Erika (17788 KP) created a video about Noelle (2019) in Movies
Aug 24, 2019
A list of Noel Gallagher's top 13 favorite Music Albums to listen to from The Quietus! https://thequietus.com/articles/07183-noel-gallagher-favourite-albums
The Hacienda Classics by Various Artists
Album
Track Listing CD1: Rhythm Is a Mystery Pump Up London You're Gonna Miss Me Lack of Love What U Need...
Stone Roses by The Stone Roses
9.4
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The Stone Roses is the debut album by English rock band the Stone Roses, released in May 1989 by...
The Stone Roses
My Generation - The Very Best of The Who by The Who
Album
Out-of-print in the US. Originally released in 1997, My Generation: The Very Best of The Who is an...
The Wall by Pink Floyd
9.3
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The eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, conceived by lyricist and...
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Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) created a video about Mr. Roosevelt (2017) in Movies
Nov 6, 2017
Wallace Shawn recommended Brief Encounter (1945) in Movies (curated)
Jenni Olson recommended Brief Encounter (1945) in Movies (curated)
Jenni Olson recommended Summertime (1955) in Movies (curated)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Unrivalled in Books
May 25, 2017
Unrivalled is the first book in a new young adult series by Alyson Noël. Set in Hollywood, this story takes a look at what it is like to be young and famous, as well as what it is like to be aspiring to be. The lives of four eighteen year olds from completely different circumstances are suddenly thrown together in a prestigious competition to become the best promoter of VIP nightclubs owned by the infamous Ira Redmond.
Layla and Tommy, from less notable backgrounds, are determined to become famous through journalism and guitar playing. For Layla, this competition means winning enough money to go to college in New York. For Tommy, the prize will help him to move up from his lowly rented apartment and begin to make himself known. Aster, on the other hand, is already rich, she does not care about the money, she cares about winning. Winning means being noticed, which for an aspiring actress is an important career move.
The fourth character is already famous and is a face that Redmond has challenged the competitors to get to enter their respective nightclubs. Madison Brooks has made her way to the top as America’s hottest teenage actress – yet how she has managed this is unclear. As the story goes on it becomes clear that Madison has a shaky past that is constantly trying to catch up with her. No one other than her trusted staff know of the true Madison, so when she goes missing the police suspect foul play. The only problem is Layla, Tommy and Aster are so mixed up in recent events surrounding Madison that they immediately become the prime suspects.
Unrivalled is a book that needs a required taste to fully enjoy. The focus is on celebrity life style, which for me is not something I am interested in. I found myself lacking in sympathy for any of the characters – although I slightly liked Layla’s ambition to become a reporter as journalism and writing IS something I am drawn to. What is annoying is that Unrivalled is only the first novel in a series, so I never got to find out what happened to Madison after plowing through pages of tedious narrative. But to be honest, I do not really care about the result.
It is my lack of interest in the subject matter that consequently leaves me to only give this book a two star rating. However, I would like to emphasize that Noël knows how to write. For the right target audience Unrivalled will be a captivating novel. It emphasizes the glamorous and the not-so-glamorous aspects of becoming famous, which the three contestants soon discover: as Shakespeare put it “All that glitters is not gold.”
If you have an interest in celebrity culture, teenage romance and a bit of mystery, then this book may well be for you. If not, you may be headed for disappointment.
