The Popularity Rules

August 15, 2011
Ex-besties achieve fame by applying high school rules to London’s social scene in McDonald’s biting second novel. From the day they met as awkward, unattractive freshmen, Kat and Lauren were inseparable. But the summer they turned 16, Lauren transformed, returning to school gorgeous and instantly popular—leaving Kat in the dust. Now in her late 20s, Kat is a music journalist whose caustic feminist rants often find her passed over in favor of her less experienced, more fashion-forward colleagues. By chance she reconnects with Lauren, now a branding consultant, who reveals that her success came from a mysterious diary containing a detailed plan to achieving popularity that she discovered as a teen. The rules for the adult world are no different, she argues, offering to teach Kat. After an extreme makeover and some schmoozing tips, Kat is transformed into the music scene’s new “it girl,” and the writing jobs, sycophants, and party invites roll in. Kat’s nagging doubts about selling out, and suspicions about Lauren, are inevitable, but a few clever twists that teach both women some surprising lessons about power, success, and friendship save the story. Though McDonald’s supporting characters tend toward caricature and the endless stream of “industry events” can be tedious, readers will relish the ride. A gleeful skewering of pop culture, modern femininity, and female bonding.

September 1, 2011
Music journalist Kat Elliott isn't afraid to take pop musicians down a notch, detests networking, and doesn't care about her image. When her nonconformist ways lead to her ousting from Think Louder magazine, Kat reinvents herself with the help of her ultra-successful former friend Lauren and an old guide to life known as the Popularity Rules. Lauren first adopted the rules in high school and has since left Kat behind. Now she's letting Kat in on her secret. Armed with a new look and a method for making and manipulating friends, Kat begins to fit in the scene she once eschewed, and her career takes off. What both women realize, however, is that chasing popularity can have dire consequences. McDonald, author of The Liberation of Alice Love (2011), offers an entertaining modern take on the classic myth of Pygmalion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)