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mehsi's review against another edition
1.0
I was really excited to start reading this book. I loved the idea of a book from the point of view of a paparazzi/Celebrity photographer. I wanted to know about Jamie, about those shots and about the decision. However, the overall book was horrendous, for various reasons.
Let's start with reason 1.
*The book has too many problems stuffed inside it. The blurb makes it sound like it is just about Jamie, about her career, about those shots she got on her camera, about the decisions she has to make.
However, the book is actually about a whole bunch of problems, smaller and bigger ones, all dumped together in one confusing blob of blah.
So we have Jamie, but we also have some friend named Avy who is a whiny brat and goes for plastic surgery and add to that the problems that come with him, then we have Willow's stalker, a detective who is on the case about the stalker, then we have Nasim, who is Jamie's boyfriend, though I don't really see how they are together and lastly, our final problem, which is a small one, is Jamie's brother Alex. All in all, I wish the author had kept to one problem/thing. Jamie. Maybe add a few things like how her friendship and relationships break because of her obsession with her photography, but don't spread it out like this.
I totally didn't care about any of the stuff happening to Avy, Nasim, Alex or that stalker. I read them, but mostly I wanted to drop the book and read something more interesting.
I really dislike it when books dump a lot of problems on the reader. Just keep it to one problem or subject, not 3 or more.
Now for reason 2.
*I didn't mind it that much that we went back and forth between the Jamie of now and the Jamie of then. However, we also have emails about her week with Willow, then we have parts about the Stalker and about a Detective. And then added are parts about Avy.
Most of these chapters are in the I-perspective. However, one of them is in the You-perspective. One that really was odd and weird, especially since the chapter said this was from Jamie's perspective. Yet, with the you added it felt weird and strange. I didn't know Avy, and I don't want to know him.
Now reason 3.
*The characters. None of the characters were particularly likeable. I hated Nasim, I absolutely hated Avy, I hated Willow and Rex. I didn't care about the Detective or the Stalker and my opinion on Jamie switched every time. One time I really liked her and was cheering for her, the other times I hated how she acted around friends and family. How she dropped everything and anything to get her job done. It doesn't matter if she had to skip school (bad idea) or drop her friends just to get that one shot. That shot that gave her money and satisfaction.
Avy was just a whiny brat that didn't get his special toys and then decides to go for the bad road that ends in ruin. I didn't like his attitude, his I want this and if I don't get it I will do this and that. He was a dick and while I was sad with what happened, he had it coming. This may sound cruel, but sorry, I just didn't like how Avy acted like a freaking 3 year old that doesn't get something while shopping with mommy and daddy. He expected everyone to support him and care for him and be there for him whenever he wanted. He was a bad friend. Even worse than Jamie.
Nasim, I really don't see how Jamie and Nasim are together. They don't match at all, they are total opposites. And yes, I know opposites attract, but this is just overkill and unbelievable.
I also hated how we never find out what was on those shots. The only thing we know is that they will break Willow's career and they were badly taken shots. Whatever is in them is up to us to guess. And I don't like that. Sorry, it made the story even more unbelievable.
I am glad I bought this book for a discount, it is still a shame of the 3 euros, but oh well, better than that I had paid the full price for it. Maybe someone else will like it more than I did.
The only reason I would give this a 1 star is because of the unique setting. I haven't seen a book yet, that is from the perspective of a paparazzi/celebrity photographer. So 1 star for that. And -4 stars for all the other stuff I mentioned.
Would I recommend this book? No, no, and no.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Let's start with reason 1.
*The book has too many problems stuffed inside it. The blurb makes it sound like it is just about Jamie, about her career, about those shots she got on her camera, about the decisions she has to make.
However, the book is actually about a whole bunch of problems, smaller and bigger ones, all dumped together in one confusing blob of blah.
So we have Jamie, but we also have some friend named Avy who is a whiny brat and goes for plastic surgery and add to that the problems that come with him, then we have Willow's stalker, a detective who is on the case about the stalker, then we have Nasim, who is Jamie's boyfriend, though I don't really see how they are together and lastly, our final problem, which is a small one, is Jamie's brother Alex. All in all, I wish the author had kept to one problem/thing. Jamie. Maybe add a few things like how her friendship and relationships break because of her obsession with her photography, but don't spread it out like this.
I totally didn't care about any of the stuff happening to Avy, Nasim, Alex or that stalker. I read them, but mostly I wanted to drop the book and read something more interesting.
I really dislike it when books dump a lot of problems on the reader. Just keep it to one problem or subject, not 3 or more.
Now for reason 2.
*I didn't mind it that much that we went back and forth between the Jamie of now and the Jamie of then. However, we also have emails about her week with Willow, then we have parts about the Stalker and about a Detective. And then added are parts about Avy.
Most of these chapters are in the I-perspective. However, one of them is in the You-perspective. One that really was odd and weird, especially since the chapter said this was from Jamie's perspective. Yet, with the you added it felt weird and strange. I didn't know Avy, and I don't want to know him.
Now reason 3.
*The characters. None of the characters were particularly likeable. I hated Nasim, I absolutely hated Avy, I hated Willow and Rex. I didn't care about the Detective or the Stalker and my opinion on Jamie switched every time. One time I really liked her and was cheering for her, the other times I hated how she acted around friends and family. How she dropped everything and anything to get her job done. It doesn't matter if she had to skip school (bad idea) or drop her friends just to get that one shot. That shot that gave her money and satisfaction.
Avy was just a whiny brat that didn't get his special toys and then decides to go for the bad road that ends in ruin. I didn't like his attitude, his I want this and if I don't get it I will do this and that. He was a dick and while I was sad with what happened, he had it coming. This may sound cruel, but sorry, I just didn't like how Avy acted like a freaking 3 year old that doesn't get something while shopping with mommy and daddy. He expected everyone to support him and care for him and be there for him whenever he wanted. He was a bad friend. Even worse than Jamie.
Nasim, I really don't see how Jamie and Nasim are together. They don't match at all, they are total opposites. And yes, I know opposites attract, but this is just overkill and unbelievable.
I also hated how we never find out what was on those shots. The only thing we know is that they will break Willow's career and they were badly taken shots. Whatever is in them is up to us to guess. And I don't like that. Sorry, it made the story even more unbelievable.
I am glad I bought this book for a discount, it is still a shame of the 3 euros, but oh well, better than that I had paid the full price for it. Maybe someone else will like it more than I did.
The only reason I would give this a 1 star is because of the unique setting. I haven't seen a book yet, that is from the perspective of a paparazzi/celebrity photographer. So 1 star for that. And -4 stars for all the other stuff I mentioned.
Would I recommend this book? No, no, and no.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
megha28's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
nagam's review against another edition
1.0
This was one of my least favorite books I've ever read. I was intrigued by the story of a teenage photographer, as I am a professional photographer. I expected there to be a lot of story that unfolded after we found out what the main character (whose name I DO NOT KNOW - and that bothers me a lot) found the extra six frames on her camera. Don't expect to find out what she found until the *very* end of the book. I think the book's summary is pretty pathetic as the book mostly is NOT about those frames and what she does with them.
I didn't expect a subplot about her best friends crazy antics to become famous.
I didn't expect to have to read about her uncaring, emotionally detached boyfriend. I never could tell why they were together anyway.
I didn't expect to read through police reports, magazine articles, and newspaper write-ups that only made the story more confusing. They were thrown in at such random times.
I strongly disliked the chaotic organization of this book. I typically really like books told from multiple perspectives and voices, but this was done so poorly. The timing was all over the place, skipping from the beginning of freshman year to after sophomore year. The voices were jumbled and crazy. The main character sometimes spoke in third person instead of the normal first like the rest of the book.
This book felt like the author had a bone to pick with Hollywood and being famous. But while he was at it, he tried to throw in a few deaths, some terrible relationships, some drugs, and a girl who wants everyone to know her name.
I don't recommend this book at all. Chaotic. That word perfectly summarizes everything about it.
I didn't expect a subplot about her best friends crazy antics to become famous.
I didn't expect to have to read about her uncaring, emotionally detached boyfriend. I never could tell why they were together anyway.
I didn't expect to read through police reports, magazine articles, and newspaper write-ups that only made the story more confusing. They were thrown in at such random times.
I strongly disliked the chaotic organization of this book. I typically really like books told from multiple perspectives and voices, but this was done so poorly. The timing was all over the place, skipping from the beginning of freshman year to after sophomore year. The voices were jumbled and crazy. The main character sometimes spoke in third person instead of the normal first like the rest of the book.
This book felt like the author had a bone to pick with Hollywood and being famous. But while he was at it, he tried to throw in a few deaths, some terrible relationships, some drugs, and a girl who wants everyone to know her name.
I don't recommend this book at all. Chaotic. That word perfectly summarizes everything about it.
tjlcody's review against another edition
3.0
Hm. I guess it was interesting, but maybe not amazing.
The story jumped around so much between so many points and time-periods that it's kind of difficult to hold your attention. You're getting hyped to know what's happening with one plot-line and then you cut to another and then don't come back to it for another ten pages, and that kind of goes a long way in impacting the suspense that's been built up.
Jamie was interesting enough, but I wanted to choke her more than once. No, Jamie, you are not a "celebrity photographer", you are a slimy, privacy-invading paparazzi and I support your mother saying "not a chance in hell are you making this a career". And kudos to Detective Ramos for saying "no, celebrities do not deserve to be attacked and have their privacy invaded just because they've accomplished something". Because it's true as shit, man.
The story jumped around so much between so many points and time-periods that it's kind of difficult to hold your attention. You're getting hyped to know what's happening with one plot-line and then you cut to another and then don't come back to it for another ten pages, and that kind of goes a long way in impacting the suspense that's been built up.
Jamie was interesting enough, but I wanted to choke her more than once. No, Jamie, you are not a "celebrity photographer", you are a slimy, privacy-invading paparazzi and I support your mother saying "not a chance in hell are you making this a career". And kudos to Detective Ramos for saying "no, celebrities do not deserve to be attacked and have their privacy invaded just because they've accomplished something". Because it's true as shit, man.
lzhang221's review against another edition
3.0
I felt really conflicted about this book. On the one hand, it was an intriguing story and probably one that needed to be told. On the other hand, the multiple POVs and flashbacks were so confusing. It wasn't until close to the end that I realized that something had actually taken place a few months ago. Maybe it was just because I kind of rushed through this, but I think it could've been plotted out a little bit better.
martha_schwalbe's review against another edition
3.0
This is a book for readers who will pay attention to the titles of chapters, this is very important for keeping pace with the characters and the plot. I would not recommend this book to a struggling reader or a reluctant reader because of the amount of information contained in the chapter headings.
I enjoyed the exploration of fame and being famous. This book reminded me of Jane and Switch because of the fame aspect.
I enjoyed the exploration of fame and being famous. This book reminded me of Jane and Switch because of the fame aspect.
pegahe's review against another edition
1.0
This book didn't work for me.
The format made no sense and was unnecessarily confusing instead of the cool it was trying to be.
The characters were annoying and I couldn't care about them.
The author didn't do research- Nasim is a Persian girl's name! It would be very very very rare for Nasim to ever be a boy's name.
Nasim and Jamie's relationship made no sense.
Jamie's family life was confusing.
Overall I'm disappointed. There's nothing really new here. I wasn't happy with Famous.
The format made no sense and was unnecessarily confusing instead of the cool it was trying to be.
The characters were annoying and I couldn't care about them.
The author didn't do research- Nasim is a Persian girl's name! It would be very very very rare for Nasim to ever be a boy's name.
Nasim and Jamie's relationship made no sense.
Jamie's family life was confusing.
Overall I'm disappointed. There's nothing really new here. I wasn't happy with Famous.
my_rse's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a quick read for me as it was all very interesting however I didn't like how the time went back and forth for Jamie and some of the other characters. I liked the ending and the lessons in the book. I also couldn't put it down. Other than the time changes I loved the book because it answered all the questions I had while reading the book, at the end of the book.