I had to give up on Whacked after a few pages. It lumbered along very self consciously, a writer writing about a writer. It is nearly impossible to do after Proust. He played that game so many years ago and won it so convincingly that it you are going to play it, you have to be both brilliant and crazy. Very brilliant and crazy. Some of the stories about Hollywood were not bad, but the second assistant hating her starlet boss and writing hatefully about her starlet boss...it was too clunky to merit more of my time. And I just have to say: what kind of nepotism is going on here when this novel received so many good reviews in the mainstream media?! Thank goodness for forums like this which, I hope, offer more honest reviews.

Jules Asner, the author of Whacked is THAT Jules Asner. You know, ex-model, TV personality, and wife of Stephen Soderbergh - when she's writing a book about Hollywood, you know she's usually discussing fact rather than fiction. However, I really liked this insider's look; instead of being about the glamourous life of an actress, it was about a TV writer. It still had its share of juicy Hollywood tidbits, but it also had its own style.

I have to say, this book was incredibly weird, but in a way that worked for me. However, judging by the Amazon.com reviews, it didn't work for everyone. This seems to be a "love it or hate it" type of book. Near the end of the book, I thought it had jumped the shark and was incredulous, but it somehow drew me back in to where I can definitely say I enjoyed the book. The writing style is very seductive and easy to slip into. It definitely draws you in from the first page of the book. While funny, it is a very dark comedy.

As for the main character, Dani. Well. She was obsessed with all things crime-related, to a disturbing degree, and that slowly began to show in her personality. I'm not talking about some sort of cute quirkiness. I think the title really sums it up: she was completely and totally whacked. She seemed to be a caricature of a person, rather than a real person. However, it seems to me, with how crazy the book is, that it was Asner's intention to make Dani this way. If you read the book feeling like Dani is some sort of satire on an obsessive woman, it is very enjoyable.

I honestly can't tell you why I enjoyed this book, but I can definitively say that I did. Sometimes, it's fun to read something weird and crazy just to push you out of your comfort zone. This book definitely did that, and though I had mixed feelings about it at the beginning, I'm glad I took a chance on it.

Like many I read the reviews and was looking forward to this book as a fun, light, quick read. It starts off with accounts of people having sex with the dead body of Marilyn Monroe and goes down hill from there!! The book is pure trash and I was outraged that they classified this as young adult at the library; I would never allow my daughter to ready this trash!! To put it shortly this book is a waste of paper and your time!!! The character is a sex craved neurotic psycho who you never really care about and the `book' is poorly written and choppy. I've seen better comic books!!! Jules Asner should stick to modeling. If you bought this book ask for a refund you've been sacked!!!

I bought this book because it was on New York Magazine's summer recommended reading list. Jules Asner should be embarassed, as should her publisher. The book was silly, plot-deprived, and a bore (I forced myself to finish it). The book centers around a man-crazy and borderline psuchotic LA woman with no redeeming qualities, though she end up a "winner" at the end. Anyone puchasing the book is wasting their money.

A light, funny dark comedy that I couldn't put down! I thought this was going to be an ordinary chick book...I was so wrong!
I think most of chicks we a bit of Dani Hale in ourselves with one exception..Dani Hale does the things we may think of doing, but know we could never act on.

This book was an easy read and now I'm left wanting to read more. Jules Asner did a great job of describing the LA and Hollywood lifestyle, even throwing in a mention of her husband the director (very clever)!
Jules, when is your next book coming out??

Steven, honey? I wrote a book. Can you call Harvey Weinstein and ask him to publish it?
Why don't you ask him yourself Jules, tonight over drinks at Koi?
Enough said.

Despite allowances for the limitations of the genre, this book is lifeless and sub-literate. It's surprising, given the author's assumed experience as a pop culture insider, when the novel fails to deliver any fresh insights into a targeted, and rich, vein of LA life. Then there's the lack of dimensional characters, dynamic plotting, any sense of place or a decent turn of phrase. I have to believe Whacked was some sort of bet between Asner and Gigi Levangie Grazer. Can't figure out if Asner won or lost.

This book was fabulous. I could not put it down. The writing is funny, intelligent and very believable. I would describe it as chick lit with a dark twist. Loved that she was not afraid to go with the surprise ending. I cannot wait for more books by this author!!

It reads a lot like the former to me. I guess that's not surprising considering the Hollywood pedigree of the author, but it's still a disappointment. The plot borders on the absurd and the characters are paper thin. Let's hope the inevitable film version has a good director.

