About the Book
-
Author:
- Jessamyn Violet
- Genre:
- Historical Fiction
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- Lesbian
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: Candy-colored Coat
BFF Charm: Oda Mae Brown
Talky Talk: Whose Voice Is It, Anyway?
Bonus Factor: The 90s
Anti-Bonus Factor: Drugs, Drinking, and Debauchery
Relationship Status: No Second Date
Cover Story: Candy-colored Coat
There’s the back of a girl in a pastel-colored jogging jacket, adorned with a star and lightning bolts. It’s cute, but it belies the harshness of the story within. Also, this book is rife with fashion descriptions, but Kyla never wears this jacket ever?? Why not pull something edgy and cute from the story?
The Deal:
Kyla Bell is a singer-songwriter and dreams of leaving her small, east-coast town. When she meets her idol Ruby Sky at a Boston show and is offered the place of the replacement keyboardist for Ruby’s band, Glitter Tears, Kyla jumps at the chance to move to LA. She’s placed under mentorship by an old producer, Robert, and goes through celebrity boot camp with him. But Hollywood, even in the 90s, is not the friendliest place, and Kyla undergoes major growth in between rehearsals for the Glitter Tears tour.
BFF Charm: Oda Mae Brown
Kyla is sweet and naive, and is subsequently trampled on by everyone who wants a piece of her in Hollywood. She goes out there without an inked contract, expecting that everything will go well, and—surprise!—it doesn’t. The entire time she’s extreme-dieting, taking up smoking, and drinking, I’m like, you in danger, girl. Kyla might lose her sense of sweet self if she’s not careful, and I just want to protect her.
Swoonworthy Scale: 1
Kyla isn’t sure what she is—just that guys don’t really do it for her. This is the 90s, when being a lesbian was frowned upon and even dangerous. But she knows she has a crush on Ruby Sky, and there are a few little moments where they get close. Being involved with Ruby would be terrible for the band, though, and Kyla has to tread carefully. Besides, Ruby has a boyfriend, which kind of sucked the swoon right out of the story.
Talky Talk: Whose Voice Is It, Anyway?
It was difficult to say if this was truly a YA book. The themes were so dark, they felt more like an adult story. Yes, Kyla is 18, but she’s thrown into an adult world where she’s expected to smoke, drink, do cocaine, not eat, and let old producers lech onto her. I sort of understand where the author was going with this, but it felt too old for what is marketed as a cute underdog-in-Hollywood success story.
Bonus Factor: 90s Fashion
This is the mid-90s and the fashion is all coming back. Everyone—from singer Ruby Sky to her guitarist Stardust Wu, to the made-over Kyla—wears throwback outfits that are incredible to read. They’re a rock band, so fishnets, camouflage, animal prints are all utilized and it’s amazing.
Anti-Bonus Factors: Drugs, Drinking, and Debauchery
I didn’t love the position that Kyla was put into: this sweet, doe-eyed girl who had barely gotten tipsy at high school parties in her hometown was supposed to suddenly match drink for drink with seasoned veterans of Hollywood. She’s introduced to uppers and downers, treated badly by Ruby Sky, and there’s even a self-induced abortion described (trigger warning!).
Relationship Status: No Second Date
Book, you were intriguing at the outset but I didn’t love you. I’m not interested in a second date. Maybe someone with a stronger stomach could find you thrilling, though.
Literary Matchmaking
Flip the Script by Lyla Lee offers a sweeter look at celebrity, though in Korea (not Hollywood).
For a lighter (and super juicy) look at life in the spotlight, check out Rebecca Serle’s Truly Madly Famously.
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson follows a young singer who is being groomed by an older industry man.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received a free review copy from the publisher. I received neither compensation nor kittens in exchange for this review. Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar is available now.
