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mbenzz's review against another edition
2.0
I was expecting an original story, but instead got the authors version of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's marriage. From the very beginning I thought it all sounded a little too familiar, but I hoped it would skew off and find it's own voice...nope.
Rob and Lizzie (Tom and Katie) have a whirlwind romance/engagement/pregnancy/wedding, and life seems perfect but for the ever watchful eye of Tom's (oops...I mean ROB'S) religion...One Cell Studio (i.e. Scientology).
This is nothing more than a fluffy pool or beach read. In fact, it's exactly how I read it...killing time while hanging out by the pool. But just be warned...if you're even a casual tabloid follower, then you've already read this story many times before.
Rob and Lizzie (Tom and Katie) have a whirlwind romance/engagement/pregnancy/wedding, and life seems perfect but for the ever watchful eye of Tom's (oops...I mean ROB'S) religion...One Cell Studio (i.e. Scientology).
This is nothing more than a fluffy pool or beach read. In fact, it's exactly how I read it...killing time while hanging out by the pool. But just be warned...if you're even a casual tabloid follower, then you've already read this story many times before.
helloclarisse's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book! I have such a weak spot for celebrity gossip and when I found out that this book was inspired by Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes and Scientology, I had to read it.
Written as an autobiography by a fictional actress, it follows the story of a indie actress who starts dating the world’s most famous actor and goes through their relationship from start to finish with a bit of cult activity sprinkled in between.
I would recommend this if you like celebrity gossip, especially if you’re familiar with Tom/Katie. If not, I still think this would be a nice beach read.
Written as an autobiography by a fictional actress, it follows the story of a indie actress who starts dating the world’s most famous actor and goes through their relationship from start to finish with a bit of cult activity sprinkled in between.
I would recommend this if you like celebrity gossip, especially if you’re familiar with Tom/Katie. If not, I still think this would be a nice beach read.
isahart7's review
3.0
This was a really compulsive and fast read. Very much brain candy but I did like this story. Reading it yiu can see very clear parallels to the Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise relationship, but obviously this was a more intimate reading experience than the tabloids. I would recommend this as a beach read to anyone.
jnjackson's review against another edition
3.0
This is a fictional story that looks inside Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's relationship. If some of the details are true - like that he had a ghostwriter script most of the things he said to her - then he sounds even crazier than I originally thought.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
1.0
I read a review of this book in People magazine, and all I have to say is, People, fire your book reviewer. They led me to believe this was going to be far more scintillating than it could even aspire to be.
Which is disappointing, seeing as how this is the fictionalized story of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. As someone who vaguely followed that story, via long lines at the grocery store and The Soup on E!, I know that this had the potential to be absolutely fascinating.
I kept waiting for that part. Actually, I was waiting for anything real to happen. As it was, I got to the end still waiting.
Plot as thin as rice paper. Characters with none of the charm or appeal of the Based on Real Spectacle people. Boring as watching any of Katie Holmes' films past Disturbing Behavior.
Very disappointed.
Which is disappointing, seeing as how this is the fictionalized story of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. As someone who vaguely followed that story, via long lines at the grocery store and The Soup on E!, I know that this had the potential to be absolutely fascinating.
I kept waiting for that part. Actually, I was waiting for anything real to happen. As it was, I got to the end still waiting.
Plot as thin as rice paper. Characters with none of the charm or appeal of the Based on Real Spectacle people. Boring as watching any of Katie Holmes' films past Disturbing Behavior.
Very disappointed.
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
I devoured this book in hungry gulps - it's such an addictive read. Essentially, it's a fictionalised take on the marriage of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, with just enough changes to hopefully spare the author a lawsuit. Our narrator is Lizzie Pepper, a pretty TV actress on the rise who meets mega movie star Rob Mars. Rob has a "mega watt" smile, a sibling who manages his PR, is the subject of persistent rumours about his sexual orientation and is a avid disciple of the secretive "One Cell" studio. He promptly sweeps Lizzie off her feet with a series of completely OTT dates, introduces her to a One Cell assistant/new BFF and renames her "Elizabeth". Sound familiar?
What is so enticing about this book is the idea that you could be reading what really went down in Tom & Katie's marriage (although I suspect that One Cell is significantly more benign that the COS). The way that Lizzie is wooed and manipulated is both fascinating and chilling to read. Obviously the author has used her imagination but it all feels chillingly plausible. What adds to the book's allure is that the author has co-written or ghost-written several celebrity memoirs herself, which gives credibility to the way that she discusses some aspects of celebrity - as examples, the way that stars are paid cash to wear particular clothes, the way that they manage photo-opps, the realities of press tours and how you plug the film that you aren't happy with.
A few years ago I read [b:American Wife|2807199|American Wife|Curtis Sittenfeld|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437363047s/2807199.jpg|2833088] which was a fictionalised autobiography of Laura Bush and I found that book equally compelling. Movie Star is not the best written book I've read and it certainly won't win any literary awards, but it's addictive reading material.
What is so enticing about this book is the idea that you could be reading what really went down in Tom & Katie's marriage (although I suspect that One Cell is significantly more benign that the COS). The way that Lizzie is wooed and manipulated is both fascinating and chilling to read. Obviously the author has used her imagination but it all feels chillingly plausible. What adds to the book's allure is that the author has co-written or ghost-written several celebrity memoirs herself, which gives credibility to the way that she discusses some aspects of celebrity - as examples, the way that stars are paid cash to wear particular clothes, the way that they manage photo-opps, the realities of press tours and how you plug the film that you aren't happy with.
A few years ago I read [b:American Wife|2807199|American Wife|Curtis Sittenfeld|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437363047s/2807199.jpg|2833088] which was a fictionalised autobiography of Laura Bush and I found that book equally compelling. Movie Star is not the best written book I've read and it certainly won't win any literary awards, but it's addictive reading material.
isahart7's review against another edition
3.0
This was a really compulsive and fast read. Very much brain candy but I did like this story. Reading it yiu can see very clear parallels to the Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise relationship, but obviously this was a more intimate reading experience than the tabloids. I would recommend this as a beach read to anyone.
serenitylive's review
4.0
I do enjoy an escape story. I was frustrated by the glaring similarity to a certain celebrity couple story in real life. It seemed disingenuous not to just call it a fictional imagining of that timeline. Still, it was fun at times and a reality check (fame isn't everything). The heroine was easy to root for, and her description of the "other side" was pretty balanced. An interesting read, for sure.
blueviolin's review against another edition
4.0
This novel surprised me. What started as a somewhat eye-roll-inducing fake celebrity tell-all (which is clearly inspired by the ill-fated Katie Holmes/Tom Cruise marriage) took an interesting turn into something akin to a spy thriller. The first half is fairly uninteresting, but the second half was worth staying for.
cjhcjh's review
3.0
Fun and fluffy. I'm a sucker for anything about Scientology, or in this case, fictional sort-of Scientology. So I enjoyed it, but thought it ran out of steam a bit by the end.