Review for Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad

Sugar and Spice is the last instalment in the L.A Candy series. These books have been my sweet little guilty pleasures this year and although they may not be the best pieces of literature they keep me entertained which for me is the main thing. The L.A Candy series follows a year in the life of a group of young, L.A girls who have launched to fame through a hit reality TV show. These books are semi autobiography, semi fiction based on author Lauren Conrad’s time on MTVs hugely successful reality series The Hills. In Sugar and Spice things pick up where Sweet Little Lies left off. After recently being betrayed by supposed friend and co-star Madison, Jane’s fast learning who she can and can’t trust now that she’s living under the spotlight. Whilst the tabloids are trying to create a rivalry between the girls all Jane wants is to cut her frenemies out and take back control of her life and normality, but normal is hard to achieve when you’re the nations sweetheart and your ex-boyfriend from back home comes creeping out of the works. Add on top of that Jane’s current L.A crush Brandon and life proves to be just as dramatic off screen as it is on. Meanwhile Jane’s best friend Scarlett is having some boy troubles of her own. Her new boyfriend Liam is the guy of her dreams, sweet, kind and down to earth Liam has no interest in appearing on L.A candy – which would be perfect if the bosses of the show didn’t keep trying to set up flirtatious scenes between Scarlett and guys who are willing to appear on the show causing Scarlett’s real reality to come crashing down. As season 2 gets ready to air it looks like the girls have some big decisions to make about their lives on and off set but can both reality and reality TV ever co-exist smoothly alongside each other? What I love about the L.A candy books is that there’s never a dull moment. There’s always plenty of drama and backstabbing to keep you turning those pages and the characters of Jane and Scarlett are really admirable. If you haven’t read these books you may be lead to believe that it’s about blonde, ditzy, wannabes chasing fame in L.A and whilst there are some characters like that in the books the main characters Jane and Scarlett are nothing like that with Jane being a down to earth girl next door type and Scarlett an intelligent, ambitious, natural beauty. These girls are real and very relatable and likeable and it’s so entertaining seeing the girls trying to deal with being big stars in L.A and all the fakes and drama that comes along with it. On top of everything this series gives a very insightful look into reality TV and what really goes on behind the scenes in these shows told by a girl who’s experienced it all first hand. I’ve enjoyed these books a lot, there perfect light hearted escapism on days when I just wanted something fun to read. I thought Sugar and Spice was a great ending to a great series overall but I was a little disappointed by Jane’s love interest outcome especially because I liked a certain guy in particular but other than that I thought it was a perfect ending. Scandalous, dramatic and highly entertaining this is the perfect series to get lost in. The literary equivalent to a hot bubble bath and a glass of wine. Sugar and Spice will be loved by The Hills fans, reality TV show junkies and teenage girls everywhere. 3.5 stars. My Rating 3.5/5 stars ***1/2