Blacklist

Beautiful Idols #2

by Alyson Noel, Kyla Garcia (Narrator)

Layla Harrison has finally found herself in the middle of a celebrity story worth reporting. Aster Amirpour’s name is in every tabloid—even if it isn’t the good kind of publicity she hoped for. Tommy Phillips is inches away from getting the girl of his dreams, which may be harder than scoring a VIP ticket to an Unrivaled nightclub.

But Layla, Aster and Tommy never imagined it would be because they’re entangled in the disappearance of Madison Brooks—a story that’s blinded the world like a starlet blinded by the flash of a paparazzi camera.

Now, Layla is receiving mysterious messages from an anonymous source, Aster’s looming murder trial is so huge even her parents’ lawyer can’t save her, Tommy is retracing his steps as the last person Madison saw alive, and Layla’s ex Mateo finds himself lured into the fold.

You can dig up dirt about celebrities that the tabloids miss if you search long enough. But when Layla, Aster, and Tommy team up with an unsuspecting insider to unearth the truth, they’ll find that some secrets are best kept in the grave.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Ebooks, Fiction, Romance, Mystery Thriller

Audiobook

First published April 4, 2017

About the author

*Note to readers: I'm slowly adding to the long list of books I've read, books I'm reading, and books I want to read. I only add books I loved, hence all my ratings are 5 stars.


Alyson Noël is the #1 NYT best-selling author of many award-winning and critically acclaimed novels for readers of all ages.

With 9 NYT bestsellers and millions of copies in print, her books have been translated into 36 languages, and have topped the NYT, USA Today, LA Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Wall Street Journal, NCIBA, and Walmart Bestsellers lists, as well as several international bestsellers lists.

She is best known for THE IMMORTALS series, THE RILEY BLOOM series, and SAVING ZOË, which was adapted into a movie now available on Amazon.

Upcoming works include:

RULING DESTINY- book 2, in the STEALING INFINITY series

STEALING INFINITY- Optioned for TV by Valhalla Entertainment - available now!

FIELD GUIDE TO THE SUPERNATURAL UNIVERSE - Optioned for TV by producers Charles Matthau and Michael Zoumas with Andrew Orenstein and Matt Hastings attached as show runners

Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan and is now settled in Southern California. Learn more at www.alysonnoel.com.

Instagram:
http://instagram.com/alyson_noel

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AlysonNoel/

Facebook:
Official me: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alyson...

Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/alysonnoel/

Reviews

[Always Pouting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Madison Brooks has disappeared leading to wide coverage in the news and tabloids. Aster finds herself in the spotlight but for being responsible for Madison's disappearance when a bloody dress is found. Meanwhile Layla who runs a gossip blog begins to receive strange messages by someone claiming to have information about Madison and the secrets she hides. Layla decides to help Aster look into Madison's disappearance. Tommy is revealed to be off the hook for Madison's disappearance but gets pulled into investigating it due to his friendship with Layla, who he is in love with. Now that Layla has broken up with her boyfriend Tommy hopes he has a chance, especially after that kiss they shared.

I haven't read the first book so maybe that's why I didn't enjoy this one as much. It felt like a filler and there were too many characters to keep track of at once for me to care about anyone. Maybe the first one introduces them much more gradually so that people returning to read the sequel want to keep reading but it took me a while to get all the relationships sorted out and where the plot line stood and so I didn't really enjoy it.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed Unrivaled more. This one seems to suffer from second book syndrome. It didn't really add anything to the story besides a couple additional POVs that didn't exist in the first book. Looking back on it, if I went into the plot of both books..what I would have to say would be no more than two sentences long regarding this sequel. It feels like a transitional book to get us to book three. I felt like I was wasting my time when the few things added to the plot could've been thrown in the last book. But to each their own.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

This was an interesting second instalment, and I was pleased that we found out a bit more about what happened to Madison.

This book once again focused on Aster, Layla and Tommy, but this time the book was more about what had happened to Madison, and less about Aster, Layla and Tommy’s desires to make it big in Hollywood. We did find out where Madison currently was, and partly how she had ended up there, which was interesting, and Aster, Layla and Tommy worked to try and solve the mystery, especially after Aster’s arrest at the end of book 1. I did find the book jumped about a bit between the characters again, and it was sometimes hard to immediately know which character the chapter was focusing on.

The ending to this was okay, but there were still loads of questions left unanswered for the next book.



