Starstruck

When the impossibly hot new quarterback ignores all the pretty cheerleaders competing for his attention to come over and sit at YOUR lunch table… what do you do? I’ve always been the class dork—shy, bookish, not particularly pretty and definitely not popular. In other words, I’ve never been anybody important. Orphaned twice as a toddler, I’m not even sure who I am, other than a burden to my super-strict adoptive “aunt.” But then the gorgeous new quarterback, Rigel, arrives at Jewel High and turns his back on all the popular girls vying for his attention to seek out ordinary me—of all people! I’m over the moon, of course, but the first time Rigel touches me, sparks fly—literally! Then weird things start happening. Suddenly, I no longer need my thick glasses. My complexion improves, too. When I demand to know what’s going on, the answer both thrills and terrifies me. Not only is Rigel my bonded soulmate, apparently I’m not such a nobody after all! But my unexpected status comes with huge risks that threaten both my life and our newfound love. Book 1 of an electrifying young adult science fantasy romance series from a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, where teen romance blends with science fiction to open a whole new world of action, adventure and discovery! This series is perfect for fans of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series, with its themes of forbidden romance, fated mates, opposites attract, and overcoming dangerous obstacles to achieve a happy ending.

A new series set in the golden age of glam . . . “Wit, pluck, darkness, pitch perfect period details, juicy twists, and big heart. This book is one to savor.”--Anna Godbersen, New York Times bestselling author of the Luxe and Bright Young Things series Every week they arrive in Los Angeles--beautiful and talented young hopefuls who dream of becoming stars. It's all Margaret Frobisher has ever wanted—and when she's discovered by a powerful agent, she can barely believe her luck. She's more than ready to escape her snobby private school and conservative Pasadena family for a chance to light up the silver screen. The competition is fierce at Olympus Studios and Margaret—now Margo—is chasing her Hollywood dreams alongside girls like Gabby Preston, who at 16 is already a grizzled show-biz veteran caught between the studio and the ravenous ambition of her ruthless mother, and sultry Amanda Farraday, who seems to have it all--ambition, glamour . . . and dirty secrets. Missing from the pack is Diana Chesterfield, the beautiful actress who mysteriously disappeared, and there are whispers that Diana's boyfriend—Margo's new co-star—may have had something to do with it. Margo quickly learns that fame comes with a price, and that nothing is what it seems. Set in Old Hollywood, Starstruck follows the lives of three teen girls as they live, love, and claw their way to the top in a world where being a star is all that matters. “Valley of the Dolls for a new generation.”—a TeenVogue.com ‘Read During Spring Break’ selection “If you're into T.V. dramas like Smash, or love the over-the-top fashion of The Great Gatsby, Starstruck will have you hooked!”—a Seventeen.com ‘What to Read This Summer’ selection

A picture-book biography about science superstar Neil deGrasse Tyson, the groundbreaking American astrophysicist whose work has inspired a generation of young scientists and astronomers to reach for the stars! Perfect for STEM curricula and readers of all ages. Young Neil deGrasse Tyson was starstruck when he first visited the sky theater at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He couldn't believe the crowded, glittering night sky at the planetarium was real--until a visit to the country years later revealed the impossible. That discovery was like rocket fuel for Neil's passion about space. His quest for knowledge took him from the roof of his apartment building to a science expedition in northwest Africa, to a summer astronomy camp beneath a desert sky, and finally back home to become the director of the Hayden Planetarium, where it all began. Before long, Neil became America's favorite guide to the cosmos. This story of how one boy's quest for knowledge about space leads him to become a star astrophysicist is perfect for young readers who are fascinated by the universe, aspiring scientists, and the dreamer in all of us. It will ignite your own sense of wonder.

