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Behind the Scenes
Catlin Ryan is determined to escape her dreary life in a beachside caravan park. Abandoned by her alcoholic mother, she dreams of a life on the stage and is prepared to work hard to get it. So when she is offered a starring role on her favourite television series, Catlin does not think twice about taking it.
But fame comes with a set of new challenges, long hours, spoiled and demanding colleagues, the paparazzi, some wild parties and Tom, the bitter director who seems to hate her. Then there is the reunion with her father, a brooding retired police officer, who offers her board and lodgings inside a house that is haunted with dark family secrets. Who is Catlin Ryan, really? Why does she keep remembering things that she knows never really happened? Can Catlin reconcile with her past and keep her family secrets out of the tabloids, or is the world destined to know what goes on behind the scenes?
But fame comes with a set of new challenges, long hours, spoiled and demanding colleagues, the paparazzi, some wild parties and Tom, the bitter director who seems to hate her. Then there is the reunion with her father, a brooding retired police officer, who offers her board and lodgings inside a house that is haunted with dark family secrets. Who is Catlin Ryan, really? Why does she keep remembering things that she knows never really happened? Can Catlin reconcile with her past and keep her family secrets out of the tabloids, or is the world destined to know what goes on behind the scenes?
266 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2013
548 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn White
19 books57 followersKathryn White is an author, blogger and bookworm from Adelaide, South Australia. She graduated from Flinders University with a BA (Hons) in English Literature and has worked in a variety of fields, including a stint as a puppeteer. She has been an uncredited extra in two feature films.
Kathryn enjoys writing about young people who do not fit in socially, or who fail to meet the expectations of others.
Kathryn enjoys writing about young people who do not fit in socially, or who fail to meet the expectations of others.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 27, 2021
I’ve read and enjoyed all of Kathryn White’s books, this one too was most enjoyable. In fact it was excellent! I loved this story! I absolutely adore Young Adult fiction and, anything featuring celebrity romance gets my vote.
This has everything I hope for in a book - light romance, a well written story with depth, a twist here and there, engaging characters, fame and, a TV show.
Read it in two sittings, a compelling read from cover to cover.
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2021: #29 - A book with a black and white cover
This has everything I hope for in a book - light romance, a well written story with depth, a twist here and there, engaging characters, fame and, a TV show.
Read it in two sittings, a compelling read from cover to cover.
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2021: #29 - A book with a black and white cover
September 19, 2013
Behind the Scenes by Kathryn White.
The thing I loved most about this book was how relatable it was. Living in Adelaide myself and being familiar with the lower suburbs, it was easy to picture the environment that Catlin lived in, as well as the characters who surrounded her home life.
The book begins with a fairly heart-wrenching event, one which I WAS NOT expecting, but it sends Catlin on a spiralling, life changing track... for the better. After landing a part on the hottest Australian drama on TV, Catlin relocates to Melbourne and is forced to live with her distant father, who remains determindly mysterious about why Catlin had to suffer her awful mother for the last decade or so.
Meet the cast of Angel Street, the drama Catlin will be working on. Most of them are the stereotypical TV bimbo, except for superstar Kimmie, who seems to be a complete bitch the first time we meet her, but her softer side comes through as the book progresses. Tom, son of the producer with a checked past, also seems distant and uncaring, until he realises that Catlin isn't like all of the other girls who've come through Angel Street.
I finished this book in about a day, and found myself drifting back too it whenever I had a few spare minutes. I loved the author's voice and how relatable all of the characters were. I especially loved the ending (I'm a big softy for warm fuzzies), and I can't help but find myself hoping for a sequel or spin off...
Highly recommended.
The thing I loved most about this book was how relatable it was. Living in Adelaide myself and being familiar with the lower suburbs, it was easy to picture the environment that Catlin lived in, as well as the characters who surrounded her home life.
The book begins with a fairly heart-wrenching event, one which I WAS NOT expecting, but it sends Catlin on a spiralling, life changing track... for the better. After landing a part on the hottest Australian drama on TV, Catlin relocates to Melbourne and is forced to live with her distant father, who remains determindly mysterious about why Catlin had to suffer her awful mother for the last decade or so.
Meet the cast of Angel Street, the drama Catlin will be working on. Most of them are the stereotypical TV bimbo, except for superstar Kimmie, who seems to be a complete bitch the first time we meet her, but her softer side comes through as the book progresses. Tom, son of the producer with a checked past, also seems distant and uncaring, until he realises that Catlin isn't like all of the other girls who've come through Angel Street.
I finished this book in about a day, and found myself drifting back too it whenever I had a few spare minutes. I loved the author's voice and how relatable all of the characters were. I especially loved the ending (I'm a big softy for warm fuzzies), and I can't help but find myself hoping for a sequel or spin off...
Highly recommended.
April 14, 2013
Kathryn White has outdone herself with this book, it has shown her growth as an author. There are many twists and turns in this story making it a pleasurable read. Catlin Ryan is a multidimensional character and is one you want to hear more about. I would really love a follow up from this book. I can't wait to read more of Kathryn White's work, especially if she continues to produce works of this magnitude.
August 24, 2013
Catlin Ryan doesn't fit in with her South Coast caravan lifestyle, perhaps even her friends and fiancé. In the hopes of becoming a famous actress she not only lands the part of her dreams but she also ends up untangling an emotional mess of a past which her subconscious mind was burying. Behind the scenes not only looks at what goes on in the world of fame in Australia, it also looks closely behind the scenes of a young woman who wants nothing more than to find herself.
May 4, 2013
Actual rating- 3.5
*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Behind the scenes from author Kathryn White in exchange for an honest review. We thank Kathryn for the book!
Catlin Ryan is an 18 year old Australian who gets a perfect score in English and Psychology and aspires to become an actress. She is overjoyed when she is cast to play a role in the famous Australian drama soap, Angel Street. Catlin, although excited to start her acting career, has no idea how stressful and irritating it gets behind the scenes.
Behind the scenes is a very apt title for the book because it shows exactly what goes on behind the scenes. The book starts out with Catlin's fiancé's death in an accident after which she moves to the home of her father, Hayden Ryan, and gets in touch with her long lost family, a family she was forced to forget by her mother, Tess.
I really liked reading Behind The Scenes as it was unlike anything I'd read. For the first time, I read a book about top-notch celebrities. It showed the reality of the picture by taking the reader through the points of views of almost the entire team of Channel 13 that broadcasts these entertaining Australian TV shows. It's one of those types of situations that hit you in the face with their content and hard-hitting reality.
Catlin was a decent protagonist. There were times when I felt that she was giving in too easily, but she learns her lesson in the end. She was a nice girl, although too innocent, especially since she always dreamt of becoming an actress. Although Catlin's dead fiancé Johnny seemed like a nice guy, it was her Angel Street director, Tom Arbuckle who really seemed to be perfect for her. Since the first time the two stumbled upon each other, their chemistry was hard to ignore. From among the team of Angel Street, I did have my suspicions about who were the good guys and who weren't the good ones. I was right about most and wrong about a few. The Ryan family, made up of Catlin's dad Hayden her stepmother Adele, her stepsister Kimmy and another dead stepsister Keeley, were a nice bunch of people. Hayden was fierce, Adele was sweet and Kimmy was awesome. Catlin's biological mother Tess was a troublemaker and it was very awful to see her intentions.
I'm not one to judge but from what little I've heard and read about stuff that goes on behind the scenes, author Kathryn White has done an excellent job in showing how it all works behind the scenes. Well, I read in the author's bio that she wanted to be an actor too. The writing was clean, and although there were lots of grammatical mistakes that peeved me, the plot itself was very intriguing and twisting and kept me wanting to find out what happens and it was put down well. One of the best things about the book was that it was set in Australia. I enjoyed seeing a different setting. Overall, Behind The Scenes was a very good read.
*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Behind the scenes from author Kathryn White in exchange for an honest review. We thank Kathryn for the book!
Catlin Ryan is an 18 year old Australian who gets a perfect score in English and Psychology and aspires to become an actress. She is overjoyed when she is cast to play a role in the famous Australian drama soap, Angel Street. Catlin, although excited to start her acting career, has no idea how stressful and irritating it gets behind the scenes.
