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Vallende sterren
Lola Santisi is goed bezig tijdens het beroemde filmfestival in Cannes. Ze helpt haar BHV (Beste Homo Vriend) Julian, een trendy modeontwerper, met de lancering van zijn collectie op een luxe jacht aan de Franse Rivièra. Zal het Lola lukken Julians meest spectaculaire jurk in de Gouden Palmfilm te krijgen? Aan haar beste vriendinnen Kate en Cricket zal het niet liggen. Maar de megasterren op de rode loper zijn niet snel tevreden. Het ene egodrama is nog niet gesust of een andere sabotagetruck dient zich alweer aan. Lola zou er bijna haar Loubie stilettos voor uitschoppen en verdergaan op haar Crocs. Tot de chaos achter de schermen volledig uit de hand loopt.
334 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Amanda Goldberg
2 books8 followersAmanda is the daughter of legendary Hollywood producer, Leonard Goldberg. CELEBUTANTES is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
February 4, 2011
I had a lot of problems reading this book. There was a lot of name dropping and way too many characters to keep track of. Unless you are on top of the Hollywood and fashion scene you will be completely lost. So many characters are thrown at you at one time that it's very hard to keep track of them and keep track of their stories. I did like the writing style though because it was fresh and different. I only wish the book made more sense.
July 7, 2016
If you're a fan of gossip magazines and celebrity culture, this book may be just for you. As someone who lives in Southern California and will admit to perusing Buzzfeed.com for minutes at a time to catch up on the latest cat fight, I wasn't all too impressed with Beneath a Starlet Sky.
While reading the book I repeatedly muttered to myself, "This book is garbage" and in truth, a lot of celebrity gossip is that, trash. I should be clear in my review that this book isn't entirely about celebrity gossip. There's a protagonist and a plot and everything. There are even some themes, such as standing up for yourself, empowerment, and figuring out what you want out of life and sticking by those principles.
The "heroine" of Beneath a Starlet Sky is Lola Santisi, daughter of a well respected Hollywood director and a mother who is trying to break ratings for her reality TV series, Wristwatch Wives. She has a brother who also happens to be a director and is/was dating her best friend, Kate Something (I don't even care to remember). Lola is CEO of her best gay friend's (BGF in the book) fashion line, Julian Tennent Designs...or Enterprises, Fashions, whatever. Lola also has a hot fiance named Lev, an ER doctor at Cedars Sinai who then (to her abject horror) ventures into acting and quickly becomes best friends with Dr. McDreamy of Grey's Anatomy fame.
I'm getting exhausted just writing this.
Anyway... Trouble brews at every corner for Lola. She needs Julian's wedding dresses to be on the cover of the hottest fashion magazine, Vain, but the editor is trying to throw curveballs at every pitch. Her brother gets dumped by Kate and to cope, he makes a movie about her...first it was a love story, and then it evolved into a Forgetting Sarah Marshall type comedy, and then luck would have it the film is in the running at the Cannes Film Festival where it's in direct competition with their father's film! Oh, and there's also another friend, Cricket, who is embroiled in a gay/not gay love triangle while promoting her film. There's more involved in this almost-300-page novel, but I don't want to really spoil it all for anyone who wishes to read the book.
Expect a lot, and I mean *A LOT* of name dropping for the sake of name dropping in this book. But I will say this: given that the book was written by two authors, I didn't come across any overt differences in writing style, tone or structure. Which, I guess is why the book only received one star from me.
While reading the book I repeatedly muttered to myself, "This book is garbage" and in truth, a lot of celebrity gossip is that, trash. I should be clear in my review that this book isn't entirely about celebrity gossip. There's a protagonist and a plot and everything. There are even some themes, such as standing up for yourself, empowerment, and figuring out what you want out of life and sticking by those principles.
The "heroine" of Beneath a Starlet Sky is Lola Santisi, daughter of a well respected Hollywood director and a mother who is trying to break ratings for her reality TV series, Wristwatch Wives. She has a brother who also happens to be a director and is/was dating her best friend, Kate Something (I don't even care to remember). Lola is CEO of her best gay friend's (BGF in the book) fashion line, Julian Tennent Designs...or Enterprises, Fashions, whatever. Lola also has a hot fiance named Lev, an ER doctor at Cedars Sinai who then (to her abject horror) ventures into acting and quickly becomes best friends with Dr. McDreamy of Grey's Anatomy fame.
I'm getting exhausted just writing this.
Anyway... Trouble brews at every corner for Lola. She needs Julian's wedding dresses to be on the cover of the hottest fashion magazine, Vain, but the editor is trying to throw curveballs at every pitch. Her brother gets dumped by Kate and to cope, he makes a movie about her...first it was a love story, and then it evolved into a Forgetting Sarah Marshall type comedy, and then luck would have it the film is in the running at the Cannes Film Festival where it's in direct competition with their father's film! Oh, and there's also another friend, Cricket, who is embroiled in a gay/not gay love triangle while promoting her film. There's more involved in this almost-300-page novel, but I don't want to really spoil it all for anyone who wishes to read the book.
Expect a lot, and I mean *A LOT* of name dropping for the sake of name dropping in this book. But I will say this: given that the book was written by two authors, I didn't come across any overt differences in writing style, tone or structure. Which, I guess is why the book only received one star from me.
April 3, 2011
Beneath a Starlet Sky is a wonderfully fun and often times outrageous novel that will appeal to readers who can't help but be mesmerized by Hollywood gossip. Lola's father is a famous movie director. She's done with dating actors and the whole Hollywood scene. She wants nothing more than to success in the fashion world as the CEO of her best gay friend's clothing line and to settle down with her doctor boyfriend. But when her mom gets her own reality show, her brother's film gets accepted to Cannes (to compete against their father's film), her boyfriend gets a taste of fame and her company has one disaster after another, Lola is sucked back into the cutthroat Hollywood world again and again.
