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Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here
From the author of The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes comes yet another sharp, page-turning novel about a forgotten child star and former Hollywood "It" Girl who is now fighting back against the conservatorship that has controlled her life for the past decade.
It's been years since anyone really thought about Hayley Aldridge. A child star turned television royalty, Hayley spent years in Hollywood partying and being plastered across the front page of all the tabloids before quietly disappearing after a whirlwind marriage and divorce and very public breakdown. Once the tabloids wrung every last drop out of the drama, they moved on to the next It Girl. But Hayley is still here.
For over a decade, she's been trapped in a conservatorship and had every aspect of her life controlled by her parents. She goes nowhere, does nothing without their approval, which is rarely granted. Her visits with her kids are monitored, her fan mail is censored, and she's a prisoner in her own home. She thought things might change once she was well enough to work, but the restrictions got even tighter as she continued to bring money in--the only thing her parents ever really cared about. Hayley is beginning to realize that this nightmare is her actual life. And she's sick of it.
When the hashtag #helphayley starts to emerge on social media, and the public starts thinking critically about what happened to her all those years ago, there's finally some momentum on her side. With an upcoming court date to review the status of the conservatorship, Hayley might finally have a chance to break free.
But how can she go up against her parents when they're aware of her every move? It's time for Hayley Aldridge to remind the world who she is, this time on her own terms.
It's been years since anyone really thought about Hayley Aldridge. A child star turned television royalty, Hayley spent years in Hollywood partying and being plastered across the front page of all the tabloids before quietly disappearing after a whirlwind marriage and divorce and very public breakdown. Once the tabloids wrung every last drop out of the drama, they moved on to the next It Girl. But Hayley is still here.
For over a decade, she's been trapped in a conservatorship and had every aspect of her life controlled by her parents. She goes nowhere, does nothing without their approval, which is rarely granted. Her visits with her kids are monitored, her fan mail is censored, and she's a prisoner in her own home. She thought things might change once she was well enough to work, but the restrictions got even tighter as she continued to bring money in--the only thing her parents ever really cared about. Hayley is beginning to realize that this nightmare is her actual life. And she's sick of it.
When the hashtag #helphayley starts to emerge on social media, and the public starts thinking critically about what happened to her all those years ago, there's finally some momentum on her side. With an upcoming court date to review the status of the conservatorship, Hayley might finally have a chance to break free.
But how can she go up against her parents when they're aware of her every move? It's time for Hayley Aldridge to remind the world who she is, this time on her own terms.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2023
19 people are currently reading
7832 people want to read
About the author
Elissa R. Sloan
3 books362 followersElissa R. Sloan is a Texas-native Japanese-American, whose closest brush with fame was a Twitter exchange with Neko Case about Nutella. She lives in Austin with her husband and two cats, in a house with a rolling library ladder. Follow her on instagram @elissareads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
March 20, 2023
4.25 stars!!
This is THE celeb fiction novel that will tide you over until Britney Spears memoir is released. Can that please happen sooner rather than later? #cantwait
I talked about this one at length in my live reading update on January 29th. I’ll re-share that in my stories today for those interested but you can also find it in my Live Chat highlights in my profile.
I wanted #HayleyAldridgeIsStillHere to have a space within my feed so I could look back and remember how much I enjoyed it and I’ll be doing that with a few more #standouts reads soon.
This story is STRONGLY inspired by the #freebritney movement and would perhaps be a nice and lighter pairing with I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy. Like McCurdy’s it’s full of LOTS of trigger warnings.
Hayley recounts her days of stardom and fall into a decade long conservatorship to her twin daughters. We follow her from a young age to current day, from the set of her long running show, to the club, to rehab and all the places in between. There are also lots of fun 90s’ mentions. #OlsonTwins #SeventeenMagazine
This was a true backstage pass to what it might be like as a child actor. I could not look away from this train wreck and was absolutely LOCKED IN. Will Hayley finally break free?
A big thanks to Kailey @kmc_reads for putting this on my radar. This book is available now so go RUN and grab a copy.
This is THE celeb fiction novel that will tide you over until Britney Spears memoir is released. Can that please happen sooner rather than later? #cantwait
I talked about this one at length in my live reading update on January 29th. I’ll re-share that in my stories today for those interested but you can also find it in my Live Chat highlights in my profile.
I wanted #HayleyAldridgeIsStillHere to have a space within my feed so I could look back and remember how much I enjoyed it and I’ll be doing that with a few more #standouts reads soon.
This story is STRONGLY inspired by the #freebritney movement and would perhaps be a nice and lighter pairing with I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy. Like McCurdy’s it’s full of LOTS of trigger warnings.
Hayley recounts her days of stardom and fall into a decade long conservatorship to her twin daughters. We follow her from a young age to current day, from the set of her long running show, to the club, to rehab and all the places in between. There are also lots of fun 90s’ mentions. #OlsonTwins #SeventeenMagazine
This was a true backstage pass to what it might be like as a child actor. I could not look away from this train wreck and was absolutely LOCKED IN. Will Hayley finally break free?
A big thanks to Kailey @kmc_reads for putting this on my radar. This book is available now so go RUN and grab a copy.
March 25, 2023
Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here is a fictional celebrity story about Hollywood’s “it” girl, a popular child actress who stays in the spotlight and the tabloids, for romances, partying, and some wild nights out. Following a whirlwind marriage and divorce, Hayley seems to disappear, but really, she’s still here, now heavily restricted by a conservatorship controlled by her parents — Sound familiar?
