Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this funny, pop-culture filled, reality show themed book. It was a quick, fun and entertaining read. As a closeted reality show fan, this book was exactly what you think it is. Girl decides on a whim to apply to a show, girl gets cast, meet the heartthrob, the villain, a jackass and other stereotypical characters... ah but does she win? I do wish the sections were clearer when it came to the mini and elimination challenges. Maybe a little subheading would help. Overall it is what I expected and the result is an easy setup for future novels.

BIG SPOILER: I wasn't really believing the reason he left the show. I mean why not wait 3-4 more weeks and then seek her out?!?

Looking forward to more from Laura Heffernan!

Jen is 24 years old and everything is falling apart in her life. She's been laid off, broken up with and is soon to be homeless. She snags a coveted spot on a trivia based reality show which takes place in a glass house that resembles a fishbowl. She is surrounded by a variety of personalities , but non of them make her feel the way that Justin does. Will she put the prize money on the line for the possibility of love? Read this book...in fact I want more of these characters now!!

Such a fun read! I haven’t been a watcher of reality television since the Austin season of The Real World, but this made me start flipping through the television channels for a fix. Oh, the drama of a group of strangers picked to live in a house … and, in this case, a house with glass walls! What could go wrong? ;) (Oh, and there’s an A+ Buffy reference at the start of Chapter 3, which I found delightful.)

America's Next Reality Star,  Laura Heffernan

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  romance,

I don’t watch TV now, give me a good book, but even when I did “reality” TV wasn’t my thing. Its so scripted, the title Reality is a real misnomer....Still, it makes for some great stories, I’ve read some real crackers – and some huge fails too :-)

So where does this one fit? Well, to begin I thought it was going to be great. I loved Jen, love the way the build-up brought her to the point of the show.
Some great characters in the mix of the 12 people selected, a real cross section with – hurrah – someone to dislike intensely. Those characters always add such interest. the games were good too, and we got to see just how some people can manipulate things to get their way.

I did get a bit irritated at the relationship drama, the does he/doesn’t he, did they /didn’t they stuff. It seemed very high school/teen thing, not the 21-25 age group, but I guess when you’re stuck in that intense, focussed, hot house environment with people no doubt chosen to provide friction and good TV, then it’s kind of inevitable.
As a fun read it was great, as a romance not so for me, it was more speculation than actual happening most of the while, so the ending felt a bit strange. I couldn’t see it working like that.
In fact I felt the ending was very rushed, at about 85% we still seemed to be only halfway through the show, still very much into the games and the voting, then suddenly it was all ended.
Very abrupt and unexpected. I had flipped to the end at the 85% mark just to see if maybe there was a second book, it seemed so far off being completed, so for me that part spoiled it. I wanted the drama, the tensions etc to play out more, but its was like wow, x happens, y happens and suddenly its z and we’re finished.

Stars: Three, a fun one off read for me.  

 ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

For Hamster Watchers!

If you are a Hamster Watcher, you know that the term refers to those of us who love, and sometimes feverishly watch, Big Brother on TV. While I admit that some seasons lost me and I didn’t watch the online version, I am, admittedly a Hamster Watcher. If you are, too, this book is for you!

In America’s Next Reality Star, Laura Heffernan takes the TV shows we are slightly ashamed to admit we love and brings it to the page. You’ll delight in all the ins and outs of showmances, villains, and crazy comps. Heffernan also takes you into show casting, contracts (more fun than you might think and done well) and even into the social media reaction as they watch our Hamsters and dig up the dirt.

It’s just plain fun.

As a dedicated watcher, one thing bugged me just a little bit. The evicted contestants aren’t kept in isolation! While I understood why, it was still one of those things that raised a reality show red flag to me.

However, I definitely enjoyed the book, enjoyed one showmance in particular, and rooted for our main character to take home the prize. Did she? You’ll have to read to find out.

Survivor or Amazing Race next time, please?