Beneath the Starlet Sky will suck in any celebrity junkie from the very start. It's a entertaining look into Hollywood, through the eyes of someone trying to escape its grasp, is snappy and addictive. Lola is immediately lovable and readers will find themselves rooting for her at every turn. With "cameos" from many well known celebrities, along with fictional movie and reality stars, fame has never looked so decadently and, well, dirty.
I loved just about everything in Beneath a Starlet Sky. Unfortunately it lost me occasionally when Lola's job was the focus. Fashion isn't my thing and I feel many readers will be confused. It seems as though the authors assumed that common folk would be know current trends in the fashion world and have a subscription to Vogue. Those who possess this type of knowledge will be fine. Those like myself, not so much. While I know of Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik, I can't tell the difference between them. When fashion took the stage during the book, I felt less involved in the story.
Beneath a Starlet Sky is scandalous at times and pure emotion at others. It contains a wonderful mix of crazed fame and real life. While some portions of the book may be a bit beyond the reader's understanding, be it film, fashion or celebrity obsession in general, Beneath a Starlet Sky is sure to delight.
Beneath the Starlet Sky will suck in any celebrity junkie from the very start. It's a entertaining look into Hollywood, through the eyes of someone trying to escape its grasp, is snappy and addictive. Lola is immediately lovable and readers will find themselves rooting for her at every turn. With "cameos" from many well known celebrities, along with fictional movie and reality stars, fame has never looked so decadently and, well, dirty.
I loved just about everything in Beneath a Starlet Sky. Unfortunately it lost me occasionally when Lola's job was the focus. Fashion isn't my thing and I feel many readers will be confused. It seems as though the authors assumed that common folk would be know current trends in the fashion world and have a subscription to Vogue. Those who possess this type of knowledge will be fine. Those like myself, not so much. While I know of Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik, I can't tell the difference between them. When fashion took the stage during the book, I felt less involved in the story.
Beneath a Starlet Sky is scandalous at times and pure emotion at others. It contains a wonderful mix of crazed fame and real life. While some portions of the book may be a bit beyond the reader's understanding, be it film, fashion or celebrity obsession in general, Beneath a Starlet Sky is sure to delight.
April 30, 2011
3.5 Stars
If you're addicted to Access Hollywood and/or US Magazine, you're going to love this book. It's a great, easy beach read.
One thing I liked about the book was that there was so much drama, but it was all pretty PG-13 drama. There were no moments of thinking, "Ew, gross, she did what???" like you see in some Hollywood gossip style books.
Lola was a cute character, there wasn't whole lot of depth to her, but she was cute. I loved that she had a sweetie for a boyfriend, so that bumped up my opinion of her. Their relationship reminded me a tiny bit of Rebecca and Luke in the "Shopaholic" books.
The couple that really interested me was Lola's best friend, Kate, and Lola's brother, Chris. Talk about drama waiting to happen!
There's quite a bit of name-dropping in the book which was a little tiresome. Of course, I realize I've already dropped 3 or 4 names myself in this review, so maybe it just goes with the Hollywood territory. However, I enjoyed the more subtle pop culture references like the faux "Project Runway" tv show, and the "Wristwatch Wives" aka "Real Housewives." I thought the parodies were much funnier and more effective than dropping Viggo's name here and there.
Overall, this is a cute, fun read, great if you need a really fluffy read to relax and unwind with.
book sent by publicist in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
If you're addicted to Access Hollywood and/or US Magazine, you're going to love this book. It's a great, easy beach read.
One thing I liked about the book was that there was so much drama, but it was all pretty PG-13 drama. There were no moments of thinking, "Ew, gross, she did what???" like you see in some Hollywood gossip style books.
Lola was a cute character, there wasn't whole lot of depth to her, but she was cute. I loved that she had a sweetie for a boyfriend, so that bumped up my opinion of her. Their relationship reminded me a tiny bit of Rebecca and Luke in the "Shopaholic" books.
The couple that really interested me was Lola's best friend, Kate, and Lola's brother, Chris. Talk about drama waiting to happen!
There's quite a bit of name-dropping in the book which was a little tiresome. Of course, I realize I've already dropped 3 or 4 names myself in this review, so maybe it just goes with the Hollywood territory. However, I enjoyed the more subtle pop culture references like the faux "Project Runway" tv show, and the "Wristwatch Wives" aka "Real Housewives." I thought the parodies were much funnier and more effective than dropping Viggo's name here and there.
Overall, this is a cute, fun read, great if you need a really fluffy read to relax and unwind with.
book sent by publicist in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
September 18, 2012
Lola Santis is back in action , a few years have passed between the introduction of Lola and her crazed family to the second book. In Beneath A Starlet Sky, we see Lola has finally sworn off dating actors and instead of dating a star from Grey's Anatomy she is dating a real life doctor named Lev. Her brother Chris has decided to give his hands a go at directing a film following in their father's footsteps , whereas their mother never one for going without a spotlight has landed herself in a new reality TV Series called "Wristwatch Wives". Our novel starts at the Cannes Festival and then in Chapter Two jumps back to the beginning of their tale which is the lead up to the Cannes Film Festival. Lola's GBF (gay best friend) quota is about to step up from one to three as two new stars come out of the closet and what happens when Julian's wedding dress line is squashed and targeted by new and upcoming star Chilli ? Is this the end of Julian's fifteen minutes of fame or does Lola and her friends Kate , Cricket and newfound friend Saffron have other plans up their sleeves ?.
Beneath a Starlet Sky shows readers the nitty gritty of a Hollywood Family and the lengths people will go to , to get famous and be the top of their game. Sabotage, Tabloid rumours , Sex - you have it all in Beneath a Starlet Sky.
