Author: Allison Rushby
Release Date: February 2012
Published By: Walker Childrens
Pages: 272
Goodreads Rating: 3.63 stars
Review: Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream, but she certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.
Jo was the absolute perfect narrator for SHOOTING STARS. She was quick, witty, and full of personality, and her telling of the story was both amusing and relatable. In particular, though, I loved that she was someone that everyone could feel a connection to because even though she was a fun character, she still had her flaws and struggled with a great deal of emotional issues.
The concept behind the book was also an interesting one. Although I've read novels featuring characters that are celebrities or come from families of wealth or are close somehow to such families, I've never come across something quite like this. The world of papping was an intriguing one to explore, and it was both a bit dark and fun.
To go along with the unique concept, there was a plot twist that I definitely didn't see coming - and right when I'd thought the plot was predictable! Other aspects were a little easy to foresee but not in a necessarily negative way. I especially loved the romance even though I could see it coming from miles away, and Jo and her love interest seemed to fit together perfectly as a couple.
All in all, SHOOTING STARS was a lovely novel with a sweet romance and a feel-good ending - just the perfect thing to read on a sad day. The concept is intriguing and the plot executes it well, albeit predictable in certain respects. There's still a major twist that does come out of nowhere - in a good way! - and I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for something different in the contemporary genre.
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3 comments:
Sometimes you need a feel good ending. I'll keep this one in mind the next time I do. So glad you enjoyed this, it looks adorable.
That plot twist blew me away too-often I can predict how a contemporary is going to go but I had no clue in this case.
Oh yay, the premise of this sounded pretty cute, so we're glad it was an enjoyable read. May need to add it to our list. :)
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