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L.A. Candy #3
Sugar and Spice: A Young Adult Hollywood Novel About Reality TV, Fame, Betrayal, and Romance
In the final book of the hit series L.A. Candy, Jane Roberts is a bona fide celebrity—she’s got the VIP treatment, couture clothes, and starlet looks. She also has the tabloid scandals, fake friends, and relentless paparazzi. Having learned a few things from her first season on the air, Jane is trying to surround herself with the people who she knows love her for her...and take a break from boys—since they’ve been nothing but trouble. But when her high school sweetheart Caleb and her unrequited L.A. crush Braden show up, both looking cuter and acting sweeter than ever, Jane has a hard time remembering her no-boys rule....
Just when everything feels out of control, Jane makes a shocking discovery. And what she finds changes everyone’s definition of “reality” forever.
In her deliciously entertaining novel, television star Lauren Conrad pulls the curtain back on young Hollywood and shows that sometimes the real drama is behind the scenes.
Just when everything feels out of control, Jane makes a shocking discovery. And what she finds changes everyone’s definition of “reality” forever.
In her deliciously entertaining novel, television star Lauren Conrad pulls the curtain back on young Hollywood and shows that sometimes the real drama is behind the scenes.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
196 people are currently reading
6816 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Conrad
39 books2,014 followersLauren Katherine Conrad, often referred to as "L.C.", is an American television personality and an aspiring fashion designer. She is best known for being featured in the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and for her spin-off show, The Hills, which follows her personal and professional life as she pursues a career in the fashion industry. She earns an estimated $1.5 million annually for her television appearances, fashion line, and product endorsements.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 654 reviews
October 27, 2010
Oh, Lauren Conrad, you may not be a fine author, but you still managed to sucker my into reading every page of your ridiculous trilogy. The L.A. Candy series is *gasp* about a girl who moves to LA from a smaller, Southern California beach community with her best friend. The two are "discovered" in a night club, cast into a reality television show and thrown into a world of gossip and celebrity that they are quite ready to handle. Sound familiar? The plot is addictive in the same way that Conrad's former television show, The Hills, beckoned me to watch it every week...and the writing ranges from mediocre to terrible. Let me just say that Sugar and Spice is probably the worst offender in the writing category and yet...I still quite enjoyed the book. It's cheesy and mindless fun. What can I say? I'm a sucker for bad reality TV shows and, apparently, for poorly written books about bad reality TV shows. Junk food...in book form.
August 31, 2019
Tā nu pabeidzu lasīt/klausīties LC daļēji autobiogrāfisko (kaut, protams, ka ir atruna par visu notikumu izdomātību un jebkuras reālas personas vai notikumu sakritību kā tikai sakritību) triloģiju par realitātes šova galvenajām varonēm un uzņemšanas aizkulisēm.
Ja par aizkulisēm, tad manipulācija ar šova dalībnieku realitāti mani nudien nepārsteidza, domāju, ka dzīvē tās ir daudz vairāk un brutālāk.
Ja pa galvenajām varonēm, tad mani pārsteidz, ka ir skaidrs uzstādījums, kura ir skaistāka par kuru, un parādoties jaunai meitenei uzreiz visi domā, ka viņa ir vēl skaistāka par skaistāko no jau esošajām. Nu tāda Sniegbaltītes pamātes spoguļa realitāte. Jā, protams, ka daži cilvēki ir objektīvāk skaistāki par citiem, bet ja ir runa par Bridžitu Bordo, Merlinu Monro, Kimu Besindžeri un Klaudiju Šīferi (visu viņu labākajos laikos), tad vismaz es nevarētu tik stingri un neapšaubāmi viņas sarindot pēc skaistuma.
Kopumā grāmatas bija kā pats realitātes šovs "The Hills", no kura zinu autori - vienkārša izklaide bez pievienotās vērtības (ja neskaita valodas kā tādas treniņu, jebkurš teksts svešvalodā tomēr savā ziņā tāds ir), bet kvalitatīvi apstrādāta un uzmanību piesaistoša.
Ja par aizkulisēm, tad manipulācija ar šova dalībnieku realitāti mani nudien nepārsteidza, domāju, ka dzīvē tās ir daudz vairāk un brutālāk.
Ja pa galvenajām varonēm, tad mani pārsteidz, ka ir skaidrs uzstādījums, kura ir skaistāka par kuru, un parādoties jaunai meitenei uzreiz visi domā, ka viņa ir vēl skaistāka par skaistāko no jau esošajām. Nu tāda Sniegbaltītes pamātes spoguļa realitāte. Jā, protams, ka daži cilvēki ir objektīvāk skaistāki par citiem, bet ja ir runa par Bridžitu Bordo, Merlinu Monro, Kimu Besindžeri un Klaudiju Šīferi (visu viņu labākajos laikos), tad vismaz es nevarētu tik stingri un neapšaubāmi viņas sarindot pēc skaistuma.
Kopumā grāmatas bija kā pats realitātes šovs "The Hills", no kura zinu autori - vienkārša izklaide bez pievienotās vērtības (ja neskaita valodas kā tādas treniņu, jebkurš teksts svešvalodā tomēr savā ziņā tāds ir), bet kvalitatīvi apstrādāta un uzmanību piesaistoša.
June 4, 2011
Well I'm finally getting round to this. GO ME!
I have to admit I really liked how this series ended, but I can't help wondering what if?
Well the story may end there but Jane, Scarlett, Madison and Gabby's stories have just begun.
