Starstruck

March 25, 2013
Set during the 1930s, this scintillating series opener shines the spotlight on three very different Hollywood hopefuls. Pasadena debutante Margaret Frobisher is discovered at a lunch counter and transforms into Olympus Studios' newest star, Margo Sterling; Gabby Preston spent her childhood performing vaudeville and now takes dangerous drugs to lose weight in her quest for a leading role; and redheaded bombshell Amanda Farraday hopes to hide her not-so-distant past as a paid escort. Through alternating chapters, the protagonists struggle with a controlling studio that dictates their wardrobe, diet, and romantic interests as they pursue the elusive dream of celebrity. Adult author Shukert, in her first book for teens, embeds a mystery at the heart of it all: where did glamorous Diana Chesterfield, the studio's biggest star, disappear to the night of her movie premiere? The characters are types, and Shukert doesn't shy from melodramatic writing ("They melted into each other's arms.... She couldn't tell where she ended and he began"), but this all fits well with the book's film backdrop. Readers will gladly immerse themselves in the almost mythological setting of Hollywood's Golden Age. Ages 12âup. Agent: Rebecca Friedman, Sterling Lord Literistic.

February 1, 2013
Intrigue and ingenues abound in this delightfully frothy period drama. Teeny-bopper Margo Sterling (born into Pasadena society as Margaret Frobisher) spends her days mooning over Hollywood's A-list celebs until a chance encounter at a soda fountain starts her whirlwind transformation into Tinsel Town's new it girl. Along the way, she meets Gabby Preston, a former child actress who will do whatever it takes to get the role of her dreams, and Amanda Faraday, a gorgeous, up-and-coming actress who wants to escape her shadowy past and find true love. But in 1930s Hollywood, secrets run deeper than the pockets of the studio executives, and nothing is what it appears to be. Shukert's foray into the teen market is well-plotted and carefully nuanced; historical details are crisp and vivid without being too obtuse; the narrative is tight and masterful, mixing just the right amount of cattiness and salaciousness with secrets that reveal themselves one after another. The result is a compulsively readable piece sure to appeal to fans of Anna Godbersen and Judy Blundell. Though there is no mention of a sequel, some plot threads are left swinging like the fringe on a flapper's gown: Expect readers to clamor for more. Historical fiction that's both smart and sassy. (Historical fiction. 13 & up)

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May 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-The Golden Age of Hollywood-and its gritty underside-is captured with real flair in this novel. Going from being a Pasadena debutante to a Hollywood star is an eye-opening experience for Margaret Frobisher. When she arrives at Olympus Studios, everyone is wondering what happened to Diana Chesterfield, the missing star and Margaret's idol. There are plenty of other hopefuls for Margaret to meet, like Gabby Preston, the plump songstress who is desperate for success, and Amanda Farraday, the slinky bombshell with a secret she's desperate to keep hidden. Margaret soon finds herself falling for Dane Forrest, the dashing matinee idol of her dreams. She is renamed Margo Sterling and made over in Diana's image, but there's one way in which Margo can't take the star's place: in Dane's heart, on orders of the studio. Margo's lost in a world she doesn't fully understand, and it could get even more dangerous for her unless she learns the truth behind Diana's disappearance. Clearly a setup for a series, this novel evokes late-1930s Hollywood with panache. Characters are well drawn, representing common archetypes but with a twist. Bound to appeal to fans of Anna Godbersen and Judy Blundell.-Melissa Rabey, Frederick County Public Libraries, MD

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2013
Grades 9-12 One minute Margo Sterling is in the fan line at a Hollywood premier; the next, she is being discovered at Schwab's drugstore; and the next, she has snagged the lead role in a moviesubstituting for a star she resembles who has gone missing. That's the good news. On the downside, her prissy Pasadena parents disown her, and she flounders in this world of 1930s moviemaking where the studio runs everything, including her romances. Two subplots feature other starlets, Gabby, obviously based on Judy Garland, and Amandawho was also known as Ginger when she was in the escort business. This is part Valley of the Dolls, part Modern Screen magazine, and lots of fun. The tropes are hoarythe evils of Hollywood, the bad girl trying to hide her past for the love of a good manbut they'll be new to many teenage readers. A surprise ending (a real surprise) is over the top in the best possible way. The Veronica Lake look-alike on the cover will draw readerseven though 99 percent of them will never have heard of Veronica Lake.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)