ITAI Behind the Scenes

Each chapter is decided into 3 parts:

6 influencers/ musicians/ artists are taken to a deserted island with a mansion to compete for money on a cheesy game show.  All of these people think that they are Iconic, and that happens to be the name of the game show they are on.

• an episode as seen on TV, with quotes from the “confession booth” sprinkled in,
• fan commentary from social media,
• and then a flash forward to the “present time” at the police station, where the police are interrogating the reality stars. 

Normally this would just be an obscure game show, but the producers managed to get Theo Newman, frontman to the boyband that every girl is currently obsessed with.

The book’s first proper chapter opens up with all of the contestants introducing themselves like they normally would on a game show., but, since we are the reader, we get to know a bit more than the normal TV viewer would. 

1. Aramanita Yaxely Carter- an influencer who considers herself a sculptor.  She was a billionaire heiress who famously cut ties from her family after her art debut.  She also has a “home rejuvenation.”  Bisexual and one of only 2 females on the island. 
2. Francisco (Isko) Andrada, former celebrity chef to the stars.  Engaged and gay and in an open relationship.
3. Rhys Sutton- former hit boyband member who now acts on Broadway (as far as I can tell from readying the book).  Bisexual and wants everyone on the island.
4. Kalpana- an influencer who posts about woman’s rights.  Lesbian, and one of two females on the island.
5. Jerome Francis- a tech bro CEO who made this universes version of Tinder (only so much worse).  Goes on redpill forums and is just negative from as far as I can tell from the book.
6. Theo Newman- Leader singer and guitarist to RiotParade, a platinum winning boyband who is going on a reality show to “prove” that he is not just another “coked out rockstar.”

There first challenge involves them writing their deepest darkest secrets on 5 index cards and then burning them in a fire, to start  a-new.  But since this is a gameshow of course that doesn’t happen and they have to nail their secrets face down to the wall, and all the other contestants have to resist the urge to rip them down. 

Rhys makes it not even one day before ripping down one of Teo’s to reveal to everyone on live streaming television that Theo hates all his band mates.  Theo uses this as an opportunity to say his band has gotten lost in the Hollywood lifestyle and he’s looking at going single.  Isn’t that so convenient, you ask, that Rhy’s showed everyone just the right notecard?  Well, you are right, dear reader, it’s revealed later that Theo wrote the same thing on every card and he was always planning on using Iconic to start his solo career. 

Later on, it’s revealed that Rhy’s is the only one who is not an idiot, and left all of his cards blank. 

As the book goes on, everyone is drunk, and Rhy’s and Isko hook up.  It turned out Rhy’s was the one and done type.  Which hurt Isko’s feeling even though Theo already has a boyfriend, an accountant named Alex.

Later on, it’s revealed in Isko’s previous life as a celebrity chef, he was personal chef to Juliet, who is now in jail for fraud.  And his accountant fiancé is the one who convinced him to testify against Juliet.  And that Isko never really had a Michelin Star.  And so Rhys threatens to go on about this very loudly in front of all the cameras in the house if Isko doesn’t throw the competition.

Aramanita meanwhile is in a whirlwind romance with Rhys, who it turns out, is a controlling asshole who tells her what to wear and doesn’t let her talk to the others on the island.  Kalpana, who considers herself a girl’s girl, and a decent person, spends half the book trying to convince Aramnita what a controlling crazy person Rhy’s is, but Aramanita doesn’t believer her until Rhys starts throwing glasses/ things when he gets mad.

By then end, basically everyone wants Rhys dead, because he sucks, so the police are interrogating all of them (separately).  Who actually kills him?  Well, the fun part is it’s a joint affair/ multiple try to.

I got it wrong.