Pop princess

The Barnes & Noble Review A teen Dairy Queen worker -- with connections and a too-cool name to boot -- rises to music stardom in this trendy, candy pop–filled read from Gingerbread and The Steps author Rachel Cohn.

Although Wonder Blake stands in the daunting shadow of her sister, Lucky -- a burgeoning pop star who died in a tragic accident -- she has true talent that's all her own. So when Lucky's former manager, Tig, spots her in Dairy Queen and asks her to audition, Wonder soon finds herself on the way to the top of the pop charts with her debut song, "Bubble Gum Pop." Fortunately, Wonder has Kayla (Lucky's former friend and a singing celeb) to help indoctrinate her into the ways of pop princess-dom, and Wonder gets a taste of fame that has its sweet rewards. But fast fame also has its price, and Wonder's singing career ends almost as quickly as it started. In the end, however, it's the heart and soul that count, and Wonder's journey back to the average life brings her closer to the important stuff she'd overlooked all along.

With its slick cover and media-savvy tone, Cohn's novel will leave readers feeling like they've been given a VH1 Behind the Scenes-turns-literary glimpse into the life of a pop star. Cohn's message about glamour's temporary status and the media shines through, while she never forgets the issues of family, sex and romance, and school life. If you're looking for more about music stardom, check out Sarra Manning's Guitar Girl and Britney Spears' A Mother's Gift. Shana Taylor