Jane Mendle

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

Fourteen-year-old Franny feels like an outsider in her family. Her hair never cooperates, she's no good at anything, and she has a horrible name. Those things wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that her family is very talented.

Her mother is off in Kenya starting a successful career as an anthropologist. Her father is the owner of a clothing store. Her sister, Zooey, has become a ballet star and has the diva attitude to go with it. With everyone so wrapped up in their careers and lives, Franny becomes lonely and embittered towards her sister, the only one who is ever around.

When her sister breaks her leg during a career-making role and is homebound for weeks, Franny is forced to make a choice: avoid her or live with her. As Zooey starts to encroach on her sister's life and longtime crush, Franny begins to feel threatened. As tempers heat up and the truth comes out, will Franny be able to bury the hatchet and make peace with her sister, or will a guy drive the final wedge in their relationship?

Franny's character is well-developed and likeable. Her sister's diva attitude is well-constructed. The story is well-crafted and does a good job of holding the reader's interest. Although the references to J.D. Salinger's FRANNY AND ZOOEY won't be caught by those who haven't read his work, this book is wonderful and can still be enjoyed without being familiar with the classic story.

Those who like Sarah Dessen's books or realistic fiction will enjoy reading MY ULTIMATE SISTER DISASTER.… (more)

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Annie Hoffman can't seem to get anything right. She can't get her driver's license, making her the only almost sixteen-year-old without one, meaning it's back to the buses. She can't get into Juilliard, since apparently she doesn't have much talent playing the violin. She can't get the guy of her dreams to notice her. And she can't get out of her stupid school with its stupid lunches.

One thing Annie can do, though, is make a talent agent take interest in her, making him give her a card, which would then land her in the newest and hottest teen soap drama, Country Day. Its certainly pays to leave an audition nearly crying; you never know who might notice your acting skills.

Everything goes from okay to awesome for Annie. She becomes America's sweetheart and is on the cover of every celebrity publication there is.

But Annie soon finds out that the biggest and best shot the paparazzi can take is when a celebrity is at their worst. And once it is printed for everyone to see, those who once adored her turn on her easily, even when they don't know the entire story. It's up to Annie to find her true self and, hopefully, find her way out of the negative limelight.

Not like the other novels that take on the plot of the girl-next-door who instantly becomes a teen sensation, BETTER OFF FAMOUS? has a mind of its own. With its realistic story of a girl lost in the limelight, struggling her way to get back to normal, with cameras following her every move, Jane Mendle creates a story that mirrors the mistakes that those we have all taken notice of make every day.… (more)

Better Off Famous is the story of a small-town Southern girl who, after being rejected by Julliard school of music, is offered a job on a private-prep-school TV teen soap filmed and set in New York City. At first Annie does not seem to understand why anyone would be bothered with where she buys her Bubble Tea or why she kissed her tutor; she doesn't see herself as famous, just ordinary, average. But soon, Annie's glamorous life catches up to her. Robin, the wild daughter of the TV station's CEO, is no stranger to four-hundred dollar shoes, drinking cocktails, or clubbing till the wee hours of the morning. Annie gets in over her head in her new life and faces pressure from her parents, friends, job, boyfriend, and media.

I liked the novel overall. It was funny and really good teen book. I even met the author, Jane Mendle. The book came out in early 2007, before the hit show Gossip Girl premiered. The only problem I had with the story was that Annie's fix of her image was too short compared with her fall from grace. The build-up of bad things and disappointments was very steep, but the fix of her reputation at the end was too short and too fast for it to be believable. That was my only problem, though.… (more)