:D
I have to admit I really liked how this series ended, but I can't help wondering what if?
Well the story may end there but Jane, Scarlett, Madison and Gabby's stories have just begun.
:D
November 11, 2017
It's time for Season Two of the hit reality show LA Candy with it's 4 stars Jane , Scarlett, Gaby and Madison, however as we read we are about to discover it's not all fun and games behind the scenes of reality TV. Jane still reeling from the backstabbing of Madison, is refusing to star in any scenes with her but then when ratings respond high to Madison and Jane being in the same room , it's time to put the cat claws away and play nice for the camera. As usual we have Jane battling over three guys and which to date - hollywood bad boy - Jesse , Hollywood Hunk -Braeden and the boy from her hometown- Caleb, which will Jane choose or is it wiser for her to fly solo this season ?
Scarlett has a decision to make, moving to LA had only one reason to be with Jane but she's finding her schooling at UCLA a bit below her, so she has applied to all these Ivy League colleges. Will she be accepted and what will happen with her boyfriend Liam when her high-school crush Naveen arrives on the LA Scene ? Madison's in for a nasty sursprise as her past creeps in to haunt her in the form of her little sister Sophilyn , can Madison keep Sophie quiet before she spills the beans and those find out the truth of who Madison really is ?
Gaby, now has an agent Annabelle but as we see Gaby's personality and style change , Is it worth it ?
Find out all this and more in "Sugar and Spice" and all things not so nice by Lauren Conrad.
Scarlett has a decision to make, moving to LA had only one reason to be with Jane but she's finding her schooling at UCLA a bit below her, so she has applied to all these Ivy League colleges. Will she be accepted and what will happen with her boyfriend Liam when her high-school crush Naveen arrives on the LA Scene ? Madison's in for a nasty sursprise as her past creeps in to haunt her in the form of her little sister Sophilyn , can Madison keep Sophie quiet before she spills the beans and those find out the truth of who Madison really is ?
Gaby, now has an agent Annabelle but as we see Gaby's personality and style change , Is it worth it ?
Find out all this and more in "Sugar and Spice" and all things not so nice by Lauren Conrad.
August 4, 2019
Vacation reread and now I finished this first series! Such a fun reread and glad that bitchy Madison got a bit more personality and a back story... Doesn't forgive her from being a bitch though. Liams reaction to Scarletts bday party was overdone and cringy. Poor Gaby. I loved how Jane got Trevor back, muhahha. Proud of Scarlett! Happy with the ending.
The last book in the L.A. Candy series, and what a way to end things (it was good though!). But I wasn't always happy with how things went in this book.
For instance, the whole Jane stuff. Once again she is stuck between boys. You would think scandals and the like would teach someone not to double-date, but it seems that Jane isn't one to learn.
In this book we have Caleb and Braden. Yes, you read that right, Braden. I was hoping with all the stuff going down in the previous books, that Braden would take a smaller or maybe even a not-being-there-role. However, he is still big in Jane's life.
I wish she was more honest with her boys. Tell them about her feelings, tell them if she wasn't feeling happy.
I loved the part when she made that interesting discovery, it was fun seeing her make use of it and also help out Scarlett with things.
I felt sorry for her when things happened (again) with her and Madison. I am glad though that she decided to stay when it happened, and even when things went wrong at times she just went on and tried her best for her work.
That is one thing I loved in this book, the relationship between Scarlett and Jane. I loved that they were friends again, that they were happy again and that they lived together again. I missed that in the previous book. They truly are wonderful friends and it makes me happy to have these 2 try to be together again.
Scarlett also had a lot of drama, and I was sad to see how her relationship with Liam was. Though it was kind of expected that this would happen. I will also stick to my point that I still don't really see how these 2 are together. Liam doesn't seem to want to understand Scarlett and her job. He is angry when she has to leave, angry when she says no to him during a party that her friends and family created for her. I just wanted to smack Liam. Especially during that scene. Your girlfriend is having her birthday, her family, her friends are there and you DEMAND she will be with you? Not even listening to her trying to make agreements with you.
Not that Scarlett was any better. I disliked her attitude at times during this book. I disliked how she acted during the party. Her best friends made sure she had a grand party with her friends and even family there, and yet she was grumpy and didn't even seem happy to be there. Nice attitude girl. And then you wonder why Trevor is editing so much of your lines.
I liked her decision in the end though. I am glad that she did this and not go on and on with the reality show.
Madison, well I won't say much about her. I think most people know my dislike for this character. She was once again horrendous in this book and she really deserved all that she got in this book.
Caleb and Braden were this book's boytoys (sorry, I just feel like this is more appropriate than to say they are potential boyfriends). I didn't particularly like Caleb, I found him boring and I felt like the relationship between Jane and him died back when he broke it up with her some time ago. And we later indeed find out several things that made me dislike Caleb. So he was only really into it for that.
Braden, well is still Braden. I disliked him in all the other books and this one was no exception. I really dislike guys like him.
The story itself was good and I really enjoyed reading this book. There was once again a lot of drama, a lot of "reality" show and I really liked the parts about Jane and her event planning job.
The book ended in quite a good way. I was kind of worried about it, but I think the author did a great job on making sure all the loose ends are now connected and that everyone moves on with their lives. Be it in L.A or be it somewhere else.
I would really recommend this series to people. It was a really fun and light read and if you like drama and "reality" shows, you will like this one.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
The last book in the L.A. Candy series, and what a way to end things (it was good though!). But I wasn't always happy with how things went in this book.
