Cover Image: Famous by Default

Famous by Default

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Member Reviews

Enjoyable read. Predictable but not bad. If you're ok with a predictable line then go for it.
Thanks Netgalley for the Arc

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Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me or it just wasn’t the time to start to read it, maybe I will try again in the future

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Famous by Default was very similar to others in its genre. Overall the story was an enjoyable one to read.

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Famous by Deafult is a great young adult romance read. The settings are well described, but what really stands out for me in this story are the characters.

The main characters are both running from either their past or their current lifestyle. They both have growing to do by addressing the very things they run from.

There are many times in this story that I wanted to give Sivan a hug. Sivan seems so fragile at first with the way the story starts off. Not a lot of detail or reflection goes into what happened in Sivan's past. The story focuses on Sivan's present life. Betty, the woman who takes Sivan in, helps Sivan learn to trust again. Sivan happens to be caring, witty, and intelligent. As the story goes on, Sivan learns more about herself and finally starts to address the past with the help of Betty and Jax.

Jax is running from the fame and fans he has gained from being a Jayne. He refused to join his brothers' band because of the fame and chaos it could create, yet it found him. He refused to play music since music created his misery. Jax doesn't make the best first impression when he meets Sivan and his aunt Betty. He believes Sivan hates him. Overtime, Jax and Sivan become friends. With Sivan's help, Jax learns more about what he truly is trying to escape from and what his future could hold.

Towards the end of the story, there are a few emotional parts that left me in tears. The story is full of hope and fear.

The only issue I have with this story is that there isn't a lot of interaction involving Jax's brothers. I truly hope there will be a Jayne series with with each brother getting their own story. The brief interaction with the Jayne brothers were entertaining and made me want to know them more.

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The epilogue will get you.

Famous by Default was a coming of age story that had the emotional twists and secrets that make for a tragically beautiful story. You will be sad, angry, happy, have butterflies and then just plain confused-- you know, the typical emotional roller-coaster that every good story brings, basically #thefeels.

FBD is told in multiple POV and I really liked the shift between characters. The more I got to know Sivan, I just wanted to bring her home and let her take care of my chickens, feed her and tell her no one was going to hurt here ever again.

Jax. Well initially I just wanted to choke the kid. I kept imagining him as the Jonas brother that no one knew (not the real life little brother but more like Nick's twin). His famous brothers were just Rockstars {literally} and I actually wouldn't mind reading a spin-off based on their lives of fame and fortune. < Seriously Harkins, don't hold back.

MK Harkins does a great job of character growth as the story progresses and I did end up liking Jax quiet a bit. Every person introduced throughout the story is so likable and real. I want an Aunt Betty! She was a treasure and I loved all her quirks.

I really enjoyed the story pace and never felt like it was rushed or that it was dragging. With every chapter I got another piece of both Sivan & Jax's history and it was exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time.

If you are a fan of contemporary lit mixed with a little Hollywood glam, then Famous by Default is for you!

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I wanted to like this book, I really did. The premise sounded promising, a boy thrown into fame by his brother’s popularity, a girl finally feeling like she can settle down after years in foster care. But I didn’t like it. The beginning was ok, even the middle was good. But the ending ruined it for me. I felt it building up…I just knew he was going to do the one thing that would betray her trust. It kept being refrenced too throughout the whole book that I saw it coming. I was hoping I was wrong but then I was proven right. I understand that Sivan eventually forgives him because he was just doing it to find a way to help her but honestly it felt pre-meditated since he had been talking about a way to find out about her past so he could help her move on. I felt as though he just used the tradegy that happened as an excuse to do so. Also speaking of the tragedy…poor Sivan, she didn’t deserve to go through something like that. I think she still could have grown as a character and would have eventually opened up without that have happening. I don’t think it was necessary.

I give this book a 2 out of 5 stars.

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I love the farm. The relationships that are made in this novel are beautiful. I can't get over how good this book was. I loved how it was slow and it eased into a faster pace because it made it feel a little more realistic because relationships aren't a Romeo and Juliet story, eyes don't lock and instant love. I especially enjoyed the music aspect of the book because it kinda made the book a little unique. The two perspectives (Jax and Sivan) were written well and as a girl I found it fascinating. I never really understand how hard it is for a boy to ask a girl out or tell her he likes her. 

Famous by Default also covers grief and getting through the death of a loved one and if anyone has lost someone or hasn't yet, it is a way to to connect and understand what it's like for someone to lose their family. Grief takes time and when being put through so much pain it's hard to let anyone in. 

Overall I liked the book. It was a quick easy read and if you love a cliche then this is perfect for you! 

3.7/5

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Would love to read something by this author again! The story was well thought out and the characters were very likable!

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When I first been approved by the publisher through NetGalley, I take way too long to pick this book to read because I'm kind of doubtful upon reading the synopsis and I guess...I was wrong. It is definitely one of the best books I read in 2017. This is why I don't read the synopsis.

I have been tied to the books right from the first page and it hard to put the book down. The story line, plot, and characters are perfect. One book, two main characters having same emotion but two different complications in their life. That's how it has held me tight to read this book.

What makes it even more fantastic is the author using POV. It means, us as a reader could see two different POV from the two main characters! Love it.

Anyway, let make it short of what it is about without me pouring too much info about this (hope so!). Jax Jayne's family is all into music which his three brothers form a band and the fame they received is beyond words. The fans were a little bit too much. Though his brothers form a band, Jax is not interested because they have different taste in music from him. Because of the fame, fans all that put Jax under pressure and mad with all people around him and the world. So, his mother sent him to Aunt Betty house where the start of something that is beyond his imagination.

While Sivan. A girl, who lost her parents and a brother since she was still young, does not understand anything about the world and she does not have anyone to rely on and to live with, hence, the foster care. The struggle living in one after one family is too much for her to handle, put her under self-defence because something happened to her when she lives with one of the foster family not until she met Aunt Betty where she found love.

The book has made me think that you have to open yourself a bit to see and to receive love from people who truly love you and care about you. Also, you need to see on the bright side - everything happens has its own reason.

My suggest you should pick this book and read it because I'm sure you going to love it.

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While I liked the book alright, and the plot was entertaining, I wouldn't spend money on this book. On a whole, it reads more like the kind of story you'd read on Wattpad or a similar site than a book that I'd spend money on. I say this because of the way the book is written (the prose, the approach to scenes, the fact that both the protagonists are described as ridiculously attractive), the unlikely coincidences (<spoiler>spoiler: Betty just HAPPENS to have gone to Juilliard and oh, look, Sivan is so gifted she gets offered a full ride at her audition? That just doesn't happen</spoiler>), and the whole Regina plot line.

I appreciated the nuanced characters, and did find myself really interested in the story, but both characters as the book went on seemed too "perfect" even with their flaws. I appreciated the character development in the main male character Jax, and Sivan was relatable and endearing as a narrator. However, I found them realistic in the same way YouTubers seem real; they control what parts of their life are seen so the weakness we do see is carefully crafted. And though both Jax and Sivan do have their issues that they're dealing with, I still found them a little too glossy and polished to really feel real. This connects as well to the idea of this book reading more like a book on Wattpad or Quotev; the specific example that comes to mind is the main character of a fanfiction I read on Quotev who also rose above her dark past to become practically perfect but whose past was only handled on a superficial level, kind of like Sivan.

I found the plot twist a little out of nowhere and it felt unrealistic the way it was dealt with, and the events that followed just kind of annoyed me. Overall I liked the book okay, but I honestly feel like I could have read something like this (or maybe even better) on a site like Wattpad.

I will be posting this review on Goodreads under the account of robinowensmusic, and will include this in my July wrap up for books I've read this month in a video on my YouTube channel, therobinowensmusic.