Behind the scenes is a very apt title for the book because it shows exactly what goes on behind the scenes. The book starts out with Catlin's fiancé's death in an accident after which she moves to the home of her father, Hayden Ryan, and gets in touch with her long lost family, a family she was forced to forget by her mother, Tess.
I really liked reading Behind The Scenes as it was unlike anything I'd read. For the first time, I read a book about top-notch celebrities. It showed the reality of the picture by taking the reader through the points of views of almost the entire team of Channel 13 that broadcasts these entertaining Australian TV shows. It's one of those types of situations that hit you in the face with their content and hard-hitting reality.
Catlin was a decent protagonist. There were times when I felt that she was giving in too easily, but she learns her lesson in the end. She was a nice girl, although too innocent, especially since she always dreamt of becoming an actress. Although Catlin's dead fiancé Johnny seemed like a nice guy, it was her Angel Street director, Tom Arbuckle who really seemed to be perfect for her. Since the first time the two stumbled upon each other, their chemistry was hard to ignore. From among the team of Angel Street, I did have my suspicions about who were the good guys and who weren't the good ones. I was right about most and wrong about a few. The Ryan family, made up of Catlin's dad Hayden her stepmother Adele, her stepsister Kimmy and another dead stepsister Keeley, were a nice bunch of people. Hayden was fierce, Adele was sweet and Kimmy was awesome. Catlin's biological mother Tess was a troublemaker and it was very awful to see her intentions.
I'm not one to judge but from what little I've heard and read about stuff that goes on behind the scenes, author Kathryn White has done an excellent job in showing how it all works behind the scenes. Well, I read in the author's bio that she wanted to be an actor too. The writing was clean, and although there were lots of grammatical mistakes that peeved me, the plot itself was very intriguing and twisting and kept me wanting to find out what happens and it was put down well. One of the best things about the book was that it was set in Australia. I enjoyed seeing a different setting. Overall, Behind The Scenes was a very good read.
August 25, 2013
awesome reads of the year! very nice book. i would suggest everyone to go for it. just loved how the author potrayed the character and the real face of it,loved it!
May 3, 2013
Behind the Scenes most certainly lives up to its name. Using Australia as its backdrop, this is a story revolving about what actually happens in Hollywood—something that the papaparazzi doesn’t quite know about. With an actress as its protagonist, the reader gets the real scoop of the events behind the scenes.
I have to admit that this is the first time I read a story set in Australia, and I found it refreshing. I’ve been reading a ton of contemporary novels lately, but still this novel was able to stand out with its unique plot. About acting and the television industry, Behind the Scenes is one of those light stories in which all you have to do is to sit back and read.
To be honest, I’m not so sure if I like Catlin Ryan or not. She acts like a rebellious teenager girl. I understand that her father supposedly abandoned her when she was younger, but I don’t think that an she should stick her tongue out and roll her eyes at a picture of her dead sister because she feels unloved. Catlin’s behavior bothered me at times, especially when she immediately jumped to conclusions constantly, which normally ended up being the same thing: No one loves me, my father is a terrible person and I hate my stepmother because she married my father.
So then I question: If you resent him so much, why are you staying with him? There were a lot of things missing for me when it came to the protagonist’s character development. I think that I would have bought it more if there was more explanation of why she acts this way through flashbacks or more revelations about her past.
Tom Arbuckle was Catlin’s love interest. The stereotypical broody hot bad boy who in truth cares for the girl on the inside, I found myself being able to predict what he was going to next. In my opinion, if his character was more developed and the author made use of his past drug addiction and integrated it into the events of the novel, he would have been a more interesting character.
Kimmy is actually my favorite character. I glad that she didn’t turn out to be the spiteful sister that she was at the start. She’s actually a really sweet and caring person, and so different from he other famous actors and actresses with horrible personalities. Kimmy really sticks with Catlin until the end, making sure that she would never repeat the same mistake of abandoning her stepsister again.
