Under the Rose, by Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl #2)

At the end of Secret Society Girl (which is way less stupid than its title would suggest) Amy Haskel and her fellow Diggirls showed all their antiquated society brothers that they planned to stay in Rose and Grave. Under the Rose picks up after the summer, at the beginning of the Diggers' senior year. Just as Amy and her brothers (the girls are also referred to as brothers) are settling into their new roles without the previous class, they are shocked to discover a mole in their midst. Someone has been selling Digger secrets to the media, and if they don't find out who it is soon then the entire society of Rose and Grave may no longer be a secret society (cue the scary music).

I remember this from SSG, as well as Diana Peterfreund's other books that I have read, that her novels always have a nice flow. This was a pretty hard feat to accomplish when you consider that the plot, antagonists, and challenges changed several times midway through the novel. Most stories with that much change throughout feel disjointed, but this one managed to keep a nice and steady flow, even when it wasn't really flowing nicely or steadily. However, although I do give the author props for twisting the plot so elegantly, I was still annoyed by the twist. I was so involved in the way the story was going when all of a sudden everything is flipped. Good guys are bad guys and bad guys are good guys. Except if you read on then everything will get flipped AGAIN. Although it's interesting to read, it makes the overall story extremely complicated.

-------SPOILERS AHEAD---------

While reading SSG I was eager to try to guess who Amy would end up with at the end of the last book. There were so many characters in SSG that I figured a new guy wouldn't be introduced for Amy. The main problem though was that of all the guys in the book, Amy stuck most of them in the friend zone. The ones she didn't were Brandon, who if you finished SSG you'll know she doesn't end up with, and George who is too much of a playboy to ever settle down. It's nice to dream that George will give up his philandering ways but I didn't see it coming in SSG and I certainly don't see it coming after UTR (that's Under The Rose for anyone who hasn't realized that yet-but don't feel embarrassed because that would totally be me if I hadn't written this). Finally, after finishing UTR I have come to a conclusion-Poe. I know Amy hates him but after UTR she hates him less. Also, the way he ran after her when she found out what he did (sorry all you spoiler lovers-I'm not telling you what he did) showed that he cares about what she thinks about him. Though I must admit, him showing up for only her CB makes this all seem really creepy. 

4.6 stars. 


Fans of Beautiful Disaster will devour Diana Peterfreund’s Ivy League novels—Secret Society Girl, Under the Rose, Rites of Spring (Break), and Tap & Gown. At an elite university, Amy Haskel has been initiated into the country’s most notorious secret society. But in this power-hungry world where new blood is at the mercy of old money, hooking up with the wrong people could be fatal.
 
Now a senior at Eli University, Amy is looking her future squarely in the eye—until someone starts selling society secrets. When a female member mysteriously disappears and a series of bizarre messages suggests conspiracy within the ranks, no member of Rose & Grave is safe . . . or above suspicion.

On Amy’s side, the other women in Rose & Grave remain loyal. Against her? A group of Rose & Grave’s überpowerful patriarchs who want their old boys’ club back. As new developments in her love life threaten to explode, and the search for the missing girl takes a disturbing turn, Amy will need to use every society maneuver she’s ever learned in order to stay one step ahead. Even if it means turning to old adversaries for help—or looking for her real enemies closer than she’d thought.