Sixteen-year-olds Charlie, Keiran, Brooke, and Hallie live on the quiet and quaint North Fork of Long Island. It may not be glamorous but it is real and teen girls are where the drama is at - at least, that's the rationale of a television studio executive looking for the next big reality series. Thinking that Charlie and her friends might be THE next big thing, she signs them up for a show.

However, soon enough, having cameras follow them everywhere and interfering producers surreptitiously scripting their lives starts to effect their relationships. Brooke seems to want all the screen time. Keiran is scripted out of the show - and the group's friendship - when she doesn't rate well and as soon as Charlie realizes what is going on, she figures out the perfect way to give the studio and her home audience a reality check.

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Reality Check by Jen Calonita
Published by Little, Brown Young Readers

Hardcover released June 14th, 2010
ISBN-10: 0316045544
ISBN-13: 978-0316045544
Buy it from Amazon ~ B&N ~ Borders ~ IndieBound

Reviews

"Calonita provides the kind of dishy, behind-the-scenes details and name-dropping that reality-television junkies crave. Fans of Meg Cabot's Airhead series and Calonita's Secrets of My Hollywood Life (2006) will eat this fun, timely, cautionary tale right up." - Booklist

"The dynamics of the main four's friendship will be enjoyed by readers who favor novels that explore the inner workings of groups of girls. The criticism of 'scripted' reality TV will be appreciated by teens who have grown tired of the seemingly endless succession of these shows." - Kirkus Reviews

Reviews from teen readers (who are part of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Hip Scouts)

"Reality Check was a cute, fun read! Jen Calonita knows a lot about the entertainment industry. It was exciting to see what it is really like behind the scenes of a reality show. The book shows that everything is not always glitz and glamour, and that it is important to stay smart and grounded. I liked Charlie's character and her determination to do what's right. The main characters put friendship and values before fame and fortune! The ending was great, too. It was not a stereotypical fairytale ending, which was refreshing." - Brie, 16

"Jen Calonita has done it again. In her new book Reality Check, Jen writes about four friends that get the chance to have their very own television show. Charlie, Brooke, Keiran and Hallie were best friends in Cliffside, New York. The book shows the hardships that friends have to go through when their lives are under a microscope. This book shows you what can happen to people when they think all of their dreams start coming true. In my opinion Jen Calonita has written another summer hit. This book left me wanting more. There is a character for everyone to relate to. I recommend this book for anyone that likes Secrets of My Hollywood Life series, Sleepaway Girls, and Gossip Girl." - Erin, 16

"Jen Calonita has done it again! Her new novel, Reality Check, is sure to entrance countless readers simply because it is so easy to associate with. Charlie, Kieran, Brooke, and Hallie, the quirky group of best friends the book is centered around, live in a normal town with normal parents and normal teen problems. But what's not so normal about this group is the reality TV show based on their friendship. The girls' reactions to the show, their newfound popularity, and the problems that ensue are so life-like it's easy for any female reader to imagine herself in Charlie's place, battling the trials and tribulations of today's media-centric world." - Zoey, 16

"Reality Check by Jen Calonita receives an A+ grade. It was funny, bubbly, charming, witty and entertaining. My schoolwork got put aside as I dove into the book and didn't emerge until I had finished. I wanted an immediate sequel. Calonita hit the nail on the head, this book was all kind of wonderful and will definitely be put on my favorite book shelf." - Kayla, 18

"I just finished reading the book Reality Check, and I enjoyed it very much! I love all of the characters because I felt like in some way, I could relate to each of them. I also liked how when there's a section where something's mentioned in an article, it's set up like that (a newspaper article, or the way it would be on a website). One of my favorite things about Reality Check, though, is [the] very well-written ending! It's very much like how things are..." - Natalie, 14

"Reality Check, written by Jen Calonita, is a novel for any young adult who loves drama, fashion, and a good love story. This book will pull you in and make you wish as though you lived right along with the main characters. The characters will make you laugh; the humor and wit in this novel is sure to leave a grin upon your face as you read cover to cover." - Brittany, 19

"I really enjoyed this book. Actually, I tend to like most of Jen Calonita's books. I think I may own almost all of them. I liked this book for various reasons. The first being that it shows the realities of reality television. Most people think that what they see is real because that's what they are led to believe, but half of the reality tv shows are scripted and planned out. Also, it shows exactly what can happen to some people when they let their fame, or the start of their fame, go to their heads...Overall, Reality Check was clever, funny, and kept you rooting for their friendship." - Joana, 16 "I really enjoyed reading Reality Check. It's every teenage girl's dream to be on TV and the 4 girls got to live out that fantasy. [...] Once I started to get into it, I couldn't put it down! I would recommend this book to any teenage girl." - Gianna, 16

"This book is good. It is a great 'pink-lit' book. I never wanted to put it down!" - Manya, 15

"Reality Check by Jen Calonita is an amazing book. At first I thought it was going to be another book about snobby girls. But once I started reading it I realized it was tastefully written. And truth be told one of my biggest fears about wanting to be famous is losing myself along the way. And that was what this book was talking about. But the author did a good job not just stating the obvious and I never saw the twist at the end." - Kristina, 17

