I really enjoyed this book. I read this as a book club book with one of the book clubs I'm in awhile back. I'm hoping to be better about reviewing books as I read them as I catch up on things. This book was funny at times and heartbreaking at times. It was interesting that this book was loosely based on true events.

A book full of Hollywood kookiness! I am in awe! How well this book is written, it's unbelievable. Kathi Kannon could be one of my all-time favorite fictional characters of all time: this has-been actress has had such a crazy and full life that she became bored with everything, and she's not even 60! Cue Charlie, a news writer in his late 20s who's had a pretty shitty life, is on a verge of suicide until he applies for a personal assistant job for Kathi Kannon, and he lands the job!! He cannot believe it since he's been a fan of hers most of his life. The book takes us on this journey through their relationship building over several years. The ups and downs of a professional relationship and much more. This book made me question myself a lot: would I have made a good personal assistant to a Hollywood star? Would I devoted my life to them? Would I have been able to separate my personal and professional life? Would I have let my employer define me? Would I have quit the job eventually because of the pressure and responsibility?

I absolutely adored this story and I want to read it again already. Some of the dialogues and situations were mmmmm

This book is a gem!

This book was pure fun. It was just want I needed for a lighthearted read. I loved this debut novel about the delicate and at times dysfunctional relationship between an assistant and a celebrity. At times laugh at loud funny, this book lived up to its sparkling cover.

This was a really cute read, very funny and entertaining, and I loved both the play on the title, as well as the cover art.

A great book. The plotline is amazing. The idea that the book revolves around is new and fresh. A good book overall.

This was such a wonderful read that was made all the more special knowing that it was written in part by the late Carrie Fisher's assistant.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a funny and entertaining book, based on the author’s time as Carrie Fisher’s assistant. However, some of the stories were sad - too much partying, too many drugs. I found myself hoping that he wasn’t telling the real Carrie Fisher story.

This is a novel about the assistant to a famous, aging movie star. Charlie is down on his luck -- a job he hates and not many relationships, platonic or romantic, to speak of. When he is offered the chance to interview to be the assistant to a famous movie star with a reputation for living an outrageous life, Charlie thinks this may be just what he needs. He gets the job, and then spend the next years on the roller coaster that is the life of Kathi Kannon. Through this experience, he learns the secrets of the lives of the rich and famous, both from Kathi and the network of other assistants he befriends, but also about family, loyalty, and what he hopes to get out of his life. This was both a fun and heart-warming read. Recommended!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Another book I downloaded because the premise looked entertaining, but it languished in my NetGalley page 2 and I lost it!

I really enjoyed this book. It is the first book by Byron Lane that I have read. It is the story of Charlie-a young, gay television news writer to is miserable in his night-shift life and feels like he cannot move forward. He runs into Bruce, a sort of Frenemy, who gets him an interview to be a personal assistant to Hollywood Legend Kathi Kannon. Ms. Kannon is the daugther another Hollywood Legend and the two have a complicated relationship.

I really enjoyed the writing, the madcap tales, and Mr. Lane's ability to make Ms. Kannon relatable and pitiable despite her addiction and quirkiness.

His lovelife and friendships are hilarious and I really liked this book as a break from what I normally read. I would totally read more by him.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Funny and irreverent. I enjoyed this and felt as if I were in a movie reading it. A good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

What a fun story! I’m wondering how much of this was based on Byron Lane working for Carrie Fisher and how much is fiction,m! I loved the quirky personality of Kathi. I definitely pictured Carrie in my head while I was reading and that really made the story that much more enjoyable. Carrie Fisher was a legend. There are a lot of laugh out loud moments, overall it was a fun story!

A lovely love letter to a fallen icon and an irreverently funny narrative about what it means to find oneself in another and to eventually let them go. Any Princess Leia fans will be delighted with Lane's fictionalized take on the late, great Ms. Carrie Fisher.

