Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?

April 4, 2011
Best known for snarky, gifty books built around dioramas of miniature fuzzy chicks, Tanen, in her first novel, pens an overwrought story about fame and self-esteem. Tabloid-obsessed high school junior Francesca has no idea what awaits when she wins a Seventeen magazine essay contest, which promises a tour of Africa with celebrities to raise education awareness. When the plane lands in the ocean, she is stranded on an island off Madagascar with a handful of self-absorbed, prescription drugâaddicted, and otherwise helpless celebs, including fragile actress Eve, Perez Hiltonesque blogger Chaz, and self-righteous Christian musician/heartthrob Jonah. Francesca quickly becomes the opposite of star-struck, as the group spends five long days making feeble attempts at survival and tearing each other's egos to shreds. Francesca's caustic brand of humor will be familiar to Tanen's readers ("Cisco is man-spooning Joe. I am so uncomfortable"), but where her previous books were wicked guilty pleasures, this story suffers from a slow pace, overwritten passages, and so much schadenfreude that the group's period of isolation will likely feel even longer to readers than it does to the characters. Ages 12âup.

April 15, 2011

This clever comedy strands a starstruck girl on a deserted island with major celebrities.

Francesca, an aspiring writer who devours tabloid journalism by the ream, enters an essay contest and wins a trip to Africa to promote literacy. She quickly learns that, far from being a dream come true, her experience won't be entirely pleasant. The party comprises two rival young actresses, both already fading from fame; the hottest, yet not-so-very-bright teen heartthrob of the day; a fatherly, also-fading actor who pilots the plane; the Christian rocker illegitimate son of the fatherly actor-pilot; a TMZ-like gay blogger; and Francesca, with her exploding red hair and freckles. The protagonist's six egomaniacal companions prove mostly useless, starting with the fatherly actor who crashes their plane, neglects to send a distress message and lets their signal fire go out. With the only actual adult sunk in depression, the rest act out their jealousies on each other. Francesca copes by writing and stockpiling text messages to her best friend. The scenario makes for some marvelous dry humor, enhanced by Tanen's ability to turn an original phrase: "OMG she was the size of a lima bean." Yes, the characters learn some important and dramatic lessons and maturity happens, but the thrust of this book is comedy, and it scores.

A witty winner aimed straight at reality-TV fans. (Comedy adventure. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

June 1, 2011

Gr 7-10-Francesca thinks of herself as anything but gorgeous, with her red curls and freckles, but she knows that she can write. She wins a Seventeen magazine essay contest for a trip to Africa with several celebrities to perform charity work. This is a dream come true because she is wholly absorbed in the lives of pop-culture icons, memorizing details about them from the magazines she buys every week. Also, with her parents' recent divorce, her father having a baby with his girlfriend, and her mother and sister acting strangely, Francesca could really use an escape. She is awestruck by the faces she sees on the plane and excited about the new adventure. Then the plane crashes, leaving her marooned on an island with a bunch of celebrity strangers. Through the days-long ordeal, Francesca learns that her idols have problems and insecurities of their own. She keeps an account of all the events on the island (through text messages "sent" to her best friend on her nonworking cell phone), and after their rescue, Seventeen hires her as its youngest staff writer ever. This story will appeal to girls who dream of meeting and falling in love with their favorite celebrities, but the novel's overabundance of pop-culture references will quickly date it. The plot is decent (albeit extremely far-fetched), in that Francesca learns to stop coveting famous people's lives and starts having self-confidence. Standard chick-lit that will appeal where titles like this are popular.-Lauren Newman, Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School, East Columbus, NJ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2011
Grades 8-11 Fran won an essay contest, and it landed her in hell: assigned as a reporter to a celebrity charity mission. But when their plane crashes, Fran is stranded on an island with the crazy celebrities, including a teen heartthrob, diva party-girl, and aging actor hoping for a comeback. The celebrities battle their demons while Fran narrates the disaster in her uniquely witty way. Plus, there are repercussions to face at homeif they are ever rescued. Lost references abound (and may date the book), and text-savvy teens may be dismayed at the length of and correct spellings in Frans texts to her BFF. Reality TVobsessed teens, though, will thoroughly enjoy this.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)