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Plan B
Coast through senior year. Graduate. Travel around Europe. Join boyfriend out East for college.
That's the plan. Then the phone rings.
Vanessa has the next year of her life pretty much figured out. Sure, there's some parental convincing to do but she and her celebrity-obsessed gal pal Taylor pretty much think their plan is airtight.
Then Vanessa's parents get a mysterious phone call and drop a bombshell on her that she never could have imagined. She has a half brother. And he's coming to live with them.
If that wasn't bad enough, this half brother is none other than Hollywood bad boy Reed Vaughn. He's famous. He's going to be a senior, too. And he's going to ruin Vanessa's life for sure....
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2006
20 people are currently reading
1779 people want to read
About the author
Jenny O'Connell
9 books254 followersPublished chick-lit under the name Jennifer O'Connell.
I haven't been called Jenny in years (thankfully), but I thought it was fitting to publish my teen book under the name that still makes me think of high school.
My high school days may be long behind me, but I have a lot in common with Vanessa, the main character in PLAN B. Like Vanessa, I also went to a small private school. I was also mildly obsessed with college from fifth grade on, thanks to a book I read in which one of the characters went to Dartmouth. But unlike Vanessa, my brother wasn't a TV star. And he didn't drive me crazy. I actually still like him. As for creating a How To guide for guys, like Emily does in THE BOOK OF LUKE, I can't say that I know enough to write an entire guide, but I did have a blast writing the tips at the beginning of each chapter. And I wish a guide like this did exist when I was in high school (and college and even after that!).
Last summer I was on Martha's Vineyard doing research for my upcoming Martha's Vineyard Novel series (tough job, but somebody’s got to do it). I hope this books capture what I love so much about the island
Although she's written about a reality dating show, a prescient pastry chef, and a woman who inspired an 80's rock hit, Jennifer has not spent hours dissecting The Bachelor, she can barely follow the directions on the back of a Betty Crocker box, and she can only dream of a long-haired, guitar-thrashing rocker even giving her a second glance.
I haven't been called Jenny in years (thankfully), but I thought it was fitting to publish my teen book under the name that still makes me think of high school.
My high school days may be long behind me, but I have a lot in common with Vanessa, the main character in PLAN B. Like Vanessa, I also went to a small private school. I was also mildly obsessed with college from fifth grade on, thanks to a book I read in which one of the characters went to Dartmouth. But unlike Vanessa, my brother wasn't a TV star. And he didn't drive me crazy. I actually still like him. As for creating a How To guide for guys, like Emily does in THE BOOK OF LUKE, I can't say that I know enough to write an entire guide, but I did have a blast writing the tips at the beginning of each chapter. And I wish a guide like this did exist when I was in high school (and college and even after that!).
Last summer I was on Martha's Vineyard doing research for my upcoming Martha's Vineyard Novel series (tough job, but somebody’s got to do it). I hope this books capture what I love so much about the island
Although she's written about a reality dating show, a prescient pastry chef, and a woman who inspired an 80's rock hit, Jennifer has not spent hours dissecting The Bachelor, she can barely follow the directions on the back of a Betty Crocker box, and she can only dream of a long-haired, guitar-thrashing rocker even giving her a second glance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 24, 2009
Typical high school chick lit book: boyfriend away at college, trying to get into college. The "movie star boyfriend" idea is interesting, but I find it hard to believe that his TV show would just give him a 9-month hiatus (needed to make the story plausible). No real surprises at all.
Also: they emphasize several times in the book that the narrator has well-chewed fingernails, yet the girl on the cover has a nice manicure. I was waiting and waiting for that to happen in the book but it never did. Guess the cover artist didn't read the story!
Also: they emphasize several times in the book that the narrator has well-chewed fingernails, yet the girl on the cover has a nice manicure. I was waiting and waiting for that to happen in the book but it never did. Guess the cover artist didn't read the story!
April 8, 2018
"Maybe planning everything wasn't really what it's all about. Maybe it's not about having a plan, or even a plan B. Maybe it's about seeing where life takes you and learning to enjoy the ride."
This book completely took me by surprise. I must admit at first it gave me a headache but after getting 20 pages in it got better. Vanessa is a character I could see myself in because she's selfish but doesn't mean to be and she just wants everything to go smoothly. Reed is your typical "bad boy" but his feelings and advice definitely go deeper than that. Throughout this book I was planning on giving it 3 or 3.5 stars but by the end I was in my feelings. I'm not sure if it's because my senior year is coming up and all the changes she went through made me feel some type of way but the character development Reed and Vanessa go through is the major reason for 5 stars. Their relationship at the end of the book made my heart flutter and I just love them. I really wish there was a sequel to this book that answers all my questions like: Did Vanessa choose Yale?, Did Reed go back to L.A?, Is Reed gonna shed his bad boy persona and become a theater actor? I usually hate open-ended endings but this is one of the few exceptions. Every thing played out perfectly and this book has earned a special place in my heart.
