They’re here for a higher education . . .
and you won’t believe how far they’ll go.
Dexter College is a small liberal arts college in the quiet town of Home, Maine. But it won’t stay quiet for long with this group of freshmen. There’s Shipley—blonde and beautiful, the object of envy and more than a little lust. Determined to assert herself and to shed her good-girl image, she buys cigarettes and condoms, because that’s what every self-respecting college girl does. Her edgy roommate, Eliza, came to Dexter to get noticed, and she has the attitude and the mouth to prove it. Then there’s Tom. Handsome, privileged, used to getting his own way, he’s a jock-turned-artist who thinks his paintings will change the world. Sensitive Nick, Tom’s wake-and-bake pot-smoking roommate, wants to follow in the footsteps of his boarding-school hero. And then there are brother and sister Adam and Tragedy Gatz. The freckle-faced farm boy lives at home with his parents and his little sister, who does all she can to stop him from being a wuss.
As Shipley, Eliza, Tom, Nick, and Adam find out, that first year of college is more than credits and cramming. Between the lust and the love, the secrecy and the scandal, they’ll all receive an unexpected education. It’s a time of shifting alliances, unrequited crushes, and coming of age. Find Yourself is Dexter’s motto. And they are determined to do just that.
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“Ziegesar, whose Gossip Girl novels spawned the mega-hit TV series, adds a crisp and surprisingly steely edge that keeps the precocious teens from devolving entirely into smug knuckleheads.”
— Publishers Weekly
" ...this was supposed to be an adult novel? Really? "
— Kelly, 4/15/2011" I actually only thought this book was worth about 2.5 stars, but I think it deserves an extra .5 just for referencing Ice Castles. "
— Laura, 4/14/2011" I just did not like this book. I kind of thought it was all over the place and sometimes I could tell which character it was about. "
— Megan, 3/22/2011" I enjoyed this book and hope she makes it into a whole series!! "
— Stephanie, 2/21/2011" This book totally reminded me of college and St.Joe life "
— Ashley, 2/19/2011" c'était vraiment plate, je n'ai jamais été intéressé par l'histoire. "
— Alison, 2/7/2011" it started off okay, but i skipped at the end. "
— Kelly, 2/3/2011" This book could be best described as "meh". It was moderately entertaining but I don't think I would pick anything up by this author again. "
— Tenna, 1/29/2011" Not bad for a light read - the plot had some twists I didn't expect, and I liked the characters. Also, I kinda loved the bit about the Mercedes sharing - totally ridiculous, yet oddly poetic. "
— Eliza, 1/20/2011" I actually think the Gossip Girls series is better, and that is not saying much. It is set in Maine, but the state comes across as a stereotype of fried seafood restaurants and crazy natives. "
— Beth, 1/9/2011" I am disappointed this is the first book I completed in 2011. It was difficult to find the desire to read it all the way through. "
— Raechel, 1/7/2011Cecily von Ziegesar is the creator of the #1 bestselling Gossip Girl and #1 bestselling It Girl novels. She has always lived in New York City.
Tara Sands is an American actress, television host, and voice talent who has won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration. She is former cohost of Fridays on the Cartoon Network. In addition to performing in plays and musicals, her voice can be heard on numerous commercials, audiobooks, cartoons, and video games.