Book Review: My Double Life by Janette Rallison

Alexia Garcia is a doppelganger for pop sensation Kari Kingsley, so when a rival at her West Virginia high school posts a picture mocking her online, Kari’s manager calls her with a job offer: move to California and work as Kari’s double.

With MY FAIR GODMOTHER (read my review) Rallison won me over with her witty dialogue and inventive scene-building - on a fantasy stage no less. This time, Rallison lends her unique voice to a well-tread modern fairy-tale to spin a light, engaging confection with just the right amount of sweetness.

Alexia has her fair share of family drama. Her mother works long hours as a maid to afford their run-down house and their thrift-store wardrobes. She’s never revealed who Alexia’s father is, but when Alexia finds out from another source, it spurs her to accept the job offer as Kari’s double.

Once she’s in Hollywood, Alexia has to work hard to be a convincing double, studying both Kari’s life and her concert performance techniques. It’s her job to make people believe she is Kari, and she’s so successful, she even attracts the attention of rock star Grant Delray. But can Grant ever like Alexia for who she really is? Or is he only attracted to the famous “Kari” image?

Alexia is a very down-to-earth character who not only manages to stay true to herself, but also brings out the best in others. It might not be the most plausible of stories, but it’s the type of modern wish fulfillment that pop culture loving teens will savor to the last page.

MY DOUBLE LIFE hits stores next week in hardcover. Find out more about it at the author’s blog.