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X.
Inspired by actual events, X. follows the story of Tamra, a young actress, during the days following her feature film debut. The week kicks off with the arrival of her childhood best friends, Maddy and Amelia, who have flown in to help her celebrate the most important milestone of her life. Home friends. L.A. friends. Fun parties. Exclusive clubs. Hot boys. It should all add up to equal the most unforgettable time. But Tamra is haunted by a dark secret. Unbeknownst to her friends, she is being stalked, and pressured by greater forces to keep quiet. Our leading lady has convinced herself that she needs no one's help battling the anxiety that has only recently developed within her. Everything is only further complicated when Lucas, the boy who has appointed himself protector and guide to Tamra during her time in Los Angeles, threatens to act against her wishes and reveal her truth.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2017
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101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 28, 2017
I wanted to give this 3,5 stars buuuut Goodreads wouldn’t let me.🙈
I received this book by the lovely Shelby Mena BUT that doesn’t mean this review won’t be 100% honest.
I rarely read books like this so I didn’t know what to expect by X. It was a quick read, the writing style was smooth and easy to read, and the plot was well paced, (except for a few party scenes that I found repetitive and a bit unecessarry). Most characters were well developed and I found myself liking the main character Tamra. (I had a harder time liking Lucas though, I found him annoying from time to time.)
Overall it was a good book worth reading, one of those books to read when you don’t want to pick up something as daunting as the Lord of the Rings triology.
I received this book by the lovely Shelby Mena BUT that doesn’t mean this review won’t be 100% honest.
I rarely read books like this so I didn’t know what to expect by X. It was a quick read, the writing style was smooth and easy to read, and the plot was well paced, (except for a few party scenes that I found repetitive and a bit unecessarry). Most characters were well developed and I found myself liking the main character Tamra. (I had a harder time liking Lucas though, I found him annoying from time to time.)
Overall it was a good book worth reading, one of those books to read when you don’t want to pick up something as daunting as the Lord of the Rings triology.
September 10, 2017
I received a copy from the author for an honest review so I want to thank her for giving me this opportunity.
I was super intrigued by the synopsis and the fact that this book is based on real events. I knew immediately that this book will probably ruin me. It started super dramatic and intense and I was instantly captured by it. It got me asking myself a lot of questions regarding some of the characters right from the start. The whole plot centers around an up and coming LA actress and the week after her first big movie premiere. It deals with a lot of nowadays issues like drugs and violence and it’s real and brutal in regards to how young people usually cope with them. I won’t go into more details because I don’t wanna spoil your fun.
As I said before, the beginning delves right into the heart of the problem and it got me instantly liking it. On the other hand the subsequent chapters were kind of an up and down for me. Until the very end there was a lot of partying happening and at some point I think I kind of got bored of them so that was one of the reasons some of the chapters didn’t manage to capture me. This was mainly the only thing I didn’t really understand but maybe it’s because I didn’t quite manage to relate to the characters in this aspect.
There were definitely some parts that I really liked and I was intrigued by, for example by a lot of the interaction between the characters. For instance, the relationship between Tamra, the up and coming actress and her male best friend Lucas. There is definitely tension there especially since Tamra is dealing with a lot of anxiety and stress that she just doesn’t manage to cope with, and Lucas tries to help her but his controlling nature actually makes it worse. Also, I thought it was kind of funny the way everyone in this book was constantly instagramming, facetiming, or tweeting, it was real and honest and it got me thinking that this is another stress inducer for a lot of people. It was easy to understand the characters because there were a lot of different changes of perspectives and i liked the transitions from perspective to perspective. It didn’t feel forced and it didn’t make me confused as to what was happening. #FuckYouDon (for real I disliked him so much)
The ending was actually one of my favourite parts and I would love to see more of that. I definitely did not see that coming and Lucas definitely took a big risk for Tamra. I would love to see the consequences of Lucas’s actions and I would love to see what happens to his and Tamra’s relationship.
The writing was real and funny and it made it all the more believable and relatable. It was a crazy week with crazy characters that made questionable choices and dealt with a lot of problems and anxieties and I think, if you like contemporary novels that deal with these issues this book is for you.
