Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for an early release copy.

Include a quote from a Britney Spears song? Say less. I adored the line comparing mother’s and daughters to Russian dolls, so poetic when referring to young daughters getting their big break and mother’s living in their shadows- much like the show Gypsy. 

Amber’s journey includes many things expected from a wannabe pop star- Star Search, a troubled family with an alcoholic mom, and the failure of the beginning with a girl group.  A little too played out at times. From the girl group she meets Gwen, who also begins a solo career very much mirroring a Christina vs Britney vibe. A little too on the nose. The men are all pretty creepy and cringey in this one. Amber and the first love interest are so excruciating to read and awkward, I was prepared to skip all those parts. The story is so much better when focusing on Amber coming into her own and her career.

Even though the story lacks quite a bit of depth, maybe that’s the point in reflecting teen pop in the early 2000s, Amber’s transformation was the real “star” of the book. Even lacking points for me for creativity, this could be a good book for you if drawn to any stories of Hollywood and follow girly pop idols of the 90s and early 2000s.