For instance, the whole Jane stuff. Once again she is stuck between boys. You would think scandals and the like would teach someone not to double-date, but it seems that Jane isn't one to learn.
In this book we have Caleb and Braden. Yes, you read that right, Braden. I was hoping with all the stuff going down in the previous books, that Braden would take a smaller or maybe even a not-being-there-role. However, he is still big in Jane's life.
I wish she was more honest with her boys. Tell them about her feelings, tell them if she wasn't feeling happy.
I loved the part when she made that interesting discovery, it was fun seeing her make use of it and also help out Scarlett with things.
I felt sorry for her when things happened (again) with her and Madison. I am glad though that she decided to stay when it happened, and even when things went wrong at times she just went on and tried her best for her work.
That is one thing I loved in this book, the relationship between Scarlett and Jane. I loved that they were friends again, that they were happy again and that they lived together again. I missed that in the previous book. They truly are wonderful friends and it makes me happy to have these 2 try to be together again.
Scarlett also had a lot of drama, and I was sad to see how her relationship with Liam was. Though it was kind of expected that this would happen. I will also stick to my point that I still don't really see how these 2 are together. Liam doesn't seem to want to understand Scarlett and her job. He is angry when she has to leave, angry when she says no to him during a party that her friends and family created for her. I just wanted to smack Liam. Especially during that scene. Your girlfriend is having her birthday, her family, her friends are there and you DEMAND she will be with you? Not even listening to her trying to make agreements with you.
Not that Scarlett was any better. I disliked her attitude at times during this book. I disliked how she acted during the party. Her best friends made sure she had a grand party with her friends and even family there, and yet she was grumpy and didn't even seem happy to be there. Nice attitude girl. And then you wonder why Trevor is editing so much of your lines.
I liked her decision in the end though. I am glad that she did this and not go on and on with the reality show.
Madison, well I won't say much about her. I think most people know my dislike for this character. She was once again horrendous in this book and she really deserved all that she got in this book.
Caleb and Braden were this book's boytoys (sorry, I just feel like this is more appropriate than to say they are potential boyfriends). I didn't particularly like Caleb, I found him boring and I felt like the relationship between Jane and him died back when he broke it up with her some time ago. And we later indeed find out several things that made me dislike Caleb. So he was only really into it for that.
Braden, well is still Braden. I disliked him in all the other books and this one was no exception. I really dislike guys like him.
The story itself was good and I really enjoyed reading this book. There was once again a lot of drama, a lot of "reality" show and I really liked the parts about Jane and her event planning job.
The book ended in quite a good way. I was kind of worried about it, but I think the author did a great job on making sure all the loose ends are now connected and that everyone moves on with their lives. Be it in L.A or be it somewhere else.
I would really recommend this series to people. It was a really fun and light read and if you like drama and "reality" shows, you will like this one.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 30, 2011
Everyone needs a guilty pleasure. Mine was always The Hills on MTV, so, of course, I loved Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy series. The library finally got Sugar and Spice, the third and final book in the series, and I relished every word.
New reality-television star Jane Roberts is filming the second season of "L.A. Candy" and trying to get used to the hassles, celebrity, and paparazzi that come along with it.
Her goals this season are simple: Swear off guys, avoid being the topic of tabloid fodder, surround herself with people she can trust (not so easy in Hollywood), do her job, and get her personal and professional life under control.
But things get a little crazy when her former friend and current co-star, the backstabbing Madeline, gets a job at the same place Jane works. Soon she finds it's impossible to plan successful events and perform her job to the best of her ability when an ex-friend with a grudge is questioning her every decision and attempting to sabotage high-profile celebrity events.
To add to the stress, Jane's high school sweetheart Caleb is in town and Braden, her L.A. crush who usually doesn't want to give her the time of day, is back in her life with an interest in being more than just friends. What was that no boys rule again?
Jane's best friend and roommate, Scarlett, is enjoying life with her new boyfriend Liam and attending classes at UCLA. She couldn't be happier, until Liam's desire not to be on camera and jealousy about what's going on during "L.A. Candy" filming puts a strain on their relationship.
Both Jane and Scarlett start to wonder if this whole Hollywood thing is for them, doubts that are increased ten-fold when Jane makes a shocking discovery about the show.
Turns out, reality isn't so real after all.
Sugar and Spice was such a fun read! Lauren Conrad's knowledge of reality television enhanced this delicious story about love, friendship, and what really goes on behind the scenes of a popular television show. I'll never look at reality television the same way again.
I was sad to see the series end, but happy that the characters finally found peace.
New reality-television star Jane Roberts is filming the second season of "L.A. Candy" and trying to get used to the hassles, celebrity, and paparazzi that come along with it.
Her goals this season are simple: Swear off guys, avoid being the topic of tabloid fodder, surround herself with people she can trust (not so easy in Hollywood), do her job, and get her personal and professional life under control.
But things get a little crazy when her former friend and current co-star, the backstabbing Madeline, gets a job at the same place Jane works. Soon she finds it's impossible to plan successful events and perform her job to the best of her ability when an ex-friend with a grudge is questioning her every decision and attempting to sabotage high-profile celebrity events.
To add to the stress, Jane's high school sweetheart Caleb is in town and Braden, her L.A. crush who usually doesn't want to give her the time of day, is back in her life with an interest in being more than just friends. What was that no boys rule again?
