Molly Bit

by Dan Bevacqua

A haunting and provocative debut novel about the stratospheric rise of an enigmatic Hollywood star and her legacy in the vein of Daisy Jones and the Six, from Columbia MFA graduate Dan Bevacqua.

A tragic death was not part of the script.

Molly Bit is a great actress. From her first acting classes to her big break, she is different from the others struggling to make it.

But fame is perilous. She uses—and is used by—the Hollywood system. Her collaborator is an addict. The producer who promises her stardom is ruthless and unhinged by grief. Fans, friends, strangers—they want and want. And one dangerously obsessed fan wants to take away everything.

Funny, touching, and heartrending, Molly Bit explores the high stakes of our culture’s complicated fascination with celebrities and our complicity in their rise and fall. Molly Bit is an ode to the strange magic of moviemaking and a haunting reflection on fame, obsession, and art’s power to redeem loss. It announces a dazzling new voice in contemporary fiction.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Audiobook

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2020

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly first struggles to become an actress, but then battles more obstacles while navigating her life both outside of films and while on set. She adjusts and develops according to what is needed for her next career advancement, but is it what is best for her relationships and vitality?

The novel is broken into three parts "Life", "Death", and "Afterlife" following Molly throughout these different stages in her career between the years 1993-2014. Narrated in third person, it is mostly told through the eyes of Molly but sometimes switches to other characters.

The story is disjointed and plot weak which made it was hard to finish. There is little character development and I was not satisfied with the ending. After finishing, I was left scratching my head as to why some chapters and characters were included. The only character I found interesting was Roger who is only detailed for about 22 pages of the entire book. Without Roger, this probably would have been one star. Overall, this was not an interesting nor a compelling book for me.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that this book is divided into Life, Death and Afterlife sort of gives away Molly Bit’s arc. The book tells a cliched story of the rise of an actress in Hollywood, her struggles, success, marriages and the downside of fame, including a stalker. You’ve read or seen this before, and Molly is not interesting enough to make a credible case for needing to read it again. The focus of the book shifts from Molly in the last third. As much as I didn’t like Molly, I thought the book was better when she was around. Do not believe the blurb that compares this book to “Daisy Jones and the Six”. Each has a woman’s name in the title, but that is the only comparison I would draw. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Caroline]

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of "Molly Bit" to review. I think this book was undermined by the comparison to "Daisy Jones and the Six". While I can see the similarities between them, they are two fundamentally different types of books. "Molly Bit" has a much less structured plot and is much more literary or arty than "Daisy Jones." It is also much less character driven and more of a study of setting. I think it will find it's audience, but those who pick up "Molly Bit" hoping for "Daisy Jones" will probably be disappointed.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for "Molly Bit" but unfortunately - the plot was cliché-ridden and extremely shallow. Even though I didn't like the tone or message of this novel, I must say that Dan Bevacqua has a way with words. His prose is vibrant and provocative. He has a gift of hooking the reader, but his downfall is not creating memorable, root-worthy characters.

I kept going in and out of my like/dislike for Molly. One minute, I thought she was very naïve and emotionally fragile, and the next, I thought she was manipulative and vain. She makes a lot of questionable choices which is understandable for an aspiring, dim-witted actress, but in the end, Molly irked me more than anything. I just wanted to shake her.

This novel is broken up into 3 sections and sometimes the narrative changes to secondary characters which I did not enjoy. Even though I wasn't fond of Molly, I felt the narrative should've stayed on her story and journey. All those scummy people Molly meets throughout her life felt generic and superficial. So juvenile. It was amazing how much they sounded like entitled, spoiled teenagers. Ugh. I think it's hard to connect to these kind of stories about the horrors of Hollywood because most everyday people aren't starving for acceptance and fame. Are we supposed to feel sorry for these ruthless, soulless people? Yeah, I don't think so.

Thank you, Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital ARC.

Release date: February 4, 2020

[Denise Wilbanks | This Is My Everybody · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW: Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua

Genre: Fiction

A “behind the scenes” peek into a rising young Hollywood star that is dealing with the complexities of sudden fame, as well as our own fascination with celebrity culture.

I was really looking forward to reading this brand new book from a brand new author, as I really love the story concept of this book. I was also hoping to get some insight into this often odd “relationship” we develop with people that we watch on screen.

Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to connect with this story. And I really think it was because I jumped into this book right after the previous book I read, which had left me emotionally drained.

I always believe that every book has it audience and the right time to read a story for each reader.

I am still intrigued by this story and plan to give Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua another try later on.

And I certainly hope I find myself in the right time at that time to connect with this story.…

Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua
2020 Book Release | February


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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books & DIY Home Ideas | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com ... Including my video tutorials for DIY home ideas inspired by recommended books to support you in bringing your favorite books to life in your life and home.

You can see my full review for Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua at https://www.thisismyeverybody.com/boo...


✨😎✨A big thank you to Dan Bevacqua, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

[Geonn Cannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know that twitter account, @GuyInYourMFA? This book is that account, but Sincere. The author wrote about Molly because he Respects Women, okay? He Gets It. He even has Molly say, "Read a woman, read a black person," when another character praises a white male author. This author is Woke, so Woke, he hasn't been slept in fifteen years.

I feel like the whole book comes down to the line "She felt her breasts shake in her bra." It's supposed to be a scene where Molly is taking control by owning her sexuality or some shit. So she takes off her shirt and "She felt her breasts shake in her bra." Lordy lordy lord.

(Also this is not a complaint about the book itself, but Scribd is just... awful. Maybe it's my fault for listening at 2x speed, but when 3x is an option, the app should be able to handle it. Even downloaded, the file pauses and hiccups so frequently it was close to unlistenable at places. Kudos to them for offering a free month due to ::gestures at the world:: but I won't be sticking around to pay for this.)

[Rachel B. Glaser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating, psychological novel, Molly Bit shines a floodlight on the dark side of Hollywood and the fleeting pleasures of fame. In sly, lyrical prose, this book skillfully and unsentimentally digs deep into the minds of its characters. Bevacqua swerves through time and space, through ambition and desperation, finding heart and pain on every page.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly Bit is the story of an up and coming actress on her way to stardom.

Unfortunately this one just didn't do it for me. I couldn't connect with the characters and found they were underdeveloped. The storyline was a bit confusing at times and the plot needed more work. The ending was disappointing.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read a super witty and darkly humorous book about Hollywood in all of its tumultuous weirdness, this book is for you.

Having worked in the film business for a long time, I was very much satisfied and stimulated by all the insider talk and attention to detail. The characters were complex and bounced off each other's ambitions in painful and interesting combinations. I love the story arc of Abigail the most, with Molly's being extra-ordinary in the way she is perceived and used by others. Many bit characters also shined, including my personal fav, Zen the Bodyguard. This is a super fun read with an ending that had a real special resonance. This book really stuck with me. I highly recommend.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do not think this is going to be like Daisy Jones. It's a very different sort of novel, both in tone and in structure. Molly Bit (so appropriately named) is an actress from Vermont who finds herself moving up in the industry until....No spoilers but it is divided into three sections: Life, Death, and Afterlife. Admittedly, Molly doesn't come through as a strong character (or a likable one) and the plot wanders, but it's an interesting read. It's also a commentary, no surprise, on fame. Bevacqua's MFA shows. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction.

[Stephanie Wardrop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the comparison to _Daisy_is unfortunate because it establishes unfair expectations. Molly is a well-crafted character so when the book throws its curveball at you, even if you see it coming, it’s a bit of letdown. But stick with it. The writing is gorgeous, the book is both funny at times and heartbreaking at others, and the penultimate chapter is worth the wait.

[Mark Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dan Bevacqua’s debut novel, titled Molly Bit, is a look at an actress who becomes a famous movie star. I thought that was an interesting enough concept for a book, so I took a chance on buying it after reading a review. There are fine moments sprinkled throughout Molly Bit, but ultimately, I didn’t enjoy it that much.

Bevacqua is a good writer, but he also has an MFA from Columbia—he should be a good writer. An example of his prose that I particularly liked was this: “She’d always thought older guys would be less touchy, but they were actually worse. A man in his thirties understood when his life was falling apart. A young one didn’t care—he thought he had more chances.” (p.39)

What I found most difficult about Molly Bit was, well, Molly Bit. She’s not defined enough as a character to be truly interesting—she comes off as too much of a cipher. You can argue that’s the point, that she’s an actress who pleases other people while having little interior life of her own, but I’d argue back that’s not the best choice for a lead character in a novel. There’s not much I can really tell you about Molly Bit, besides the fact that she seems to crave a cigarette every three pages or so.

