Parents' Guide to

Hotlanta

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Rich twins find family secret. Formulaic but fun.

Book Denee Millner , Mitzi Miller Coming of Age 2008
Hotlanta Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

christina4703
christina4703 Adult
February 15, 2011
age 13+
Hated it. The language is clunky and poorly constructed. The blatant consumerism, instead of making me envious of the twins' glamorous life, made me roll my eyes and dislike

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much consumerism
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Twins enjoy the princess life in Atlanta: attending the "premier, predominantly African-American private institution of learning in the Atlanta area," shopping for designer clothes, driving luxury cars, and generally having it all. But when good girl Sydney starts spending time with her father, who is just out of prison, and sexy Lauren hooks up with a boy from the right side of the tracks, they begin to find cracks in their perfect life -- including that their stepfather may actually be a mobster.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Readers who like reading series about rich girls with problems will likely enjoy this debut about African-American twins growing up spoiled in Atlanta. At least as much as Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars or any other series. This book is contrived down to the last detail -- even Sydney's and Lauren's opposite natures seem scripted -- but it has all the stuff that many of today's teens are gripped by: It's packed with labels. It has romance. It even has intrigue: The girls discover that their father is not a car dealer, but rather a mobster.

The Duke twins don't give you a lot to like. Both seem self-centered, though Sydney is more concerned with good-girl appearances, while Lauren has a bit of a bad-girl rep. But there is probably enough drama here between Lauren's relationship with a boy from the poor side of town, and the girls' recent revelation about the stepfather who has always bought them everything, to keep readers looking forward to the next installment. Hopefully, next time around the girls will gain a bit more depth -- and maybe actually solve a few of their problems.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the popularity of series about rich girls. What is it about these books that are appealing? Like most of the books, Hotlanta is filled with lots of designer labels, makeup, and cars. Why do the authors label-drop like this? Does it make you more aware of labels? Does it make you want to buy more designer goods?

Book Details

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