Angels on Sunset Boulevard

Provoking book about social networking gone bad.

Author: Melissa de la Cruz Pages: 224 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Published Date: 03/06/2007 Genre: Fiction - Coming of Age HC Price: $15.99 Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 14 Read Aloud: 14 Read Alone: 14

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this book centers around a fictional social networking Web site. TAP.com organizers also throw parties. At these parties teens drink a mysterious substance that was "like taking heroin, ecstasy, and acid all at once" -- after which some teens disappear. Some attendees also perform a strange orgy-like ritual in the back room. TAP members are encouraged to keep wish lists on the Web site of expensive products, which are somehow fulfilled -- careful readers will see the dark side of this greed. This is a mature book, and features plenty of harsh language, including "f--k."

Families can talk about this book's fake social networking site. Why is social networking so trendy? Why are teens interested in posting personal pages on MySpace -- or videos on YouTube? At the end of the book, the author relays an interesting fact: 60 percent of American teens think they will be famous. Why is fame so important to teens today? How does our current media culture support such dreams?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Kate Pavao

This book delivers enough excitement to hook readers: a missing rock star, an unexpected romance between two very different characters -- and of course, at its heart, a mysterious social networking site designed to keep kids striving for fame and material goods.

The writing might not always live up to the author's creative ideas, but teen readers will certainly feel the wheels spinning in their brains. Not only will readers try to figure out what TAP is all about, they will puzzle over bigger questions, such as why teens today are so fascinated by fame -- and what tricks big businesses use to keep teens distracted with desire so that "they don't see what's really out there."

In the end, ANGELS ON SUNSET BOULEVARD manages to be both glossy fun and philosophical. Readers won't figure out all TAP's mysteries by the end, but they are sure to be thinking about its implications long after they've finished reading.

From The Book

The next week another invitation had arrived in their TAP in-boxes. At the bottom of the e-mail, a password had been supplied: Inferno. Maybe this meant they'd made the cut this time, Taj had thought ...

Inferno had taken them inside the back room at a party up on Laurel Canyon. The room was pitch-black, and bodies were pressed tightly against one another in the dark.

"What's going on?" Taj whispered. "Is this all there is?"

A red light shone on one corner of the room, and a girl stood underneath it, holding what looked like a needle. The music started -- the bumf, bumf, bumf of the techno beat -- and the show began.

Plot Summary:

The Angels Practice -- or TAP -- is a fictional social networking Web site -- like MySpace.com, but with a serious dark side.

Mysterious organizers throw parties, getting kids to drink -- and even shoot up -- a drug, also called TAP. Some are invited to a back room, where a strange ritual takes place. And ominously, TAP teens begin to disappear.

Cool girl Taj meets rich Nick after Taj's rock star boyfriend disappears on stage. Nick's young stepsister has also disappeared -- and with Taj's help, Nick begins to learn TAP's secrets -- falling for Taj in the process.

Related Books:

More Melissa de la Cruz:
Mistletoe

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content There is a special backroom ritual at TAP parties that -- while described vaguely -- seems like an orgy.
Violence Both Taj and Nick are hurt in "accidents" meant to scare them.
Language Some swearing, including "f--k."
Message
	Social Behavior In the end, Taj decided to remain in TAP, even though she knows it's evil.
	Commercialism Some mention of Red Bull, Palm Treos, Nike, Mel's Diner, In-N-Out Burger. TAP members are encouraged to make wish lists of expensive products -- though careful readers will see the dark side of this greed.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Characters drink -- and even shoot up with -- TAP, a mysterious substance that was "like taking heroin, ecstasy, and acid all at once."