Book Review: Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Take a Bow
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Series: Stands Alone
Publisher: Point
Released: April 1, 2012
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Website: http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/

Book Summary:

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.

Take a Bow is told from 4 different points of view.  Emme, Sophie, Ethan and Carter alternate the narrating of the story.  They are attending a prestigious New York performing arts school together. There are also some wonderful secondary characters written into this story who you can't help but love or hate. 

This was a fast paced one sitting read for me, once I started I didn't stop.  This is my 3rd Elizabeth Eulberg book and I'll definitely be reading her next book as well.  I like her characters, like her writing style, I like her story-lines.  Take a Bow deserves a round of applause!

Rating: 4.5 Stars - Highly Recommend

Source: ARC from Publisher

Content: a swear word or two, a comment on getting in someone's pants but otherwise clean.

Book Review: Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

I'm a HUGE Jane Austen fan. Pride & Prejudice is my favorite so I was excited to read this modern day retelling by Elizabeth Eulberg. A few pages in a burst into laughter as I realized all the characters in the book & places in the book were named after those in the original book.  Lizzie attends Longbourn Academy, Darcy attends Pemberley Academy - their places of residency in the original Pride & Prejudice.  Nearly the whole cast of characters was present from Lizzie, Jane & Lydia to Darcy, Charles, Caroline, Georgiana, Wickham, Charlotte and Mr. Collins.  I noticed Mary & Kitty were left out but they were given a "cameo" appearance near the end.  Having come to love all these characters in the original story it was fun to see them in this modern retelling.

Really cute and super clean, Prom & Prejudice is sure to delight fans of Jane Austen who enjoy young adult literature.  I'm not sure I would have loved this as much as I did if I hadn't read Pride & Prejudice and seen the movies multiple times.  I got a kick out of Eulberg's characters and the twists she added to modernize the story.  All the elements I loved from the original version were present in this story.

I must admit Darcy in this retelling lacks much of the appeal the original Mr. Darcy holds, perhaps because he is still a teenager he just falls short when compared to the original Darcy.  That said this was still a fun, humorous read I enjoyed.



Content: Clean

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: ARC Tour

BIR2010 - Book Giveaway: The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg + Interview

Welcome to Author Elizabeth Eulberg!

Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to Syracuse University and then making a career in the New York City book biz. She lives outside of Manhattan with her three guitars, two keyboards, and one drumstick. In researching The Lonely Hearts Club, she tried swearing off boys forever. It didn’t work. She did, however, learn how to play Rachmaninoff’s Eighteenth Variation from Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini on the piano while writing Prom and Prejudice, so she’s not a total slacker.

Interview:

You have a new book Prom & Prejudice coming out - What can you tell us about it?
Prom and Prejudice is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Instead of the English countryside and searching for husbands, my book takes place at a prestigious Connecticut boarding school where the characters are obsessed with prom. It definitely has nods to the original, but has its own twists. If you’re going to retell something (especially a classic like Pride and Prejudice - no pressure!) you have to make it your own.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
iPod - I need to have music around me at all times, I can’t even walk three blocks without listening to my iPod.
Guitar – I’m guessing this desert island doesn’t have an electrical outlet, so I’d have to create my own music once the batteries run out!
Notebook – So I could write.

What is one book everyone should read?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is one of my favorite novels. It is such a powerful book, and while it is narrated by death, the message you take away from it is hope. If you haven’t read it yet – do it, NOW.

What is the last book you read?
I’m really behind on my to-read pile, but it would be Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It was for book group and I can’t believe I never read it before.

What is the last movie you saw?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 – I got my Imax tickets weeks ahead of time. Amazing!

If you were a superhero what would your name be?
Oddly enough, a friend and I created alter egos for one another years ago. I’m Bionic Betty! (Although I don’t go by Betty!)

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Flying – it would make everything so much easier, especially with all the new TSA rules.

When you were 12 years old what did you want to be when you grew up?
Musician – I still want to be a rock star!

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
John Lennon

Which fictional character would you most like to meet?
Mr. Darcy

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese

Is there anything you need in order to write? (ie Chocolate, quiet, music)
Music!

Night owl, or early bird?
I have my late nights, but usually I’m an early bird.

One food you would never eat?
I’m allergic to melon (I know, random!) so I never eat that.

You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I’d buy a condo and send my parents on a trip.

What do you do in your free time?
What’s this “free time” you are referring to? ;) I do like to go out with my friends to either dinner or karaoke.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Massages – I get at least one a month.

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?
Okay, this is embarrassing. I’m somewhat obsessed with this show Baggage on the Game Show Network. It is hosted by Jerry Springer (do I need to go on?) and single people reveal their “baggage” to a prospective date. The baggage ranges from small (“I hate dogs”) to big (“I cheat on every girlfriend”). It is insane what people will admit to on television. In watching it I’ve realized that a) there are a lot of messed up people out there and b) my biggest “baggage” is that I watch Baggage! It is so wrong, but yet I can’t turn away.

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
I always said that I was going to buy myself something from Tiffany’s when I sold my first book and I never did. I’m on my third book, so maybe it is time to correct that!

The Lonely Hearts Club
By Elizabeth Eulberg
Published by Point
Released December 29, 2009
http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.
 
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

Giveaway Details:
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
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Last day to enter is 12/16/10.
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The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

Wow what a great first book by Elizabeth Eulberg. The Lonely Hearts Club was a book I didn't want to put down. From the very first page I was hooked. Loved her writing style.

There is plenty of talk about sex. However it's not graphic. In fact here is an example:

We kissed. Then we kissed and kissed. Then we kissed some more. But soon that wasn't enough. Soon hands started wandering, clothes started coming off... No matter what I gave him, he wanted more. And I was fighting it. Everything we did turned into a constant struggle over how far I'd go.

Penny decides to go all the way. It appears she would have if she not walked in on Nate with another girl. Just a dozen pages into the book she is heartbroken and swears off boys. Thus the Lonely Hearts Club is born.

What follows is a great book with really likable characters. Such a fun read I didn't want to put the book down. The overall message of the book was to stand up for yourself & don't change for others. To be supportive of your friends and stick together. To not date anyone who doesn't treat you well.

Content: This is not a clean read. There is plenty of mild language scatter throughout the book the most often used being a** and the Lord's name in vain. Sex is mentioned plenty of times but it's not graphic or glorified. This is a hard book to rate and pick an appropriate age. Since I'm one of those wait until marriage kind of people it's hard to recommend the book to young adults. However it has a great message and could lead to some great discussions with a daughter. I guess a lot would depend on the individual in the case of this book as to what age. Personally I wouldn't want my daughter reading it until she was at least 16 but if the need was there for some frank discussions about boys, dating, sex, friend, etc. then it would be appropriate for someone younger.

Rating: I won't give a young adult book 5 stars if it contains unnecessary sex or language. This could have easily been a 5 star book because I didn't want to put it down but I have to minus 1 star for content = 4 star book.