Hayley’s visits with her twins daughters are monitored, security stays at her house, supervising any outings, and she doesn’t have social media. But Hayley has had enough — She decides to share her story with her girls, who are old enough to hear it now, and enlists their help to right her life again.
Though fictional, Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here feels heavily inspired by the life of Britney Spears. I enjoyed reading Hayley’s story and felt for her, and Britney, as I read it. I do think the ending was pretty rushed compared to the rest of the book, but still, an enjoyable celebrity story that entertained me — 3.5 stars (rounded up)
Hayley’s visits with her twins daughters are monitored, security stays at her house, supervising any outings, and she doesn’t have social media. But Hayley has had enough — She decides to share her story with her girls, who are old enough to hear it now, and enlists their help to right her life again.
Though fictional, Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here feels heavily inspired by the life of Britney Spears. I enjoyed reading Hayley’s story and felt for her, and Britney, as I read it. I do think the ending was pretty rushed compared to the rest of the book, but still, an enjoyable celebrity story that entertained me — 3.5 stars (rounded up)
October 19, 2022
Elissa Sloan's second novel, Hayley Aldridge is Still Here is a thinly veiled fictionalization of Britney Spears' conservatorship drama. To be honest, I never followed Britney's story all that carefully. Sure, I was aware of the #freebritney movement online and knew it was good news when I saw that the conservatorship ended, but I wasn't paying a lot of attention. Still, I thought this might be an interesting novel, but I don't know, this one just fell kind of flat.
Instead of a pop princess, Hayley is an actress who got her start as a child star, playing the little sister on a network family drama that ran for more than a decade. As you'd likely expect, Hayley's parents put an intense amount of pressure on her to succeed and that drove her toward some unhealthy coping mechanisms: casual sex, drugs, and booze. Like Britney, Hayley finds success in an industry that objectifies her and ignores her right to bodily autonomy (multiple adults found nothing wrong with asking her to do sex scenes with a 20-year-old costar when she was 15). After getting married and divorced, giving birth to twins, receiving a bipolar diagnosis, and going to rehab, Hayley becomes trapped in a conservatorship that doesn't serve her interests. After 15 years, public attention has led to the #helphayley movement on social media, finally giving her a chance at true independence.
It seems like this book should have been full of emotional exploration, but it just wasn’t. I think that’s because, weirdly, there actually isn't much about the conservatorship here. Most of the book focuses on the challenges of her childhood in the spotlight, from body shaming and sexual harassment to deep anxiety and unaddressed grief. The legal troubles only come into play fairly late in the story. All that backstory is certainly important because it gives a glimpse into what Hayley endured at a young age and why she might come to lean on alcohol and unhealthy sexual relationships. But we don’t really see much about the effects that the conservatorship has on her. She can’t use her phone or leave home without permission and a guard. She mentions that she’s lonely and she doesn’t get to make decisions about the roles she takes, but she’s just telling her daughters these things (the novel is narrated from the POV of thirtysomething Hayley telling her teen daughters her life story). We’re not really seeing them.
The book also doesn’t really seem interested in exploring why Hayley’s parents would want this conservatorship for their child. Sure, Hayley develops a drug problem and shows some poor decision making, but that doesn’t explain why they’d legally control her for 15 years. It’s sort of assumed that it’s because of greed – they want the financial benefits of her success for themselves – but the book never goes beyond Hayley saying that to her daughters. Weirdly, it’s her father who controls the conservatorship when it was Hayley’s mother was the one directing her career throughout her childhood – I guess this is like what happened with Britney, but in the context of a novel, it seemed like it was just happening with little explanation.
In the end, I guess this novel’s biggest flaw was that it was all telling and now showing, in a way that just left me wanting more.
Instead of a pop princess, Hayley is an actress who got her start as a child star, playing the little sister on a network family drama that ran for more than a decade. As you'd likely expect, Hayley's parents put an intense amount of pressure on her to succeed and that drove her toward some unhealthy coping mechanisms: casual sex, drugs, and booze. Like Britney, Hayley finds success in an industry that objectifies her and ignores her right to bodily autonomy (multiple adults found nothing wrong with asking her to do sex scenes with a 20-year-old costar when she was 15). After getting married and divorced, giving birth to twins, receiving a bipolar diagnosis, and going to rehab, Hayley becomes trapped in a conservatorship that doesn't serve her interests. After 15 years, public attention has led to the #helphayley movement on social media, finally giving her a chance at true independence.
It seems like this book should have been full of emotional exploration, but it just wasn’t. I think that’s because, weirdly, there actually isn't much about the conservatorship here. Most of the book focuses on the challenges of her childhood in the spotlight, from body shaming and sexual harassment to deep anxiety and unaddressed grief. The legal troubles only come into play fairly late in the story. All that backstory is certainly important because it gives a glimpse into what Hayley endured at a young age and why she might come to lean on alcohol and unhealthy sexual relationships. But we don’t really see much about the effects that the conservatorship has on her. She can’t use her phone or leave home without permission and a guard. She mentions that she’s lonely and she doesn’t get to make decisions about the roles she takes, but she’s just telling her daughters these things (the novel is narrated from the POV of thirtysomething Hayley telling her teen daughters her life story). We’re not really seeing them.
