Blind Item

Gr 10 Up—A raw, expletive-laden peek at behind-the-scenes Hollywood, this novel doesn't just push the envelope but shreds it, perhaps telling far more than typical celebrity-obsessed readers might want to know. The tale revolves around Nicola, a savvy Midwesterner; her best friend Billy, who scoops scandals for celebrity rags; and her roommate Kara, a stylist willing to do just about anything to get ahead. While working at a Hollywood PR firm, Nicola runs up against the gorgeous and suave Seamus O'Riordan, a major movie star with whom she soon becomes intricately bound. Nicola is swept into a sometimes glamorous and often trashy web of fallen pop stars, ruthless paparazzi, and drugged-out reality TV castoffs. She is torn between her desire to live a semi-normal life and her attraction to Seamus, a complicated and seductive figure with secrets of his own. The teaser reads, "This is not a true story, but every story inside is true," setting the stage for readers to wonder which crass egomaniac is being represented in each vignette. This "Cinderella" tale, told by two Hollywood insiders, is a tawdry romp whose plot often feels like a mere backdrop for sexual escapades and raunchy talk.