Beneath a Starlet Sky shows readers the nitty gritty of a Hollywood Family and the lengths people will go to , to get famous and be the top of their game. Sabotage, Tabloid rumours , Sex - you have it all in Beneath a Starlet Sky.
March 28, 2011
Fun and frothy. Enjoyed it. Like a more ridiculous version of Hollywood Wives. Will get on to reading the prequel. Nothing major, but entertaining and likable for me.
December 14, 2021
I received this book as a part of the Early Reviewers program. This book was a little overwhelming at first, but then the story line picked up and got me interested. You almost have to be up to date on pop culture as there are so many references to recent events in Hollywood. If you aren't up to date on recent pop culture, then you might find yourself a tad bit lost and confused. That is one part of this book that I didn't like. I understood the references, but to a lot of people it will seem very confusing. As this was an advanced copy there were a lot of errors that I am hoping get fixed before the book is released to the general public. Sometimes the characters names were spelled one way and then another in the next paragraph. Hopefully this will get fixed before the final printing and won't be an issue in the future. The story line was a little far-fetched at times as every diaster imaginable happens and it just seems a little over the top. Overall the book was a good one, but not anything that stands out. It just seems that it has been done way too many times before.
September 10, 2019
Beneath a Starlet Sky isn't only the story of the glitz and glamour of movie making. It is also the story of Lola Santis, CEO of Julian Tennant--struggling fashion line, her movie making brother and father, and her reality filming mom with her show, Wristwatch Wives. After Lola finally found her man in LA, she had to move to become CEO of Julian Tennant Inc. in NYC. Being bicoastal is hard enough but then there's the added stress of the Cannes Film festival. This book has a lot going on, with interesting characters, ups and downs, and surprises. I liked it.
August 29, 2017
Yet another spin on WWII. This one of how the war came to Italy and of a young boy who became a man helping Jews escape the Nazis and also a spy as the driver of a general who reported directly to Hitler's.
July 25, 2018
I tried and tried to read this because I was told by friends how great it is. I would rather watch the Kardashians....and I would take my TV to the local dump before doing that.
I see absolutely no good reason to waste time on this book when there are truly good ones out there.
I see absolutely no good reason to waste time on this book when there are truly good ones out there.
May 12, 2017
This was a true good read - it's a well-written, fast-paced historical novel.
February 27, 2018
A super fun beach read! I read Celebutantes and really enjoyed it, and this one was no exception.
March 1, 2023
Too complicated
July 12, 2023
I know this was a satire of what it is like in Hollywood but it felt like poor storytelling. It was just name dropping and trying to come up with more outlandish scenarios that just fell flat.
December 17, 2025
Not a very good book.
April 13, 2011
Blurb: Lola Santisi—CEO of a struggling fashion line, reformed actorholic and daughter of Hollywood royalty—is now not only bicoastal, she’s bi-lolar: This is the condition which causes her to swing like a pendulum between the opposing poles of the fashion world in New York and the real world with her doctor-boyfriend in Los Angeles. She hardly knows which shoe fits her anymore: the Louboutin stiletto or the Croc. As Lola tries to launch Julian Tennant’s new dress line, it looks like they’re about to get their next big break: his wedding dresses have been chosen to feature in the top film at the Cannes Film Festival. And suddenly Lola is staging a full-blown couture show on a yacht – in the middle of the Med. Think those super models had trouble walking down the catwalks at Fashion Week? With an unexpected finale twist, this time it’s Lola who’s tumbling off the runway.
Having recently endured a disastrous break-up with Lola’s brother Christopher, Kate Woods, Lola’s BFF and CAA’s rising star agent, is newly single, and focused 24-7 on her clients. The only thing worse than thinking it was a good idea for Kate to date Lola’s brother, is thinking it was a good idea for Kate to put one of her most loose-cannon clients, Nic Knight, in Lola’s father’s movie. Among Kate’s other mega star clients is Saffron Sykes whose appearance on the cover of Vain magazine in Julian Tennant could be the difference between Julian Tennant, Inc. weathering the economy or going bust.
As Lola fights to survive the Cannes Film Festival, will she get swept into the French Riviera’s riptide of glamour and superficiality? Are real love and couture mutually exclusive? Or can Lola have it all – the good doctor and her Louboutins. With her father and brother vying for the same prize, her mother starring in her new reality show, and one heartbroken girlfriend about to declare motherhood, it’s all on Lola to come up with the answers. And it’s going to take more than one of her mother’s prosperity chants to save the day.
What Stephanie Thought: I expected to enjoy Beneath a Starlet Sky a lot more than I actually did, since it looked so glamorous and pretty and all that. Even the blurb (though pretty much summarizing the entire book) wasn't that bad. And it wasn't a bad read at all. But I couldn't find myself to quite love it either.
The book is the ideal example of style over substance; while the book contains juicy and brutally accurate details of Hollywood society (not that I would know, since I'm not an LA insider), the plot falls flat and leaves the reader (in this case, unfortunately, me) restless. Written by Amanda Goldberg (a movie producer) and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (a famous actor's daughter), it is evident the content that goes into the novel are real-life points of view. However, not all (or many) movie producers are fit to write novels; the cinema industry and book industry are completely different realms. Goldberg may have a successful film career, thanks to her bright imagination and vision statement, but her words penned down on paper fall undeniably flat. And as for Hopper, the only achievement she's made outside of being a celebrity herself, is co-write a previous book with Goldberg titled Celebutantes, which, I have not read, but can imagine is about.
Lola's journey as a rising A-lister in the captivating but deceptive Hollywood world is interesting, at best. Not even entertaining, because half the book describes in great detail, an outfit, or an interior design, or a power couple relationship. Maybe good for tabloids, but not a novel. I myself, am a fan of People and Cosmopolitan, which is why I found a lot of the celebrity observations interesting. But with each sentence filling up about a sixth of the page, the book itself was in no way, fun to read, or amusing, or really anything a good book should be.