The book also doesn’t really seem interested in exploring why Hayley’s parents would want this conservatorship for their child. Sure, Hayley develops a drug problem and shows some poor decision making, but that doesn’t explain why they’d legally control her for 15 years. It’s sort of assumed that it’s because of greed – they want the financial benefits of her success for themselves – but the book never goes beyond Hayley saying that to her daughters. Weirdly, it’s her father who controls the conservatorship when it was Hayley’s mother was the one directing her career throughout her childhood – I guess this is like what happened with Britney, but in the context of a novel, it seemed like it was just happening with little explanation.
In the end, I guess this novel’s biggest flaw was that it was all telling and now showing, in a way that just left me wanting more.
March 7, 2023
4.5 STARS
Poor Hayley! I love Elissa R. Sloan’s books. The opposite of glamorous, she always dives into the nasty, less favorable aspects that come along with fame. Like a certain celebrity we all know and love, Hayley Aldridge has been trapped in a conservatorship for over ten years. Her parents control her every dime and even have the power to sign contracts for her. She is confined to her home unless she is working on films she does not even want to be a part of. The book is Hayley’s opportunity to tell her twin teenage daughters her story.
If you enjoyed Jennette McCurdy’s recent memoir, I would definitely recommend picking this up. Hayley started acting at the young age of seven and a lot of terrible things happened to her. 🥺 Not to mention my favorite character, Ted. We love Ted. 🖤
One element of mystery was that the reader is unsure of who the twins’ father might be until later in the book. I enjoyed guessing throughout who it might be.
I wished the ending of the novel packed a bit more punch; however, Hayley explains why her fight is so short and I understand the author was intentional in her writing of the ending. Mad props!
Poor Hayley! I love Elissa R. Sloan’s books. The opposite of glamorous, she always dives into the nasty, less favorable aspects that come along with fame. Like a certain celebrity we all know and love, Hayley Aldridge has been trapped in a conservatorship for over ten years. Her parents control her every dime and even have the power to sign contracts for her. She is confined to her home unless she is working on films she does not even want to be a part of. The book is Hayley’s opportunity to tell her twin teenage daughters her story.
If you enjoyed Jennette McCurdy’s recent memoir, I would definitely recommend picking this up. Hayley started acting at the young age of seven and a lot of terrible things happened to her. 🥺 Not to mention my favorite character, Ted. We love Ted. 🖤
One element of mystery was that the reader is unsure of who the twins’ father might be until later in the book. I enjoyed guessing throughout who it might be.
I wished the ending of the novel packed a bit more punch; however, Hayley explains why her fight is so short and I understand the author was intentional in her writing of the ending. Mad props!
March 6, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for GR! if you’re looking for a literary fiction novel surrounding the life of the rich and famous, Hollywood, and a bit of Britney Spears’ vibes (aka a woman with a conservatorship)—pick this up next!
i wanted a book to binge on the beach and this was a perfect selection. it was juicy, full of drama and really quick. i was very eager to see how it would end and what happened to Hayley as time progressed.
the novel is set up in a cool way—Hayley is reflecting on the past and retelling her life story to her two children. so she takes you back to when she was 7 years old and got started in Hollywood as an actress.
so many parts of the book made my jaw drop—it’s a work of fiction but i can only imagine how truthful sections are and it made me really sad. think: men taking advantage of young women in Hollywood. her rise to fame was set in the 1990s-2000s prior to the #metoo movement so i’m sure that some of these situations are based on true events 🥹
my biggest critique is that the book is marketed as a girl who has a conservatorship and you’ll find out more about it… but in reality it’s almost a life retelling—somewhat like THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO. you don’t really get any details on the actual conservatorship until the final 60ish pages. that topic was SOOOO interesting to me and i wanted more of it. but of course, the build up to present day was needed to be able to understand how she got to that situation!
all in all—a perfect binge but left me wanting a bit more. i do recommend it!! i liked THE UNRAVELING OF CASSIDY HOLMES by this author a bit more.
i wanted a book to binge on the beach and this was a perfect selection. it was juicy, full of drama and really quick. i was very eager to see how it would end and what happened to Hayley as time progressed.
the novel is set up in a cool way—Hayley is reflecting on the past and retelling her life story to her two children. so she takes you back to when she was 7 years old and got started in Hollywood as an actress.
so many parts of the book made my jaw drop—it’s a work of fiction but i can only imagine how truthful sections are and it made me really sad. think: men taking advantage of young women in Hollywood. her rise to fame was set in the 1990s-2000s prior to the #metoo movement so i’m sure that some of these situations are based on true events 🥹
my biggest critique is that the book is marketed as a girl who has a conservatorship and you’ll find out more about it… but in reality it’s almost a life retelling—somewhat like THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO. you don’t really get any details on the actual conservatorship until the final 60ish pages. that topic was SOOOO interesting to me and i wanted more of it. but of course, the build up to present day was needed to be able to understand how she got to that situation!
all in all—a perfect binge but left me wanting a bit more. i do recommend it!! i liked THE UNRAVELING OF CASSIDY HOLMES by this author a bit more.
May 12, 2023
I still cannot believe an Elissa R. Sloan book came out and I did not immediately pick it up on release day. Who even am I?