Jane's best friend and roommate, Scarlett, is enjoying life with her new boyfriend Liam and attending classes at UCLA. She couldn't be happier, until Liam's desire not to be on camera and jealousy about what's going on during "L.A. Candy" filming puts a strain on their relationship.
Both Jane and Scarlett start to wonder if this whole Hollywood thing is for them, doubts that are increased ten-fold when Jane makes a shocking discovery about the show.
Turns out, reality isn't so real after all.
Sugar and Spice was such a fun read! Lauren Conrad's knowledge of reality television enhanced this delicious story about love, friendship, and what really goes on behind the scenes of a popular television show. I'll never look at reality television the same way again.
I was sad to see the series end, but happy that the characters finally found peace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2012
So I read this book and now the series is over. It was a tad short, 3 books a series does not make. I guess I am a little disappointed that it's over. With Scarlett moving to NY and Jane moving up in the event planning world how could LC call the series over. I would have liked to see how Jane and Scarlett did in their new elements but at the same time I understand that LC wants to write a different series about Madison, which I plan on reading. Even though I despised Madison as a character, I want to see what happens with her and her attempt to conquer fame and fortune. I have already purchased the first book in the new series. I may take a break from reading LC bc i will have to wait a while before I can read the second book of the series. It was so much fun reading the books and I really do think that LC has great potential writing books 'loosely' based on her experience with reality tv.
I really enjoyed reading the series and have kind of predicted who is who, although i may be slightly off :
Jane=Lauren
Scarlett=Audrina/ Lo
Madison=Heidi
Sophie=Holly
Gaby=Jenn Bunny
Hannah= Whitney
Jesse=Jason
Braden=Brody
Caleb=Stephen Colletti
Trevor=Adam Divello (creator of the Hills)
I really enjoyed reading the series and have kind of predicted who is who, although i may be slightly off :
Jane=Lauren
Scarlett=Audrina/ Lo
Madison=Heidi
Sophie=Holly
Gaby=Jenn Bunny
Hannah= Whitney
Jesse=Jason
Braden=Brody
Caleb=Stephen Colletti
Trevor=Adam Divello (creator of the Hills)
April 19, 2019
story 4/5 Good sequel.
characters 3,5/5 We're getting more and more in depth with the "cast". More and more dramaaa.
writing 4/5 Just enjoyable.
audio/paper I listened to the audio-book. If I'll ever come across it in a (thrift) store or reselling group I'll buy it.
reread? Probably yes.
characters 3,5/5 We're getting more and more in depth with the "cast". More and more dramaaa.
writing 4/5 Just enjoyable.
audio/paper I listened to the audio-book. If I'll ever come across it in a (thrift) store or reselling group I'll buy it.
reread? Probably yes.
June 30, 2021
So, this has been sitting on my bed side table for almost a year now and every time I would pick it up.. I would read 2 chapters and then put it down again. The first two books were enjoyable enough for when you wanted to read something light hearted where you didn't have to think too much. But this last book was tedious and predictable to read but I finally sat down and made myself finish it so it doesn't have to sit next me on my bed side table anymore.
October 12, 2022
Delicious.
February 6, 2017
Okay so first off cheers to finishing the series finally haha : )
I will say that series is definitely a really quick read and is nothing to finish. If you like the Hills or Laguna Beach then there is a chance that you will enjoy these books. I grew up watching the Hills with a lot of close friends so I kind of figured that I would come across the series eventually. It's filled with drama and in some ways gives some insight to what happens behind the scenes in reality tv.
What I liked about this novel:
-It focuses on self-discovery. All of the girls go through a series of issues within the three novels. In doing so they sometimes lose sight of who they are. In this novel they come to terms with that and attempt to figure exactly who they want to be in this world.
-The insight to what probably happens behind the scenes during reality tv. It's clear that reality TV really isn't reality. There has to be a certain amount or element of drama in order for the shows ratings to maintain a level that is acceptable for most production companies. As a result most of the hows end up being partially scripted. In this novel it was nice to see how much production teams were willing to manipulate the participants in order to create drama.
-The drama. Okay so I'm like every other human being on this planet and I like reading about someone else's drama especially when it doesn't involve me. The drama of these books is actually what keeps the novel going.
What I didn't like:
-The writing. Lauren Conrad may be amazing at a lot of things, but it isn't writing. A lot of the story didn't flow in a manner that was needed to keep the reader engaging. It made the story jump around quite a bit.
-The resolution definitely came too quickly. I solely believe that this book was almost written to give the story a conclusion for the sake of it. It's the smallest in there series when it really should have been longest. There were too many issues that needed to be resolved.
-The relationship between Braden and Jane just didn't make sense in the end and her revelation was ridiculous. It didn't make sense.
Overall, I would say that this was a pretty interesting series. I would not consider it to be the best piece of literature in the world, but if you're into reality shows then I would definitely give it a try. Plus you can't go wrong with reading about the crazy drama the main characters encounter.
I will say that series is definitely a really quick read and is nothing to finish. If you like the Hills or Laguna Beach then there is a chance that you will enjoy these books. I grew up watching the Hills with a lot of close friends so I kind of figured that I would come across the series eventually. It's filled with drama and in some ways gives some insight to what happens behind the scenes in reality tv.
What I liked about this novel:
-It focuses on self-discovery. All of the girls go through a series of issues within the three novels. In doing so they sometimes lose sight of who they are. In this novel they come to terms with that and attempt to figure exactly who they want to be in this world.
