Five Noble High freshmen will be chosen to be the “Phoenix Five.” A special excellence award given to the top performing students overall.
In English everyone will be required to write in a journal during the school year. This journal will not be read by anyone, it will not be graded and came with a case and lock for each student to store them in.
One of this year’s Phoenix Five decides they want to expose the innermost feelings of the others. The reason: I am leaking these because I’m tired and I know you are too. The success bar is too high and pretending has become the only way to reach it. Instagrams are filtered, Facebook profiles are embellished, photos are shopped, reality TV is scripted, body parts get upgraded like software, and even professional athletes are cheating. The things we believe in aren’t real. Everyone thinks they’re perfect but they don’t really know anything --most people are pretending to be who they’re not.
With this we are introduced to the basketball player Duffy, the inspiring actress Sheridan, the home schooled genius Lily, Vanessa an extreme overachiever and Jagger whose parents are serving time in prison.
In alternating chapters we read about their crushes, worries, compromises that happen more and more, confusions, and corner-cutting. In other words – we see the real person behind the name.
Which of the five students is the one who published the journals?
What is going to happen now?
By the end of book one there are still many questions that you will want answered. Then there is the cliff-hanger that leaves you wanting book #2 NOW!
Recommended by: Joleen Waltman, Idaho, USA
