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beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
Her husband has been gone for months, her son's selective mutism has caught the eye of family services, and their money has run out. As much as she hates to admit it, Faye is left with just one choice: pack up her three kids and move to LA with her mom.
Faye vows to find a new job, but with little to her resume but waitressing there's not much in the way of options. Twelve-year-old Emily is sullen about leaving behind her friends but Tom is being homeschooled by Faye's mom, thankfully granting him a reprieve in dealing with his mutism issues. When four-year-old Molly becomes an internet sensation, though, all of that changes.
Faye isn't quite sure about her preschooler having a job, but the money is too good to pass up. It doesn't take long, though, for Faye to begin to understand all that child stardom entails. And then her husband comes asking for his share.
It is hard to read a book like this and not get emotional! From the sleazy Hollywood folks to the awful, awful husband, this book is pretty much packed with characters I loathed. Some of them just gave me the creeps and others made me downright angry.
Because on the other side of the characters I hated, there was Faye and her children. Characters I loved. Molly, the precocious and clever four-year-old star; Tom the nervous eight-year-old who believes he's the cause of his parents' separation; and twelve-year-old Emily who finds herself thrust into the Hollywood circle without actually being a part of it.
And then there's Faye. Faye is beyond living paycheck to paycheck when the story begins. And even though her mother is there to help, LA isn't the best place for an out of work waitress. So of course she'd find it impossible to turn down the kind of money Molly is offered. Her first mistake, in a line of many, many mistakes, however, is trusting that the people around her have Molly's best interests in mind.
No Ordinary Life may be fiction but it's also a sadly accurate peek inside the world of child stardom. A glimpse behind the curtain and beyond the glitz and glamour. It's not pretty. Some of it is frustrating and more of it downright scary to imagine. And while Redfearn says herself that it's not meant to be a "statement on the entertainment industry" I think it may just make a few people reconsider next time they pick up a tabloid gossip rag.
Faye vows to find a new job, but with little to her resume but waitressing there's not much in the way of options. Twelve-year-old Emily is sullen about leaving behind her friends but Tom is being homeschooled by Faye's mom, thankfully granting him a reprieve in dealing with his mutism issues. When four-year-old Molly becomes an internet sensation, though, all of that changes.
Faye isn't quite sure about her preschooler having a job, but the money is too good to pass up. It doesn't take long, though, for Faye to begin to understand all that child stardom entails. And then her husband comes asking for his share.
It is hard to read a book like this and not get emotional! From the sleazy Hollywood folks to the awful, awful husband, this book is pretty much packed with characters I loathed. Some of them just gave me the creeps and others made me downright angry.
Because on the other side of the characters I hated, there was Faye and her children. Characters I loved. Molly, the precocious and clever four-year-old star; Tom the nervous eight-year-old who believes he's the cause of his parents' separation; and twelve-year-old Emily who finds herself thrust into the Hollywood circle without actually being a part of it.
And then there's Faye. Faye is beyond living paycheck to paycheck when the story begins. And even though her mother is there to help, LA isn't the best place for an out of work waitress. So of course she'd find it impossible to turn down the kind of money Molly is offered. Her first mistake, in a line of many, many mistakes, however, is trusting that the people around her have Molly's best interests in mind.
No Ordinary Life may be fiction but it's also a sadly accurate peek inside the world of child stardom. A glimpse behind the curtain and beyond the glitz and glamour. It's not pretty. Some of it is frustrating and more of it downright scary to imagine. And while Redfearn says herself that it's not meant to be a "statement on the entertainment industry" I think it may just make a few people reconsider next time they pick up a tabloid gossip rag.
daisyjo's review against another edition
3.0
What I liked about this book: interesting story line (child stars in Hollywood), good pacing
What I didn't like: ridiculously unlikely coincidences, main character's selfish choices and unbelievable naivete, annoying and difficult to read speech pattern/impediment of child actor (I guess it was supposed to be cute but I could barely stand it after awhile)
ARC received from NetGalley.
What I didn't like: ridiculously unlikely coincidences, main character's selfish choices and unbelievable naivete, annoying and difficult to read speech pattern/impediment of child actor (I guess it was supposed to be cute but I could barely stand it after awhile)
ARC received from NetGalley.
rebecca_isreading's review against another edition
4.0
I honestly didn't expect to really enjoy this book when I first started out. I found the way the speech of Molly, the young daughter of the narrator, was conveyed to be incredibly difficult to read and really annoying. However, I'm happy that I was able to get past that because other than that element I really enjoyed this story of a young single mother struggling to figure out what is best for her family. She doesn't always get it right, and her story isn't tidy, but this will be a book ripe for book club discussions and will do well with women's fiction readers. Advance e-galley provided by Netgalley and the publisher.
librarykate's review against another edition
3.0
You know how when there is a car accident everyone slows down to look? Reading this book is like gawking at a car accident. As the inciting moment dives you into the story with Molly's unexpected fame, I found myself thinking, "This is not going to end well! This can't be good!" And it wasn't.
The film industry and celebrity are two things that chew people up and spit them out. The film industry crushes the dreams and hopes of many more than it fulfills. It creates an artificial environment that can be dangerous to those not grounded enough to understand that. Faye is reeling from a broken marriage. She has no idea what she is getting into, and Molly's insta-fame means that she hasn't seen the pain of broken dreams that she is riding upon.
There were a few inaccuracies that I saw in the portrayal of the film industry. In a TV show like The Foster Band, There would most likely be a rotation of directors. Directors for TV shows are even occasionally actors. Chris spent the entire time acting both as producer and director. In TV, this is apparently pretty rare. He might have directed a few episodes, but not all of them like he did.
One last thought, living in LA occasionally makes me think, What would I do if my child was "discovered"? This book is more of a worst case scenario and a perfect storm of events. But, I have an answer to the question if you care. The answer is community theatre. If my child is interested in acting and has a talent for it, I will give my child exposure to that world through theatre. As they grow older, the decision to pursue television and/or movie acting as a career would be made when the child had demonstrated unwaning interested for some period of time, maturity to handle the stress and pressure, and an understanding of the difficulty that they might face both from success or failure.
The film industry and celebrity are two things that chew people up and spit them out. The film industry crushes the dreams and hopes of many more than it fulfills. It creates an artificial environment that can be dangerous to those not grounded enough to understand that. Faye is reeling from a broken marriage. She has no idea what she is getting into, and Molly's insta-fame means that she hasn't seen the pain of broken dreams that she is riding upon.
There were a few inaccuracies that I saw in the portrayal of the film industry. In a TV show like The Foster Band, There would most likely be a rotation of directors. Directors for TV shows are even occasionally actors. Chris spent the entire time acting both as producer and director. In TV, this is apparently pretty rare. He might have directed a few episodes, but not all of them like he did.
One last thought, living in LA occasionally makes me think, What would I do if my child was "discovered"? This book is more of a worst case scenario and a perfect storm of events. But, I have an answer to the question if you care. The answer is community theatre. If my child is interested in acting and has a talent for it, I will give my child exposure to that world through theatre. As they grow older, the decision to pursue television and/or movie acting as a career would be made when the child had demonstrated unwaning interested for some period of time, maturity to handle the stress and pressure, and an understanding of the difficulty that they might face both from success or failure.
momadvice's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
I am a big fan of Suzanne Redfearn and this book does not disappoint. In this quick page-turner, a single mother's daughter is discovered after a YouTube video goes viral of her singing and dancing, at the tender age of four. She is immediately picked up for commercial work and then auditions & wins a lead role in a television show. Going from having nothing to having everything, you follow this mother as she juggles the demands of being a stage mom, the intrusive media, and protecting her children from Hollywood & her ex who just wants the biggest piece of the financial pie.
Redfearn effectively utilizes other famous stars and their stories to craft a compelling piece on the many pitfalls of growing up a child star and the rarity of survival in the industry.
I am a big fan of Suzanne Redfearn and this book does not disappoint. In this quick page-turner, a single mother's daughter is discovered after a YouTube video goes viral of her singing and dancing, at the tender age of four. She is immediately picked up for commercial work and then auditions & wins a lead role in a television show. Going from having nothing to having everything, you follow this mother as she juggles the demands of being a stage mom, the intrusive media, and protecting her children from Hollywood & her ex who just wants the biggest piece of the financial pie.
