Enchanting Review: Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Family Affairs

SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE: FAMILY AFFAIRS

JEN CALONITA

Contemporary Young Adult

Little, Brown Young Readers

ISBN# 978-0316117999

320 Pages

$16.99

Hardcover - Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Kaitlin Burke’s life is finally back to normal—or so it seems. Filming of her movie Pretty Young Assassins is finally over and she’s back on set of Family Affair, but things are about to get shaken up when a fresh new face joins the show. At first, Kaitlin thinks the tabloid stories about her are once again being leaked by her arch rival and co-star Skye McKenzie, but when Skye begins to be targeted as well, all fingers point to the hot new co-star Alexis. Can Kaitlin keep her cool while the hot new diva does her best to oust her from the show or will things finally reach a boiling point?

SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE: FAMILY AFFAIRS is definitely one of my favorite books of the ‘Secrets Of My Hollywood Life’ series. I really liked how Kaitlin and Skye were forced to become ‘frenemies’ in order to survive against the hot newcomer turned diva Alexis. The scene with Kaitlin and Skye leaving the set near the end of the book marks my favorite scene of the series. Truly had me laughing at loud at where the two of them actually ended up. I look forward to seeing how Ms. Calonita continues their ‘frenemy’ relationship in the next book.

Visit Ms. Calonita’s official MySpace page at www.myspace.com/jlcal and look for book 4 of the series, SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE: PAPPARAZZI PRINCESS releasing March 2009.

Lisa

Enchanting Reviews

July 2008

Enchanting Review: The Princess and the Pauper

THE PRINCESS AND THE PAUPER

KATE BRIAN

Contemporary YA

Simon Pulse

ISBN# 978-1416953692

288 Pages

$8.99

Trade – Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

When Carina, Princess of Vineland ends up in Los Angeles on her goodwill tour, she’s anxious to ditch her bodyguards and chaperone for a night out. But everyone would miss a Princess and there’s no way she can sneak out to meet Ribbit, the lead singer of Toadmuffin who she’s met online. But fate seems to intervene when on a trip to her grandmother’s alma matter, Los Angeles’ Rosewood Academy, she and her best friend bump into Julia, who Ingrid is convinced could be Carina’s double—with the help of a mini makeover of course. The hitch is talking a reluctant Julia into making the temporary switch.

Julia Johnson is your normal teenager. A scholarship student at the prestigious Rosewood Academy she has a chance encounter with Carina and her best friend in the girls bathroom. But when Ingrid and Carina spring their idea on her, Julia is anything but interested. She looks nothing like Carina! But when they offer her enough cash that she and her mom won’t lose their apartment, Julia has a hard time saying no. Following a couple impromptu ‘Princess’ lessons, Julia’s thrust into the Princess’ life and into the arms of Carina’s supposed boyfriend, who was supposed to be duller than dirt.

Told in alternating chapters by both girls, THE PRINCESS AND THE PAUPER is a fun read. There are a few chapters in the beginning that slow things down a little, but the action picks back up once the girls make the switch. Carina finds out Ribbit may not be her Prince Charming after all, and Julia finds herself falling for a real Prince, the only hitch is he believes her to be Carina and there’s no way she could ever tell him different.

My favorite parts of the book were when the girls switched places. Julia stepped into the role of Princess of Vineland rather easily, while Carina struggled a little to step into the role of an ordinary teenage girl, especially at the club where she’s taken to meet Ribbit. But what ensues, especially with Carina is nothing short of highly entertaining. Some definite laugh out loud moments ensued.

Kate Brian is the author of the popular The Princess & the Pauper, The V Club (available in paperback as The Virginity Club), Lucky T, and Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys. She will always be sweet sixteen at heart.

Lisa

Enchanting Reviews

July 2008

Enchanting Review: Generation Dead

GENERATION DEAD
DANIEL WATERS
YA paranormal
Hyperion
ISBN 978-142310921-1
392 pages
$16.99
Hardback-available now

Rating: 5 Enchantments


Phoebe Kendall has never hung with the popular kids at Oakvale High. She's used to standing out with her Goth outfits and pale skin. But there are others who stand out even more.

Teens in the United States are dying but coming back to life. No one knows why. They are called zombies, undead, and corpsicles while the PC term is differently biotic. And more of them are appearing at Oakvale High. Not everyone likes this. Bioism or racism against the differently biotic becomes more of the norm. There's even a Proposition for the federal government to issue rebirth certificates when they come back to life.