This book completely took me by surprise. I must admit at first it gave me a headache but after getting 20 pages in it got better. Vanessa is a character I could see myself in because she's selfish but doesn't mean to be and she just wants everything to go smoothly. Reed is your typical "bad boy" but his feelings and advice definitely go deeper than that. Throughout this book I was planning on giving it 3 or 3.5 stars but by the end I was in my feelings. I'm not sure if it's because my senior year is coming up and all the changes she went through made me feel some type of way but the character development Reed and Vanessa go through is the major reason for 5 stars. Their relationship at the end of the book made my heart flutter and I just love them. I really wish there was a sequel to this book that answers all my questions like: Did Vanessa choose Yale?, Did Reed go back to L.A?, Is Reed gonna shed his bad boy persona and become a theater actor? I usually hate open-ended endings but this is one of the few exceptions. Every thing played out perfectly and this book has earned a special place in my heart.
November 24, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Although I sometimes get irritated by the label of "chick lit" as a book genre, I'm going to be my own oxymoron and say that PLAN B by Jenny O'Connell is, indeed, teen chick lit. And that I also really liked the book, thoroughly enjoyed it, in fact, and can now no longer say "chick lit" with my previous snobbish sneer.
Vanessa has her life all planned out. All she has to do is survive the next nine months of senior year at the prestigious and private Cabot Academy, ace her SATs, and then spend a year touring Europe with her best friend, Taylor. After that, she'll be more than ready to enroll at the same college in Connecticut that her boyfriend, Patrick, attends, and life will be perfect.
Except life isn't perfect, and it's the definite fault of Reed Vaughn, Hollywood "It" guy, the most good-looking hottie to have graced the planet with his existence in the last several years. Taylor is already ga-ga over him, and although Vanessa can appreciate his good looks, she's not entirely sure about his appeal. Appeal is the last thing on her mind, though, when she finds out that there's more to Reed Vaughn than meets the eye--he's actually her half-brother, the son her father never knew he had.
As if a previously unknown sibling wasn't bad enough, Reed is coming to stay with her family in Chicago. Even that wouldn't have been so bad, if not for the fact that Reed is also a senior, will also be attending Cabot Academy, and will, without a doubt, ruin her life as she knows it. Now school is going to be as messed up as her home life, where tensions are running high between her parents and the lack of regular phone calls from boyfriend Patrick is driving Vanessa insane. How can she possibly survive this last year of high school with a celebrity brother, a maybe-cheating boyfriend, a disgruntled mother, and a shell-shocked father? All the plans she's worked so hard on getting perfectly arranged might
just have to go out the window--and it will be time to put PLAN B into action.
This is a fun story about friendship, family, love, and loss that will have you remembering the ups and downs of having a sibling, and the trials and tribulations of getting ready for college. PLAN B is an engaging, entertaining read from a talented new author, and you won't go wrong by picking up a copy.
Although I sometimes get irritated by the label of "chick lit" as a book genre, I'm going to be my own oxymoron and say that PLAN B by Jenny O'Connell is, indeed, teen chick lit. And that I also really liked the book, thoroughly enjoyed it, in fact, and can now no longer say "chick lit" with my previous snobbish sneer.
Vanessa has her life all planned out. All she has to do is survive the next nine months of senior year at the prestigious and private Cabot Academy, ace her SATs, and then spend a year touring Europe with her best friend, Taylor. After that, she'll be more than ready to enroll at the same college in Connecticut that her boyfriend, Patrick, attends, and life will be perfect.
Except life isn't perfect, and it's the definite fault of Reed Vaughn, Hollywood "It" guy, the most good-looking hottie to have graced the planet with his existence in the last several years. Taylor is already ga-ga over him, and although Vanessa can appreciate his good looks, she's not entirely sure about his appeal. Appeal is the last thing on her mind, though, when she finds out that there's more to Reed Vaughn than meets the eye--he's actually her half-brother, the son her father never knew he had.
As if a previously unknown sibling wasn't bad enough, Reed is coming to stay with her family in Chicago. Even that wouldn't have been so bad, if not for the fact that Reed is also a senior, will also be attending Cabot Academy, and will, without a doubt, ruin her life as she knows it. Now school is going to be as messed up as her home life, where tensions are running high between her parents and the lack of regular phone calls from boyfriend Patrick is driving Vanessa insane. How can she possibly survive this last year of high school with a celebrity brother, a maybe-cheating boyfriend, a disgruntled mother, and a shell-shocked father? All the plans she's worked so hard on getting perfectly arranged might
just have to go out the window--and it will be time to put PLAN B into action.
This is a fun story about friendship, family, love, and loss that will have you remembering the ups and downs of having a sibling, and the trials and tribulations of getting ready for college. PLAN B is an engaging, entertaining read from a talented new author, and you won't go wrong by picking up a copy.
April 12, 2012
It's hard for me to place Plan B on the genre spectrum. It's YA, but with a couple elements that make me hesitate to recommend it to teen readers, including drug use and frank (though not detailed) sexual activity. I enjoyed the book, though, and can say that it's well-written and with one of the best unromances I've encountered.
The central theme for the book is Vanessa's need to control her environment and working to overcome her tendency to cling to plans that are overtaken by circumstances. Fortunately, Vanessa is a well-crafted character and Jenny O'Connell does a good job drawing the reader into her world so that I sympathized with Vanessa even as I was frustrated with her clinging to things that have clearly passed their useful lifespan. This is nowhere more evident than in her relationship with Patrick, the boyfriend who has gone off to college. Much of the novel is about Vanessa letting go of the dream of being together eventually in the face of an obvious estrangement that is doing neither of them any good.
