Hollywood Is like High School with Money

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Hollywood Is like High School with Money

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 · rating details · 470 ratings · 86 reviews

Twenty-four-year old Taylor Henning has just landed her dream job as an assistant at a major movie studio. But when her catty coworkers trick her into almost getting fired, she realizes that the old saying "Hollywood is like school with money" just may be true. The thing is, Taylor wasn't exactly a social butterfly in high school-how is she supposed to do any better the se...more

Paperback, 288 pages

Published July 23rd 2009 by Grand Central Publishing

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Love You to Death & High Stakes by Meg Cabot

Most underrated books

129th out of 403 books — 257 voters

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita

The Daughters Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin

The Daughters Join the Party by Joanna Philbin

Good Books About Fame, Money & Betrayal

43rd out of 50 books — 19 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,239)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 17, 2013 Jory rated it 3 of 5 stars

From the clever title and the attention grabbing cover I jumped on the chance to review this book.
It was the first two chapters, however, that almost made me give up because they seemed to be taken directly from The Devil Wears Prada - a protagonist that is fresh out of college gets a job as a second assistant to a hot shot Hollywood producer, has to answer to the perfect and catty, super-model cloned first assistant who is out to sabotage her efforts to get ahead in the biz, a complete makeover...more

like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

My confession: I've read the A-list series. It was summer, the local library didn't have much in stock, I was bored. What I got was pretty much what I expected - fun enough to read but not really memorable or well-written. (Except for the book where the main character and the girl who once had a lesbian crush on her get high on mescaline and wander around Mexico. It was so weird.) Unlike that series, HOLLYWOOD IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL WITH MONEY is for adults. Like it, I knew the trajectory of the st...more My confession: I've read the A-list series. It was summer, the local library didn't have much in stock, I was bored. What I got was pretty much what I expected - fun enough to read but not really memorable or well-written. (Except for the book where the main character and the girl who once had a lesbian crush on her get high on mescaline and wander around Mexico. It was so weird.) Unlike that series, HOLLYWOOD IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL WITH MONEY is for adults. Like it, I knew the trajectory of the story when I started.

Zoey Dean does a good job with the classic nice girl must become like mean girls to survive, becomes too mean, gets slapped down, becomes nice again and her life falls into place. (Reading the novel, I started thinking while Taylor made a terrible decision, "I want someone to write this story where the protagonist remains true to his or her ideals. It will push the moral conflict, but the protagonist never crosses the line." If anyone has read this book, please tell me. If anyone is trying to get it published now, you know who to put on the ARC list.)

I was worried that the book was going to be awful after I finished the chapter, due to a simile on page 10:

She reminded me of Sienna Miller in the film Factory Girl, playing Edie Sedgwick, except that her hair was long and wavy and dark gold, with butter-colored highlights that framed her face.

Why not just compare her to Edie Sedgwick? I felt like the simile was trying to be hip, but then why reference a several years old movie that was never popular?

But things quickly improved. Taylor Hennings is quite charming, with her weekly notes to the director who inspired her to work in the movie industry and begging a teenager to teach her how to act cool. I really fell in love with the way she dropped clothing brands after teen queen Quinn gave her a wardrobe of last year's clothing. She describes the events of a night out and then gives a little squeal at the end of the chapter, "And did I mention I was wearing Zac Posen?" She's cleary overwhelmed but reveling in the pricey clothing, and what normal girl wouldn't?

When she does step over the moral line, it feels fake. She knows it's wrong and says it, before being instantly convinced to do it. Like her roommate says, she's like a cute little dog. Her mean girl persona never feels as real as the awkward, friendly Taylor. It really is relieving to see the real deal return at the end.

HOLLYWOOD IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL WITH MONEY isn't groundbreaking, but I didn't expect it to be. It's a fun summer read, with a far more likeable protagonist than the A-list series. Zoey Dean is also the author of TALENT and PRIVILEGED, now a show on the CW. (less)

like 1 like · see review

Oct 09, 2010 Jessica Lawlor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2009

I was so excited to read this book because I really enjoyed Zoey Dean’s How To Teach Filthy Rich Girls (adapted into TV show Privileged) and her A-List series. After seeing the adorable cover of this novel, I knew it would be right up my alley. I definitely wasn’t wrong.