Adam is a football player and friend to Phoebe. When Phoebe becomes interested in Tommy Williams, one of the undead, neither Adam nor Margi, her best friend, can believe it. Adam later joins Phoebe and others in an Undead Studies class to help better understand what's going on. All the while he struggles with his own feelings toward Phoebe.

White vans and rumors of people killing the undead, again, surface. Adam worries if he can help Phoebe not make a mistake. Will her association in the Undead Studies class make her a target to the hate or even worse? And can he tell Phoebe how he truly feels?

I totally enjoyed this story. It's unlike any paranormal I've read this year. Who knew zombies had rights? I couldn't put down this humorous and original tale. Twists on the usual zombie stereotypes were throughout the book. They even had slogans! Dead….and loving it! Zombie Power! Open Graves, Open Minds.

There's even a love story which asks the question, what would happen if a zombie loved a blood bag-live person? This story is fresh and engaging. I highly recommend this book to those who are looking for a tale that is different. You won't be disappointed.

This is Daniel Waters's first young adult novel. You can find out more on his website at danielwaters.com and Tommy at his website, mysocalledundeath.com

Kim Rapier
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
JULY 2008

Enchanting Review: Betrayed

BETRAYED
P.C Cast and Kristin Cast
Paranormal YA
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN# 978-0-312-36028-3
310 Pages
$8.95
Trade—Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

BETRAYED is the second book in the ‘House of Night’ series and picks up a short time after MARKED. Zoey Redbird is still at the House of Night finishing school and is beginning to finally fit in and feel at home, even with her strengthening powers and thanks to the help of her new circle of friends. As the new Leader of the Dark Daughters, Zoey’s dealing with a lot more responsibility not to mention the jealousy of the ousted former leader, Aphrodite.

But things are never smooth sailing at House of Night, as a few of the fledglings’ bodies suddenly reject the change into vampyres. Things begin to get even more troubling when two of Zoey’s friends from the outside world disappear and the blame is put on a rogue group of vampires, something Zoey wonders about when she sees something inexplicable outside late at night.

What can I say about this book other than have Kleenex handy for the emotional last few chapters and be prepared for a few twists and turns that will leave your jaw hanging in disbelief. BETRAYED is an entertaining mix of paranormal and mystery that will leave readers desperate for book three.

For vampire fans, you can’t go wrong picking up the unique House of Night series. I look forward to seeing what the third book; CHOSEN has in store for Zoey and the rest of her friends. If BETRAYED is any clue, readers will be in for a wild ride. You can learn more about the series at the official website, http://www.houseofnightseries.com/

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
July 2008

Enchanting Review: Alicia

ALICIA (The Clique Summer Collection #3)
LISI HARRISON
Contemporary Young Adult
Poppy
ISBN#978-0-316-02753-3
112 Pages
$6.99
Trade-Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Alicia is thrilled to be spending her summer in Spain. She’s planning on wearing her designer wardrobe and hanging out with her favorite sixteen year old cousins Celia and Isobel Callas. What she is not expecting to do is spend her time abroad stuck with her annoying, klepto cousin Nina twenty-four/seven and having to work a horrendous job, to repay a debt that her parents should have taken care of, considering it really wasn’t all her fault. Add in the fact the newest pop sensation is staying in the hotel to cast his hot new video that Alicia's desperate to be cast in. But the singer as is as reclusive as it gets and all anyone sees of him is his arm dangling over the balcony.

Alicia finds herself stuck rooming with her annoying cousin Nina while Celia and Isobel raid her closet and leave her behind all the time, even getting into exclusive parties at the hotel that i! himself is supposed to be at. But the only attention she’s getting is from a slightly annoying British guy who can’t seem to leave her alone. If only she could rid herself of him and Nina, she might actually find herself having a good time.

I have to say ALICIA is my favorite book in the ‘Summer Collection’ so far. There were some great twists involving the cousins and the singer that I truly didn’t see coming. And there’s a lot of great moments that will keep readers entertained and wishing there was more pages to the story. I loved the way Ms. Harrison wrapped things up with the cousins finally getting what they truly deserved. Can’t wait for the rest of the girls’ stories in the summer series.

Check out information on The Clique series and The Clique summer collection and visit Lisi’s webpage at www.lisiharrison.net

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
July 2008