I was super intrigued by the synopsis and the fact that this book is based on real events. I knew immediately that this book will probably ruin me. It started super dramatic and intense and I was instantly captured by it. It got me asking myself a lot of questions regarding some of the characters right from the start. The whole plot centers around an up and coming LA actress and the week after her first big movie premiere. It deals with a lot of nowadays issues like drugs and violence and it’s real and brutal in regards to how young people usually cope with them. I won’t go into more details because I don’t wanna spoil your fun.
As I said before, the beginning delves right into the heart of the problem and it got me instantly liking it. On the other hand the subsequent chapters were kind of an up and down for me. Until the very end there was a lot of partying happening and at some point I think I kind of got bored of them so that was one of the reasons some of the chapters didn’t manage to capture me. This was mainly the only thing I didn’t really understand but maybe it’s because I didn’t quite manage to relate to the characters in this aspect.
There were definitely some parts that I really liked and I was intrigued by, for example by a lot of the interaction between the characters. For instance, the relationship between Tamra, the up and coming actress and her male best friend Lucas. There is definitely tension there especially since Tamra is dealing with a lot of anxiety and stress that she just doesn’t manage to cope with, and Lucas tries to help her but his controlling nature actually makes it worse. Also, I thought it was kind of funny the way everyone in this book was constantly instagramming, facetiming, or tweeting, it was real and honest and it got me thinking that this is another stress inducer for a lot of people. It was easy to understand the characters because there were a lot of different changes of perspectives and i liked the transitions from perspective to perspective. It didn’t feel forced and it didn’t make me confused as to what was happening. #FuckYouDon (for real I disliked him so much)
The ending was actually one of my favourite parts and I would love to see more of that. I definitely did not see that coming and Lucas definitely took a big risk for Tamra. I would love to see the consequences of Lucas’s actions and I would love to see what happens to his and Tamra’s relationship.
The writing was real and funny and it made it all the more believable and relatable. It was a crazy week with crazy characters that made questionable choices and dealt with a lot of problems and anxieties and I think, if you like contemporary novels that deal with these issues this book is for you.
November 28, 2017
Spoiler Free Review
This book was honestly such a page turner. The X NOVEL follows the life of Tamra who is an upcoming actress about to attend her first film premiere. The events that follow are not a rags to riches story but more how the lifestyle of LA seeps into the lives of our youth and how fame and fortune DOES NOT buy happiness. Unlike the cliche celebrity life, this book focuses on real issues with real people, and how not every person you meet in LA is self absorbed or after more status. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried it would be a cliche take on young people of Hollywood but it was very reminiscent of the show entourage which made it so damn enjoyable!
The characters were relatable and raw. I enjoyed that this book explored friendships of both sexes and how some people can have friends of the opposite sex without there needing to be more to it!
Now I do caution there are adult themes and triggers within this book and if you have experience or difficulty reading books that explore adult themes such as violence, rape, abuse - please just approach with caution.
SPOILERS BELOW.....
Overall I adored the characters of this book. I loved each aspect they brought to the story and it made it the more enjoyable and relate able. While this book was entertaining and well written, I was happy to read issues and serious problems that are currently happening in the real world today.
5/5 starts from me! ✨
This book was honestly such a page turner. The X NOVEL follows the life of Tamra who is an upcoming actress about to attend her first film premiere. The events that follow are not a rags to riches story but more how the lifestyle of LA seeps into the lives of our youth and how fame and fortune DOES NOT buy happiness. Unlike the cliche celebrity life, this book focuses on real issues with real people, and how not every person you meet in LA is self absorbed or after more status. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried it would be a cliche take on young people of Hollywood but it was very reminiscent of the show entourage which made it so damn enjoyable!
The characters were relatable and raw. I enjoyed that this book explored friendships of both sexes and how some people can have friends of the opposite sex without there needing to be more to it!
Now I do caution there are adult themes and triggers within this book and if you have experience or difficulty reading books that explore adult themes such as violence, rape, abuse - please just approach with caution.
SPOILERS BELOW.....
Overall I adored the characters of this book. I loved each aspect they brought to the story and it made it the more enjoyable and relate able. While this book was entertaining and well written, I was happy to read issues and serious problems that are currently happening in the real world today.
