Reality Check

October 1, 2010

Gr 9 Up-Isn't being famous every teenage girl's dream? That's what the best-friend foursome of Charlie, Kieran, Brooke, and Hallie thought when they signed up for a reality TV show based on their friendship in a small coastal town on Long Island, NY. What they didn't expect was the lying, the backstabbing, and how scripted "reality" can become. Charlie is the focus of the show, the good-natured girl everyone loves. As filming begins, Brooke is instantly jealous and wants the limelight all to herself. The rift between the friends is heartbreaking for them, but juicy and just what the producers wanted. Soon each girl must decide if the show is worth their friendship or if they can they find a way to get out of the contract. Charlie and Brooke stand out as characters, whereas Hallie and Kieran aren't developed enough to impact the drama. The story starts off slowly, but soon readers can really feel the tension. Teens will love the premise, and even though it might not be realistic, the emotions are. While fans of Calonita's "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" series (Little, Brown) will enjoy this title, the countless pop-culture references will make it dated before it even hits the shelves.-Nichole King, Morgan Hill Library, CA

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2010
Grades 7-10 When a scouting media executive offers small-town girl Charlie Reed her own reality-television show, she naturally has some doubts. But her three best friends, Brooke, Hallie, and Keiran, quickly convince her that the hefty paycheck and celebrity hobnobbing are totally worth it. Outnumbered, Charlie reluctantly agrees, but it isnt long before the real drama ensues. First, bossy Brooke turns into a total diva, trying to grab the spotlight from Charlie and her other besties. Then, Charlies blossoming romance with shy crush Zac wilts when he refuses to appear on camera with her. Finally, when the girls discover that theyve been misled about everything from their contracts to how scripted the show would be, they put their perfectly coiffed heads together to hatch a plan to get their lives back. Calonita provides the kind of dishy, behind-the-scenes details and name-dropping that reality-television junkies crave. Fans of Meg Cabots Airhead series and Calonitas Secrets of My Hollywood Life (2006) will eat this fun, timely, cautionary tale right up.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
Four Long Island teens become the stars of a new hit reality TV show, The Cliffs. Backstabbing, gossip, and jealousy-inspired fights reinforce the novel's oft-repeated mantra: "fame does funny things to people." The lines between reality and scripted experiences are portrayed as uncomfortably fine and will entertain readers throughout the paper-thin episode.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)