Dream Factory

by Brad Barkley, Heather Hepler

When the Disney World character actors go on strike, teens are hired as replacements. Ella is assigned the role of Cinderella simply because the shoes fit. And every afternoon at three o'clock she gets married to Prince Charming. A perfect dream come true, except Ella doesn't believe in dreams anymore. Meanwhile, Luke is one of the fur characters (Dale, the chipmunk), and his girlfriend, Cassie, plays his counterpart, Chip. Cassie is perfect in every way, so why does Luke want to be with Cinderella? Then Luke and Ella are brought together during a scavenger hunt, and as they uncover the Magic Kingdom's hidden treasures, they discover an undeniable magic between them. Perhaps dreams really can come true after all?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Chick Lit, Fiction

250 pages, Hardcover

First published May 17, 2007

About the author

Brad Barkley is the author of the novels Money, Love (Norton), and Alison's Automotive Repair Manual (St. Martin’s), two collections of short stories, and three YA novels with Penguin: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight , Dream Factory, and Jars of Glass. Brad has won numerous awards, including four Individual Artist Awards from the State of Maryland and a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. His short fiction has appeared in nearly thirty magazines, including Southern Review, Georgia Review, the Oxford American, Glimmer Train, and the Virginia Quarterly Review, which twice awarded him the Emily Balch Prize for Best Fiction. His work was anthologized in New Stories from the South: The Year's Best. A native of North Carolina, he lives in Western Maryland with his wife Kristin and their dog, Millie Grace. When not working, he plays as a hang glider pilot and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the book had a good setting but I couldn't like the characters. The 2 main characters talked about bazaar things that are -in my opinion- unimportant and irrelevant. I could tell that the authors wanted Ella and Luke to look like deep thinkers but to me their conversations didn't sound deep, just weird. I mean, they talked about slugs -don't you just get goose bumps at the profoundness of it. And they talked about it like it was the most relevant thing in the world. From now on I will forever be calling useless, supposedly deep, conversation "slug talk".

[Holly Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I'd like this book the second I read the first line: "I wasn't at all surprised when Cinderella gave me the finger."



This book makes me grateful for friends that read, otherwise I probably never would have found this one.

Dream Factory centers around Disney World at a time of crisis. During a struggle between Disney character actors and corporate over wages and benefits, the employees have gone on strike. With no other option they're forced to hire inexperienced teenagers to fill the roles whilst negotiations go on outside the sparkly gates. Ella, a despondent girl with an unfortunate past, is cast as Cinderella merely because the costume fits. Despite her constant sadness, Ella is a nice girl and still manages to smile for the various children tugging on her dress each day. Then there is Luke, a boy with a bright future he doesn't even know if he wants. Cast as the chipmunk Dale, opposite his girlfriend Cassie (who plays Chip), he can't help stare at the beautiful Ella as she leaves her glass slipper behind everyday.

Throughout the book we're given a healthy dose of reality amongst the magic. Ella's costumes are heavy and hot, often leaving her sweating while she pretends to act dainty and glamorous. Pranks end with gum stuck to Dale's furry butt. Parents go crazy in their attempts to win crying children a prize that'll soon be dropped on main street during the parade.

Yet, behind all the manufactured happiness there is genuine magic.

This story is cliched, predictable, and silly, things that normally would make me cringe. However, set in the Disney setting and featuring characters earnest in their endeavors, I find it fun. I rate this based on my reaction - I spent most of the time smiling. Ultimately, this book is precisely what Disney is all about: the fairy tale.

[Laura Martinelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another one of those books that I really liked when I first started reading it, but over time, my feelings have gotten fairly lukewarm toward. I didn’t absolutely hate it, but the initial “OMG THIS BOOK” has gone down to “It’s good.”

I like the book’s set-up of the plot, but there’s really not much done with “Teen scabs working at Disney World!” angle, aside from establishing the setting and one encounter of the striking workers at the beginning. A lot of the plot is spent with either Ella or Luke navel-gazing or pontificating to each other, because they cannot spit out their feelings. Like with Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, it’s an extremely character-driven book, but the characters never feel as real at times.

