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whitthetwit 's review for:
Something Real
by Heather Demetrios
Once again I just love Heather Demetrios's writing. If you've never read a book by her, seriously go pick one up.
"You know those tribal people who believed a camera could steal your soul? Turns out they were right."
I loved this book. I'll admit here and now that I've always been a fan of reality TV (especially the Real Housewives franchise). However, it wasn't until this summer that I really understood what went into making a reality tv show. I first watched UnReal on Lifetime (which is a GREAT show) and it has to do with the behind the scenes workings of a bachelor/bachelorette show. After I watched that I became really interested in the behind the scenes stuff. And then I realized I had added this book to my TBR many months before and it was exactly the kind of book I wanted to read. While I know this is a book of fiction, I can't help but think there is a bit of truth to it....
Bonnie Baker has been a reality tv star since the day she was born, literally. Her birth was recorded on live television. Ever since then her life and the lives of her 12 other siblings have been at the center of the public eye. However, it's not until Bonnie is 13-years-old that the show Baker's Dozen is cancelled. The cameras go away for 4 years and during these years Bonnie is figuring out who she is, not what the cameras made her be. But after these 4 years of almost solitude the cameras have returned to the Baker household and they leave Bonnie feeling anxious and also just really angry. While the cameras take over Bonnie's house and her life she really tries to not let the show consume her. She doesn't want to be the old Bonnie again. She wants to herself, she wants to be Chloe.
"I could morph into the Bonnie everyone used to love or a new Bonnie, who's clever and witty and explains away the most painful night of her life with a roll of her eyes and a self-deprecating joke or two. It'd be that easy. But I don't want to play by Chuck's rules. In his world, you have to sell your soul to gain your dignity. I don't think that's a fair trade."
I loved all of the characters. Especially Bonnie and Benton. Benton was just hilarious and wonderful and he really provided the much needed comic relief. And I really liked Bonnie too because in a way I could really relate to her and I'm sure many other people could too. I know the vast majority of us haven't been a reality tv show but I think a lot of us have had the feeling of playing a role. Everything has to seem ok so no one suspects anything is wrong and in turn you become a person that doesn't really exist. I think this is what happened to Bonnie after all those years of being on reality television. She lost her self and wasn't able to find it again until the cameras were gone.
This book really makes you realize how messed up the world is. I don't want to assume that America has the most reality tv shows BUT WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW....I would never be able to deal with being a tv. It's so fake and bleh. It brings the worst out of people but yet we all seem to love watching it. It's kind of messed up. I mean in the book you can see how horrible Bonnie's parents had become, especially her mother. Her mother started the show because all she wanted was a child and was told it would never happen. However, once a tv company stepped in and offered her this show and the chance of having children, her wish came true. But by the time Bonnie is 17 years-old, her mother has become a reality tv monster that really isn't a mother anymore. She's an actress.
"I'm sitting here on the Kaye Gibbons Show, and all I can think is that the whole country is sick. Sick with the idea that it's good to be known and seen by as many people as possible, to show every part of our lives to the public at large. Whether it's Facebook photos, blogs, or reality TV, it's like nobody is content to just live life. The worth of our existence seems to be measured in pixels and megabytes and "likes." Those of us whose lives can be downloaded seem to have the most value--until someone more outrageous comes along to claim their time in the spotlight."
The reason I gave 4 stars rather than 5 is because I wasn't really happy with the ending. It left off on a cliffhanger for me and now I just want to know more. But maybe that's the point? With reality TV you want to more and more and you're never really satisfied. I feel like the author did the same thing with the ending to show that we really are just nosy people that get off know about other people's lives. Huh. Interesting.
I also wasn't a big fan of Patrick and Lexie. The romance between Bonnie and Patrick happened a little to fast for me and it just seemed a little too perfect. And then Lexie was just bleh. I feel like if I read the other book that has to do with her and her story, I'll like her better. We'll see!
Overall, I really loved this book. It really got me thinking about some stuff. Will I still watch reality TV? Yes. But do I have a different outlook on these people's lives? Yes, definitely. So go read this book! Or any other book by Heather Demetrios because she is an AMAZING author!
