#famous

Ohhhh, I LOVED this book so, so much. It's rare that a rom-com really steals my heart--I'm admittedly cold-blooded like that--but the charm, wit, and smarts that pervade this book are absolutely to die for. I wanted to be bffs with the whip-smart, opinionated Rachel, and Kyle's swoonworthy yet self-aware sweetness holds genuine appeal for even the jaded amongst us (aka, me). The voices are crisply differentiated, the humor crackles, and the supporting cast of characters felt naturally well-rounded--everyone in this book clearly has a story of their own (AND I WANT TO KNOW THEM ALL. Mo and Ollie, looking at you!). Verdict: I want to read anything and everything Jilly Gagnon writes next.

This is a really charming, sweet book. I really liked the alternating points-of-view and the distinctness of the characters' voices. I also think it was a realistic and meaningful look at the pervasiveness of social media, particularly for teens, and the gendered reactions on each side were really well fleshed out (and sadly accurate). Once the groundwork was laid in the first few chapters the plot got super exciting and I flew through this book and read it just a few sittings. I'm looking forward to more from this author!

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.) “@Mo_than_you_know I’m digging what they’re serving up at Burger Barn today. #idlikefrieswithTHAT”This was a YA contemporary romance story, about a girl who accidentally made a boy famous on social media.Rachel and Kyle were both okay characters, and I felt really sorry for Rachel when people were so mean to her after the photograph she took became popular. The online bullying was just awful, and it seemed wrong that she got bullied whilst Kyle became adored.The storyline in this was about Rachel taking a picture of Kyle while he was at work, and sending it to her best friend over social media. The post then got reposted by loads of other people, and suddenly Kyle became famous, and even ended up on a talk show – which may well have been a little unrealistic given that it was one photo from a girl with less than 100 followers. The story was quite light and enjoyable though, even if it was quite predictable.The ending to this was a happily ever after, and I was pleased that things worked out okay in the end.6 out of 10

As someone who greatly enjoyed Jilly Gagnon's "Choose your Own Misery" comedy series (check them out!), I was expecting the same sharpness and zany humor in this novel. The laughs are certainly there (in terms of density of wit per page, Oscar Wilde is not an insane comparison), but the amount of heart in this book took me by surprise -- ultimately making it my favorite to date from this author.To me, there are two main components to this heart. The first is a compelling, focused, and well-realized cast of characters. In the way she alternates her narration between Rachel and Kyle, Gagnon proves herself to be a master ventriloquist, bringing emotions to life that ring true across the gamut from tender to silly. The second is the author's beautiful prose. This isn't the first time a YA author has brought the language of social media into fiction (including the book's titular hashtag), but the contemporary speech is interwoven with high-quality writing -- that would be lovely in any era. Consider, for example, "And her eyelashes were so long, longer than I'd expected; I wondered if they tickled her face when she blinked. Like giving herself butterfly kisses."So pick up this book... And remember not to get so swept up in the fun that you forget to admire the brilliant writing.

ALERT! 62 YEAR OLD WOMAN READS #FAMOUS AND HIGH SCHOOL FEELINGS COME CASCADING BACK. Jilly Gagnon has captured the teen experience that, apparently, crosses all decades. I found this delightful book funny, timely, tender and, yes,cringe-inducing from those buried youthful memories. As a retired teacher and current reading volunteer, I'm always on the look out for books to entice the reluctant reader. #Famous checks that box. It will resonate and entertain (so much wit!) the YA reader; OA 's too.

It's rare to find a story about teenagers, and particularly teenage love, that doesn't dredge up painfully embarrassing memories and even more so to find one that portrays young adults as fully fledged individuals, both naive and guarded, insensitive and earnest. If you'd like to remember what you were like when you were still finding out who you are, this should be a delightful little empathic trip down memory lane! If you have teenagers of your own, or are one yourself, the reinforcement of the idea that everyone is awkward and just trying to figure out how to be a good person, even when they make a mess of things, is one of the greatest comforts during emotionally turbulent periods, at least in my own experience. It's also a funny book, if you're not looking for an emotionally resonant experience.

#famous gives us a peek into two high school lives as they ride a wave of internet fame. Kyle, the handsome lacrosse player, seems to be cruising through his teen years, while Rachel struggles with feeling like an outsider. Both find themselves insta-famous when Rachel takes a sneak picture of Kyle and posts it on social media.Told in alternating chapters from Kyle's and Rachel's points of view, the story follows them as their new fame wrecks havoc on their relationships - and forces them to reconsider who they think they are and what they want.Gangon treats both perspectives with respect and generosity - Kyle in particular has a chance to show he's more just than a cute meathead, and Rachel's discovery of her own charm is pure pleasure. There's also more than a little acid in the portrayals of internet trolls and rapacious TV producers, all out to bolster their own fame by glomming on to Kyle and Rachel.A sweet story, with a pinch of sharp media satire, #famous is tart, touching and funny.

This was just the cute contemporary I thought it was going to be – but had much more substance than I anticipated. ‘#famous’ deals with themes around social media, instant fame, bullying, and that awkward coming of age moment in life when your morals are tested, and embarrassment can come from just about anything. Parents, socio-economic status, fashion, your body, ooof the list goes on...I felt this was an intelligent contemporary shedding light on issues that youth today face in the advent of social media and how strong a roll trolls, peers, and media fame impact on individuals, families, and the opportunities they can present to the right promotion-savvy person.Told in alternating perspectives in each chapter between popular, gorgeous, star jock, Kyle; and artistic, fringe-dweller, Rachel. Jilly Gagnon gives some great character portraits for both the leads, they are both confident and insecure in varying degrees that was both endearing and believable.The main plot is predictable, but the storytelling is anything but. I loved Gagnon’s writing style, the comedic timing, the charismatic cast, and underlying themes. ‘#famous’ is definitely the first contemporary to surprise me in this manner in quite a while. The pacing is pretty good, mainly due to the shorter chapters and switching perspectives... and they don’t just tell the opposite side of the story on the same scene – they have their own separate arcs that twist and bump into each other. Their tones are completely different.We get some great supporting characters and the family of both of our leads have a strong presence in the story. Though the story is simple, it has charm and interest and I would happily recommend this to anyone who loves a light contemporary.

Okay, this book is completely adorkable. The main characters, Rachel and Kyle, are ridiculously loveable, their banter is hilarious, and I spent a huge portion of the book grinning like a fool. (Though I also spent portions of it shouting, "No no no no no" at one of the secondary characters.)#famous is an extremely fast read--both because the writing is just so smooth and the story so fast-paced, and because it's extremely addictive and practically impossible to put down once you start!Stretch your face muscles before you read this one, because you'll spend a huge amount of time grinning like an idiot. At two complete dorks. Who have to deal with fame suddenly being thrust upon them. And who are utterly adorable.