Alrighty. Well as much as I liked Dreamland, it was, overall, depressing and I needed something upbeat to help. So I chose this book as I used to read it when I was younger and I loved it. I also love how now, I understand the sexual innuendos and references.
Also...Who (that is a girl and in their teens/20's) hasn't read any Meg Cabot books?
Not me. I loved this one - and the Princess Diaries series (which I still have on DVD) until they got all to about sex and I felt uncomfortable reading them...
Everyone loves Jen Greenley. She is pretty, clever and incredible good at giving advice and listening to people's problems. However, this doesn't always get you far in the whole teenage high school experience. Until, she is asked to look after Lucas Smith aka, Hollywood's most famous teenage actor, Luke Striker, who is coming to Clayton to research a role in a new high school set movie. He has of course, never been to high school before. It's up to Jen to make sure his true identity is not known and to keep on top of everything else. Soon everyone will know about her new friend and she'll be caught up in the chaos.
Overall, this is a fun read. It's funny at some points and the plot is unusual to most books for this age. I loved Jen as a character. She was very down to earth, trying to sort everyone out for a happy high school and I a very overall likable character. Which is probably how she should be considering the storyline.
I have two critisms.
1) She says 'I mean' quite a lot at the beginning - if to add humour - I don't know. But it did get annoying until it stopped being so frequent.
2) If I saw this book in a bookshop without reading it, I would think it's for pre-teens/young teens about 12/13. Well, I don't think it is. The cover lets it down and although it's a nice cover, it's too...pink. Jen isn't one of those pink, girly girls anyway.
What I loved was that what you think is going to happen at the beginning doesn't at the end - one think that I like about books. Keeps you guessing. The people in Clayton also find Luke's identity out about halfway through which left me thinking 'Hang on, what's happening in the rest of the book then?' But it works. I don't know why but it does and to be honest, Luke isn't actually physically in the book much.
He also seems very...hm...nice in description. I can understand their love for him. Trina, Jen's best friend, is the one that made me laugh. She reminded me of (if you may know) Trina on Victorious? It's a show I sometimes watch on Nick (yes. I watch that channel - and Disney). It's a good show and the way she was...and the name...reminded me of her.
In conclusion, this book is for fun reading especially after a depressing, sad novel and does leave you smiling and upbeat - just like I wanted.
Actually. To be honest, Meg Cabot does that in general. Make you smile I mean :)
I give this 3.5 out of 5
Author's Website: http://www.megcabot.com/