And I liked Reed Vaughn's character, too. He serves mainly as the catalyst for Vanessa's change—disrupting her life in ways that only a brother really can. Vanessa has no defense against his disruptions, if only because she isn't used to having a brother at all, let alone one with his own overt needs and issues. Their relationship, each learning to be a sibling and, eventually, friend, held the book together and kept my interest when it might otherwise have been lost (waiting for Vanessa to make the changes she so obviously needs but stubbornly resists).
So in all, a good book, just one I'll have a hard time recommending to others without careful consideration beforehand.
The central theme for the book is Vanessa's need to control her environment and working to overcome her tendency to cling to plans that are overtaken by circumstances. Fortunately, Vanessa is a well-crafted character and Jenny O'Connell does a good job drawing the reader into her world so that I sympathized with Vanessa even as I was frustrated with her clinging to things that have clearly passed their useful lifespan. This is nowhere more evident than in her relationship with Patrick, the boyfriend who has gone off to college. Much of the novel is about Vanessa letting go of the dream of being together eventually in the face of an obvious estrangement that is doing neither of them any good.
And I liked Reed Vaughn's character, too. He serves mainly as the catalyst for Vanessa's change—disrupting her life in ways that only a brother really can. Vanessa has no defense against his disruptions, if only because she isn't used to having a brother at all, let alone one with his own overt needs and issues. Their relationship, each learning to be a sibling and, eventually, friend, held the book together and kept my interest when it might otherwise have been lost (waiting for Vanessa to make the changes she so obviously needs but stubbornly resists).
So in all, a good book, just one I'll have a hard time recommending to others without careful consideration beforehand.
July 26, 2012
It was okay. I did not necessarily dislike it or like it a lot either.
A lot of parts bored me to death which caused me to skim some of the pages.
Okay, for the most part, my opinion of the book would be too boring. It had the appeal of a dead slug. I still finished it, though. I don't like the feeling of not finishing a book.
A lot of stuff bothered me in the book, too. Anyway though, I liked Reed being her big brother and how protective he was. Another thing would be, I just couldn't connect with Vanessa. She was just really shallow. On the rare ocassion, I would agree to her but it wouldn't get past that.
I'm not really going to recommend this book.
A lot of parts bored me to death which caused me to skim some of the pages.
Okay, for the most part, my opinion of the book would be too boring. It had the appeal of a dead slug. I still finished it, though. I don't like the feeling of not finishing a book.
A lot of stuff bothered me in the book, too. Anyway though, I liked Reed being her big brother and how protective he was. Another thing would be, I just couldn't connect with Vanessa. She was just really shallow. On the rare ocassion, I would agree to her but it wouldn't get past that.
I'm not really going to recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2016
I mean it wasn't that bad. But it was still bad so yeah...
January 7, 2011
how would it feel if one day, your perfectly organized life would be disrupted by an unknown brother who also happens to be a star who seems to be popular because he manage to keep his life right on the wrong track fashionably?
that's how the story evolve and frankly, i think the plot was good, unique and refreshing but the fabulous boyfriend who turned-out-to-be-a-jerk routine is getting old and maybe it is essential to the story so that the sister who hates her teen star brother's guts would find a common ground but really, she already kissed a guy and she found out that her perfect boyfriend is kissing someone too and he was classified as a jerk? does her doubts about not wanting to cheat on her boyfriend an excuse then? nevertheless, i somehow enjoy reading jenny's book and i enjoyed it better than book of luke (the first book of her that i read). this book wasn't phenomenal but it is decent.
that's how the story evolve and frankly, i think the plot was good, unique and refreshing but the fabulous boyfriend who turned-out-to-be-a-jerk routine is getting old and maybe it is essential to the story so that the sister who hates her teen star brother's guts would find a common ground but really, she already kissed a guy and she found out that her perfect boyfriend is kissing someone too and he was classified as a jerk? does her doubts about not wanting to cheat on her boyfriend an excuse then? nevertheless, i somehow enjoy reading jenny's book and i enjoyed it better than book of luke (the first book of her that i read). this book wasn't phenomenal but it is decent.
March 22, 2012
Cute book. I didnt really like the ending though... :/ I kind of wish there was a sequel. :)
September 30, 2020
When reading this, it's important to keep in mind that it was published in 2006. It is VERY different than any contemporary young adult stories; not bad, just different.
I like that Vanessa found herself over the course of the story. She realized she needed to do what was best for her.
The back and forth with Patrick, while annoying, was realistic. Relationships are tough and I think their breaking up and getting back together was something teenagers do deal with.
Although Reed was annoying at the beginning, he did turn out to be a good big brother. I like that he was there for Vanessa and also looked out for what was best for her.
It didn't necessarily have the ending I was expected or wanted, but it was good.
I like that Vanessa found herself over the course of the story. She realized she needed to do what was best for her.
The back and forth with Patrick, while annoying, was realistic. Relationships are tough and I think their breaking up and getting back together was something teenagers do deal with.
Although Reed was annoying at the beginning, he did turn out to be a good big brother. I like that he was there for Vanessa and also looked out for what was best for her.
It didn't necessarily have the ending I was expected or wanted, but it was good.
September 9, 2017
So dissappointed in what this book turned out to be. I was looking forward to a cute read, because I admit I love a good teen romance novel, and I liked her other books.
Not only was Vanessa whiny and nothing was ever really good enough, even when she finally loosens up a little I still didn't like the turnout. It just wasn't what I expected and I almost gave up on the story all together.
Not only was Vanessa whiny and nothing was ever really good enough, even when she finally loosens up a little I still didn't like the turnout. It just wasn't what I expected and I almost gave up on the story all together.
January 9, 2018
The popularity of Cinder + Ella (the single greatest book of this type I've EVER read) has generated a lot of copycats. This one is fairly lackluster.
March 26, 2021
An amusing read with a different plot.
Read
December 7, 2010Plan B:
It Takes One Person to do a Whole Lot of Bad
One person ruined the whole plan. Everything got flipped upside down with one phone call. Plan B by Jenny O’Connell is realistic fiction set in Chicago,IL in present day. The two main characters are Vanessa and Reed. I give this book a four out of five stars because I really enjoyed it. Vanessa is in her senior year in high school and everything is going to be perfect. She just has to get through this year so she can soon be reunited with her boyfriend at Yale. But then a new family member joins the picture. Her family gets a phone call and she has a half brother who is four months older and will be also starting his senior year. But that is not the bad part. Her brother is Reed Vaughn the famous Hollywood actor who will now be living with them. Everything goes wrong and Vanessa does not know if she will get her picture perfect future after all. Three themes in Plan B includes do not make quick assumptions about people, Learn to trust your feelings; and do not assume things just because you want to believe they are true.
Do not make quick assumptions about people. Vanessa always makes assumptions based on first impressions. “Like him? As far as I could tell there were a billion reasons not to like Reed, and I’d never even talked to the guy”(37). She even says that she never met him and yet she still has her mind made up about him. She makes assumptions like this throughout the book with numerous characters. She learns to be more open minded with people she does not know by the end of the book.
Another theme is to learn to trust your feelings. Vanessa always fights things if they are too easy because she likes to be challenged. “I was kissing someone who wasn’t my boyfriend, and it was nice. Very nice”(134). In this quote she is learning to trust herself and to not play by the rules for once. She was learning that she needed to trust her feelings and to have them lead her to where she wants to be.
Finally, another theme is do not think something just because you want it to be true. She always is convincing herself that things are true just because she wants them to be true. “What I don’t get is why you’d say you wanted to stay together when you really wanted to be with other people”(211). She wants to believe he wanted to be with her forever. She thought it so many times that she convinced her self he would never do something bad to her.
Three themes in Plan B is do not make quick assumptions about people, learn to trust your feelings and don’t think something just because you want to believe its true.
It Takes One Person to do a Whole Lot of Bad
One person ruined the whole plan. Everything got flipped upside down with one phone call. Plan B by Jenny O’Connell is realistic fiction set in Chicago,IL in present day. The two main characters are Vanessa and Reed. I give this book a four out of five stars because I really enjoyed it. Vanessa is in her senior year in high school and everything is going to be perfect. She just has to get through this year so she can soon be reunited with her boyfriend at Yale. But then a new family member joins the picture. Her family gets a phone call and she has a half brother who is four months older and will be also starting his senior year. But that is not the bad part. Her brother is Reed Vaughn the famous Hollywood actor who will now be living with them. Everything goes wrong and Vanessa does not know if she will get her picture perfect future after all. Three themes in Plan B includes do not make quick assumptions about people, Learn to trust your feelings; and do not assume things just because you want to believe they are true.
Do not make quick assumptions about people. Vanessa always makes assumptions based on first impressions. “Like him? As far as I could tell there were a billion reasons not to like Reed, and I’d never even talked to the guy”(37). She even says that she never met him and yet she still has her mind made up about him. She makes assumptions like this throughout the book with numerous characters. She learns to be more open minded with people she does not know by the end of the book.
Another theme is to learn to trust your feelings. Vanessa always fights things if they are too easy because she likes to be challenged. “I was kissing someone who wasn’t my boyfriend, and it was nice. Very nice”(134). In this quote she is learning to trust herself and to not play by the rules for once. She was learning that she needed to trust her feelings and to have them lead her to where she wants to be.
Finally, another theme is do not think something just because you want it to be true. She always is convincing herself that things are true just because she wants them to be true. “What I don’t get is why you’d say you wanted to stay together when you really wanted to be with other people”(211). She wants to believe he wanted to be with her forever. She thought it so many times that she convinced her self he would never do something bad to her.
Three themes in Plan B is do not make quick assumptions about people, learn to trust your feelings and don’t think something just because you want to believe its true.
June 4, 2009
Vanessa Carlisle--salutatorian, Yale prospie, and unacknowledged control freak--knows exactly how she wants her senior year of high school to go. She's going to breeze through, get accepted into Yale to be with boyfriend Patrick, and take a summer trip through Europe with her gossip-crazy best friend Taylor.
However, her family gets extremely unexpected news: it turns out that Vanessa has a half-brother, and not just ANY half-brother. She shares 50% of her chromosomes with the nationally known pretty-boy actor Reed Vaughn. And Reed is coming to stay with her family and attend her school in order to get away from Hollywood. Vanessa knows they won't get along. After all, what does she want with a drop-dead gorgeous bad boy who makes the girls swoon and has gone through rehab more times than she can count on one hand?
But initial impressions may be wrong. Vanessa struggles to deal with unexpected bumps in her senior year plan, including drifting apart from Patrick, finding academic competition from the new smart girl Sarah Middleton, dealing with Taylor's PEOPLE magazine and famous people fetish, and having feelings for another guy, John. When will this I-hate-surprises girl learn that unexpected events in life can actually help her grow up?
PLAN B is a quick and cute read. The characters are rather flat and their circumstances are a little far-reaching, but it makes for great last-days-of-tanning reading material.
However, her family gets extremely unexpected news: it turns out that Vanessa has a half-brother, and not just ANY half-brother. She shares 50% of her chromosomes with the nationally known pretty-boy actor Reed Vaughn. And Reed is coming to stay with her family and attend her school in order to get away from Hollywood. Vanessa knows they won't get along. After all, what does she want with a drop-dead gorgeous bad boy who makes the girls swoon and has gone through rehab more times than she can count on one hand?
But initial impressions may be wrong. Vanessa struggles to deal with unexpected bumps in her senior year plan, including drifting apart from Patrick, finding academic competition from the new smart girl Sarah Middleton, dealing with Taylor's PEOPLE magazine and famous people fetish, and having feelings for another guy, John. When will this I-hate-surprises girl learn that unexpected events in life can actually help her grow up?
PLAN B is a quick and cute read. The characters are rather flat and their circumstances are a little far-reaching, but it makes for great last-days-of-tanning reading material.
July 25, 2013
I knew it was too good to be true. Only nine months. Forty weeks. Two hundred eighty-four days. If I wasn't so busy getting ready for the first day of my senior year, and I'd remember to buy the calculator required for my AP calculus class, I could have it down to the exact hour. The day I graduate from high school. Then a summer travelling around Europe with Taylor, where hopefully five years of conjugating French verbs would finally pay off.
The main character of Plan B by Jenny O' Connell, Vanessa Carlisle, has it all already figured out: she's going to ace through her senior year, spend a summer vacationing aroung Europe with her celebrity-obsessed best friend Taylor, then start college at Yale, which her boyfriend Patrick already attends.It hasn't occurred to Vanessa that things don't always go as planned.
As a matter of fact, Vanessa's plans start to go out of the window when she learns a mind-blogging truth: her father once had an affair with another woman, thus producing a child. Vaness has a half-brother. And he's none other than Reed Vaughn, one of the hottest and most popular actors of the moment. Reed wasn't contemplated in Vanessa's plans. And of course he's going to wreck her life...
I liked this book very much. The character of Vanessa is very much believable and likeable, and I could relate to her feelings very well. This is a quick, enjoyable read, which I'd recommend to lovers of the YA genre.
The main character of Plan B by Jenny O' Connell, Vanessa Carlisle, has it all already figured out: she's going to ace through her senior year, spend a summer vacationing aroung Europe with her celebrity-obsessed best friend Taylor, then start college at Yale, which her boyfriend Patrick already attends.It hasn't occurred to Vanessa that things don't always go as planned.
As a matter of fact, Vanessa's plans start to go out of the window when she learns a mind-blogging truth: her father once had an affair with another woman, thus producing a child. Vaness has a half-brother. And he's none other than Reed Vaughn, one of the hottest and most popular actors of the moment. Reed wasn't contemplated in Vanessa's plans. And of course he's going to wreck her life...
I liked this book very much. The character of Vanessa is very much believable and likeable, and I could relate to her feelings very well. This is a quick, enjoyable read, which I'd recommend to lovers of the YA genre.
August 23, 2014
Vanessa has her senior year all planned out. She'll continue to get good grades, graduate second in her class, and be accepted to Yale University where her boyfriend will be in his sophomore year. She'll spend the summer bumming around Europe with her best friend. Life is good and getting better.
Or is it? An only child, Vanessa is shocked to learn that during a short separation from her mother, her dad fathered a baby with a world renowned actress. Their child is bad-boy sit-com star Reed Vaughn, who is only a few months older than she is. Worse, he will be living with her family for his senior year and going to Vanessa's school.
Vanessa, the good girl, has never had rules imposed on her because they were never needed, but to be fair her parents now insist that the rules imposed on Reed are for her too. Her female classmates drool over Reed while her male classmates scorn him. Her star-struck best friend has Reed Vaughn posters on the walls of her room. The only one who seems unaffected by him is a new female student who is a real threat to Vanessa's second in class status. She is also Reed's tutor. Vanessa can't decide whether to be insulted that Reed asked her competition for help or relieved he didn't ask her.
Vanessa's senior year is out of control and she blames Reed Vaughn. How will a girl who has her life planned out and never leaves anything to chance handle these major changes that rock her world?