Hollywood Is Like High School With Money tells the story of Taylor Henning, a film school graduate from the East who moves to LA to hopefully make it big. She lands her dream job working as an assistant at a major Hollywood movie...more I was so excited to read this book because I really enjoyed Zoey Dean’s How To Teach Filthy Rich Girls (adapted into TV show Privileged) and her A-List series. After seeing the adorable cover of this novel, I knew it would be right up my alley. I definitely wasn’t wrong.

Hollywood Is Like High School With Money tells the story of Taylor Henning, a film school graduate from the East who moves to LA to hopefully make it big. She lands her dream job working as an assistant at a major Hollywood movie studio.

Taylor gets to work on her first day and finds out that not only will she not be reading scripts or making movies, but that she is in charge of making her boss Iris’s smoothies. The life of a second assistant is definitely not glamorous and Taylor’s co-worker and rival Kylie doesn’t exactly help to make Taylor feel welcome.

Taylor needs a plan. She enlists the help of Iris’s teenage daughter Quinn to teach her the ways of Hollywood and power. Taylor and Quinn make a deal that Quinn will help her out, but Taylor owes her one….with one catch. Taylor must do whatever Quinn wants, WHEN she wants it.

After learning how to successfully deliver the death stare and how to “fake it ‘til you make it” Taylor turns her career and social life around. Everything is perfect….until Quinn ruins it all. It’s serious damage control time for Taylor, but sometimes all the apologies and sucking up in the world just isn’t enough.

I couldn’t put this book down. I’m a sucker for a story about a regular old girl trying to make it big in the city.

Taylor was definitely a likable character. She was easy to relate to, and towards the end, I really felt my heart break for her. You know a book is good when you physically cringe at what’s coming up next. Even though Taylor turned into a mean girl throughout the course of the book, you can’t help but like her because she tried so hard to succeed.

I’m really hoping that Zoey Dean is planning to write another novel featuring the fabulous Taylor Henning.(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Sep 27, 2009 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Zoey Dean writes primarily for a teen audience, so it's no surprise that this is an adult book with a lot of teen appeal. Although the protagonist Taylor (a second assistant at a successful movie production company) is 24, she is a young 24, and is more the yearbook editor type than cheerleader. An agent pegs her for a Midwestern newbie on her first day on the job, and explains to her one night in a bar, it's the popular, confident folks who get ahead in Tinsel Town, not the ones with actual tal...more

like 2 likes · see review

Sep 22, 2009 Katherine Marple rated it 3 of 5 stars

Taylor Henning is a mid-twenties girl who comes from Nowhere Town to find herself pursuing an inspiring job as an assistant to one of the most high-powered women in the movie making industry- in Hollywood. Everyone appears to be very nice to her, and somewhat TOO helpful- which she quickly finds out is the truth. She nearly gets fired a few times, after following "really nice tips" from fellow workers. Intent on keeping her dream job (she actually READS the scripts that are pushed through the sl...more Taylor Henning is a mid-twenties girl who comes from Nowhere Town to find herself pursuing an inspiring job as an assistant to one of the most high-powered women in the movie making industry- in Hollywood. Everyone appears to be very nice to her, and somewhat TOO helpful- which she quickly finds out is the truth. She nearly gets fired a few times, after following "really nice tips" from fellow workers. Intent on keeping her dream job (she actually READS the scripts that are pushed through the slush pile and finds a gem!) she enlists the help of her boss's 16 year old, spoiled high school daughter. "Fake it til you make it" is her #1 rule- and this works well, for a little while.

