Hollywood Is like High School with Money [Paperback]

Zoey Dean (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 23, 2009

Twenty-four-year old Taylor Henning has just landed her dream job as an assistant at a major movie studio. But when her catty coworkers trick her into almost getting fired, she realizes that the old saying "Hollywood is like school with money" just may be true. The thing is, Taylor wasn't exactly a social butterfly in high school-how is she supposed to do any better the second time around?

That's when she meets her boss's popular sixteen-year-old daughter Quinn, and has an epiphany: maybe this teenager can teach her how to use her queen bee tactics to succeed in the Hollywood popularity contest. Quinn comes up with a plan to teach Taylor one lesson a week-everything from "Fake it 'til you make it" to "It's *never* your fault"--and soon Taylor finds herself winning the war against rival assistant Kylie. Until, that is, she's directed to steal Kylie's boyfriend, and something happens that's not in the game plan: Taylor falls for the guy. Now she must do the impossible-- harness her inner mean girl while staying true to herself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dean delivers another pop artifact in her latest riff on the Gossip Girl generation, this time dressing up the goings-on with a very Devil Wears Prada vibe. Landing a job as second assistant to Iris Whitaker, a Metronome Studios hotshot, sounds like a dream come true for Ohio native Taylor Henning, who naturally wants to make it big in Hollywood. But this fish out of water needs to learn quickly how to swim with the sharks, as Iris's first assistant, Kylie Arthur, would prefer she drowns. Thankfully, a fairy godmother appears in the fierce form of Quinn, Iris's 16-year-old daughter, who suggests Taylor follow her surefire high school rules: fake it till you make it; speak up in class; make one cool friend; and realize lunch is a battleground. But there are unforeseen consequences for Taylor, who remembers some age-old advice just in time. It's a slick little novel: catty, glitzy and just mean enough. (July)
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Review

"Great fun." (New York Daily News )

"The New York Times bestselling author of The A-List series entertains with the tale of a 24-year-old second assistant (yes, an assistant to an assistant) in the movie industry who learns how to fake it 'til she makes it in Hollywood...all under the tutelage of the 16-year-old daughter of her boss. Definite guilty pleasure with plenty of US Weekly-esque references to celebrity culture and designer name dropping." (Philadelphia Examiner )

"A fun and frothy summer read for anyone with an interest in the behind-the-scenes workings of Hollywood." (Booklist )

"Dean knows her way around plotting and a good literary scandal (or two). Paralying that ability into the chick lit genre, she succeeds in telling a Mean Girls story. . . a lot of fun." (Romantic Times Book Reviews )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Original edition (July 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446697192
• ISBN-13: 978-0446697194
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,246,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A quick fun read, July 14, 2009

By 

Ashley Lee (DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hollywood Is like High School with Money (Paperback)

Taylor Henning is about to fulfill her dreams of making it in the movie business. Inspired by his movie Journal Girl to pursue film, she's been writing to the reclusive director of the movie for 7 years about her life and receiving nothing back in return but that doesn't stop her. She's landed the job as second assistant to a creative exec at a studio, and is determined to succeed. What she doesn't realize is the atmosphere is permeated with cattiness and assistants willing to set others up for termination. Taylor's never been popular, but she's never been unpopular either. She was categorically the "nice girl" in school, getting along with everyone. After being set up to be fired after only her first week, Taylor realizes she needs help to play the game. So she enlists Iris' daughter Quinn, the head of the popular girls in her elite school, to help make her over. Quinn agrees with the stipulation that she may call on a favor anytime.

Quinn's lessons involve faking it 'til you make it, never accepting blame, and stealing first assistant Kylie's (she of the firing attempts) boyfriend Luke. What she doesn't anticipate is falling for Luke. When a really good script falls into Taylor's lap, she sees an opportunity for promotion all of the assistants are vying for, and leaps in without thinking it all through. What she doesn't realize is for as much as she loathes Kylie's mean girl attitude, Taylor's slipped into her shoes pretty easily.

This was a really cute novel. Quick, easy, fun to read. Again, even during the periods of Taylor becoming more Hollywood and cocky, you really root for Taylor to succeed as Taylor. The story arc with Taylor and Michael, the director of Journal Girl, is interesting, as is the storyline with the first-time screenwriter who is so eager to get notes for her script and make something good.
The story dragged me in more than expected too. I really wondered if Taylor had burned all her bridges, work, love, and friendship wise and was pleasantly surprised at the ending, even though I should have anticipated it. I really enjoy Zoey Dean, and I loved the show Privileged which was based on her novel How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls. I look forward to much more from her!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Quirky, July 29, 2009

By 

grumpydan (Andover, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hollywood Is like High School with Money (Paperback)

"Hollywood is Like High School with Money" by Zoey Dean is a charming story about trying to break into the film business and staying there without getting stabbed in the back. Again, another story about Hollywood I had to read; but this time from the viewpoint of an assistant (the lowest of the lowest in that world). This one is funny and quirky and an easy read. Certainly, a good book to escape to the beach with!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly cliche., January 17, 2012

By 

Cherriej63 "cherriej63" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Hollywood Is like High School with Money (Kindle Edition)

I should have read the description of the book more closely or checked out what the author has also written. This is a weak Lifetime movie (and I like Lifetime movies!). I guess Ms. Dean writes mostly young adult novels and this certainly reads like one. The book would have been much stronger if she'd learned her lesson & had to work ker way back rather than the incredibly cliche happy ever after ending, Definitely wished I'd spent my money on something else.