So L.A.
Release date: 2012 / 384 pages
Synopsis(from Amazon):Beautiful Magdalena de la Cruz breezed through Berkeley and built an empire selling designer water. She’d never felt awkward or unattractive… until she moved to Los Angeles. In L.A. where everything smells like acetone and Errol Flynn Magdalena attempts to reinvent herself as a geographically appropriate bombshell with rhinestones, silicone and gin as she seeks an escape from her unraveling marriage and the traumatic death of her younger brother, Junah. Magdalena’s Los Angeles is glitzy and glamorous but also a landscape of the absurd. Her languidly lyrical voice provides a travel guide for a city of make-believe, where even Hollywood insiders feel left out.
Review: I agreed to read and review Hoida’s So L.A. for TLC’s book tour because it sounded light and summery — I have spent the past few months reading mostly non-fiction and cookbooks. I knew it was Hoida’s debut novel, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve only been to L.A. once — briefly — but, as all Bravo viewers must feel, I have many sun-drenched images of this iconic city floating about in my consciousness.
So L.A. was not particularly “light and summery,” but — more importantly — was original and creative. The protagonist, Magdalena de la Cruz, is forced to undertake a classic heroine’s journey after the death of her brother (not a spoiler — revealed almost immediately as well as on the book jacket) and decides to reinvent herself by moving from her family’s rural vineyards in Lodi, California to L.A., a city founded on reinvention. She discovers that sun-kissed L.A. is perfect for reincarnation, but not necessarily for renewal. Much of the novel focuses on her “descent into darkness,” but the reader can’t help but root for Magdalena, even at her most despicable.
The author is clearly familiar with the glitz and glam of L.A. and charmingly begins and ends the novel as if the novel were a script for a movie — the ending was probably my favorite. As a former mass media teacher, I appreciated the film-inspired chapter titles and the over-the-top plot twists and resolutions. So, while not traditional summer fare, So L.A. ends up much more satisfying and substantial — and would make a great movie, incidentally! ;)
Interested in winning a free copy? Simply leave me a comment below!
Thursday, July 5th: CBS Los Angeles – LA’s Summer Reading Guide
Monday, August 13th: The 3R’s Blog
Wednesday, August 15th: Peppermint Ph.D.
Thursday, August 16th: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Monday, August 20th: Kritter’s Ramblings
Wednesday, August 22nd: Sweet Southern Home
Thursday, August 23rd: Book Chatter
Monday, August 27th: Reviews by Molly
Tuesday, August 28th: Travel Spot
Wednesday, August 29th: Book Club Classics!
Thursday, August 30th: A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, September 4th: A Bookish Affair
Thursday, September 6th: Bookish Whimsy
Friday, September 7th: In the Next Room
Monday, September 10th: Colloquium
Tuesday, September 11th: Oh! Paper Pages
Wednesday, September 12th: Conceptual Reception
Thursday, September 13th: Seaside Book Nook
Love a copy to read!
Sounds like a interesting book. I love reading books set in Hollywood. Thanks for this chance to read it.
Hmm. This would be a different book for me. I’d like to read it.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Sound like a good read. Would love to read this
Thank you
I would live to read this great looking book, always something new to learn!
this book would be enjoyable.
thanks for this interesting book feature.
I used to live in LA and it definitely had its own group of personalities! Would really love to read it to see if she picked up some up the things that I noticed.
This book sounds like a riveting read and one that’s unexpected and surprising. I love that you found it unique, creative, substantial and ultimately, satisfying. I’ve read some terrific reviews of this book and yours helped cement my decision to read this book. If I manage to win a copy, wonderful!
Thank you for this giveaway and an enjoyable review.
Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com
LA is a great place to visit. I would love to read this book.
Sounds different which should make it interesting!
I’d be really pleased to win my own copy of So L.A. Thanks for the offer!
This looks like typical chick-lit but you’re the second person to say it has much more substance than you’d think. I’d love a copy for myself!
Sounds like a good book.
Sounds like an intriguing read. Please count me in the Giveaway!
Thank you.
Great giveaway! I’d love to be entered.
Please count me in. Thanks.
avalonne83 [at] yahoo [dot] it
Pingback: Bridget Hoida, author of So L.A., on tour August/September 2012 | TLC Book Tours
I can definitely see this one as a movie too!
Thanks for being on the tour.
I guess I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover! When I first saw it up for review I thought light, beach read. But it looks to be much more than that. Sounds like something I’d like to read.