Freshman Lianne Challice is known to millions of fans as Princess Vindi. But sometimes a silver screen sorceress just wants to hang up her wand, tell her manager to shove it, and become a normal college student. Too bad that’s harder than it looks. She’s never lived a normal life. She hasn’t been to school since kindergarten. And getting close to anyone is just too risky — the last boy she kissed sold the story to a British tabloid. But she can’t resist trying to get close to Daniel "DJ" Trevi, the hot, broody guy who spins tunes for hockey games in the arena. There's something haunting his dark eyes and she needs to know more. DJ's genius is for expressing the mood of the crowd with a ten second song snippet. With just a click and a fade, he can spread hope, pathos or elation among six thousand screaming fans. Too bad his college career is about to experience the same quick fade-out as one of his songs. He can't get close to Lianne, and he can't tell her why. And the fact that she seems to like him at all? Incredible
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EXCERPT
I lean out of bed just far enough to grab the FedEx envelope that arrived yesterday afternoon. When I tear it open, a fat script tumbles onto the quilt.
Nightfall. Screenplay by Roland Sebring. Based on the novel by Helen Botts.
I wondered what Helen Botts will think about Princess Vindi showing some skin. If the scene they've written is truly awful, I could appeal to her. I’ve met Helen Botts, and she’s a lovely silver-haired librarian type, who now drives a Bentley. I suppose if Helen Botts doesn’t like the movie, she can weep into her royalty statement.
Let the skimming commence. They’ve opened the film at the castle gates. Lucifer has found a way to appear like a storm cloud over the city, terrifying the children.
Yada yada yada.
Princess Vindi’s first line is on page eleven. “I am not interested in your excuses, Lord Shelter. The time for excuses has passed.”
Sigh. It could be worse. In fact, I’m sure it gets worse. I keep flipping.
The sex scene is on page 132.
They grope, caress, moan and fondle. Vindi’s robe slides off her velvet breast. Valdor ducks his head to catch the pink teat carefully in his fangs. The camera pans downward to reveal clothing falling to the floor. With a heated rush of sexual urgency, Vindi mounts Valdor. The soundtrack rises with the keening writhings of intercourse. Valdor’s shouts are increasingly loud. The camera pans Vindi’s milky white, heaving bosom as she screams in consummation. Cut to Vindi’s shuddering face. Valdor moans deliciously, pulling Vindi softly into his embrace.
I let out a shriek.
A few seconds later Bella comes tearing through the door, mouth gaping. Her eyes skate around the room until she finds me in my bed. “What is it? A spider?” She’s wearing a Harkness Soccer T-shirt and her bathrobe.
I fall back onto my pillow. “There’s no spider, Bella. I wish that was the problem.”
“What is it then?
Words can’t do the problem justice, so I just hand the script over. Her eyes scan the page, and I know exactly when she’s found the object of my horror. Because she bursts out laughing.
“Stop,” I whine. “It wouldn’t be funny if it was you.”
“Oh, honey,” she giggles. “I’m sorry. Do you really have a velvet breast?”
I throw my stuffed bear at her. “You mock my pain. I can’t shoot a sex scene. And I really can’t shoot a sex scene with Kevin Mung.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “Why doesn’t that boy take a screen name? He’s pretty to look at. But I always think of mung beans.”
“Stay on topic.” I grab the script from Bella. “This is ten times worse than I thought it could be.” I feel sick just imagining a roomful of leering cameramen, and me with no clothes.
And Kevin. Shoot me.
“Let’s break down the problem.” Bella sits on the bed. “Is it the boob shot? Is it the scream upon consummation? Is it the mounting? Is it the awful, awful writing?”
“It’s… all of the above!"
REVIEW
I've been anxious to read more by Sarina Bowen since reading Him that she co-wrote with Elle Kennedy and released in July. I've read a lot of great feedback on the books in the Ivy Years series that I jumped at the chance to review this latest installment. The blurb sounded really cute - silver screen darling who loosens the reins of Hollywood for a normal college life while falling for the campus cutie over great pizza and memorable music. And that's about all The Fifteenth Minute was - cute. Lianne was alright. I wasn't crazy about her, but I didn't hate her either. Her character just seemed to remain in the "meh" zone for the duration of the book. I didn't feel that the nerdgirl label that the author tried to assign to her was believable at all. DJ was a mild improvement over Lianne's character. The chapters written in his point of view were the highlights. I loved his humor and confidence, despite the current situation he is in. And by the way, lets talk about that situation really quickly. What? I mean, what happened? It all just seemed to - poof - disappear. Everyone was super understanding of everything, no ones feelings were hurt and a rainbow shined in the sky. Sorry - didn't work for me. Okay, so what did work for me? I loved, loved, loved all of the music references! Next to books, music is such a big part of my life so I can appreciate it when an author uses it as a tool in character development. The story also flowed really well. It never felt rushed or stunted and the balance of the dual alternating point of view approach was fun to read. I also appreciate the way she included supporting characters, carefully placing enough information about their past/present throughout the story. It never felt out of place or predictable. Damn, this review sounds really critical, and I wish I could have rated this higher. I did like it, but the story and the characters never overwhelmed me; they were just okay. I do plan to read the other books in the series.