This book has a bad plot. The main character is likeable in the beginning of the book, she takes certain risks and then (GASP!) in the last few chapters becomes murderous for no reason. Do not waste your time or money on this one.

A relaxing summertime story on a topic that every girl can relate to...relationships! The peek into Hollywood and the twist at the end make it a non-generic dating novel, and leave you wanting more. I recommend this book for all the girls I know, and I hope there is more to come from Jules Asner.

Dani Hale is a thirty-four-year-old screenwriter. She writes for a successful Hollywood murder show called Flesh and Bone, and her career is about to take new heights now that she gets to write an episode all on her own -- about non other than the mysterious suicide/potential homicide of Marilyn Monroe -- for sweeps. But even though her career is doing well, her love life is still in the pits. Her boyfriend Dave hasn't proposed marriage. Worse still, she suspects that he might be cheating on him. So she does what every normal, logical woman would do -- she checks his cell phone calls, hacks into his e-mail and makes repetitive drives to his house late at night. When her suspicions are confirmed, she dates one guy after another, and not only Googles them, but figures out their online password to check their e-mails. Dating isn't easy in L.A., and it could turn an otherwise seemingly normal career woman into a downright mess in more ways than one.

Whacked is not your typical lighthearted chick-lit. Far from it. This is quite a dark read, and the twists and turns will surprise you. Jules Asner, E!'s TV presenter, has created quite an insightful and entertaining look into the Hollywood dating scene with a voice that's both dark and chic at the same time. At first, I could relate to Dani and her need to check her boyfriends' e-mails to find out more about them. But as I read the book, I wouldn't do the things she did as far as snooping around her potential guy's private affairs. Her behavior is pretty creepy, and you soon find out just how off the wall she really is. This is a good novel to read. I had heard of Asner, but I'd never seen any of her shows, so I didn't pick this up because she was famous. She is a terrific writer; I'll give her props on that. This novel is highly recommended.

This book was so completely awful! I cannot believe all the good reviews. The writing was juvenile and awkward, the characters so over-dramatic and cliched and the plot (and I use that term loosely) absolutely ridiculous. Dani goes from eliciting mild sympathy to being a cold-hearted psychopath with apparently no conscience whatsoever. It is obvious that this was published because of WHO the author is. If I had written it I would have been laughed out of the publisher's office.

I read the reviews for this book and I also watched an interview with Jules Asner which peaked my interest even more. I got through the book but I was very disappointed by the content. To me it seems to not catch my interest right away, the middle was way overdone (i.e. too much fluff) and the end was too short. Anytime I am left with questions unanswered I am not a happy camper. It was a book to say sure I've read that but by no means a keep on the shelf and pull out to read over and over.

I didn't give this book 5 stars b/c the main character isn't all that likeable...but I suppose that's the point. She's not supposed to be likeable. I found myself disgusted with her insecurities and game-playing. I do think it's a good read and I appreciated the references to Jules Asner's husband, Steven Soderbergh.

Once I started reading Whacked I couldn't put it down. It has an exciting story line, great characters, and humor. I found myself laughing out loud. I strongly suggest taking this book on vacation with you. It is a delightful read. I can't wait for the sequel.

Whacked is an easy read, but it is not a well written one. I got used to the clunky prose ('that halted me"), but the book failed to come alive for me on almost any level. The characters are flat and so is the emotional landscape. I didn't like the main character - not because she is 'whacked', but because she is vapid and tends to blather in cliches. The ending is surprising. It makes surprisingly little sense.

Even more baffling is the lack of descriptive detail in a Novel of Hollywood. Whence the perfume of night-blooming jasmine in the Hollywood Hills? The heat of an LA afternoon? Surely there is some Pilates Studio to the Stars I don't know about! I have no image of the narrator at all. I suppose she's 'hot' because, well, that's just the level of discourse here. The writer either lacks interest or an eye for visual or social nuance that makes these kind of books worth reading - at least for me.

Much has been made of the author's Hollywood Insider status, but the book is not enriched by it. On the contrary, the reader is served a smaller than usual portion of 'dish' - followed by a smaller than usual serving if sex. Is there such a thing as a low fat/low carb beach read? Flavorless! Neither delicious nor filling!

I read "Whacked" in one sitting... couldn't put it down. Not just fun, but smartly written with lots of unexpected twists and surprises. I bought extra copies for my sisters and friends. I hope we get to see more of Dani. Sequel anyone?

