One of the most celebrated writers among young readers, Cecily von Ziegesar earned a permanent place on the shelves of a legion of readers with her bestselling series Gossip Girl and It Girl. With over 200,000 copies sold in Brazil, Gossip Girl, considered the Sex and the City for teenagers, spawned the eponymous TV series, produced by the creator of The O.C., which quickly became a ratings champion on the Warner Channel. Raised in New York's upper crust and attending one of the city's most upscale schools, the author brings a healthy dose of realism to the characters she created, as refined, elegant, frivolous, and fun as those she knew. After the success of both series—which spawned a third, Gossip Girls: The Carlyles—she once again embraces the genre with her new novel. In "Com Praise," Shipley is the quintessential good girl. She never does anything wrong, has a good relationship with her family, and has just entered Dexter College, one of the best and most traditional universities in New England. On top of all that, she's beautiful, blonde, and, surprisingly, a virgin. Shy by nature, Shipley is determined to rebuild her image from scratch: she arrives on campus with a pack of cigarettes in her purse and a piece of gum in her mouth. All to make new friends. On her first night, Shipley meets three other freshmen, and somehow they end up becoming friends—a far from homogeneous group of friends, by the way. Eliza, her roommate, couldn't be more different from her; she's sloppy and speaks with a less-than-elegant tongue. Tom is the stereotypical preppy but has a strange penchant for the arts. Nick is a sensitive, allergic hippie who always has a joint handy. And then there are siblings Adam and Tragedy Gatz—the shy, freckled one, and the clueless beauty. The story takes place in the 1990s, when no one was allowed to gossip via text message or post the latest rumor online. This only serves to bring them closer together—whether through detention or drunkenness! As the year progresses, the five friends realize that college isn't just about academics. Amid desperate weeks of exams, boring classes, wild parties, and unlikely romances, each will experience their own dose of extracurricular learning. "Know thyself" is the original motto of these students, who are willing to break a few rules, if necessary, to have a great time!
