Customer Reviews

Confessions of an Almost-Movie Star (Berkley Jam Books)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Confessions of an Almost Movie Star" is the first Mary Kennedy book I've read and a definite winner! Ms Kennedy gives readers suspense, romance, humor, and the ability to see the world through a teen's eyes tied up in a glitzy package. As a published author, a former teacher, and a Mom who has devoted a lifetime to encouraging new readers, I found this book to be a delight. No library should be without it. This is a well-written, well-plotted, YA novel that is both timeless and timely. The magic word "Hollywood" was what caught my eye. My 14 year old is both star struck and more interested in chatting on the phone or listening to music than reading for pleasure. I bought the book for her, but read the first two chapters to make certain that it was appropriate. Then I read the third chapter and the fourth. I couldn't put the book down. Best of all, after I finished the novel, my teen read it and loved it. Now she wants to track down other Kennedy books. Don't miss it.

Judith French

Fearless Productions arranges to shoot a movie starring teen heartthrob Shane Rockett at Fairmont Academy for Girls. The film Reckless Summer will use students as extras, but one lucky female will stars as Shane's romantic interest. Several are selected, but shocking everyone, especially herself, Jessie Phillips gets the part.

Anyone can see the attraction between Jessie and Shane though both are seeing others. Jessie struggles to remain faithful to her boyfriend Marc, who was away at school but arrived on the set while Shane is seeing starlet Heidi Hopkins. However, things start turning ugly when someone tells all to the tabloids. Shane, his manager and the filmmakers angrily assume Jessie and her best friend Tracy did the deed. Jessie and Tracy try to prove otherwise as they believe jealous student Alexis Bright blabbed, but set it up so that Jessie takes the fall. Things turn even uglier when an arson fire occurs and a robbery happens with Jessie and Tracy once again in the middle.

CONFESSIONS OF AN ALMOST MOVIE STAR is a fantastic teen amateur sleuth tale that fans especially high school age will enjoy though older readers like this geriatric reviewer loved the novel too. The story line is fast-paced as Jessie accompanied by her sidekick seems to land in one frying pan after another besides dealing with typical high school woes. Readers will appreciate Mary Kennedy's fine thriller that avoids dumbing down; instead the author assumes her audience can think, chew gum (sugar-free for us older fans) and read at the same time.

Harriet Klausner

I thought the story had a good twist to it, with funny humor. I liked how the author exposed the characteristic nature of some actors. There's this girl, and there's going to be this movie shooting at the school. Not only that, but there's going to be the most popular teen actor in the film too. Obviously, many girls try out from this girl's all girl school, and somehow, this certain girl got picked. It was pretty interesting, for this girl knew nothing about the movie business, and was so excited to be co-starring with the most popular teen actor. It was interesting how this girl's attitude turned a completely different way as you read further and further into the story. The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars instead of five is because there is a certain mystery in the book, which isn't really neccessary to add to the plot. However, the mystery could have been added if the author made a bit more suspense. I'll just say that I don't think Mary Kennedy was meant to write a mystery story.

This is the first of Mary Kennedy's books that I've read. I really enjoyed it. It has all the great things that a teen book should have. Movie stars, a dream come true, back stabbers, and a mystery to be solved. Do pick up a copy for yourself.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and other books from this author.

Also recommended:
Theodora Twist by Melissa Senate
Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Although this is not a book I would have found on my own, a friend asked me to read it. I'm an adult who sometimes likes to read teen fiction if there's a hook that draws me in. The "hook" in this book, to me, is the fact that it takes place on a movie set. "Fearless Productions" gets permission to film a movie at the private school Jessie and Tracy attend. In what would be a dream come true for just about any teenage girl, Jessie unexpectedly lands a fairly big part, opposite Shane Rockett! Shane is the hottest young actor in Hollywood, a real Southern charmer who calls every girl darlin'. Although Tracy is jealous at first, she quickly gets over it when she's granted exclusive "backstage" access to take pictures of the actors and crew. Though Jess is in a long-distance relationship with Marc, who lives in New Orleans, she can't fight the attraction she feels for Shane. When Shane turns his charms on Jessie, all thoughts of Marc leave her head. Shane tells Jess that this isn't just a one-movie fling - he plans on her coming to California to act in more movies together and being his girl. And Jess can't help but want to believe him.
Besides the romance with Shane and Jessie, the book has an element of mystery when Tracy's camera turns up missing. It appears someone on the set doesn't want her pictures to be seen. It could be anyone, since several people on the set are distrustful of Tracy. They're afraid she's going to blab their secrets to the tabloids. When an aging, not-well-liked star's trailer starts on fire with her in it, Jessie and Tracy find they have the answer to the who-dunnit right in Tracy's camera.
I think the subject of Hollywood coming to a small town will appeal to girls. The book is very current, mentioning names of real Hollywood stars that are hot right now. This could make the book seem dated in a short time, given the fickle nature of the entertainment world. Even with the Jessie/Shane romance, it's pretty wholesome, so I think girls as young as 10 and maybe up to age 16 would enjoy it. Older girls may find it too tame.

I'm big about all things that concern movie stars, girls becoming famous.. Stuff like that. I love the Princess Diaries.. And I hoped maybe this could be something on my bookshelf along that lines.

What started as a great concept fell completely flat. The characters were very two-dimensional, and were not impressed upon long enough for you to get a feel for them before you were pulled in another direction. Things happened too fast, leaving the reader confused.

And there was so much left unsaid. I would have loved an extra 100 pages dedicated to character descriptions, tying up loose ends, adding more suspense to the plot. There's a fire on the set and about 10 pages later you find out who did it. Then the book ends. Not the best read. I'd skip it, or borrow it from someone.

Tracy goes to an audition for a movie at her school bringing along friend (protagonist) Jessie, who ironically gets asked to read a script and lands the part herself. Tracy quickly gets over it and instead decides to photo-journal the entire process of shooting. On set, Jessie meets the charming Shane Rockett and Paris Hilton-esque Heidi. Heidi and Jessie quickly become best friends, and Shane Rockett is ever intent at making Jessie his girlfriend, even planning out their "future" together in Hollywood as costars. No conflict comes until about chapter seven (if you haven't given up on the book at this point), where Tracy's camera gets stolen. Her pictures end up in the tabloids with no clear explanation why (it is stated at the end that one of the characters was seeking revenge, yet there seems to be something missing).

Where do I start? Character development was virtually nonexistent, there was no motivation, but what to expect from a teen novel right? It still seemed extremely poor, though, compared to other teen novels I've read. All of the odd "coincidences" like Heidi and Jessie's identical pasts, as well as Shane and Marc's identical responses, are never explained and seem to be added merely for convenience of the story. The book seems to just abruptly end, where everything is shallowly and hastily explained, as if a deadline was to be reached. I also find it odd that Jessie's friend Tracy believes her "lifetime" dream of becoming an actress is over, but she is completely over it seemingly within hours, and not a hint of jealousy is to be found anywhere else in the novel. We never know any of the characters' motivations - at all. Why does Shane want Jessie to be his girlfriend? Why does Heidi insist on acting like Jessie's friend? What is the deal with Crystal and Gus, and what happened to them in the past that caused such a rift between them? Why is Sy always so hard to get along with? And why does he favor Tracy? I guess we shall never know.

I never figured out the plot for this. Girl makes movie. Girl finishes making movie. And...? She decides Marc is her true lover, yet he is not even a major character in the plot, so why should we care about that? Who knows. Maybe I'm too old, at the ripe age of sixteen, to be reading something like this.

I am a movie junkie, I love to read about movie sets, where actors and crews show up for work each day just like I show up at my job, and out of the mundane work of hitting their marks and blocking out stunts they create the magic that we see in the dark in theaters. This YA novel had a verisimilitude that made me think I was right there, experiencing the craft and art of movie-making from right on the set, through the eyes of a starstruck but solid teenage girl and her best friend. The book had the flavor of the movie The World of Henry Orient for those who remember back to that enchanting but realistic story of two teenage girls who follow their crush, the musician Henry Orient played by Peter Sellers.

The story follows Jessie Phillips and her friend Tracy as they descend upon the movie set of a Hollywood production that has descended upon their small town. Shane Rockett is the teen throb star, Heidi Hopkins is the leading actress, Gus is the stuntman, Crystal the aging actress -- put them all together and you get a funny, perceptive look at location movie-making.

Mary Kennedy writes a fabulous, and current novel that made me feel young again as I lived through the gossip, revenge, and trials and tribulations along with the main character, Jessie Phillips. This Young Adult novel is an excellent read for young woman and those of us a bit "older." I sure enjoyed it and can't wait for the next of Ms. Kennedy's books!