By Julia Devillers
Okay, I haven't read this book in a while, but the book I'm planning on reviewing next, I haven't finished yet, and the other book isn't really chick lit- y, so I'll do this one.
The thing that sets Jamie apart from all the other book character like this, is that she likes to write. Wait....that's kind of like Mia in the princess diaries.
Except Jamie isn't a princess. Whatever. Anyway, she writes her typical reports for school, the type of thing teachers want to see, then goes home and pounds it out in her journal. One day, when she's supposed to write about a change she would make in the world if she could, she types in her journal instead (she's using Harmony's laptop, and is excited about the glitter gel pen effect it lets her have). She is sick of feeling so down about her image, being surrounded by models in her room all the time (on posters; they aren't actually in her room). She writes a fictional story in her journal about a girl named Isabella, a girl who does her own thing and fits no stereotypes. But there's another thing about Isabella: She's secretly IS! IS is a superhero type, who can banish all evil, such as The Backstabber, The Gossiper, The Best Friend Stealer, and more, by flicking them.
All these evil people are sent by her nemesis, Myrna, based on a person in Jamie's life, named Sawyer (I mentioned her before, remember? She's Jamie's crush, Marco's girlfriend. Wait, that sounds weird. I meant to say, Marco Vega is Jamie's crush, and Sawyer is Marco's girlfriend). IS finally defeats Myrna in the end, and thus, Jamie finishes her novel/journal and goes to bed (after sending her school report to Harmony to print out and give to her in the morning).
The next morning, she turns in her english report, and goes about the day as usual. But (gasp!) what happens when she finds out she sent Harmony the wrong paper? What happens when her english teacher reads her Diary in front of the whole class? What happens when everyone loves it? What happens when her teacher sends it to a literary agent to read, and they like it, and a bunch of publishers end up having a bidding war over it, making Jamie rich? ($$$$$$$. Not that Jamie will ever see much of the money....) What happens when her book hits the bestselling list, she becomes famous, and ends up doing things like being interviewed for the newspaper, getting her own media coach, walking the red carpet, and actually meeting some of the people in the posters she keeps on her walls?
And how does this effect Jamie's life, her friendships, her personality? What happens when she feels like everyone is expecting her to be IS, and she feels like she just can't do it anymore?
I guess you'll just have to read the book to find out.
My opinion: This was actually the first book in the teen section I've ever read. Before that, I'd been in the children's section my whole life, so the teen section felt sacred. It was amazing. The book was totally different from anything else in the children's section, and I loved it. I would find out later that some of Jamie's issues were a bit cliche, but when I first read it, it became my favorite book, ever.
Julia Deviller's writing is really funny. Her characters tend to find themselves stressing over nothing and getting in totally embarrassing situations, but her books are enjoyable through it all. I recommend this book if you're looking for a light, fun read.
One of the things best about this book is that Jamie's fame doesn't seem unbelievable. I've read a lot of books where people become famous out of the blue, and it just feels so fake that it makes you feel like throwing the book across the room.
Anyway, the book was good, they made a movie out of it, which wasn't that good (it's called Read it and Weep, and I watched it on youtube, which means you probably can too) and so, this book review ends.
Hausta la vista, baby(s)!
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