L.A. Candy: a novel by Lauren Conrad

Lauren Conrad made a name for herself on The Hills a reality television series from MTV. L.A. Candy: a novel is Conrad’s first venture as a young adult writer and the storyline is seemingly autobiographical. New to Los Angeles, beautiful, blond, 19-year-old Jane and her best friend, Scarlett, are bubbling with excitement over the opportunities await them. Jane moved to LA for an internship with one of the hottest event planners, while Jane plans to attend school and figure her life out. Soon after they arrive in the city they meet a producer at a club, who invites them to a reality TV show audition. The reality TV show changes their lives and sets the girls on a path toward stardom and celebrity.

L.A. Candy is a sweet, quick read. However, the overall story is not entirely fluffy, as Conrad provides insight on the scenes behind reality TV. Clearly your life is bound to change when you allow cameras to follow your every move. Conrad draws upon her personal experiences, both good and humiliating, to create a coming-of-age tale full of hopes and dreams in glitzy LA.

Teens and young-at-hearts who enjoyed the Gossip Girl and It Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar will be sure to enjoy Conrad’s debut novel. L.A. Candy is currently available on the Young Adult New Book Shelf and the Gossip Girl and It Girl series may be found in the Young Adult section near the Reference Desk.

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

Bliss Cavendar cannot wait to finish high school so she can get out of Bodeen, Texas as soon as possible. The small town only seems to offer her misery with its Miss Bluebonnet pageant, lack of hot, cool guys, and cowboy mentality. If it weren’t for her best friend, Pash, and a mutual love of all things indie rock there would be little happiness in the world that imprisons them. That is until Bliss discovers the extreme excitement of roller derby, which takes place an hour away in her cool, indie-dream capital, Austin.

According to Bliss roller derby is her ticket out of small town, narrow-minded living and an escape from her reality of having to soon compete in the Miss Bluebonnet pageant. She leads a double life, high school attending teenager by day/ 18-yr-old heartbreaker roller derby babe by night, which bring her both happiness and pain. She meets and dates the hottest band guy and becomes a roller queen. However, this new life comes with sacrifices, like best friendship, which Bliss discovers is more important that making out with a boy.

The author Shauna Cross is from Austin, which is apparent by her description of the city and hipster hot spots. For those high schoolers who feel stuck and out of place in the typical high school setting, Bliss’ story will make you wish you could transport yourself to Austin’s Lamar Street or South Congress to do some vintage clothes or record shopping. Bliss’ journey around the rink is full of hilarity and growing pains, but it is also dressed in fish nets and roller skates.

Before I Die / by Jenny Downham

Truth sits upon the lips of dying men. -Matthew Arnold (1822-1888)

16 year-old Tessa lives waiting to die. Terminally ill from a young age, she and her parents have exhausted all available options. Now in her final months Tessa stares down fate alongside family and friends until, in an effort to 'feel' alive, she embarks on a 'list of things to do before dying'. Sex, drugs, crime, love, fame, reunite parents, etc., each item is heedlessly pursued even as the necessary treatments and transfusions sustain her steadily depleting health.

Readers won't confuse Tessa's list with any media-friendly, 'Make-a-Wish' endearment. It's a resentful pastime despite any sentiment; only reaffirming her impending exit from a world that will continue without her. But not all's bleakness. As days, then weeks and months pass away Tessa's made 'aware' of each conscious experience (good and bad) amidst her vanishing livelihood, recieving what's given even after all is lost.

Frankness more than sadness gives this story its distinction as Downham illuminates the eternal fate with a rarely-glimpsed authenticity. A first-person narrative, it's dying seen through someone. Tessa's situation is unique but her behavior won't deny any real reactions or consequences; her illness doesn't make her a saint or forgive abuse. Her family and friends--perhaps more emotionally wrought than herself--still maintain intimacy with her, not some fragile creature. It's this deeply intrapersonal tone that edges the drama toward its staggering climax, depicting life's final moments like nothing before it.