Monday, May 20, 2013

How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days by Kathleen Allen: A Book Review

[Purchase at Amazon]

17-year-old Cassie wants to be “seen,” so when she finds a book of rules on how to be famous in ten days, she devises a plan---with the help of her BFF---to do just that. Cyrano de Bergerac meets Comedy of Errors with a teen girl.


Watch the trailer for How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days!




CLG Review of How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days


4.5 (out of 5) lattes

Kathleen Allen's How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days is a fast-paced, funny, and endearing story about a young girl who wants more than anything to be seen and realizes that to be seen by others she needs to first truly see herself. From the first page, Allen gives us readers a main character we can sympathize and empathize with in 17-year-old Cassie, interesting and engaging characters that help to develop Cassie's story and set their own subplots, and conflict that escalates with each new chapter. I told myself I was going to open Allen's novel and read the first chapter before getting back to work. A little over two hours later, I was sad to have finished the book. Teens (and adults) looking for a quick, entertaining read with a message should give How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days a try.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


How to be Almost Famous in Ten Days Excerpt


My fingertips drifted across the dusty books stacked haphazardly on the shelf. I wasn’t looking for any particular book title—just wasting time while Rachel searched for a book in the romance section. I walked around the second hand books piled in haphazard stacks on the faded brown carpet in search of a science fiction. Closing my eyes as my fingers flitted over the books, I played a game I used to play when I was younger. If some book wanted me to read it, I’d know by the feeling the book gave me. Forgetting about the piles everywhere I ran into one—or two, I’m not sure—I opened my eyes just as I fell, sending the piles sprawling across the floor.

Which, by the way, smelled and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in centuries.

Rachel called out, “You okay, Cassie?”

“Yes,” I mumbled, sitting up.

No clerk came to my rescue, so I began to restack the books. My elbow was a bit scraped a bit, but otherwise no damage. Sighing, I continued piling up the books until a small yellow book caught my eye.

“How to Be Famous in Ten Days,” I read aloud.

“What?” Rachel asked from the other side of the aisle.

“I found a book,” I yelled back.

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