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Better Off Famous?
Fame is awesome, right? Partying every night at the hottest clubs. Hanging with the coolest stars. Having your picture in every magazine. Yeah, that's what Annie Hoffman thought too. Until she became a celebrity. All Annie ever wanted for her sixteenth birthday was a driver’s license and a spot at Julliard’s prestigious high school violin program. Well, she got neither. But as luck would have it, a casting director for fall’s hottest new television show happens to be at the Julliard auditions, and Annie wows him. He thinks her look is exactly what his show, a teen soap set at a posh New York school, has been missing. And just like that, Annie gets cast as the naive “new girl,” and her life is turned upside down. Sure, the perks are great, the wardrobe is awesome, and her tutor is a super hot genius… but being stalked day and night by paparazzi out to catch her in her worst light---not so fun! Can Annie learn to balance her life-- and her partying-- before the press, and the public, write her off for good?
- GenresYoung AdultContemporary
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Jane Mendle
3 books4 followersJane Mendle is the author of the young adult novel Better Off Famous? and Kissing in Technicolor, a novel for adults.
She is a supervisor at the University of Oregon Psychology Clinic and holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Virginia. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.
She is a supervisor at the University of Oregon Psychology Clinic and holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Virginia. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 20 reviews
October 21, 2020
I found this book in a LFL while on vacation in Asheville, and knew I needed to add it to my TBR List. Now that I am back in NYC, and have more down time, I was excited to pick it up as a cute, quick read. I'm actually really surprised that I had never heard of it, because it seems like just the kind of YA book that I would have read while sitting on the floor of Barnes & Noble in high school! I can't wait to pass it on to a new reader!
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Annie is an aspiring violinist, but after not getting into Juilliard's high school program, this small town girl gets plucked from obscurity to star in a new TV show. The book could have followed the troupe of rags-to-riches, small town girl makes it big, but the author doesn't make the journey so easy. The character stays true to her age, and struggles being away from her family in a big, new city. The depiction of young performers in the entertainment industry also read pretty accurately to my experience. The only thing I found implausible is the amount of drinking the characters got away with in public. Living in NYC, there is no way every club is letting well-known, 16-year-olds run wild in their establishments. It's a super cute read, if not entirely based in reality.
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Annie is an aspiring violinist, but after not getting into Juilliard's high school program, this small town girl gets plucked from obscurity to star in a new TV show. The book could have followed the troupe of rags-to-riches, small town girl makes it big, but the author doesn't make the journey so easy. The character stays true to her age, and struggles being away from her family in a big, new city. The depiction of young performers in the entertainment industry also read pretty accurately to my experience. The only thing I found implausible is the amount of drinking the characters got away with in public. Living in NYC, there is no way every club is letting well-known, 16-year-olds run wild in their establishments. It's a super cute read, if not entirely based in reality.
November 25, 2022
Cute, kinda reminded me of Secrets of A Hollywood Life mixed with the Clique
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
Annie Hoffman can't seem to get anything right. She can't get her driver's license, making her the only almost sixteen-year-old without one, meaning it's back to the buses. She can't get into Juilliard, since apparently she doesn't have much talent playing the violin. She can't get the guy of her dreams to notice her. And she can't get out of her stupid school with its stupid lunches.
One thing Annie can do, though, is make a talent agent take interest in her, making him give her a card, which would then land her in the newest and hottest teen soap drama, Country Day. Its certainly pays to leave an audition nearly crying; you never know who might notice your acting skills.
Everything goes from okay to awesome for Annie. She becomes America's sweetheart and is on the cover of every celebrity publication there is.
But Annie soon finds out that the biggest and best shot the paparazzi can take is when a celebrity is at their worst. And once it is printed for everyone to see, those who once adored her turn on her easily, even when they don't know the entire story. It's up to Annie to find her true self and, hopefully, find her way out of the negative limelight.
Not like the other novels that take on the plot of the girl-next-door who instantly becomes a teen sensation, BETTER OFF FAMOUS? has a mind of its own. With its realistic story of a girl lost in the limelight, struggling her way to get back to normal, with cameras following her every move, Jane Mendle creates a story that mirrors the mistakes that those we have all taken notice of make every day.
Annie Hoffman can't seem to get anything right. She can't get her driver's license, making her the only almost sixteen-year-old without one, meaning it's back to the buses. She can't get into Juilliard, since apparently she doesn't have much talent playing the violin. She can't get the guy of her dreams to notice her. And she can't get out of her stupid school with its stupid lunches.
