Review: Take a Bow

Book: Take a Bow
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Series: N/A
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Point
Pages: 278
Source: publisher (Thank you so much, Scholastic Canada!!)
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository
Stars: 5/5

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school. 

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform.

The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

(summary taken from Goodreads) 

MY THOUGHTS: 

You know those books that are so adorable, so sweet, so subtly inspiring that they make you want to hug the author and all of the people involved in publishing them? Take a Bow is one of those books!

My first thought after reading this was that I wanted to become a singer — which is completely untrue because I'm a writer-girl, and singing and I don't go together unless it involves broken windows. But Elizabeth Eulberg wrote this novel in a way that made me want to jump in and follow these four teenagers on their aspiring path to stardom.

Take a Bow is told through four alternating perspectives, which I originally thought would be confusing, but it works for this book! The four teens are so different, both in personalities and aspirations, but their stories are weaved together perfectly. Each of them are real and imperfect and relatable. I was surprised by how quickly I became attached to all of them, and how invested I became in rooting for them to reach their dreams.

The plot is so well-paced that you will undoubtedly finish this book in one sitting. And the music aspect was brilliant. Even if you can't really hear the music, you'll feel like you're soaking up in the melody anyways because of the flawless way the author described it.

Beautifully written and full of heart, Take a Bow is a book that will bring a smile to your face and make you want to pursue your craziest dream. I'd recommend it to all wholeheartedly!

BUY or BORROW?: This book is made for those days when you just want to read something that's sweet and awesome and smile-worthy. That makes it buy-worthy, in my opinion!

-Mimi

P.S. I usually don't include quotes in my reviews, but I just wanted to give you a taste of the awesomeness I'm trying to explain. Here's one from Carter's point of view!

"My diet has been a serious topic lately since the producers feel the need for my character to appear shirtless. A lot. Because most seventeen-year-old guys hang out at home in khakis and nothing else. In one scene, I take off my shirt before I open up a book. I don't get it, but apparently the viewers like it. It's beyond embarrassing."

~Carter, page 54 in the ARC

See what I mean? ;)