So sure, I might be a little biased as I set out to pen this review, but at this rate life is too short for me to be out here picking up books that I have very little faith in? Right?
A couple years back when I really got into my reading groove it didn't take me long at all to sus out that what I really wanted to read about were people like Hayley Aldridge. Fed a steady diet of VH1 and MTV in their prime Pop Culture history days all I wanted in my return to fiction was a world of excess. The fabulously rich and chaotic world of Hollywood was clearly my favorite fictional setting, because actually driving around LA isn't nearly as fun when you have to be the person behind the wheel... So when I read Sloan's first novel a few years ago, The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes [ my review here ] I was pleasantly surprised at the way that they were able to craft a narrative I had be hesitant about at the outset into something I've eagerly devoured twice.
So coming into this novel I was open to trusting Elissa. I was confident that things would fall into place when they were meant to. I'm happy to say that they did.
I had no idea what I was in for when I purchased the audiobook, just a hope that it would be another banger of a book. What I got was the story of Hayley Aldridge, a girl from Texas that made it big on CBS drama and the chain reaction that left her at the receiving end of the cruelty only an early aughts tabloid could deliver.
The more time I spend in these worlds, with characters exploring their fame in the early aughts I'm always nervous that the book is at a risk of feeling redundant. Not only as a narrative so routinely rehashed in other media, but even in the narrow lane of books. I'm happy to say that this still felt fresh. I was personally riveted to the story that Hayley was telling her children about her life.
I'm also not sure that I'll ever be over what happened to certain characters in particular. I'm also fairly certain that I'll be reading this again, if not in the immediate future then certainly at a not too distant time from now.
So sure, I might be a little biased as I set out to pen this review, but at this rate life is too short for me to be out here picking up books that I have very little faith in? Right?
A couple years back when I really got into my reading groove it didn't take me long at all to sus out that what I really wanted to read about were people like Hayley Aldridge. Fed a steady diet of VH1 and MTV in their prime Pop Culture history days all I wanted in my return to fiction was a world of excess. The fabulously rich and chaotic world of Hollywood was clearly my favorite fictional setting, because actually driving around LA isn't nearly as fun when you have to be the person behind the wheel... So when I read Sloan's first novel a few years ago, The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes [ my review here ] I was pleasantly surprised at the way that they were able to craft a narrative I had be hesitant about at the outset into something I've eagerly devoured twice.
So coming into this novel I was open to trusting Elissa. I was confident that things would fall into place when they were meant to. I'm happy to say that they did.
I had no idea what I was in for when I purchased the audiobook, just a hope that it would be another banger of a book. What I got was the story of Hayley Aldridge, a girl from Texas that made it big on CBS drama and the chain reaction that left her at the receiving end of the cruelty only an early aughts tabloid could deliver.
The more time I spend in these worlds, with characters exploring their fame in the early aughts I'm always nervous that the book is at a risk of feeling redundant. Not only as a narrative so routinely rehashed in other media, but even in the narrow lane of books. I'm happy to say that this still felt fresh. I was personally riveted to the story that Hayley was telling her children about her life.
I'm also not sure that I'll ever be over what happened to certain characters in particular. I'm also fairly certain that I'll be reading this again, if not in the immediate future then certainly at a not too distant time from now.
February 11, 2023
HAYLEY ALDRIDGE IS BACK was such a good read!! I really enjoyed the author's first book, THE UNRAVELING OF CASSIDY HOLMES, so I knew I had to get my hands on it! As a fan of child stardom and a fascination with Hollywood, this book didn't let me down.
Hayley became acting in commercials at a young age. She lands a role in a TV series that essentially follows her growing up with her co-stars Ted & Millie. Ted becomes like a big brother to Hayley throughout her childhood. It's a downward spiral from there. The things that her parents did to her were APPALLING. The book gave off MAJOR Britney Spears vibes with the conservatorship and how controlling her parents' were. I loved that the book was told as the story of Hayley's life, told by Hayley, to her daughters.
The book is full of triggers but I really enjoyed it. Elissa's writing style is super easy to read and this book was bingeworthy as heck. A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy!
Quick thoughts:
-major B Spears vibes
-child stardom
-told in first person POV
-juicy, juicy, juicy
-binger
Hayley became acting in commercials at a young age. She lands a role in a TV series that essentially follows her growing up with her co-stars Ted & Millie. Ted becomes like a big brother to Hayley throughout her childhood. It's a downward spiral from there. The things that her parents did to her were APPALLING. The book gave off MAJOR Britney Spears vibes with the conservatorship and how controlling her parents' were. I loved that the book was told as the story of Hayley's life, told by Hayley, to her daughters.
The book is full of triggers but I really enjoyed it. Elissa's writing style is super easy to read and this book was bingeworthy as heck. A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy!
Quick thoughts:
-major B Spears vibes
-child stardom
-told in first person POV
-juicy, juicy, juicy
-binger
July 14, 2023
Review to come
January 27, 2023
Hayley Aldridge is Still Here by Elissa R. Sloan. Thanks to @williammorrowbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hayley is at her home stuck in a conservatorship with no freedom. When #helphayley starts trending, she takes us on a story of her past as a Hollywood child actress and her spiral.
I couldn’t put this one down. Anyone interested in the #freebritney movement and how Hollywood treats women, will be interested in this story. It shows the quick spiral of a Hollywood starlet and how she loses her independence. Warning - it will make you very angry, especially knowing it happens in real life. The story is also very entertaining and heartbreaking at times.
