Throwback Thursday: Princess Ashley

Throwback Thursday is a new feature at Reading Lark. We'll still be doing some Book Boyfriend Posts and Book BFF Posts on Thursdays as well, but the Larks wanted a little variety on Thursdays. Throwback Thursday will allow us to throwback to some of the reads we've loved -- whether it's a book reviewed last year, a book we hid under the covers to read as a teen, or a picture book from our childhood -- we hope you'll enjoy reliving the memories as much as we do!

Princess Ashley

By: Richard Peck
Published: 1988 

 

I read this book so many times I can still visualize exactly where it was shelved at my local library. When Princess Ashley came out in 1988 I was in 6th grade and my family had just moved away from the town where I knew everyone, had tons of friends, and was a favored darling at school (both of my parents were teachers in the district). As a result, I started the year at a new school, and the dream of being hand-picked for anything by the most popular girl in school was a very real one for me. Over the following years, I read several other books by Peck, but I always came back to this one. I must have read it five or six times and loved every single one.

Summary via Goodreads

A newcomer at Crestwood High, Chelsea is perfectly willing to view sophomore year from the sidelines. But she is stunned when out of the blue, beautiful, powerful Ashley Packard handpicks her as a member of the group, a magic circle in a school full of strangers.

Chelsea is charmed and amazed at her sudden insider status, and ignores her mother's warnings about Ashley and the world she rules.

But as senior year draws near, Chelsea becomes disillusioned with her role as follower. Can she stop Ashley's manipulations and avert the tragedy looming ahead?