L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: June 1st, 2009
Pages: 326
Cover: 2.5/5 stars
Plot: 2/5 stars

When Jane and her best friend Scarlett move to L.A. for her internship, all she wants is to get outside her comfort zone. Little did she know she would be recruited for a new reality show called L.A. Candy. At first she thinks it won't be a big thing, but it starts to consume her life, What can she do now that its getting her so much attention... but not necessarily the good kind.
    
    When I first saw this book on a shelf, I told myself: DON'T PICK IT UP. It might be shallow, vain, or completely mind numbing. Not my forte. I hate to be bias, but I honestly think some books may just not be worth reading. But in my recent attempt to try new things, I decided to read something that I would usually pass by. And the truth is - it wasn't that bad. It wasn't necessarily mind blowing, but it wasn't vapid as I thought. It was realistic- and just a bit fluffy. (Which for the record... I'm ok with!)

     My favorite part of the book was the relationship between Jane and Scarlett. They are completely different, yet they still are the best of friends. I also loved their personalities and how they clashed. Jane is really optimistic and sweet, and Scarlett is really smart and snarky. Their friendship started to dissolve a bit at the end as the story focused more on the show, and I was sad to see it go.

    The real message that this book is trying to convey is that fame isn't everything you bargain for. It went beyond the stardom, and delved into how it could totally ruin their lives. Jane is actually a really sweet character, who wasn't beginning to become corrupt when she became part of the show. But, new developments could completely ruin her reputation. The author went through the same thing first hand (read: MTV star) and that gives the book a really nice touch!

    This book has a lot of drinking and clubs. It's ridiculous. It really irked me! The book just seemed to get the series started, so I presume it will become a bit more interesting later on, but I doubt I will stick around. So if you're looking for something with a bit of fluff and fame, then this book is worth a glance.

-Palak