Readers of Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy series will have new opportunities to watch her battling reality show beauties in their full fire and glory in this new novel, which is appealing and gossipy enough to be a tasty standalone morsel. On the reality show L.A. Candy, 19-year-old Madison Parker played second fiddle and best frenemy to nice girl Jane Roberts; now she wants to take red carpet walks as a star in her own right. Unfortunately, in "reality town," things are never as simple as they first seem and Madison soon discovers that another nice girl has surfaced whose Hollywood connections could leave her on the cutting room floor. A tempestuous read.

— Brian Monahan

Gr 9 Up—This first title in a spin-off series finds devious Madison—seen before in L.A. Candy (2009), Sugar and Spice (2010), and Sweet Little Lies (2010, all HarperCollins)—jockeying for the lead position in a new reality show. Though she has already found her share of fame and financial success from starring in L.A. Candy and her Madison's Makeovers, Madison is still waiting for her big break. She knows that being in the new reality show, The Fame Game, will create opportunities for her, but what she doesn't anticipate is sharing the spotlight with Hollywood legacy and new cast mate Carmen. With her faithful but foolish friend Gaby in tow, Madison navigates the ins and outs of yet another reality-show ride, this time with her ex-con father and attention-loving sister causing even more drama. Down-to-earth and likable newcomer Kate Hayes, an aspiring musician, and Carmen complicate matters—especially after Madison and Carmen are linked to the same guy in the tabloids. The Fame Game is light fare, full of pop-culture references and product placement. The behind-the-scenes look at reality TV exposes how little reality there actually is in the genre, and the same voyeuristic tendencies that make it enjoyable also make this series work since it is written by a reality TV insider. This novel is fluff, but it's also a quick, easy read that will surely attract reluctant readers.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA