Published by: Gallery Books
Publication date: April 5th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Vine superstar Lele Pons—“one of the coolest girls on the web” (Teen Vogue)—teams up with #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz (The Isle of the Lost) in this lovable debut novel about the wilds and wonders of high school that’s as laugh-out-loud addictive as Lele’s popular videos.
Ten million followers and I still sit alone at lunch. Lele is a bulls-eye target at her new school in Miami until, overnight, her digital fame catapults the girl with cheerleader looks, a seriously silly personality, and a self-deprecating funny bone into the popular crowd. Now she’s facing a whole new set of challenges—the relentless drama, the ruthless cliques, the unexpected internet celebrity—all while trying to keep her grades up and make her parents proud.
Filled with the zany enthusiasm that has made Lele into Vine’s most viewed star, this charming novel is proof that high school is a trip. From crushing your crushes (what’s up with that hot transfer student Alexei??) to throwing Insta-fake parties with your BFFs and moaning over homework (GAH) with your frenemies, high school is a rollercoaster of exhilarating highs and totally embarrassing lows. Leave it to Lele to reassure us that falling flat on your face is definitely not the end of the world. Fans of Mean Girls will love this fun and heartwarming fish-out-of-water story.
Review:
Lele is a little crazy. a lot insecure, fairly self-involved–in other words, a pretty typical teenager who just happens to make videos on Vine that strike a chord with people. A LOT of people. This book is a “fictional memoir” of the real Lele Pons–inspired by her life but not her actual story. I liked the chapter titles–at least some of them are titles from her videos, so I suspect they might all be–and the way we can watch her “followers” grow as the story progresses. I appreciated the fact that even though she went to a lot of parties she didn’t drink much if at all (as she points out, she already acts drunk while sober–people drink to keep up with her) and when young girls would stop her in the street or at the mall she tried to give them good advice. It’s definitely a more positive look at fame than we often see–it’s not sugar-coated (see “Partied Out”), but she’s also not all about what it can do for her. Not all the time, anyway. I did like when her shoe collection grew from 2 pairs to 15 in a single shopping trip–live the dream!
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / C+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Today she is one of the most recognizable names on social media, and has been featured in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Time, and more. Lele has been nominated for three Teen Choice Awards, a People’s Choice Award, and a Streamy Award. In 2015, she was invited to the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama to help launch her campaign for disadvantaged kids to go to college. Lele graduated from high school in 2015 and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
Melissa de la Cruz is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books for readers of all ages, including the Witches of East End, Blue Bloods, and Descendants series.
This sounds so entertaining! Glad you liked it, Becky! 🙂
It sounds like a fun read. Thanks for having the giveaway.
It was definitely different–in a fun way. Good luck!
It really was! 🙂