One thing Annie can do, though, is make a talent agent take interest in her, making him give her a card, which would then land her in the newest and hottest teen soap drama, Country Day. Its certainly pays to leave an audition nearly crying; you never know who might notice your acting skills.
Everything goes from okay to awesome for Annie. She becomes America's sweetheart and is on the cover of every celebrity publication there is.
But Annie soon finds out that the biggest and best shot the paparazzi can take is when a celebrity is at their worst. And once it is printed for everyone to see, those who once adored her turn on her easily, even when they don't know the entire story. It's up to Annie to find her true self and, hopefully, find her way out of the negative limelight.
Not like the other novels that take on the plot of the girl-next-door who instantly becomes a teen sensation, BETTER OFF FAMOUS? has a mind of its own. With its realistic story of a girl lost in the limelight, struggling her way to get back to normal, with cameras following her every move, Jane Mendle creates a story that mirrors the mistakes that those we have all taken notice of make every day.
September 2, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book because it was about a teenage girl that really learns who she is in many different aspects. During the book she starts a new life once she gets discovered as an actress and learns that fame isn't everyting. One of the aspects that was also my favorite is that she falls in love with a totally awesome guy and I really love romances. I also thought they were so cute together and it was a totally new feeling for her and it was so interesting to read about her learning about love for the first time. Fro her learning her lesson wasn't easy and it took losing everything to discover that being in the spotlight can ruin everyting so you can't forget who you really are just because you are famous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2013
This is the third book I got out of the library this year, and I'm done with it. I really like Jane Mendle's writing style - it's funny and the character of Annie had me laughing a lot. I do think that her "woe is me" diva act was a bit overdramatic, but then she's a teen so she has a reasonable excuse. I was sort of assuming the paparazzi would have done something way worse to her to make her act that way with them, but then the whole point was that she was being a diva and not treating people right, so I guess it makes sense.
This wasn't what I'd call a "deep and meaningful" read, but definitely light, fluffy and entertaining. If you want a giggle and an easy, quick YA read, this could be a good pick for you.
This wasn't what I'd call a "deep and meaningful" read, but definitely light, fluffy and entertaining. If you want a giggle and an easy, quick YA read, this could be a good pick for you.
November 14, 2014
The book Better off Famous? by Jane Mendle was a very interesting book to read. The author put a lot of description into the book and it made me want to keep on reading the book over and over again. The plot line is really interesting and intriguing and the characters are very cheerful, for the most part. Also, the book left a clear image in my mind when I finished it. In my opinion I really liked this book because of all of the characters and their personalities. New York, in my opinion, fit the plot really nicely and the characters fit in correctly there. I thought this book was very interesting and that's why I gave it 5/5 stars.
October 10, 2014
This was the second book I'd read concerning a teen that had become famous and consequently turn her life upside down and as I didn't enjoy the first, I would definitely say I was wary approaching this text. However my worries were soon forgotten as I delved into this book. It had a steady plot, was written pretty well and ended on a good note with the hope of a bright future for the main character. Pretty good 3 star book :)
July 27, 2012
This book could have been good: the build up took a long time. The main character seemed to keep doing everything wrong, one thing after another. But the ending resolution happened way too fast compared to the build up. Suddenly everything was peachy and mistakes are fixed. Otherwise an okay book, but the ending was unrealistic.
November 16, 2009
Well, it is really a pretty good book. I kept flipping the pages wherever I went and eventually finished it in an hour. It's really good for teens and I love Annie's character where she learns from her mistakes and everything. Really good.
December 17, 2012
The main character, Annie, is constantly referring to herself as a dork or inarticulate. Yes Annie, you are most definitely both. Congratulations! Now quit wasting time whining about these facts to others in hopes that they'll tell you otherwise. Get a dictionary and expand your vocabulary.
August 21, 2008
Amazing Book!!! Don't end up like the girl in this book!!!
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September 28, 2008This was pretty good
June 29, 2009
It was an easy and fun read. I thought the author cleverly showed how easily it was to get caught up in the moment.
September 9, 2009
An excellent read for young adult fans. This story follows the main character from rags to riches and asks many of life's pondering questions.
July 5, 2012
Actually not half bad
August 5, 2020
Aww. Another one of the books I loved originally and now re-reading has me questioning why I loved it so much...
December 4, 2014
In really liked it. It was a fun easy read and I read it in like an hour. One I could read again and I will totally be looking for more from this author in the future.
August 14, 2014
a nice easy read.
August 26, 2014
Am currently reading This right now only a few chapters in
Displaying 1 - 19 of 20 reviews