When I began to read Behind the Scenes, I knew right off the bat it had a lot of potential. Catlin, who was trying to get away from the life that she has been living for over half her life and trying to fulfill her dream as an actress. She was abandoned by both her parents—unwanted by her father and abandoned by her mother— and her fiance died in a accident. It was definitely an interesting start, seeing that Catlin decide on a new start and went to live with her father in Melbourne. The main problem that I had was that the novel had a lot of plot holes. I didn’t mind them at first, but soon they became glaring problems that I couldn’t ignore. There would often be gaps that would leave me wondering what happen in between. To be honest, I really wouldn’t mind reading fifty more pages if it means that it would be able to connect the events and provide explanations which I felt lacking in the novel.
Overall, Behind the Scenes had a lot of potential that disappeared and reappeared as the novel progressed. Had the plot and the characters been more developed, I feel that this would have been a story that I would have enjoyed very much.
I have to admit that this is the first time I read a story set in Australia, and I found it refreshing. I’ve been reading a ton of contemporary novels lately, but still this novel was able to stand out with its unique plot. About acting and the television industry, Behind the Scenes is one of those light stories in which all you have to do is to sit back and read.
To be honest, I’m not so sure if I like Catlin Ryan or not. She acts like a rebellious teenager girl. I understand that her father supposedly abandoned her when she was younger, but I don’t think that an she should stick her tongue out and roll her eyes at a picture of her dead sister because she feels unloved. Catlin’s behavior bothered me at times, especially when she immediately jumped to conclusions constantly, which normally ended up being the same thing: No one loves me, my father is a terrible person and I hate my stepmother because she married my father.
So then I question: If you resent him so much, why are you staying with him? There were a lot of things missing for me when it came to the protagonist’s character development. I think that I would have bought it more if there was more explanation of why she acts this way through flashbacks or more revelations about her past.
Tom Arbuckle was Catlin’s love interest. The stereotypical broody hot bad boy who in truth cares for the girl on the inside, I found myself being able to predict what he was going to next. In my opinion, if his character was more developed and the author made use of his past drug addiction and integrated it into the events of the novel, he would have been a more interesting character.
Kimmy is actually my favorite character. I glad that she didn’t turn out to be the spiteful sister that she was at the start. She’s actually a really sweet and caring person, and so different from he other famous actors and actresses with horrible personalities. Kimmy really sticks with Catlin until the end, making sure that she would never repeat the same mistake of abandoning her stepsister again.
When I began to read Behind the Scenes, I knew right off the bat it had a lot of potential. Catlin, who was trying to get away from the life that she has been living for over half her life and trying to fulfill her dream as an actress. She was abandoned by both her parents—unwanted by her father and abandoned by her mother— and her fiance died in a accident. It was definitely an interesting start, seeing that Catlin decide on a new start and went to live with her father in Melbourne. The main problem that I had was that the novel had a lot of plot holes. I didn’t mind them at first, but soon they became glaring problems that I couldn’t ignore. There would often be gaps that would leave me wondering what happen in between. To be honest, I really wouldn’t mind reading fifty more pages if it means that it would be able to connect the events and provide explanations which I felt lacking in the novel.
Overall, Behind the Scenes had a lot of potential that disappeared and reappeared as the novel progressed. Had the plot and the characters been more developed, I feel that this would have been a story that I would have enjoyed very much.
July 30, 2013
I reviewed this book at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley.
I am not constantly copying your rating, I swear! ;) But..Behind the Scenes...I liked it. I will probably say this a thousand more times in my life, but I am kind of obsessed with stories about fame. From bands to actors to pro athletes, I love it all. That might annoy some people, but I think it is fun because it is so far removed from how I live my life. I'm a nurse for crying out loud! I have to get the glitz and glamour somewhere right?! How the other half lives and all that.
1) Catlin. This poor girl. She hasn't caught a lot of breaks in her life so you can't help but root for her. It made me a little sad that she has these dreams of making herself a star because she enjoys it, but nobody believes in her. The Johnny situation is what I had the most problem with the pacing you mentioned. It went from 0-60 right out of the gate so when something happens to yet another person in Catlin's life, I didn't feel emotionally connected to it.
2) Posse/People/Backstabbers. We had the almighty gamut of personalities didn't we! This soap opera had more drama off screen than on by far! I am with you 100% on Kimmy! I was really afraid how she was going to be based on how she treated other people, so I was pleasantly surprised with her and how she treats Catlin, and her loyalty to Tom. Sarah and Tess - may they rot in whatever cesspool they end up in.
