I received a sample for this review/feature. Opinions expressed are my own.
I am all about reading thought provoking novels with a deeper meaning. I also really enjoy reading a novel that is fun and even a little bit naughty. Ones that you sit and devour by the pool or at the beach or read once the kids are off at school. Star Craving Mad by Elise A. Miller is one of those fun books.
Maddy Braverman, thirty and single, has taught first grade at an uber-elite private school in Greenwich Village for the past six years, a hip downtown school lauded as much for its progressive pedagogy as its privileged progeny?and its multitude of sex-crazed staff?including the headmaster, aka the Head Molester. Angry at herself for not moving on, Maddy gets distracted from her pity party with a new student, Lola Magdalena?daughter of A-list celebrities Nic and Shelby Seabolt?a last-minute addition to her class roster. When tragedy strikes Lola, Maddy has the chance to meet with Nic in his TriBeCa apartment. Maddy’s sexy celebrity fantasies turn to reality, leaving her breathless and spellbound. But from her front-row vantage point, Maddy learns the hard way that celebrity is not all it seems, and gets dealt a devastating blow that could leave her jobless, loveless, and alone. If she could just see things clearly, she could save herself from going Star Craving Mad.
Maddy is a first grade teacher at a private school for rich kids. Everyone uses first names, there are no grades and it is all about student-lead teaching. Maddy is great at her job even though she keeps telling herself she is gonna leave she finds herself there for another year. She is super excited to find out one of her students has super famous parents. She is less excited to find her new assistant is late and when he does stroll in with his leather jacket and good looks he immediately emits a coolness that everyone swoons over. Everyone that works at the school seems to be sleeping around with everyone else but Maddy has her sights set higher this year. Celebrity status higher. It finally happens and she thinks she is on the way to movie premieres and a new life with a mansion and famous husband. She soon learns things don’t always work out like the fairy tales and her good friends might have some advice she needs to finally listen to.
A former actress and private school teacher, Elise A. Miller hosted and curated New York City’s East Side Oral (the reading series your mother warned you about), which showcased the talents of Jonathan Ames, Ned Vizzini, Amy Sohn, Darin Strauss, and many more. Her work appears?in the anthology?Because I Love Her, on?nerve.com?and Fresh?Yarn.com. Chapters from her forthcoming novel have been published on?Northern Liberties Review,?Elephant Journal, and in?Wild River Review. Elise is currently an SFG kettlebell instructor and fitness trainer, as well as creative writing coach. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids, two dogs and a rotating cast of ants and dust bunnies. Check her out on?elisemiller.com.
As soon as I started reading I couldn’t put it down. Perfect read for my weekend beach vacation. I can admit that I have always looked at celebrities and thought their lives looked so grand. Money and fame must be awesome! The main character feels the same way so I could easily understand why she swoons over them. Great characters and I could easily see them each as a real person. Even though I wanted Maddy to win over the hunky celebrity I knew it was not to be and eventually Maddy had to discover that too…but the hard way. This is definitely one of those guilty pleasure books that us moms especially seem to enjoy. A witty chick lit book perfect to stick in your bag for a quick read. It is exactly what a fun summer read is all about.
Connect: You can connect with?Elise A. Miller on Facebook and @EliseAMiller on Twitter.