If Beneath a Starlet Sky had been published as a magazine, I would have gobbled it up. But sadly, I just couldn't put admiration into it, due to weak writing, lack of intrigue, dull characters, or maybe a combination of the three.
Stephanie Loves: "'Thank you for helping me find my way back to myself,' he whispers in my ear as I throw my arms around his neck and then pull away so that I can look into those green eyes that look like the closest thing to home I'll ever know. There's one thing in life that I've learned isn't an illusion: it's love. So I say to my Lev, 'Now let's go play doctor.'"
Where Stephanie Got It: Directly from publicist via Romancing the Book for review.
Radical Rating: 5 hearts- Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back. ♥♥♥♥♥
Having recently endured a disastrous break-up with Lola’s brother Christopher, Kate Woods, Lola’s BFF and CAA’s rising star agent, is newly single, and focused 24-7 on her clients. The only thing worse than thinking it was a good idea for Kate to date Lola’s brother, is thinking it was a good idea for Kate to put one of her most loose-cannon clients, Nic Knight, in Lola’s father’s movie. Among Kate’s other mega star clients is Saffron Sykes whose appearance on the cover of Vain magazine in Julian Tennant could be the difference between Julian Tennant, Inc. weathering the economy or going bust.
As Lola fights to survive the Cannes Film Festival, will she get swept into the French Riviera’s riptide of glamour and superficiality? Are real love and couture mutually exclusive? Or can Lola have it all – the good doctor and her Louboutins. With her father and brother vying for the same prize, her mother starring in her new reality show, and one heartbroken girlfriend about to declare motherhood, it’s all on Lola to come up with the answers. And it’s going to take more than one of her mother’s prosperity chants to save the day.
What Stephanie Thought: I expected to enjoy Beneath a Starlet Sky a lot more than I actually did, since it looked so glamorous and pretty and all that. Even the blurb (though pretty much summarizing the entire book) wasn't that bad. And it wasn't a bad read at all. But I couldn't find myself to quite love it either.
The book is the ideal example of style over substance; while the book contains juicy and brutally accurate details of Hollywood society (not that I would know, since I'm not an LA insider), the plot falls flat and leaves the reader (in this case, unfortunately, me) restless. Written by Amanda Goldberg (a movie producer) and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (a famous actor's daughter), it is evident the content that goes into the novel are real-life points of view. However, not all (or many) movie producers are fit to write novels; the cinema industry and book industry are completely different realms. Goldberg may have a successful film career, thanks to her bright imagination and vision statement, but her words penned down on paper fall undeniably flat. And as for Hopper, the only achievement she's made outside of being a celebrity herself, is co-write a previous book with Goldberg titled Celebutantes, which, I have not read, but can imagine is about.
Lola's journey as a rising A-lister in the captivating but deceptive Hollywood world is interesting, at best. Not even entertaining, because half the book describes in great detail, an outfit, or an interior design, or a power couple relationship. Maybe good for tabloids, but not a novel. I myself, am a fan of People and Cosmopolitan, which is why I found a lot of the celebrity observations interesting. But with each sentence filling up about a sixth of the page, the book itself was in no way, fun to read, or amusing, or really anything a good book should be.
If Beneath a Starlet Sky had been published as a magazine, I would have gobbled it up. But sadly, I just couldn't put admiration into it, due to weak writing, lack of intrigue, dull characters, or maybe a combination of the three.
Stephanie Loves: "'Thank you for helping me find my way back to myself,' he whispers in my ear as I throw my arms around his neck and then pull away so that I can look into those green eyes that look like the closest thing to home I'll ever know. There's one thing in life that I've learned isn't an illusion: it's love. So I say to my Lev, 'Now let's go play doctor.'"
Where Stephanie Got It: Directly from publicist via Romancing the Book for review.
Radical Rating: 5 hearts- Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back. ♥♥♥♥♥
June 9, 2011
I received this book for free in a contest on Twitter from a Blogger I follow.
I'll start off by mentioning 2 things:
1) This would be a perfect summer beach read or vacation book. I had hoped to read it over my summer vacation, but the shipping was delayed, so I ended up reading over the month of October. I'm sure if I had read it over the summer, during a vacation, when I was looking for a fun-and-flighty novel, I'd have enjoyed it much more than I did. As such, that's the reason I've decided to round up and give this book 3 STARS instead of the 2.5 I initially felt it was.
2) I found out after reading it that this is a sequel to Celebutantes, which came out a few years ago. I had no idea. It's possible that a few of the issues I had with this book arise from not having read the prequel. I don't think you need to read them in order, as the 2nd book feels episodic rather than serial, but it may clear up some confusion I had with the characters.
On to the review!
The book follows approximately 7 months in the hectic life of Lola Santisi, a famous Hollywood director's daughter, and how she manages the crazy stress of running a fashion line and still having a personal life. She is CEO of Julian Tennant, Inc., dating a doctor who lives in LA while she lives in NY, and trying to be a good BFF to Kate, her bestie since childhood. Possible Spoilers Ahead...
Today, after thinking on it a bit, I enjoyed it. Mostly. It had it's quirks, and I think had I read it on my road trip vacation this past summer I would have enjoyed it a little more, but if you like chick lit and summer reads this is a good book for you. Also amusing to read about the Hollywood and fashion industries - especially since the ladies who wrote this have experience in the industry and know what it's like. So, I feel like even though some of the stuff in the book is super crazy, it's probably not far from the truth!
I'll start off by mentioning 2 things:
1) This would be a perfect summer beach read or vacation book. I had hoped to read it over my summer vacation, but the shipping was delayed, so I ended up reading over the month of October. I'm sure if I had read it over the summer, during a vacation, when I was looking for a fun-and-flighty novel, I'd have enjoyed it much more than I did. As such, that's the reason I've decided to round up and give this book 3 STARS instead of the 2.5 I initially felt it was.
