February 18, 2019
Former CNN Chief White House correspondent Yellin skewers the male-dominated world of network news in her feisty debut. ATN reporter Natalie Savage has finally gotten her chance to cover the White House, but a long-term gig isn’t a done deal. Natalie’s nemesis is the vapid Ryan McGreavy, an ATN colleague whose connections make him a golden boy destined for network greatness. A ratings competition—it’s all about the ratings—pitting her against Ryan is proposed by Natalie’s boss for the ultimate prize: ATN’s White House correspondent job. With the help of her slightly obnoxious producer, Matt Walsh, and delightfully droll camerawoman Dasha, Natalie must hold her nose and swim with the sharks like her womanizing boss, deputy bureau chief Hal Thomas, nicknamed Handsy Hal, and go to increasingly ridiculous lengths to get to the top while keeping her journalistic integrity intact. A salacious scoop about the first lady might be her ticket to the big time, or the setup for a spectacular fall. Yellin shines a light on the bad behavior of powerful men while thoroughly mining her insider knowledge of Washington, D.C.’s social and professional scene. A keen eye for the absurd—one scenario involves Natalie enacting a first lady kidnapping scenario right out of a Hollywood blockbuster—keep things from getting too serious. Fans of comic heroines like Stephanie Plum will find plenty to like in this sharp and funny satire.
March 1, 2019
The politics of Washington, D.C., aren't the only politics reporter Natalie Savage must contend with in the debut novel by Yellin, former CNN Chief White House Correspondent. Natalie has made plenty of sacrifices in her quest to become White House Correspondent for news network ATN, even missing her father's final hours. One thing she hasn't sacrificed, though, is her journalistic integrity. But she may have to sacrifice just that when her new boss pits her against Ryan McGreavy, an up-and-coming reporter, in a Battle of the Sexes-style reporting competition (it'll make for great television!), the prize being the coveted correspondent position. Natalie has always been told to be noisy, but how much noise is she willing to make to get her dream job? Savage News is a shrewdly written and entertaining novel, with Yellin giving readers a peek behind the curtain of D.C. politics and reporting. Realities of the #MeToo movement are also woven throughout, making this a timely read. A clever debut for fans of insider-y books like The Devil Wears Prada (2003).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)
April 1, 2019
After hard work, sexual harassment, challenges to her integrity, insane news injunctions (she can't say climate or yesterday on air), and years spent missing out on romance and key family events, journalist Natalie Savage finally gets assigned to cover the White House for her network, ATN. The bad news: it's just a test run to see if Natalie can cut it, and her competition, a callow young windbag famed for eating a pig's scrotum on reality TV, looks to be the favorite. A debut novel from the former chief White House correspondent for CNN, so she knows her stuff.
Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 1, 2019
DEBUT Hard-working veteran Natalie Savage has lived and breathed journalism all her life, though she still gets hair and clothes tips from her boss. ATN, the network where she is a reporter, lusts for ratings, so her work has to move the needle enough to land the job of White House correspondent. Her rival for this position is a journalistic pup who gets his ratings by wolfing down raw animal bits and other sensational behavior. Family members want her at her mother's second wedding, but Natalie deflects them and digs deeply into hidden POTUS involvement with a Venezuelan oil mob. She also investigates the whereabouts of FLOTUS, who's been missing for days. Feeling a bit under siege, Natalie finds some unexpected allies who help bring the story to a gasping close. VERDICT Yellin was CNN's White House reporter and has solid journalism props. The nuances of current #MeToo issues are on display in this satirically deft, accurately chilling debut with a dollop of romance. Yellin is sure to attract a loyal readership for her next book. [See Prepub Alert, 10/29/18.]--Barbara Conaty, Falls Church, VA
Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.