“I’m struck with how incredible young we all were, both in age and naïveté. We had no idea what was going to happen to us, good or bad. We were on the precipice, looking down.”
Hayley Aldridge is Still Here comes out 2/14.
Hayley is at her home stuck in a conservatorship with no freedom. When #helphayley starts trending, she takes us on a story of her past as a Hollywood child actress and her spiral.
I couldn’t put this one down. Anyone interested in the #freebritney movement and how Hollywood treats women, will be interested in this story. It shows the quick spiral of a Hollywood starlet and how she loses her independence. Warning - it will make you very angry, especially knowing it happens in real life. The story is also very entertaining and heartbreaking at times.
“I’m struck with how incredible young we all were, both in age and naïveté. We had no idea what was going to happen to us, good or bad. We were on the precipice, looking down.”
Hayley Aldridge is Still Here comes out 2/14.
October 13, 2022
Hayley Aldridge is a former child star. She was one of the stars of a long-running tv show as well as appearing in movies. After a meltdown in front of the cameras, Hayley is put in a conservatorship by her parents who she has supported since she began acting. She is eager to end the conservatorship but without control of her money and without a cell phone she is unable to do anything. After finding out that #helphayley is trending, she tells her story to her teen daughters and convinces them to help her get free.
This book is obviously based on Britney Spears and it could have come off as exploitative but the author has masterfully written a book that takes a hard look on how we treat celebrities particularly young celebrities and how the system and adults tasked with protecting them fail. The author has treated the subject with so much compassion.that you really feel for Hayley and her real life counterparts.
This book is obviously based on Britney Spears and it could have come off as exploitative but the author has masterfully written a book that takes a hard look on how we treat celebrities particularly young celebrities and how the system and adults tasked with protecting them fail. The author has treated the subject with so much compassion.that you really feel for Hayley and her real life counterparts.
March 24, 2023
Well that was a train wreck that I couldn’t look away from in the best way possible!! What a wild ride, I was engrossed from the very first chapter, and read this book in 3 days just like in the good old days when I wasn’t in a perpetual reading slump.
The story is full of trigger warnings (SA, suicide, drugs/alcohol, etc.) so sensitive readers beware. But all the content in here felt very realistic to how I imagine life to be for a young Hollywood starlet, especially in the time that the story took place. The early 2000’s were cruel to young girls, okay?! It was heartbreaking and I actually had some physical reactions while reading (very unusual for me), and I felt like 99% of the reading experience I was totally intrigued and loving it.
The ending is the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars, it was too quick. I needed another chapter, a “10 years later” or something. But this book filled with drama, unlikeable characters, heartbreak, and more, was the best impulse grab I’ve made from the library in my life. Very much recommend to people who like a fast paced read that’ll keep your eyes wide from start to finish!
The story is full of trigger warnings (SA, suicide, drugs/alcohol, etc.) so sensitive readers beware. But all the content in here felt very realistic to how I imagine life to be for a young Hollywood starlet, especially in the time that the story took place. The early 2000’s were cruel to young girls, okay?! It was heartbreaking and I actually had some physical reactions while reading (very unusual for me), and I felt like 99% of the reading experience I was totally intrigued and loving it.
The ending is the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars, it was too quick. I needed another chapter, a “10 years later” or something. But this book filled with drama, unlikeable characters, heartbreak, and more, was the best impulse grab I’ve made from the library in my life. Very much recommend to people who like a fast paced read that’ll keep your eyes wide from start to finish!
February 21, 2023
3.5 stars 🌟
I enjoyed getting to know Hayley and was ready to drop kick quite a few people in this book at times.
I was hoping for more on the conservatorship and how Hayley was fighting it, more of how it was affecting her life.. scenes with the others involved. What was shown was compelling but it also felt incomplete in a way too.
The ending was rushed but I was cheering too:).
All in all, a very good read :)
I enjoyed getting to know Hayley and was ready to drop kick quite a few people in this book at times.
I was hoping for more on the conservatorship and how Hayley was fighting it, more of how it was affecting her life.. scenes with the others involved. What was shown was compelling but it also felt incomplete in a way too.
The ending was rushed but I was cheering too:).
All in all, a very good read :)
November 7, 2022
I received this book for free as part of a first reads promotion
March 11, 2023
I would give this book a little more then 3 stars. Closer to 4. I like The Unraveling Of Cassidy Holmes better than this, but this was still a pretty good book. Hayley Aldridge is a teen movie star, but is now in her 30s and had been under a conservatorship with her parents controlling every aspect of her life for 15 years. They do not allow her a cellphone. They do not allow her to drive. She has no control over her money. Fans have started a #SaveHayley movement. Hayley wants her life back and is taking the steps to do so. This book reminded me of The Free Britney Spears Movement. The book goes back and forth from how Hayley got into acting and her life in the spotlight, up to her getting out of the conservatorship. To think Britney went through this for years is terrible. It's so frustrating to think someone can hold that power over you when you have proven for years that you are capable of living your best life. And it usually has to do with money. For parents to be so greedy, to force their children into acting so they can maintain a certain lifestyle is pretty horrible. And we know this happens all the time with celebrities. I feel like the ending of the book was slightly rushed, but I really enjoyed Hayleys story.
