Chasing Starlight by Teri Bailey Black

In the 1938, the glamour of Hollywood is in full swing. But Kate does not want to be there. And when gets there, it is certainly not all that glamorous. Kate would rather be in San Francisco living with her aunt and going to school where she dreams of being an astronomer (not a normal career for a woman in that time). 

Yet, here is Kate off to live with her grandfather, dashing film star of the silent movie era. Her parents are dead (an event that will haunt her for the rest of her life), and her aunt is marrying some man who despises Kate. Her grandfather's career is long over, so she finds him living in his run down mansion taking in boarders (wannabe actors, mostly) to make some money. 

Kate knows a proper young lady cannot live with bunch of strange men, but at first she has little choice. Her grandfather (who hasn't left the house in years) is happy to have her stay so he can know her better. And the boarders aren't so bad; in fact, two of the young men are quite handsome and charming in their own ways. 

As things start to look up, Kate finds one of the boarders stabbed to death in the kitchen. She finds herself suspecting everyone, so she becomes an amateur sleuth hoping not to get caught by the killer who may be living under the same roof. 

The focus of the story is the murder, but it is more than just a murder mystery. The old Hollywood setting is cool. Through Kate, we see that behind the scenes Hollywood is not so magical. There are several story lines happening that help elevate the characters beyond stereotypes. Kate could easily have been written as a snob (the refined woman forced to live below her standards), but she is more unsure of herself and where she belongs. Really interesting characters and story that keeps moving. 

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site. 

Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

Lately, I have read several books with strong young women characters who are tired of being pushed around and decide (although often reluctantly) to fight back even if it means sacrificing something important to them. And so we have Bex.

Bex arrives in Los Angeles to pursue her dream of being a television writer. She has grown up poor in a small town in Washington. She has landed an internship on her favorite show Silver Falls (full of teens and werewolves). Some aspects of the job are amazing - working with the show's stars, seeing the sets and possibly meeting her first love. Other things...Well, Hollywood is a tough place sometimes. The show runner, Malcolm, is moody and uptight and has no respect for interns. He is, however, willing to take the script Bex wrote and put his name on it. Ya, he is a major jerk of unspeakable proportions.

Included with the tension of her new job, Bex is struggling to come out to her cousin, Parker, who she is staying with. He is gay, too, but she doesn't want to appear to be imitating him (as she has been accused in the past). The fact that she has never come out to anyone only adds to her nervousness. But this is LA, and she's away from home. And there is this stunningly beautiful social media star that Bex meets at a party. Could Bex ever hope to have the Shrupty Padwal as her first girlfriend?

Fighting for your dreams is hard, as Bex finds out. She has people who support her, so she is not as alone as she sometimes feels. After all, you can't change the world all by yourself.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog.

The Benefactor by Erin Fry

I don't really watch reality shows, but it is impossible not to know about them and know how they are work. With this story, we get a behind the scenes look at a show that pits eight high school students against each other for a chance to win a scholarship to one of the top schools in the country.

So you know the set up - contestants live in a house together (in this case, boys and girls in separate houses) and compete in a series of tasks after which someone is sent home.

We follow each contestant and the shows creator through its first season. The four boys and four girls each have a compelling reason for wanting the scholarship. For example, Tyrell hurt himself playing football. We know what contestants are thinking and how they are playing the game. We also know that creator (who is unknown to the public) has doubts and struggles he must deal with also.

This story could have been filled with cliche student characters (the jock, the brainy kid, the rebel - think The Breakfast Club), but the teens are more complex which is quite a feat for a relatively short book with so many characters.

I've read a few books recently with reality shows as a part of the story. They usually address how being on the show has messed up the participants. This one has a more positive take on the contestants and its creator. As with actual reality shows, the suspense comes with the question of who will survive to the end. Who will make a mistake and get kicked off? Knowing the characters back stories make the questions all the more compelling. This is a fun quick read with some interesting characters and is probably better than any actual reality show.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

Famous by Todd Strasser

Jamie wants to be a 'celebrity photographer' not just one of the paparazzi. She first gets attention after taking a candid photo of a former model in a coffee shop. She gains some fame herself when she appears in a New York magazine article. Her mother does not understand Jamie's 'hobby' even after one of her photos ends up on a national magazine cover.

Through her agent, Jamie is sent to LA to spend a week with a young star just out of rehab. Jamie will have exclusive access to the star's daily life, but is also restricted in what she can shoot. So what is Jamie to do when she finds pictures on her camera that she did not take and could damage the star's reputation. Should she sell the photo or keep her word to the people who are only using her anyway?

At a time when people are thrust into the spotlight (or seek it out), this story is a peek into the ups and downs of fame and celebrity. I personally do not know why anyone would want to be famous. This story did not make me change my mind, nor is it supposed to.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library catalog.

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

This book has the pinkest cover of any book I have ever read. Not that I choose books based on their covers. When I look for a book, I want a premise that is different. In this one, Charlie and Fielding (aka Aaron) have spent the last four years on a popular Disney-style show. On the show, they portray Jenna & Jonah, two average high school students (and next door neighbors) who are secretly world famous rock stars. To keep interest in the show alive, they must also pretend to be in love off screen even though they have truly grown tired of each other.

When we enter the story, Charlie and Fielding are not sure if their show will be cancelled or not. They are strolling along on a beautiful California day acting all romantic for the paparazzi cameras that they know are out there. They have given up everything just to be in the popular show and the tension is high between them but must remain a secret. Something happens that changes everything and forces them to prove something to the world and each other.

This book took a different direction than I was expecting, but I still liked it. If you are looking for a nice quick read, I recommend it.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.