Delectable Dramas for Teens Tuned into the 'Gossip Girl' Reboot | Read-Alikes

Four novels with diverse characters chronicle the travails of wealthy teens. xoxo.

HBO Max

Gossip Girl

TV-MA. HBO Max. Now available.

This reboot of the show that aired on the CW from 2007-2012 follows a new generation of teens at an elite private school in New York City. Teens who love intrigue and lavish drama will be watching this one.



 

READ-ALIKES

Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee. Flatiron. 2020.
Gr 10 Up–This contemporary retelling of Anna Karenina follows wealthy Manhattanite Anna K, a biracial (Korean and white), 17-year-old prep school student, as she falls for the notoriously charming Alexi Vronsky, despite the fact that Anna has a boyfriend. Readers who like to live vicariously through characters flitting from parties to nightclubs to exclusive premiers will enjoy this high-drama story told from multiple points of view.

Clique Bait by Ann Valett. Harper. 2020.
Gr 9 Up–When white teen Chloe’s best friend is taken down by the vicious social elite at their exclusive private school, she decides to infiltrate the “Level Ones” to get her revenge in this gripping novel. Hand this page-turner to teens who love a scandal.

Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen. Little, Brown. 2018.
Gr 10 Up–Jack is well known at his private, New York City high school; when you’re gay, have bold fashion sense, and have a lot of sex, you frequently end up being the topic of conversation. But when Jack starts writing a sex-positive advice column for the school newspaper, the attention starts to turn threatening. Part mystery and part exploration of sexuality, this bold novel will please fans of the drama and relationship plotlines in the show.

My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong. S. & S./Simon Pulse. 2020.
Gr 9 Up–Chinese American Iris is spending the summer with family in Beijing, reconnecting with her roots after failing her senior year of high school. Swept up into the world of Beijing’s elite upper class society, Iris must decide if her impulsive decisions and shopaholic tendencies reflect who she really is. Also a Crazy Rich Asians read-alike, My Summer will appeal to teens who enjoy a window onto the opulent lives of the wealthy elite.

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