3) Australia. Australia. Australia. That pretty much says it all. I really love it too, being all landlocked here! Well, you are too, so you are in my boat!! Anyway, I am also fascinated by accents, so when I can use the dialogue to imagine them talking...eeep, I just love it! (Sorry Australian people if I'm being a typical American here, but you have to admit your country is beautiful!) And Adelaide, I just love that name!
4) Characters/Pacing. I agree with you that we "knew" Catlin best, then probably Kimmy, but I would've liked to have a little bit more from Tom. He had a lot of issues going for him, and while he really helped Catlin with hers, I felt a little like he got put on the back burner. It seemed like he ended up more put together than I thought, but with all of his angst in the beginning (not in an attractive way, shame on you Tom!) I'd have liked to see more of his transformation detailed. Same with Catlin's relationship with her Dad. I totally got it with him that she would cut off the communication being a typical teenager and running off, but sometimes it switched gears too quick on me. The mistakes and misunderstandings were definitely real life though and definitely relatable.
Behind the Scenes was a fun, quick read. It didn't weigh me down or wish that it was over, and I really had a lot of fun reading about the train wreck that is Tess and Ken at the end. Karma sucks, doesn't it Tess!
I am not constantly copying your rating, I swear! ;) But..Behind the Scenes...I liked it. I will probably say this a thousand more times in my life, but I am kind of obsessed with stories about fame. From bands to actors to pro athletes, I love it all. That might annoy some people, but I think it is fun because it is so far removed from how I live my life. I'm a nurse for crying out loud! I have to get the glitz and glamour somewhere right?! How the other half lives and all that.
1) Catlin. This poor girl. She hasn't caught a lot of breaks in her life so you can't help but root for her. It made me a little sad that she has these dreams of making herself a star because she enjoys it, but nobody believes in her. The Johnny situation is what I had the most problem with the pacing you mentioned. It went from 0-60 right out of the gate so when something happens to yet another person in Catlin's life, I didn't feel emotionally connected to it.
2) Posse/People/Backstabbers. We had the almighty gamut of personalities didn't we! This soap opera had more drama off screen than on by far! I am with you 100% on Kimmy! I was really afraid how she was going to be based on how she treated other people, so I was pleasantly surprised with her and how she treats Catlin, and her loyalty to Tom. Sarah and Tess - may they rot in whatever cesspool they end up in.
3) Australia. Australia. Australia. That pretty much says it all. I really love it too, being all landlocked here! Well, you are too, so you are in my boat!! Anyway, I am also fascinated by accents, so when I can use the dialogue to imagine them talking...eeep, I just love it! (Sorry Australian people if I'm being a typical American here, but you have to admit your country is beautiful!) And Adelaide, I just love that name!
4) Characters/Pacing. I agree with you that we "knew" Catlin best, then probably Kimmy, but I would've liked to have a little bit more from Tom. He had a lot of issues going for him, and while he really helped Catlin with hers, I felt a little like he got put on the back burner. It seemed like he ended up more put together than I thought, but with all of his angst in the beginning (not in an attractive way, shame on you Tom!) I'd have liked to see more of his transformation detailed. Same with Catlin's relationship with her Dad. I totally got it with him that she would cut off the communication being a typical teenager and running off, but sometimes it switched gears too quick on me. The mistakes and misunderstandings were definitely real life though and definitely relatable.
Behind the Scenes was a fun, quick read. It didn't weigh me down or wish that it was over, and I really had a lot of fun reading about the train wreck that is Tess and Ken at the end. Karma sucks, doesn't it Tess!
February 10, 2015
The author takes a theme that has been done to death and makes it massively original. Catlin Ryan has just scored a gig on her favourite television show but there is so much other crazy shit that is going on in her life that it seems more like a backstory than the actual plot. The family secrets are a bit weird but it all works out okay in the end.
June 10, 2016
Good book. Well written plot. Engaging characters. Won courtesy of goodreads.com giveaways.
April 7, 2014
You know that feeling when you read a book and it’s like deja vu? I just had that feeling. BEHIND THE SCENES is a fascinating story of life as an rising actor in a soap opera, with a plot line that follows Every Other Book Ever.
