Nobody Does It Better (GG #7) by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

Nobody Does It Better is serving up the scandal and luxury Gossip Girl is known for. Things are looking up for our favorite Upper East Siders as graduation nears and their futures become all the more clear. In these teens charmed lives, anything goes and it’s clear that anything can happen in the city that never sleeps.

But even in all their glamorous exploits, decisions have to be made. So what does the future hold for Blair, Serena, Nate, Jenny, Dan, Vanessa, Aaron and Chuck? Where will their lives lead them next? It’s bound to be juicy and Gossip Girl is there to report everything.

Where we left off in You’re the One That I Want: Blair and Nate finally have sex and are stronger than ever–or are they? Blair’s expectations are high and notoriously framed around her favorite films… but is it possible for her to have it all? Or is she destined to become just another society princess in a sea of designer wearing women?

As for her relationship: Gossip Girl’s it-couple has always been up and down. And that is no different in Nobody Does It Better, in spite of the romantic and picture perfect ending to the previous installment.


Can Nate finally give Blair the love she deserves? Or is he destined to never change? Nate Archibald is as fickle as fickle gets and while he has changed a bit, he still does incredibly stupid things to Blair in this one and ruins his own relationship in spite of knowing fully well that he is being an idiot, that he loves Blair and all that jazz.

Honestly, Archibald. Get your head out of your own ass.

Serena and Jenny are living the life of Manhattan It-Girls. Dan has scored an awesome spot in an indie rock band. They’re living the dream and with every passing day their names become more and more infamous in different ways.

Thankfully, it leads to some juicier plots than before. Jenny and Serena’s modeling gig was a massive hit and they can be found hanging out with The Raves, who Dan happens to front now. It’s over the top in a fun, make believe sort of way that keeps readers interested in what happens next.

And boy do these plots not let you down.

As usual, the plots are at an easy and fast pace set to target the younger crowd and make reading even more enjoyable. It zeros in on this style to capture a new generation of readers and certainly followed through with it. Gossip Girl is vivid, stylish, scandalous and throws us for many curves.

Nobody Does It Better brings us an unlikely and incredibly fun friendship between Blair and Vanessa. When Blair is scolded for staying/living at the Plaza by her school, she takes a chance and becomes Vanessa’s roommate. Although the two seem like an odd couple pairing of friendships, the two fit surprisingly well with each other and surprise readers.

Their friendship is one of the things I just cannot forgive the show for portraying poorly; Vanessa and Blair befriending one another and staying as roommates for a brief time is one of my favorite relationships in the original novel series. Blair even takes to playing matchmaker with Vanessa and her hippie step-brother Aaron.

Just when you think things can’t get anymore dramatic, things take a turn and set up for the next installment. But what happens? What comes next? There’s only one way to find out and Gossip Girl is sure to tell us every dirty little detail.