From outlandish survival to renovation and dating, the reality television genre is as popular as ever. Many views like to see unknown individuals competing against each other for fame and fortune. Of course, as the genre grew in popularity, it also faced backlash from some viewers, who are convinced that the shows are scripted or do not accurately reflect reality. The popularity of reality television has seen it influence other forms of entertainment, including books. One of these books is Melissa Jo Peltier’s Reality Boulevard. Melissa is a veteran when it comes to writing, producing, and directing film and television, so her novel provides an inside look at the lazy underbelly of reality television. Whether you enjoy the genre or think it’s all fake, here are some books like Reality Boulevard that use reality television as the basis for their stories.
The Favourite Sister
Jessica Knoll’s favorite sister is the story of Brett and Kelly Courtney, stars of the hit reality TV show Goal Diggers. The Courtney sisters compete against three other ultra-competitive women on the show, where everyone is determined to rise to the top by any means necessary. Jessica and Brett have built a flourishing business together helping underprivileged women in Morocco, but behind the scenes lies bitter jealousy and dark secrets. The public can’t wait to tune in every week, and the show’s producers know very well what it takes to keep the public enthralled with their fine-grained script. The show’s fourth season promises to be the best yet, but not even the producers knew it would end in murder.
Dead Famous
Dead Famous is another reality television-themed novel by Ben Elton that ends in murder. A group of ten unknown and unremarkable people participate in House Arrest, a show where they must live together in a house as thirty cameras, and forty microphones capture everything. The public expects the usual amount of drama as they eagerly wait to see who will crack first and which contestants will sleep with each other. What he didn’t expect is the fact that someone is being murdered without any of the cameras capturing footage of the killer. Everyone in the house is a suspect, and the show continues as ratings rise while viewers watch to see who is next.
Watch Me
The protagonist of Watch Me by Lauren Barnhold, Ellie is about to start college when she learns that a popular reality television show is shooting a season in the area. Yet she auditions for a part and is surprised when the producers actually choose her as a contestant. The prospect of living in a house full of strangers seems daunting when everything in the world is broadcast, but Ally believes she has nothing to hide. Ally is determined to remain faithful to her long-distance boyfriend, Corey, but finds herself attracted to a housewife named Drew. However, Allie soon learns that the pressure of living her life in private eyes begins to doubt whether she can trust anyone, including herself.
