Review #118: Diamond in the Rough by India Lee

Hello my wonderful friends! It feels like ages since we've seen each other, even though it's only been a week xD. Regardless, I have some reviews for ya, lets go!

Diamond in the Rough is the second book in the Hidden Gem series by India Lee. Goodreads doth says:

Summer maybe here, but sixteen-year-old Gemma Hunter won't have much time to relax. The world is hungry for more Queen Bee, her pop star alter ego who has recently become music's newest sensation.

Despite an official relationship at home with longtime crush, Lucas, Gemma can't resist exploring her life as a celebrity it girl. However, it isn't long before she finds herself becoming too friendly with the front pages of tabloids. And despite the media’s love for spinning Queen Bee’s social life into scandal, Gemma can't stop wreaking havoc with intoxicating TV star Zoe Mercury and indulging in a less than appropriate relationship with international superstar, Tyler Chase.

It was easy keeping things clean with two very separate lives, but now that the line between them is blurring, staying good isn’t going to be easy.

For my review of the first book, Hidden Gem, click here. 

After a great first book, well....................this book was so disappointing. It basically made Gemma into the typical Hollywood Bad Girl, used a love triangle, and just wasn't as good. Ok, so the first book was not Pride and Prejudice, but still. Hidden Gem had a sense of realism and fun to it, with realistic characters. Diamond in the Rough felt like a bad episode of Hannah Montana. The sense of fun and realism just wasn't there. Although I admit the ending was a bit predictable, part of it shocked me a bit. It was a nice twist, and I wonder what Ms. Lee will do with it in the third book. But overall, this book was just meh, not very good.

Gemma, like I said earlier, turned into a Hollywood Bad Girl in this one. Influenced by another Hollywood Bad Girl, plus she doesn't know what to do about Lucas and Tyler. My head hurt reading about the decisions her character made. Honestly. I just could not find anything to like about her in this book. Lucas was still alright, and I felt so bad for him after what Gemma put him through. Then there's Tyler. A Justin Bieber-esque pop star who is still pursuing and sort of dating Gemma. Honestly, I liked him a lot. He was one of the few redeeming qualities. No, he wasn't perfect, but I thought he was sweet. None of the characters in this book, save for Lucas and Tyler had much development in my opinion.

What happened Ms. Lee? You wrote such a good first book. This book was so freaking disappointing. I just hope the third book gets better, although I don't think I'll be buying it.

I'll next be reviewing Fate by Amanda Hocking.

Until next time, viva la literature!