This story is a typical "Do anything to get what I want, but end up having to pay for the mistakes I made by forfeiting all that I've worked hard for at the end" kind of book. It's similar to The Devil Wears Prada (Weisberger's one hit, in my opinion) except Taylor's boss, Iris, is much much more understanding and kind hearted than "Prada" boss (Miranda? It's been a while since I've read it).

Taylor's story lacks a bit of depth. It's a very light read, which might have been Dean's intent, but I feel it would have been a four-star book if it carried a little more weight to it. I love Weisberger's "Prada" because it taught some great life lessons in there too. "Prada" motivates me every time I read it because I know how it is to work really hard and seem to get "nothing" for it, waiting for that lucky break that doesn't come- ever. I apologize for continuously bringing up "Prada", but "Hollywood" is so similar in its storyline, that I feel I must compare it- almost like Dean has asked me to compare the two.

I started reading Zoey Dean's books after finding the A-List series in a bargain bin at a book store recently. She is pretty good at letting the story flow, but I think has trouble making anything appear "deep." She is a great young-Adult novelist because of this, but I think needs to have a bit more patience with her characters in order to become the adult novelist that she's seeking to be.

Dean is a very great storyteller. She tends to skim a bit, but she tells the story in enough humor and insight to keep me reading til the end.(less)

like · see review

Jul 28, 2009 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, reviewed-books, summer-reading

Synopsis:

Taylor Henning started her dream job at a major Hollywood studio. For as long as she can remember, Taylor has loved movies. The reclusive director Michael Deming and his seminal work Journal Girl have been a particular inspiration for Taylor. Although she's never received a response, Taylor sends Deming updates on her Hollywood experience.

Taylor soon finds that life as a second assistant involves small tasks and not the selection and producing of "great films," at least to start. But mo...more Synopsis:

Taylor Henning started her dream job at a major Hollywood studio. For as long as she can remember, Taylor has loved movies. The reclusive director Michael Deming and his seminal work Journal Girl have been a particular inspiration for Taylor. Although she's never received a response, Taylor sends Deming updates on her Hollywood experience.

Taylor soon finds that life as a second assistant involves small tasks and not the selection and producing of "great films," at least to start. But more than the type of work, it's her co-workers that make Taylor miserable. It's like high school all over with the popular girls and their mean tricks. Taylor's too much of a nice girl to acclimatize. Outwitted one too many times by first assistant Kylie and with her job at risk, Taylor asks Quinn, her boss's popular teenage daughter, for tactical advice. It's not about being mean. It's about being confident. Not taking anyone's @#%$...Fake it till you make it...Speak up in class. When you're quiet, you're invisible...Make 1 cool friend...Lunch is a battleground...Enlist a faithful assistant. Taking Quinn's advice, Taylor wins victories against Kylie.

As Taylor starts to come into her own, a creative executive position opens up. Competing against Kylie and the other assistants for the promotion, Taylor proves willing to use darker methods to advance.

Review:

Hollywood is Like High School With Money is the first Zoey Dean novel that I've read. Though the plot seems straightforward and predictable, Zoey Dean sets up the conflicts wonderfully. It may be that I'm inured to violence and too sensitive to female bullying, but when I got to where Kylie was setting the first trap for Taylor, I found the tension unbearable. I had to pause, put the book down, and come back to it. After that break from the book, I couldn't put it down. When Taylor seemed naive and too trusting, Dean gave her enough wit to make her likable. As Taylor grew accustomed to manipulation and was veering to the dark side, I still cared about her.

Overall, Hollywood is Like High School With Money is a light, satisfying read. I highly recommend it as a fun escape.

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (July 23, 2009), 288 pages.