5/5 starts from me! ✨
August 18, 2017
HOLY SHIT. GUYS!!! I just finished this book and I am still reeling!!
Let me start at the beginning! After reading the synopsis for this book, I was slightly intrigued. I assumed it would be a little like Gossip Girl mixed with Pretty Little Liars. I thought it would be an easy read that I could float through while still being able to take care of my other obligations. NOPE. I WAS WRONG..
X NOVEL has officially ruined my life. I started it on a Thursday, while at work. BIG MISTAKE. I couldn’t put it down! I totally neglected everything that I was supposed to do for the rest of the day! I was sneaking my kindle into the printer room with me just so I could gobble up a few more pages!
That being said, the plot for X NOVEL was enrapturing. I absolutely flew through it. The entire time I was reading I kept trying to guess WHO this book was really about, since its based on real events. AND THE CHARACTERS!!! I was shocked at how invested I became in each of their lives as I continued to read. I felt so deeply for Tamra during the first half, that it was shocking when I started to side with other people during the book.
I don’t want to delve too deeply into the plot because I dont want to spoil anyone but I will say that scene building is one of Mena’s strong suits. I loved being able to picture every situation so clearly in my head. She built this story and its characters up to a tangible thing that I could hold in my heart. I cant wait to see where Mena takes us with her work next!
Let me start at the beginning! After reading the synopsis for this book, I was slightly intrigued. I assumed it would be a little like Gossip Girl mixed with Pretty Little Liars. I thought it would be an easy read that I could float through while still being able to take care of my other obligations. NOPE. I WAS WRONG..
X NOVEL has officially ruined my life. I started it on a Thursday, while at work. BIG MISTAKE. I couldn’t put it down! I totally neglected everything that I was supposed to do for the rest of the day! I was sneaking my kindle into the printer room with me just so I could gobble up a few more pages!
That being said, the plot for X NOVEL was enrapturing. I absolutely flew through it. The entire time I was reading I kept trying to guess WHO this book was really about, since its based on real events. AND THE CHARACTERS!!! I was shocked at how invested I became in each of their lives as I continued to read. I felt so deeply for Tamra during the first half, that it was shocking when I started to side with other people during the book.
I don’t want to delve too deeply into the plot because I dont want to spoil anyone but I will say that scene building is one of Mena’s strong suits. I loved being able to picture every situation so clearly in my head. She built this story and its characters up to a tangible thing that I could hold in my heart. I cant wait to see where Mena takes us with her work next!
September 12, 2017
Whoahhh. From the moment this Ebook appeared on my iPad, I was extremely eager to start reading it but unfortunately, I had promised myself to save it for my vacation. After a few slow and painful days had passed and we finally arrived in Austria I swallowed the fantastic phenomenon X. the novel is in one sitting.
X. the novel is inspired by actual events, it gives us a peek into the life of Tamra, an actress, whose best friends from back home, Maddy and Amelia, have come to L.A. for the premiere of her first film. It is bound to be the most exciting week of their lives, with non-stop partying, Tamra’s famous L.A. friends, and a large dose of glamour.
Little did Amelia and Maddy know, that all of the L.A. charm has a darker side. Not only do they get to experience how easily this world makes you insecure, and learn that anxiety and drugs are no strangers here, but their friend Tamra carries an even darker secret with her. Not only does she struggle to process the horrible things that have happened to her, things get even more complicated when other people get involved and try to take these personal issues out of her hands.
Whilst it might have been Tamra’s debut film in the book, X. is Shelby Mena’s debut novel, and rarely I've read a debut novel that was so well written as this one. The pacing was good. Heck, it was brilliant! It made the feeling of the modern setting with the importance of social media and digital technology so much stronger. From the first chapter onwards, you are completely sucked in the world Mena has so brilliantly created.
All of the characters lived lives that are so fundamentally different from my own that I did not think I could ever connect with them. Yet, being only a few pages in the book I could not stop thinking that I had arrived in L.A. alongside Maddy and Amelia, and was totally welcomed in this group of exotic characters. The character building was good for most of the characters, even though it wasn’t as strong for some of the minor characters. But hey, you meet A LOT of people in L.A. so I imagine that it is hardly possible to get intimate with all of them, right?