2) I found out after reading it that this is a sequel to Celebutantes, which came out a few years ago. I had no idea. It's possible that a few of the issues I had with this book arise from not having read the prequel. I don't think you need to read them in order, as the 2nd book feels episodic rather than serial, but it may clear up some confusion I had with the characters.
On to the review!
The book follows approximately 7 months in the hectic life of Lola Santisi, a famous Hollywood director's daughter, and how she manages the crazy stress of running a fashion line and still having a personal life. She is CEO of Julian Tennant, Inc., dating a doctor who lives in LA while she lives in NY, and trying to be a good BFF to Kate, her bestie since childhood. Possible Spoilers Ahead...
Today, after thinking on it a bit, I enjoyed it. Mostly. It had it's quirks, and I think had I read it on my road trip vacation this past summer I would have enjoyed it a little more, but if you like chick lit and summer reads this is a good book for you. Also amusing to read about the Hollywood and fashion industries - especially since the ladies who wrote this have experience in the industry and know what it's like. So, I feel like even though some of the stuff in the book is super crazy, it's probably not far from the truth!
August 7, 2012
*Book Received through the Amazon Vine Program*
Lola Santisi is back. Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper are returning to the world of Hollywood and fashion that they created in the book "Celebutantes". I read "Celebutantes" a couple years ago and enjoyed the book. Although it may be helpful to read the first book, it really isn't necessary to do so in order to read this book.
In "Beneath a Starlet Sky", Lola Santisi, who is the daughter of famous director Paulie Santisi (think Francis Ford Coppola or Martin Scorsese), is trying to get the bridal fashion line of her friend and designer Julian Tennant of the ground. This involves successfully getting his designs into the latest Baz Lurhmann film, trying to get his designs on the cover of Vain magazine, while at the same time trying to dodge the sabotage efforts of Coz, Vain's senior editor, who is trying to promote new "designer" Chili (whose designer involve putting real time Twitter & Facebook feeds on dresses). The book also deals with Lola's budding relationship with her non-actor boyfriend, Cricket who is a budding starlet, Kate Woods who is Lola's best friend and who is also a successful CAA agent, Christopher who is Lola's brother and an upcoming writer and director, Lola's mother who is starring in a "Real Housewives" type of reality show, and Nic Knight, a movie star represented by Kate and who Lola's father is taking a chance by putting him in a movie because Nic is an actor who loves his alcohol. The action builds up as the stage of the Cannes Film Festival is set as the place where the careers of the characters in the novel can be made or broken.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Lola is a likeable main character. I wanted to root for her and was hoping that it work out well for her career and personal life. The action moved fairly fast, I don't really remember any parts dragging on or boring me. Probably my one and only problem with the book was the constant name dropping. I'm not sure that there is anyone left in Hollywood that isn't named in this book. Even one of my favorite singers, Kylie Minogue, who isn't very famous in the US is mentioned in this book. It just got a bit tiring and a little annoying to read this famous person was seen talking to that famous person at a party. But I would still recommend this book to any chick lit readers or to people who like to read novels about people in Hollywood.
Lola Santisi is back. Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper are returning to the world of Hollywood and fashion that they created in the book "Celebutantes". I read "Celebutantes" a couple years ago and enjoyed the book. Although it may be helpful to read the first book, it really isn't necessary to do so in order to read this book.
In "Beneath a Starlet Sky", Lola Santisi, who is the daughter of famous director Paulie Santisi (think Francis Ford Coppola or Martin Scorsese), is trying to get the bridal fashion line of her friend and designer Julian Tennant of the ground. This involves successfully getting his designs into the latest Baz Lurhmann film, trying to get his designs on the cover of Vain magazine, while at the same time trying to dodge the sabotage efforts of Coz, Vain's senior editor, who is trying to promote new "designer" Chili (whose designer involve putting real time Twitter & Facebook feeds on dresses). The book also deals with Lola's budding relationship with her non-actor boyfriend, Cricket who is a budding starlet, Kate Woods who is Lola's best friend and who is also a successful CAA agent, Christopher who is Lola's brother and an upcoming writer and director, Lola's mother who is starring in a "Real Housewives" type of reality show, and Nic Knight, a movie star represented by Kate and who Lola's father is taking a chance by putting him in a movie because Nic is an actor who loves his alcohol. The action builds up as the stage of the Cannes Film Festival is set as the place where the careers of the characters in the novel can be made or broken.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Lola is a likeable main character. I wanted to root for her and was hoping that it work out well for her career and personal life. The action moved fairly fast, I don't really remember any parts dragging on or boring me. Probably my one and only problem with the book was the constant name dropping. I'm not sure that there is anyone left in Hollywood that isn't named in this book. Even one of my favorite singers, Kylie Minogue, who isn't very famous in the US is mentioned in this book. It just got a bit tiring and a little annoying to read this famous person was seen talking to that famous person at a party. But I would still recommend this book to any chick lit readers or to people who like to read novels about people in Hollywood.
February 9, 2012
Disclaimer: This is a sequel to their previous book, Celebutantes.
After last year's whirlwind Oscars week, Lola Santisi had expected to have had a better year as the CEO of Julian Tennant Inc., her best gay friend's high-end fashion label. However, Lola is still sleeping on Julian's couch in New York City while trying to make ends meet and not get dumped by their financial backer. She struck big when she convinced her mega-star director father to use one of Julian's gowns in his new film and has been hoping to get Julian to design the wedding gowns for the new Baz Luhrmann musical opus. The only bright spot in her stress filled days is her doctor doctor, not actor cast as a doctor on TV, boyfriend that she flies home to LA to see.
