Review: Vivian Divine is Dead by Lauren Sabel

Vivian Divine is Dead

Author: Lauren Sabel
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: YA Contemporary Thriller
Format: ebook
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Source: egalley received from publisher via Edelweiss
Rating: 2.5 Stars
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***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.*** 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When a death threat arrives with teen celebrity Vivian Divine's fan mail, Vivian has no choice but to go on the run to Mexico. She soon discovers, though, that her Oscar-nominated performance killing villains on-screen did nothing to prepare her for escaping a madman in real life. Some people say he's a hero, others tremble in his presence, but one thing is clear: he won't stop until Vivian is in his grasp. Why didn't she pay more attention during those judo lessons for her role in Zombie Killer?

Vivian finds an ally in the mysterious and charming Nick. He is everything Hollywood boys are not-genuine, kind, and determined to see Vivian for who she really is. But even he seems like he can't be trusted-what could he be hiding?

Beat up, hungry, and more confused than ever about who she's running from, Vivian is living in a real-life blockbuster horror flick. But there's no option to yell "cut" like there is on set....

My Review:

This is one of those books that you have to take for what it is. Is it going to make a huge impression on you? Probably not. What is it going to do? It's going to take you for a fun, if a bit exaggerated, and crazy ride.

I'm not going to lie, at first, I was tempted to put this down. The dialogue felt very forced at times and I really didn’t believe in any of the characters. The main character is spoiled, kind of whiny, and honestly not that bright. I never really connected with her or even liked her, but I did grow to tolerate her.

The romance was pretty lame too. There was some serious insta-love going on and we never really got to know the guy. The main character even states that she doesn't know anything about him, but then she's all "I'm in love with him." Just stop.

But really it was an okay book. There are lots of twists and I honestly didn't figure it out. I had some theories throughout the book, but none of them panned out so I was pretty shocked when the big reveal came. Unfortunately I didn't really care enough about the characters to become truly involved. And then the ending was pretty open which normally wouldn't work for me, but it didn't bother me in this one. (See last sentence: i.e. I didn't really care about the characters.)

Something that I did really like about it was the setting. The book takes place in Mexico and I’m not talking the touristy parts. I’m talking the wild, undeveloped parts of Mexico that would make any girl on her own pee her pants. I really enjoyed the culture that the author wove into this with the Day of the Dead rituals. It was different in the best way.

Honestly, I'll probably forget this book pretty soon. But if you're looking for a light read or a bit outrageous thriller, then this may be for you. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I honestly don't even know if I liked it. It was... strange and a bit forgettable. Happy reading all!  

Have you read this one yet? What did you think? Did you figure out the twist at the end?