This Is Not the Jess Show by Anna Carey

Jess has a normal life. She lives in a small town that she has never left. She is a decent student with close friends. There is a guy she likes who might like her, too. Her life isn't perfect. Her sister is practically bedridden with a rare disease. Her parents...what teen doesn't have issues with their parents? Overall, things are good. 

It's all fake. Jess is the star of a reality show all about her life. She doesn't know it, though. Everyone else does. They are all actors. As far as Jess knows, she is living life as a typical 90s teenager. In reality, Jess lives on a closed compound in the distant future. 

Jess starts to see cracks in the system - not that she could ever guess what is really happening. She starts asking questions and hearing things that don't make sense. The moment she comes home to find her beloved dog has been replaced by a look alike that does not behave the same, she knows she is being lied to. She just doesn't know how big the lie is. 

Imagine if your life was a lie. Everyone you knew was lying to you and had been lying to you for years. They were pretend players in your life. What a cruel joke. Jess should be justifiably angry and be able to walk away from this 'entertainment' program. Except, the show is hugely popular. The future world is pretty bleak, and this show is the only bright light for some. Also, it makes lots of money for a lot of people. The producers of the show are not going to let Jess just quit. 

Fascinating story with themes that will resonate with readers who live in today's world

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

14 Ways to Die by Vincent Ralph

Jessica's mother was murdered by the serial killer the Magpie Man. She was his first victim. Several years later, Jessica is now a teenager and lives with her father in the same house they have always lived in located not far from the crime scene. Her dad inhabits the house but doesn't really live anymore. Her mom's pictures are everywhere. And the killer is still out there. 

Jessica wants to find him - for her mom but also just to stop him from killing. He's killed every nine months starting with Jessica's mother. So Jessica does something totally out of character - she applies to be on an online reality show that follows the lives of five teens, each one for a whole day once a week. Maybe someone with more information will come forward or maybe the killer will see the show and face what he's done. 

To Jessica's surprise, the show is a competition. Is her story compelling enough to get enough views? What if she is kicked off before she gets any usable information? That along with the new found fame adds a lot of pressure. And someone is definitely watching her.

This fast paced story with short chapters moves quickly. Jessica discovers things she never expected. Trust is difficult when so many become suspects. I would say more, but I don't want to give too much away. 

I really enjoyed this one. 

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

#MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil

Would you watch a brutal execution online? If you knew the person being killed was a convicted murderer, would that make a difference? If the government decided to build a 24 hour reality 'show' around inmates trapped on an island (Alcatraz 2.0) where they could be killed at anytime by one of the sanctioned executioners, would you watch? If the executioners all played a character who kills in their own unique style, would you? In this story, millions do watch. In this story, Dee never watched the show but she ends up on the island fighting for her life.

Years after Dee was kidnapped and escaped, her sister was killed in their home. Dee was wrongfully convicted of the murder and finds herself waking up in the maze of Prince Slycer, one of the executioners on Alcatraz 2.0. How did this nightmare come to life?

The Postman, the mysterious unseen man who created the prison and show with the full cooperation of the Justice Department, controls everything: who is killed when and by whom. The inmates live openly but are surrounded by cameras recording their every move. The executioners and inmates have online followers. No one dies off camera.

When Dee survives her first encounter with a killer, she becomes an instant celebrity and the person on the island with a target on her back. No one is supposed to survive a face off with one of the killers. That's not how Alcatraz 2.0 works. Can Dee trust the other inmates to help her survive until she can prove she was framed for her sister's murder?

A little mystery, some graphic violence and a little romance make for a quick read. Recommended for the twisted premise if for nothing else.

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

Waste of Space by Gina Damico

Just when you thought you'd see it all from reality TV, DV8 brings you the most extreme show yet. Eight teens will be launched into space and must survive the dangers of space flight as well as being confined with each other for weeks.

OR maybe the teens don't go into space at all, but they and the rest of the world do not know that. It is all the brainchild of DV8's CEO (and obnoxiously overconfident) Chazz Young. He's the genius(?) who brought the world a string of reality show hits, and this is the biggest one yet.

Selecting (and perhaps kidnapping) the perfect mix of teen stereotypes from across the country and contracting NASAW scientists to build the 'spaceship', Chazz is set to grab the viewing public's attention. And, boy, does it work. Waste of Space becomes the show everyone is talking about (and texting and blogging, etc.).

This story is presented as an informal report by an anonymous intern who wants the world to know what really happened behind the scenes. We see the show transcripts as well as what was edited out. We have Chazz's phone calls (that he records, ironically, to protect himself).

We get to know the teens at their best and their worst and not just the edited versions DV8 wants the world to see: Barcardi, the party girl; Snout, the hick (and his pet pig); Kaoru, the foreigner who only speaks Japanese; Jarmakus, the black gay astronaut wannabe; Louise, the nerd; Nico, the orphan; Hibiscus, the musician; Matt, the disabled hero; Titania, the tomboy; and Clayton the rich kid who happens to be related to Chazz. Like I said, stereotypes  but ultimately each had more going on in their lives before this show.

This story is a funny, over-the-top adventure.

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

How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

Here's another fun venture into reality television. I must also warn you - toxic parents ahead. How else can you explain people who would put their overweight daughter through a humiliating ordeal where she must lose 50 pounds in 50 days on national television. Oh, and she gets weighed live on the air every week.

Emery knows she's 'fat.' She is not like her cheerleading, perfect bodied sister, Angel, or her former NBA player father or her nutrition obsessed over-botoxed mother. Yes, Emery likes to eat, but her body shape does not define who she is. She is smart. She has a kind boyfriend who loves and accepts her for who she is.

Enter the chance of a lifetime for her family - Fifty Pounds to Freedom, a reality show that promises a million dollars to Emery's family if she can lose 50 pounds. Her father is all for it (turns out money is a little tight); her mom is for it (she wants Emery to not be fat anymore); and her sister is for it, too (she wants to be famous and sees this is her opportunity). Yes, it's really all about Emery and her health.

Being a reality show, there is much exploitation going on. Scenes are manipulated. Cameras are everywhere to capture every moment (including Emery's therapy sessions). 'Freedom' products are sold (all advertised through Emery's new Twitter account that she has no control over). It's all (supposedly) in the name of helping Emery and others like her.

Emery is better than all of it and finds some truths a midst all the 'reality.'

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

Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer

Another book with a reality show in it. I swear I'm not looking for them - I just keep coming across them and thinking they sound interesting. In this case, four students are frustrated by how much the show has invaded their school.

Luke is fed up with For Art's Sake, a show that a pits a select few Selwyn Academy (a prestigious arts school) students against each other for the prize of a scholarship. Each week, the show ends with a competition where the contestants perform in their chosen medium (dance, drama, music).

Jackson, Elizabeth and Ethan (our narrator) follow their friend Luke into a plot to discredit the show and demonstrate how it has nothing to do with creating art and everything to do with making money. They suspect the school administration is benefiting financially at the cost of school's prestigious reputation.

In addition to the financial issues, they hope to bring to light other problems with the show. Luke decides to write a satirical, biting long poem that the group distributes in an underground publication (called the Contracantos) designed by Elizabeth that also includes Ethan's drawings. They also investigate the possibility that the show is scripted. Hopefully, someone will listen to them.

On top of the fact that their plans seem to get them nowhere, Ethan has a crush on Maura, the star of the show. As part of their scheme, he does get to talk to her, and in the process discovers she is being used by the show's producers. They are taking advantage of the fact that she is willing to do whatever it takes to be a successful professional dancer. How do you take down a show without killing the dreams of your classmates?

Poet Ezra Pound is a central part of this story. Introduced in their English class, his work inspires them. I mention this because within the pages of this story you will find a poem that perplexed me when I read it in high school. I mean no disrespect to poetry lovers, but this one was just not for me. I include it here in its entirety:
                        The apparations of these faces in the crowd;
                        Petals on a wet, black bough. 

Imagine my shock when I saw this poem after all these years. I was mostly confused by its brevity, but I will say I have never forgotten it.

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.

Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Toxic parents. If you've read enough teen books (particularly realistic fiction), then you know the type. They do not support their children emotionally and are often only concerned about themselves. Welcome to Choe's living hell.

Chloe grew up on a reality show as Bonnie, one of 13 children on Baker's Dozen (Baker being the family's last name). Chloe is the only biological child born from her mother. Her older brother and sister are twins from a surrogate. The other children were adopted with the help of the production company, MetaReel, to achieve the magic number.

Chloe is now 17 and trying to live a normal teen life. After the show was cancelled and her parents divorced, Chloe's family moved across country so they could start fresh. She changed her name and hair color in hopes that no one will recognize her. For the past few years, she has had real friends that have no idea she is Bonnie, the girl who tried to commit suicide on national television. Yes, it was that bad for her.

Chloe and her brother Benton are surprised to come home one afternoon and find the MetaReel crew on their lawn. Chloe was promised that she would never have to do the show again . Her parents say they need the money to support the children and send her and all her siblings to college. Chloe doesn't care what the reason is; her life is about to change for the worst.

From the moment the cameras return, Chloe is in agony. The only reprieve she gets is her new boyfriend.but even that is not easy because she doesn't want him and her friends to get pulled into the show and the tabloid headlines. Dodging paparazzi, having every moment captured on camera, being edited to appear differently than you are and having your mother talk about you to the nation is too much for Chloe, but no adult will listen to her.

Most of the adults in Chloe's life are horrible. Chloe is blamed for the show's original demise and her parent's divorce. She is threatened by the show's producer. She is called names and treated like a psychopath. No one can see that being on television caused many of her issues, not the other way around. Her mother is particularly twisted in her obsession with the show (and her new book). She is totally blind how the show has negatively affected her own daughter. It is sometimes excruciating to endure (and I'm just talking about me, the reader).

This is the third book I have read recently that involves reality television. I suspect it is not the last. I have always been concerned about the children of reality TV. Adults can make their own decisions and choose to be on shows, but children need adult consent. Those adults need to think about the long term effects on children.

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