Hey there guys!
Happy Monday! I am quite excited for the new week because I'm getting a few days off finally, and also because I might be finally getting the news of WHEN I'm getting the keys for my apartment and even might be getting the keys proper!
I'm starting the week with a new Mark This Book Monday edition, and this week's is April's book for The Reader's Lounge Book Club! And not only that, since I had bought the copy quite a while back from Book Outlet, it is also part of the 105 Challenge in the Books from the TBR pile category, and since it was released in 2014 and it was the author's debut book, it's also counted towards my 2015 Debut Author Challenge!
Something Real by Heather Demetrios
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Something Real was April's book for my book club: The Reader's Lounge Book Club! I was so very excited when it was chosen because A) I already had a copy and B) I had already read and loved another book by Heather Dremetrios!
This is such a poignant and fantastic book and a debut to boot! It's the story of Chloe, a girl that grew up in front of the cameras (that was actually born on camera) in the family's reality show. Then the show ends for various reasons, one of them to do with Chloe, then known as Bonnie with a trademark, and she works hard at patching herself up and getting a normal life as a normal teenager, and then one day, the cameras are back.
This book is both entertaining and deep, makes you try and see things from all sides, but no matter what, I ended up on Chloe's side. I have never been a big fan of reality shows (I think the only one I really like is The Amazing Race, and I'm not entirely sure it qualifies 100% as a reality show, but I disgress!) and so I must confess to be predisposed to support Chloe on her opposition to losing her normal life.
Family dynamics are a huge part of this book, from Chloe's relationship with Benton and Lexie and the rest of her siblings, the relationship with her mother and the nearly non-existent with her father, to the Chloe's friends, to the entire crew of MetalReel and Chuck (whom I despised and wanted to Force-choke) with the family. And of course the non-familial relationships between Chloe and Patrick, and Benton and Mark.
There are so many characters in this book, but you won't feel like any of them are simply fillers, you'll find yourself getting to know them all a lil better here and there, and seeing quite much more to many of them of what they seemed at first. Character development was very much strong for most of the characters, and the way their relationships and dynamics grew and evolved was a joy to read.
Seeing the ugly behind the scenes side of reality TV was extremely interesting and very upsetting on occasions. Everything seemed like an opportunity to get more viewers and make more money and the people involved, the kids for f's sake!, they are just entities to be directed and used! Show must go on and everything is fair in show biz. It was sick how Chloe was blamed and manipulated to stay in front of the cameras, and how all her childhood was directed and shaped, and once she felt like she wanted out, she was blamed and shamed and judged every which way.
We get to see Chloe with her friends, and handling a crush as a normal girl, and then fighting as much as she can to keep her normal life separate and protected from the MetalReel showbiz, and I was really glad to see how her friends came through for her, so very happy to see such a positive friendship, with girls supporting each other, demanding honesty and offering protection and comfort and support. And even happier to see the relationship that developed between Patrick and Chloe, and how it did develop, with its starts and stops and all the wonderful moments!
I feel like I will continue to read anything and everything that Heather Demetrios writes, and I highly recommend for anyone and everyone to read this book, contemporary lover or not! Very much deserved 5 stars!!
View all my reviews
Happy Monday! I am quite excited for the new week because I'm getting a few days off finally, and also because I might be finally getting the news of WHEN I'm getting the keys for my apartment and even might be getting the keys proper!
I'm starting the week with a new Mark This Book Monday edition, and this week's is April's book for The Reader's Lounge Book Club! And not only that, since I had bought the copy quite a while back from Book Outlet, it is also part of the 105 Challenge in the Books from the TBR pile category, and since it was released in 2014 and it was the author's debut book, it's also counted towards my 2015 Debut Author Challenge!
Something Real by Heather DemetriosMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Something Real was April's book for my book club: The Reader's Lounge Book Club! I was so very excited when it was chosen because A) I already had a copy and B) I had already read and loved another book by Heather Dremetrios!
This is such a poignant and fantastic book and a debut to boot! It's the story of Chloe, a girl that grew up in front of the cameras (that was actually born on camera) in the family's reality show. Then the show ends for various reasons, one of them to do with Chloe, then known as Bonnie with a trademark, and she works hard at patching herself up and getting a normal life as a normal teenager, and then one day, the cameras are back.
This book is both entertaining and deep, makes you try and see things from all sides, but no matter what, I ended up on Chloe's side. I have never been a big fan of reality shows (I think the only one I really like is The Amazing Race, and I'm not entirely sure it qualifies 100% as a reality show, but I disgress!) and so I must confess to be predisposed to support Chloe on her opposition to losing her normal life.
Family dynamics are a huge part of this book, from Chloe's relationship with Benton and Lexie and the rest of her siblings, the relationship with her mother and the nearly non-existent with her father, to the Chloe's friends, to the entire crew of MetalReel and Chuck (whom I despised and wanted to Force-choke) with the family. And of course the non-familial relationships between Chloe and Patrick, and Benton and Mark.
There are so many characters in this book, but you won't feel like any of them are simply fillers, you'll find yourself getting to know them all a lil better here and there, and seeing quite much more to many of them of what they seemed at first. Character development was very much strong for most of the characters, and the way their relationships and dynamics grew and evolved was a joy to read.
Seeing the ugly behind the scenes side of reality TV was extremely interesting and very upsetting on occasions. Everything seemed like an opportunity to get more viewers and make more money and the people involved, the kids for f's sake!, they are just entities to be directed and used! Show must go on and everything is fair in show biz. It was sick how Chloe was blamed and manipulated to stay in front of the cameras, and how all her childhood was directed and shaped, and once she felt like she wanted out, she was blamed and shamed and judged every which way.
We get to see Chloe with her friends, and handling a crush as a normal girl, and then fighting as much as she can to keep her normal life separate and protected from the MetalReel showbiz, and I was really glad to see how her friends came through for her, so very happy to see such a positive friendship, with girls supporting each other, demanding honesty and offering protection and comfort and support. And even happier to see the relationship that developed between Patrick and Chloe, and how it did develop, with its starts and stops and all the wonderful moments!
I feel like I will continue to read anything and everything that Heather Demetrios writes, and I highly recommend for anyone and everyone to read this book, contemporary lover or not! Very much deserved 5 stars!!
View all my reviews
This is a great review as it got my really excited to read this. I am obsessed with Heather Demetrios so I purchased this without thinking twice. Now I am so happy I did. You touched on some really great selling points!
ReplyDelete❤️Britt
YAY! Happy to help, Britt! ;) You really HAVE to read this one!
DeleteThis is great, Pili. Another one to add to the to-read list. I will confess to watching reality TV (especially The Bachelor franchise - whatever, I feel no shame) and also really liking books that engage with family dynamics. (Sometimes I am waaay more interested in this than a love triangle romance.) I've never read anything by Heather Demetrios, either - if you like her books, do you feel like this is a good place to start?
ReplyDeleteI've read two of her three books and this is her debut, so I think it is a very good place to start reading Heather's books!
DeleteAnd if you like family dynamics, this is a book you need to read ASAP, Layla!
I detest reality shows so a book that criticizes them should be right up my alley. I actually didn't like her NA book, but not because I objected to the writing or the overall story, but merely because it had one of my dealbreakers (third person involved). I did like her style and the depths she explores so I'm excited to give her another chance.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you'll enjoy this one, Maja!
DeleteI own this book & after reading I'll Meet You There I know I want to read more of her contemp novels.
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
Agreed, I read IMYT first and loved it, and this one didn't disappoint Kate!
DeleteYou are turning into the Contemporary Queen! I watch Dance Moms. Lol. It is my guilty pleasure. I identify with it because things were very much the same way in Sebastian's kid's theater company and I laugh over how catty some of the situations are. Plus the girls are highly talented dancers and I love to watch their competition numbers. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, I do seem to be reading more contemporary that usual as of late, but thankfully it's all awesome contemporaries!
DeleteI'm not a big fan of reality shows, the books usually end up boring and overly dramatic, but this sounds pretty interesting. And I love, love, love books with family relationships :D Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteAsma @ IceyBooks
This wasn't overly dramatic or boring at all, Asma! I do hope you'll check this one out!
DeleteI'd actually totally forgot about this one! I have to admit, I do love a bit of reality TV - but it's usually only like X Factor and Big Brother, none of the TOWIE or Jersey Shore stuff! But I think I'd probably be on Chloe's side too.
ReplyDeleteGreat review Pili! I'll have to remember to pick this one up soon!
Please do, Samantha! I'm pretty sure you'd love this one!!
DeleteI decided to pass on Something Real because I didn't like the sound of the synopsis. And that was a HUGE mistake because after reading a bunch of rave reviews, I tried the book and really loved it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by! Jen at YA Romantics
Yep, this one was great! Thank you Jen!!
DeleteYAY TO FINALLY GETTING YOUR APARTMENT KEYS SOON! I bet it alread feels like Christmas to you, Pili! ;) As for this book, I'm actually tempted to try it out! I've seen some reality shows every now adn then and have always been curious about what the contestants feel during the show, before, and after. Seeing family dynamics during such a situation would be intriguing!
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
YES!! I'm so EXCITED, Faye!!
DeleteI would highly recommend this book Faye, because it's full of food for thought!
I've wanted to read this book forever, because of the glaring view of reality tv stars that it shows us. I mean will somebody think of the children? It definitely sounds interesting and confronting, especially with the family dynamics.
ReplyDeleteAlso, congrats on getting your keys to your apartment - super exciting!
Thank you Jeann, I hope to have the keys in my hand next week!
DeleteAnd this book I highly recommend it, you'll hate Chloe's mum, but will love the book!
I feel like I might be more willing to read this one than I'll Meet You There. I'll Meet You There is so popular, and I'm sure it's amazing, but I can't seem to bring myself to read it! This one sounds more manageable. I'm so glad you enjoy this book, Pili!
ReplyDeleteAlyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Consider it Pili-Pushed then! Benny & Matt are adorable, Chloe and Patrick are too, and it's full of food for thought!!
DeleteGorgeous review Pili. <3 I'm so glad that you loved this book so much :D You do make it sound pretty amazing. <3 I'm not sure it would be for me, sigh, as I did not like her new book at all :p and not a genre I love :( but maybe one day. <3 Will see ;p Thank you for sharing about it sweetie. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you so much sweetie!
DeleteThis one is rather different in tone with her other contemporary book. Unless you didn't like Heather's writing style, I'd say give this one a try!
I had seen this book around but I had never really read a review of it before, and it definitely has me hooked. Thinking about it makes me think of the Truman Show movie. The idea of being born on the cameras and all that, I am not sure how I would feel! And I am glad that even with all the characters they don't seem like fillers!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my review and giveaway: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2015/04/its-not-me-its-you-review-giveaway.html