Elizabeth Eulberg

From Eulberg retells Jane AustenвЂTMs still popular tale of class, love, and danger both emotional and physical. Setting this version in a contemporary Connecticut school for the socially elite, and casting Lizzie Bennett as a scholarship student and musical prodigy, EulbergвЂTMs story unfolds along lines predictable both from the original plot and the spate of recent “mean rich girls” novels. That said, this version does justice to Austen and shows up the utter silliness of kids rich in material—and designer brand name—goods, the moodiness of some males (not often mined in YA literature), and the ways truth can be hidden by both outright lying (on the part of Wick, the villain of the piece) and shyness (both LizzieвЂTMs and DarcyвЂTMs). This makes, in all, a fairly delightful blend of past and present value systems and social expectations. For those who havenвЂTMt read the original, that will be the obvious next stop; for those who have, thereвЂTMs fun to be had in forecasting how Eulberg will rescript each upcoming scene. Grades 7-10. --Francisca Goldsmith Review Praise for The Lonely Hearts Club: "A must-read for anyone who's ever fallen in love-or sworn it off completely. A funny, fantastic debut." -Stephenie Meyer, author of The Twilight Saga "The Lonely Hearts Club turns the world of teen dating upside-down, proving that a girl can ignore 'the rules' and still land squarely, happily, and hilariously on her feet."-Lauren Myracle, author of ttyl "Very enjoyable and extremely cute…. A great debut!"-www.TeensReadToo.com "It's hard not to get caught up in this good natured revenge fantasy."-The New York Times Book Review "A delightful coming-of-age story about learning to define yourself without shutting the door on love." -Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games trilogy From the much-buzzed-about author of THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB (already blurbed by Stephenie Meyer, Lauren Myracle, and Jen Calonita), a prom-season delight of Jane Austen proportions. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date. After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn't interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be - especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London. Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles's friend, Will Darcy, who's snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn't seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it's because her family doesn't have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk - so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway? For Lizzie Bennett, a music scholarship student at Connecticut's exclusive, girls-only Longbourn Academy, the furor over prom is senseless, but even more puzzling is her attraction to the pompous Will Darcy, best friend of her roommate's boyfriend