February 16, 2023
Loved the authors first novel and had high hopes for this one. I think where this didn’t land for me was wanting to spend a bit more time in the present instead of the past. Yes, we needed backstory, but I wanted more out of her current life with her daughters and what they were doing to fight the conservatorship. I liked the premise and how fitting this story is in the present with Britany Spears’ similar battle finally ending recently.
January 30, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up. Couldn't put it down.
October 18, 2022
This ripped-from-the-headlines story of a former child star caught in a conservatorship inevitably draws comparisons to Britney Spears (there are also elements of Drew Barrymore/Lindsay Lohan/Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in Hayley's story). It's a cautionary story of neglect, fame, and power; fast-paced and moving at times.
Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2022
I suppose I should rate this book, since I wrote it :)
CW under the cut:
CW under the cut:
February 1, 2023
I know this book isn’t about Britney. But it’s definitely inspired by her conservatorship and it takes place in the same world in which that happened.
Once I picked this book up it was really, really hard to put down. I started it yesterday, I put it down for the night at dinner time. I picked it back up today and I didn’t stop reading until I’d finished it! That’s how entertaining it was.
The reader feels such a range of emotions for Haley.
We meet Hayley when she’s just a little girl trying to get into acting for fun.
She gets on a tv show that kind of sounds like a mix between Full House and Modern Family in my opinion. This tv is immensely successful. She signs up as a main character when she’s around 7 and is on the show for 14 seasons. During this time, Hayley lives a lot of life. She has a lot of experiences.
Some parts are uncomfortable and hard to read about and they’re supposed to be. Adults take advantage of Hayley in many different ways.
She starts off as an innocent little girl but as her star rises, she starts to party. She’s drinking as a child, she’s doing drugs as a teenager. She’s also supporting her entire family financially and they are enjoying that a little too much to pay attention to Hayley’s social life.
This book format is interesting. In it, Hayley tells her teenage twin daughters the entire story. They’ve never heard the whole story straight from Hayley before. It’s a really heartbreaking tale about how Hayley wound up under conservatorship.
My only pet peeve with this format is that it got a bit awkward at times grammatically. Haley is talking to her children and saying “the twins” and “they” rather than “you”. She’s talking to her kids, about her kids, and she’s referring to them in the wrong person. I think that would have been an easy thing to fix and I’m hoping it’s something the author changed after the arc that I read. Cause it’s the only part of the story that didn’t flow naturally.
I also want to add that I love Ted’s character. I thought he was well written too. Sensitive, a good person but very damaged too.
Definitely an unputdownable book! I feel like I read a real person’s memoir.
Once I picked this book up it was really, really hard to put down. I started it yesterday, I put it down for the night at dinner time. I picked it back up today and I didn’t stop reading until I’d finished it! That’s how entertaining it was.
The reader feels such a range of emotions for Haley.
We meet Hayley when she’s just a little girl trying to get into acting for fun.
She gets on a tv show that kind of sounds like a mix between Full House and Modern Family in my opinion. This tv is immensely successful. She signs up as a main character when she’s around 7 and is on the show for 14 seasons. During this time, Hayley lives a lot of life. She has a lot of experiences.
Some parts are uncomfortable and hard to read about and they’re supposed to be. Adults take advantage of Hayley in many different ways.
She starts off as an innocent little girl but as her star rises, she starts to party. She’s drinking as a child, she’s doing drugs as a teenager. She’s also supporting her entire family financially and they are enjoying that a little too much to pay attention to Hayley’s social life.
This book format is interesting. In it, Hayley tells her teenage twin daughters the entire story. They’ve never heard the whole story straight from Hayley before. It’s a really heartbreaking tale about how Hayley wound up under conservatorship.
My only pet peeve with this format is that it got a bit awkward at times grammatically. Haley is talking to her children and saying “the twins” and “they” rather than “you”. She’s talking to her kids, about her kids, and she’s referring to them in the wrong person. I think that would have been an easy thing to fix and I’m hoping it’s something the author changed after the arc that I read. Cause it’s the only part of the story that didn’t flow naturally.
I also want to add that I love Ted’s character. I thought he was well written too. Sensitive, a good person but very damaged too.
Definitely an unputdownable book! I feel like I read a real person’s memoir.
March 6, 2023
Y’all know I love a book about the dark side of Hollywood and boy did this one deliver. This was a definitely a book that you could tell drew a lot of inspiration from real life (aka Britney Spears’ IRL conservatorship), but it still felt new and fresh in its own way. Haley felt like someone I could’ve actually read about in magazines and heard about on TMZ back in the day, but more than anything what I loved/what was so important about this book was how it showed how women in the acting industry, specifically, have always been treated- and not just women, but young girls, too. Haley faced so many situations at such young ages that no one should ever have to face and it broke my heart that that was so representative of so many real women’s experiences in Hollywood, and not just that, but how the situations were handled after the fact. All in all, this wasn’t exactly a groundbreaking novel, but it was important and entertaining all the same
September 30, 2023
✨ "When your life is chaos, and the chaos stop, the silence can be unsettling."
I flew through this compulsively bingeable book! It was such a compelling read that takes us through the life of a teen starlet in unforgiving Hollywood.
It also highlights addiction, substance abuse, sexual assault, power imbalance, grooming, the mistreatment of women and female celebs by the industry / media / public, and so much more. Despite the heavy subject matter, it was a breezy and engaging novel due to the writing and storytelling styles.
