The Insiders by J. Minter

Mickey: wild & reckless daredevil

David: the world's most sensitive jock

Arno: womanizer

Patch: M.I.A

Jonathan: mediator, peacemaker, "social glue"



Jonathan, Mickey, David, Arno, and Patch are best friends living in Manhattan.
Jonathan seems to be the only one that cares whether they stay friends or not so he isn't exactly elated when his cousin Kelli from St. Louis tags along to his friends' party with him. As if he needs someone else to keep track of. She proves she doesn't need taking care of, though, when she becomes the center of attention on the social scene. Making sure Kelli doesn't destroy every relationship in town is a full time job. The guys just can't stay away from her and the girls hate her for it.

Arno isn't helping the situation when he breaks the guy "code" and hooks up with David AND Jonathan's girlfriends. Despite his involvement with them, he falls madly in love with Kelli, the one girl who doesn't melt at the sight of him. David is crushed when he finds out who his girlfriend cheated on him with and is even caught crying in public (on national television, no less.) Jonathan has a crush on someone else anyway so he isn't really concerned.
Throughout the whole story, Jonathan tries to get a search party together to find Patch, who has been missing in action for longer than usual. The ending leaves things open for a sequel.

I did not like this book at all. It reminded me of Gossip Girl, except from a guys point of view. For me, it was hard to relate to because all the characters were either too mindless, too sensitive, stereotypical (player, jock), or just plain flat. It seemed like all they did was hook up with girls, party, and get upset over girls. Not much of a plot. I was very disappointed. If you like books like Gossip Girl & It Girl, this might be the kind of book you would enjoy. Although, I've read the first books in those series and I thought they were better than The Insiders.

2 out of 5 stars