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Blind Ambitions : A Novel

Blind Ambitions : A Novel

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An Insider's Look at Hollywood from an African American POV
Review: "Blind Ambitions" gives a thorough, believable account of what Hollywood is like from not only the actor's viewpoint, but the writers', producers', and developers' as well. Most books about Hollywood focus on the troubles of actors, but Lolita Files makes the case that the people behind the scenes have an equally hard time as well.

Primarily narrated by African-American characters, "Blind Ambitions" details the struggles of three African-American women, an actress, a producer, and a secretary who wants to be a producer, trying to succeed in Hollywood, where the power structure is dominated by White people. Files gives vivid accounts of how a television series is developed, along with all of the manipulations, lies, and power plays involved. This is where "Blind Ambitions" succeeds, making it a must-read for anyone wanting to work in the entertainment industry.

Files is less successful at creating a plot, which includes a laughable mystery that has nothing to do with the main action in the book, and feels tacked on. Also, some of the characters motivations are inexplicable, and no follow up explanation is ever provided. For instance, Randall pursues Desi quite eagerly, nearly to the point of begging, to play the main character in his new television series, even though Desi is a washed up actress. Although it is hinted that Randall has more than a professional interest in Desi, it is never made apparent to the reader, and nothing ever comes of it. There are several other similar loose ends in the book that makes it less than satisfying as a complete story. However, the book's main draw is the insight it gives into the machinations of Hollywood, something you don't read about in People magazine or see on Entertainment Tonight. It is for this reason that "Blind Ambitions" is well worth reading.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Jumbled mess of uninteresting characters
Review: A disappointing waste of cash in my opinion. I really enjoyed the writer's first two novels and I had high expectations of this one. The opening scene was interesting but after that the book lost momentum and became a jumbled mess of uninteresting characters who seemed contrived and unreal. I could not relate to any of the characters and found them uninteresting and unengaging. I couldn't even be bothered to read the last few pages.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not So Hot
Review: Although it wasn't a bad story line. This book proved to be a little to Hollywood for my taste. If your into the whole actor/producer scene then your bound to love this book. I on the other hand thought it was a little to drawn out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Read!
Review: As the first book I've read by Lolita Files, Blind Ambition really put me there, on the Hollywood scene, with the stories of Sharon, Bettina, Steve and Randall. With the twist of mystery added to the story, it really keep me up all night trying to finish and find out what was what! It was so good that I'm waiting to hear about a sequel, made-for-TV series or movie about the characters from the book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ok
Review: Blind Ambition is about three women trying to make it in the entertainment business. Desi as an up and coming actress once her chance at a big role instead of low budget films, and commericals, Bettina once would have did anything to make it as a writer for tv shows. Sharon is trying to handle a much younger man, plus bigger as a producer in the entertainment world. I throught the book was good in that it didn't focus so much in the entertainment, the characthers had regular lives most of the book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Nothing Blind About These Ambitions!
Review: Lolita File's Blind Ambitions is a fast-paced, quick read. I started this book and didn't think about doing anything else until after I read the last page. What a whirlwind week in the life of Hollywood heroines! From the prologue, I was hooked and glued to the pages trying to figure out "whose child is it". File takes us into and behind the scenes of Hollywood with AA movers & shakers. The reader is right there experiencing the dreams, disappointments, and secrets of Desi, Bettina, and Sharon. But let's not forget about secondary characters Meredith and Devin who added much spice and drama to the storyline. The storyline has a little bit of everything for every body-love, lust, power, politics, money, backstabbers, manipulators & schemers-and you will turn the pages quickly to see what's going to happen next. Blind Ambition is my favorite book by Ms. Files; her writing does continue to get better & better. However, I have to admit that I too was slightly disappointed in the ending(everything was a little too neatly wrapped up) and I was big-time let down/disappointed/upset when I discovered the identity of the anonymous character in the prologue. I figured out the identity about half way through the book and I was so disappointed that it was that particular character! When you read the book you will understand why. That said I still recommend Blind Ambition for an entertaining afternoon read. Blind Ambitions is well-written with a plausible storyline, good character development, vivid imagery, and off the hook plot twist and turns that will catapult you right over the edge and have you laughing out loud and talking to the characters. Check out this provocative, entertaining, page-turner today!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not So Hot
Review: This book had its slow parts but for the most part, I would say that it was a good read.
This scandal keep me turning the pages wonder what would happen next.
Lolita Files is a great author with excellent writing abilities.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I give this book 3.5 stars.
Review: This is a fast paced, fun novel to read. Ms. Files does a good job of describing the entertainment business from the point of view of an insider. She also is very skillful in describing the pitfalls and disappointments felt by many in the business. She has developed sympathetic female protagonists who are realistic, talented and vulnerable in a hardened world of the unprepared. And, she goes one step further in what I consider a female novel (in that I think more women would read this than men) by developing believable, understanding male characters. Weaving the story together between the women and the men while still following each main character through her particular development was smooth and well crafted.
Ms Files writes exciting and graphic sex scenes that make the page steam with passion, which is a difficult thing to do with many authors. She doesn't dip into pornography like many writers feel the need to do when describing realistic sex. Her characters evolve and transform according to the events that happen to them, which makes them very believable. The book was an enjoyable read. It seemed the author often used too many adjectives to describe a detail when one creative word might have been better. I would give this book 3 and ½ stars.

Reviewed by Kathleen Sinclair

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: on "Blind Ambitions"
Review: Though I was able to complete this book in no time, I don't remember much happening. Besides the LA smog and dinner at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, there wasn't much going on. The novel was rushed with no real plot. A lot of things left open (maybe for the reader to "guess" what happened next). This was just an all-around bad book. Too bad I had to sift through 283 pages to realize it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Imani Book Club Review - Montgomery, AL
Review: We found this book to be a very quick read. The novel reminded us of the Jackie Collins' books about the shallowness of Hollywood life. One of the main strengths of this novel is that the story kept you guessing until the very end. Some of us liked the midilogues and some of us didn't because we found them confusing. Since this book reminded us of the Hollywood novels by Collins, it is fair to say the story was shallow and offered little redeeming qualities. The characters were not well developed and some of us found the story seemed rushed at the end. However, the author does provide a strong message: Ambition is key to anything you want to accomplish.

Although, this was not our favorite File's story it provided something quick to read and gave us an opportunity to escape for a little while from our everyday lives. The book club looks forward to our second novel on our syllabus this year by Files.


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