Unrivalled

I received a copy from Netgalley.
This is very very different from all the other Alyson Noel books I have read, and while I detested the Immortals, I really liked Soul Seekers, I absolutely loved loved loved this one. It's everything that should be wrong about Hollywood, obnoxious starlets, sleazy insultingly rich club owners with no moral compass whatsoever, over driven teens who will do anything to succeed who don't care about lying or backstabbing to get ahead. And it was completely addictive and utterly brilliant. I don't think I liked a single character in this book. Ambitious Layla with a gossip blog wants to be a serious reporter. Small Midwestern town Tommy wants to make it big on the movie scene and pretty Persian Aster wants to be a famous actress. All of them are overshadowed by current It Girl and teen star Madison Brooks and her heartbthrob boyfriend tv star Ryan (who’s last name I have already forgotten). While I didn’t like the characters much and the plot was rather silly, the writing was utterly addictive. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.
The story is told in alternating view points from each character – Layla, Tommy, Aster and Madison. Each character has a great deal more to their original first impressions. Layla, Tommy and Aster come to a competition to run some glamorous night clubs in a competition run by a well known figure head on the scene Ira Redman. Each has their own team and club to run, there are cash incentives, goals – each needs to get their club running, generate the most interest and customer turnover and get the biggest stars to show up. Big ass prize and a real contract job for the winner. Insert backstabbing, rivalry and underhand tactics to get the show going. The name on everyone’s lips is Madison Brooks, who has her own story. Madison appears to be more than just your average Hollywood starlet. She’s clearly driven, she’s clearly a big bitch, but she’s also very shrewd and intelligent. And has a secret past that she’s trying desperately to keep hidden. When the competition starts heating up – Madison disappears. Murder? Kidnapping? No one knows. And all three of our main characters – Layla, Tommy and Aster – all have motive to be responsible, Madison has had an impact – both positive and negative on all of them. It’s brilliantly twisty and impossible to guess as the police dig in and investigate. Left at one hell of a great cliffhanger. (I already have my own theories) the wait for the next one is going to KILL ME. Fantastic, addictive read. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Mira Ink for approving my request for this one.