Book Review: Hollywood Car Wash by Lori Culwell

Title: Hollywood Car Wash
Author: Lori Culwell

Number of Pages: 320

Published: May 5th 2009 by Simon & Schuster 

Source: Author (paperback)

Genre: Contemporary > Chick Lit

Reading Level: YA - Adult

Star Rating: ★★★★

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College drama student Amy Spencer dreams of starring in independent films. When her roommate signs her up for a mysterious "television project" audition, she blows away the competition with her girl-next-door looks and impressive acting chops, inadvertently getting a starring role on a major TV show and going from Michigan teen to Hollywood starlet overnight.

To keep the part she didn't even know she wanted, Amy finds herself taking a spin through the "Hollywood Car Wash" to make her more marketable. First, she'll have to lose twenty pounds (don't ask how). Then it's new clothes, new teeth, blonder hair, new friends, and a megastar, high-profile boyfriend (though hers comes with a big secret). Bombarded by jealous, two-faced colleagues, overeager plastic surgeons, and manipulative network executives, Amy slowly learns that the only way to survive in Hollywood is to lose her identity. Will Amy get too caught up by the glitz or will she get a grip on her life before it's too late?

Hollywood Car Wash is the second book I have read by author Lori Culwell. The first being her latest novel "The Dirt".  I was not sure what to expect going into this one but I will say I did hope I would love it as much as I did The Dirt. I was right, so right! This book has everything from interesting characters to a fun and engrossing story-line. I mean I know everyone loves hearing some juicy gossip. It's all about the world of fame and fortune and how one young woman rises to to the top and what she does to get there.

When Amy Spencer gets the chance to audition for a major role in a TV series called Autumn Leaves. She goes to California for the audition hoping this is her break to make it big. When she gets a call back for another audition then another for the TV series. Amy now has high hopes that they loved her acting and will ask her to sign a contract. So when Amy gets "THE" call and finds out that the studio was blown away by her auditions and wants her to be the newest STAR and Amy is beyond thrilled. She will now have the chance to be a real actress and help her family with their financial problems as well. At first everything is great. Amy has just about EVERYTHING handed to her on a plate. Free food, new clothes, a huge room in a fancy hotel and is always being showered by gifts. Amy is living the high live and knows it. One day when she is called in to speak with one of the network executives. Amy is told she needs to make major changes in order to boost the shows ratings. They want her to lose weight, chance her hair and many more aspects of her body but the biggest change comes when they asks her to chance his name to STAR instead of Amy. While Amy feels she looks fine the way she is and likes her name.  She ends up doing as told, only to find out she really likes the new Amy Star. As Autumn Leaves becomes more and more popular, so does Star. She will she risk everything to continue to climb the ladder to fame and fortune even if it means losing her true self along the way.

I personally never watch TV shows about actors and actresses like Entertainment tonight. I could really care less about them. This book really opened my eyes and gave me a real inside look how today's celebs live and deal with their fame and fortune. Lori Culwell really did a excellent job at portraying the life of a celebrity and making the reader understand it. The book is very face paced and highly entertaining that I could not put the book down. 

Although I did have a couple problem area's for me in the book, one being how Amy did anything and everything she was told, whether she liked it or not. I felt like she lost her soul when she signed that contract deal. I literally was "shaking my head" when she agrees to do certain things to her body when the network asked. I had a deep sense of pity for her and wanted to she her be true to herself. 

I give this book much praise and would so recommend Hollywood Car Wash to my readers. I feel it is a really great and eye opening story for anyone who enjoys watching or reading about celebrities. Author Lori Culwell has definitely written a superstar novel.