Molly Bit is split up into chapters that take place years apart, which might not be the most effective technique. Because so few characters overlap chapters, I got less of an emotional impact from the novel. That also puts more weight on Molly as the lead character, since she’s the bridge between the chapters, and she can’t really take that, because she’s so thinly drawn. Oh, and if Molly Bit was really as poor as she’s meant to be in the first chapter, there’s no way she would have had a computer at college in 1993.

There are clever bits for film fans to get, like the Vanity Fair article about Molly when she’s an up and coming young starlet: “Girl From the Future: Why in Six Months Everybody Will Know Who Molly Bit Is.” (p.69) That’s the kind of specificity that Molly Bit the novel, and Molly Bit the character, could use more of.

Can we talk about names for a minute? Molly Bit is ridiculous enough—I guess it’s meant to be a pun on an actor being a “bit” player. But some of the other characters are named Kate Uppley and Roger Michael Vincent. One can only assume the author was staring at pictures of Kate Upton while watching reruns of Airwolf. If you’re writing an over the top comedic novel, sure, you can give your characters names like this. But Molly Bit isn’t an over the top comedic novel. Although there are some comedic moments: “Molly remembered the exact moment when she knew it was over with Jared. She’d been hanging upside down by a guidewire off the side of a building.” (p.110)

As a fan of Tom Wolfe, I did appreciate that one of the characters is reading The Bonfire of the Vanities. Bevacqua describes the way he’s sitting thus: “The phrase was perhaps legs and arms akimbo.” (p.109) Since “legs akimbo” was one of Wolfe’s pet phrases that crops up again and again in his writing, I assume that this was a little tip of the hat to the man in white. (Wolfe even wrote a fictitious hip-hop song with the lyrics “shanks akimbo” for his novel A Man in Full.)

What also hampers Molly Bit so much is what happens to Molly Bit, which is given away in the very first line of the synopsis inside the dust jacket. It seems like such a cliché—like it’s a Lifetime movie from the 1990’s.

We might ask for too much from novels about artists: first, we expect the novel itself to be a great work of art, and then on top of that the novelist has to convince us that the artist in question has created great art in this different medium—film, painting, sculpture, etc. That’s a heavy task.

Molly Bit is by turns interesting and frustrating. Bevacqua clearly has talent, and it will be interesting to see where it takes him next.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I pick up books randomly or read reviews and am interested by what they say and then pursue the book. The reviews on this once again completely mislead me as it was somehow described as funny and light - about a girl who somehow was not apologetic about her life - what? I must have been reading another review, but no. Although amusing and smart in a totally cynical way, it was fairly superficial and dark. Which was OK. What was most interesting was the accurate depiction of Hollywood and the film industry which having minor experience in it, I totally appreciated. But then the plot veered off and people came and went with no resolution and I started to lose interest, which was a shame as it was building a nice momentum. It was almost like author ran out of ideas or came to the end and started wandering around, deciding to tag more chapters on. But up until that point, I enjoyed it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @simonschusterca for a copy of Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua for an honest review. Molly Bit is available now.

Molly Bit follows an actresses career from “it” girl to legend. With a time span from 1993 to 2015, the book moves in periods of her career and skips some details in between. This allows for way more of the arc of her career but can be harder to follow. I did find the style worked more for me while on vacation because I was reading each section separately and it may not work as well if you were reading more in bigger chunks.

It definitely fit my mood here in California, reading about the lifestyle and the actresses life, so if you are looking for the perfect post Oscars read, I recommend Molly Bit!

[Stephanie Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molly Bit is an actress. That is how she sees herself, and it's all she wants to be. She knows she has what it takes to make it. To become a celebrity. Her ultimate goal in life is fame, but what does fame cost?

was an interesting book. I received it through Goodreads Giveaways, and it wasn't at all what I expected. I expected a linear story about a girl rising to stardom, and what I got was more like an artistic expression on what celebrity is and how people are affected by it. The writing style was different from anything I've ever read before. Reading Molly Bit was like falling into rapids in a river. It flies by at such a quick pace and you're given glimpses of Molly Bit's life and fame and the people connected to her, just enough to get an understanding of her, then you're swept along to the next tidbit. I think I liked it, but I'm not sure. I feel like I need to read it again to really get it.