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I was given a copy from Netgalley for review. I'm so glad I checked it out! There is so much emotion in this book and I couldn't help but want to help Sivan. I had such high hopes for her to grow and for her happiness to increase because she deserved it. Reading through her journey made me laugh, smile and cry at all the things she endured. Jax was put in a position to cause a little trouble without much effort on his part. The introduction of Jax into Sivan's life was rocky, but what great relationship doesn't start out with a bang?! This is a MUST READ! Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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Famous by Default is a super cute romance written in multiple points of view! Jax Jayne is basically famous because of his older brothers who are in a boy band. He wants nothing to do with the lifestyle. After hoards of girls attack him on multiple occasions he heads to Iowa to stay with his Aunt Betty. Aunt Betty is always taking in strays and is a foster parent. Sivan Holt comes to live with Aunt Betty after some horrible things have happened to her being in other foster homes. There is an attraction between Sivan and Jax that they both fight off for a while. There is some tragedy in this book and I know I for one was pretty sad. Without giving away a huge spoiler I'll just say I really didn't see it coming. I do have to say that this event really did push the characters forward and into making plans and decisions etc. I really enjoyed reading the book and I enjoyed the characters. I felt like Sivan changed a lot by the end of the book and I was rooting for her all the way through. I am so happy with the way it ended. I felt like it ended the way I should have. The writing was good and the book was hard to put down. I was really into it. I would have loved to read more about the Jayne Brothers myself. And I would love to see more of Regina. I have to say as cliche as it sounds the ending is my favorite sorry not sorry. I just can't get over it. Anyway great book and hope to read more by this author. 4 star rating.

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Very easy to fall into the lives of Jax and Sivan, I could have read so much more

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This book was filled with so many feels. Sivan has had it rough she's finally found a home with Betty. Jax Jayne shows up at his Aunts house in hiding until he starts college. I love Aunt Betty she's the best person. I love Silvan & Jax relationship So well written and amazing. Must Read!

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I was so excited to read this book, I had a feeling I was going to love it.

Jax's brothers are in a famous rock band, and as a result Jax is thrust into the limelight. All Jax wants is to be a normal teenage boy - but he is followed by screaming fans and bodyguards everywhere.
After an incident, his parents decide to ship him off to the country to live with his Aunt Betty to let things cool off a bit.

Sivan is 17 yrs old, and has been in the foster care system since she was 11 due to losing her family in tragic circumstances. She has been bumped from foster home to foster home, and winds up living with Betty. Sivan just wants to survive until she is 18, and is free of the system.

I could tell from the first page that I was going to love this book. The writing style is reminiscent of Kasie West (a bit plus in my eyes!) and the story was unique. I loved the premise of Jax being thrust into fame against his will, and how he needed to deal with the issues that come with it, and how Sivan had to learn to open herself to trust and love again.

The characters were well fleshed out, and relatable. Aunt Betty was seriously cool - can she be my Aunt too?? And I loved the chemistry between Jax and Sivan.

I will definitely be seeking out other books by this Author. I loved every second of this book, I couldn't put it down!

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This was like a pleasant stroll through the woods on a warm day. But I've discovered is that I need someone to trip over a few logs along the way to perk my spirits. I actually expected this to have some conflict because of what Sivan has been through, I also expected Jax to arrogant and for them to have a love/hate dynamic going on. What I actually got was a pretty straightforward plain romance. I wanted a bit of angst to keep things going and I wanted to see Sivan open up about her past.

It took til just past the 80% mark for some angst and conflict to be introduced and by then it was too late and brushed over too quickly. Plus Sivan never opened up by her own choice.

If you set aside those few issues this was a cute story and its hard not to love Jax.

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Teen romance about first love with a cinderellesque feel.
Our cinderella, Sivan, is no-one's fool; bumped around the foster system from the age of 11 when she lost her family under tragic circumstancestors, she's been treated very poorly and arrives at her new foster home with little hope. All she's waiting for is her magical 18th birthday when she'll be free of the system.
Jax, on the other hand, is our entitled prince with loving parents. His twin and older brothers have formed a band that is hugely popular and Jax is suffering from the backlash of their fame. After one incident too many, he is sent to live with his aunt where - ta da! - he meets a captivating beauty.
Their romance starts off stormy and very, very slowly blooms.
There is a bitchy girl trying to muscle-in (not an ugly stepsister), a couple of cute children (to highlight Sivan's loving nature), a kooky adorable aunt (the fairy godmother) and an eye-opening foaling.
Jax learns some humility and grows up while Sivan takes a chance on love.
My only real disappointment was in the author telling us about certain conversations and events, rather than offering them up for us to enjoy.
A fun read.

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It was super cute and I liked it a lot. I loved the chemistry of the main characters and how adorable they were in trying to ignore their attraction. The end though was a twist I did not expect at all.

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Such a great book! It gave me so many emotions, both happy and sad. This was also a Lin easy read, and didn't take to long to hook me in! I loved the side character Betty, I feel like she really helped tie together the story.

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I loved it, I really enjoyed the storyline and characters can't wait to see what comes next from the author!

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