Ella is excessively passive. She floats around for the whole book, letting people take advantage of her non-commitment, and she clams up each time she gets reminded of her brother’s death. It does feel a little realistic, given that she’s gone through a recent loss and got unceremoniously shuffled down to Florida by her parents, but by the end, she’s still the same “Ho-hum, life still sucks, probably can’t do anything to change it, so I won’t.” Of the two, she’s the one who does the most navel-gazing. Luke’s a bit more dynamic, as he’s the one who comes up with ideas and does stuff, but his backstory and “I don’t want to deal with responsibilities!” got old partway through the book. I can understand Luke’s reasons for not working for his family’s business, but I felt like he was avoiding them just because. We never really get an idea of what he wants to do in life, aside from “Live my own life!” (And if I’m agreeing with the ambitious wrong girlfriend, there’s something wrong with Luke’s arguments.)

The big problem of the book is the navel-gazing. Every single chapter had to have some profound moment of realization by either Ella or Luke about how life’s so unexpected or you never know what you truly want. Also, Disney is a fake dream factory and people who believe in Disney magic are just hiding their own hurt and pain. (That last one gets slammed into your skull REPEATEDLY.)

There are some funny bits, but the lack of development in the setting and plot make the book stagnant and I just couldn’t take the constant navel-gazing. It’s like the authors were going for deep and meaningful, but the overuse of life-changing realization in every other chapter killed much of the point that they were going for.

(Side note- if you want to have fun with this book, give it to someone who worked at Disney World and watch them implode about how little research was put into this.)

[Jenn G · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I had so much expectations for this book! I'm a HUGE disney fan. I've started this book on the plane ride when I was going to Walt Disney World. The setting of the book was amazing. The scavenger hunt was the best part and I was disappointed that it was not explored more... The characters felt flat... it was like we only stayed on the surface even if we were kinda deep into their mind. Also some of the events seemed way too convenient and I was sure it couldn't happen in real life Walt Disney World.

[Karmen (readingoncloud9) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5 stars*

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This book was really...cute. I don't really know any other word for it. It follows the lives of Ella and Luke, 2 kids who work at as characters at Disneyworld while the real employees are on strike. Ella is Cinderella, and Luke is Dale (as in Chip and Dale).

I am a huge Disney dork, so this was kind of the perfect book for me. It was very light hearted, cheesy at the right moments, and just fun. Who wouldn't want to work at the Happiest Place on Earth? The author seemed to know a lot about the behind the scenes of park life, plus little random tidbits about the park itself (think Hidden Mickeys and secret walkways). I liked that personal touch, it made the story more real to me. Like we were actually following the lives of 2 employees.

Ella was interesting. Her inner dialogue was often overwhelming and I found myself wondering if someone her age would really talk like that, because I sure as hell didn't. But then you find out more about her backstory and her home life, and I could see it. Her life shaping her into this sad person who has to smile daily because she's not so lucky to be able to hide under a mask. She's also in love with Luke, who just happens to be dating Cassie - the Chip to his Dale, literally.

I loved Luke. He was what sold me on this story the whole way through. I found myself looking forward to his POV every other chapter. He was just a funny, confused kid. And the whole running joke about nobody knowing what his middle initial S stood for was great - especially when you find out exactly what it was.

This book just left me with that "awwwwww" feeling that sometimes you need. It wasn't deep, it didn't solve any major problems, or have a philosophical take on society. It was just plain fun.

[Erika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will read anything about Walt Disney World and it's not often you find a novel based around the park, so I was excited for this story. But the Disney in this book is so completely wrong and twisted that my delight switched to anger at the very first sentence: "I wasn't at all surprised when Cinderella gave me the finger."

Premise: Disney's character performers are on strike, so the theme park desperately hires a group of semi-interested teenagers to fill character roles.

My biggest issue with this book is the lack of character integrity, or a performer's effort to uphold a character's appearance, personality, and soul. Scene after scene of characters performing out of character made me cringe because Disney WOULD NEVER allow such bullshit. The protagonist, as Cinderella, tells a little girl she hates pink. And many other times fur characters are walking around the park, among guests, WITHOUT THEIR COSTUME HEADS ON. The lack of respect the performers have for the company's standards was appalling. As a reader, I absolutely could not empathize with any of the characters and their shallow problems knowing that none of them gave a shit about how their actions at work affected the company and its guests. It was all so selfish and unprofessional, which the real Disney absolutely is not. So when the characters expressed sadness that their time at Disney would soon be up, I was fuming. They should have been fired at the first instance of character dis-integrity.

I know I'm taking this made up story too much into the real world, but seriously. I have no idea how this book was allowed to be published as it paints Disney as a negligent shit show of a theme park.

The setting is also exaggerated. If you think this book is truth for what it's like to work at Disney World, you probably also think Daffy Duck is a Disney character. No, there is no dorm inside the Magic Kingdom where employees live and have the authority to roam the parks at night. No, the utilidors aren't a secret to employees. No, you don't get to live in a trailer on property and have keys to everything. No No No.

Best part of the book: I liked when the protagonist said, "If only life were a costume, and you could just take it off when you wanted to, leave it hanging on a hook, and walk away" (190).

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Follow Ella, the 17 year old who gets cast as Cinderella in Magic Kingdom. Meet her co-workers, Luke (who plays Dale), Cassie (who plays Chip), Robin Hood (no one knows his real name), Amy (who plays Snow White) and Mark, her Prince Charming. Each has been hired during a major strike for the summer while the union dukes it out. The teens know its only temporary.
Each of the kids are clearly defined by their ambitions: Mark loves the magic. Luke wants to just have fun, but knows there is a job waiting for him. Ella is coping with the loss of her brother and the others are just looking to have fun and be the best.
A mysterious phantom, a seemingly impossible scavenger hunt and romantic melodrama combine to give you this story.

For me, I really wanted to appreciate it, especially as someone who worked in this very department for a long time, but it fell flat, not for the "Disney secrets" but that each character didn't really have an arc and the ending was as predictable as you fear it will be. Many of the tropes of Entertainment in theme parks is accurate and while the authors clearly did plenty of research, both on the parks and Entertainment behind-the-scenes, to try and make it authentic, they just turned it into a teen melodrama. None of the teens really change for the better. Their romances just clarify who they are as people. Some needing it more than others and some so oblivious that you don't even want to root for their happy ending.
Dreams may come true, but in my opinion, if you want fun theme park fiction, stick with Hot Dog Girl and Holly Jolly Summer.

[Sonia Reppe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler put the “zip” in zip-a-dee-doo-dah

Teen identity crisis against a backdrop of fairy tales and make-believe is what we get in Barkley and Hepler’s newest YA novel, Dream Factory, about teenagers who take temporary jobs at Disney World. The Disney World setting is an ironic contrast to teen angst, but this book isn't all about disillusionment. Nor does it go into familiar thematic formula—which one might associate with Disney—a villain, a hero, and a predictable ending. Barkley and Hepler don’t need to rely on this format. They give us an entertaining summer fling book in which, instead of fighting “bad guys,” their characters are dealing with the more personal trouble of “finding themselves.” The sunny Disney World backdrop is just that: a fun backdrop, and it helps guide the story’s theme of following one’s dreams.

The point of view flips each chapter between two aimless teens, Luke and Ella. Luke doesn’t want to follow his dad into the world of corporate careers and grown-up haircuts. For now, he’s happy dressing up as Dale (you know, the chipmunk) and playing make-believe; but Cassie, an ambitious beauty and his counterpart—Chip—can’t understand why he avoids a perfectly packaged future. They become a couple, but it becomes clear that his true counterpart is Ella, the only one who seems to get him. They joke and share quirky ruminations about life. But since Luke can’t seem to make up his mind about anything, he dallies between the two girls. His conflicting feelings between Ella and Cassie are real, and I like that true-to-life aspect. I didn’t get as much honest realness from Emma, who recently lost her brother to a car crash. We get her skepticism on the happily-ever-after tagline, but the book glosses over her feelings. When she starts to cry, the scene cuts away; we’re not taken into her moments of grief.
All the better for keeping an upbeat feel to the story. Every teen in the book spews witty dialogue smoothly and readily, and the rhythm of the narrative is as light and jaunty as a horse-drawn carriage on its way to a ball. My favorite supporting character is Mark, a good-hearted, sincere Disney devotee who is as princely as the Prince Charming character it is his job to play, opposite Ella’s forlorn Cinderella.
I like that the story’s main conflicts are internal; Luke and Ella wrestle with themselves and their choices, although there are some inflated, abstract analogies throughout the book when these two get introspective. Life is like a snow globe? I don’t know. But I enjoyed the book all the same. At the end I was expecting Luke and Ella to discover what it is they want to do with their lives, but no such convenient ending. We don’t get to go back with them to the real world. But why would we want to?

