Review: My Double Life

"Her whole life, Alexia Garcia has been told that she looks just like pop star Kari Kingsley, and one day when Alexia’s photo filters through the Internet, she'’s offered a job to be Kari'’s double. This would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime, but Alexia'’s mother has always warned her against celebrities.
Rebelliously, Alexia flies off to L.A. and gets immersed in a celebrity life. Not only does she have to get used to getting anything she wants, she romances the hottest lead singer on the charts, and finds out that her own father is a singing legend. Through it all, Alexia must stay true to herself, which is hard to do when you are pretending to be somebody else!"
                                                        -Goodreads

Stats:
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release date: May 13, 2010
Page count: 265
Would appeal to: Anyone interested in celebrity life, those looking for strong Latina protagonist

Favorite Quotes:

"His blond hair stayed perfectly in place, even though he was bent over a book. It was like his hair just knew what to do to make him look good."

"On Good Morning America, while talking about the reasons role models shouldn't smoke, she said, 'Cigarettes can kill you, and that really changes your life.'"

"She waved the Triscuit at me. 'Teenagers. All you think about are looks. If you were smart, you would date ugly people. They'll be grateful and treat you better.'"

"'Boring men hardly ever dump their girlfriends. It takes too much effort. Plus, they make good fathers because they have no outside hobbies.'"

"Club dancing, I noticed right away, was nothing like dancing at my school dances. Some of the people looked more like they were trying to conceive children than actually dance, and I had to keep averting my gaze from them. If Abuela had been here, she would have wanted to smack the people with her Bible left and right."

I picked this up because it looked fun, and I wasn't disappointed. Alexia is a normal senior in high school with an unrequited crush and a popular rival named Theresa (who is backed by the Cliquistas- they all were pretty petty and made me mad with their mean attitudes). Lexi lives with her mom and grandma in a strong household of Latina women. She never knew her father.

The only thing not normal about her is that she looks like a famous singer named Kari Kingsley. When she agrees to be her double to get money for college, Alexia gets in over her head. Paparazzi sightings, despite trying to be sneaky. A famous boy the real Kari would never be caught dead with. She also learns a ton about her mother's past and particular absent family members.

My favorite minor character is Abuela, Lexi's grandma. She always has something funny but so grandma-ish to say. I liked the suspense of what Lexi would experience...her trip to the club, her encounters with people who could possibly be Kari's friends or foes, the lightheadedness that comes with being sought after, an obsessive "you will learn your dance moves" manager, and a swoon-worthy boy. Grant Delray is everything a famous person is not supposed to be-- humble, genuine, considerate. You must read to find out just how thoughtful he is. His looks are definitely a plus, too. He even puts on benefits for sick kids and really cares about them. It's safe to say I didn't find anything wrong with him at all.

I laughed through a lot of the beginning and was smiling at the end. There were some pleasant plot turns and a nice message about the effect family has on your life. All in all, I'd say take this to a beach (or on a train ride, like me), and you'll enjoy Janette Rallison's realistic descriptions and light sense of humor. If you've ever imagined what it's like to be famous, this one's worth picking up.