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Play Shop: Let's Pretend Sets

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Lily and Adam’s fauxmance is not the only thing in this book that is toxic. Adam himself, Talia, cousin Dido, the Momager, best friend Nina, even Lily herself, are all toxic in their own way. I quite liked Rafael, because he seems to be the only one who knows who and what he is. And most of all I disliked Dan, who thinks he is so nice, but is actually a hypocrite of the worst kind. Even Lily’s stalker Zalandra is more honest.

Lily Thane's family name brings with it a prestigious theatrical legacy. But although she enjoyed fame as a child, the roles are starting to dwindle now she has reached her thirties This story is told from the perspective of former childstar Lily Thane, now a somewhat struggling actress in her early thirties. I've read Vaughan's previous novel The Favour and this one is similar in the twisted character relationships and general sense of terrible people who might be capable of murder, though I didn't quite enjoy the atmosphere of this one as much. I found the pace of the first part wasn't for me and I was left a bit confused that it was suddenly the end of her agreement with Adam, but the party that forms the central moment of the book was good. I found that I wasn't connected to the characters, but that was fine because they're all intentionally awful.Let's Pretend is a novel about the world of acting and fame, and the kinds of performances it causes people to undertake. When former child star Lily Thane is approached by her old stage school acquaintance Adam Harker for a fake romance to stun the red carpet with, it seems like a great opportunity. It seems like maybe her struggling acting career could be on the rise, but she'll have to content with their toxic dynamic. When Adam is found dead in a swimming pool, Lily knows something was up, and gets drawn into finding out who supplied the drugs that killed him, and if they're still dangerous. We attract. And repel. Our dreams, desires, people, opportunities; anything we consciously invite into our lives comes in with everything it has to offer. Success comes with heartbreak. Happiness comes with foreboding. Holidays come with post-holiday blues. Relationships come with heartbreak… Throughout the story, we as the reader get to understand the life of the rich and famous, just the not so glamourous side. Lily Thane and Adam Harker are our main characters, are children of showbusiness who have known each other their whole career. It draws attention to both their modern day careers, with Adam continuing to flourish and Lily being caught in the past, only recognised for her work in her younger day. Twists, however, are there. But they are delivered most intelligently and satisfyingly. Act three is an extraordinary display of storytelling and most captivating execution that will leave you literally out of breath. It’s one of those stories that can be devoured in a single reading, making it a perfect holiday read. It doesn’t mean however that it’s a simplistic read. It’s insanely well-plotted and delivered with truly Kingesque verbose panache.

e/ ea /ee/ ea /u/ o /igh/ i-e, i /i/ y /oo/ oul /oo/ u-e /oi/ oy /ar/ a /ow/ ou /ear/ eer /air/ are, ere /or/ al /u/ o-e /o/ a Let’s Pretend has been a really eye-opening read showing the darkness that can be lurking behind the outward persona of those in the public eye. It definitely acts as a reminder too that you can never know what truly goes on in a relationship unless you are in it; contrary to what the press would have you believe!Goods that by reason of their nature, cannot be returned - (Items such as underwear, where the 'hygiene patch' has been removed, or cosmetics where the seal has been broken). For someone like me who has never been to a party where anything stronger than weed was smoked, the lines of cocaine on the table where the wine is usually laid out, was a real eye-opener, though I hope I never experience it. I’d like to keep my septum thanks very much.

Pretending is what Lily Thane has been doing all her life - after all, it is another word for acting, which she has been trying to do since being the famous four year old in a cult Christmas film. Now, despite being part of a theatrical family and her determined mother - the “Momanger”, she is struggling. She is good at what she does, being a perfected attractive blonde who is always auditioning for parts, but real success in being cast is eluding her. So when she meets an old friend from theatre school, the sort of famous Adam Harker, and a proposal is made of a sort of acting job with sweeteners is made, it seems reasonable to take it. Adam has secrets and a darkness that attract and repel her at the same time, but pretending to be in a celebrity romance at least raises her profile. If only she knew how deep she must plunge - and how it will feature death… Revision Col 3 Collins at Home | Support for schools Home tutors Letts Revision Collins4Parents Collins Book Sale Revision for students Having read The Favour, I thought I knew the author’s thought process and where this story was heading but I was way off the mark. This was a lot darker than it’s predecessor. Despite being the woman scorned, I really liked Lily and I was rooting for her to be right about Adam’s demise but was she? Was it murder or just a tragic accident?! Laura Vaughan writes a compelling and immersive dark, contemporary tale. Glamorous façades conceal abundant sins in this thought-provoking, entertaining mystery. The plot plays host to quite a few egocentric, secretive characters but they are all credible and well depicted. Toxicity is rife and there is a vibe of impending doom giving rise to feelings of uneasiness. For me, a great, well-delivered story. Highly recommended. Finally, let’s talk about the theme of the novel: pursuit and loss. Vaughan not only masterfully dissects the world of minor celebrities and the lengths people are willing to take to earn their Warholian 15 minutes of fame. She looks at the intrinsic needs for it. Whether it’s a family tradition, peer pressure, or overbearing parents – fame can be equal to success, regardless of the cost. But becoming famous is only one side of the slightly rusty and misshapen coin. On the flip side, there is a fear of losing it. We’ve all experienced loss, and Laura Vaugh is not afraid to not only remind us what it feels like but that no one is immune to it.This is definitely acts as a reminder too that you can never know what truly goes on in a relationship unless you are in it; contrary to what the press would have you read! International Col 1 Cambridge International Caribbean International Early Years Collins Big Cat for International Schools International Resources Webinars Catalogues Big Cat Writing Competition Winners 2023 How you look the choices you make in life can direct your future, people who seem to have it all really happy, on top of the world behind closed doors living in sin. Wow, I was absolutely glued to this & read it in about 4 hours. To be honest, Lily's investigation into Adam's death was the least interesting thing in the book, I was far more into their spiralling toxic 'fauxmance'. The man was a grade A a-hole. Throw in a supporting cast of a resentful sister, fake friends & acquaintances, & a stalker - just who can Lily trust? I thought Lily was a good main character, she had her faults, but she was generally one of the more likeable characters. Things went off the boil a little for me after Adam's death, but it was still a really great read about the pressures & fakeness of stardom & just what people are willing to do for their 15 minutes of fame. This book really moves at a pace and I found it really compelling (especially the first half). We follow the main character, Lily, a former child actor who has really done nothing of note for some time. When she bumps into an old stage school companion, Adam, she is drawn into his (more successful) world.

This book felt muddled and rushed to me, like the author had a lot of ideas that wouldn’t really be enough for a whole book so they were woven together to make this one. Reference Col 1 Times Books A-Z Astronomy Gardening National Parks National Trust Books Road Maps & Atlases World Atlases He needs someone to be his plus one at glitzy events, a person to show off via social media, to become part of a power couple. After all the world of celebrity is all about reputation and how things look and Lily's Momager couldn't be more thrilled. Soon, Lily finds herself in a fake relationship with Adam. Lily wonders if their relationship can ever be real? Applicability of cancellation rights: Legal rights of cancellation under the Distance Selling Regulations available for UK or EU consumers do not apply to certain products and services.She signs a 6 month contract to be his "partner" but all that glitters is not gold and the reality of living the celebrity high life with a troubled actor soon proves impossible and she is cast aside. Not long afterwards Adam is found floating dead in a pool.

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