L.A. Candy

by Lauren Conrad

Book Overview

L.A. Candy is a deliciously entertaining novel about what it's like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a young woman who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad.

Fashion designer and TV personality Lauren Conrad brings her insider knowledge of the highs and lows of life in the spotlight to this juicy New York Times bestselling series.

Los Angeles is all...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061767581
• ISBN13: 9780061767586
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.6" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Loved this book

I absolutely loved this book. Couldn't put it down til I finished it. I Lauren has more for us all to read.

Addictive just like candy

This book sort of feels like I'm reading Lauren's pseudo autobiography, but it's so good. If you were a sucker for Laguna Beach or The Hills, this book is like the tv show, but way better. It reveals the phony side of reality TV, and it pulls you into the character. As soon as I finished the book, I googled it to see if there was sequel. Luckily it comes out in just over a month, and I will be getting it.

Fun, Light Read!

I loved this book!! I am a fan of Lauren Conrad, but admittedly I wasn't sure how good this book would be or if it would be too young for me. But I was hooked from the first page. If you love The Hills, I am sure you will enjoy this book as well. It was a fast paced, engaging behind-the-scenes look at the lives of young reality stars on a fictitious show called LA Candy on the fictional channel Pop TV, especially the character of Jane. I finished the book this morning and can't wait for the next in the series. I would recommend this book as a great book to take to the beach or on an airplane flight.

A sweet treat that's simply impossible to resist!

Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts is guilty of one thing - never straying from her comfort zone. She refuses to tread unfamiliar waters; preferring to stay within the confines of a familiar safety net, and, though she's an attractive natural blonde, thinks of herself as a tried and true "plain Jane." But a new location is going to change all that. Los Angeles is a place of bronzed beauties all vying for a shot at stardom, so it seems unlikely that the jittery Jane would select such a spot to call her new home; but she's convinced that La-La Land is the perfect place to make a new name for her. And with her BFF Scarlett Harp by her side, she has the confidence to take the plunge. Scarlett and Jane have been tight seemingly forever; so there's no question in Scarlett's mind that moving to Los Angeles from the quiet Santa Barbara is just the change the two of them need. She'll have the opportunity to attend the University of Southern California, and finally experience city life firsthand. But LA isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be. The dingy hole-in-a-wall apartment that the two girls call home is anything but charming - Jane's term for the place - and the expense of living...well, it leaves a lot to be desired. So when Jane and Scarlett find themselves at celebrity hotspot Les Deux one night, hobnobbing with the rich, powerful, and beautiful, they can't help but be thrilled. And when they meet TV producer Trevor Lord, they're convinced that they've hit the jackpot. Especially when they're offered the chance to star in L.A. CANDY, a reality TV show that follows their every move - no matter how embarrassing. Jane takes to her new celebrity status much better than her red hot roommate Scarlett. As an intern to Fiona Chen, a demanding yet sought-after event planner to the elite, Jane finds herself tossed into a celebrity-fueled existence brimming with lavish parties, to-die-for clothes, and pretty prima donnas. As if that weren't enough to have any girl floating on cloud nine, Jane is now occupying a luxurious apartment, and has snatched herself a cute new friend (and secret crush) in the handsome Braden - a relationship that leaves Scarlett feeling like a third wheel. But not everything is peachy keen in the world of reality. The staged so-called spontaneous moments can be awkward, and being poked and prodded by a camera crew as they attempt to wire you up with mini microphones is less than glamorous. Of course, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad when you want to live the sweet life. Lauren Conrad has worn many hats over the years...fashion designer, reality TV star, intern at Teen Vogue, cover girl. Perhaps none, however, have been as influential as her foray into fiction; or as long-awaited. For those who find themselves tuning into THE HILLS on a weekly basis (even if it's unbeknownst to those around you), it's obvious to see the similarities between Conrad and her crew, and the charming characters whom vibrantly come

Sweet summer reading

The book, about reality-tv star 19-year-old Jane Roberts certainly sounds like a semi-autobiographical journey for the author, the star of MTV's "reality" show, The Hills. I started on the assumption that it would be pure fluff. The story was an enjoyable quick read though and even a bit weightier than I had anticipated. Naturally, the lion's share of the story centers around the social lives of Jane and her best friend Scarlett. They are both new to Los Angeles, starstruck and boy crazy. Despite being an attractive natural blonde, Jane considers herself a "plain Jane" while Scarlett is a confident brunette bombshell. Jane's just scored an internship with renowned event planner, Fiona Chen. Scarlett plans to coast through classes at USC while she decides what to do with herself. When Hollywood producer Trevor Lord starts talking to them in a nightclub, they initially assume that he's trying to hit on them... but eventually he convinces them to come for an audition for a new reality show filming in Los Angeles. In the interview, the producers are impressed with the girls' natural good-looks and unaffected demeanor. Just like that, they are in! With the cameras rolling, Jane and Scarlett are soon treated to a new luxury apartment and VIP lifestyle. I liked the behind-the-scenes reality behind "reality" tv... the awkwardness of being miked, the staged "spontaneous" scenes... it all rang very true. Of course, everyone's wondering whether L.A. Candy was ghostwritten. (And wouldn't it be the ultimate irony if it was?) A careful inspection of my copy didn't seem to reveal anything in the fine print... maybe Lauren Conrad really did write this herself! I can't help but think of one of the episodes from the first season of "The Hills" where Lauren is called into her bosses office. Her boss asks her, "Can you write?" and she nervously replies, "Um... Yes?" There's an eerily similar scene in the book between the character Jane and her boss, event planner Fiona Chen. Her demanding and cold boss suddenly turns into a warm mentor when the cameras are rolling. While the celebrities mentioned are all fictional, the names of many of the businesses and designer-name items in the book are not. The name-dropping and general tone strongly reminded me of Cecily von Ziegesar's Gossip Girls and It Girl series. The story's somewhat of a cliffhanger ending leaves everything definitely very much unresolved. Fans of MTV's "The Hills" or the genre that I'd term "Chick Lit Jr." will definitely be clamoring for more. Fortunately for them, Conrad has signed a 3 book deal, so there are certain to be at least 2 more installments in the series.