Title:  The Daughter’s Take the Stage [Indie Bound] [Amazon]
Author: Joanna Philbin [author page] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Contemporary
Publisher: Poppy
Format: Hardcover
Series: The Daughters
Source: Borrowed from Friend
Parental Advisory: none
Teachable Moments: bravery, acceptance, independence,

I’m a fan of this series.  It’s simple and predictable but it’s also flirty and fun.  This is the story of Hudson,  the daughter of a famous (but aging) pop star turned domineering stage mother, and her desire to become a star in her own right.  Only problem is that she has a debilitating case of stage fright.  There is a reason behind that that I will refrain from revealing here but it’s pretty easy to figure out early on.  Anyway, the story is about Holla and how she attempts to overcome her stage fright all while navigating first love.  Ben is a talented musician in his own right and (to be all cliche about it) they have the potential to make beautiful music together literally and figuratively.

As I said, there isn’t a great deal of complexity to this novel but it’s entertaining and enjoyable none the less.  Definitely a cute romantic romp though the lives of the rich and famous from a teen perspective.  All of the girls are well adjusted and portrayed to have most of the same types of issues as those who don’t live as privileged lives (ie: woes with friends and family, academic issues and navigating romance).  It’s no Gossip Girl to be sure as it lacks the promiscuity, innuendo but still has that high school 90210ish feel.

Title:  Monnglass [Indie Bound] [Amazon]
Author: Jessi Kirby [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Format: Hardcover
Series: None
Source: Amazon Vine
Parental Advisory: death, alcohol, language
Teachable Moments: suicide, mental illness

I was surprised by this book.  Buzz in the blogosphere was high on the romance factor and awesomeness so for some reason I made the assumption that this book would have been a fluffier “beach” read filled with fun in the sun.  Yet it was far deeper and more emotional.  It was a story of rebuilding (herself and her family) after her mother’s death.  I don’t want it to seem like there wasn’t any romance in the book but for me it was so far down the list of elements to focus on that it felt unnecessary.

Anna, as a main character, was interesting and realistic enough — she was spiteful of her father for moving them away from her childhood home, she was inquisitive of her mother’s death, she was bold in making new relationships.  Though she was slightly rebellious she was not more so than other teens her age and acted out as any would given her situation.  Her relationship with her father was complex, as one would imagine, since the focus changed after her mother was gone.  For his part he felt realistic and genuinely portrayed.  He was devastated at the loss of his wife and a bit withdrawn.  He did, however, want to do right by his daughter and ultimately fumbled along the way.   This really is a story about a father and daughter and how they work to overcome grief.

As I mentioned the romance was lacking and honestly, I wanted more.  Having a few more lighter moments in an otherwise heavy plot would have made the book more enjoyable for me.  I also felt as though the story was a bit too quick and peripheral.  There was much more to explore, in my opinion, between Anna and her father, between she and her mother and just the whole back story as to why it was her mom passed away.  Sure, there was some of that, there had to be, and it all made sense, the book wasn’t random or non-sensical I just wanted more.  All in all it’s a decent book but one that isn’t quite the romantically charged romp I was hoping it would be.

Title: Playing Hurt [Indie Bound] [Amazon]
Author: Holly Schindler [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre:  Contemporary
Publisher: Flux
Format: Paperback
Series: None
Source: Purchased
Parental Advisory: sex, infidelity, alcohol, language
Teachable Moments: infidelity, perseverance, abandonment, responsibility

**this review contains spoilers**

Playing Hurt was another book that turned out to be plotted differently than I had originally expected.  This isn’t a bad thing, as I really liked it, but I was not expecting that it was a book that would include infidelity.  In reading the back of the book I was expecting that it was going to focus primarily on how Chelsea worked through her injury with the help of Clint.  I figured it would be a bit softer in tone than it was.  I say this not because the relationship was adversarial (though there was a fair amount of push and pull) but because I was thinking all of the drama was going

I have to say I was not a fan of the cheating part.  It was absolutely realistic, that is true, it happens.  But, I didn’t feel like it was necessary in this story.  Though I know it was not the intention I felt like it’s inclusion was a way to add the sex between Clint and Chelsea into the mix.  A way for Chelsea to finally lose her much obsessed about virginity.  It felt all the more distasteful because she had been with her boyfriend for such a long period of time and was easily brought into this new relationship with Clint so quickly and with little thought for the feelings of her boy at home.  Again, I understand that connections are made and that circumstances change but it felt somewhat disingenuous and cheapened the love story between she and Clint.  I would have had a lot more respect if they had waited for the sex part until after she broke it off with her current boyfriend.

Having said that I did really enjoy that both Chelsea and Clint had their burdens to bear and that they helped each other work through them.  I was pleasantly surprised that Playing Hurt focused as much on Clint’s tragedy as Chelsea’s.  I was anticipating it really would have been most about her.  The dual point of view went a long way to make this a well rounded story in that regard.

All in all a really great book with a few small pitfalls.  I’d say this is more for the older teen and adult YA reader as opposed to tweens.  Definitely a good angsty romance.