L. A. Candy (L. A Candy Series #1) by Lauren Conrad

From the Publisher

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . . everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara—free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres—and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

L.A. Candy is a deliciously entertaining novel about what it's like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a girl who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad.

Publishers Weekly

In this flawed but fun novel, 19-year-old Jane Roberts, new to Los Angeles, and her best friend Scarlett are discovered by a producer who wants to cast them in a “reality version of Sex and the City.” Jane (who is, in the producer’s eyes, “fresh, innocent, vulnerable. Perfect”) and Scarlett (“a gorgeous brainiac”) jump at the chance to star in L.A. Candy, alongside two other girls: “spoiled, rich heiress” Madison and “loveable ditz” Gaby. Immediately famous, they enjoy new apartments, designer clothes and easy access to L.A. hot spots. Readers get a behind-the-scenes look at the production of a reality show, including how supposedly spontaneous scenes are set up and shot and reshot, presumably inspired by debut author Conrad’s own experiences on The Hills. Jane, who “no longer thought about an outfit as being complete without a mike under her clothes, taped to her skin,” predictably becomes the breakout star of the show and learns the high price of fame. The climactic cliffhanger ending and lack of resolution hurt the book’s ability to stand on its own, but this guilty pleasure should leave readers eager for more. Ages 14–up. (June)

VOYA

Nineteen-year-old Jane and her BFF Scarlett have traveled to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams of fame, fortune, and hot guys. In no time at all, the two girls are rocketed to stardom when they land their own reality show. Jane soon learns, however, that behind the glittery lights and fancy parties lies a world she never imagined. When her new friends start backstabbing and riding on her fame, Jane will have to learn how to tell her friends from her enemies. Conrad is best known for the reality show The Hills, and she stays close to what she knows in her debut novel. The plot follows that show closely; some readers will relish the familiarity, whereas others will feel put-off. The writing is equally uninspired, riddled with cliches and purple prose. The sheer number of adjectives bogs down the story until it crawls at a snail's pace. This overwriting extends to the characters: every outfit is described in detail, including brand names, while what is going on in their heads is largely ignored. Jane is the only character not painted in overly broad strokes, but even she is not particularly memorable. The world in which she finds herself is one where sex, alcohol, and profane language run rampant, creating a novel that is not appropriate for all ages. Still, bestseller lists do not lie, and this book is flying off the shelves. Although this reviewer found it to lack substance, it may be a good fit for teen girls. Reviewer: Robbie Johnston

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—After high school, two best friends move to Los Angeles hoping to start "a new and amazing life," but their existence is anything but glamorous. Jane is an intern for a famous event planner and Scarlett is a freshman at U.S.C. However, things change quickly when a TV producer asks them to be in a new reality series along with Madison and Gaby, following their lives as they try to make it in L.A. After signing on, the two friends move into a posh apartment and get into the hottest clubs. Scarlett is skeptical about all the attention, but Jane enjoys being in the limelight. When Jane becomes the show's star, Madison is jealous and plots to bring her down. By story's end, Jane learns that having cameras follow you everywhere isn't what it is cracked up to be. The cliff-hanger climax indicates that there will be more to come. Conrad writes from experience (she stars in MTV's The Hills) and the result is a light read that will leave readers wanting more. The novel contains underage drinking and sexual liaisons, activities that are realistic for the lifestyle of the young women portrayed.—Shannon Seglin, Patrick Henry Library, Vienna, VA

Kirkus Reviews

Everyday girls find their lives are everyone else's business when they're picked to star in a Sex and the City-style reality show. Too-cool-for-school Scarlett and plain Jane have just moved to Los Angeles, where Scarlett will start as a freshman at USC and Jane will work for a demanding high-profile event planner. At a club, they're discovered by reality TV producer Trent Lord. As the show begins production and publicity, Jane is cast in the role of narrator and protagonist, much to the dismay of her pampered, two-faced castmate, Madison. The Hills "reality" show star Conrad uses an omniscient point of view to get inside the thoughts of major Hollywood players and the stars they shape. Despite an up-close view of their thoughts, all the characters except Jane are regrettably flat. Scarlett is smart and sarcastic, but those are her only defining personality traits. With little conflict until near the end of the book, there is not much here to keep readers interested unless they are fascinated by the minutiae of clothes and the hottest L.A. clubs. Completely unremarkable, with an unresolved ending. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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