Revenge of the Wannabes

Fiction By Lisi Harrison
Reviewed by Jennifer D.
Not in the NVHS collection as of this post


Massie Block and Alicia Rivera have been best friends for what seems like forever. Now, in the third clique book, by Lisi Harrison, this friendship is having a brutal battle for popularity. In the past two books Alicia and Massie, along with Kristin and Dylan, have always done everything together, Friday night sleepovers at Massie’s, the fun shopping trips, and even carpooling to school, until the pretty committee separated, leading into utter chaos. Will Massie be able to hold their friendship together and be able to again say “’because tonight everything is perfect?”’ (Harrison, 296).

Envied by all who goes to Octavian Country Day School, Massie Block has always been the alpha- of the pretty committee, and Claire Lyons, the daughter of the family living in the Block’s guest house, has always been the outcast. Right as Massie finally realizes Claire isn’t as much of a disgusting loser as she thought, and begins to invite her on friendly outings, Alicia begins to wonder what it’s like to be the Alpha-, the leader, like Massie is. Slowly over the course of the book, Alicia and her previous best friends drift apart, making it so eventually Massie reveals the “Current State of Union: In Claire, Out Alicia” (126). Seeing this, Alicia, devastated by her own mistakes, stealing and lying, and also by losing her best friends, she finds a new group, where Massie wouldn’t always be in the spot light. Trying to avoid losing even more friends, both Massie and Alicia become completely conniving, and Alicia even leads to giving bribes and sending out blackmail. Will their friendship ever be back to normal, or could there always be eternal wannabes tagging along, never allowing it to be the same again?

I think Revenge of the Wannabes is an enjoyable, relaxing read, which still doesn’t bore you to death. Harrison does a wonderful job of showing the immaturity that many young teens have, making it an easy book to relate to, and even laugh at. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl, who would like to relax and enjoy a nice, somewhat humorous book.