According to a Source

by Abby Stern

Ella Warren loves her job working as an undercover reporter for the celebrity-news magazine The Life. Her evenings are spent using her alias to discreetly attend red-carpet events, nightclubs, and Hollywood hot spots like the fabulous Chateau Marmont, where her eyes are always peeled for the next big celebrity story.

When Ella's new The Devil Wears Prada-type boss starts a not-so-friendly competition among the reporters to find an exclusive story or be fired, the stakes are higher than ever. But is being in Hollywood's elite inner circle worth jeopardizing her friendship with budding actress Holiday Hall and her relationships with her boyfriend and her family? As the competition grows fierce, Ella's life becomes intertwined in a public scandal that may cost her everything.

According to a Source is a juicy, big-hearted novel about a young woman who loses herself in a fast-paced, glamorous world where finding your authentic self isn’t easy.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Adult, Audiobook, Beach Reads

287 pages, Paperback

First published May 23, 2017

Reviews

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 3 out of 5]

According to a Source is an entertaining, light read for those who love celebrity gossip and the lengths that people go to to obtain such stories. Abby Stern’s style of writing is hilarious, and she has names for all the various “types” of celebrities such as: “Romantic Comedy Actress Who’s Had Bad Luck With Men” and “Former A-List Hot Mess Actress”. However, while I thought I would love this book, I am really not interested in celebrity gossip and what it takes to obtain the gossip so in the end it was not the book for me. I think it will appeal to those who like reading about Hollywood drama, etc.

Thanks to Thomas Dunne Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won a copy of According to a Source from a Goodreads Giveaway.

Like Miranda from SaTC, I enjoy a good gossip rag like US Weekly because it requires no thought or skill to process the pictures and words of celebrity foibles caught on camera.

The thing is, I'm usually browsing these rags when I'm on line at Target so its a quick read, a flicker of a few pages here and there before I'm at the register.

According to a Source is similar to The Devil Wears Prada in that Ella, the freelance gossip spy works in a cutthroat industry for a ruthless woman and ends up sacrificing her pride and integrity to win a soulless competition to keep her job.

Unfortunately According to a Source is all fluff and no substance.

Only in a rom-com novel, do we get:

1. A Gorgeous Young Woman Who Gets Dumped By a Decent Boyfriend but who meets an Even More Successful and Gorgeous Stud the day before the dumping. And he cooks!

2. A family member gets sick!

3. Minor adultering and pregnancy scare!

4. Family member gets better!

5. Sibling rivalry is resolved in the face of this illness.

6. Ella pulls a dick move and sacrifices her BFF's secret for her job...

7. Gets busted for DUI!

8. Forced to go to AA!

9. But realizes the error of her ways and reinvents herself as a publicist to her BFF who she is now besties with again.

10. Boyfriend wants her back!

11. She wants him back!

12. Happily ever after!

According to a Source was too boring and superficial, you didn't care about anyone and all the hyphenated monikers made me nauseous.

[laura8759 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to St Martins press and Abby Stern for the advance uncorrected proof copy of this book it was amazing so much happened in this book . some good and happy , some bad and sad all around good book must read I would highly recommend this book to my friends and family my mom even asked if she could read it after me . LAURA8759 .

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars?

There's nothing necessarily bad about this book but there also wasn't anything that I really enjoyed. I didn't like any of the characters. Most have their moments but not enough to make me invest in them. The dynamics between characters were strongest when there was no romance involved. And while I liked the plot idea, I didn't like how things turned out during the conflict climax. I didn't think it made a lot of sense. It also made every character unlikable. My favorite part was probably how the addressed celebrities by their trope/caricature; it was a perfect descriptor and great comedy moment. Overall, this book was fine. It was fun enough and enjoyable enough that I'd recommend it but don't have your expectations set beyond what this book is meant to be.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is trash. I should have known from the title, description, and the fact that the author's only writing credits to date were red carpet coverage, but I read it anyway and got what I deserved. An absolute waste of time with some seriously painful dialog. Celebrities are given pseudonyms such as Not-So-Innocent-Over-Sexualized-Pop-Star and Hot-Mess-A-List-Actress. I have NO problem with a light beach read but this was truly a bridge too far.

