Madison Brooks, a Hollywood starlet topping the A-list, goes missing outside of a nightclub in the opening to the latest from best-seller Noël (Evermore, 2009). The narrative then plays back the months before Madison's disappearance, following three fame-hungry teenagers: Layla, who longs to be a journalist but lacks the funds for school; Aster, the bored wannabe actress chafing under her strict parents; and Tommy, who dreams of being a rock star while he works in a guitar store. The three find themselves thrown together in a contest hosted by the infamous Ira Redman, working to promote his nightclubs. Each is desperate to achieve their goals, and each becomes somehow entangled with Madison. Glitzy, often cutthroat L.A. is the backdrop for this first in a series featuring a group of teenagers who become more unlikable the longer they are exposed llywood's known to ruin people, after all. Noël stays fairly surface level with her characters, but for readers looking for a breezy, glamorous look into L.A.'s underworld, this is the page-turner for the job.

Three fame-hungry teens vie for a prize they can win by running nightclubs for an unprincipled mogul, while a young A-list star tries to avoid them. Layla dreams of going to journalism school, Tommy wants to be a famous musician, and Aster intends to become a famous actress. All three join a competition run by Ira, who wants to promote his string of nightclubs in Los Angeles. The three will try to increase traffic in their assigned clubs especially by attracting celebrities. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Madison, a real celebrity, wants to get out of her relationship with her official boyfriend, Ryan, whose TV series is on the verge of cancellation. Machinations and romantic entanglements ensue. When things blow up and Madison disappears, the teens must scramble to find out what's going on. Noël aims for the celebrity-hungry chick-lit crowd and scores. Given that her characters tend to be struggling (unsuccessfully) with their already-thin morals, they are interesting if not always likable. With the exception of Iranian Aster, all the principals are white. While the plotting and intrigue keep things moving, the story's basic premise—of adolescents promoting nightclubs—seems absurd. The cliffhanger ending sets up Volume 2 of this easy-reading and almost defiantly shallow series. Chick-lit gold. (Chick lit. 12-18)

When the owner of Los Angeles's hottest nightclubs launches a competition, only the most driven, most attractive eighteen- to twenty-year-olds need apply. Starting out in teams, the contestants will compete to promote nightclubs, with bonuses for celebrity guests, until only one remains. Layla, a feisty gossip blogger, is hoping for the inside scoop and a way to transition into respectable journalism. Aster, an aspiring actress, wants to catch the eye of the right people without her conservative parents finding out what she is up to. Tommy, a musician hoping for a break, has his own personal reasons for joining.In this new series, The Apprentice meets Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars for an unashamed, undemanding read. Unrivaled is sure to be popular among fans of any of these series. In addition to the competition plotline, the prologue sets up a mystery in the disappearance of Madison Brooks, the latest Hollywood "it girl"; the competition story is more compelling. Aster is the most believable and interesting of the characters as she tries to navigate her family's expectations, her aspirations, and the attention of a new suitor. Readers should not expect much character development overall, but the people are pretty, the clubs are glitzy, and the money and drinks are flowing.Samantha Godbey.