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn on how I feel about this one. I generally liked the characters, and they all felt very real. But Ella and Luke were both so damned earnest and introspective and it was kind of annoying, because they aren't as important as they think they are. But in that way, I suppose they were very realistically 17 years old. *g*

I liked Luke more than Ella, who seemed to suffer in the two person writing - characterization wasn't as consistent for her. I also could empathize with Luke's situation, having been in the exact same one myself. Except my resolution was far more difficult than his, which felt like a cop out to me.

So, dunno. I might give their other book a try, but it probably won't be until the semester is over.

[Catherine Tinker · Rating 4 out of 5]

2009: what a fun little book

2023: oh my god, they’re scabs


I read this book in my sophomore year of high school and at the time thought it was absolutely incredible. For all of its flaws, to this day it's one of those books I can't seem to let myself leave behind.

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I picked this out because of the Disney theme, but I think it is just not for me. It would be fine for a younger audience but this is a YA novel that does not appeal to all ages. The story involves a bunch of kids that have been recruited to take the places of striking Disney characters. These kids are not well trained and basically assigned on the basis of who fits the costumes best. There is a bit of Disney trivia - how the characters travel underground and that kind of thing. But most of the story involves Luke (who is a fur character - Dale of Chip 'n Dale fame) and Ella (short for Eleanor - who plays...you guessed it...Cinderella). They are the main focus as Luke grows apart from his girlfriend Cassie (who plays Chip) and toward Ella, and Ella wants to find her way forward. There are a few humorous parts and I won't say more than it involves a mystery about Luke's middle name - which was cute. I liked this and think that a younger audience would really find it fun, especially if they are Disney fans.

[Kenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the premise of this story- all of the Disney world characters go on strike and are replaced by teenagers- but the execution was less than I wanted. The plot was very bare bones, nothing really happened, which would be good for a younger reader but then there was language and lots of sexual references? I don’t understand what demographic these authors were writing for.

Ella and Luke had a lot of potential as characters but were just so surface level and I wasn’t emotionally invested. There were hints of depth and important topics, but they were never fully explored.

[Jennifer Reynolds · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a cute, fun read. I would recommend it for high school students. It lacks depth, believable characters, and authentic dialogue, but it does have a cute premise and the Disney setting is super fun!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally remembered the name of this amazing(ly terrible) book I read a few years ago.
2 stars, and worth a read, for the laughs. 🤣

[Georgia_W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dream Factory is a very appealing love story that puts a whole new twist on the fantastic,land of Disney World. This story shows the fun depiction of life within the Magic Kingdom. Brad Barkley's book, Dream Factory drew me in with its romantic plot and unique writing style.

One point that definitely needs to be made about this book is the theme. Dream Factory is one of those stories that has a very important lesson to learn by the end of the book. The lesson that I learned was to be yourself and not care what people think of you. In the story, the main character Ella never tries to be anyone but herself. Even if other people find her strange, weird, or even crazy she doesn't try to keep up a different appearance. The other important character, Luke, by the end of the book finally learns how important this skill is.

As I said before, the romantic plot of Dream Factory was one of the main reasons that the book really grabbed my attention. The main story takes place in the wonderful world of Disney. A group of different teenagers from all over the country come together to work in Magic Kingdom for the summer. One of the teenagers that comes to work is named Luke and soon begins dating the beautiful, blond Cassie. Even though he does loves his girlfriend, he can't help but find himself fascinated with a strange girl named Ella. Luke and Ella soon become very close friends, and the plot thickens when Cassie becomes jealous and chooses a new partner for the park-wide scavenger hunt. Dream Factory continues to be an attention-grabbing love story that anyone would enjoy.

