Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Amber Vaughn is a
good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and
spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s
only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs
with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and
when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.
When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.
Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.
When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.
Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.
I picture the second red tack on my map. Maybe
red isn't what I thought it had to be for at all. Maybe red is for love.
Make me whole and
wash me clean of anything but the sound of my voice.
As he strolls out
of the kitchen, whistling, the band breaks into “Runnin’ with the Devil.” Just
great.
What I figure
is that the outsides of a girl matter way more than anyone cares to admit.
Any time of year is a perfect time to pick up
and read a young adult contemporary novel. I have always been a fan of a good
contemporary novel and I always will be. Amber is our leading lady and it is
her story that we get to be a part of. She lives in a small town, the kind that
people fight and push to get out of, and she lives with a not so normal family.
Her father is an awful person to her mother, her sister is married to a drug
dealer, and Amber just wants to see her dreams of singing become reality. Amber
gets by with help from her best friend Devon, who is completely devoted to her
protection and sanity. Amber becomes involved in a secret relationship with
Devon’s brother, Will, because he already has a girlfriend. Amber makes some
really bad choices along the way, but Devon continues to stand by her and
support her even when she hits rock bottom.
This book deals with some very realistic issues
that many teens experience: drugs, sex, and alcohol, just to name a few. This story
is emotional at times, as are most coming of age stories. The issues and daily
obstacles that Amber faces are real and raw. This is just the way they should
be. Brown’s writing gets very poetic and deep at times. In fact, there were
moments where I had to stop, pause, and reflect on some of her words. She is
very talented with writing dramatic, emotional scenes and making them stick
with the reader.
***A free copy of this book was provided to me
by the publishers at HarperTeen in exchange for my honest review***
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