FREDDIE AND STELLA GOT HOT

When a revenge plot goes south, a teen must turn to an unlikely ally for help.

Tired of feeling invisible, best friends Freddie and Stella hatch a plan to dethrone their former friend turned popular girl, Levi, and prevent her from winning their school’s prestigious scholarship award, which she’s coveted for years. They adopt new “hot girl” personas, weasel their way in with Levi’s friends, and engage in sabotage to bring Levi down. But when Stella takes things too far, Freddie realizes that the plan is spiraling out of control, and she must turn to Levi for help. As Freddie and Levi spend more time together, old feelings between them rise to the surface, and Freddie faces new questions about her friendship with Stella and what she wants for herself. The novel is witty and, delightfully, draws upon beloved movie tropes, which film-obsessed Freddie points out on-page. Freddie’s journey to becoming her own person outside of her friendship with Stella is satisfying and includes a swoonworthy slow-burn romance with Levi. Unfortunately, the ending feels rushed, with all the conflicts neatly (and unrealistically) resolved. Horne introduces themes of power and privilege but doesn’t fully explore them. Freddie, Stella, and Levi are queer and cued white; there’s some racial diversity among the supporting cast.

A fun, banter-filled story about getting revenge and finding love—and maybe yourself—along the way.