Note that the conservatorship is just a tiny aspect of the plot. The focus is largely on Hayley's life, struggles and how she came to be in her current predicament. If anything, the conservatorship storyline seemed almost too easy (which the book itself acknowledges). It's such an interesting topic and hasn't been highlighted as much as other issues, so I wish we got more about it.
Hayley was a realistic protagonist that I felt for. I could definitely relate to her as a young woman and some of the things that she went through, especially when it comes to her coping mechanisms. But there were also times I found her behaviour incredibly frustrating and overkill.
One can't help but draw parallels between the novel and real life. So many similarities, so many stars we have swallowed and spat out.
Overall, this was an illuminating and entertaining page-turner that I really enjoyed.
I flew through this compulsively bingeable book! It was such a compelling read that takes us through the life of a teen starlet in unforgiving Hollywood.
It also highlights addiction, substance abuse, sexual assault, power imbalance, grooming, the mistreatment of women and female celebs by the industry / media / public, and so much more. Despite the heavy subject matter, it was a breezy and engaging novel due to the writing and storytelling styles.
Note that the conservatorship is just a tiny aspect of the plot. The focus is largely on Hayley's life, struggles and how she came to be in her current predicament. If anything, the conservatorship storyline seemed almost too easy (which the book itself acknowledges). It's such an interesting topic and hasn't been highlighted as much as other issues, so I wish we got more about it.
Hayley was a realistic protagonist that I felt for. I could definitely relate to her as a young woman and some of the things that she went through, especially when it comes to her coping mechanisms. But there were also times I found her behaviour incredibly frustrating and overkill.
One can't help but draw parallels between the novel and real life. So many similarities, so many stars we have swallowed and spat out.
Overall, this was an illuminating and entertaining page-turner that I really enjoyed.
June 4, 2023
Oh my gosh this was really good!! It gave me modern Evelyn Hugo vibes. I felt bad for Haley for the majority of the book and it was interesting to hear about what goes on in Hollywood. I also really liked how it was fictional with fictional characters but referenced real celebrities and events that actually happened.
June 30, 2024
justice for britney spears and hayley aldridge
March 11, 2023
Interesting read - although I feel like I just read Brittney Spears memoir.
February 21, 2023
Okay, where are my celebrity gossip junkies at? If you’re a fan of pop culture, then Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here by Elissa R. Sloan is just the book for you. Hayley made it big as a child actress, let fame go to her head, made a few missteps along the way, and then got trapped into a conservatorship. Her parents have been controlling her entire life ever since, and now she wants OUT! Be warned - this book is super addictive. Once you start, it’ll be extremely difficult to put down. So settle in, grab a fuzzy blanket, and all of the wine, popcorn, and chocolate that you’ll need. Reading Hayley’s story made me think of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Drew Barrymore, Amanda Bynes, and Miley Cyrus quite often. Or any child star who made it big, and then went off the rails a little bit. I especially loved how this story was told. Hayley sits down with her two teenage daughters, and tells them (and the reader) the story of her life. She starts at the very beginning, and doesn’t leave anything out. She covers all of the things: sex, drugs, alcohol, addiction, paparazzi, tabloids, award shows, scandals, public breakdowns, tragedies, rehab, the dark side of the entertainment industry, and SO much drama! It’s super juicy! This book is perfect for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six, I’m Glad My Mom Died, Songs In Ursa Major, and any celebrity memoir, really. If you love getting a sneak peek behind the scenes of what life is like for your favorite actors, actresses, and musicians, then you’ll love Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here! It’s out now! It gets a solid 4/5 stars from me!
March 17, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This. Was. So. Good!!
I love stories where we follow celebrities and their scandalous lives. Sign me up for all of those! This is Elissa Sloan’s second novel based in the celebrity world and I loved it as much as I loved her debut. I literally could not put it down. I absolutely devoured it!
This is very clearly, and loosely, based off the Conservatorship of Britney Spears. In this we follow Hayley Aldridge who was also a child star who found herself stuck in a Conservatorship run by her parents. The story starts with her talking to her twin daughters and wanting their help, and then she goes into telling them her story. The book reads as if she were speaking directly to the reader and her daughters, which she pulls off well.
While this is fiction, some of the stuff Hayley goes through is unfortunately very true for a lot of childhood stars, especially in the time of the late 90s and early 00s so that was sad and angering to read what she had to go through.
We follow a group of characters for the majority of the book who had been on a show with Hayley for 15 years and their stories as they were attached to hers. I just wanted to hug Ted!
If you’re looking for a quick read involving celebrities, that keeps your attention from start to finish, this is the book for you. Elissa Sloan has officially been added to my Auto-Buy author list!
March 8, 2023
Middle of the road for me. I liked more than I didn't, for sure, but more than anything this literally just felt like the story of Britney's life with the names and a few key details changed. She even has the same zodiac sign. yes I noticed.
I liked Hayley a lot and was rooting for her. I tend to get sucked in by stories of wild childhoods so I flew through this pretty fast. It's written like she's telling her life story to her two daughters... until all of a sudden it isn't anymore and it's present day and she's just narrating. lol.
fwiw I liked the beginning/middle of the book better than the end. It's pretty detailed and gritty as she's telling the story and it definitely gripped me. it kinda lost me when it switched perspectives and all of a sudden Idk. I liked it but it was maybe just a little too on the nose for me. But it was a fun quick read and best not taken too seriously.