While this was mostly a pleasure read for me, the book addressed some highly interesting topics. As I shortly mentioned before, this book is such an eye opener in terms of today’s social media usage. Not only does it give us a much-needed reflection on how dependent we’ve become on social media, but I was so relieved to finally read a book where the possible negative consequences of social media were discussed. Then, there is also the whole Don situation… And how both Tamra and Lucas deal with this particular situation. I feel that I cannot say too much about this without giving spoilers, but I am so anxious to know how this will develop in a further book.
Ultimately, I give X. 4,5 stars. Only because I truly believe that the next book by Mena will have to potential to be even more thrilling, fascinating and exciting. Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest and objective review.
X. the novel is inspired by actual events, it gives us a peek into the life of Tamra, an actress, whose best friends from back home, Maddy and Amelia, have come to L.A. for the premiere of her first film. It is bound to be the most exciting week of their lives, with non-stop partying, Tamra’s famous L.A. friends, and a large dose of glamour.
Little did Amelia and Maddy know, that all of the L.A. charm has a darker side. Not only do they get to experience how easily this world makes you insecure, and learn that anxiety and drugs are no strangers here, but their friend Tamra carries an even darker secret with her. Not only does she struggle to process the horrible things that have happened to her, things get even more complicated when other people get involved and try to take these personal issues out of her hands.
Whilst it might have been Tamra’s debut film in the book, X. is Shelby Mena’s debut novel, and rarely I've read a debut novel that was so well written as this one. The pacing was good. Heck, it was brilliant! It made the feeling of the modern setting with the importance of social media and digital technology so much stronger. From the first chapter onwards, you are completely sucked in the world Mena has so brilliantly created.
All of the characters lived lives that are so fundamentally different from my own that I did not think I could ever connect with them. Yet, being only a few pages in the book I could not stop thinking that I had arrived in L.A. alongside Maddy and Amelia, and was totally welcomed in this group of exotic characters. The character building was good for most of the characters, even though it wasn’t as strong for some of the minor characters. But hey, you meet A LOT of people in L.A. so I imagine that it is hardly possible to get intimate with all of them, right?
While this was mostly a pleasure read for me, the book addressed some highly interesting topics. As I shortly mentioned before, this book is such an eye opener in terms of today’s social media usage. Not only does it give us a much-needed reflection on how dependent we’ve become on social media, but I was so relieved to finally read a book where the possible negative consequences of social media were discussed. Then, there is also the whole Don situation… And how both Tamra and Lucas deal with this particular situation. I feel that I cannot say too much about this without giving spoilers, but I am so anxious to know how this will develop in a further book.
Ultimately, I give X. 4,5 stars. Only because I truly believe that the next book by Mena will have to potential to be even more thrilling, fascinating and exciting. Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest and objective review.
September 4, 2017
I am still not over this book. IT IS SO GOOD PEOPLE! First, I loved how easy I could read it on my phone wherever I am. Although in public, I did get some stares because I cannot help my shrieking or laughter in parts where it permitted. I got caught up for the first few days reading because of work and back to school preparations but when I got a certain part, I read the rest of the book the same night! (BTW I am still recuperating from it).
There was no shortage of sheer genius the author gave us for this book. From the giant metaphor to the well written flashbacks on certain subjects, nothing was forgotten. It was insane how all the characters were so great! As soon as a character would finish their part, I would get sucked into the next character's shenanigans.
It was one crazy week and I hope there are more!
There was no shortage of sheer genius the author gave us for this book. From the giant metaphor to the well written flashbacks on certain subjects, nothing was forgotten. It was insane how all the characters were so great! As soon as a character would finish their part, I would get sucked into the next character's shenanigans.
It was one crazy week and I hope there are more!
September 27, 2017
I received a copy of “X.” by Shelby Mena in exchange for an honest review. However, it will not influence my opinion on the book.
The book starts rather promising. Based on actual events and opening up with an intriguing scene, it captured my attention instantly.