Writing? The writing is quick-moving and engaging. It only falls into the trap of Must Explain Everything, which (as a reader) drives me crazy. We get told something happens, then the action is explained, and then the characters tell each other what just happened. I got it the first time. But the overall flow is easy going. I gobbled it in a few hours.
Characters? Our narrator is Catlin Ryan, who’s 18 and just finished school. She wants to be an actor. CUE SONG: There’s noooo business like shooooow business, there’s noooo business I knoooow! (Okay! Don’t cue song!) But still! Catlin was really naive, and honestly, a bit immature. After a childhood of her mother on alcohol and drugs, living in a caravan park, and being dirt poor…I thought she’d be more life-savvy. But nope. She was quite happy to be bossed around and directed and…frankly I just wanted her to stand up for herself. She acted capable in the first section of the book — but when she moved in with her father, she turned into a totally dependant teenager. Who cried a lot. A
Also: Why did she move back in with her father? She’d been living alone for nearly 3 years! Why didn’t she rent an apartment? She moved to Melbourne for a job, so she had money coming in. The friction between her and her father and step-mother was sparky. It made for an interesting plot, I suppose, but why move in?! She was an adult!
Plot? It’s very average. Rise to fame. Gets in with the catty rich girls. Makes naive mistakes in front of paparazzi. Wears expensive sunglasses. Eats. Pukes. Drinks. Repeat last three multiple times. Hates a guy, fall in love with a guy… The only difference to the “norm” was Catlin’s backstory. Which she remembers nothing about.
I would have just liked a little communication in this book. After Catlin goes to live with her estranged father, he never talks to her about her past. He never explains anything. He never tries to repair the damage she OBVIOUSLY feels because she’s been abandoned as a child! Multiple times! He just expects her to do everything he says and be a “big happy family”.
If you’re looking for a New Adult book with more plot than romance, this is it! (Yay!) It keeps the action moving about the ins and outs of rising fame, while it lulls you to sleep with its Plain Jane characters and severe under-use of chocolate pudding. I’m glad pudding sneaked in, because it sounded delicious.
Writing? The writing is quick-moving and engaging. It only falls into the trap of Must Explain Everything, which (as a reader) drives me crazy. We get told something happens, then the action is explained, and then the characters tell each other what just happened. I got it the first time. But the overall flow is easy going. I gobbled it in a few hours.
Characters? Our narrator is Catlin Ryan, who’s 18 and just finished school. She wants to be an actor. CUE SONG: There’s noooo business like shooooow business, there’s noooo business I knoooow! (Okay! Don’t cue song!) But still! Catlin was really naive, and honestly, a bit immature. After a childhood of her mother on alcohol and drugs, living in a caravan park, and being dirt poor…I thought she’d be more life-savvy. But nope. She was quite happy to be bossed around and directed and…frankly I just wanted her to stand up for herself. She acted capable in the first section of the book — but when she moved in with her father, she turned into a totally dependant teenager. Who cried a lot. A
Also: Why did she move back in with her father? She’d been living alone for nearly 3 years! Why didn’t she rent an apartment? She moved to Melbourne for a job, so she had money coming in. The friction between her and her father and step-mother was sparky. It made for an interesting plot, I suppose, but why move in?! She was an adult!
Plot? It’s very average. Rise to fame. Gets in with the catty rich girls. Makes naive mistakes in front of paparazzi. Wears expensive sunglasses. Eats. Pukes. Drinks. Repeat last three multiple times. Hates a guy, fall in love with a guy… The only difference to the “norm” was Catlin’s backstory. Which she remembers nothing about.
I would have just liked a little communication in this book. After Catlin goes to live with her estranged father, he never talks to her about her past. He never explains anything. He never tries to repair the damage she OBVIOUSLY feels because she’s been abandoned as a child! Multiple times! He just expects her to do everything he says and be a “big happy family”.
If you’re looking for a New Adult book with more plot than romance, this is it! (Yay!) It keeps the action moving about the ins and outs of rising fame, while it lulls you to sleep with its Plain Jane characters and severe under-use of chocolate pudding. I’m glad pudding sneaked in, because it sounded delicious.
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