6.5 out of 10

[Madi ~☆TheBookNerdDiaries☆~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

EDIT: 3.5 stars. This ending was meh and definitely not as good as the other book's.




WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THE PRETTY MINIMALIST COVERS????????? BRING THEM BACK NOW!!!!

[Joana’s World · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro que nos fala do mundo dos famosos pelo aspecto negativo, em que há demasiados segredos escondidos, armadilhas e ações que acabam por prejudicar o próprio e os outros. Leitura viciante. "Todos te amam depois de teres partido".

[Maggiebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olá queridos leitores!

Antes de começar a ler o livro disseram-me que precisava de ler o primeiro da trilogia para poder perceber a história. Na verdade, não senti isso. Parece ser uma história completamente à parte de qualquer outra. Pelo menos foi o que eu achei. Se calhar escaparam-me pormenores importantes e nem me apercebi...

Por um lado, gostei muito de ler este romance. Tem algum suspense e, no geral, tem uma boa história. Mas, por outro lado, não havia necessidade nenhuma de arrastar tanto... toda a narrativa desenvolve-se em volta do desaparecimento de Madison, mas foca-se mais nos seus amigos e conhecidos do que propriamente em Madison. Para mim esse é o maior "defeito" deste livro. Acabamos por não conhecer nenhuma das personagens de forma íntima... apenas conhecemos pequenos flashes da vida de cada um.

Quando terminei a leitura fiquei um pouco aborrecida. Quero saber muito mais do que aquilo que nos é descrito. Por favor, Harper Collins, tentem publicar o terceiro livro o mais rapidamente possível.

Vejo muitas semelhanças com Gossip Girl, mas apenas no desenvolver da história de cada personagem. As suas vidas têm um pouco em comum com as personagens da série...

O suspense devia destacar-se mais no desenvolvimento da ação, mas raramente dava cor de si.
Estou à espera que o terceiro livro seja mais entusiasmante. No entanto, gostei desta leitura e recomendo a quem tiver vontade de ler algo muito rápido e leve.

[Jesse Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blacklist by Alyson Noel (Beautiful Idols #2)
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on April 4th 2017
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary
Pages: 448
Format: ARC
LINKS: Good Reads | Amazon | Indigo | Book Depository

Blacklist by Alyson Noel is the sequel to last year's YA Hollywood mystery, Unrivaled. Taking place not long after the first one, we find Aster in jail for the murder of Madison, Layla trying her best to clear Aster's name, and Tommy trying to steer clear of all the drama as his music career is finally starting to take off.

My Likes
And the Plot Thickens
As readers we all know that Madison is not really dead as we get her POV from the story. But things are starting to come together about who has taken her and why they are trying so hard to frame Aster for her murder. As the Scooby Gang continue to dive into this mystery of who, what, when, where and why, Madison is dire trouble. She is fighting to get out and find help. But how far is she going to have to push?

Noel does a good job adding little tidbits here and there that add thickness to the plot without fully giving away too many answers. If it was any other regular mystery, I think it would fall pretty flat though. But with the added backdrop of Hollywood, the rumors, and the paparazzi, Blacklist is one exciting read!

Tons of Drama
Where there is Hollywood, actors, and models, you better believe there is drama right around the corner. Not only are the reporters and paparazzi hounding Aster, but the cops are right on their trail. With rumors flying around it's hard to not getting a little stir crazy.

Innocence only lasts until you're caught.

Character Developments
Aster is in a pretty shitty situation at the moment, but we can see her growing up in a way that was different from Unrivaled. Not only is she not acting like a spoiled daddy's girl anymore, but she is also starting to think of more than just herself. Meanwhile, things are starting to heat up between Layla and Tommy, and I am there for that. YES!

Noel is going a great job making theses characters feel real in some way. It's a hard thing to do when the backdrop is a murder mystery! So kudos to her.

My Dislikes


Not Very Mysterious?
I'm a little underwhelmed with the "mystery" surrounding Madison's disappearance and possible murder, because as a reader we know she's not dead. I'm kind of anticipating a rather dull reveal when it comes down to it to be honest. I feel like it's not going to live up to the hype that it hopes it's building toward.

I'm more into the character's lives and the TV show feels that I get from Blacklist. I'm crossing my finger for some good stuff to come in the finale!



I recommend this one if you like the mysterious lives of Hollywood stars, drama piled on to more drama, and a highly addictive cast of characters. Let me know what you guys thought of Blacklist  by Alyson Noel!  I would love to hear your opinions as well!

Until next time,

TWITTER | GOOD READS | INSTAGRAM | BLOG LOVIN'

[Jessica Dillema · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zwarte lijst
Vandaag heb ik voor jullie een recensie van Zwarte lijst, het tweede deel in de Beautiful Idols-serie door Alyson Noël. Het eerste deel, Rivalen, was leuk, maar niet geweldig. En dit heeft er ook toe geleid dat ik Zwarte lijst niet zo snel oppakte. Maar inmiddels heb ik het boek gelezen en kan ik jullie vertellen wat ik van Zwarte lijst vind.

Veel perspectieven
Rivalen en Zwarte lijst bevatten een waslijst aan personages; ik moest eerst wel weer even in het verhaal komen. Wie was wie ook alweer en had wat ook alweer met wie gedaan? Gelukkig wordt alles in de loop van het boek wel weer duidelijk. Al moet je wel bij de les blijven. Het verhaal wordt namelijk niet alleen vanuit het perspectief van Layla, Tommy en Aster verteld, maar ook diverse andere personages krijgen spreektijd. Tot slot is er ook nog een hele reeks bijpersonages die van belang zijn voor het verhaal. Misschien had dit wel iets minder gemogen.

Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars
Ook Zwarte lijst zit weer barstensvol met geheimen, intriges, actie en spanning. Ik zou het zelf omschrijven als een mix tussen Gossip Girl (intriges en escapades, drama), Pretty Little Liars (vermissing, spanning en een persoon die anoniem berichten stuurt) en het Hollywood leven. Rivalen focuste voornamelijk op de wedstrijd tussen Layla, Tommy en Aster. Zwart lijst legt de nadruk op de beschuldigen op Aster ontkrachten. Zij werd immers gearresteerd voor de moord op Madison aan het einde van Rivalen.

Duisterder
Zwarte lijst vind ik wel leuker dan ik Rivalen vond. De personages zijn leuker om te volgen, hebben duidelijk hun eigen verhaal en maken een ontwikkeling door, maar het verhaal was ook spannender. Zwarte lijst is een stuk duisterder dan Rivalen. De vermissing neemt steeds serieuzere vormen aan, misschien is het zelfs wel moord? Af en toe vond ik de focus – op de vermissing van Madison, toch wel het plot volgens mij? – even verdwijnen, en namen de intriges wat de overhand. En ik had gehoopt op wat meer ontknopingen. Maar ik vond Zwarte lijst wel enorm lekker weglezen en had hem dan ook zo uit.
Leuk nog om te vermelden: het viel mij op dat de titels van de hoofdstukken allemaal titels van liedjes zijn.

De cover
Wat ik overigens wel enorm jammer vind is dat ze een niet bij het eerste deel passende cover hebben gekozen. Hij werd ook tijdelijk geadverteerd met de wél bijpassende cover, dus ik heb geen idee waarom alsnog hiervoor is gekozen. Persoonlijk vind ik de rode cover waar ze eerst mee adverteerden véél mooier.

Conclusie
Hoewel ik Rivalen wel leuk vond, pakte ik Zwarte lijst niet zo snel op. Op de één of andere manier hield iets mij tegen. Mogelijk omdat ik Rivalen leuk vond, maar niet geweldig. Zwarte lijst vond ik echter leuker dan verwacht. Het verhaal leest lekker vlot en heb je zo uit. In Zwarte lijst neemt het verhaal een meer duistere wending en krijg je naast Gossip Girl taferelen ook wat Pretty Little Liars taferelen. Af en toe mist even de focus, en had ik graag nog wat meer ontknopingen gezien. Maar het was een heerlijk vlot boek, en ik ben benieuwd naar het vervolg.

Deze recensie verscheen eerst op mijn blog Reviews & Roses. Per 1 november 2024 bestaat dit blog niet meer.

[Cate NerdeChique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Estava mesmo a ver que não ia conseguir terminar este livro, foi mesmo muito difícil, demorei cerca de três semanas para o ler. Acho que nunca me tinha acontecido. Li-o em conjunto com a Tânia do blogue Thinking like a Fangirl, podem ver a opinião dela sobre o livro aqui , foi graças à nossa leitura conjunta que consegui terminar xD

Foi uma leitura muito cansativa, sempre que pegava no livro, passada três paginas já me sentia cansada e só queria fechar o livro. Não conhecia a escrita da Alyson, mas achei-a pouco fluída e confusa, quando terminava um capitulo e começava outro, já não sabia que personagem estava a falar pois ela não mencionava logo no inicio.
Acabei por não ficar encantada com nenhuma personagem, gostei de uma ou duas, mas a maioria passaram despercebidas.