I got totally sucked in to this book. Juicy, dishy and surprisingly sexy! Not only an insiders look into hollywood - but also a look inside the mind of one whacked woman!! Still can't believe the shocker at the end! Truely twisted - in the best possible way!

Jules Asner wrote a fun and very entertaining book. Reading it proved to be a great way to escape everyday life to sample a world that we all think about, but few ever get to experience. I loved it!

I heard about this book in a magazine's list of "fun beach reads"--it was definately not fun. The main character is petty, whiny and miserable, not to mention crazy. The ending was so out there that I had to re-read a few pages to make sure that I hadn't missed something important. The author kept adding characters to the book for no apparent reason other than to fill up pages and I could never find anything to like about the main character. The author uses plenty of profanity and some lame sex scenes that didn't really do anthing for the story.

I loved this book. I'm kinda slow at work so I've been sneaking reading pages here and there and just finished now. I love it because it's quick and breezy. Never boring and there are never any scenes that are drawn out. And this is not like any other chick lit out there. I think Asner earns a lot of credit for doing something different.


I'm sure a lot of us can relate a bit to Dani. We've probably all googled exes and looked up registries online, etc. However, this girl does go to extremes and they are quite funny, although I wouldn't do some, lol. The climax was great. I was glad with what happened. It satisfied all my wishes!

Please come out with another soon!

LOVED this book!
Got it on a whim for myself and ended up buying more as gifts.
Such a great summer read.
Highly recommended.

i was so excited to read this book for several reasons; first, i adore jules asner. i always watched her on E! and missed her when she left. second, after reading all the glowing reviews in magazines, it sounded like a really funny read... not your average chick-lit, for sure.

my best friend and i read this book at the same time. she got 3/4 through it, complaining the entire time, and finally threw it away. i read it got off to a slow start but then was really good so i kept telling her to stick with it. she tried, and finally just asked me to tell her how it ends.

i read the entire book... waiting for it to get good. hoping for the big reveal. knowing the twist was going to surely make it all worthwhile. that's a big, fat, NOPE!

here are the problems:

1. boring, unlikeable characters, especially the lead character. she wasn't adorably neurotic with other redeeming qualities that make you like or care about her. she was a witch (with a B) and very, very strange! i never came to care about her or want her to find the revenge she was after. different scenarios throughout the book reveal her to be a bad daughter, friend and girlfriend. there would be no reason to feel sympathetic towards her. the IDEA of this book was good...had it been written differently it could have been hilariously funny. unfortunately, the writing skills couldn't pull off what in theory, was probably a fantastic outline.

2. horribly written. she goes into way too much backstory or sidestory with all the detective stuff but it wasn't interesting. she used it as filler FAR too much and there was no relevence to the storyline other than it was her work. when she starts the internet stalking, i thought, finally! this is going to be funny... she could have taken it in a direction that would have been really clever and amusing in a dark comedy kind of way... again though, the writing skills just weren't there.

3. the big "twist" comes FAR too late in the story. at this point, the reader is utterly bored (if they've stuck with the book this long. my guess is, no.) and the twist wasn't at all satisfying. it was stupid and the end was just as bad. instead of cheering along hoping she finds her retribution and revenge, i hoped the opposite!

i was mad when i finished the book. it was an enormous waste of time and as far as the positive reviews on this page go, i can only assume they are written by companies with a vested interest in the success of this book and/or friends of ms. asner's. i'm VERY easily entertained and this was simply garbage. i can't put it any nicer. i wish zero stars was an option for the rating because even 1 star is being ridiculously charitable.

save yourself the trouble. everyone i know who attempted to read this did not finish it and thought it was horrible. i'm the ONLY one that finished it and that was only because i knew there was a twist and i wanted to know what it was.

ms. asner owes me those 2 days back. she was awesome on e! but writing CLEARLY is not her forte!

With all the wonderful reviews in the papers and online about this book, I was expecting to sit down to a funny, exciting story. That never happened. The characters were very one-dimensional, the story was just dull and the ending bizarre. If you really want to read this book, borrow it from the library - don't waste your money.

Dani, is pretty, successful, and seemingly in control of her destiny--yet she, like many of us, is riddled with insecurity and a sense of self-doubt. Because of this she let's herself be treated poorly by men. What makes Dani compelling is that she doesn't take "it" lying down (well, perhaps sometimes,but...)and ultimately finds happiness on her own terms. Both engaging and entertaining, a terrific read!

I loved this book! Picked it up and started reading and couldn't put it down. Its an engaging, fun, genuine story about dating in LA ... but I think anyone who's ever dated period can relate to it. I'd definitely recommend this to all my friends!