Redfearn effectively utilizes other famous stars and their stories to craft a compelling piece on the many pitfalls of growing up a child star and the rarity of survival in the industry.
jessica42980's review against another edition
3.0
**3.5 stars
I enjoyed Suzanne Redfearn's first book, Hush Little Baby, so I was excited and anxiously awaited her second book to be released.
I enjoyed that the chapters were short. That makes me feel I am reading the book quicker. It also makes it harder to put the book down when you see the next chapter is 1-4 pages!
I loved the premise of the book. I participated last year when there was voting for the name of the book and the cover.
I was pulled into the book from the beginning and found it hard to put down. However, I had to suspend my belief while reading the book. Faye, the mother, was not very likeable for me. She came into the whole experience with such naivete. I mean, not even have a lawyer look at the contract when you know nothing of Hollywood?
Parts of the book seemed to be extreme in the situations that happened. Yes, you have one child discovered, but then your middle child can also act? I found that hard to believe as well. Your boyfriend who works behind the camera ends up being a (**Spoiler** former child star?!?!)
Despite the issues I had with certain parts of the book I did enjoy it and would recommend it. It was hard to put down. Unlike some reviewers, I did not have an issue with Molly's lisp and the way it was put on paper. I LOVED Molly and and could see how America fell in love with her in this book.
I will continue to read Suzanne Redfearn's books and look forward to her next one being released.
I enjoyed Suzanne Redfearn's first book, Hush Little Baby, so I was excited and anxiously awaited her second book to be released.
I enjoyed that the chapters were short. That makes me feel I am reading the book quicker. It also makes it harder to put the book down when you see the next chapter is 1-4 pages!
I loved the premise of the book. I participated last year when there was voting for the name of the book and the cover.
I was pulled into the book from the beginning and found it hard to put down. However, I had to suspend my belief while reading the book. Faye, the mother, was not very likeable for me. She came into the whole experience with such naivete. I mean, not even have a lawyer look at the contract when you know nothing of Hollywood?
Parts of the book seemed to be extreme in the situations that happened. Yes, you have one child discovered, but then your middle child can also act? I found that hard to believe as well. Your boyfriend who works behind the camera ends up being a (**Spoiler** former child star?!?!)
Despite the issues I had with certain parts of the book I did enjoy it and would recommend it. It was hard to put down. Unlike some reviewers, I did not have an issue with Molly's lisp and the way it was put on paper. I LOVED Molly and and could see how America fell in love with her in this book.
I will continue to read Suzanne Redfearn's books and look forward to her next one being released.
lesread's review against another edition
5.0
I'm... I'm grappling for words here. I obviously have no idea what "my type" of book is because I didn't think this was something I'd normally pick up and I COULD NOT put down this novel. I practically read it in a day, and the ending was so satisfying. My eBook is full of highlighted quotes and funny lines...
My full review will be up soon!!!
My full review will be up soon!!!
stephsabia's review against another edition
4.0
No Ordinary Life was a fast paced read. Faye is a young mother of three who suddenly finds herself on her own when he husband leaves on a work trip and doesn't return. She moves herself and her children to LA to live with her mother where her youngest daughter is suddenly discovered by a high profile agent. Suddenly Faye's money troubles have disappeared and she finds herself living a whole new life; but at what cost?
No Ordinary Life was a heartbreaking and controversial book that examines the cost of fame and what it can do to not only the suddenly famous but also to their families.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
No Ordinary Life was a heartbreaking and controversial book that examines the cost of fame and what it can do to not only the suddenly famous but also to their families.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
3no7's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book, and it was a very easy book to read. I finished in two days! I was disappointing in the Faye character. She was just too much of a hot mess to be a mom of any kind, show biz or other. She needed help but ran away instead of facing her problems. Problems rarely get solved by running away.
I had a kid in the "biz" when she was young (not as high-profile as Molly), and she now has a great career in film behind the camera. Everything about film and TV for kids was accurate, but really too nice. Things are much worse than she described. However, not everyone turns to sex and drugs.
I had a kid in the "biz" when she was young (not as high-profile as Molly), and she now has a great career in film behind the camera. Everything about film and TV for kids was accurate, but really too nice. Things are much worse than she described. However, not everyone turns to sex and drugs.