This series debut, about a group of mostly African-American teens at a New York City performing arts school, has a lot of the familiar trappings: backstabbing friends, closeted characters, absent parents, drugs, sex, fashion. But it does have a fun premise and enough lively dialogue to hook readers who like these never-ending soap opera sagas. At least these characters are good at something besides shopping, starving themselves, and gossip (though there's plenty of that here, too) -- they sweat on the dance floor, practice their drama dialogs, etc. Even the drugged-out, popular-but-hollow senior girl is presented as an enormous acting talent.
The big problem with this book -- and a lot of these clique lit series installments -- is that it spews too many story lines. Nothing is resolved here, and characters don't really show any growth. Fans may itch for the next volume, but they really won't have learned anything here.