Belles
Isabelle Scott, 15, lives with her grandmother in Harborview, a down-market North Carolina boardwalk town. Between swimming, working, and spending time with friends, life is fine—if only Gram wasn’t going downhill mentally. Gram has made arrangements, however, and when she is unable to care for her granddaughter, Izzie finds herself living in posh Emerald Cove with relatives she has never met before. Calonita wades into soapy territory here, especially as Izzie and her same-age cousin, Mirabelle, try to make it work at home and in school, but the story is told with plenty of panache. There’s a secret that frames the narrative, and which is pretty easy to figure out. The fish-out-of-water elements have the most bang, complete with designer names, catty social clubs, and forbidden romance. A political campaign also plays a role. Told in alternating chapters by Izzie and Mira, this dual perspective adds an effective layer to the story. Grades 7-12. --Ilene Cooper