Katrina Yoder loves to sing, but her strict Amish parents view her singing as vain. Still, Katrina's best friend, Bekka, is convinced Katrina is good enough to try-out for American Star, a televised singing competition that Bekka has been secretly watching. Katrina has a good voice, but really - try out for a TV show? Her parents would probably disown her!
But when her family faces a crisis, it seems to Katrina that the competition might be the way to get the money needed to cover the emergency expenses.
How will Katrina handle herself as an Amish teenager out in the world? Is she truly good enough to win? Will her parents ever forgive her? And will she be accepted back into her community when it's all over?
REVIEW: I love Melody Carlson's books and was intrigued with the idea of an Amish teenager singing on American Star, a show very similar to American Idol. As she advanced through the parts of the show, I liked how Katrina did not compromise her beliefs and tried to stay true to her upbringing, even dressing more conservatively that other contestants or than the stylists liked. At the end of the story, I also liked how Breezy and Tyler saw the pain and suffering being away from her family and community was affecting Katrina and stood up for her during a live show. The Zooks, an Amish family that lives within the city, were very supportive of Katrina. I liked how they even offered her and Aunt Alma a place if their community shunned them.
Now, I thought the ending left a lot to be desired and a LOT of questions unanswered, even questions listed in the summary on the back of the book. Did her parents find out she gave them the money for her Daed's surgery? Even though Cooper accepted Katrina's return, did her family and the rest of her community? What happened when Aunt Alma returned to the community after staying with Katrina in Hollywood? Did the surgery correct her Daed's back pain?
This book has a great storyline and I can't wait for my 11-year-old daughter to read it. I just wish it was a little longer and answered the rest of the questions that the story raised.
This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of ore than 200 books, including The Jerk Magnet, Never Been Kissed, and Double Take. She recently received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon. Find out more at www.melodycarlson.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment