Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Pride and Prejudice takes place in a modern, LA high school! Elise Benton is Elizabeth Bennet and Derek Edwards, son of the famous movie star Melinda Anton, is Mr. Darcy!

My Thoughts:

1. As an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice this book was excellent! All the good bits are here, and the unnecessary stuff (Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine de Bourgh etc. etc.) is not. The Elise/Derek relationship progressed exactly as it should and it was just wonderful! Layla/Lydia also got a happier ending, however, there was no Mary! Granted, she wasn't a very important Bennet sister, but I always identified with her bookish-ness and I would've like to have seen Claire LaZebnik's take on her character. 
2. Juliana/Jane and Chase/Charles were just so adorable! 
3. Humor throughout keeps it from being too sappy!
4. The romance between Elise and Derek was just wonderful! He was the perfect example of brooding and mysterious by secretly sweet and adorable! The scenes toward the end when Jackie, his nanny, was embarrassing him and when he was tentative to sit next to Elise on the couch were so cute!
5. It's one of the books that just makes you giddy and happy and lovestruck all at once!

Who Should Read It:

• Jane Austen fans! I believe that this is a well done modern adaptation that stays true to the spirit of Jane Austen's characters and intentions. (Don't get me started on the travesty that was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.)
• Cute, fluffy romance fans! This is a nice light romance for all who long for happy endings!
• If you love the archetypal "bad"-brooding-guy-with-a-sensitive-side kind of hero (think Damon Salvatore or Lucius Vladescu or pretty much your standard issue love interest in a teen girl romance), Derek is a nice variation of that that goes in a different direction which I think you'll like (well, I liked it). 

Final Score: 9/10 

This book was wonderful, and I highly recommend you all check it out! For more info on Claire LaZebnik and her other works, check out her website here. I have tons of new books piled up, so I don't know what I'll be reviewing next!

Edit: It's going to be Cloaked by Alex Flinn (author of Beastly)! I'm about one third of the way in and I LOVE it, so stay tuned!