Bibliography: Harrison, Lisi. (2009). Alphas. New York: Poppy.  ISBN: 978-0316035798

Plot Summary: Shira Brazille, billionaire entrepreneur, has a new venture: Alpha Academy.  She has gathered together 100 teen age girls–artists, musicians, dancers, scientists, chefs, writers and more–they will live together, eat together, sleep together, train together on a special man made island full of incredible science fiction gadgets, but in the end, only one will survive to win untold fame and fortune.  Dancer Skye, singer-songwriter Allie J. and inventor Charlie find themselves at Alpha Academy, living in the same house and trying to avoid getting thrown out.  But Skye has boys on the brain, Allie J.is hiding a big secret, and Charlie had to make an awful choice to get in.  Will they make till the end?

Critical Analysis: The premise of this book is intriguing.  The set up, the futuristic gadgets, the island, pod planes, bubble train, A-pods and more show a unique imagined world.  The characters are a little stock and two dimensional, but you find yourself caring what happens to them.  I found Charlie to be the most dimensional and well drawn, perhaps because she is the most different from all the other Alphas.  She has talent but not the kind that is easily recognized by others.  She has a mother who loves her and a best friend who becomes her boyfriend but then loses them when she chooses Alpha Academy.  She has a hard time getting along with the other girls because she has to hid her feelings and connections to the Brazille family.

Part of me wishes I hadn’t listened to this on audio.  Hearing the words spoken highlight the “teenspeak” and awful clunky writing that permeates the novel.  I must be honest and tell you several times I was tempted to stop listening but the story and characters carried the story along.  I can see why tween girls love Harrison, but wonder how much staying power these books will have.  That being said, I keep looking (hoping) that a library will get the next volume on audio.

Reviewed from public library downloadable audio book.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.