As partes que eu gostei mais do livro foram as rimas perturbadoras que enviavam a Layla, embora aquilo fosse para assustar acabava por rir com algumas, pelo seu humor negro.
A história em si não é má, mas acho que é tudo desenvolvido muito lentamente, o que cansa bastante.

Assumo também um pouco de culpa por não ter lido o primeiro, mas a verdade é que só me apercebi que tinha pouco tempo antes de ter o livro nas mãos (as capas nada têm a ver uma com a outra). Pensei, pelo menos pela sinopse, que.... (continuar a ler em https://nerdechique.wordpress.com/201...)

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Blacklist is the second book in the Beautiful Idols trilogy. The series is YA mystery.

The main narrators are Layla, Aster, Tommy, Mateo (Layla's ex), and Trena (reporter). They are all told in 3rd person POVs.

The first book ended with a big cliffhanger.

I'm not sure how I feel about so many narrators. It gives the reader insight into all angles of the story. But I find it does not let me really connect with any one narrator. Plus the 3rd person POVs make it harder to connect. I actually wish that we only got Layla and Aster's POVs.

To me the book was a bit too long. But the story was definitely much more interesting than the first book.

I actually really enjoyed Blacklist. However, I wish that the mystery of what happened to Madison was not dragged out over all three books. Usually in a mystery series there would be a mystery, but it would be solved in the first book. Then there would be a new mystery in the second book. I like the story. But I want the mystery to be solved already.

The book ends with another cliffhanger ending. The last part of the book was exciting. But I am not happy that the mystery wasn't resolved. I am glad however that the reader was given some idea of what happened to Madison. But I wanted more.

Overall, the story was pretty good. My favorite parts were when a bunch of the narrators were together. So when the POVs switched the story was not interrupted. I will definitely have to read the final book because I am dying to know who the guilty party is.



Thanks to edelweiss and Katherine Tegen Books for allowing me to read this book.

[Shelley]

*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Young Adult, Mystery
*Rating* 3-3.5

*MY Thoughts*

Blacklist is the second installment in author Alyson Noel's Beautiful Idols series. Once more, the story focuses on three main characters; Aster Amirpour, Layla Harrison, & Tommy Phillips. But, it also includes Madison Brooks, the star who went missing in the previous installment, Mateo Luna, Layla's ex-boyfriend who finds himself chasing after a way to help support his hospital ridden sister, and Trena Moretti, a reporter who believes she can do what nobody else can do. Solve the Madison mystery.  

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

[Kate’s Book Spot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed quite a few books by this author, this series seems quite different to those books though. I'll start by saying that I haven't read book 1 in the Beautiful Idols series and this always makes me a little worried that there will be parts of the storyline that won't makes sense to me.

The action began straight away yet it took me a little while to build up a clear picture of what was going on. Could this have been because I hadn't read the first book and didn't 'know' the characters? I'm not sure, but whatever the reason, I still found myself hanging on every dark word and asking my Kindle all sorts of questions about the scenes unfolding in front of me (everyone talks to their Kindle, right?).

Highlighting the darker side of the glitzy LA lifestyle, I became thoroughly caught up in the character's comings and goings. The authors writing had a young feel to it but was a little grittier than the other books I've read by her. As I flipped through the pages I was gripped by the mystery of Madison's disappearance and the incidents that surrounded it. I tried to figure out who was responsible and came up with a few theories but would any of them be correct?

The story ended on a huge cliffhanger that had me yelling 'noooo' at my Kindle. I really need to know what happens next so I'll be looking forward to the next instalment and in the meantime I might go back and read the first book.

Once I became familiar with the characters I found this to be a mysterious, page-turner filled with tension, complicated relationships and secrets.

[Cecily Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really get into the first one of the series, the characters were spoiled snotty brats willing to step all over each other to get to the top of the fame ladder. This novel however had a lot more "working together" that made me get to know the characters a little better and see the other side of them. Hopefully, there is more news of the third installment soon as now I am invested in seeing how the story unfolds.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
THE END ??!!
i want to Know what happened and who did it !

[Sunsettowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Picking up where the first book in the series left off, there is a presumed murder to solve, a celebrity's past to unlock, and a friend who needs their innocence proven.

