Surviving High School

Lele Pons, a Vine personality with ten million followers, co-wrote this debut novel with Melissa de la Cruz, the author of The Isle of the Lost. Despite her online popularity, the heroine eats lunch alone at a new school in Miami, where she is an easy target for teasing. Then one night her internet fame lifts her into the popular group, bringing a fresh round of problems: constant drama, cutthroat cliques, the strange side effects of being recognized online, and the pressure to keep her grades up and keep her parents happy.

The story captures the highs and lows of high school in a playful, energetic voice. It covers crushes, including a new transfer student named Alexei, fake parties arranged for social media, late-night homework complaints shared with best friends, and friendships that are not always reliable. The heroine is goofy, self-deprecating, and quick to laugh at herself, and the book suggests that a public tumble is embarrassing but never the end of the world.

The novel is aimed at teen readers and is written as a light, funny fish-out-of-water story. Its tone sits close to a teen comedy, and readers who enjoyed Mean Girls will find a similar mix of school politics and humor.