Piece of My HeartLynn Madelenna Menna
YA Contemporary
Still in high school, Marisol Reyes gets the chance of a lifetime to be a real singer, and she leaps at it. After all, this is the dream she held on to, all the days and nights she spent growing up on means streets of East Harlem. Marisol never gave in--no matter what her boyfriend or her best friend had to say. Who cares if only one in a hundred pretty, talented girls make it? She will be the one. In her rush to fame, Marisol tramples on the heart of her loyal best friend, and Julian, the boy she loves. But will it be worth it?
One night at a private gig in the Hamptons, the little Latino girl with the big voice from East Harlem gets a severe reality check. A famous rapper who claims to be interested in her talents turns out to be interested in something else, threatening not only Marisol's dreams but her body and soul. Will the realities of the gritty New York music scene put out the stars in Marisol's eyes forever?
Best thing about this book? The setting. I have never read anything set in a Latino community, let alone East Harlem. I found it fascinating to see through Marisol's eyes the differences between the hood and upscale New York as she gradually climbs her way up there.
The characters: Other than being a little bit full of herself, Marisol seemed legit. I didn't approve with a lot of her decisions, but they were natural for a starstruck girl in her position. She more or less had her priorities in order (her friends and family, her own virtue), but like most people, sometimes lost sight of what was important. Minorly annoying, but made sense.
I would have loved to hear more about Tatiana- she was part of the supporting cast, the older sister of Marisol's best friend who helped her out a lot. She had an interesting story and was present a lot but we didn't get to hear her too much, which I thought was a shame. She was a determined girl, trying to deal with an annoying boss and and her controlled jealousy of Marisol who was getting everything she wanted (And she still helped her the most out of all the characters in the book), all the while trying to catch her break in the fashion business. Tatiana's story probably would've been more fascinating than Marisol's- who knows, maybe the author will one day write a companion about her.
The romance: Ehh. Wasn't convincing. They TALKED about their love and loyalty, didn't show it.
Plot: Great. Loved how she dreamed about fame and a record deal, and set out to achieve it. The pitfalls and disappointments were realistic. The time management, tabloids and betrayals that characterize celebrities were there, too. I would have like to see her screw up on her own , too, in addition to the external obstacles that she faced, but whatever.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Have a great weekend!
Esty
Insightful comments. Thanks Esty.
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