"You know those tribal people who believed a camera could steal your soul? Turns out they were right."
I loved this book. I'll admit here and now that I've always been a fan of reality TV (especially the Real Housewives franchise). However, it wasn't until this summer that I really understood what went into making a reality tv show. I first watched UnReal on Lifetime (which is a GREAT show) and it has to do with the behind the scenes workings of a bachelor/bachelorette show. After I watched that I became really interested in the behind the scenes stuff. And then I realized I had added this book to my TBR many months before and it was exactly the kind of book I wanted to read. While I know this is a book of fiction, I can't help but think there is a bit of truth to it....
Bonnie Baker has been a reality tv star since the day she was born, literally. Her birth was recorded on live television. Ever since then her life and the lives of her 12 other siblings have been at the center of the public eye. However, it's not until Bonnie is 13-years-old that the show Baker's Dozen is cancelled. The cameras go away for 4 years and during these years Bonnie is figuring out who she is, not what the cameras made her be. But after these 4 years of almost solitude the cameras have returned to the Baker household and they leave Bonnie feeling anxious and also just really angry. While the cameras take over Bonnie's house and her life she really tries to not let the show consume her. She doesn't want to be the old Bonnie again. She wants to herself, she wants to be Chloe.
"I could morph into the Bonnie everyone used to love or a new Bonnie, who's clever and witty and explains away the most painful night of her life with a roll of her eyes and a self-deprecating joke or two. It'd be that easy. But I don't want to play by Chuck's rules. In his world, you have to sell your soul to gain your dignity. I don't think that's a fair trade."
I loved all of the characters. Especially Bonnie and Benton. Benton was just hilarious and wonderful and he really provided the much needed comic relief. And I really liked Bonnie too because in a way I could really relate to her and I'm sure many other people could too. I know the vast majority of us haven't been a reality tv show but I think a lot of us have had the feeling of playing a role. Everything has to seem ok so no one suspects anything is wrong and in turn you become a person that doesn't really exist. I think this is what happened to Bonnie after all those years of being on reality television. She lost her self and wasn't able to find it again until the cameras were gone.
This book really makes you realize how messed up the world is. I don't want to assume that America has the most reality tv shows BUT WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW....I would never be able to deal with being a tv. It's so fake and bleh. It brings the worst out of people but yet we all seem to love watching it. It's kind of messed up. I mean in the book you can see how horrible Bonnie's parents had become, especially her mother. Her mother started the show because all she wanted was a child and was told it would never happen. However, once a tv company stepped in and offered her this show and the chance of having children, her wish came true. But by the time Bonnie is 17 years-old, her mother has become a reality tv monster that really isn't a mother anymore. She's an actress.
"I'm sitting here on the Kaye Gibbons Show, and all I can think is that the whole country is sick. Sick with the idea that it's good to be known and seen by as many people as possible, to show every part of our lives to the public at large. Whether it's Facebook photos, blogs, or reality TV, it's like nobody is content to just live life. The worth of our existence seems to be measured in pixels and megabytes and "likes." Those of us whose lives can be downloaded seem to have the most value--until someone more outrageous comes along to claim their time in the spotlight."
The reason I gave 4 stars rather than 5 is because I wasn't really happy with the ending. It left off on a cliffhanger for me and now I just want to know more. But maybe that's the point? With reality TV you want to more and more and you're never really satisfied. I feel like the author did the same thing with the ending to show that we really are just nosy people that get off know about other people's lives. Huh. Interesting.
I also wasn't a big fan of Patrick and Lexie. The romance between Bonnie and Patrick happened a little to fast for me and it just seemed a little too perfect. And then Lexie was just bleh. I feel like if I read the other book that has to do with her and her story, I'll like her better. We'll see!
Overall, I really loved this book. It really got me thinking about some stuff. Will I still watch reality TV? Yes. But do I have a different outlook on these people's lives? Yes, definitely. So go read this book! Or any other book by Heather Demetrios because she is an AMAZING author!