with friend problems, Mariana still has family issues to deal with. Her estranged aunt wants to be part of the family, but Mariana's uncles still hold grudges against her. And Mariana finds herself suddenly attracted to her locker buddy, Bobby, who had gone on a date with Emily over the summer. Emily won't tell anyone about it, which confuses Mariana as to her friend's feelings for Bobby - until the truth finally comes out. Amigas and School Scandals picks up right where Amor and Summer Secrets left off, as Mariana leaves Utuado and her summer fling, Alex. But although summer is over, new dramas and tensions are just heating up. Teens will easily relate to Mariana's struggles to include her cousin Lilly into her circle of friendship, while doing all she can to keep her best friends, even if it means passing up a hot guy. Amigas and School Scandals will pull you into Mariana's world and keep you hooked until the last page. I look forward to reading the final book in this series. Reviewer: Alice Berger, Bergers Book Reviews

Cute, but not as good as the first

Mariana Ruíz is finally back from her Puerto Rican exile/vacation, but although it's good to be back home in Spring Mills, Mariana is still a little nervous. She fell out of touch with her best friends Madison and Emily, and they still don't know about the red-headed souvenir named Lilly that Mariana has brought back to the States. Predictably, spoiled long-time friends and foreign newfound cousin clash, especially when Lilly becomes one of the most popular girls in school. But that's not all: Mariana has a Sweet Sixteen bash to plan (against her will), she might be developing a crush on her locker buddy and lab partner Bobby--even though she's unsure if one of her friends likes him, and the "bastard" sister's upcoming move to the US is bound to stir up some family drama. Whoever thought family, friends, and heritage could create such a mess? Although I have to say I liked this novel's prequel Amor and Summer Secrets better than Amigas and School Scandals, it was nonetheless a fun and enjoyable read. This novel has all the petty jealousies and dramas seen in popular teen series such as Gossip Girl and The Elite as well as deeper family scandals and potential friendship rifts that gave the story a more dramatic and suspenseful flair. In a way, I didn't like how this novel was set in the US, as opposed to its prequel's setting in Puerto Rico, because it made the story a bit too similar to Gossip Girl and the like for my taste, although more low-key. I appreciated the depth to Mariana's character, but I would've also liked a little more development of the minor characters like Lilly. Overall, though, I thought Amigas and School Scandals was a great guilty-pleasure about friendship and family. I recommend this novel for readers who liked its prequel Amor and Summer Secrets, even if the first book was better than the second. I look forward to the release of the third in this series, Adíos to All the Drama in January '09.

entertaining teen drama

After spending her summer with her older brother in Puerto Rico with family she never met before, Mariana Ruiz returns home to suburban Spring Mills, Pennsylvania to go back to high school. Her cousin Lilly Sanchez has come with her to attend Spring Mills High School as a freshman. To everyone's shock except perhaps Mariana, Lilly is the most popular frosh in the school after only one day. Mariana's best friends Madison and Emily are outraged and envious of Lilly's stratospheric nanosecond rise. Having missed Madison's Sweet Sixteen party due to her PR vacation, Mariana and her pals plan one for her. Meanwhile her estranged aunt pleads with the family to take her back, but her uncles and her parents have doubts as their anger is bone deep. In spite of her summer fling, Mariana is attracted to her locker buddy, Bobby, but hides her feelings because she is unsure if Emily, who dated him once during the summer, is interested. This is an entertaining teen drama as Mariana struggles with balancing her loyalty to her friends with welcoming her cousin, as Lilly did for her in AMOR AND SUMMER SECRETS. Mariana's difficulties ring true with her being pulled in several directions. Fans will appreciate her return home as AMIGAS AND SCHOOL SCANDALS is an engaging contemporary. Harriet Klausner