A Simple Song

My thoughts:
This is one of those times I wish I could keep my thoughts to myself.  Simply said, where this book is concerned, I just don't buy the story.  I realize that I, as an adult mother, am not the target audience.  So I can see that teenagers will probably love this story, but I didn't find it believable.  Which is kind of sad for me, because generally Melody's books can bridge that gap, but this one did not do so.  I enjoy Melody's books, and this will not dissuade me from reading more of them.  This just wasn't a favorite for me.  3 stars. US $12.99 288 pages.  This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
Available June 2013 from your favorite bookseller of Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing.

About the Book:

In her newest young adult novel, bestselling author Melody Carlson takes Katrina Yoder somewhere few Amish teens have been: reality TV.

Katrina Yoder loves to sing, but her Amish parents view singing as vainglory and a sin. Katrina's best friend, Bekka, is convinced Katrina should try out for American Star, a televised singing competition that Bekka has been secretly watching. Katrina resists the temptation until her father's health worsens. He desperately needs a surgery the family cannot afford. Katrina decides she must go against her parents' wishes to win the money needed to help her father. But how will she handle herself as an Amish teenager out in the world?

Teen girls will be swept into the excitement as Katrina ventures out of her quiet Amish world to become a reality television star. Will she be successful? And will she be accepted back into her community when it's over?

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books from Revell, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog and Christmas at Harrington's, which is being considered for a TV movie. She is also the author of many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, Double Take, the Life at Kingston High serie, and the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. She is the winner of 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.

For more information about Melody visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com.