Glamour: On the Runway Series

By: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: February 2011
SBN: 978-0-310-71790-4
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: March 3, 2011

Bestselling teen fiction author, Melody Carlson, has done it once again. This is the fifth book in the Runway Series, starring the beloved Forrester sisters. For those who don't know or are unfamiliar, Paige and Erin Forrester are fashion-forward icons who were involved in a hit reality series called Malibu Beach (think Jersey Shore meets Dynasty). Malibu Beach had become a global phenomenon for the sisters, and even highlighted their battle with one of the stars named Brogan Braxton.

Paige Forrester is the real paparazzi girl. Everyone loves clicking cameras in her face and getting the down-low on Hollywood's sweetheart who is now engaged to fashion designer Dylan Marceau. Erin, her more calm, under-the-radar sister, finds herself trying to figure out if Paige and Dylan are truly in love or if this is simply a tidbit for TMZ and the magazines to go crazy over. She's worried about Paige, even though Paige has proven that she can take anything on and win...even Hollywood.

Paige and Erin are now involved in their own television show called On The Runway, where they commentate on the newest designers bringing the top fashion to their teenage watchers. In fact, they are about to tape an episode of the show where Paige and Erin must interview their archenemy Brogan Braxton on her upcoming swimwear line. Not only does Brogan not know a thing about fashion, but the hilarity that ensues at the fashion show is caught on tape for the world to see.

On top of all the drama that's going on, their mother is getting remarried, and Erin's best friend Blake - who has been by her side since they were little - all of a sudden wants to move their relationship to the next level, which is causing Erin severe heartache because she doesn't want to lose the one person who has always understood her and her strange life. In addition, Erin finds herself spending most of her time at their director Fran's house because Fran is suffering from cancer, and Erin becomes closer and closer to the woman with every minute they spend together.

As always with Ms. Carlson's writing, she directs the dialogue, locations, and themes directly at the teens of the world offering them a way to vent, characters they'll identify with, and lessons that are taught from honesty to friendship to relationship survival while making the whole novel a whole lot of fun.

Quill Says: Teens can always bet on Melody Carlson's writing and this book is no exception. Read for content, but enjoy the high-fashion world that will make all who read feel like they're immersed in the phenomenon that was 90210.