I'm not too proud to admit that I'm out of my element reading this kind of artsy literature. It might be a little over my head. However, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to figure it out, and I enjoyed reading this book. I'm torn between three and four stars, but I'm going to give it four because I think it was well written. The next time I read it my rating might change. I'm really having trouble deciding with this one. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thinking. I imagine deep thinkers would like this book.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Molly Bit” by Dan Bevacqua, published by Simon & Schuster.

Category – Fiction/Literature Publication Date – February 04, 2020.

What is there not to like about Molly Bit? Molly is a young woman who has aspirations of being a movie star, no she doesn’t have aspirations, and she knows she is going to be a movie star.

Molly Bit’s story is probably very close to what happens in Hollywood today. It tells of the struggles to get auditions and sometimes the best person does not get the part. However, if one is realize the dream one must keep forging ahead. Sometimes the requirements border or go beyond just who is the best person for the part. One must also be careful of the friends or acquaintances one surrounds him or her with.

Molly has a soft heart and it shows it the people she depends on and who depend on her. A case in point is her collaborator who is a drug addict. This is just the beginning of the things that Molly must traverse if she is to reach he goal.

A very provocative and sensitive look at the inner workings of Hollywood, it is the story of what it takes to make it in this profession and is it all worth it.

A very easy and enlightened read.

[Mrs. Salgy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I had to force myself through half of the book and in full disclosure, I skimmed the last quarter. I was interested in the concept and the comparison to “Daisy Jones and the Six,” a book I adored. “Molly Bit” checks all of the boxes initially, but the lack of character development made it extremely challenging to become invested in the story—it was like watching paper dolls move from scene to scene; they looked good but had no dimensions. I found myself aimlessly reading and didn’t really care if I finished the book as there wasn’t any payoff. The writing itself was, at times, beautiful, but that couldn’t rescue weak plot development and a singular lack of emotions.

[Jessica Duffield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Dan Bevacqua wrote a compelling novel about what Hollywood is really like and how toxic that world can be. This book is timely because we are still in the #MeToo era and Molly Bit had to personally deal with this throughout the novel. Bevacqua did an exceptional job with writing about what it is like to be an actress. People are ruthless in this industry and Bevacqua made sure to write about the dark side of Hollywood. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about what it’s like to work in this industry. It’ll make you think about if we are complicit in the rise and fall of Hollywood actors and actresses.

[Susan Cordeiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to really like this book... I was hoping for something along the lines of Daisy Jones and the Six. But that was not what I got. I didn't care for the characters or the plot twist that made me struggle to get through the rest.... I rate this book... men
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this book

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is OK. Uneven, under-developed characters, and an ending I didn't like. It showed promise, but ultimately didn't deliver. Still, I encourage the author to write more.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

[Maia Sitter · Rating 1 out of 5]

***I received a free arc of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. I was NOT required to read and review the book in order to receive it, but have decided to do so anyways. Also, because the copy that I received was an Advanced Readers Copy, there may have been some changes made to the book that I am unaware of.***

"If you were tired, you slept. If you were hungry, you ate. If you were cold, you bought a sweater, or made a scarf, or something. To these three mantras, Abigail had long ago added a fourth. It went like this: if you wanted to get the hell out of there, you get the hell out of there."~page 202 (from the ARC)

"It's simple. Somebody quit on that job is what. And you cant ever quit. Not ever. You can't just give up because something's difficult."~page 225 (from the ARC)

I would rate this book a solid 1.5 out of 5 stars and that is being generous. My reccomendation is that this book should not be read by young readers though I would honestly not reccomend this book to anyone. I honestly only finished it because I felt like that was the right thing to do after I was so generously provided a copy for free.

This book was a hot mess. The beginning is told from the point of view of Molly Bit. However, it suddenly changed points of views in the story and it took me a minute to figure out what was happening. The story will change point of views randomly, even in the middle of a chapter. This wouldn't be a huge deal if all the characters didn't sound exactly the same.

The dialogue was another huge problem. It felt very clunky and unnatural. Characters would often repeat the same things as each other or leave things unsaid that couldn't easily be understood without being explained more. Every dialogue scene reads like an extremely awkward conversation, though most of the scenes are not supposed to be read as awkward. The internal dialogue was also a hot mess.

Also, the skipping from scene to scene is terribly executed and often left me confused. Yes, this book takes place over the course of many years. However, the book would often skip to different points in time when the previous scene felt incomplete. I was often left trying to figure out what the hell was happening and how this related to the last scene at all. I also felt unsatisfied because I'd finally start getting into a scene and then the topic would completely change.

The characters also completely run together. There were only three characters who I could ever keep straight: Molly, Abigail, and Leonard. Everyone else blurred together. When they came back on screen I would be scratching my head, wondering who they were and if I had seen them before in the book? I eventually gave up trying to remember what any specific character's past role in the book might have been.

Honestly, Abigail was really the only redeeming quality of this book that bumps it up from a 1 star read to a low 1.5. I actually really enjoyed her character. She felt complex and relatively well rounded. I enjoyed her and even felt a bit of sympathy for her as the book went on.

I am not saying that men cant wrote women and vice versa, but Dan Bevacqua doesnt know how to write a female actress. Sorry.

This book comes off as very racist and judgemental and often race is brought up for apparently no reason?

The point of view at the end from the murderer was kind of cool, but we never really knew his real reason for wanting to murder her?

Also, the very last scene seemed out of place to me. The book finishing with Molly on a film set directing a movie. Why this was placed at the end, I have no idea.

Also, this book has many, MANY "great" (terrible) quotes. Here are some of my favorites.

*Note: These quotes were found in the arc and there is the possibility of changes to them."

"Everyone's had an incest dream or two."~page 13

"Read a woman. Read a black person."~page 14

"And pry it out of his coke-over'd hands."~page 17

"A drive-by shooting played for laughs."~page 20

"She'd given up recently and had cut her hair short."~page 31

"'They must be a-ringin' all the time,' she said. 'Just a-ringin' and a-ringin'.'"~page 68 (said by a character without a heavy accent.

"Which was real- was also false."~page 69

Abigail let out a small, creepy laugh."~page 103

"He was the first and only black reporter she'd seen all day."~page 134

"They think what they think. That's what they think."~page 136

They were sitting...in the second largest living room."~page 166

"Because language was for faggots."~page 213

"One did not winky-face a warden."~page 252

...

Honestly, 1.5 stars is very generous for this book.

[Paolo Latini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ideal third chapter of a triptych of novels on artistic ambition, along with the recent Apartment by Teddy Wayne and Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but, alas, unlike these two Molly Bits is a very weak and disconnected novel. The title's Molly Bit is an actress and we follow her from 1993 until today, from the days she was an aspiring actress and student in the 90s, to the days after the 9/11 when she became an actress to the days when she became her own legacy. Some observations on the fraction between authenticity and ambition remain only liminal observations, the characters, including the protagonist Molly Bit, are not very incisive, often inessential, except perhaps Abigail, Molly’s friend and an actress with little talent who dreams to become a writer / screenwriter, particularly effective a part of a chapter dedicated to her where she is shown to live her life as if it were a TV series or a movie. A better and more insightful portrait of Abigail would have maybe save a novel which cannot keep the promises it make.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua follows the life (in parts) of Molly Bit, a talented actress who goes through the initial hardships of making it famous and eventually becomes who she always knew she was meant to be.

This book first caught my attention with comparisons to Daisy Jones & The Six and throughout the novel I kept waiting to be as engaged with Molly as I had been with Daisy. I felt that it was hard to connect with her throughout her story. It was hard to not want more from her and her story at times, and I think this is why my interest waned as I continued reading. I also had a hard time with the twist and change of voice during the back third of the novel. I wanted more answers to suppress my confusion but had to wait until the very last chapter to put the puzzle together, and it was not as satisfying of a conclusion as I had hoped.

However, Bevacqua has a way with words in his debut novel and I enjoyed his voice of the varying characters. Leonard was especially fascinating to me and I loved his quote on loneliness in chapter 3.

I received a Reviewer Copy of Molly Bit by Dan Bevacqua from the publisher Simon & Schuster through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly Bit starts out as a fairly straightforward, even cliched, story of a pretty, talented young woman from a small town who yearns to become an actress. It begins with the protagonist, named Molly Bit, as a poor film student in the 1990s. Generation X signifiers abound. From there, Dan Bevacqua takes Molly through the phases of her career. She works hard to become a star, has an unsatisfying personal life, and makes difficult choices.