[Amber Schroer · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a piece of superficial bulls&@t! I guess I felt offended on account that this debut novel had been compared to those of Jennifer Weiner: more lit, than "chick". In fact, Weiner (and many, many more chick lit authors) hates that her books are placed in that genre, yet this author was annoyingly faux self deprecating saying "oh, I'm just a chick lit author" when interviewed as if she were too dumb by default.(puke)
Her character - Ella - is not fluid throughout the book at all. Obviously we know that the main character should "change " after learning her life lesson , but I mean she isn't consistent in her personality from the very beginning .
For instance, early on Ella speaks of the cocaine game she invented - where she runs her fingers on the back of toilets at celebrity parties - to see who can get the most f'd up.
And no, it's not a story of recovery either. She came across as a when in Rome type when it came to drugs and Hollywood. Casually making references to Aderral and the like, so early on we get that idea that she's not a "Just Say No" type of gal and it's not a big deal.... BUT...
at the first party, while playing the "game" minutes before, she turns down the offer of non-toilet coke and acts like she stays "away from the stuff". It was very strange. This happened several times throughout the novel and when she gets a DUI and has to go to AA, its offensive how she pretends like "oh wow, I'm so lucky that this was the worst thing to happen to me" after listening to true addicts talk of their "rock bottom." (Again, gag)
There is so much about this book that genuinely bothered me, but I don't want to give it anymore of my time, so I won't . I genuinely like good chick lit - even when it's more chick than lit at times - but that's not what this was. This was the author fictionalizing her life (she IS Ella and it's obvious she feels that way too after listening to author interview) and adding the obvious fairy tale ending that she is "planning" for her life.

[Kim Kardash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel dumber after reading this. So bad. Bad writing, stupid shallow characters. Predictable.
DONT READ IT.

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I regret that I spent the time to finish this book and incurred a $0.25 library fine in the process.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a big celebrity gossip fan. This is why I absolutely LOVED this book. You want an easy read, full of gossip and a roller-coster of emotions, read this one!

Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review !

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading gossip magazines from the supermarkets since I was a teenager. I currently subscribe to People magazine as well as OK and Star magazines so I think I'm pretty current on Hollywood gossip. Reading the blurb on Goodreads, I was happy to get this one in one of their giveaways.

Ella Warren works for The Life which is a celebrity gossip rag and website. Ella goes undercover as Bella. She hits nightclubs and other places where celebrities gather and writes columns on what she observes. She is the anonymous source that we all read about in the magazines. Fortunately, she is best friends with Holiday Hall, a rich debutante who is breaking into an acting career and that opens many doors for her. A new boss takes over and Ella's job is in danger if she doesn't record more scandals.

I didn't like Ella in the first part of the book because she was totally self absorbed. The author does a good job of writing and, gossip hog that I am, I was entertained in this fairly predictable book.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

“According To A Source” is cute and lighthearted, but a little dull by the end of it. After the breakup I couldn’t really get into the story since Ella was able to move on from the man she thought she’d marry in just a month after a four year long relationship. While I’m not saying that’s necessarily unrealistic, given Ella’s characterization I expected it to take a bit longer than that. I felt like there were unnecessary inclusions in the book but I did like how she kept Not So Innocent Over Sexualized Pop Star’s secret. I was rooting for her with that. I also like her new career path, but, again, found it unrealistic that Nick wouldn’t have that Holiday would need a PR person given the negative press she was receiving. If he’s such a high powered agent why wasn’t that one of his first thoughts after the dust settled a bit on the cheating scandal?

Anyway, it was cute and an interesting look at the less glamorous side of celebrities and gossip magazines.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun, enjoyable read! It reminded me a bit of Sophie Kinsella books. The pace of the book was nice, and it was very fun and entertaining. I liked the main character, Ella, and thought she was very authentic. Good plot, well-written, and I liked the Hollywood setting and how reading it made me feel like I'd been taken to that place! Fun, light-hearted, recommended!

[Shelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review underway.

I received an advance uncorrected proof of this book at no cost from the publisher, Thomas Dunne, via Goodreads Giveaways but was otherwise not compensated for my review.

[Chelsea Stinger · Rating 1 out of 5]

CRINGE

[Raidene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about an undercover freelance reporter for a celebrity gossip magazine. It's a world that most of us will never enter or understand other than seeing these magazines in the checkout line of the supermarket. Yes it's a little vapid and superficial, but, if you stick with it to the end, you will learn a bit about this industry that drives the celebrity world. I'm surprised I read the whole book, but because I did, I gave it it three stars rather than the two I was originally considering.

