The A-List: Hollywood Royalty

I actually thought I was purchasing the first book of the regular A-List series-I didn't realize there was this "spinoff" Hollywood Royalty. It's good though, obviously alluding to Brangelina and their kids. The characters are easy to connect with because they're real, down to earth people underneath all the Hollywood fuss. Great book for teens or anyone who enjoys Gossip Girl.

The A-List, that elite group of Hollywood's finest, is back. But while some people are born into that kind of glory, such as the golden couple Myla and Ash, others have to work their way up the celebrity ladder to even be deemed worthy. And that's what outsiders like the good girl Amelie, the reformed geek Jake, and the nobody who's just discovered her Hollywood connections, Jojo. But making it to the A-List and staying on are two completely separate things, and being included among these privileged ranks calls for a whole new set of drama, not to mention a whole new playing field for it. Each of these teens will have to decide, is it all worth it? Dean brings back the high fashion, sneaky lies and deception, and good old-fashioned unrequited love characteristic to the first ten installments of The A-List series in its next generation. The cast may be all new, but the plot remains much the same--a covert name-dropping, rumor-spreading, boyfriend-stealing war between the insiders and the outsiders. Yet even though I question the value in reading about retail therapy and the drama of Hollywood High, I can't resist indulging in this guilty pleasure that realistically portrays the spoiled and sometimes scandalous lives of the young and filthy rich, and those trying to get there. There are really two ways to look at novels like this: as a guilty pleasure read or an inadvertent social commentary. Although I highly doubt it was Dean's intention to truly criticize the glamorous lifestyle, it's pretty plain to see that there is something seriously shallow and wrong about how people pay so much attention to the latest styles and celebrity gossip. Nevertheless, Hollywood Royalty is a quick read perfect for a sunny day at the beach. Fans of any teen guilty pleasure, such as Dean's original A-List series, The Elite series by Jennifer Banash, the Private series by Kate Brian, and the Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar, is sure to enjoy Hollywood Royalty. Though not exactly brain stimulating material, I will probably check out the sequels to this gossipy read.

This new spin-off is way better than the original - though those were okay as well. In Hollywood Royalty there is no boring Anna Percy, fat sam, or wannabe Pinelli brothers. I love all the characters so far: Myla - daughter of Hollywood's hottest couple, and sometimes a bitch (similar to Cammie in the original series) JoJo - the outsider, she is sister of Myla, feels totally out of place in Beverly Hills - at first. Ash - Myla's ex. Hollywood hottie-rocker type. (Like Ben Birnbaum) Amy a.k.a. Fairy Princess - children tv star. Jacob - geek-turned-into-hottie, tutoring Amy. (Adam-type) Cant wait till August to see what happens next!

THE A-LIST: HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY (BOOK 1) ZOEY DEAN Contemporary YA Poppy Rating: 4.5 Enchantments Meet the latest HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY. There's Myla, the oldest adopted daughter of Barbar, the hottest couple in Hollywood; Amelie, the teen star who's desperate to shed her goody-goody image, or at least her pink fairy inspired wardrobe and grow up a little; JoJo, the biological daughter of Barbar who's about to meet her parents and family for the first time and Jake, well Jacob, who wants to shed his old geeky image and finally be accepted. HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY is a really fun read. If you like reading about the Hollywood scene, you'll definitely enjoy Ms. Dean's brand new series. I have to say I was pretty partial to Amelie and JoJo, the two girls who were a little more outcast. I love how Ms. Dean connected the characters, including the unlikely pairing of Amelie and Jake, and JoJo and someone who used to be really close to Myla. Even though Myla could be a bit of a bitch at times, even she was relatable at times. Hands down my favorite scenes in the book were the ones between Jake and Amelie, especially the first meet and when Myla discovers JoJo hanging out with her recent ex. I can't wait to see what Ms. Dean has in store for these four great characters! Learn more about this new series and check out an excerpt at http://www.pickapoppy.com/books/the-a-list/ and look for THE A-LIST: HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY #2: SUNSET BOULEVARD coming August 2009! Lisa Enchanting Reviews January 2009

The A-List Hollywood Royalty is not my usual reading fare, but after a friend noticed how entranced I could get watching Gossip Girl she recommended I pick this book up. I have to say I'm very glad I did. While some of the characters are thinly veiled takes on tabloid magazines favorite fodder like Brangelina, it is the relationships between the original characters that really draw you in to this book. The main cast all are dealing with issues teens across the country, not just in Hollywood, have to deal with. You have the teenage starlet, Amelie, dealing with meeting the high expectations of her mother, plus crushing on a boy who just doesn't seem to see her `that way.' Then there is Jojo, the new girl in town trying to find a whole new way of life with her superstar biological parents Barbar. Jojo's story is intertwined with Myla's, who not only has to deal with having a brand new sister stealing her thunder, but also figure out who she is sans longtime boyfriend Ash (who has parental issues of his own.) My favorite character by far is Jake (formerly known as Jacob), the nerd who has grown out of being Mr. Math and is trying to take the role of Mr. Cool. There is also a rich cast of secondary characters who add to the story and I can only hope are further developed in the next book, give me more Miles. There are some really funny lines and scenes throughout, including an unfortunate, but hilarious vomit incident. It has all the pressure of being a teenager with the added elements of being insanely rich and in the public eye. You think it was bad when your parents caught you getting drunk at a party, amplify that by 10 when Amelie gets caught clubbing by her mother after reading about it on TMZ. You want to be cool as Jake does; well try being cool driving a beat up Toyota Corolla while the kid next door has a '69 Camaro. I can't wait to see the next book and I hope that we get some more interaction between all of the characters. Just how will snobby Myla handle nerdy Jake? Or what boy could catch Jojo's eye? Hopefully, we'll see in #2.