But even being the most buzzed about designer a year before means almost nothing now. Unless she can get Julian's gowns into that film and for the star to wear one on the most coveted fashion magazine cover, Vain, she wonders what she'll do to keep the company afloat. Lola decides to stage a fashion show at this year's Cannes Film Festival in the desperate hope to get every celebrity to see Julian's talent. Of course, Coz, the evil employee at Vain, is doing everything she possibly can to screw over both Lola and Julian Tennant Inc. Between Coz, her brother's secret movie going up for the Palme d'Or against their father's, her mother's constant camera rolling for her new reality show, her best actress friend being the tabloids new target, her doctor doctor boyfriend and everything else, Lola wonders how she's going to hold it altogether and succeed all at the same time.
Like I said, this was the sequel to their previous book, Celebutantes. I bought that book on a whim and devoured it in about two days. It's a fun romp through all things fashion and Hollywood while still having something relatable to those not within that world. It's very funny and every other page is filled to the brim with well known names. However, it's not really that aspect that draws you in. You want Lola to succeed and you root for those around her and you want her to reach that happy ending that you feel she really deserves. I really loved this book. I don't care that it sounds like a girly throw away. It isn't and you would know that if you picked up both. Which I think you should!
After last year's whirlwind Oscars week, Lola Santisi had expected to have had a better year as the CEO of Julian Tennant Inc., her best gay friend's high-end fashion label. However, Lola is still sleeping on Julian's couch in New York City while trying to make ends meet and not get dumped by their financial backer. She struck big when she convinced her mega-star director father to use one of Julian's gowns in his new film and has been hoping to get Julian to design the wedding gowns for the new Baz Luhrmann musical opus. The only bright spot in her stress filled days is her doctor doctor, not actor cast as a doctor on TV, boyfriend that she flies home to LA to see.
But even being the most buzzed about designer a year before means almost nothing now. Unless she can get Julian's gowns into that film and for the star to wear one on the most coveted fashion magazine cover, Vain, she wonders what she'll do to keep the company afloat. Lola decides to stage a fashion show at this year's Cannes Film Festival in the desperate hope to get every celebrity to see Julian's talent. Of course, Coz, the evil employee at Vain, is doing everything she possibly can to screw over both Lola and Julian Tennant Inc. Between Coz, her brother's secret movie going up for the Palme d'Or against their father's, her mother's constant camera rolling for her new reality show, her best actress friend being the tabloids new target, her doctor doctor boyfriend and everything else, Lola wonders how she's going to hold it altogether and succeed all at the same time.
Like I said, this was the sequel to their previous book, Celebutantes. I bought that book on a whim and devoured it in about two days. It's a fun romp through all things fashion and Hollywood while still having something relatable to those not within that world. It's very funny and every other page is filled to the brim with well known names. However, it's not really that aspect that draws you in. You want Lola to succeed and you root for those around her and you want her to reach that happy ending that you feel she really deserves. I really loved this book. I don't care that it sounds like a girly throw away. It isn't and you would know that if you picked up both. Which I think you should!
February 28, 2011
Lola Santisi is the CEO of JT Inc. and she's also on the verge of a continual breakdown. Not only is her mother driving her nuts with her own Wristwatch Wives reality show, her brother and best friend are on the outs, and her father chose a different gown designer for his movie costumes over her own company, but Lola is also having to travel coast to coast to maintain her steady relationship with Lev, the doctor--not actor. If all of those shenanigans were not enough, she has to deal with Coz, the editor of Vain magazine to try and display Julian's gowns in the magazine--something Coz is not exactly fond of, so she makes Lola's life beyond crazy with her demands.
When her brother and her father end up competing for the limelight at the Cannes film festival, Lola has more on her plate than she thinks is possible to handle. Will she be able to juggle her real life versus the life she wants to have? Will Coz ever accept her offer for Vain magazine? Will Lola pull JT Inc. out of the dumpster and into the spotlight it deserves? You'll have to read the book to find out.
While a cute story, I was a little lost because so many "company" names and "designers" kept popping into the story and I wasn't sure which ones were real and which ones were made up. Once I got past all of the names and learned to ignore then, then I became wrapped up in Lola's story. There were times that I was rather envious--after all, who wouldn't want to live in NYC and travel to LA on the weekends? However, I think the growth of the characters is what intrigued me the most. I don't want to give too much away because this story is definitely woven, but I am proud of some of the decisions Lola makes and I can complately see some of Hollywood's biggest stars acting they way they did in this book.
I am definitely intrigued and want to find out what else happens to these characters. I'm especially interested in Kate's life and the changes that are made with her character at the end of this book. If you are into fashion and lots of drama, then Beneath a Starlet Sky is the book for you. Let me know what you think. Happy Reading!
**I did win this book from the Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.**
When her brother and her father end up competing for the limelight at the Cannes film festival, Lola has more on her plate than she thinks is possible to handle. Will she be able to juggle her real life versus the life she wants to have? Will Coz ever accept her offer for Vain magazine? Will Lola pull JT Inc. out of the dumpster and into the spotlight it deserves? You'll have to read the book to find out.
While a cute story, I was a little lost because so many "company" names and "designers" kept popping into the story and I wasn't sure which ones were real and which ones were made up. Once I got past all of the names and learned to ignore then, then I became wrapped up in Lola's story. There were times that I was rather envious--after all, who wouldn't want to live in NYC and travel to LA on the weekends? However, I think the growth of the characters is what intrigued me the most. I don't want to give too much away because this story is definitely woven, but I am proud of some of the decisions Lola makes and I can complately see some of Hollywood's biggest stars acting they way they did in this book.
I am definitely intrigued and want to find out what else happens to these characters. I'm especially interested in Kate's life and the changes that are made with her character at the end of this book. If you are into fashion and lots of drama, then Beneath a Starlet Sky is the book for you. Let me know what you think. Happy Reading!