[Ella Stolz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book if you LOVE celebrity gossip/news! It also reminded me of the book The Knockoff, so I’d recommend it if you enjoyed that book. This was a quick read and the authors writing style is so funny. I love how she “named” celebrities with descriptions- fun to imagine who she was talking about. I think she captures Hollywood and the celebrity world so well!

[Ari Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read! All the inside scoop on the celebrity world. ;)

[Dana Fontaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an underrated book! It has everything: a great beach read, redemption, a list actors. It was just a really fun feel good read.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just what I wanted. Cutesy rom-com.

[Jayne Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars. This book about an undercover Hollywood celebrity gossip reporter was a fun romp. We get a little inside scoop on how the stories wind up in your favorite tabloid-style magazine (maybe….since I obviously don’t have a clue about that….it could be nothing like this lol). Glamorous nights out at clubs, fancy lunches, parties galore-all to get the story. It’s all fun and games until the story impacts her best friend. Good audio.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. It was my decision to read and review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

More 3.5 but it's nice little chic lit novel I read over the Labor day weekend. It's predictable, but it's comforting in that way.

The book is about a source/writer for a celeb gossip magazine and it's the usual mix of a personal life that is ignored because of her career, which has her hobnobing near celebs to spy on them. Then her mom has cancer and she has to step up and still falls short of her perfect sister's handling of family matters. Then her friendship with an up-and-coming actress and her new boyfriend, who is her friend's agent, are threatened by her job. It all works out in the end, but it's a pretty fun ride along the way. There is a lot of humor in how the actors are listed by type, e.g. Sexy Indie Film Actor, Southern Girl-Next-Door Movie Star, Stuck-Up Broadway Star Turned TV Queen, etc, which is a nice way to focuses on the scene and have a bit of humor, but it drags when that character shows up more than a few times. There's a minor character that was so detailed, they could have saved ink and wrote Britney-ish Not-Spears instead of Not-So-Innocent Oversexualized Pop Star.

The falling action and resolution feels too pat considering what happened, but overall it's a solid debut novel.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

Confession time (and this is probably not a huge secret): I LOVE chick lit celebrity gossip novels. Really, anything about the foibles of the rich and/or famous gets devoured like my kids' Halloween candy while they're at school. So, naturally, I enjoyed this one.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything really fresh about this, except maybe for the fact that it's a bit more recent than things I've read in the past. I feel like I've read this book before. And the use of descriptions in place of celebrity names drove me nuts. Make up fake names!

So, it was cute, quick, amusing, and also annoying, trite, and a bit cliche. Still liked it. Grateful for the free copy and chance to read - and I'll keep my eye out for more from the author.

[Rachel]

DNF at 26% (page 80)

This book feels like it was written in the early 2000s: Ella is a "journalist" who stalks celebrities in L.A. for a fictitious magazine called The Life. By 2017, I don't think undercover paparazzi behave quite like this anymore to get the scoop, especially in the era of social media.

One of the big stories that breaks in the book is clearly a send up of Britney’s 2007 breakdown. Based on what we know now, that’s not satirical anymore.

This is a silly book....but then the protagonist’s mother receives a cancer diagnosis. Sometimes I like fun and fluffy reads, but this book was just too ridiculous to me. And I can predict what will happen: Ella will compromise her principles to print a story, then she'll have to come to terms with her mistake, and she'll end up with a new career and a new boyfriend because her ex dumped her.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. If you love celebrity gossip magazines and the whole glam thing, this is a cute take on that-using no names but descriptors for celebrities (you can mostly guess who they are). It's pretty standard chick-lit fare and predictable, but it's a nice light read-perfect for the beach this summer. You might not learn anything new, but it will entertain you for a bit.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's never a good sign when you stay up late to finish a book simply because the idea of having to pick it back up the next day is so depressing. The plot/setting of this was fun enough that I was mildly interested in finding out what happened, but the process of reading it wasn't fun at all. This needed major editing.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to the source is an easy, breezy read - filled with glamour, gossip and the DL on celebs! Stern - leaves you wanting more of Ella and her wild adventures through Hollywood. It's a book that's light and best served with a glass or two of wine! 5 stars

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life in the rag business sure is stressful for Ella when her new boss...

http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2017...

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted a fluffy Hollywood/celebrity book and it's exactly what I got!

[Jennifer Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable story! Loved it!