Product Description

It’s all about talent in LA: who has it, who doesn’t, who wants it, and who can find it first!

When thirteen-year-old Mac Armstrong witnesses newcomer Emily Mungler’s stellar lying-to-gain-entry performance during a movie premiere party at the Roosevelt in Hollywood, it dawns on her that her own talent is to discover it in others! So Mac and her BFFs set out to prove it by turning fresh-from- Cedartown-Iowa Emily into a box office bombshell. They’ll make deals, throw parties, crush on boys, all on the way to discovering that no matter how famous or important you are, friendship always comes first. Well, almost always.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #392234 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

About the Author
Zoey Dean is the author of the national bestselling The AList series. She divides her time between Beverly Hills and several small islands in the Caribbean. She just finished her first adult novel How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls.

Customer Reviews

Talent Search
Mackenzie may only be an eighth-grader, but she's lived in L.A. for her entire life, and she knows the entertainment scene like the back of her perfectly moisturized hand. With no special abilities or hobbies of her own other than being the leader of her group of popular friends, Mac thinks perhaps her talent is finding that in other people, allowing her to follow in the footsteps of her mother, the famous talent agent.

When Emily, her mother, and her best friend visit Los Angeles to go sight-seeing (and hopefully celebrity-spotting), they have no idea that Emily might be the next big thing. Mackenzie does, though. After Emily acts her way into a Hollywood party, her path crosses with Mac's, and the rest is history. The week that follows features shopping sprees, auditions, and lies that could strengthen or threaten friendships and careers.

Talent will appeal to fans of The Clique by Lisi Harrison and The Ashleys by Melissa de la Cruz. Each character has her own storyline (Mac's three best friends also have famous parents and are trying to make their own strides in or out of the industry; Emily's best friend was the one with real acting aspirations) and the plots overlap evenly. These girls have money (and bridges) to burn.

I wish that Mac and company were a little less materialistic and a little more aware of the real world. I hope that Emily stays true to herself as the series continues. I was glad that this book was far tamer, content-wise, than Dean's series The A-List, more appropriate for a younger but similar audience.

A Fun Read for Tweens
WHY THE HELL IS THIS BOOK SET IN MIDDLE SCHOOL!?!

Every problem I could possible have with this book is stemmed from that one thing. You see, the characters in this book act like high schoolers, they dress like high schoolers, and they talk like high schoolers. The problem? They're in MIDDLE SCHOOL. This might be a problem, had the plan the whole novel revolved around not taken place. It did though, which made everything seem a little off in the novel because of their age. I can't really say I know what the publisher or author were thinking when they made them that young. Maybe they thought it would help sale. Gossip Girl for tweens or something. Okay, but if you're going to do that, you need to make sure the plot fits their age or it just doesn't work. What's even sadder is that this book would have been nearly wonderful if the girls had just been two or three years older.

Now, you're probably thinking that I hated this book but that's not really true. I did, obviously, have some problems with it, but in the end, it was a good book. The characters, despite the above problem, were actually quite well-developed and the plot was enjoyable, though slightly predictable. More importantly, however, was the fact that everything came together in the end to make a novel clean enough for younger readers and enjoyable enough that even the older readers will quite enjoy it. I do plan on reading and reviewing the upcoming sequels, in hope that they may get better as they go on.

Want to read it? I suggest getting either a cheap, used copy or finding someone to borrow it from.

(BTW, what do you think of the new review style? Let me know what you think!)

The Compulsive Reader's Reviews
Mac Little-Armstrong has the ideal life: she's pretty, popular, rich, has a great and loving family and wonderful friends. But she's missing only one thing--a talent. She's surrounded by many talented friends and people, but yet can't seem to find one thing she's gifted at. Until one night she sees Midwesterner Emily Mungler cajoling security into letting her into one of the most exclusive after parties in Hollywood, and realizes that this small town girl has It. She's got the talent to make it as the new big actress, and only Mac recognizes it. Now she'll have to do the nearly impossible: teach Emily the Hollywood ropes and land her the most sought after role in the surefire blockbuster movie along side the hunky Davey Woodward. She'll have her work cut out for her...

Zoey Dean's Talent takes a fresh new spin on the boring privileged teen genre. The plot is one that is fast paced, awesome, and one that is easily believable. The characters have a tendency to be a little vain and quite materialistic, but their attitudes and personalities are a clear representation of young teens today. But Talent isn't all about the fabulous clothes and jobs--staying true to your friends, honesty, and loyalty are very present throughout the story, and add just the right touch of reality to the plot, making Talent a wholesome, yet deliciously fun and summery read.