Introducing Vivien Leigh Reid: Daughter of the Diva

Reader reviewed by c-alexis


First off, I've gotta say that I love these two authors for a few reasons. One, they're from Toronto... fellow Scarberians in fact. haha. So there's the pride in knowing that people in my own community is published. Two, I love their writing. Three, the storylines are so addictive that I keep coming back for more. I especially love how they use the knowledge they learn in their other jobs to add to their writing. Go to their website and read the "About them" section to know what I'm going on about.

As for the novel itself, I loved the mother-daughter dynamic. This is a typical case of mother and daughter drifting but with the little quirks that set it apart from others. The heroine in the story is sassy and bold. Her mother is hilarious at times. Leigh is determined not to be like her mother but near the beginning, she already shows behaviour that shows how her mother affects her with the little scripts she writes in her head for her own life. You cheer Leigh on as she struggles to come to terms with her mother (who wants to pretend they're actually sisters). As for her relationship with boys, well I honestly wish she had a little more integrity to see through Sean, but I guess teenage girls can't help falling for hunky actors. For me that list can include Chad Michael Murray, Zac Efron, Drew Seeley, Jude Law, Hayden Christenson... and the list goes on. haha. So I guess I can totally relate if I ever had that chance to share a friendship (and a chance of a relationship) with one of the forementioned actors. All in all, it was another great read by these two authors.

Reprinted here with permission from author.

Reader reviewed by Rach

Viven Leigh Reid is a funny teenage girl who we all can relate to... except for the fact that she has a movie star mother. I would love to go away during summer to watch people act, and visit her Superstar mother. But, Viven is dreading it, she dosen't like hanging out with her mom at all! Well, this book was lots of fun to read and it was very enjoying. I give it 5 stars! I think it would be a great movie, and that everyone would love it!

Reader reviewed by Alexandra

Leigh is sent off to Ireland for the summer to spend the summer with her actress mother, Annika Anderson, where her mother is currently starring in the upcoming film Danny Boy, and where she is expected to have "mother-daughter bonding time" while being her mother's personal assistant. Leigh excepts to spend her time there being bored, but Sean, her mother's twenty-one-year-old, and hot, co-star, and her bit part in the movie make the summer a little more interesting. But Annika doesn't want to share the spotlight with her newbie, unexperienced daughter, and tension gets even higher between them. Annika and Leigh have to learn to separate the actor sides of themselves from their roles as mother and daughter. This book, though it emphasizes mother-daughter relationships, is far from cheesy, and teaches good life lessons while still entertaining.

Reader reviewed by The Lit Chick

one word:predictable, form start till the end. okay, maybe not the part when leigh runs away. but still.the only thing that keep me going was easy kind of language used and the fact that i was stranded at the airport for 4 hours.

Reader reviewed by chelsea

Over all, this book is about a girl who learns to respect her mom and what she does.It is one of those books you can not put down.Funny and interesting ,it is a great book!

Reader reviewed by ria

Vivian Leigh Reid has had minimal contact with her movie start mother, Annika. But for the summer, her father sends her to Ireland where Annika is starring in movie called Danny Boy. At first Leigh is opposed to the idea of spending 6 weeks with her mother. She makes friends with other workers on set. Slowly, she warms up to her mother and doesnt dread being on set every morning. Leigh develops a crush on one of Annikas costars, Sean. And she even manages to land a small role herself in Danny Boy. Though near the end of her vacation, Leigh finds herself not trusting her mother and even runs away in Ireland, she learns the importance of family and even that she shouldnt shut down the idea of becoming an actress herself.

I thought that this book was really cute and I finished it in one sitting. Vivian is a fun character to read about. I cant wait to read the sequel, Now Starring Vivian Leigh Reid: Diva in Training. If you havent picked this up yet, you should. It would make a great read for the vacation!