-The insight to what probably happens behind the scenes during reality tv. It's clear that reality TV really isn't reality. There has to be a certain amount or element of drama in order for the shows ratings to maintain a level that is acceptable for most production companies. As a result most of the hows end up being partially scripted. In this novel it was nice to see how much production teams were willing to manipulate the participants in order to create drama.
-The drama. Okay so I'm like every other human being on this planet and I like reading about someone else's drama especially when it doesn't involve me. The drama of these books is actually what keeps the novel going.
What I didn't like:
-The writing. Lauren Conrad may be amazing at a lot of things, but it isn't writing. A lot of the story didn't flow in a manner that was needed to keep the reader engaging. It made the story jump around quite a bit.
-The resolution definitely came too quickly. I solely believe that this book was almost written to give the story a conclusion for the sake of it. It's the smallest in there series when it really should have been longest. There were too many issues that needed to be resolved.
-The relationship between Braden and Jane just didn't make sense in the end and her revelation was ridiculous. It didn't make sense.
Overall, I would say that this was a pretty interesting series. I would not consider it to be the best piece of literature in the world, but if you're into reality shows then I would definitely give it a try. Plus you can't go wrong with reading about the crazy drama the main characters encounter.
January 4, 2011
Sugar and Spice is Fiction, but could also be a biography in some parts. I chose this book because I loved Lauren Conrad on the Hill's and I wanted to see if she could write.
The protagonists' name is Jane, and the supporting characters are Scarlet, Gaby, Caleb, and Braden. The antagonist is Madison Parker. After moving to Hollywood and going through her scandal of cheating on her boyfriend, and finding out that her friend Madison sold pictures of her to the magazines, Jane becomes very angry at Madison and tells her producer that she cant work with her. But what does he do to get ratings? He has them working in the same place at Fiona Chen events. A party planning business for the stars. The central conflict is man vs. herself because Jane is still dealing with the scandal inside herself. The theme of this book is to be true to yourself.
The writing style of the author is 1st person, and she uses it very well. I really liked this book because after watching her on the Hill's, you could tell that this was about her life and I like how it realtes to her and stuff she went through while on a tv show.
I would reccomend it to others who like taking a look inside real Hollywood life.
The protagonists' name is Jane, and the supporting characters are Scarlet, Gaby, Caleb, and Braden. The antagonist is Madison Parker. After moving to Hollywood and going through her scandal of cheating on her boyfriend, and finding out that her friend Madison sold pictures of her to the magazines, Jane becomes very angry at Madison and tells her producer that she cant work with her. But what does he do to get ratings? He has them working in the same place at Fiona Chen events. A party planning business for the stars. The central conflict is man vs. herself because Jane is still dealing with the scandal inside herself. The theme of this book is to be true to yourself.
The writing style of the author is 1st person, and she uses it very well. I really liked this book because after watching her on the Hill's, you could tell that this was about her life and I like how it realtes to her and stuff she went through while on a tv show.
I would reccomend it to others who like taking a look inside real Hollywood life.
September 7, 2017
Ugh😩 it hurts me so much when i got a book as present and it turns out to be as silly and tacky as this one i'm only giving it 3 stars because it was from my beloved sister other than that i was forcing myself through the pages silly story silly characters wouldn't give it half a star I think this kind of books will amuse only high school students though I highly doubt nowadays category of high school students will like it .. bottom line this book was quite a farce.
July 7, 2013
I bought this book a number of years ago for my then teenaged step-daughter who was into "The Hills." I'm not sure she ever read it and I can see why. I'm sure my adolescent self would have loved it, but my adult self is wondering if my project to read all the unread books lying around my house was such a good idea.
December 3, 2015
this series was actually really fun. i loved it. the first book was a bit slow but it gets better afterwards. although, i dont know if i want to read the spin off. i hated maddison! lol
it was like watching a whole season of the hills. if that was your thing, youll really like this series too.
it was like watching a whole season of the hills. if that was your thing, youll really like this series too.
January 10, 2025
3.5/5
Laatste deel van de LA Candy serie. Gaby ondergaat een make-over. Scarlet doet wél haar best voor de show en Madison & Jane hebben een feud op het werk. Madison wordt door Trevor als nieuwe 'collega' neergezet. Jane komt er steeds meer achter dat zij het leven in de spotlights niet leuk vindt. Wanner ze ontdekt dat de show helemaal wordt uitgedacht en haar leven niet meer reality is besluit ze dat het klaar voor haar is.
Laatste deel van de LA Candy serie. Gaby ondergaat een make-over. Scarlet doet wél haar best voor de show en Madison & Jane hebben een feud op het werk. Madison wordt door Trevor als nieuwe 'collega' neergezet. Jane komt er steeds meer achter dat zij het leven in de spotlights niet leuk vindt. Wanner ze ontdekt dat de show helemaal wordt uitgedacht en haar leven niet meer reality is besluit ze dat het klaar voor haar is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2014
That's right, folks. I wandered right back to that farmhouse and got taken in pretty handily for the last adventure of Jane and Scarlett. I will admit, I was just as surprised as anyone that I got into these books, given my disdain for so much 'reality' television and THE HILLS, but I will once again tout the talents of Lauren Conrad. She knows how to write a pretty entertaining story filled with drama. SUGAR AND SPICE wraps up the series fairly well, though I will admit that I didn't feel as satisfied as I wanted to feel regarding the end of Jane and Scarlett's story. I wanted a satisfying ending with some oomf. What I got was more a sort of satisfying ending with more of a 'meh'.
