Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker Book Review

Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
(HarperTeen, Paperback, 2009)
Rating:

Summer is here and Quinn is so excited for her internship at indie music label in Austin, TX. