Teen Idol

It was absolute cheese but probably the tastiest I've ever had the opportunity to bite into. It's probably the number two classic idea for a YA story, right behind magical boarding schools. However, despite being done a million times before, it was still a very enjoyable read. Meg Cabot always does a great job with her books and the characters' voices are always very vibrant to me. I loved it!

This has to be one of the best examples of a good Meg Cabot book—the characters are fun and believable, the writing’s good, the plot’s believable (if a little bit exaggerated), and it’s just so much fun to read.

The shining point of Teen Idol is Jen—she’s down-to-earth and feels like a normal ordinary girl. She doesn’t obsess over her body image or complain that she’s too plain and doesn’t have any friends, she’s just Jen. Which is why I love her; Jen feels like a normal girl who could actually be everyone’s best friend. She’s also fairly no-nonsense; once she starts shaking things up in her school, she will not take no for an answer.

Luke Striker is an interesting MacGuffin character. He’s presented as just a show more Hollywood star who’s just goofing around for a little, but you really get the sense that he wants to try out the high school thing. I’m not sure how well his disguise would have worked over the long-term (which obviously doesn’t happen for plot purposes). I do like his rapport with Jen, and I really like the fact that he’s uninterested in her as a love interest. Going on that, I like Scott, and I can see his attraction to Jen. It’s on Jen’s side that it kinda comes off as a little random. There’s a slow realization that she’s in love with Scott, but when she says that “I’ve never had a boyfriend because I’ve been waiting for you!” is a little out-of-character from her practical attitude. (I do like that Scott thinks he has absolutely no chance against Luke, and Jen is basically yelling, “I. DON’T. LIKE HIM. THAT WAY.” the whole time.)

The side characters are also pretty good, although they’re not perfect. I’m very drawn to Cara (if only because I could relate to her situation), but I would have liked to see more done with her aside from “Makeovers make EVERYTHING better!” She seems like an interesting character, but there’s not much aside from crying in the bathroom every few pages. It was the same thing with Trina, there wasn’t really much to her aside from the star-struck best friend. Geri Lynn, though, was probably my favorite, if only because she wasn’t painted as a harpy ex-girlfriend.

There’s really not much plot to this, and it comes off as more of a character-driven book. But it’s so much fun to read that the thin-plot and the pacing don’t bother me as much. It’s a fluffy happy read that I adore. show less

Am I the only one who thinks it's strange when teenagers call themselves "teens?" It sounds kind of square and fake to me, but I didn't let that influence my opinion of this novel. High schooler Jenny Greenly is just going about her life, being the mayonnaise on the sandwich they call high school, writing for her school paper and singing in the show choir, when her life is turned upside down by teen heartthrob Luke Striker, who has come to her school undercover to prepare for a movie role. And the school wants her to show him around!Aw, this was such a cute novel! I enjoyed every minute of it. It's definitely not realistic, but it's what every girl in high school daydreams of - having good friends, affecting positive change, and not to show more mention a hot, male, teenage celebrity dropping into their high school. On the other hand, it wasn't entirely predictable either. You might be thinking that Jenny and Luke fall in love and have a romance, but that's actually not the case at all. There's really not much else to say except Meg Cabot has done it again, er, she did it in 2004 when she wrote this book. Which is probably why she mentions Lindsay Lohan as taking on an acting role, because we all know that doesn't happen so much anymore... show less

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I liked this book, in ways that I really didn't think I would. I had pre-conceived ideas about Teen Idol (I mean, reading the back cover synopsis who wouldn't?) But Meg Cabot did something she tends to do a lot --something I tend to forget and therefore don't give her credit for-- she surprised me!


I mean, come on! I can guarantee that at least 99% of reader assumed that Jenny -- the main character-- was going to fall for the super hot, super famous Luke... Only she didn't! The reason why? She had already fallen head over heels for a certain someone, a certain someone who shared the same taste in literature as her (which, believe me isn't easy to find --a guy with the same taste in show more books--) and could cook!


And, Cabot really intrigued me by making sure that not only did I not realise Jen wasn't falling for Luke for a while --she was too busy realising she was already in love with the cute editor-in-cheif of the school newspaper-- but that the reason I didn't realise this was because Jenny herself didn't realise it..

It was cute, and if you're looking for a light read then this is the perfect choice!

Over and out, T x show less

You can check out more reviews by me on my blog:



I liked this book, in ways that I really didn't think I would. I had pre-conceived ideas about Teen Idol (I mean, reading the back cover synopsis who wouldn't?) But Meg Cabot did something she tends to do a lot --something I tend to forget and therefore don't give her credit for-- she surprised me!


I mean, come on! I can guarantee that at least 99% of reader assumed that Jenny -- the main character-- was going to fall for the super hot, super famous Luke... Only she didn't! The reason why? She had already fallen head over heels for a certain someone, a certain someone who shared the same taste in literature as her (which, believe me isn't easy to find --a guy with the same taste in show more books--) and could cook!


And, Cabot really intrigued me by making sure that not only did I not realise Jen wasn't falling for Luke for a while --she was too busy realising she was already in love with the cute editor-in-cheif of the school newspaper-- but that the reason I didn't realise this was because Jenny herself didn't realise it..

It was cute, and if you're looking for a light read then this is the perfect choice!

Over and out, T x show less

Teen Idol is another of Meg Cabot's YA-But-Not-Princess-Diaries. Jenny Greenley is Miss Perfect, always solving everyone's problems and never causing any of her own. She's so good at problem solving, in fact, that she's the school newspaper's secret advice columnist. But things are turned a bit sideways when one of the world's biggest movie stars, 19-year-old Luke Stryker (famous for a sart on a very 7th Heaven-y show) comes to town to 'research' a role--and Jenny's in charge of keeping his identity secret.

Jenny seemed a good bit like Sam from All American Girl and Ellie from what I've listened to of Avalon High (I got the audio book from the library)... not a carbon copy or anything but...the unassuming girl that seems to have that show more power/confidence/knowledge just under the surface waiting for a few words/actions/whatever from the choice character. Maybe not. Maybe they just read the same way.

I did like the book though-which yes, I know doesn't exactly make sense given that I didn't like Sam in AAG and I see her and Jenny as so similar...go figure. It wasn't a book to think about after you've read it, but it was a fun, quick, light read. Something cute to read while you're studying and can't take serious books-that kind of book.

Again, though, there was a secondary character that I found myself more interested in than the main character (this time it was Geri Lynn). And maybe I'm wrong but I've never heard of/been in a Latin class that was conducted all in Latin...so that bugged me ;)

Overall, if you want a book that touches on subjects of popularity, bullying, fame, dating, breaking up, and probably a few others all in something you can read in a day or two, then I do recommend Teen Idol.

7/10 show less

Even better than The Princess Diaries series, TEEN IDOL is the story about a girl-next-door who learns to use her influence to change the world. (Okay, not the world. But at least the people at her high school.)
Nice girl Jenny Greenley has a secret position on the school newspaper: she's Ask Annie, the unofficial school psychologist who gives advice to anyone who writes in. Only the school administrators and Scott Bennett, her friend and the newspaper's editor-in-chief, know about her extra job. Jenny is good at keeping secrets and not making a big deal out of things; that's why the administration chooses her to be the student guide for Luke Striker, a famous teen actor who's going undercover at Jenny's high school in order to research show more how normal high school students act for his next movie. If it had been anyone else being the guide, “Lucas’” secret would have been out and at the mercy of the high school’s extremely silly girls, including Jenny’s best friend, super-devoted fan Trina.
Through unforeseeable circumstances, Luke's real identity is exposed, and he jets it back to Hollywood--and safety. Before he goes, however, he gives Jenny a challenge: everybody likes her, why not use her power to inflict social change at her high school?
Doubtful, Jenny nevertheless tries to speak up more. The results are incredible. She gets Trina mad at her, helps turn a class laughingstock's life around, and stands up for herself for the first time in her life. The only problem is that with her newfound courage, she realizes she might be falling in love…with Scott.
As with all of Meg Cabot's books, TEEN IDOL has romance, humor, a bit of ridiculousness, and a happy ending. Jenny is a likeable protagonist, while Scott is a sweetheart. Fans of her other books will by no means be disappointed by this sweet tale. show less