**I did win this book from the Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.**
April 29, 2011
What Stephanie thought:
What Stephanie Thought: I expected to enjoy Beneath a Starlet Sky a lot more than I actually did, since it looked so glamorous and pretty and all that. Even the blurb (though pretty much summarizing the entire book) wasn't that bad. And it wasn't a bad read at all. But I couldn't find myself to quite love it either.
The book is the ideal example of style over substance; while the book contains juicy and brutally accurate details of Hollywood society (not that I would know, since I'm not an LA insider), the plot falls flat and leaves the reader (in this case, unfortunately, me) restless. Written by Amanda Goldberg (a movie producer) and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (a famous actor's daughter), it is evident the content that goes into the novel are real-life points of view. However, not all (or many) movie producers are fit to write novels; the cinema industry and book industry are completely different realms. Goldberg may have a successful film career, thanks to her bright imagination and vision statement, but her words penned down on paper fall undeniably flat. And as for Hopper, the only achievement she's made outside of being a celebrity herself, is co-write a previous book with Goldberg titled Celebutantes, which, I have not read, but can imagine is about.
Lola's journey as a rising A-lister in the captivating but deceptive Hollywood world is interesting, at best. Not even entertaining, because half the book describes in great detail, an outfit, or an interior design, or a power couple relationship. Maybe good for tabloids, but not a novel. I myself, am a fan of People and Cosmopolitan, which is why I found a lot of the celebrity observations interesting. But with each sentence filling up about a sixth of the page, the book itself was in no way, fun to read, or amusing, or really anything a good book should be.
If Beneath a Starlet Sky had been published as a magazine, I would have gobbled it up. But sadly, I just couldn't put admiration into it, due to weak writing, lack of intrigue, dull characters, or maybe a combination of the three.
What Stephanie Thought: I expected to enjoy Beneath a Starlet Sky a lot more than I actually did, since it looked so glamorous and pretty and all that. Even the blurb (though pretty much summarizing the entire book) wasn't that bad. And it wasn't a bad read at all. But I couldn't find myself to quite love it either.
The book is the ideal example of style over substance; while the book contains juicy and brutally accurate details of Hollywood society (not that I would know, since I'm not an LA insider), the plot falls flat and leaves the reader (in this case, unfortunately, me) restless. Written by Amanda Goldberg (a movie producer) and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (a famous actor's daughter), it is evident the content that goes into the novel are real-life points of view. However, not all (or many) movie producers are fit to write novels; the cinema industry and book industry are completely different realms. Goldberg may have a successful film career, thanks to her bright imagination and vision statement, but her words penned down on paper fall undeniably flat. And as for Hopper, the only achievement she's made outside of being a celebrity herself, is co-write a previous book with Goldberg titled Celebutantes, which, I have not read, but can imagine is about.
Lola's journey as a rising A-lister in the captivating but deceptive Hollywood world is interesting, at best. Not even entertaining, because half the book describes in great detail, an outfit, or an interior design, or a power couple relationship. Maybe good for tabloids, but not a novel. I myself, am a fan of People and Cosmopolitan, which is why I found a lot of the celebrity observations interesting. But with each sentence filling up about a sixth of the page, the book itself was in no way, fun to read, or amusing, or really anything a good book should be.
If Beneath a Starlet Sky had been published as a magazine, I would have gobbled it up. But sadly, I just couldn't put admiration into it, due to weak writing, lack of intrigue, dull characters, or maybe a combination of the three.
May 13, 2011
Lola Santisi, daughter of Hollywood royalty, is stuck between two worlds. On one hand, she has LA- with her doctor boyfriend who finally isn’t an actor, who seems he could be The One, and where she can wear Crocs and get away with it. On the other end is New York, where she is the CEO of her BFF’s fashion line, Julian Tennant Inc., and always has her Louboutin stiletto’s firmly planted on the ground. The bicoastal life is getting to Lola, Julian Tennant’s fashion line is plummeting, and Lola’s brother just got dumped- by Lola’s best friend, Kate Woods, rising star at CAA. While Lola tries to piece her brother’s heart back together, figure out what got Kate to jump ship, and book Julian’s designs for a magazine cover, her life starts to spin out of control. Add in the backstabbing, ridiculous demands of the Hollywood elite, and a mother with a reality show, and Lola has her hands full. Navigating her way through crisis after crisis, whether with a Croc or Louboutin on her pedicured feet, Lola works to keep her life sane, save her and Julian’s careers, and find happiness with her boyfriend.
Beneath a Starlet Sky is the follow-up from Celebutantes by Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper. While I haven’t read the first book and worried that might hinder my experience, it really didn’t. I picked up on the character’s lives smoothly and adored Lola. She cared so much about everyone around her; her family, friends, and boyfriend, and I really wanted good things for her. The insider gossip on what really happens in Hollywood is outrageous, but in a laugh out loud, “are you kidding me?” kind of way. I laughed a lot while reading, but felt sometimes that the other shoe dropped on one to many occasions. Every time something good happened to Lola, something worse would occur to wipe out the happiness. I found myself sighing towards the end of the book because I knew something terrible was going to happen every chapter, it got a little stale for me. But the ending was a happy one, and overall I thought it was a fun book, and if you like reading about celebrities and the insane world they live in, I would definitely recommend Beneath a Starlet Sky to you!
Beneath a Starlet Sky is the follow-up from Celebutantes by Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper. While I haven’t read the first book and worried that might hinder my experience, it really didn’t. I picked up on the character’s lives smoothly and adored Lola. She cared so much about everyone around her; her family, friends, and boyfriend, and I really wanted good things for her. The insider gossip on what really happens in Hollywood is outrageous, but in a laugh out loud, “are you kidding me?” kind of way. I laughed a lot while reading, but felt sometimes that the other shoe dropped on one to many occasions. Every time something good happened to Lola, something worse would occur to wipe out the happiness. I found myself sighing towards the end of the book because I knew something terrible was going to happen every chapter, it got a little stale for me. But the ending was a happy one, and overall I thought it was a fun book, and if you like reading about celebrities and the insane world they live in, I would definitely recommend Beneath a Starlet Sky to you!