Courtesy of Hatchette Books Group.(less)

like · see review

Jul 23, 2009 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars

Taylor has a passionate love affair for movies. Finally, her dream has become a reality. She has moved from Connecticut to California and is ready to take on the world. Or so she thought. Taylor is a nice person and Hollywood chews up nice people and spits them out. It's not long before Taylor makes the mistake of listening to devil spawn Kylie and almost gets herself fired. This is when Taylor decides to take the reigns and ride off with dignity. She isn't going to let snotty Kylie break her. S...more

like 1 like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 C_ rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: deutsch, lieblich, lies, zz2012-09

Taylor kommt nach L.A. um ihren Traum zu verwirklichen, wie wahrscheinlich schon Tausende vor ihr. Doch sie will nicht vor der Kamera stehen, sondern gute Filme produzieren. Sie ergattert einen Job in einem angesagten Studio und sieht sich mit den zähnefletschenden Konkurrenten in Hollywood konfrontiert, gegen die sie scheinbar nicht ankommt. Daher geht sie bei einer 16-jährigen Diva in die Schule und lässt sich bei einer skrupellosen Tat nach der anderen helfen...

Und genau das hat sie in meinen...more

like · see review

Oct 14, 2012 Allie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

I definitely needed a little break from all the paranormal doom and gloom books I've been reading lately, and this little refresher from Zoey Dean (of A-List series fame) was exactly what I needed. I'm fairly certain this was Zoey's first foray into writing an adult book, and though I haven't read any of her other works, I must say that I loved this one! The plot moved along quickly, I easily identified with Taylor (the MC) as she was a Midwestern girl who risked losing herself to find the caree...more

like · see review

Mar 08, 2010 Alice rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who think Gossip Girl is too literary

Shelves: chicklit

What did I learn from this book?

1) If you want to be a success in Hollywood, it's essential to have a random deux ex machina shower you with huge garbage bags full of designer clothes that fit perfectly.

2) However, if you work too hard and get too good at what you do, you'll become a conniving weasel who deserves to lose everything omg!!!1

3) So the BEST thing is to sort of learn to dress a little bit better and still work hard but be really super NICE and then everything will be perfect!!!1

I hat...more

like 3 likes · see review

Oct 06, 2009 CB rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. I liked "How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls" aka "Privileged." And I've been a Hollywood assistant.

But the heroine, Taylor, is seriously stupid. And one thing I can't stand in books are heroines too stupid to live. She has zero common sense. She believes her co-worker when she tells Taylor to spill company secrets to people outside the company - c'mon. That's just idiotic, no matter the industry. She stays out late drinking and oversleeps when she is...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 19, 2013 Denise Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ok, so I read this book just to change a little bit the zone.I was reading wait to much fantasy.
But when you read a awesome fantasy book, and then go for a nonfictional one,well the last one will suffer.:))
I enjoy the book, it was actually an interesting escape ,but definitely not as good as the one I read.
Taylor is an enthusiastic woman that comes to Los Angeles ,to become a movie maker.She loves to make movies.But here is not all glam and happiness ,it's more cheating and lies.Things that Tayl...more

like · see review

Aug 24, 2009 Deirdre added it

Obviously the premise of this book first struck me as a knockoff of The Devil Wears Prada. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover that this was not another tale of assistants putting up with impossibly awful bosses; rather, Taylor's boss was not the problem - she's the kind of classy lady you would want to work for - instead it was Taylor's fellow assistant who turned out to be the complete psycho.

Taylor's character wasn't wildly appealing, but the story was funny, fast-paced and trul...more

like · see review

Jul 23, 2009 Diana Dang rated it 4 of 5 stars

Taylor Henning's dream is finally coming true! A film enthusiast who recently graduated, she is eager to start her new job as a second assistant at a popular movie studio. But when she realizes that her catty co-worker, Kylie, is sabotaging her, she must bring her down. So she begs her boss's better-than-thou daughter, Quinn, to help her win against Kylie so she can get the creative executor promotion instead.

Things are turning out brilliantly in Taylor's favour as she follows the one-lined less...more Taylor Henning's dream is finally coming true! A film enthusiast who recently graduated, she is eager to start her new job as a second assistant at a popular movie studio. But when she realizes that her catty co-worker, Kylie, is sabotaging her, she must bring her down. So she begs her boss's better-than-thou daughter, Quinn, to help her win against Kylie so she can get the creative executor promotion instead.

Things are turning out brilliantly in Taylor's favour as she follows the one-lined lessons she received from Quinn through her iPhone. But what happens when the small white lies get a little too big?

First time reading a Zoey Dean novel, I was expecting something on the Gossip Girl level. A lot of drama, sex, and swearing; which I do not favour so much. But surprisingly, it was much better than I predicted.

Written in a voice of an eager and desperate young woman, this is a great summer read for teens and adults in the female demography. Taylor is not exactly a new character you see around the block, but is interesting enough to keep you wondering about what will happen next in her life. I thought how she asked her boss's teen kid for help was a little pathetic but amusing at the same time. It was a little sad to see a grown woman trying to take lessons on how to be "mean".

The plotline was not unpredictable and I was satisfied on how Taylor learnt her lesson. The ending, however, felt like it could have been better. But at the same time, I saw that it somehow fit together. I particularly liked Dean's writing style. You can really see what the surroundings are like in Taylor's eyes. Overall, I enjoyed my first Zoey Dean's novel and might actually venture into her YA series. Since her teen series, Privileged, became a weekly TV series, I think Hollywood is Like High School with Money can be a potential chick flick movie.

Recommended to movie buffs (there are lots of real celebrities referencing) and those who would like to read a "teen drama for the older audience."(less)

like · see review

Jun 29, 2009 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

I have to say that I originally thought this book would be another knock-off of The Devil Wears Prada- I was delighted to find that in fact Taylor's boss was a wonderful employer, not a psycho. Of course, her assistant is a psycho, but I can much more readily understand accepting that dynamic of hostility than I can working for someone insane.

The book was funny and the scenarios rang true for assistants. Taylor was not the most sympathetic of characters, but I was invested in her story and thou...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 28, 2010 Erica Leigh rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, chick-lit, library

You know the story. It's been done. A wildly predictable plot with two-dimensional characters. Think of it as 'The Devil Wears Prada' x 'Mean Girls' - high school + Hollywood movie scene.

Girl gets job. Girl resorts to lying to get promotion/get back at "mean girl" in office (with the help of a high school girl. Really?). Girl gets everything she wants: boy, job, clothes, friends. Girl gets everything taken away from her (boy, job, friends) after she is "found out". Everything suddenly rights its...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 14, 2009 Monie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fresh from Connecticut, Taylor Henning lands a dream job at a major movie studio. Okay, so she’s not a Creative Executive whose job it is to read and recommend screenplays for the studios to produce. No… she’s just an assistant to the assistant of the powerful Iris Whitaker, President of Production.

When first assistant Kylie Arthur sabotages Taylor at the first opportunity she almost gets fired. That’s when Taylor realizes that Hollywood is just like high school. If you’re not in, no one wants...more

like · see review

Dec 13, 2010 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, chick_lit

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it wasn’t badly written. The pace is good, the characters are colorful (though a little stereotypical), and it’s a window into a world most people don’t know anything about. On the other hand, the "mean girl" stuff doesn’t sit well with me. The fact that Taylor resorts to those sorts of tactics was enough to sour any good feelings I formed about her at the beginning. Frankly, I thought her ending was a little more happy than she deserved. I think wh...more

like · see review

Jan 04, 2010 Brie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, chick-lit

A fun in the sun book, yes. Anything else...? No. This book was predictable, and I love predictability. This book... was not one like that. It was sickeningly predictable. The relationships that were "built" seemed fake. Why should I have cared about the main character and Luke. Sure he was hot and perfect, but I didn't feel like Taylor had any real interest in him or... well anyone. I felt like this was a giant book of show, not tell. I was told everything. and it didn't work.

And it basically s...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 25, 2009 Alea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-for-review

Hollywood Is Like High School With Money was a whole lot of fun for me. Young twenty-something moving to LA to work in the movie business. I mean how could that not be fun! From the beginning I found Taylorrelatable , she doesn't show up at her job in designer duds and with the attitude, she actually has to be told how to play the part by a teenage girl so she doesn't accidentally lose her job due to her rival co-worker.

I loved how this book goes behind the scenes of an Creative Executive at a m...more

like · see review

Oct 31, 2009 Kourtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

I could not stop making comparisons of this book to The Devil Wears Prada and The Second Assistant A Tale from the Bottom of the Hollywood Ladder. Complete sense of deja vu the whole way through. This story has been told before, and was VERY predictable the whole way through. If you disregard the other 2 books this was ripped off from then it is a decent story. But I would stick with the two listed above first before trying out this one...

like · see review

Aug 25, 2012 Ronke rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book in a shop called Chapters in Toronto which is basically the Canadian version of Borders. There seems to be a bit of a mystery over who Zoey Dean is, according to Wikipedia, Ms Dean is actually the pseudonym of Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld. Dean’s most famous work is How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls which has been turned into the TV series Privileged. Hollywood is Like High School With Money is the tale of Taylor Henning, a 24 year old graduate who lands her dream job as...more I picked up this book in a shop called Chapters in Toronto which is basically the Canadian version of Borders. There seems to be a bit of a mystery over who Zoey Dean is, according to Wikipedia, Ms Dean is actually the pseudonym of Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld. Dean’s most famous work is How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls which has been turned into the TV series Privileged. Hollywood is Like High School With Money is the tale of Taylor Henning, a 24 year old graduate who lands her dream job as an assistant at Metronome studio. Bright eyed and bushy tailed she sets out to prove herself in the world of films however she faces a barrage of backstabbing and undermining from her co-worker, Kylie. Afraid of being left on the sidelines, Taylor employs the assistance of the sassy Quinn Whitaker, the daughter of her high powered boss, Iris. Pretty soon Quinn has Taylor up to speed on ruthless tactics that are needed to get ahead in the movie business and Taylor finds herself exercising her inner mean girl antics. When a position as a creative executive comes up it looks like Kylie is a dead cert on bagging it but Taylor has other ideas and is determined to land the coveted role. She decides to raise the stakes in order to make her dreams come true.

I was hoping this would be a clever and fun read with well developed characters and I got exactly what I wished. Hollywood is Like High School With Money really gives you an insight into how the movie industry is run and I certainly learnt a lot about how ideas are pitched and the whole production process. It also shows how a person can lose their soul in the efforts to make it in a very fickle industry. I liked the main protagonist very much and found it easy to emphasise with her even when she was being down right manipulative. Her indifference to a sweet and friendly intern who saves her bacon during a rough patch really shows how far Taylor has gone to the dark side. My only griping was the ending which I found to be a bit too obvious and simplistic. Saying that this book is one of the best I have ever read.(less)

like · see review

Nov 08, 2009 Princess Bookie rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Thoughts: I read the book description of this book and thought I would like it. I like to read about the Hollywood scene and it seemed like a fun book I'd enjoy. And boy was I right! We meet Taylor who comes from a small town to Hollywood. She just wants to make movies and succeed. She wants to enjoy what she is doing. She has had a penpal for years now, but he has never written her back! She keeps sending him postcards along the journey to Hollywood. She than realizes that Hollywood is just...more

like · see review

Sep 16, 2009 Steph Su rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guilty-pleasure

Coming from an author known for her scandalous and dramatic descriptions of Hollywood life, HOLLYWOOD IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL WITH MONEY is surprisingly fun and not over-the-top. It is the ideal book for beach or weekend reading, great because the book does all the thinking for you so that you only have to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Taylor is a great protagonist to follow around, and yet her gradual transition from nice girl to mean girl is so well done that you’re gasping in shock at her t...more Coming from an author known for her scandalous and dramatic descriptions of Hollywood life, HOLLYWOOD IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL WITH MONEY is surprisingly fun and not over-the-top. It is the ideal book for beach or weekend reading, great because the book does all the thinking for you so that you only have to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Taylor is a great protagonist to follow around, and yet her gradual transition from nice girl to mean girl is so well done that you’re gasping in shock at her transformation before you know it. Everything that Taylor does and everything that happens to her seems completely probable, even for us outsiders with no real access to life in Hollywood. The main cast of characters has their own set of problems, making them believable and three-dimensional.

Likewise, the plot is perfectly orchestrated, a tight ship run by an observant captain. I can hardly help trying to stay one step of the author and the protagonist, but I am happy to say that, with this book, I didn’t feel the need suspect their next moves. The plot was not predictable (although not unpredictable—there’s a subtle difference), which led to my true enjoyment of this book.

Unfortunately, there were a few characters whose motivations were vague and undeveloped. It is unclear as to why Quinn, the seemingly put-together and shrewdly bitchy teen who gives Taylor’s lots of great advice via text messages (advice that even we readers can use in our socializing), agreed to this plan in the first place, and what motivated her actions. Luke, Taylor’s eventual love interest, is irritatingly perfect: he never does anything wrong, and loves quickly and with his whole heart. As a result, his character disappointed me with its lack of realism. In trying hard to sustain the plausibility of this story, I’m afraid some of the finer points of characterization were lost, a loss that is magnified by this book’s precarious position in between genuinely fun reading and guilty-pleasure trash.

Faults aside, I honestly enjoyed HOLLYWOOD IS FOR HIGH SCHOOL WITH MONEY. This is a great book to pick up if you’re a smart, fun-loving reader for whom bestselling series like Gossip Girl and The A-List are just a teeny bit too unbelievable. It’s perfect for teens who want a story of a hard-earned and well deserved happily ever after.(less)

like · see review

Jul 30, 2009 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, reviewed, read-july-2009

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was my first book by Zoey Dean and I will look to her backlist to read some more. She really seems to have her pulse on the younger female trying to make her way in the world (and this is not truly exclusive to the 20-something female - it's true for all females).

From the beginning I liked Taylor - I could identify with her. Wanting to succeed at what she was doing, yet she's not truly a backstabber or an extreme go-getter. However in Hollywood, she has to...more

like · see review

Jul 14, 2011 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

To be honest I have a soft spot for Zoey Dean's books. I mean the A List series? Not at all complex and intricate reads, but lots of fun! And Privileged, her first adult debut? The same way! So, why I haven't read Hollywood is Like High School with Money sooner? I have no clue, but regardless I recently did and really enjoyed it- I actually think it may be her best book yet!

Hollywood is Like High School with Money begins the story of story of Taylor Henning, a young woman trying to name a name f...more To be honest I have a soft spot for Zoey Dean's books. I mean the A List series? Not at all complex and intricate reads, but lots of fun! And Privileged, her first adult debut? The same way! So, why I haven't read Hollywood is Like High School with Money sooner? I have no clue, but regardless I recently did and really enjoyed it- I actually think it may be her best book yet!

Hollywood is Like High School with Money begins the story of story of Taylor Henning, a young woman trying to name a name for herself within the world of movie studios. She's got the job lined up and she's got the drive and ambition, which makes her all set to go, in her opinion. However, that's not all she'll need, as after her first few weeks of playing nice, she ends up almost getting fired because of Kylie, one of her coworkers. Knowing she needs to steep it up and play the game, Taylor recruits Quinn, her bosses teenage daughter, to teach her the rules of Hollywood, and it works! She begins to give Kylie a run for a money. However, there's one problem she begins to fall for Kylie's boyfriend under some odd circumstances, and because of it, everything starts to unravel once again. Will Taylor be able to pick up the pieces before it's too late? Or will Hollywood turn it's back on her? Only time and more pages can tell in this read perfect for reading by the beach or pool!

Taylor is a character I had mix feelings about, because while I found her easy to root for, I didn't always love her decisions, especially when it came to Kylie's boyfriend. At the start of the book, Taylor is in most cases lost in the world of Hollywood. She's ambitious and she lacks the fakeness involved with Hollywood, but as the novel continues this begins to swift, as she looses her nice girl persona and begins to become the complete opposite. However, all in all, she did learn a lot of life lessons because of it, and it played an important part in her character development, so I can't really be all that disappointed. The character I liked the most, though, was Kylie boyfriend, Luke. He was so sweet and adorable, and I constantly rooted for him and Taylor.

The plot in this was lots of fun! I enjoyed the inside scoop of what occurs in the world of movie studios and agencies. Better yet, it was always fun to see what advice Quinn gave Taylor, because it constantly caused lots of drama that in effect had me flipping the pages even faster!

While Dean's writing wasn't anything magnificent, it did severe it's purpose well in the way it created scandalous and fun characters and storylines. I especially loved the ending, even though it was a little too cookie-cutter clean in some ways.

Hollywood is Like High School with Money is the perfect beach read. I can only Zoey Dean will have another book that's just as fun out soon!

Grade: B+(less)

like · see review

Aug 05, 2011 T. M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very similar on the surface to "Devil Wears Prada" except the boss isn't as evil--it's the co-workers that are cut-throat. Set in Hollywood's flimmaking industry, "Hollywood..." is the story of a college grad who dreams of working with her idol--a dream that seems impossible. She grows and changes over time, drifting away from her original purpose as she tries to fit the mold.

Then it all falls apart and it's up to her to either pick up the pieces or let her dreams go.

A quick read in first person...more

like · see review

May 18, 2012 Michelle♥ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, library, should-have-never-picked-up, young-adult

This was just ok.

I really couldn't get into it. It was way too similar to the Devil Wears Prada, and that book was MUCH better.

Taylor was so ignorant about...EVERYTHING. I really can't understand how dumb she was.

How everything she set to do never turned out and then she gets everything back at the end.

This book was supposed to be appealing because I like the way that Zoey Dean writes, but this was a total let down....

Bottomline: Pass it by, read another book.

like · see review

Aug 09, 2009 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was another midwest-girl-moves-to-the-big-city-to-try-to-make-it-big story. But I really liked it! I couldn't get enough! There was a unique side to this story, with Taylor asking the teenage Quinn for help.

I liked the characters- I thought for the most part, Taylor kept true to herself --until the promotion was up for grabs. But even then I could still see signs of her true self. And there was a time that I felt sorry for Kylie--like she used to be a nice girl but only became mean because...more

like · see review

Jun 04, 2009 Shauna rated it 1 of 5 stars

Normal girl main character comes to Hollywood, becomes competitive, turns into a major bitch, and loses everything. And then miraculously gets it all back, better and shinier than ever.
Right.

It's taken me long enough, but I think this is the book that will finally get me to stop reading formulaic chick lit. Well, this one on top of Ms Taken Identity, I'm So Happy For You, and that other one I can't remember the title of. What shall I OD on next?

like 1 like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 41 42 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (6)

More editions...

Genres

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

19 users

Young Adult

8 users

Romance

4 users

Romance > Contemporary Romance

4 users

Young Adult > Teen

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Reality Check
by Jen Calonita
Spring Break
by Katherine Applegate
Easy on the Eyes
by Jane Porter
Fortune
by Megan Cole
Mating Rituals of the North American WASP
by Lauren Lipton

About Zoey Dean

The author of The A-List series and How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls, which has been renamed and turned into a TV show known as Privileged on the CW in September 2008. Zoey Dean's books are produced by the media packager Alloy Entertainment, which created Gossip Girl, The Clique Series, and The A-List and sold them to Little, Brown and Company.
Zoey is currently working on The Talent series. She is...more

More about Zoey Dean...

Books by Zoey Dean

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Hollywood Is like...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Hollywood Is like High School with Money
avg rating	preview: Hollywood Is like High School with Money Goodreads rating: 3.50 (470 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6034173-hollywood-is-like-high-school-with-money?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344271683l/6034173.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6034173-hollywood-is-like-high-school-with-money?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Hollywood Is like High School with Money by Zoey Dean[/url]

Hollywood Is like High School with Money

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website