Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com

THE DEBS is told through the eyes of four girls in Houston, Texas. These four girls being... Laura Delacroix Bell, Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie, Ginger Fore, and Jo-Lynn Bidwill. Laura, Mac, and Ginger have been best friends for ages. Jo-Lynn is basically their enemy. The one thing these four girls all have in common is the desire to be a Debutante Rosebud in the illustrious Glass Slipper Club.

Laura is a size-14 girl whose mother is friends with the head of the GSC committee. She is totally psyched to be a Rosebud, and she and her mother both think she's a shoe-in. But Jo-Lynn has had it out for her ever since she dated Avery, who is one of the most popular guys in school. After Laura gets back from fat camp, Avery happens to show up at the airport. Will this end up causing Laura even more trouble with Jo-Lynn?

Mac would definitely rather be reading than become a deb. But it was her late mother's dream for Mac, so of course Mac needs to do it. Also, it doesn't help that her new step-mom, Honey Potts, is obsessed with Mac becoming a deb, too. With her two best friends also in the running, she decides it might not be such bad idea after all.

Ginger is really excited at the thought of becoming a Rosebud, and she'd really love to be able to wear her grandmother's vintage ball gown on the big presentation day. But when a really cute college guy, Javier, gets her into a bit of trouble involving a protest over a tree that is supposed to be torn down to make more room for parking at her school, she could end up in hot water. Hopefully, it won't cost her the chance to become a Rosebud.

Jo-Lynn is a former beauty queen who makes it her mission in life to take out the so-called "debu-trash." Her main target, of course, being Laura Bell. What she has in store for Laura is not in the least ladylike. But she has no idea that payback could be finding a way straight to her door. What's a stuck-up and spoiled beauty queen to do?

This was such a great book. I loved how each chapter was told through each different girls' experience. And I liked how great of friends Laura, Mac, and Ginger are. They would do anything for each other (including finding a way to take down Jo-Lynn) and I think that was the greatest thing about this book.

Ms. McBride has a great writing style and I loved each and every one of her characters. I even liked Jo-Lynn, despite her witchiness. All in all, this was just a fabulous book about the lives of four different girls who all want the same thing. Definitely check it out. Hopefully, you'll love it as much as I did! ( )

Laura Bell, Michelle “Mac” Mackenzie and Ginger Fore have a lot to look forward to! These best friends will be starting their senior year and eagerly awaiting their invitations to Glass Slipper Club! Then they can officially start their debutante season as Rosebuds!There is a prestigious selection process to become a Rosebud, and these girls need to behave like a debutante would. Unfortunately, Jo-Lynn Bidwill, the evil queen, is waiting on her invitation as well. Her mother happens to be the head of the selection committee, so you can almost guarantee Jo-Lynn’s name will be on the list. Jo-Lynn would love nothing more than to see Laura Bell out of contention for good, and she may just have her way.What an enticing beginning to what I’m sure will be a fabulous series!! The Debs certainly left me craving more! I can’t wait to see what happens to these three girls! And I really hope Jo-Lynn gets what is coming to her. This was a fast read for me, but I think it definitely had to do with the fact that I was engulfed with the story! The chapters sort of alternate among the four girls, so you get a peek at each one’s life. That made the story so much more enjoyable for me. If you are looking for a fun read this summer, look no further than The Debs! I know I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the next book in the series Love, Lies and Texas Dips, coming June 2009! I seriously don’t think I can wait that long! ( )

Enter a world of three best friends, and one enemy, and a yearning above yearnings to make it onto the Glass Slipper Club, all mixed into the warm Texan atmosphere and lots of boys to go around. However, as things start heating up for Laura with her enemy, Jo Lynn and it looks like because of one blow out she might not make it on the club after all, or will Mac's step mom come in and save the day? And what about Ginger with her trip to the police station after being used in a very un-formal way? It all comes down to one last things, will Laura, Mac, Ginger, AND enemy Jo Lynn all find themselves wearing the beautiful white gown that they have been looking forward to for years before?

When I went into reading "The Debs" by Susan McBride I had really high standards. I expected a lot from it. However, my expectations didn't quite get met as much as I had hoped. "The Debs" had some interesting parts that were original and fun to read that made you want to keep reading to the end of the book and find out what happened, but it seemed like the plot was not as well developed as I would have liked. I liked Mac a lot because of her down to earth nature that I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to. I do think that Susan McBride is a super good righter, as she puts a lot of details into her book, but I think that the story needed just a little bit better of a developed plot. Overall, I think that "The Debs" is a pretty neat book, and would make a good Summer read! I am looking forward to reading the next in the series, "Love Lies and Texas Dips" that's coming out in June, and "Gloves Off" that is coming in Spring 2010!

The Debs, written by Susan McBride is a guilty pleasure for me.

I am a few years pass the Young Adult age and living in Montreal, even if I were a YA, I am very far removed from the Southern Debutante lifestyle. So, reading this book give me the opportunity of living the life of a deb through the eyes of 4 very different girls.

The story of these girls who are all being "tagged" as debs for the upcoming season is absolutely hugely entertaining.

Laura who struggles with her body image and has to go through life (and the Debutant season in a size 14 body - horrors!); but more than that, she may have a secret that could destroy her.

Michelle who wants nothing to do with the debutante society, but finds herself doing for her late mother and her current stepmother's own selfish reasons.

Ginger who sees the ball as a ways to a means.

And finally.... the tie that binds them all together....

Jo-lynn who is going to make sure that none of these girls gets the "title".

I think of all the characters, Jo-Lynn was my favorite. She was absolutely horrible, no conscience and absolutely nothing standing in her way (including the three girls).

I traditionally, like these type of characters because they give "spice" to the storyline and let me say, J0-Lynn is one mean character. Some of the stuff she does (stoops to really) borders on the obsessive and is great fun. As I was reading, I could not wait to see what horror she would think of next.

This book is a fun read. There is non-stop action and there is a nice diversity between all of the characters - there is a character for everyone here.

The storyline is well brought together and the writing is down to earth - non preachy and just a joy to read.

I strongly recommend that you get this delightful book. ( )