This is such a fun, well-done young adult mystery series. I really like that Noel manages to keep the momentum from the first book going without losing steam, and while continuing the mystery in a way that makes sense and flows well.

The characters are complex, and their relationships are compelling. I especially enjoy how well Noel has kept characters that could have been so one-dimensional so human instead.


There really isn't anything not to like about this series. It reminds me of Pretty Little Liars back in its heyday when the books were still full of strong mysteries and unique characters. I would have liked to have more of the mystery solved, but that's just because the mystery is so good that I want to know more as soon as possible.


I definitely recommend this series. They are quick, fun reads that will suck you in and leave you wanting to read more.

[L.L. Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series! Mystery, suspense, and Hollywood glamour all wrapped into one neat package. This book dives deeper into the underbelly of the darker side of Hollywood, one few people see. It's addictive, and you really cheer for the characters. I can't believe I have to wait a year for book 3!

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gara gara buku satu Unrivalled dg endingnya yg gantung, saya penasaran dg nasib Madison, Layla dll.

Rahasia2 Mad mulai terungkap. Blm jelas siapa yg menculiknya. Ira sepertinya has sth to do dg apa yg terjadi pada para promoter clubnya.

[Bookbringer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as Unrivaled.

[Gioreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esperaba un poco más, ya que el primer libro te deja en un shock total y quieres saber que pasa en esta segunda, pero la historia sólo se torno tediosa y con muchooooo relleno que podía omitirse.
El final me gustó mucho y algunas partes que son importantes.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um Längen besser als der vorherige Teil. Am liebsten würde ich jetzt sofort weiterlesen, weil es doch echt spannend geblieben ist.

[elicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ WHAT WAS THUS ENDING UMMMMM DO I HAVE TO READ THE LAST BOOK NOWWWW

[Lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Läs min recension här:

http://lexiekon.blogspot.se/2017/08/s...

Svartlistad är en värdig uppföljare, men inte så mycket mer. Det är en ganska tråkig bok, då det inte händer så mycket. Det känns mest som en transportsträcka och jag saknar att bli engagerad och medryckt som läsare. Jag gillar dock att relationer och karaktärers utveckling får mer utrymme än i boken innan, och mysteriet kring Madison Brooks trappas upp på ett väldigt tilltalande sätt som får en att längta efter mer...

[dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGallery for providing me a copy for review! Blacklist comes out April 4th!

I was so pumped to read this after finishing the first book in the series, Unrivalled. It ended in such a cliffhanger and as soon as I finished it I started reading this one! And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! It answered all the questions left unanswered in the previous book and it become more eventful which was so much more exciting!
This instalment is mostly based on the disappearance of Madison Brooks and what the gang - Layla, Tommy and Aster, discover about Madison's secretive past. Which may I add was so exciting to find out about. I was hoping that more information about her character would be given to us in this book and I love love loved the way it was revealed.

The book definitely had more of a Pretty Little Liars feel than the previous one, I found it so creepy at points but it only made me want to read more. I also really enjoyed trying to piece the mystery together and failing hard, with every new character introduced I was so weary about them, much to how I reacted when watching Pretty Little Liars.

I was also really happy with Ryan's character in this book. You kinda get to know his story more although I have my suspicions. I still feel like there wasn't much character development, like in the first book. But Aster became more bearable. The new romance also had me excited, the way the author went about it came across really mature, which is what YA novels lack these days. Layla and Tommy stay the same, flat characters they were before, but we are also introduced to new characters. I still have my suspicions.

I think as a sequel this was a fantastic book! It delved much deeper into the story and all the things that got me really excited in the first book. Overall it was a brilliant read, I read it in one sitting and I was so absorbed in the story. I was a little bit skeptical since I've never read a book by Alyson Noël before and I've heard mixed things about her most popular Immortals series. But I was so pleasantly surprised! I love the first book and I loved the second book even more!

Its such a great and fun read if you're looking for a different YA contemporary novel, opposed to the typical ones. I cannot wait for the third book, I felt like I had it all figured out when the book ended, only to be met with another cliffhanger. (darn it)

[Tamikia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read the first one and I can't wait until I read this one especially since the plot is already out as well! IDK about the anonymous text thing sounds like Pretty Little liars to me but we'll see though. I'm moreso looking forward to what's going to happen to Aster who is the best character in the books. I also hope they aren't setting up a love triangle plot between the three mains.

[Yusra ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ?? ish??
I hadn’t read the first book of this series & first got it as an ebook thru overdrive. then I saw the physical copy at my library and was super excited to pick it up bc celebrity mysteries are the best mysteries. but this was lacking? boring? a sore excuse for a mystery. I think the end was what ruined it for me, super unrealistic

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una continuación fascinante y que de la mitad hacia delante te tiene totalmente en vilo. Estoy deseando leer ya la continuación y saber cómo acaba.
Próximamente haré reseña en el blog.

[Teenage Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This just in: Madison Brooks Murdered! Reporters all around flock to Hollywood to capturing this gut wrenching story. It seems as if A-list celebrity, Madison Brooks, a girl that came to us with nothing, left this world with a bang, so it seems. With a blood drench dress, and a no alibi, Aster Amirpour is the number one (and only) suspect. All Aster wanted was to become famous, to see herself and Madison as equals in their A-list world. But after being publicly seen on Madison’s (well now ex) boyfriend’s arms when Madison publicly broke up with him (for good reasons) but with her retreating back (covered by an overtly-protective Tommy) being the last time anyone seen Madison alive, and Aster’s dress covered in blood in the hotel laundry room, all eyes point to her.

Jail. There are worst ways you can make fame. For Aster becoming a promoter has been just the start. See saw herself in the Hollywood hall of fame, winning Oscars and Golden Globes, maybe even staring in the next blockbuster movie – you never know. When gorgeous Ryan promising to help her out, show her the back door into the life she always wanted, without hesitation, clung to Ryan like she was Rose from Titanic, and Ryan was the door. She never meant to piss Madison off, but the opposite, she wanted to become best friends with her, so maybe going after his boyfriend was not the best idea after all. With Ira paying Aster bail, and setting her back up in a top-notch hotel, Aster is not off the hook yet. With her trial date approaching, Aster needs to swindle her friends (and by friends she means Layla and Tommy) into helping her clear her name, and find Madison, wherever that Hollywood elite is hiding.

If Unrivaled made you puke at the character’s personality, this one is no better. Where Alyson Noel truly dives deep into this Hollywood world, it is enough to make you puke. Layla, being the worst character, does not get any slack in this novel. Where she is upset with her and Mateo break up (because that is what their break is), instead of putting herself into the job she ‘won’ she slacks off, making her boss, Emerson believe she does not deserve working here. Still top’s off for Layla for being a friend, as she decides to help Aster on her quest to clear her name, even breaking into Madison’s house to see if there was any evidence the police did not see. Still how would Madison feel about Layla being in her house? As Ryan once told her: “She kept a blacklist of people who dissed her. You were on it”. Being a writer of a celebrity trash blog is not smiled upon in this world, and if Layla wants to swim with the fishes, she better hopes she’s the biggest one out there. Lucky for her when he is not saving other girls, Tommy is the first to throw protection up Layla’s way. Yes, our hometown boy still crushing hard on Layla, and even more now with her boyfriend out of the way. Still Layla does not feel the same about Tommy, luckily for her, he is willing to play the long run just to win her over, which is how Tommy finds himself back in Aster and her murder trial case, all for a shot at the girl who keeps pushing him away.

The point of view Noel chose to tell this from was: Layla, Aster, Tommy (our three heroes), Madison, Mateo (oh yes he is not done yet), and our favorite reporter: Trena. Yes, they all play a part in this novel (and hopefully the upcoming one). Noel’s writing was similar to the first book: preppy, common, leaving this story to run at a fast pace. The plot is still interesting, as the main plot in the series is in the works, and the subs-plots are working themselves out. Although the character’s themselves are not the highlight of the story, it is interesting the world Noel create for them. These eighteen-year-old (well Tommy is nineteen) kids are running around, owning night clubs (even though drinking age is twenty-one in the states), and no one is batting an eye. I guess that’s true in Hollywood, the younger you are, the more fame you get, and the more tabloids you can get into. Where Ira is a firm believer is no publicity is bad publicity, I do not believe he meant that about a murder in his most popular club. With the date ticking down, Layla, Aster and Tommy, the most unlikely friends, are running out of time to find Madison, and by this rate, they are more likely to find her dead than alive.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: The second installment in this YA mystery series delves deeper into the potentially deadly secrets lying behind the glamour of Hollywood, raising the stakes for all involved.

Opening Sentence: Breaking News: Discovery of Blood-Soaked Dress Leads to Arrest of Night for Night Party Promoter!

The Review:

This book has the glamour and glitz of Gossip Girl combined with the suspense of Pretty Little Liars. It was an addictive read, although I still don’t know what the endgame of the story is. Reading this book felt somewhat similar to watching the mid-season finale of a television show.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it alternated between the individuals trying to solve the murder and Madison’s story. (No, this is not a spoiler, you find out she’s alive in Chapter one). The switches gave the story an intensity that it otherwise would not have had. While I liked the mystery, it was starting to feel a little dragged-out toward the end. There’s also a secondary mystery that is a bit creepy.

There were a lot of narrators. It was told in third person so it wasn’t difficult to follow the story. However, the fact that Layla, Aster, Tommy, Trena, Madison, and Mateo all had POVs meant that the reader followed the story from every possible angle. Additionally, the story moved along at a very quick pace. This combination lead to an almost overwhelming amount of information sometimes with only a small amount of time to process it. The fast pace made for a very quick read.

I ended up liking most of the characters more than I expected. The author has a talent for realistic dialogue and interactions. I adored Aster’s relationship with her younger brother and her scenes with her parents were unexpectedly emotional. I didn’t understand why Mateo was included in the story since he contributed very little to the murder mystery plot. However, I generally dislike unnecessary love triangles so my dislike of him is partially due to that. Other than him, I enjoyed seeing how the characters interacted with each other and figuring out each of their important secrets. I’m very intrigued to see what happens next with Trena in particular. I honestly have no idea who masterminded the kidnapping, although I do have my guesses. (Even if my list of possible suspects is essentially as long as the character list for the novel).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was exciting, engaging, and dramatic. I liked that it delved deeper into the underbelly of Hollywood, of what secrets and lies exist behind the glitz and glamour. I’m not a huge fan of how abruptly the book ended but I will definitely be reading the sequel. If you enjoyed Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, you’ll probably enjoy this one as well.

Notable Scene:

Tommy bit back a grin and took a slow sip of beer. Layla had no patience for small talk. He’d learned that the first day they’d met, when he’d made the mistake of trying to engage the cute blonde who’d rolled up to the Unrivaled Nightlife interview on an electric-blue Kawasaki. That first meeting hadn’t gone well, but back then Layla had hated Aster too. And yet, here she was, determined to find some way to save her.

Tommy pressed his forearms to the table and leaned toward her. It was time he stopped fantasizing about a relationship that would never be and focused on the real point of the meeting.

“Still can’t get in to see Aster.” Layla sighed. “Who knew county jail was tougher to breach than the VIP list at Ira’s clubs?” She frowned. “Not to mention how I’m pretty sure Trena knows more than she’s letting on. But every time I bring it up, she insists on talking around it. It’s like she’s determined to block me and I can’t figure out why. After all, I’m the one who fed her the clue about Ryan Hawthorne. Maybe she needs a reminder.”

FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Blacklist. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[LuCioLe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je tiens tout d’abord à remercier HarperCollins et NetGalley pour l’envoi de ce livre. J’avais adoré le premier tome Rivalité (critique ici) et j’avais vraiment hâte de lire la suite surtout vu comment le roman se termine !

Dans Blacklist, on reprend exactement où on s’était arrêté. La police pense que Madison est morte et que Aster est coupable dû au sang de cette dernière retrouvé sur sa robe. Les questions sont toujours d’actualité, qui a manigancé tout cela ? On sait bien que Madison n’est pas morte puisque ce second tome commence sur elle mais le mystère reste entier. Même Madison ne sait pas qui la tient prisonnière et pourquoi. Pourquoi Aster a t’elle été accusée ? Qui envoie les courriers à Layla ! Quel est le but de tout cela ? Beaucoup de questions qui nous fait dévorer ce roman.

Toujours aussi bien écrit, le lecteur retrouve avec plaisir les personnages. Bien que ici on fréquente un peu moins le monde de la nuit, on reste quand même à L.A et on côtoie toujours des célébrités, des chanteurs, des acteurs, des mannequins, des journalistes, des fils et fille à papa, beaucoup de profils différents qui sauront nous passionner car il faut bien le dire on s’attache bien à eux.

Je trouve que les enchaînements de situation sont parfaits et le rythme est vraiment soutenu et nous tient en haleine. Le suspens est à son comble, bien préservé du début à la fin. Les indices sont dévoilés au fur et à mesure tout en ne donnant que très peu ce qui fait qu’on passe notre temps à faire des suppositions qui ne trouvent pas de réponses. Il faut dire que l’auteure n’est pas avare de suspens et sait faire avancer l’histoire assez lentement si bien que tout du long on aurait cru avoir à la fin les réponses et qu’on n’a rien du tout. Il faudra patienter et attendre le troisième tome pour comprendre tout le fin mot de l’histoire. J’espère qu’il ne faudra pas attendre un an pour l’avoir !

On a un tout petit aperçu du passé de Madison et du coup on s’imagine beaucoup de choses. Tout le roman passe son temps à remettre en cause nos suppositions et n’aide pas à résoudre le mystère. Toujours est-il que l’on a l’impression que les choses sont bien plus compliquées qu’elles n’y paraissent. Les relations commencent à évoluer entre les personnages et je suis contente de voir enfin que Layla écoute enfin ses sentiments, il était temps ! Il en va de même pour Aster, même si par moment elle reste antipathique, elle saura prendre sur elle et faire confiance à certaines personnes. Il faut dire qu’elle est dans une situation compliquée. D’ailleurs, cette situation n’est vraiment pas simple puisqu’elle risque jusqu’à la peine de mort. Elle a tout oublié sur ce qui s’est passé lors de cette soirée et elle est accusée de meurtre. Du coup, elle va faire tout pour prouver que Madison n’a pas été tuée et elle cherchera des indices. Layla qui croit en son innocence veut l’aider mais elle aussi a son lot de soucis vu qu’elle reçoit des messages anonymes révélant des pages du journal de Madison et on lui donnant l’ordre de les mettre en ligne ou elle aura des problèmes. Toutes ces choses rajoutent à cet état de stress ambiant et à ce lot de mystères autour de cette histoire.

En résumé, Blacklist est une excellente suite à Rivalité. L’histoire a vraiment viré du tout au tout et on se retrouve dans une histoire passionnante de disparition. Agrémenté de suspens, le roman nous tient en haleine et on le dévore à toute vitesse ! On n’a désormais qu’une hâte : lire la suite ! Une trilogie à dévorer absolument !

[Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

WARNING THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!!








I was more than a little disappointed with how unsatisfied I felt coming to the end of Blacklist. I LOVED Unrivaled and when I finished that book, I was just dying to get this one. In fact, I actually drove to the library about ten minutes after finishing that book to get this one. However, it did not live up to Unrivaled in the way I hoped it would.

First of all, the biggest change between this book and the last one was adding a bunch of perspectives to the story. In the last book, we only read from the POV of Layla, Tommy, Aster, and occasionally Madison. In this one, we read from the POV of Layla, Tommy, Aster, Madison, Mateo, and Trena. I didn't feel like these new POVs added anything to the novel. In fact, Mateo's chapters were so boring I had to skim them in order to get to Aster's portions, which in my opinion are the most interesting. Mateo's chapters were just him talking about modeling and how much he loved kissing Heather Rollins. Same with Trena: I felt like her chapters were also consistently boring. It was mostly just her driving around, meeting with people, and writing news stories.

Another point with the POVs was that due to Tommy's portions, I found myself HATING him by the end of the book. To be fair, he was definitely my least favorite of the three in the first book, but he was horrible in Blacklist. All of his chapters included him either a) creepily examining a woman and thinking about how badly he wanted to have sex with her, b) going on and on about how big his crush on Layla was, or c) snogging around with and/or having sex with Layla. I understand that there were some sexual aspects of this book, but I do NOT need to hear about how hopelessly horny Tommy is every time he has a chapter. It got beyond annoying and I wanted to roll my eyes every time I was forced to read about it.

This book is also just incredibly SLOW. About 75% of the book is just the characters going about their normal everyday lives and occasionally getting creepy notes and packages. I'll admit, it did get pretty interesting at the end there when the characters were hunting down Madison. That was partially what bumped my review of this book from 2 stars to 3 stars. I mean, it wasn't amazing or anything, but at that point I was just so grateful that something actually HAPPENED.

Now for the positive: I really did like Ryan in this book. I'm glad that he's shown character development and is not the womanizing piece of trash everyone thought he was in the first novel. He is sweet and really cares for Aster, which has me rooting for their possible relationship. I'm wondering what will happen when Madison reenters the picture, though. Will he ditch Aster and go after her instead? We'll have to read and find out.

Even though this book was less than satisfactory for me, I still plan on reading the third. I'm hoping that it lives up to Unrivaled, and that this book was just transitional and there will be some action in the third. Unfortunately, it's checked out at my local library, so I guess I'll put it on hold and go torture myself with some other YA books in the meantime. Adios!