First of all, I enjoyed the writing style of the book. Hands down, it was flawless. Catchy, dynamic and VERY easy to read. The book circles around the life of Tamra, an L.A. actress that has the premier to her movie just happening. On one hand, we have her anxiety that is only growing once with the happening events and on the other we have the exposed night life of celebrities, famous singers, Instagram models and so on. It pictures the extravagant life of nowadays celebrities alongside their struggles, the craziness of their world and their extravagant and messy lifestyle.
The book doesn’t circle around a main plot, but rather exposes the central problem ( Tamra accommodating to her new life and struggling with past events ) and pictures the events of the world, circling around the main issue. It’s a trip through the life of these exposed celebrities, the parties, the luxurious lifestyle and the drugs that are something normal in their circle. It exposes real issues that to some people seem normal, drug use and unhealthy ways to cope with problems.
Did I consider some of the scenes extra? Maybe. Did I dislike it? Not really. It’s a book you easily come to enjoy even if some scenes are kind of irrelevant regarding to the plot.
I really like the characters, especially Tamra and her friends and god I hated Don with such passion #FuckYouDon . Most of the characters are so easy to love, even those who appear for only brief moments. I loved the relationship between the girls, but did not really like the relationship Tamra-Lucas.
One thing that kind of disappointed me, but it’s rather something I personally prefer: I would have wanted the book to be a little more brutal and shocking. I wanted a bit more drama and to see more of the ugly part of the celebrity world and life. Because the book still circles around the idea that this sparking celebrity life is f-ed up.
I really liked the ending of the book. And I am so eager to find out what happens in the next one. I really want to see Tamra overcome her fears and just be happy with herself. Otherwise, this celebrity life will completely ruin her. Which would be also interesting to see, her downfall.
I will give this book 4 stars. Why? It was good, but it did not blow me away. It’s an easy read, it’s fast and the plot events are not major. My verdict? Read it, you will surely like it. It’s perfect for getting out of a reading slump, it will make you laugh, but also question some things that happen in the real world in the life of some.
The book starts rather promising. Based on actual events and opening up with an intriguing scene, it captured my attention instantly.
First of all, I enjoyed the writing style of the book. Hands down, it was flawless. Catchy, dynamic and VERY easy to read. The book circles around the life of Tamra, an L.A. actress that has the premier to her movie just happening. On one hand, we have her anxiety that is only growing once with the happening events and on the other we have the exposed night life of celebrities, famous singers, Instagram models and so on. It pictures the extravagant life of nowadays celebrities alongside their struggles, the craziness of their world and their extravagant and messy lifestyle.
The book doesn’t circle around a main plot, but rather exposes the central problem ( Tamra accommodating to her new life and struggling with past events ) and pictures the events of the world, circling around the main issue. It’s a trip through the life of these exposed celebrities, the parties, the luxurious lifestyle and the drugs that are something normal in their circle. It exposes real issues that to some people seem normal, drug use and unhealthy ways to cope with problems.
Did I consider some of the scenes extra? Maybe. Did I dislike it? Not really. It’s a book you easily come to enjoy even if some scenes are kind of irrelevant regarding to the plot.
I really like the characters, especially Tamra and her friends and god I hated Don with such passion #FuckYouDon . Most of the characters are so easy to love, even those who appear for only brief moments. I loved the relationship between the girls, but did not really like the relationship Tamra-Lucas.
One thing that kind of disappointed me, but it’s rather something I personally prefer: I would have wanted the book to be a little more brutal and shocking. I wanted a bit more drama and to see more of the ugly part of the celebrity world and life. Because the book still circles around the idea that this sparking celebrity life is f-ed up.
I really liked the ending of the book. And I am so eager to find out what happens in the next one. I really want to see Tamra overcome her fears and just be happy with herself. Otherwise, this celebrity life will completely ruin her. Which would be also interesting to see, her downfall.
I will give this book 4 stars. Why? It was good, but it did not blow me away. It’s an easy read, it’s fast and the plot events are not major. My verdict? Read it, you will surely like it. It’s perfect for getting out of a reading slump, it will make you laugh, but also question some things that happen in the real world in the life of some.
August 19, 2017
Full review can be found HERE --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~Summer
~Summer
July 21, 2017
Favorite book in the history of ever.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews