Sophie is spending the summer before senior year in her tiny Illinois town hanging out with her best friends, working at Safeway, and trying to narrow down her college choices. That is until a mysterious new guy, August, moves in with the family she babysits for. August definitely has Sophie’s eye for more reasons than one - he is funny, cute, and is without a doubt hiding something - but what?
While befriending August and trying to figure out what makes him tick, Sophie discovers she has an even greater puzzle on her hands. Her high school marching band has been invited to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. There’s just one little (big) problem - it will cost a lot of money for the band to march ... money they don’t have. What can they do to raise a lot of money in a short amount of time?
Acadia, Illinois may not be known for much, but it is the hometown of reality star turned country singer, Megan Pleasant. Sophie has the brilliant idea to ask Megan to come back to Acadia and sing at the town’s fall festival to help raise money for the marching band. But just how are they going to get the attention of a superstar? And why has there been a lot of publicity lately implying that Megan is leaving her roots and Acadia behind her? Will she even want to return to Acadia?
YA author Emma Mills returns with her latest novel, Famous in a Small Town. With memorable characters, heartfelt relationships, and small town feel-good vibes, Mills brings us a lot to love in her latest novel. The funny, yet touching Famous in a Small Town is strongest on the character development front - there’s witty dialogue, sincere feelings, and teenagers dealing with real issues between these pages. On the other hand, I felt a little misled by the synopsis. What promises to be a young girl’s hunt to track down a country superstar, ends up being a rather insignificant plot line. While the book is not at all bad without a Megan Pleasant-focused plot, I didn’t read the story I expected to, so it took me awhile to wrap my mind around the fact that this novel would stay rooted in its small town atmosphere as opposed to being drenched in superstar glamour.
When your attention is drawn away from Megan Pleasant’s celebrity, however, what you’re left with is an intriguing and fulfilling novel about a young girl sorting out her feelings about family, friends, boys, and life in general. There are even a couple of completely unexpected and well-disguised plot twists thrown in here. In all, read Famous in a Small Town if you enjoy poignant coming-of-age novels revolving around solid friendships and small town life.
Availability: Book
Rating: **** Stars (I really liked it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
ARE YOU AND THIS BOOK A GOOD MATCH? DISCOVER MORE WITH NOVELIST APPEALS! Famous in a Small Town
GENRE: Realistic Fiction; Teen Chick Lit THEME: Life in Small Towns (Love 'em or hate 'em, tiny towns are the settings for these books that frequently feature themes of community.); Music Makers (I sing, I play, I beat the drum. Sounds come together to make music, and I come to life.)
TONE: Angst-Filled; Feel-Good; Romantic STORYLINE: Character-Driven WRITING STYLE: Engaging; Witty CHARACTER: Likeable; Well-Developed LOCATION: Illinois SUBJECT: Celebrities; Community Life; Country Musicians; Crushes in Teenage Girls; Friendship; Fund Raising; Marching Bands; Neighbors; New Neighbors; Small Town Life; Small Towns; Summer; Teenage Girls
IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK, YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THESE TITLES: