L.A. Candy - Lauren Conrad
Synopsis:
Jane Roberts and her best friend Scarlett Harp have just moved from Santa Barbara to L.A. hoping to pursue their dreams. But unlike most people, who move to Hollywood hoping for a career in the film and music industries, the girls have different aspirations- sweet Jane is interning for renowned event planner Fiona Chen, while exceptionally smart Scarlett is attending classes at the University of Southern California (U.S.C.).
The girls make many new friends as they socialise in the city, including the eccentric D, and the sweet but romantically unavailable Braden, but it isn’t until they meet television producer Trevor Lord that things in L.A. really start to get interesting. Trevor offers the girls the chance to star in a ‘reality-style version of Sex and the City’, where they, and two others, will be followed around day and night by cameras.
The girls are soon the hottest stars on television and they find themselves facing more opportunities and open doors than they imagined possible. But there is also a downside to their sudden fame, and it’s not long before Jane and Scarlett start to discover who their real friends are, and just what fame can do to a person’s principles.
What I gained from reading this book:
This novel mainly focuses on Scarlett and Jane’s unwavering friendship, but it also highlights the cutthroat entertainment industry in Hollywood. The girls have to deal with intense public scrutiny and adoring fans, much as any star would have to. Scarlett also has problems with the ‘unreality’ of the show- especially the way that she is obliged to repeat words that weren’t caught by the microphones, or when she has to stage pleasant interactions with people whose presence she can’t stand. This is a reminder that a lot of the time, reality-style shows are not as they appear and are often elaborately staged to suit what the producers want, not necessarily representing what is true to life.
Positives:
Conrad’s debut novel is fun and generally light-hearted. The characters are likeable, and it’s obvious that the author has used some of her own television experiences to add credibility to the story.
Negatives:
The ending of the novel may leave some readers a little disappointed. While I don’t usually mind cliffhanger type endings, I really wanted to see what happens to the girls, and so the lack of a resolution was a bit of a let-down. Guess we'll have to wait for the next one to see what happens.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Genre: Teenage Fiction
Recommended for: People after a little bit of light-hearted fun, or alternatively, people who love reality-style programs and would like to see an ‘insiders’ view of the filming process.
Synopsis:
Jane Roberts and her best friend Scarlett Harp have just moved from Santa Barbara to L.A. hoping to pursue their dreams. But unlike most people, who move to Hollywood hoping for a career in the film and music industries, the girls have different aspirations- sweet Jane is interning for renowned event planner Fiona Chen, while exceptionally smart Scarlett is attending classes at the University of Southern California (U.S.C.).
The girls make many new friends as they socialise in the city, including the eccentric D, and the sweet but romantically unavailable Braden, but it isn’t until they meet television producer Trevor Lord that things in L.A. really start to get interesting. Trevor offers the girls the chance to star in a ‘reality-style version of Sex and the City’, where they, and two others, will be followed around day and night by cameras.
The girls are soon the hottest stars on television and they find themselves facing more opportunities and open doors than they imagined possible. But there is also a downside to their sudden fame, and it’s not long before Jane and Scarlett start to discover who their real friends are, and just what fame can do to a person’s principles.
What I gained from reading this book:
This novel mainly focuses on Scarlett and Jane’s unwavering friendship, but it also highlights the cutthroat entertainment industry in Hollywood. The girls have to deal with intense public scrutiny and adoring fans, much as any star would have to. Scarlett also has problems with the ‘unreality’ of the show- especially the way that she is obliged to repeat words that weren’t caught by the microphones, or when she has to stage pleasant interactions with people whose presence she can’t stand. This is a reminder that a lot of the time, reality-style shows are not as they appear and are often elaborately staged to suit what the producers want, not necessarily representing what is true to life.
Positives:
Conrad’s debut novel is fun and generally light-hearted. The characters are likeable, and it’s obvious that the author has used some of her own television experiences to add credibility to the story.
Negatives:
The ending of the novel may leave some readers a little disappointed. While I don’t usually mind cliffhanger type endings, I really wanted to see what happens to the girls, and so the lack of a resolution was a bit of a let-down. Guess we'll have to wait for the next one to see what happens.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Genre: Teenage Fiction
Recommended for: People after a little bit of light-hearted fun, or alternatively, people who love reality-style programs and would like to see an ‘insiders’ view of the filming process.
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