THE REAL REAL

Jesse is convinced her senior year will be nothing short of pathetically normal until she’s picked to be one of the six stars of The Real Hampton Beach, a reality show filming in her town. As one of the few middle-class families in town, Jesse’s parents can’t resist the $40,000 scholarship Jesse gets for being on the show. What Jesse trades for the $40,000, however, is her privacy, her reputation, her best friend and a chance to finally get together with the boy she likes (also in the show). Jesse’s narration is mired in tedium, unlike a reality show in its failure to edit selectively for the interesting parts and the juicy storylines. When the show begins to air and Jesse becomes famous and loved, the book picks up steam, but readers might not get that far. Jesse’s rich, blond cast mates are interchangeable. Though they have drama of their own, readers never feel much for any of them until near the end of the book. The authors’ name recognition (The Nanny Diaries, 2002, etc.) should guarantee some sales. (Fiction. YA)