Book Review: Sweet Little Lies Lauren Conrad

Why did I read this book? Hmmm I kind of have to ask myself the same question because I wasn't a huge fan of the first one. The writing was mediocre, the plot just ok and honestly I spent more time trying to figure out who was who and hoping for some great Hills dish than getting into the story. But still, when Sweet Little Lies popped up at my library I figured what the heck at least this time I wouldn't have to buy it (LA Candy never made it to the library).

Thoughts... if I'm being generous three out of five stars. Probably leaning more towards 2 1/2. It's not horrible but it's not by any means great. It got four out of five stars on Amazon and frankly I think the only reason it did was a bunch of teenagers or Conrad's friends went in and ranked it a five so the honest reviewers didn't stand a chance.

The plot is ok. The book picks up where LA Candy leaves off. Lauren... I mean Jane (yawn what a boring name ... all you authors out there this is the time you can really go for it on names don't go with Jane...augh)... anyway... Jane is in Cabo with Madison (who clearly is supposed to be some form of Heidi) after photos of Jane cheating on her boyfriend were leaked to the press. Jane has gone from the good girl to this tabloid sensation. Apparently, she gets all this press about her hooking up with Braden (I hope I spelled that right). First... I don't know - I know Lauren was big in her prime on the Hills but seriously a ton of covers? Maybe the not so classy mags but I doubt People or Entertainment Weekly is rushing to publish a story about a reality TV star cheating. And two, even if they did publish it, it's going to be in the back or the very front like a two second blurb - not a cover and maybe only one week not week after week like this nonsense dragged on. (Don't get me wrong I liked the Hills and think Lauren is great but I just doubt her character's ability to land so many covers...). Scarlett is trying to convince Jane that Madison leaked the photos and is a huge bitch. Gaby (another girl in the story) is just there to fill space, as is a girl at Lauren's work who is memorable enough that I forgot her name.

Basically, all you learn about The Hills - is gasp the producer tell them what to talk about. Wow. Come on Lauren, I'm guessing a good percentage of the people reading this book are doing it to get some gossip and that's all you're going to give us?

Problems I see with the story:

1. Jane gets back together with Jesse even though there is no reason she should. Jesse acts like a jerk and she stays with him for 2/3 of the book. I felt like there was no reason why she would stay with him, even if for some reason she decides to get back together with him.

2. She tries desperately to make Madison likable but I think fails miserably. And honestly why is Madison targeting Jane - so she can be a star? I don't know. Madison is a little too one dimensional for me. She's not likable because I don't care about her. I have no reason to feel like she is remotely justified in what she does to Jane.

3. All the characters aren't very likable. Jane is ok - she's the main character you're supposed to like her but like you sometimes feel watching Lauren on The Hills - she's the nice girl that's just there. The action happens around her and sometimes too her but what's she really like. I will say though Lauren has a certain charisma (I stopped watching after she left) that doesn't come across with Jane. You root for Lauren because you want her to succeed - she's the every girl in her early twenties (just with better clothes and more money), clubbing, trying to find a job, trying to find love, friend drama, etc.

I think the book is filler to get to book 3 (sort of how I felt with Twilight - only I felt like books 2, 3, and 4 were filler and could have been summed up in 1 but that's a different topic). This one leaves off with a cliffhanger - will Jane continue on LA Candy, will Madison be the star, will she chose her high school boyfriend or Braden or someone new... cue dramatic music.

So... in conclusion, it's a good beach read. It took me maybe a day to breeze through. But it wouldn't be my first choice read.