Title: Somewhere in Hollywood (The Disenchanted, #2)
Author: Lisa Czarina Michaud
Genre: Coming-of-Age
Published On: February 6, 2025
Publisher: Barre Chord Press
Source: physical (author)
Pages: 419
Synopsis:
Welcome to the bouncy castle of Los Angeles in 2004. At the dawn of social media, Carla and Pete embark on a quest for meaning in a city where dreams often fade into the smog.
They came for indie rock stardom, only to find themselves sidelined by life’s realities and their own emotional limitations. Carla experiences the true meaning of monotony as a TV extra, while Pete, wrestling with societal views on bisexuality, answers phones. Despite their mutual affection, Carla feels rejected, while Pete, secretly grappling with his identity, shies away from intimacy.
Their world, filled with vinyl records, a spirited cat named Joni, and an eccentric Hollywood landlady, offers fleeting moments of deep connection. But the arrival of a charismatic stranger disrupts their fragile status quo, forcing them to confront faded ambitions and the true nature of their relationship.
With the pop culture eye of Bret Easton Ellis and lyrical longing of Just Kids by Patti Smith, Somewhere in Hollywood explores the tight-rope walk of personal growth and relationship dynamics, capturing the soul of a generation in search of itself and the relentless pursuit of something more.
All proceeds from the launch (February 7th, 2025, through the Spring Equinox on March 20th, 2025) will be donated to Pasadena Humane and MusiCares to support animals and music professionals impacted by the Los Angeles fires.
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
Not only did the author send me a copy—which is so beautifully done with all the little touches readers enjoy (including a playlist!)—she wrote a lovely note and included some extra goodies, as well. I longed to dive into it immediately, but if you’re a follower, you know I’ve been struggling to read lately. I’m staying behind on my advanced copies from publishers, so I didn’t get to pick it up as soon as I would have liked. AND it took me longer to read than it should, but I loved EVERY minute I spent reading it, always eager to return.
Carla and I found ourselves at the epicenter of reality-TV culture but might as well have lived on an entirely different planet. In a city of superstars and serial killers, where glamor met grime, and poverty rubbed elbows with exaggerated prosperity seen in douche-mobiles like the Hummer Limo, we found ourselves somewhere in between. With two studio apartments facing each other, we had space to think. Perhaps too much space.
Somewhere in Hollywood picks up Carla and Pete’s story several years later as they’ve settled in California, but nothing much else has changed. They live across the hall from each other, still with no defining relationship status, and no longer making music together. They’re working just to pay the bills.
Slanted and Disenchanted, which was set in New York, reflected the frenetic energy of the city, much like Somewhere in Hollywood reflects the slower-paced Californian vibe. I could feel the hot sun, the oppressiveness of an unsettled life, the weariness of taking the wrong step into an unknown future.
While Slanted and Disenchanted felt more like a love letter to the underground music of the time, Somewhere in Hollywood feels more focused on the characters at the heart of the story and their current place balanced between youth and young adulthood. It’s real and raw and perfectly captures the confusion and the excitement of finding yourself when the world is so confusing.
I lay beside him, my scuffed sneakers tossed beside his checkered Vans as if they were old friends. On his turntable, Nick Drake’s Pink Moon spun, the needle navigating the grooves of the used vinyl unevenly. The album’s sparse guitarwork and haunting vocals bridged an intimacy between us. I thought back on an old conversation we had about how this album was a commercial miss upon its 1972 release only to fast forward to the present day when the titular track was featured in a popular Volkswagen commercial. Yet, at this moment, its placement in pop culture remained irrelevant as it was our companion, providing the emotional depth and quiet introspection that took place when we were alone.
There is a love story, but with new and old side characters, friendship, and its different forms, is what makes Somewhere in Hollywood the powerhouse that it is. I found myself only wanting happiness, or at best peace, for our two main characters, in whatever form that happened to take.
And like I said with Slanted and Disenchanted, this is an author that deserves to be read. Her books are well-written and heartfelt, stories that speak to my past self, as well as my nostalgic-loving heart. Memorable and blissfully character-driven, I feel sure Somewhere in Hollywood will be among my top reads for 2025!
Thank you to Lisa Czarina Michaud for gifting me a copy!
My Rating:
Barnes and Noble | Bookshop | Tertulia
About the Author
Lisa Czarina Michaud is a young adult author and translator. Born and raised in Chelsea before a family relocation to Long Island, she has been writing her New York stories her entire life. Wanting to see the left coast, she attended The Evergreen State College before stumbling through adulthood in Hollywood, then back east to Brooklyn and eventually Paris. Lisa’s work has been featured in the Huffington Post, marieclaire.co.uk, Narratively, xojane, as well as French travel sites Bonjour Paris and HiP Paris. She currently lives in France with her husband, son and cat. Slanted and Disenchanted is her first novel.
A Song For A Book
One of my absolute favorite things about Lisa’s books is all the music she includes throughout the story. At the front of Somewhere in Hollywood, she includes a playlist with a QR code to scan for the entire playlist on Spotify, which I’ve also shared below. I’m choosing to highlight, “Heartbeats” by José González. Released in 2003, I think it perfectly captures the feel of the time period, as well as the setting of the story and emotions of the characters.
One night to be confused
One night to speed up truth
We had a promise, babe
Four hands and then away
Both under influence
We had divine sense
To know what to say
Mind is a razor blade
To call for hands of above
To lean on
Wouldn’t be good enough
For me, no
One night of magic rush
The start a simple touch
One night to push and scream
And then relief
Ten days of perfect hues
The colors red and blue
We had a promise, babe
We were in love
To call for hands of above
To lean on
Wouldn’t be good enough
For me, no
To call for hands of above
To lean on
Wouldn’t be good enough...
Have you read Somewhere in Hollywood? Did you add it to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