SUGAR AND SPICE picks up a few weeks after SWEET LITTLE LIES ended. Jane and Scarlett are besties again, but they're dealing with some residual problems from the last book. Jane isn't speaking to Madison, but the producer of L.A. CANDY sees that as a ratings opportunity, putting them in the same scenes whenever he can much to Jane's protests. It doesn't help that Madison is spinning the story to make herself look like the victim. Not to mention that Caleb, Jane's high school boyfriend, has come back into her life, even though she's sworn off men. Scarlett isn't faring much better. She still hates USC, and while she and Liam are still very hot, his inability to be on the show is making things difficult, especially since the show seems to want to edit all of her interactions with Caleb's friend Naveen to seem less than innocent. But they aren't the only girls with problems. Gaby is being unduly influenced by a scheming publicist, and Madison is fighting off a blackmailer with a terrible secret. If that secret got out, it could take down Madison's reputation for good. And then Jane finds out that maybe the control she has over her life is an illusion the show wants her to have....
I had a couple of large criticisms with this book that made it fall below the first two. First and foremost, as much as Madison did terrible and rotten things in the first book, a sympathetic portrait has been drawn now, so I couldn't enjoy the horrible rain of crap that falls upon her in this book. I thought that she got her just desserts when Jane stopped talking to her. Sure, she isn't a good person, but when you find out WHY she isn't a good person (and when they introduce a foil who is even WORSE) I really started feeling bad for her. The good news is that Conrad's other series, THE FAME GAME, follows Madison, so I just have to assume that she has a redemptive cycle (of sorts) coming her way. Another criticism I had was about poor Gaby, one of my favorite characters in the series. Conrad turns her into an easily manipulated bobble head, and while that does sound like something that would happen to Gaby, she had always been very sweet and kind in the first two books, so to see her do some less than savory things made me very upset. I want to know if she and Scarlett are still friends at least. That was definitely my least favorite story to follow. And then there was Jane, who is still pretty blind about how reality TV works, only now she has her old boyfriend back in the picture. How convenient that he decided he wanted to be in her life again after she was a breakout TV star. COME ON, JANE. As much as she wasn't as clueless by the end of it all, she was still maddeningly clueless about so many things.
HOWEVER, the reason this book gets three stars from me (not the 3.5 the other two got), is because of Scarlett and her storylines. One storyline was about how unhappy she is at USC, and her decision to transfer schools, even though that means leaving her best friend and boyfriend behind. I liked the fact that she wanted more for herself than some TV show, and even though she too got a little sucked in, come on. It's Scarlett. I was never worried for her. I also liked her storyline with Liam, the ousted cameraman she fell head over heels for in SWEET LITTLE LIES. This novel explores the difficulties of living a 'reality TV' life but wanting just a normal relationship. And I really like Scarlett and Liam as characters, both individually (admittedly you really only see Liam when he's with Scarlett, but you get hints of more to him than that) and when they are together. So that relationship was what saved this book from total disappointment.
I wish that I could say that SUGAR AND SPICE was the perfect topper for this series, but I didn't think it lived up to the last two. That being said, I will no doubt read THE FAME GAME just so I can see what becomes of Madison. Because of all the characters, I'm rooting for Madison the most, if only because I want her to find herself and to figure out that she doesn't need this crap to be successful. I have little hope for that. But I want things to work for her. So ultimately I have to tip my hat to Lauren Conrad. She has officially created a character that I really do care about, so much so that I want her to be okay. Sigh. I guess I have a new soap author I resent and revere at the same time.
SUGAR AND SPICE picks up a few weeks after SWEET LITTLE LIES ended. Jane and Scarlett are besties again, but they're dealing with some residual problems from the last book. Jane isn't speaking to Madison, but the producer of L.A. CANDY sees that as a ratings opportunity, putting them in the same scenes whenever he can much to Jane's protests. It doesn't help that Madison is spinning the story to make herself look like the victim. Not to mention that Caleb, Jane's high school boyfriend, has come back into her life, even though she's sworn off men. Scarlett isn't faring much better. She still hates USC, and while she and Liam are still very hot, his inability to be on the show is making things difficult, especially since the show seems to want to edit all of her interactions with Caleb's friend Naveen to seem less than innocent. But they aren't the only girls with problems. Gaby is being unduly influenced by a scheming publicist, and Madison is fighting off a blackmailer with a terrible secret. If that secret got out, it could take down Madison's reputation for good. And then Jane finds out that maybe the control she has over her life is an illusion the show wants her to have....
I had a couple of large criticisms with this book that made it fall below the first two. First and foremost, as much as Madison did terrible and rotten things in the first book, a sympathetic portrait has been drawn now, so I couldn't enjoy the horrible rain of crap that falls upon her in this book. I thought that she got her just desserts when Jane stopped talking to her. Sure, she isn't a good person, but when you find out WHY she isn't a good person (and when they introduce a foil who is even WORSE) I really started feeling bad for her. The good news is that Conrad's other series, THE FAME GAME, follows Madison, so I just have to assume that she has a redemptive cycle (of sorts) coming her way. Another criticism I had was about poor Gaby, one of my favorite characters in the series. Conrad turns her into an easily manipulated bobble head, and while that does sound like something that would happen to Gaby, she had always been very sweet and kind in the first two books, so to see her do some less than savory things made me very upset. I want to know if she and Scarlett are still friends at least. That was definitely my least favorite story to follow. And then there was Jane, who is still pretty blind about how reality TV works, only now she has her old boyfriend back in the picture. How convenient that he decided he wanted to be in her life again after she was a breakout TV star. COME ON, JANE. As much as she wasn't as clueless by the end of it all, she was still maddeningly clueless about so many things.