"Reality Check by Jen Calonita was a great young adult novel. This story is surprisingly real about friendships and how easily they can be destroyed. The idea for this book was a very new concept to me because I have only seen it on TV and being able to read what actually happens is great. The story has very upbeat, witty language and deals with day-to-day dramas for teenage girls. The book is an easy read that is great for young teenage girls." - Jessica, 16

"The four best friends in this book have such a great relationship at the beginning, until fame goes to one of the girls' heads. But the three that are left - Charlie, Keiran and Hallie - have a true friendship that is hard to come by. I wish I could be one of these characters! The three friends stick by each other no matter what. I also really connected to these characters because of the way they think. Charlie is always worrying about college and that is the number one cause of anxiety for people in my high school, too. Her problems are similar to ones that happen in real life. Jen Calonita is a really good writer and I really liked the book! I'm going to read [her] other series." - Brianne, 17

"Reality Check was literally one of the best books I've read in a long time. I could not put it down! It's a great light read... it only took me one night to complete the book!" - Keil, 14

"I really enjoyed Reality Check by Jen Calonita. I watch a lot of reality TV shows, and I always wondered what it would be like to have cameras following me around all the time. By reading Reality Check, I got the other, less-glamorous side of reality TV. How annoying would it be to have to repeat conversations and events because the producer wanted things done a different way? I liked that this book showed that it's not all fun and games when it comes to being on TV. The four main characters were interesting, and all had unique personalities, which I liked. Charlie was my favorite and I liked how she stayed grounded and down-to-earth throughout the book. Overall, I thought Reality Check was a fun and enjoyable read." - Megan, 18

"Reality Check was a fun, quick, glamorous read about being true to yourself and not letting fame go to your head. Charlie was such a fun, relatable character and I enjoyed being in her head! Reality Check contains a refreshing take on friendship and betrayal that many are sure to love!" - Karen, 15

"A breezy and funny read, Reality Check mixes fun, fabulousness, and friendship all at once to give you a great read! Four best friends are given the opportunity of a lifetime - a chance to have their own reality show! It sounds great at first, but it doesn't go as expected. Tensions rise, fights between lifelong friends happen, and the girls must ask themselves, is the grass really greener on the other side? This novel illustrates the truthfulness of this quote: 'As we grow up we don't lose friends. We just learn who our real ones are.'" - Karen, 19

"Jen Calonita has another hit in her new novel, Reality Check. Her message of 'friends first' is one that can be applied to any reader. She makes it clear to all of her readers that idolize the girls from The Hills that all of that fame has a price. I love her language and the way that she uses words used by the teens she brings to life in the novel. I absolutely loved all of the characters, who represent the different types of people and their reactions to their newfound fame. After reading this, I thought about my friends and how much I appreciate them and all they do for me. This is a funny, entertaining and heartwarming story perfect for any reader!" - Megan, 16
"Reality Check is one of my newest favorite books. I loved how I could relate myself and my friends to characters in the book, and I also loved how the author often made reference to things in real life that most teenagers take an interest in. I agree with every quote on the cover of the book and will be recommending this book to my friends." - Bryanna, 14

"Reality Check by Jen Calonita is unlike anything I have ever read before; I literally could not put the book down. The book follows the life of four best friends who get offered a reality show and it really shows the true colors of the girls. This book offers everything intrigue, drama, back-stabbers, romance, and a not so happy ending. This story makes you laugh as much as it makes you want to punch someone, specifically one of the best friends. One thing's for sure -- after reading this book there is no way that I would ever accept a contract as a reality show star!" - Leslie, 19

"I absolutely loved Reality Check! I enjoyed learning about how reality shows really work and I adored the main character, Charlie. Well done, Jen Calonita! A very enjoyable book!" - Jackie, 15

"Being a teenager that watches a lot of reality TV shows, one thing that stood out from Reality Check, this amazing novel by Jen Calonita, was its originality. She contrasted the characters very well; I absolutely fell in love with some, and others, I despised -- but with good reason to support it. Even better, the characters don't disappoint -- with the novel's conclusion, I grew to love the characters I already loved EVEN MORE. The dynamic, unique relationship between the friends sucked me right into their world -- I couldn't help but want that kind of friendship in my life. Their obvious close relationship with each other paints a very realistic picture and, through their disputes, I was sympathetic and desperately hoping things would get better. I could relate with past situations I've faced with my own friends. The cute romance and drama intermixed throughout the plot makes this a standout novel. This is definitely a perfect summer day's read." - Minnie, 18

"Reality Check is a fun read with an unexpected ending. This book really portrays reality, as it shows what happens when one becomes a celebrity, and the consequences that go along with [that]. This book proves that not all friends are true friends, and it is best to learn that than to be oblivious to it. The characters are really well thought-out, and I have so much emotion for them! Overall, this is an unexpected book and a must read for all!" - Sharleen, 16