Review: Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Page Count: 403
Published by: Henry Holt and Co
Source: eArc received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

There’s nothing real about reality TV.

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show's cancellation, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it's about to fall apart . . . because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™'s mom and the show's producers won't let her quit and soon the life that she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

"There’s nothing real about reality TV." No, there isn't. Which is why I don't watch reality TV. But I couldn't pass up the chance to read Something Real and get a glimpse of what it is like 'behind the scenes', so to speak. It ended up being a really great read with a terrific plot and a whole cast of wonderful characters.

I found Bonnie™/Chloe to be such a real and likable character, yet she was not without her faults. I immediately sympathized with her situation and I couldn't help but root for her from beginning to end. Her reluctance to be back in the spotlight was understandable. She just wanted to be a normal teenager and have a life where no one knows her and her family. The stress of the family's reality show took a toll on her when she was younger, and she doesn't want to relive it.

Bonnie™/Chloe's mother wins the worst mother of the year award, hands down. I wanted to reach into the book and slap her at times because she was so ridiculous. She continuously placed more importance on the show rather than the well being of Bonnie™/Chloe and the rest of her children. She blatantly disregarded Bonnie™/Chloe's wishes to not do the show. It was wrong of the mother to make ALL of the children appear on camera without their consent, but even more wrong to make Bonnie™/Chloe do it because of what happened to her in the past.

I loved, loved, loved the relationship between Bonnie™/Chloe and her brother, Benton. Benton was such an awesome character that I started wishing he'd get his own book! He didn't care what anyone thought about him, and he wasn't afraid to be himself and go after what he wanted. He was also a pretty happy person, and fun to be around. He wasn't pleased with doing the show again either, but unlike Bonnie™/Chloe, he was better equipped to deal with the intrusion the show made into his life. He was also Bonnie™/Chloe's biggest supporter and wanted what was best for her.

Bonnie™/Chloe and Patrick's story was very well done. Their relationship came about at just the right time and progressed at a nice pace. Patrick was so good to Bonnie™/Chloe, he was always there with a strong shoulder to lean on when she needed him. I loved their scenes together because they were so ridiculously cute! He went above and beyond to be someone that Bonnie™/Chloe could depend on.

The Baker family was SO dysfunctional. Being on TV really seemed to bring out the worst in this family and negatively affected everyone. With the cameras and crew around 24/7, there was absolutely NO privacy in their lives, and no subject off limits. Every aspect of their lives was manipulated (and edited!), and conversations were taken out of context to create more drama and conflict. I don't know why anyone would willingly subject themselves and their family to this. The money just isn't worth tearing your family apart over.

Something Real is a wonderful contemporary story that has quite a few amazing characters. This was really a well written, well developed, and compelling story. A little bit heartbreaking, and at times humorous, overall I found this to be an entertaining read from beginning to end.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars