Starring Me by Krista McGee follows Kara McCormick’s journey as an aspiring actress. If the names sound familiar, it is because not too long ago I read First Date which I guess is kind of a prequel to Starring Me. (You can check out my review of First Date here). Kara had appeared on Book of Love, a reality TV show to find a date for the President’s son. While she didn’t win, she did make a great new friend Addy – a Christian who is now not quite dating the President’s son – but they certainly are interested in each other. Kara finds out that there is auditions for a show that is similar to Saturday Night Live for teens and decides to audition. During the audition process she hangs out with Addy and Jonathon and his friend Chad Beacon – a huge singing star that had won a reality competition that Kara was a fan of.
What Kara doesn’t know is that Chad, who she is now incredibly interested in, is the male lead on the show she is auditioning for. Kara makes it to the top 10 contestants to win the spot on the show and is put in to a house with the other contestants and Flora, the house mother. Flora works for the Beacon’s and was sent to help pick who will win. While the girls think the winner will be based on who does the best on the auditions that they are doing, it is actually going to be Flora’s decision and she is looking for their character and a good Christian girl to star alongside Chad. On the first day, Flora decides she wants Kara but there is just one small problem – Kara is not a Christian – yet! With the help of Addy, Jonathon and Flora – they try to help Kara see that God loves her and everyone.
Some things happen in Kara’s life and it makes her wonder if she made the right decision going from New York to Orlando to do this audition and possibly the variety show, but God shows her that everything was done for a reason and she tries to finally accept him in her heart and her family’s as well.
I really enjoyed this book – still a bit cheesy like First Date – but sometimes that is just what you need, right? It is just over 350 pages and a relatively quick read. It does have a lot of religion mentioned in it, so if that is not your thing then you might want to skip this one. But if you are Christian or do not mind there being mentions of Christianity, the Bible and God then I would recommend this book to you.
I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
Kara McKormick is told she’s auditioning to star in a new teen variety show. But it’s what she isn’t told that could change her life.
The feisty New Yorker moves to sunny Orlando to participate in a month-long audition, where she’ll live with nine other contestants and an eccentric housemother. Kara knows that the show already has a big-time celebrity lined up for the co-host, but she doesn’t know who it is.
Chad Beacon quickly rose to fame after winning America’s Next Star, but he doesn’t want his entire career to be about singing. There is so much more he wants to do—like act. The new variety show sounds like the perfect next step for him, but his parents want him to have a co-star who shares his faith since they’ll be spending so much time together.
Acting is high on Kara’s priority list. But a relationship with God? Not so much. In fact, she’s tried to stay away from anything religious. But God is after Kara’s heart and He’s put people in her life who are showing her there’s far more to Christianity than rules and judgment.
And just when it seems that Kara’s going to have to give up her acting dream, God reveals that she may have a starring role after all—in a story so big only He could write it.