I enjoyed this story! I am definitely wondering how much of this was based on Byron Lane working for Carrie Fisher and how much is fiction, that's for sure! I loved the quirky, yet crass personality of Kathi. I pictured Carrie in my head while I was reading and that really made the story that much more enjoyable. There are a lot of laugh out loud moments, which were much needed over the summer!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

What a charming dramedy! I loved it. Carrie Fisher /Debbie Reynolds fans will get a quick out of the story written by Carrie's former assistant. Perfect for the pool or beach...this is a great vacation read.

This fictional story from the perspective of an assistant to a major star (Carrie Fischer) at first seemed like a fun read. However, Charlie the main character irritated me from the get go. What was supposed to be a humor filled book took some very odd turns with him basically coming across as sad and in need of some therapy most of the time. I felt annoyed and skimmed through most of the story, never a good sign

Fantastic. Hilarious. Compelling. Amazing. Colorful. Engaging. Zany. Emotional.

I could go on and on about out how much I loved reading this book!! But I want you to spend your time reading the book so you can understand for yourself!!

At first I thought this would only be a fictional recount of the crazy and absurd things celebrities ask of their assistants, but it was so much more!!

The author is an incredibly talented writer and I cannot recommend this book enough!

The author was an assistant for Carrie Fisher for years and although there are numerous disclaimers that this is a fictional book ......... I googled an incident that takes place in the book and I found an article that reported Carrie doing the same thing, sooooo take that as you will 🙃

Thank you to Henry Holt and Netgalley for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie Besson is looking to start a new chapter in his life. He's working third shift as a writer for a local news station. It doesn't leave him much of a social life and he just feel stuck. An acquaintance tells him there's an opportunity to be the personal assistant for Kathi Kannon and Charlie has admired her from a young age. Kathi Kannon's rise to stardom was as Priestess Talara the leader of a future world under attack in the epic sci-fi film Nova Quest. Besides that she is also the daughter of old Hollywood and Broadway start, Gracie Gold, making her a part of Hollywood royalty. Charlie views getting to be Kathi Kannon's personal assistant a new lease on life. When he's offered the job he learns it's far from anything he could have imagined. Kathi is a trouble soul battling a drug addiction on top of mental health issues. Although she seems put together in front of the media, behind closed doors it's a whole other matter.

The author, Byron Lane, use to be the personal assistant of Carrie Fisher. This book is not about Carrie Fisher and he makes that statement in his acknowledgements. If you know anything about Carrie Fisher from her interviews and books there are definitely some similarities. I enjoyed the look at Hollywood behind closed doors. This is the part of stardom that everyday people are not privy to. At the same time it started to feel redundant at times. A Star is Bored is about a relationship between a star and her personal assistant and learning to say goodbye. I don't think this book will be for everyone. Although Kathi's actions are outrageous at times, but that's her personality, the actions at the center of the story felt very one note making it hard to continue at times. This story centers around Kathi but it's really about Charlie finding his purpose in life and how it relates to Kathi. I look forward to what Byron Lane has in the future and if it'll show any similarities to this novel.

3,5 stars.
It was hard for me to get used to the writing style. It's different and I'm not sure if I like it. The protagonist Charlie talks a lot to iPhone's virtual assistant Siri, which I guess is a metaphor as he himself is personal assistant to Kathi Kannon, a star he has idolized since childhood. Some parts are really hilarious - like the restaurant scene in Japan - and some parts are boring - like many things in real life are.
Charlie lost his mother when he was young and his father is overbearing. He is looking for a connection, a family of sorts. He analyses everything at length. Those parts could have been shorter overall. But the story is great, sad and funny at the same time.
Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for a copy of this book.

My gosh.... that was an exhausting book! In a good way though...It was nice way to escape reality for a while...

This book was SUCH a joy. Not only is it funny & gripping because of the premise (and the obvious draw of the author’s past job experience that led to this story) but the writing is definitely there to back it up. It might be 50 pages too long for me, but the payoff is well worth it.