Finally, the characters of the story were all so different I couldn't help myself to not love getting to know all of them. She may have been gorgeous and fun but Cassie was my most disliked character. In the story, she cared too much about her looks and what people thought of her. She also was very clingy, and seemed to ruin the love story between Luke and Ella. Speaking of Ella, she was my most beloved character. Ella was unique, simple, and perfectly fine with her true self.

As you can see by reading my book review, I really loved this book! I am already a Disney fan to begin with, so this book just increased my love for Disney in general. I would mostly recommend Dream Factory for all of the girls who love a good love story.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I found this book to be a bit hard to follow. There isn't much of an introduction and you just jump right into the story. Ella and Luke spend the summer working at the happiest place on Earth with a bunch of other people around their age including Luke's hot girlfriend Cassie (which makes you wonder, why did they make her a chipmunk if she's so hot?) and Ella's best friend. Ella doesn't believe in dreams coming true much, and how could you blame her with the tragedy she's carrying around with her that no one but her best friend knows about? Luke's whole life after DisneyWorld is planned out for him and Cassie is urging him to be smart and take it. But it's not what Luke really wants. So what will he choose? The path already set out of him or is he going to risk it all and find his happily ever after? The book switches off from Luke's point of view to Ella's point of view.

I'm a huge huge huge fan of Disney, so that's why I picked up this book. When I started reading it and it was a lot of complaining about how much they hated their jobs, I was starting to re-think reading this book since one of my biggest dreams is to work at Disney. But I realized, they're in Florida and not California, the weather must be much hotter out there and there are some people who really do hate working at a theme park, I for one, loved it. Ella struck me as someone I'd like to sit down and have a conversation with. Everything she says is thought provoking. She doesn't always make sense but to Luke, she makes perfect sense. And the whole time you're urging Luke to ditch miss Barbie and run off with Ella already!

I enjoyed reading this book. To the point where I stayed up until 5:30AM this morning just to finish it. The lack of sleep was worth it. It's a romance book without the cheesy predictable romance. It relates a lot of what really happens in real life. The struggles, the secrets, the questions you ask yourself and the wants. I highly recommend this book!

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

OH MY GOD!! i couldn't stand this book. I kept telling myself that it would get better but but the hole book was just BLEH!! The only reason i actually finished this book is because i cant not finish a book and this book aggravated the sh*t out of me. 1. the characters. I felt no connection to any of them, literally, they could have gotten run over by a bus and i wouldn't have even cared. I mean i tried to connect with them but no absolutely nothing, zip, noda. any many other things i found wrong with a characters. 2. the writing. UGh i didn't know what the hell was going on half the time. Like two people would be talking and then some character says something and then another character comes in, it frustrated me beyond belief. ONe main point was when Luke and MArk are talking and MArk says he and cassie kiss but then thats it, nothing mentioned about them kissing after that!! i mean if I was luke (Even though he actually likes ella) i would punch the kid! Something ells, Luke and Ella's relationship is like a relationship some 8 year olds would have, not 18 years olds! When the chapters went between their point of views neither of them explained there feelings. There was a little but not like disruptive. Horrible! absolutely terrible. 3. PLot, I thought this book was going to be a YA romance, but oh hell no!! I think if you gave a different author the summary of this story, it would be quite a lot better. I think they kissed once, and it was nothing specific, like it just said kiss, no description what so ever!! It made me so mad!!

Anyway over all i didn't like the book at all, i wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Save yourself the money and don't buy it.

[Erin Behr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dream Factory tells the love story of teens Ella and Luke, who have been hired by Disney World to take over the character mascot roles while the normal workers are on strike. Ella and Luke both have significant others and are just friends—or are they?

I love this novel because it's told from both characters' points of view: it has two authors (Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler), each of which takes a character and writes from his/her perspective. This makes for a lot of awesome dialogue and a great story, and it makes Ella and Luke seem like real people.

