You cannot tell that this is Robin Benway's debut novel. It flows fantastically and Audrey, as well as all of the characters around her, leap from the page. I expected the book to take a considerable time to read because of its length, but I actually flew through the pages. Even with plenty of exposition to go around, which usually acts to slow the plot, the book is still a fast read. I finished it in only a couple of days, partly because I didn't want to put it down.

What really works to hold the book together so well is the influence of music. The writer is obviously just as big of a music fan as her characters are. Mentions of bands and songs run throughout the book. They range from the well known to the truly obscure (at least obscure for someone who might be more of a Top 40 fan), but they are definitely a delight for anyone who enjoys music. Each chapter heading is a song lyric as well, and they all fit with the chapters perfectly, something some authors fail to achieve when employing this style.

Getting into the story itself now, it's absolutely one for the MTV generation. In an age when people are obsessed with celebrity, when the paparazzi have gone into over drive, and reality television is almost more common than scripted series, Audrey's story fits right in. It's easy to understand Audrey's point of view on her whole experience. She just wants her privacy, her normal life back. She makes convincing arguments, though it seems that no one is really listening to her. On the other hand, her friend Victoria provides convincing arguments of her own for exactly the opposite. There's no way to go back to “normal,” so Victoria thinks the fame should be embraced. If Audrey's going to be famous anyway, why not use it for the same perks given to movie stars? Eventually, these two points of view come to a head in a really big way, and its a surprisingly realistic journey getting there.

Now, if you read through most of the novel, but you still aren't convinced of how good it is, stick around to the end. The big finale is worth any small bit of the book that you might not enjoy. (I promise.) The story closes in a way that would probably elicit a round of applause if it was being watched in movie format. As a whole, the book is no doubt worth a few days of reading time, but the resolution of the story is by far my favorite part. A truly fun read, and it might even make you think twice about the celebrity life style, and introduce you to some great bands.