Family Affair: This is number one to me, not only in that we get more insight to Kaitlin’s day to day tv show life. But also for the biggest surprise so far in the book series. Kaitlin and Skylar team up against a bigger enemy. The young upstart, Alexis Holdon who’s sweetheart next door personality hides a scheming diva. What’s more, Calonita does a great job in realistically bringing the tow together, drawing their commonalities as well as peeling away some of Skylar’s pricklier layers. Plus it touches on Kaitlin’s “normal girl” desires as she works on SATs and attempts to get her license, maintaining that thread which will pay off later on in the sixth book.

Paparazzi Princess: This book brings Kaitlin to the edge of the Hollywood lifestyle. well as much of an edge as you cna bring it in a middle-grade/early YA book. Not much drinking and drugging but it is implied that the media spins it this way. At most Kaitlin overspends too much but that’s the point of it. With the end of her soap opera, the one she has been on since she was 5, she has no idea what to do next. The family and media pressure is on to make the next move so she avoids it all instead. Calonita paints a vulnerable picture of Kaitlin as she begins to experience panic attacks and her new “BFFs” point to a superficial Hollywood life that help remind her of what she really wants in life.

Broadway Lights: I love Broadway so I love this as Kaitlin shows the different world of NY theatre compared to Hollywood cinema as well as the divas that reside there too. But Hollywood still rears its ugly head when Kaitlin’s former BFFs drag her and Skylar into an all-out tabloid war even with roasts on SNL. Kaitlin also experiences her fair amount of jealousy in long distance relationship with Austin while flirting with the cute Brody that adds more spark to the story as Kaitlin seems to explore some other options in romance besides business.

On Location: This is a great book for not only getting into the busy work of Kaitlin’s first starring role but shows the growing pains of Kaitlin’s new realtionship with regular dude, Austin bumping up against smarmy ex, Drew. Now her co-star that she has to kiss. Plus Sky rears her overly tanned head into the picture alongside a crazy director and it’s just spells so much drama. It’s just very fun while maintaining Kaitlin’s moralistic core as she juggles all these balls in the air.

No Place Like Home: A bit bittersweet this one is as the last book. And unfortunately, as the last book it has a lot of expectations going into it that made it a bit disappointing when it didn’t live up to it. Now I understand what Calonita was trying to do in bringing it full circle and have Kaitilin explore her fantasy world of what if she had been a normal girl all along and coming to realize why she has undergone this Hollywood life but I prefer Kaitlin’s reality to her fantasy. I wish it had stayed there so we could see how she may have progressed through her issues in reality without the fantasy making her realize what she has and what she misses. Plus I wanted to see more of her new show, her new co-workers, maybe some of her work with collage. Ah well, it’s still a satisfying conclusion but didn’t reach the heights of the others for me.

Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Ah the one that started it all with Kaitlin going undercover as a regular high school student so she can have the taste of normal life she always wanted but never had as a long-working actress. It’s a good concept and I enjoy seeing Kaitlin see how the other half live and realize how much she idealized it in her head. Plus Austin is a sweetie, but I enjoy reading more about Kaitlin’s Hollywood life that are present in the other books so this comes last.