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Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland is the perfect book to read if you’re looking for something inspiring. This story is about a young girl figuring out how to live on her own while trying to achieve her goal of becoming an actress. I loved this concept and the strong bonds the main character makes, but I found the pacing to be a bit slow. However, I would still recommend this to those who are interested in the world of acting.
Title: Hello SunshineAuthor: Leila Howland
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: July 11, 2017
Rating:
A Prep School Girl with a Hollywood Dream
Becca Harrington is a reject. After being rebuffed by every college on her list, she needs a fresh start, so she packs up everything and moves to LA, giving herself one year to land an acting gig or kill herself trying.
Unfortunately, not everything turns out as planned, and after a few grueling months, LA is looking like the worst idea ever. As hard as she tries, Becca can’t land an agent, she's running out of cash, and her mom is hounding her to apply to more schools. In an act of desperation, Becca and her friend Marisol start posting short videos online—with the help of their adorable filmmaker neighbor, Raj—and the videos catch the attention of a TV producer. Could this be it? Her big break? Or will she have to move back home with nothing but some bad head shots and a monstrous credit-card bill?
Becca may not get the Hollywood ending she was hoping for, but perhaps she’ll learn there’s more than one way to achieve her dream.
Readers will love every page of this funny, romantic, aspirational, and ultimately triumphant novel about a girl who just wants to make it on her own.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: Hello Sunshine by Leila Howland
❀ Book About Acting
Since I’m a sucker for books about acting, the concept of this book immediately drew me in. It is such an inspirational story about a girl trying to follow her dreams and become an actress in LA. I loved how this book shows the reader that being an actor isn’t easy. It follows Becca as she is constantly rejected, and doesn’t shy away from the hardship that she endures moneywise. The reader will definitely be rooting for Becca on her journey to fame and be able to relate to her as she learns how to live on her own as an adult.
❀ Strong, Supportive Relationships
One of my favourite aspects of this book are the strong, supportive relationships that Becca has. Her two new friends live in the same building as her and help her out by cheering her up, attending her performances, and encouraging her. Becca’s mom also has a role in the story, which I loved. Parents in books are something that I always like to see. Becca’s mom wants the best for her daughter and tries to steer her towards college, even though college isn’t the future that Becca wants for herself. Despite all this, her mom’s pride towards Becca and her accomplishments and her constant text message check-ups are so sweet.
❀ Slow-Paced
While I enjoyed this book, the pacing bothered me. I found the story to be very slow-paced, and it felt like nothing was really happening. At first, Becca’s search for an agent was interesting, but after so many rejections, the plot got a bit old. I also didn’t agree with some of her decisions. For example, she goes out and buys a super expensive shirt right when she gets paid, even though she’s struggling with money. I found her ignorance to be frustrating, and it is kind of hard to believe that she knows so little about living on her own and priorities at her age.
❀ Motivational Story
Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland is a motivational story about an actress trying to live her dream. I enjoyed the different perspective the book offers on the world of acting and what it’s like getting hired, and I loved the supportive relationships that the main character makes. However, I didn’t like the slow-pacing or the decisions that Becca makes, so this book didn’t impress me as much as it could have.
About Leila Howland
Leila Howland grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. She is the author of the YA novels Nantucket Blue, for which she was named a Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start author, Nantucket Red, and Hello, Sunshine, as well as the Silver Sisters middle grade series and the upcoming Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon. Leila now lives in Los Angeles.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.
This book isn’t my cup of tea but I’m glad you enjoyed it despite the packing! 🙂
I mean slow pacing
This is the first time I am hearing about this, and I am glad that I heard it from here. It sounds adorable, like a perfect summer read!
It really is a perfect read for the summertime! 🙂
This one definitely slipped under my radar, but it sounds pretty good. The whole slow pacing thing kind of makes this one not for me, I think, but I’m glad that you did somewhat enjoy it. Lovely review!
It is somewhat of a personal preference, but I do prefer my books to move along a bit quicker. 😉
Sometimes a good laugh is exactly what you need. Thanks for sharing.