Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class.

But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out - doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T - and to everyone's shock, she's a hit!

Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize - Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare...

Review: This book was very fun and original to read, making it seem like a breath of fresh air. It is great for those who want a break from the world to hear Teresa's shy little voice. She has so much to say, and this novel allows her to tell everything. I loved the characters, but would have wanted some certain ones (ex. Stacy) to be explained a little bit more; right now, she seems like a very one-dimensional character, despite how most of the other characters are well written (like Tere's mom).

The pacing is alright for me, if not a tad slow. Some parts were predictable, but the overall look at the book made up for that. I am glad that I finally picked this book up to read and that this book will be going through a second printing. There are a lot of people that need to read Tere's story. She is easy to relate to, and her shyness is written perfectly. This was a sweet and endearing story that was unlike any other.

4/5

What I thought of...

The Beginning: It was a great introduction to all of the characters. Again, I wasn't really feeling Stacy's character even though I knew she was a downright mean person.

The Middle: Tere's mom got on my nerves as she doesn't have any confidence in her own daughter, and keeps making her do things she doesn't want to do. But her actions are explained why further in the book. I loved how Tere hosted the radio show. I would have liked to read more of her hosting because I wasn't really shown how she was that great of a host. She was good, but I needed more.

The End: I loved the ending, and felt it tied up all the loose ends of the book.

FTC: Bought this with my own money. No need to sue me.