Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson

Publisher: NavPress
Publication Date: August 2007
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 224
ISBN: 978-1-60006-091-5
List Price: $12.99

At fifteen years old, Scotty Dawn has more freedom than she desires. She sporadically travels to different movie sets as her mother prepares food for films. Even though her mother is not involved in Scotty’s schooling, she manages to home school herself. As she files her assignments away into scrapbooks that are not read by anyone, she plans to attend college. Life gets lonely for Scotty. She turns to her blog, Hollywood Nobody to connect with other people. Her life on the road exposes Scotty to many people, some who become like family. Unfortunately, Scotty experiences some distance with her mother, whom she calls Charley. Scotty knows her mother is keeping some huge secret from her. Scotty suspects it has something to do with her non-present father. As Scotty learns more of the secret, she realizes how dark it really is.

Lisa Samson’s Hollywood Nobody is written for a young adult audience. Samson does an amazing job connecting with teenagers. Scotty’s dialogue and action—from blogging about celebrities to love and dating—accurately resemble the average teen. Samson also motivates teenage girls to embrace their natural beauty rather than mimic the appearances of actresses and models. She even sneaks in lessons about drugs and alcohol. Samson’s book, however, does not come off as preachy. Although the book reveals Scotty’s struggles with finding Jesus, the book does not try to force religion on teenagers. On the other hand, Scotty has the same hesitations and questions about Christianity that an average young adult would have. Overall, young readers and adults will enjoy Lisa Samson’s Hollywood Nobody.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Dumpster: One Woman’s Search for Love by Becky Due

Publisher: Due Publications

Publication Date: 2010

Binding: eBook

Pages: 202

ISBN: 978-0984621408

List Price: $12.95

Everything seems to be going wrong for Nicole in Becky Due’s humorous novel, The Dumpster. Nicole is a twenty-something year old banker who is slightly overweight and suffers from low-self esteem. Having been recently dumped by her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day via DVD, Nicole is on search for a new love. Unfortunately, her troubles are only made worse by a smelly dumpster placed outside her bedroom window. Little does she know, this disgusting dumpster is the solution to her problems.

The Dumpster is a humorous, quick read. The characters—with the exclusion of Nicole’s worse dates—are all lovable and realistic. Most women will be able to identify with Nicole in some way: failed dates, envious of best friend’s marriage, lack of self-esteem, weight problems, or other issue. Since Nicole’s character is rather promiscuous, the novel gets racy at times. The novel also relies on bathroom humor quite often. Still, Due’s novel is a great fun, light read. If you enjoy reading romantic comedies and are not bothered by mature content, you will want to check out The Dumpster.