Plot Overview: Sixteen-year-old Avery West has a Plan: don't make friends, so as to remain unhurt when she inevitably has to change schools. Her single mother has to move around every few months for work, so Avery never lives anywhere long. At least Avery's learned to hide her violet eyes behind colored contacts, so she's only friendless instead of mocked. Avery's plan doesn't take into account the two gorgeous young men who appear fascinated with her: suave Jack and scruffy Stellan. The boys insist they're taking her to meet long-lost family and whirl Avery across the Atlantic to Paris. There, she learns of a conspiracy almost as old as Western civilization. Political leaders, actors, sports heroes and businessmen have come from just 12 families for nearly 2,000 years. Avery's place in all this has to do with a prophecy. Avery's thrust into a cinematic, puzzle-solving action-adventure that takes her from Paris to Istanbul. Thrill as Avery's outfitted in Prada and Louboutin! Gasp as she jumps from a fire escape into a gunfight! Swoon as sexy Europeans fight for her hand.

Critique: I must start by saying this book is not for everyone. There are probably more cliches than original ideas in this book, for example the slightly forced two love interests, a secret society that controls the world without anyone knowing, and a prophecy involving the very boring main character, who, while we are discussing her, has only three main characteristics: her ability to come up with unnecessary one liners, her annoying indecisiveness and every decision, and her lack of combat training that somehow disappears in the third book. While so far I have only criticized the novel, I must confess, the book was really fun to read. If you can get past the dumpster fire that is the overall plot and characters, watching these people nearly die over and over again and the solution to the majority of the situations inexplicably being to put there faces close enough to kiss (yes, the main character and one of the boys while the other boy watches sadly) is very fun, and even though I read it originally for laughs, by the second book I will guiltily admit, I did start actually caring about the characters (yes, even the blank sheet of paper main character) and their outcomes. While the book is objectively horrible, if you found enjoyment in reading Twilight, I recommend The Conspiracy of Us.

Star Rating: 2.5/5

More from Ms. Yang: Thanks for the review, Kristen! You remind us that even though we had a fun time sorting popular novels into various tiers at yesterday's meeting, there really isn't a "garbage tier." Any book can hit the spot at the right time and mood! No need to feel guilty about it!

More from Ms. Lane: There are definitely many "guilty pleasure" books out there, and it is great fun to read one every once and awhile!