All About the Hype is the third and final book in Paige Toon's series about Jessie Jefferson. The summary of the sequel says: "A lot can change in a year. As the daughter of a global superstar and the lead singer of one of the coolest new bands in LA, Jessie Jefferson's life is pretty interesting. Especially now she's seeing her gorgeous, guitar-playing bandmate in secret... But it's not all gigs and glamour. Even in a high school full of celebrities, Jessie's finding the rock star lifestyle isn't all it's cracked up to be. Is Jessie finally ready to be a Jefferson? Or is the spotlight proving too much for this wild child?" All About the Hype is out in July 2016.
In I Knew You Were Trouble, Paige Toon has continued the story of Jessie Jefferson from her YA novel The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson. The summary of the sequel says: "Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives? Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning..." Jessie is the daughter of rock star Johnny from Toon's adult novels, Johnny Be Good and Baby Be Mine.
Jessie Pickerill has always wondered who her real dad is but her mom has always refused to tell her. When Jessie's mum dies unexpectedly, leaving her with stepdad Stu, not only does she mourn the loss of her mum but also any chance of finding out about her real dad. Despite Stu continuing to play the role of her guardian, Jessie feels alone and seeks comfort in a new group of friends, testing Stu to the limits. When Jessie confronts him about her real dad, she gets more than she bargained for. Her father is none other than rock star Johnny Jefferson (from Johnny Be Good and Baby Be Mine). But will Johnny be interested in getting to know the fifteen-year-old daughter he didn't know existed now he has a new family? A trip to LA will help answer those questions. Paige Toon's first foray into young adult territory proves to be a winner. Jessie is a real, believable character, struggling in the aftermath of her mother's death and, like any teen, there are times when she's frustrating and unlikeable. The story is fun and exciting, with the right amount of drama and attitude, the Hollywood kids' scene is toned down but nevertheless escapist and eye-opening, but it is Johnny's role as Jessie's father and the growing relationship between them that adds the charm to this novel. Although there were things I would have liked to have seen more of - Johnny and Meg's reactions to Jessie; father-daughter-stepmum bonding; the effect on Stu and Jessie's relationship - for teens it's a perfect read. And with plenty more left to explore, it's definitely exciting to see what Paige has in store for Jessie next. (JC)
Paige Toon has spun off her series about Meg and Johnny (Johnny Be Good, Baby Be Mine) with a young adult novel about a girl who discovers she is the daughter of the rock star. The summary of The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson says: "My fifteenth birthday was the worst day of my life, and it's inconceivable to think that any single day in my future will ever be as bad. My mum was killed in a freak accident on her way to pick up my cake. Even when there was still no sign of her after two hours later, and my friends started to arrive at our house, it never occurred to me that she wouldn't be coming back. That was six months ago. My mum died without telling me who my real dad was. And for a while I hated her for it. I thought she's taken the secret of my father's identity with her forever. But she didn't. Holy hell, she didn't. Because three weeks ago I found out the truth. And I'm still reeling from the shock of it. My dad is none other than Johnny Jefferson, mega famous rock star and one-time serial womaniser. And now I'm on my way to LA to meet him and his family. My tiny little world has just got a whole lot bigger... " The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson, out in January 2014, is the first in a series.