Big TW for child SA, eating disorders, drug use, suicide, forced hospitalization, and whatever else you might associate with being a child star. It's pretty much all in here.
I liked Hayley a lot and was rooting for her. I tend to get sucked in by stories of wild childhoods so I flew through this pretty fast. It's written like she's telling her life story to her two daughters... until all of a sudden it isn't anymore and it's present day and she's just narrating. lol.
fwiw I liked the beginning/middle of the book better than the end. It's pretty detailed and gritty as she's telling the story and it definitely gripped me. it kinda lost me when it switched perspectives and all of a sudden Idk. I liked it but it was maybe just a little too on the nose for me. But it was a fun quick read and best not taken too seriously.
Big TW for child SA, eating disorders, drug use, suicide, forced hospitalization, and whatever else you might associate with being a child star. It's pretty much all in here.
January 17, 2023
A fun and juicy book loosely inspired by Brittany Spears.
Hayley Albridge is a former childhood star who appeared on a 15 season hit TV show and over a half dozen movies. However, drug abuse and a public meltdown led to her conservatorship and she hasn’t been able to make any of her own decisions for half her life. As her kids are now older, Hayley decides to tell them her story from the very start as #helphayley is trending in the outside world. With that you learn that Hollywood isn’t always what it’s glammed up to be and just how much the tabloids can stretch the truth.
My favorite part was how this story was told and unfolded. It felt like story time with Hayley and her twin daughters and while this made it so the book was primarily set in the past, every so often you heard commentary in the present. I also love how the author referenced real-life actresses, movies, tv shows and trends that were popular in the 90s to draw comparisons and add to the celebrity/ Hollywood feel. Definitely a book I will recommend to others!
Read if you like:
-Brittany Spears
-Childhood celebrities
-90s nostalgia
-TJR writing style
Thank you William Morrow for the ARC!
Hayley Albridge is a former childhood star who appeared on a 15 season hit TV show and over a half dozen movies. However, drug abuse and a public meltdown led to her conservatorship and she hasn’t been able to make any of her own decisions for half her life. As her kids are now older, Hayley decides to tell them her story from the very start as #helphayley is trending in the outside world. With that you learn that Hollywood isn’t always what it’s glammed up to be and just how much the tabloids can stretch the truth.
My favorite part was how this story was told and unfolded. It felt like story time with Hayley and her twin daughters and while this made it so the book was primarily set in the past, every so often you heard commentary in the present. I also love how the author referenced real-life actresses, movies, tv shows and trends that were popular in the 90s to draw comparisons and add to the celebrity/ Hollywood feel. Definitely a book I will recommend to others!
Read if you like:
-Brittany Spears
-Childhood celebrities
-90s nostalgia
-TJR writing style
Thank you William Morrow for the ARC!
February 23, 2023
Hayley Aldridge was a child star who quickly rose to fame but was broken by exploitation and the excessive pressure to perform. Without the proper support and supervision, she lost her way and turned to substance abuse as a way to cope. Hayley eventually turned her life around but it was too late, her parents already had her in a conservatorship. Hayley shares her story with her two teenage daughters (and us) in hopes that they will understand and help her put an end to her conservatorship.
It’s clear that this story is loosely based on Britney Spears and other child stars who were in similar situations but the author writes her characters with empathy and compassion in mind. It was maddening to see Hayley being pressured and sexualized by those who were meant to protect and guide her. She had her childhood and adolescence exploited and experienced a loss of control over her life which resulted in mental health and substance abuse issues that often accompany child stardom. At its core, this book is a page-turner about coming of age in a challenging industry, learning from your mistakes, and fighting to regain control over your life.
CW: substance abuse, suicide, sexual assault
It’s clear that this story is loosely based on Britney Spears and other child stars who were in similar situations but the author writes her characters with empathy and compassion in mind. It was maddening to see Hayley being pressured and sexualized by those who were meant to protect and guide her. She had her childhood and adolescence exploited and experienced a loss of control over her life which resulted in mental health and substance abuse issues that often accompany child stardom. At its core, this book is a page-turner about coming of age in a challenging industry, learning from your mistakes, and fighting to regain control over your life.
CW: substance abuse, suicide, sexual assault
January 22, 2023
I thought the first two-thirds were stronger than the ending. There was so much detail and history put into Hayley’s experiences growing up in the industry but not a lot of information once she was in the conservatorship. Her parents seemed more negligent throughout most of the book, rather than malicious like they were at the end.
It definitely gave me the same sort of vibes as Prince Harry’s new book. There was a lot of talk about tabloids and paparazzi that was incredibly similar. Which makes sense because it was the same time period and the gossip was particularly vitriolic then. They were interesting books to read back to back and really hone in on the untrustworthy nature of the press.
A good book but I wish it had gone as deep at the end of the story as it did at the beginning.
It definitely gave me the same sort of vibes as Prince Harry’s new book. There was a lot of talk about tabloids and paparazzi that was incredibly similar. Which makes sense because it was the same time period and the gossip was particularly vitriolic then. They were interesting books to read back to back and really hone in on the untrustworthy nature of the press.
A good book but I wish it had gone as deep at the end of the story as it did at the beginning.
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