A wonderful surprise in Whacked!!! A great inside peek into the what and the who of Tinseltown ... Dani Hale is a non-stop, recklessly delightful character who reveals to us the depths of what happens when you mess with the wrong woman ... Chic-lit with a dark twist ... Love, love, loved ...

I almost felt guilty reading this book. Now I have more knowledge on how to intrude into other's private lives! Who would not want to know this stuff? What a hoot of a read!

I wanted a fast, fluffy read. Well I got one when I couldn't get past page 17. The main character was completely unlikeable. Perhaps that was Ms. Asner's intention - portraying the entertainment business as a backstabbing business, but I would not think at the risk of having the reader dislike her main character. My guess is being a well-connected Hollywood wife can buy you a good review for the back of your book.

This is exactly what I was hoping for: A summertime/poolside book that I couldn't put down! I stayed up late one night to finish it...couldn't wait to see what Dani would do next! Loved it.

I bought this book to read on my vacation, but ended up finishing it before I ever left my house. I could not put it down... Now I need another book for my vacation. I wanted another book by Asner, but this is her first so I'll have to wait.

Entertainment reporter Jules Asner - the host of Revealed with Jules Asner offers this year's wackiest novel. Dani Hale will stop at nothing to find out what the men in her life are doing, whether stalking them or hacking into their email accounts. The only question is who will pay and how they pay for doing Hale wrong. Stay tuned to the very last page for an unforgettable twist.

this book was completely whacked. i just wanted to grab the main character and shake a good reality check into her. the "twist" was completely out of left field and the way the book ended up was just so weird. this was not at all what i expected.

Almost halfway through, yet still waiting for this book to actually be worthwhile, but I don't think I'll wait much longer. I got this from the library a couple of days ago (thank God for small mercies), and so far it's been pretty tedious. Honestly, as I read it I feel my time being drained away, time I could invest reading a better book, and I simply don't feel reassured enough by what I've read so far to hold on and see if it gets better...

Loved this book!! Funny, dark, great characters and an inside look on the Hollywood scene.

I couldn't put Whacked down. It's totally one of those books that makes you laugh out loud and moves so fast. I bought copies for all of my girlfriends to read this summer. It's the perfect vacation/beach read.

I really liked this book. Asner, weaves a great yarn that is consistently funny and equally suspenseful. She has a real gift for language and knows how to entertain the reader without ever becoming self-indulgent. Not to mention, this book will probably make every guy in a relationship change all of his online passwords immediately! Regardless, this is the perfect summer read and it leaves you wanting more. There should definitely be a sequel. Well worth it.

Please do not waste your money on this book. If you just have to read it, use a library.

From reviews I had read, I expected a much, much better book. It didn't happen. There is no Hollywood "dish", there is no likable character, there isn't much of a plot. Other than using this book as a guide for stalkers, this is a useless read.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so glad I had it in my bag for a cross country flight over the weekend...I couldn't put it down the entire flight and I stayed up late to finish it the next day. I love the character of Dani, and I so related to her breakup pain...smart and funny! anyone should buy this book for their great summer read!!

This book bored and depressed me--but mostly it caused me serious confusion. For most of the book I thought I was supposed to sympathize with the narrator--but the main character is so flat, and totally unlikable, I was just confused. I'll say one thing--if I was dating that woman, I'd dump her, too--maybe worse. (kidding..)

Then, at the end, (with its super-lame 'twist') I thought maybe the author was intending to satirize Dani all along?? I still have no idea. After suffering through 300 pages of stupid 'jokes,' endless cliches, and this confusion about what the reader is supposed to feel at any point...I have to chalk it up to basic writing incompetence. How can books with such glaring, BASIC problems get published?

Oh, and thanks for the celebrity insider info...I didn't know starlets got cosmetic procedures and dieted a lot!

This book makes me realize how talented even the average 'chick lit' writer actually is...because this one isn't.

Hollywood dish meets chic-lit noir in this engaging tale. The writing may be somewhat art-less, but the character of Dani is certainly vivid. (You may find yourself wanting to yell at the pages to try and get through to her!) There are also some laugh-out loud passages about the single life and the entertainment scene. I just wish the big twist in the novel happened earlier, as it kicks the suspense up to a different level.

I thought this book was mildly entertaining. And a little disturbing at times. What I found to be really interesting was reading Ms. Asner's bio. online and discovering she was once engaged to a television director from Massachusetts. I'm betting his wife hires a P.I. immediately after reading this book!