Another good thing about this book is that it isn’t what you expect. In the beginning of the book, you might think that it is about someone’s trip to Disney World. But after two or three chapters, I started to get the jest of the book. I like books that you don’t know what to expect because then you actually have a surprise at the end of the book.

One of the few things I was disappointed in with the book is that at times, it got a little confusing. Since the book was written from two authors, I dint think that the stories added up a lot. It made me think that two different people just wrote a story and put it in the same book. But towards the end, the stories came together and at the end, it seemed like one story.

Overall, Dream Factory was a good book and I would recommend it to a lot of teenaged girls.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of this book was right up my alley, with Disney workers going on strike and inexperienced teenagers taking over the roles instead. I was expecting a cute and fun story with a Disney-like atmosphere, but that is not at all what I got.

I can best sum up this book with one word: meh. The two points of view were unnecessary, because they were both boring characters and not particularly likeable. There was an interesting subplot about a scavenger hunt but it was quickly dropped for a lukewarm romance between the two main characters. By that point, I honestly felt like reading this book was more of a chore than anything else, but hung in there because it was so short.

I had originally planned on giving this 2 stars, but after sitting on it for over a week I can't think of anything positive about it at all, so 1 star it is.

By the way, I did laugh that they mentioned that Disney had never done a Rapunzel story before and never would, so I wonder what they would think of "Tangled"?

[Ally Robinson]

This was an awesome book, especially for teens trying to find their place in the world, or anyone who loves Disney! The Disney World actors go on strike, and are replaced by teens from around the country. Ella, Matt, Cassie and Luke are in for a rude awakening as to what awaits them - each other. Along the way, the girls get into their own quarrel, while Luke tries to win over Ella.. while trying to dump Cassie. Ella is dealing with the loss of her brother, and Luke is desperately trying to get away from the family business back home. In the end, their differences as well as similarities bring them together.
I really loved this book because it showed me that life doesn't always go exactly as planned, but you can make it however you want, and decide what path your life takes. I also just really love Disney, so the littlw funfacts were really cool to hear about! :)

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light romance set in Disneyworld which was the first draw for me. Ella and Luke fall for each other one summer while they are filling in for costume characters during a strike. This was a fun read but had more serious undertones for teens trying to discover what is real about themselves and the world around them. Disneyworld is all about creating and selling fantasy. So there are several levels of illusion the characters have to sift through - the illusion of their jobs, the illusions of Disneyworld, and the masks that we all wear in our real lives.

[Samantha Balaj · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is so much wrong with this book. As a former Disney entertainment cast member this book was absolutely hilarious with how wrong it was. The plot and love story were subpar. A few simple google searches would’ve solved many of the problems. Not only were the aspects of backstage and the job wrong (understandable if you’ve never worked there), but descriptions of Disney world were also wrong. The author has clearly never been to Disney or did any research on it whatsoever. I only recommend this book if you want a good laugh.

[Enthusiastic Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely revolting. It's hard for me to imagine that anyone connected with this book has ever been to a Disney property. Since when does Cinderella have a "vaguely British" accent? Not in the parks. Not at the resorts. Not in the movie.

Maybe, MAYBE plausible if it had been set at some local Disney knockoff.

We got a bunch of characters dumped on us within the first few pages and I didn't care about any of them. I struggled through page 13 before deciding it wasn't worth the few brain cells it took to scan the page.

DNF.

[Kiley Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was technically a re-read for me, but it had been so long since I'd read it that I didn't remember much. This book is adorable. Its definitely cheesy and fluffy, but it kind of asks some important questions at the same time. I love the characters and the whole Disney element and I think that the ending is perfect.

[Hadessephy · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who used to work in the Magic Kingdom, I found the idea of these kids wandering through the park at night and never having heard of the Utilidors ridiculous. That being said it was still an enjoyable story. It had its funny moments definitely but over all was a bit weak.

[Noni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, immature, a waste of time. Not to mention multiple gay "jokes" (no gay characters), anti-makeup remarks. It's spoiled kids having pity parties while spending the summer "working" for Disney. Don't recommend.

[AlexKw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an awesome book. I read it a few years ago. Well written, great characters, and believable! 4 out of 5 stars.

[Allie Newill · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh