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singsthewren's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, this is cheating a little bit. But, since I wrote it, I think it's only fair to include it in the list of books that I've read, and to say that I enjoyed the process of writing it, and I've enjoyed the feedback from those who have read it.
It's a great, compact novel for teenagers with reading difficulties, about a girl who is willing to risk everything for her chance at fame - only to realize what it is she's really sacrificing, and how hard it might be to come back from.
It's a great, compact novel for teenagers with reading difficulties, about a girl who is willing to risk everything for her chance at fame - only to realize what it is she's really sacrificing, and how hard it might be to come back from.
cancourtneyread's review against another edition
2.0
Made a mistake requesting this on Netgalley. It was not good. It wasn't terrible, but there was nothing that made me enjoy it either.
chrissymcbooknerd's review against another edition
3.0
Caitlin wants nothing more than to see her name in lights, so she decides she definitely can't turn down the chance to audition for a role as a bikini babe in a low budget slasher film. While her friends are practicing their lines for another sleepy school production, Caitlin soon learns that she will actually be starring in a real live movie production, complete with twelve hour days, professional hair and makeup, and even her own little (shared) movie trailer. Caitlin is sure that she has finally hit the big time!
Except, there is just one *major* problem -- Caitlin is underage and her contract requires that she be at least eighteen years old. One little white lie can't really hurt anything, right? But, it doesn't take long for Caitlin to realize how quickly her new drive to stardom would begin to take over her life, edging out her parents, her best friends, and even her boyfriend. And why is the perky new girl at school suddenly developing an interest in everyone that is important to Caitlin?
Caitlin was only looking for her first big role in a real movie, but she may discover that she has gotten in way over her little underage head. Is a chance at fame worth the price tag, even if it means losing the people she loves?
Honestly, when I started LAST CUT, I was a little confused by the writing style. Although the subjects are fairly weighty and the language is pretty adult at times, the reading level on this one seems to be more geared more towards what one might expect from a middle grade novel. That said, I don't think this book is actually intended for an audience that young, so I can only guess that the intention was to create a story for teenagers who are (for whatever reason) more reluctant readers.
That said, I do think the author did a pretty good job laying out a quick, readable story that was easy to understand while maintaining a reasonable degree of entertainment value for people who may struggle with attention span or even a more advanced reading vocabulary. If this had *not* been intended to fill this reluctant reader gap, though, I probably would have rated this one a bit differently -- because I'm sure it would seem a big awkward and underdeveloped if one jumped into it expecting another typical young adult novel.
Overall, I actually *did* enjoy the story and I was pretty pleased with the ending. Although I wanted to feel sorry for Caitlin's character at various points throughout the novel, she did ultimately present herself as a cocky little diva -- hence giving me, as a reader, an almost guilty pleasure in seeing that maybe she got what she deserved at the end!
Except, there is just one *major* problem -- Caitlin is underage and her contract requires that she be at least eighteen years old. One little white lie can't really hurt anything, right? But, it doesn't take long for Caitlin to realize how quickly her new drive to stardom would begin to take over her life, edging out her parents, her best friends, and even her boyfriend. And why is the perky new girl at school suddenly developing an interest in everyone that is important to Caitlin?
Caitlin was only looking for her first big role in a real movie, but she may discover that she has gotten in way over her little underage head. Is a chance at fame worth the price tag, even if it means losing the people she loves?
Honestly, when I started LAST CUT, I was a little confused by the writing style. Although the subjects are fairly weighty and the language is pretty adult at times, the reading level on this one seems to be more geared more towards what one might expect from a middle grade novel. That said, I don't think this book is actually intended for an audience that young, so I can only guess that the intention was to create a story for teenagers who are (for whatever reason) more reluctant readers.
That said, I do think the author did a pretty good job laying out a quick, readable story that was easy to understand while maintaining a reasonable degree of entertainment value for people who may struggle with attention span or even a more advanced reading vocabulary. If this had *not* been intended to fill this reluctant reader gap, though, I probably would have rated this one a bit differently -- because I'm sure it would seem a big awkward and underdeveloped if one jumped into it expecting another typical young adult novel.
Overall, I actually *did* enjoy the story and I was pretty pleased with the ending. Although I wanted to feel sorry for Caitlin's character at various points throughout the novel, she did ultimately present herself as a cocky little diva -- hence giving me, as a reader, an almost guilty pleasure in seeing that maybe she got what she deserved at the end!
singsthewren's review
5.0
Okay, this is cheating a little bit. But, since I wrote it, I think it's only fair to include it in the list of books that I've read, and to say that I enjoyed the process of writing it, and I've enjoyed the feedback from those who have read it.
It's a great, compact novel for teenagers with reading difficulties, about a girl who is willing to risk everything for her chance at fame - only to realize what it is she's really sacrificing, and how hard it might be to come back from.
It's a great, compact novel for teenagers with reading difficulties, about a girl who is willing to risk everything for her chance at fame - only to realize what it is she's really sacrificing, and how hard it might be to come back from.
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