HOWEVER, the reason this book gets three stars from me (not the 3.5 the other two got), is because of Scarlett and her storylines. One storyline was about how unhappy she is at USC, and her decision to transfer schools, even though that means leaving her best friend and boyfriend behind. I liked the fact that she wanted more for herself than some TV show, and even though she too got a little sucked in, come on. It's Scarlett. I was never worried for her. I also liked her storyline with Liam, the ousted cameraman she fell head over heels for in SWEET LITTLE LIES. This novel explores the difficulties of living a 'reality TV' life but wanting just a normal relationship. And I really like Scarlett and Liam as characters, both individually (admittedly you really only see Liam when he's with Scarlett, but you get hints of more to him than that) and when they are together. So that relationship was what saved this book from total disappointment.
I wish that I could say that SUGAR AND SPICE was the perfect topper for this series, but I didn't think it lived up to the last two. That being said, I will no doubt read THE FAME GAME just so I can see what becomes of Madison. Because of all the characters, I'm rooting for Madison the most, if only because I want her to find herself and to figure out that she doesn't need this crap to be successful. I have little hope for that. But I want things to work for her. So ultimately I have to tip my hat to Lauren Conrad. She has officially created a character that I really do care about, so much so that I want her to be okay. Sigh. I guess I have a new soap author I resent and revere at the same time.
September 11, 2011
Okay, I have to try to remember what I thought of this one, because I composed a review of it several times on the morning that I marked it as read etc. (so like a month ago), and somehow my internet connection or Goodreads or something swallowed 'em up. My best guess: Really liked it.
I wish I could tell the publishers that I read these books despite Lauren Conrad's "authorship," not because of it! Whomever actually wrote these, please guys, give her more work! This series was so short, but almost everything about it was enjoyable. Though this may have been the weakest of the lot in some ways -- the pacing feels really off, like there should have been four books and they squished the last two into this one -- in others it continues with the same strengths the other two show. In particular, I was pleasantly surprised with all the L.A. Candy books how much I enjoyed the "behind the scenes" aspects of how the girls feel about being on a reality show, their various coping mechanisms, and all the little things that go into makingMTV's, I mean, PopTV's "enhanced reality" shows.
The other biggest strength of these, for me, is that every character who narrated -- Trevor included! -- is believable and compelling. Usually there's one core character that just doesn't do it for me, here there wasn't -- even Jane Roberts, who could've easily been another stick-up-her-you-know-what Anna Percy or a seriously-this-girl-is-boring Reed Brennan, comes off as relatable and interesting. Yes, there are a few personality transplants (why is it that whenever YA books need to get the action moving, it appears like someone's boyfriend has been lobotomized or hypnotized or something with zero explanation?) and other minor missteps, but otherwise, this was a satisfying ending to a satisfying series.
But why did it have to end so soon!?
I wish I could tell the publishers that I read these books despite Lauren Conrad's "authorship," not because of it! Whomever actually wrote these, please guys, give her more work! This series was so short, but almost everything about it was enjoyable. Though this may have been the weakest of the lot in some ways -- the pacing feels really off, like there should have been four books and they squished the last two into this one -- in others it continues with the same strengths the other two show. In particular, I was pleasantly surprised with all the L.A. Candy books how much I enjoyed the "behind the scenes" aspects of how the girls feel about being on a reality show, their various coping mechanisms, and all the little things that go into making
The other biggest strength of these, for me, is that every character who narrated -- Trevor included! -- is believable and compelling. Usually there's one core character that just doesn't do it for me, here there wasn't -- even Jane Roberts, who could've easily been another stick-up-her-you-know-what Anna Percy or a seriously-this-girl-is-boring Reed Brennan, comes off as relatable and interesting. Yes, there are a few personality transplants (why is it that whenever YA books need to get the action moving, it appears like someone's boyfriend has been lobotomized or hypnotized or something with zero explanation?) and other minor missteps, but otherwise, this was a satisfying ending to a satisfying series.
But why did it have to end so soon!?
February 3, 2016
The novel, Sugar and Spice, by Lauren Conrad, is about new reality television celebrity, Jane Roberts who finally figures out that Madison Parker is NOT her friend. After discovering that Madison is the one who betrayed her, not her best friend Scarlett, Jane and Scarlett are back to being inseparable. Because of the drama Jane has experienced, she has sworn off boys, however it becomes difficult when her high school boyfriend Caleb and her latest crush Braden both show up acting sweeter as ever. On the other hand, Scarlett has only one guy on her mind. Liam, who she has fell in love ever since she met him. The only problem is that Liam isn't allowed on camera, making him not too happy being a small part of her life. And Madison's never-ending quest for more air time stops at a halt when someone unexpected from her past shows up on her doorstep, changing her life forever. To makes things worse, Jane finds a shocking discovery. She finds the notebook of Trevor, the producer of L.A. Candy. The notebook is filled with story ideas for upcoming episodes of the show. It’s full of dialogue, locations, and conflicts. Jane realizes that Trevor has planned what is going to happen on the show. The show that’s supposed to be about her real life. Jane must decide if she should confront Trevor or figure out another strategy that proves that two can play at the reality game. I enjoyed this novel because it was full of drama and plot twists. This was definitely a fun novel to read.
January 7, 2011
I knew Caleb was a player! he was and still, is. Seriously he can't just do that. But, Gabby her like publicist was very provoking and she made Gabby do things that she didn't want to do such as the 'Caleb Story' Wow, and also i NEVER thought Jane would leave the show... like, yeah when Jane found Trevor's 'notebook' i could see i coming up. I like Jane a lot, she has very good karma, like when Sophie (Madison's little sister) spread that really big secret about Madison's identity like, Jane brought a drink to Madison. Jane is like if someone hit's her, she would not hit them back. I am glad that Liam and Scarlett are happy, because all they needed was a long conversation and they were away/apart from each other that they had no, idea how much they missed each other. That part that was very interesting in the book was when Caleb asked where the cameras where. I liked it, because it showed you that he's not good. Scarlett was looking out for Jane, again and she's always right! Is there more? i hope so! i want to read more about Jane and Braden... but no more L.A candy crews... :)
February 24, 2017
This sugary sweet series that takes place in sunny L.A. is exactly what I needed to get me through the dreary February days in Toronto. These books are really enjoyable if you're looking for some light reading to take on vacation, for a lazy summer afternoon, or for a fun mid-winter pick-me-up. They have completely surpassed my expectations and I highly recommend them for anyone who enjoys this genre.
The only disappointment I had with this one is that the ending was very hastily thrown together in the last few pages and I didn't quite get the closure I would have liked with the characters whom I had come to love (cheesy, I know.) It still tied up all the loose ends, but quite quickly as though LC (or her ghostwriter?) had grown a bit tired and wanted to wrap things up.
I'm really looking forward to reading her second series, The Fame Game, as I'm not quite ready to leave this happy little world just yet.
The only disappointment I had with this one is that the ending was very hastily thrown together in the last few pages and I didn't quite get the closure I would have liked with the characters whom I had come to love (cheesy, I know.) It still tied up all the loose ends, but quite quickly as though LC (or her ghostwriter?) had grown a bit tired and wanted to wrap things up.
I'm really looking forward to reading her second series, The Fame Game, as I'm not quite ready to leave this happy little world just yet.
January 10, 2011
I'm a little sad that the series is over. It totally surprised me the way Conrad ended it but overall it was a awesome story. At first I thought Jane was just so vulnerable the way she gave into Caleb and Braden, but just like every girl out there, we sometimes are foolish and dumb and believe things we know we shouldn't. But once we realize we were wrong, we often just see it as a lesson learned. It really changed the way I look at the whole reality tv stuff. although I was soooo obsessed with Lauren since Laguna Beach, I used to often make fun of the way the editing made her "reality" look on tv. I will always be an LC fan, and this series just made me love her even more. IT kind of made me see that she suffered a little, but of course people do anything for money. I loved the La Candy series very much, can't wait to see if Conrad comes up with more series! :D
August 24, 2016
It's over. What do you say to a book like this? I think SLL was definitely the worst thing humans have done. This one managed to, in true Elsie fashion, invent new methods of torturing me. If 1 was Jane exposed, and 2 was Jane betrayed, 3 is Jane walked on. The worst bit of the book is Madison taking credit for some stupid event planning idea Jane had. It's totally pointless, but instead of responding like a human being, not a single person in the room slaps her in the face. Instead Jane just sorta fumes and cries about it. It's difficult to convey the utter futility and insanity of the scene. Everyone in the room knows Madison didn't come up with the idea, but instead of saying anything, they just go "eh" and let her go on with it.
July 28, 2012
This last book in the L.A. Candy series wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. There was an interesting romance between Jane and Caleb, but the new characters annoyed me. Sophie, was an irrelevant character and didn't really need to be there. Gaby's entire personality changed. Jane was strung between 3 guys. Caleb started dating Gaby. And in the ending Jane and Scarlett both decide to leave but Madison, even though she was a fraud, turns out okay. The end of Jane and Brady and Jane's relationship bothered me too. This book just didn't give me the closure I wanted to get from this series,
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2011
Sugar and Spice was a great ending to the L.A. Candy series. Finally Jane and Scarlett and even Gaby and Madison start to take control of their lives after careful scheming and planning against each other. Scarlett finally meets her true love even though Jane might never. Sophie/Sophia ruins Madison/Madelyn's image and L.A. Candy is in turmoil after the absence of 3 of their stars as well as the fourth close to leaving.
July 9, 2012
Oops! I read this one thinking it was book #2, and didn't realize until I was finished that it was actually book #3! Strangely enough, It fit perfectly with the ending of book #1, so I'm not sure what would have filled up a whole book in between the two. Kind of bummed that I don't have another book now, because I don't want to go back in the series. Guess I'll have to start her next series...
February 23, 2017
This is a book about Madison, Jane, Gabby, and Scarlet who are on a reality TV show. The puts a spin on their live to try and make the most drama possible. This aggravates the girls, most of whom just want a normal life. This is an enjoyable novel to read if you enjoy sitting back and watching everything unfold.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2019
I loved Lauren Conrad on her reality TV series The Hills, so I had to try her books after finding them in the thrift shop. They were okay, amusing chick-lit like stories. Very comparable to her life in The Hills, basically it's just a retelling. Great for The Hills fans!
July 21, 2013
Skvělý závěr trilogie :)) Brzy bude recenze na blogu :))
May 21, 2017
another fun candy!
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