If that were the entire story, it would have been a dull novel. Molly is a bit of a one-note character--she's ambitious, but doesn't think very far beyond her career. However, Bevacqua expands the scope to Molly's effect on people around her, from a novelist to an addicted and troubled friend to a stalker. The characterizations of these other people are rich and memorable, and their stories are interesting.

Molly Bit is essentially a novel about movies, connections, and how a somewhat prettier and more ambitious person than most becomes a legend. It's neither as profound as it attempts to be nor a waste of valuable reading time. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't your typical Hollywood story. Molly Bit is an actress, struggling through classes and auditions. Then, Molly is a well-known actress, nominated for awards and choosing parts that will elevate other actresses. Then, Molly wants to direct. There are marriage, divorces, bad movies, and then, death.

Molly Bit has been compared to Daisy Jones and The Six, which, honestly, hurts its chances. Daisy Jones was disappointing to me, I hated everyone in the book. Molly Bit was..at the very least, full of fun character studies. Abigail - the drug addled former friend, Diana, the hard-working assistant..... Each person has their own life, their own history.

I think that going into this, it might help to picture someone as Molly. For me, it was, randomly, Jessica Chastain. She is who I pictured as Molly - and honestly, should this ever be made into a movie, then........well, there you go.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly Bit is the story of a young woman who believes that she is destined for stardom. And lucky for her, she gets her big break and becomes a success story in Hollywood. The story is broken into three parts, following Molly on her journey. I found the beginning of the book interesting and intriguing, but the further I got into it, the less engaged I became. I found the plot a little bit jumpy and by the second half the story had completely shifted and felt disjointed from the beginning. I felt that the characters, including Molly were under developed and I didn't have any connection to them. I received this as an arc from @simonschusterca and as I am forever grateful to them for treating me so well, I wanted to love this. But unfortunately, I did not. It just didn't work for me and I found myself pushing through to the end simply because it was an arc. This one is releasing on February fourth. I felt like it had the potential to be pretty cool and might be great for someone else.

[Luis Cuesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. The plot of Dan Bevacqua’s novel tries to reveal the human being inside a Hollywood legend, Molly Bit.t. When we first meet her she is auditioning for a couple of roles. Then we fast forward and Molly has had some success, but it looks like her career is about to explode. We keep forwarding with each chapter by years so you get snip-it’s into Molly’s life as a movie star, but suddenly around the last quarter of the book, when Molly navigates the pitfalls of celebrity it changes the way the story is presented and I got a little bit confused almost until the end of the novel .

I would recommend it mostly for those fascinated by Los Angeles, Hollywood and the film industry because the book provides often humorous details about moviemaking and celebrity culture.

[Megan Holida · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very poorly written. The author had a decent idea for the plot line.. however it just didn’t translate well on paper. Molly’s life/career seemed so underwhelming. Not to mention, each character was extremely one dimensional. I’m not sure if that’s because everything was written in third person point of view… or because The author just kept bouncing around between new characters!
Overall,I wish the book was paced out a little differently! Every paragraph was either hoping between different timelines, people, or situations… with absolutely no explanation of why, where, or how! Also, I wish they would talk more about the murderer himself (not a spoiler)! Obviously you get some sort of idea on who he is… but it definitely was not satisfying enough.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

The fact that this book covered the life of an acclaimed actress and promised to be a "real" perspective piqued my interest because my sister is an actress in LA and I wanted to see what it was like. The book delivers a real look at an actress's life, as promised. However, it was SUCH a pessimistic view. Negative from when she was struggling to be known, negative once she was known about how her finances, her relationships, her fake friends, struggle to STAY known, and of course her stalker. This book definitely laid bare all the notions we think we have of the rich and famous, but left me with such a BAD feeling. It was hard to read.

[bily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't quite what I thought it would be. I was excited to follow Molly Bit through her life as an actress, from before her career, all the way through. However, that's not what I got. In this novel, we barely even get to see her at the peak of her fame. It's all mostly just before and after. Most of the parts of this book felt pointless, like we just stopped in time to focus on this one random moment of her life. I also thought that this book jumped around far more than it should've. Probably wouldn't read this again.