February 2, 2011
Lola’s life is in the fast lane; unfortunately she isn’t sure if she can keep up. Daughter of an uber-famous Hollywood director and a reality TV wife, Lola’s life is always splashed for all to see. Plus she is trying to keep her fashion PR firm afloat while a nemesis magazine editor is determined to shut her down. How will she even find the time to maintain her relationship to her dream guy?
Beneath a Starlet Sky is fast paced and entertaining. It’s all that you love about chick lit with a healthy dose of tabloid gossip. Even though the heroine is far removed from the average girl’s life, I found her endearing and her downfall heartbreaking. I admit, halfway through this book, I was hooked and needed to know the ending of her story. Be prepared for a messy, wild ride!
However I felt this book was over-riddled with name-dropping and celebrity comparisons. Some were real; others were made up. Even the most gossip loving celebrity and fashion hounds might not catch all the references made in this book. I found this distracting from the story at hand.
I was also slightly disappointed that the token gay best friend was the typical flamboyant, self-indulgent artist sort. Can there be no ‘normal’ gay or lesbian characters in books or film besides the stereotype comic relief? This is not to say I didn’t find him and his quirks funny, because they were. Maybe I am over thinking this. I also do not live in NYC or LA, where this book was set in.
Conclusion:
Beneath a Starlet Sky was fun, fast, and indulgent. A glimpse into what life in a Hollywood family might really be like, this book was shocking and touching. I recommend reading it for yourself.
Note: I received a copy for review from Get Red PR.
Beneath a Starlet Sky is fast paced and entertaining. It’s all that you love about chick lit with a healthy dose of tabloid gossip. Even though the heroine is far removed from the average girl’s life, I found her endearing and her downfall heartbreaking. I admit, halfway through this book, I was hooked and needed to know the ending of her story. Be prepared for a messy, wild ride!
However I felt this book was over-riddled with name-dropping and celebrity comparisons. Some were real; others were made up. Even the most gossip loving celebrity and fashion hounds might not catch all the references made in this book. I found this distracting from the story at hand.
I was also slightly disappointed that the token gay best friend was the typical flamboyant, self-indulgent artist sort. Can there be no ‘normal’ gay or lesbian characters in books or film besides the stereotype comic relief? This is not to say I didn’t find him and his quirks funny, because they were. Maybe I am over thinking this. I also do not live in NYC or LA, where this book was set in.
Conclusion:
Beneath a Starlet Sky was fun, fast, and indulgent. A glimpse into what life in a Hollywood family might really be like, this book was shocking and touching. I recommend reading it for yourself.
Note: I received a copy for review from Get Red PR.
March 21, 2011
So good! I have to read Celebutantes as soon as possible! The tagline "Welcome to Hollyweird" should say it all but when the Santisi family and friends (and a few or hundred photogs and paps) take off for the International Film Festival at Cannes, anything can happen. Mother Santisi is starring in her own reality show; Lola Santisi is CEO of struggling wedding designer, Julian Tennant, Inc; Papa Santisi is looking to score yet another Oscar nod for his latest mega-star film, but a rehab-bound actor might screw it all up if his agent and Lola's bff, Kate, can''t keep him in line; Kate's got more worries on her hand, having just broken off a long relationship with Christopher Santisi; Finally, Lola may have found her very own Dr. McDreamy, Lev, who actually lives outside the realm of La La Land - that is until the real Doctor is offered a part on a Daytime Soap; no matter how far she travels, Lola just can't seem to escape all the craziness of Hollywood. Vive le France!
February 16, 2011
This was a great sequel to the first book! I somewhat view these books as the Sex and the City for the younger, west coast female. I love all the celebrity name-dropping and fashion references. Instead of now all my favorite tabloids rolled together this second book has rolled Vogue into the mix. I highly recommend both this book and the first Celebutantes! I hope they write a book that follows where this story ended, I love the dynamic of Lola, Cricket, and Kate and want to keep reading!
Did Not Finish
March 8, 2011I tried really hard to get into this book. The premise sounded interesting, and I was determined to get through it. Unfortunately, I finally had to admit defeat. I found the book incredibly shallow, and a bore. The relentless name-dropping got old really quick, and got in the way of what little plot there was.
DNF
Review copy courtesy of publisher via Library Thing's Early Reviewer program.
DNF
Review copy courtesy of publisher via Library Thing's Early Reviewer program.
February 9, 2011
Bland, I think is probably the best description for this book. It had a good concept and there were some really well written parts, but there was too much build-up and then way too much going on in the last 75 pages or so. Overall, it wasn't terrible, but I'm certainly not going to read it again. The author needs to work on a more steady flow to the plotline.
May 27, 2011
This was a fun, light read. I have a soft spot for insider-y Hollywood novels, and this definitely fit the bill. Lola, the main character, is surprisingly likable and down-to-earth despite the fact that she has to deal with an insane family, including a famous director father and a mother obsessed with ratings for her reality show. Overall this is pretty outrageous but it was fun.
June 11, 2011
Follow up novel about Lola Santini, the CEO of a fashion designer and the problems that befall her personally and professionally as she attempts to put on Julian's show at Cannes while her brother's film is up for the Palm D'Or at the same time as her BFF has just broken her brother's heart. She has a lot going on.
October 14, 2011
I was not a big fan. It was very difficult for me to get into this book, I had to force myself to read it. It seemed that they tried to cram too many stuff into the book that it left it lacking direction. Small redemption in the end, but will pass on their future books.
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