Take a Bow (Book Review)

Take a Bow

Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher: Point
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Number of Pages: 278

Synoposis from Goodreads:

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.

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MY THOUGHTS:

Take a Bow is a cute read that follows four seniors during their last year in a performing arts high school. Sophie, the resident diva; her boyfriend, Carter, the former child-star; Ethan, a composer in the hot high school band; and Emme, "best friend" of Sophie, Ethan's crush and bandmate, and Carter's friend.

Emme and Sophie have been best friends since they were 8. Sophie is a singer and Emme a composer. For years Emme has written original songs for Sophie to sing--especially for her auditions. As the two grew up, they believed that after graduation they would continue to collaborate and make Sophie a star. This final year has been different, though. Emme can feel a distance growing between them as she starts to step more into the spotlight, instead of hiding behind the scenes.

Sophie is the typical diva. All she cares about is herself and becoming a star. She is an awful friend to Emme and is obviously only interested in Carter because of his star status. She is shallow and one-dimensional--almost to the point of becoming a stock character.

Carter became a student at the school so that he could do something normal. His childhood was spent in the limelight thanks to a popular childrens' movie series. Now a soap-star, he is beginning to wonder if acting is really what he wants to do.

Finally, Ethan and Emme are in a popular band with two other students in the school, Jack and Ben. The four are close and the other three band members are highly disapproving of Sophie and Emme's friendship as they can all see right through her. Ethan has been nursing a crush on Emme for a long time and is trying to build up the nerve to finally do something about it.

Although this book is fairly slim, it follows the characters throughout their last year. Through auditions, the senior showcase, college auditions, break-ups, hook-ups, fall-outs, etc. I enjoyed this quick and fluffy read and its characters, especially Emme, who is easily the main character. I liked the format of different views, and how the author didn't feel like it was necessary to have everyone get equal billing. I enjoyed Elizabeth Eulberg previous books and will definitely keep a look-out for what she writes next.