Number one of an aborted series, so not really worth your time. If you like the atmosphere, go back and check out Francesca Lia Block's 'Weetzie Bat' series (classic YA in this style and location.) ( )

I'm going to have to echo Ramona Quimby here: "I can't believe I read the whoooole thing."

The synopsis sounded interesting: Teens are disappearing, and it has something to do with the massive social website called The Angels' Practice, or TAP. When a hot new music star vanishes from the stage of his biggest gig yet, everything starts to go downhill.

Sounds like it might be fun, right? The trouble is, the book never made me care about the characters--and I'm not really sure that they cared about each other, either. (Seriously, if my sister was missing, I would not be going over to a girl's house for dinner, no matter how hot she is.) The book read like a meringue, light and fluffy with absolutely no substance. Everything was told, not shown, unless the irritating lists of brand names were supposed to indicate the minute variations of who's richer than whom.

The book is copyright 2007 and already the constant brand-name-dropping is dated. It's also somewhat unfortunate that the TAP pages are all modeled on MySpace pages, when shortly thereafter the entire universe seemed to migrate to Facebook. People really seem to enjoy de la Cruz's Blue Bloods books, and I can only hope that those are better written and better plotted than this one. I doubt I'll be checking them out any time soon, though. ( )

Johnny Silver is the world's soon-to-be biggest rock star, but on the eve of his debut concert in los angeles, he mysteriously disappears, causing global pandemonium. His friend Taj tries to discover thetruth about his disappearance, which leads her to TAP.com and its shadowy founder, Sutton Werner, who throws the wildest parties in Bel-Air. Tap started out innocently enough, as a website that dishes the dirt on the kids of Sunset Boulevard and beyond. But it has become something more. Membership is a privilege with responsibilities and consequences. At Sutton's parties, anything goes, especially in the legendary backroom rituals nicknamed The Angels Practice. Rumors abound of a special drink handed out at the parties that tap into otherwordly sensations. One night Taj meets Nick, a westside preppie who doesn't buy into the Tap mayhem, especially since his kid sister never came home from attending one of its blow-out bashes. Slowly the two of them are drawn to TAP and to each other. But Taj might know more that she's letting on.... Are you ready for the darker side of Tinsletown's brightest lights? ( )

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

TAP, The Angels of Practice, is all everyone can talk about. This website/drink/drug is intoxicating and no one can get enough of it. No one can explain what TAP really is, since it is all around them and they are so dependent on it. The company that owns it holds the most exclusive parties, grants everyone's material wishes, provides all the gossip and promotes the biggest rock star that everyone loves, Johnny Silver.

But then strange things begin to happen. Kids all over Sunset Boulevard are beginning to disappear, including Johnny Silver. No one knows why this is happening, and others are too busy with TAP to worry about what is going on. Everyone except for Nick and Taj, who are the only ones that don't buy into the whole TAP industry.

Before they know it, Taj and Nick find themselves together, trying to solve the mystery of what is happening and even developing a strong relationship with each other. Unfortunately, it may be too late for them to actually do anything about it.

Told through Nick and Taj's points of view, Melissa de la Cruz takes us into a world that is far from THE AU PAIRS. ANGELS ON SUNSET BOULEVARD captures the reader from the very first page with its unusual uniqueness. Each character brings a certain atmosphere that captivates the audience into wanting more. The reader becomes so involved in the story that they will soon become disappointed when the book has to end.

Now the only thing left to do is wait for the next novel, which may be a long wait (well, for me that is). ( )