How was Nike able to take a gamble on an unknown Michael Jordan and transform itself from a $900 million company to a $9.19 billion company in less than fifteen years? Why did the artist Jeff Koons's Balloon Flower (Magenta) sell for a record $25.7 million in 2008? What does the high school football star have in common with the Hollywood headliner? And why should an actor never, ever go to Las Vegas? Celebrity—our collective fascination with particular people—is everywhere and takes many forms, from the sports star, notorious Wall Street tycoon, or film icon, to the hometown quarterback, YouTube sensation, or friend who compulsively documents his life on the Internet. We follow with rapt attention all the minute details of stars' lives: their romances, their spending habits, even how they drink their coffee. For those anointed, celebrity can translate into big business and top social status, but why do some attain stardom while millions of others do not? Why are we simply more interested in certain people? In Starstruck, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett presents the first rigorous exploration of celebrity, arguing that our desire to "celebrate" some people and not others has profound implications, elevating social statuses, making or breaking careers and companies, and generating astronomical dividends. Tracing the phenomenon from the art world to tabletop gaming conventions to the film industry, Currid-Halkett looks at celebrity as an expression of economics, geography (both real and virtual), and networking strategies. Starstruck brings together extensive statistical research and analysis, along with interviews with top agents and publicists, YouTube executives, major art dealers and gallery directors, Bollywood players, and sports experts. Laying out the enormous impact of the celebrity industry and identifying the patterns by which individuals become stars, Currid-Halkett successfully makes the argument that celebrity is an important social phenomenon and a driving force in the worldwide economy.

An inside look at the world of fandom follows a journalist as he accompanies both celebrities and fans to see what each side looks like to the other, creating a fascinating picture of how fame shapes lives. Reprint. 40,000 first printing.

Dulce Gavin, a girl who doesn't like to watch TV, accidentally met and helped a drop dead gorgeous teenager named Glace. They hit it off instantly, but soon lost contact. A week later, Glace turned up at Dulce's school and ended up as her seatmate. The catch? Glace is a Hollywood celebrity who is about to turn Dulce's normal life inside out. Follow these two girls as they discover love, friendship, and the value of family amidst popularity and high school life.

Why are we so obsessed with fame? In Starstruck, former autograph hound and current entertainment journalist Michael Joseph Gross searches for the answer as he travels from Hollywood to Dollywood, Neverland to Middle Earth. He chases after Mick Jagger with a professional autograph collector; gets the inside scoop from Mary Hart on covering Hollywood for Entertainment Tonight; walks the red carpet with Sean Astin during The Lord of the Rings's Oscar championship season; and discovers what fans look like to the celebrities themselves-who often seem to be among the most starstruck of us all. "Absorbing."-Michael Musto, Village Voice "Jaw-dropping."-The Advocate "Starstruck is a wonderful blend of insight, personal history, sociology, and hilarious gossip...I can't wait for people to start asking Gross for his autograph."-Glen David Gold, author of Carter Beats the Devil "Gross works the fame-shame equation with a piercingly funny perceptiveness."-East Bay Express "Like an anthropologist trained in Hollywood culture, [Gross] understands the positive and negative results of adulation...Gross's writing is honest and humane, and his book is an entertaining look at modern celebrity culture."-Publishers Weekly "It's hard to imagine a more important, underestimated, and vexing subject for America today than celebrity, and Michael Gross's treatment of the subject is everything one would hope it could be: thoughtful, generous, rigorous, and suspicious of cant."-Jim Shepard, author of Project X Also available: Starstruck hc 1-58234-316-0 ISBN-13 978-1-58234-316-7 $23.95

A heist by the Serenity crew goes badly wrong in a captivating original Firefly tie-in novel from the award-winning series by Titan Books. City of sin Neapolis: a desert city on planet Bethel where all manner of entertainment can be found: high-stakes gambling, luxurious hotels, exclusive clubs and any form of diversion imaginable may be had for a price. It’s the eve of the annual carnival: three days of decadent revelry, and Serenity arrives to take a security job, guarding a costly shipment. An unattainable ransom Tragedy strikes: the shipment is stolen, and the wealthy owner kidnaps Zoë and Book, holding them to ransom for the lost shipment’s value. If Mal can’t find the enormous sum of five hundred platinum by the next evening, both of them will be killed. A race against time As the carnival begins the crew must attempt the impossible, calling on contacts, calling in favours, and revealing hidden talents to save their crewmates’ lives. Meanwhile, the hostages have their own plans…