Or is it? An only child, Vanessa is shocked to learn that during a short separation from her mother, her dad fathered a baby with a world renowned actress. Their child is bad-boy sit-com star Reed Vaughn, who is only a few months older than she is. Worse, he will be living with her family for his senior year and going to Vanessa's school.
Vanessa, the good girl, has never had rules imposed on her because they were never needed, but to be fair her parents now insist that the rules imposed on Reed are for her too. Her female classmates drool over Reed while her male classmates scorn him. Her star-struck best friend has Reed Vaughn posters on the walls of her room. The only one who seems unaffected by him is a new female student who is a real threat to Vanessa's second in class status. She is also Reed's tutor. Vanessa can't decide whether to be insulted that Reed asked her competition for help or relieved he didn't ask her.
Vanessa's senior year is out of control and she blames Reed Vaughn. How will a girl who has her life planned out and never leaves anything to chance handle these major changes that rock her world?
June 5, 2011
In Plan B, Vanessa has her life really planned out and presents herself to be a perfectionist and likes to have everything a certain way. Although, the conflict that she deals with is when she discovers that she has a half-brother who just so happens to be an extremely famous and successful actor who had lived in Hollywood. He enters her life and her family opens up their home to him so that he can finally attempt at a more normal and low-key life. However, Vanessa does not cope with this well at all initially because she feels that he is invading and disrupting her life. She wants to enjoy her senior year and now that Reed, her half brother, has literally came out of nowhere has enrolled into her school, her life is altered. The fact that Vanessa hates surprises and having specific things occur that she did not see coming, really bothers her. This drives the story and since she is a complex character, this book was really fun to read. Along with this, she has other obstacles that she has to face academically and with her personal life where she drifts from her boyfriend, Patrick and develops feelings for someone else. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading books that do not have your ordinary plotline yet explores themes and emotions that everyone faces at one point in their life.
September 16, 2011
Meet Vanessa, normal child of two creative free spirits. She's about to embark on her senior year at Cabot, a private school that has classes such as Seminar in Women's Literature. She's already planned out how her year will go, what she will do, and that she will be accepted at Yale, the college her boyfriend, Patrick - never Pat - , is attending {maybe with some help from Vanessa}. Her best friend, Taylor is slightly {make that madly} obsessed with Hollywood, including Reed Vaughn, bad boy extraordinaire and star of the hit series Wild Dunes.
Then a phone call came that changed everything. Come to find out, Reed Vaughn is her half-brother, the product of a short relationship her father had with Academy Award winning actress Marnie Vaughn during her theater days - and while he was separated from Vanessa's mother. Vanessa is not happy at all that Reed is coming to live with them, thereby wrecking her perfect plan for her senior year.
This book was cute, the characters not only believable, but likable. Certain situations were easy to figure out before they happened, but overall I really enjoyed reading this book.
However, I was not impressed with the ending. Too many loose ends left untied.
Then a phone call came that changed everything. Come to find out, Reed Vaughn is her half-brother, the product of a short relationship her father had with Academy Award winning actress Marnie Vaughn during her theater days - and while he was separated from Vanessa's mother. Vanessa is not happy at all that Reed is coming to live with them, thereby wrecking her perfect plan for her senior year.
This book was cute, the characters not only believable, but likable. Certain situations were easy to figure out before they happened, but overall I really enjoyed reading this book.
However, I was not impressed with the ending. Too many loose ends left untied.
June 6, 2012
I really... wanted to like this book... But obviously I didn't. I love the name Vanessa! and was thrilled the main characters name was descent! (after reading the Selection with the name "America Singer" No offense to anyone who has that name!)
So In two days i finished Plan B on my kindle. The reason I picked it up (Besides being what i call a fluff book) my friend bought it at the bookstore over the weekend and we both decided to read it.
Wow... Vanessa... that's all I can say. I've never met a character... who didn't have a backbone! seriously! at first she had all these plans set in stone, and i was thinking "she's going to be in for a rude awakening!" Plans don't go how you want them too! Then... she has NO self respect for herself and is sooo caught up in her plans that she's THAT stupid? (I don't wanna cause any big spoilers here) After that... I really didn't care what happened to Vanessa! If you get Burned once... why would you go running towards a flame screaming "Burn me again!!!!" I just didn't get it...
So In two days i finished Plan B on my kindle. The reason I picked it up (Besides being what i call a fluff book) my friend bought it at the bookstore over the weekend and we both decided to read it.
Wow... Vanessa... that's all I can say. I've never met a character... who didn't have a backbone! seriously! at first she had all these plans set in stone, and i was thinking "she's going to be in for a rude awakening!" Plans don't go how you want them too! Then... she has NO self respect for herself and is sooo caught up in her plans that she's THAT stupid? (I don't wanna cause any big spoilers here) After that... I really didn't care what happened to Vanessa! If you get Burned once... why would you go running towards a flame screaming "Burn me again!!!!" I just didn't get it...
May 23, 2013
Plan B by Jenny O'Connell was a book about a senior in high school who has her whole life planned out for her. Vanessa has planned her dream college visits, prepared in every way possible for her SAT, turned in all her colloege applications, and even planned her summer after senior year. So when the impossible happens, Vanessa is in over her head. The week before her first day of school she finds out she has a brother who is going to be living with her for the year. If that's not crazy enough he is Reed Vaughn a reality television star. Throughout the book the reader sees how Vanessa's huge surprise changes her life and more specifically how it changes her plans.
Overall I felt that this book was pretty good. It was well written, had an intriguing story line, and a unique ending. Although it was lacking in a few areas. At first it was a bit hard to get into and the ending was a bit abrupt, but aside from that I loved it. I would definately reccomend this book to other readers. It would be perfect for any teeage girl who wants a light story and an easy read.
Overall I felt that this book was pretty good. It was well written, had an intriguing story line, and a unique ending. Although it was lacking in a few areas. At first it was a bit hard to get into and the ending was a bit abrupt, but aside from that I loved it. I would definately reccomend this book to other readers. It would be perfect for any teeage girl who wants a light story and an easy read.
May 16, 2008
dear author,
how do you expect me to believe that the main character in this book is 2nd in her class and got accepted to yale when she uses the word "voraciously" incorrectly and also uses words such as "slunked" ? i just don't buy it.
love, kricket
aside from that? this is one of those teenage fantasy books where it turns out the main character (vanessa) has a secret half brother who is a famous tv star hottie, reed vaughn. of course, he is sent to move in with her family and attend her high school. vanessa's mom seems to take no issue with her husband's love-child moving in with her family, but vanessa would rather he didn't. slowly, however, she and reed warm to each other and by the end of the book call each other "big bro" and "little sis." AWW! meanwhile there is plenty of drama with vanessa's boyfriend and best friend. overall, crappy writing and ridiculous plot, but definitely enjoyable to poke fun of.
how do you expect me to believe that the main character in this book is 2nd in her class and got accepted to yale when she uses the word "voraciously" incorrectly and also uses words such as "slunked" ? i just don't buy it.
love, kricket
aside from that? this is one of those teenage fantasy books where it turns out the main character (vanessa) has a secret half brother who is a famous tv star hottie, reed vaughn. of course, he is sent to move in with her family and attend her high school. vanessa's mom seems to take no issue with her husband's love-child moving in with her family, but vanessa would rather he didn't. slowly, however, she and reed warm to each other and by the end of the book call each other "big bro" and "little sis." AWW! meanwhile there is plenty of drama with vanessa's boyfriend and best friend. overall, crappy writing and ridiculous plot, but definitely enjoyable to poke fun of.
April 12, 2016
This is the third book I've read by Jenny O'Connell and like the other two, I loved it. It's an easy read and it's believable.
I personally liked Plan B because although there is some romance in it, the main focus is on the sibling relationship of Vanessa and Reed. I loved the way their relationship grew from strangers that dislike each other greatly to siblings that are friends. And even in between, it was fun to read the fights and agreements that happen to any siblings.
Now, what I don't like about Jenny's books is that they all have an open ending that can go either way. I get it that there's happy ever after, so it makes the story seem real; it feels like the character's life still goes on even if the book ends and it lets you imagine what will happen next, however I have a horrible tendency of imagining the possible worst outcome for the characters' lives, so I have an issue with the endings.
Apart from that, great read!
I personally liked Plan B because although there is some romance in it, the main focus is on the sibling relationship of Vanessa and Reed. I loved the way their relationship grew from strangers that dislike each other greatly to siblings that are friends. And even in between, it was fun to read the fights and agreements that happen to any siblings.
Now, what I don't like about Jenny's books is that they all have an open ending that can go either way. I get it that there's happy ever after, so it makes the story seem real; it feels like the character's life still goes on even if the book ends and it lets you imagine what will happen next, however I have a horrible tendency of imagining the possible worst outcome for the characters' lives, so I have an issue with the endings.
Apart from that, great read!
September 18, 2010
I had chosen this book from the hundreds on the book shelves at the library (mainly because the protagonist) has my name but *yawn* she wasn't that exciting. Why she didn't have to apologize to Reed after he accused her of being a control freak and being interested in another guy annoyed me..I mean, he apologized for what he did in LA, why not her? Vanessa was just to..ugh about Reed being in her life as though this one person who is just a freaking sibling was turning her world upside down as though, blame Reed for every moment sucking..it's all about Vanessa Vanessa Vanessa and what an impact Reed would have in her life in Chi-town and not the fact that Reed had to move to a completely different city and try to deal with a new family and going to an actual school. I'm honestly just glad I finally got through the book..I was getting bored ):
May 4, 2011
If I were to describe this book with one word it would be: predictable.
Because that's what it is. There are no twists or turns that makes you go "WHAT?" or "HUH?!" or "WTF?!" Everything worked out just the way you thought it would. Every character served a purpose, and as soon as they made their entrance, you knew what part they would later play. No surprises whatsoever.
But maybe in this case, those twists weren't necessary. Maybe it was okay that this book was a simple, predictable book. Not every book has to have those twists to make a good read.
I didn't necessarily like the main-character Vanessa all that much, mostly because her flaws annoyed me almost as much as they did Reed. Her bubble needed to be popped, that's all I'm saying. Reed was okay though. His entire journey was a major cliché, but he was good enough for me.
So, a simple and predictable read. No fuss, no muss.
Because that's what it is. There are no twists or turns that makes you go "WHAT?" or "HUH?!" or "WTF?!" Everything worked out just the way you thought it would. Every character served a purpose, and as soon as they made their entrance, you knew what part they would later play. No surprises whatsoever.
But maybe in this case, those twists weren't necessary. Maybe it was okay that this book was a simple, predictable book. Not every book has to have those twists to make a good read.
I didn't necessarily like the main-character Vanessa all that much, mostly because her flaws annoyed me almost as much as they did Reed. Her bubble needed to be popped, that's all I'm saying. Reed was okay though. His entire journey was a major cliché, but he was good enough for me.
So, a simple and predictable read. No fuss, no muss.
January 13, 2010
Reed Vaughn is a movie star while Vanessa is just a normal girl with a plan to make it through her senior year. When Vanessa finds out that Reed Vaughn, the movie star, is actually her half brother and is going to be living with her for her senior year, all her plans begin to break apart and all that's left seems to be the pieces of Vanessa's life.
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was an easy, quick, and entertaining read. I thought the book was written well but I didn't care much for the ending, I thought it left you hanging and didn't really give you a good idea of what direction the characters were going to go in. I liked Jenny O'Connell's style and can't wait to read another one of her books.
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was an easy, quick, and entertaining read. I thought the book was written well but I didn't care much for the ending, I thought it left you hanging and didn't really give you a good idea of what direction the characters were going to go in. I liked Jenny O'Connell's style and can't wait to read another one of her books.
June 28, 2011
This was a good story. I didn't really know what I was getting into, I had read The Book of Luke first and decided to get this one, even without really knowing what the premise was. I wasn't disappointed.
I found myself glued to the pages for the most part. Neither Vanessa or Reed were happy with the situation and both would have rather things stayed the same instead of change.
Vanessa seems to have hit lots of problems in this book. Not only does she have a half brother who is coming to stay with them, he's also famous. And that doesn't help when everything else hits the fan. But it was a good coming of age story and seeing Vanessa grow up a bit and make choices that would result in change (which she is terrified of) it was a book that was a pleasure to read.
I found myself glued to the pages for the most part. Neither Vanessa or Reed were happy with the situation and both would have rather things stayed the same instead of change.
Vanessa seems to have hit lots of problems in this book. Not only does she have a half brother who is coming to stay with them, he's also famous. And that doesn't help when everything else hits the fan. But it was a good coming of age story and seeing Vanessa grow up a bit and make choices that would result in change (which she is terrified of) it was a book that was a pleasure to read.
January 10, 2012
I read Plan B a few years ago and loved it. Sure it's a fluffy "chick-lit" book for teens but it's a great story. So many topics are addressed in it including the trials and joys of having a sibling, the stress over college, total family shock, loss and love. Plan B did a great job of addressing all of these topics and kind of had me hoping I'd get a call that some Hollywood "It" boy was my half-brother!
One part of Plan B sticks out to me and that's Vanessa's choice to wait to receive the letters from the colleges she applied to to find out if she was accepted or not rather than just checking online. It ended up inspiring me to do the same!
One part of Plan B sticks out to me and that's Vanessa's choice to wait to receive the letters from the colleges she applied to to find out if she was accepted or not rather than just checking online. It ended up inspiring me to do the same!
July 15, 2010
3.5 stars - This was a fun, fast, entertaining read. Vanessa was a little annoying at times, but then I remembered that I'd been in similar situations and as a teen, reacted pretty similar to how she did. She was realistic and sometimes snotty. I enjoyed her relationship with her new brother Reed. It was fun to follow the building of their relationship.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 4 stars
Writing 4 stars
Originality 4 stars
Characters 3 stars
Drama/Romance ratio 80:20
Ending 4 stars
Good enough to pick up again 3 stars
Plot 3 stars
Cover 4 stars
Writing 4 stars
Originality 4 stars
Characters 3 stars
Drama/Romance ratio 80:20
Ending 4 stars
Good enough to pick up again 3 stars
May 25, 2012
I can relate to this. I also have step brother. My father's love child. I haven't met him though. and hopefully he wont be that famous.
anyway, the story is good. beyond good actually. its just i want to know what happened next. did she go to Yale? or other ivy? what happened to their Europe tour? that's what i looked for in the beginning to be honest. what happened to her and John? so her relationship with patrick just ended that way?
so many questions huh?
anyway its a good book nonetheless. cute brother/sister kind of book. =)
anyway, the story is good. beyond good actually. its just i want to know what happened next. did she go to Yale? or other ivy? what happened to their Europe tour? that's what i looked for in the beginning to be honest. what happened to her and John? so her relationship with patrick just ended that way?
so many questions huh?
anyway its a good book nonetheless. cute brother/sister kind of book. =)
July 10, 2014
I enjoyed it, however, there was a lot of stuff that irked me. The main character was incredibly whiny and hypocritical. Reed never seemed like this horrible guy that she made him out to be, he was so sweet to her when she found out about and she just complained about everything.
However, it was a good storyline and I flew through it. It's a good book if you're looking for something light and fluffy :)
However, it was a good storyline and I flew through it. It's a good book if you're looking for something light and fluffy :)
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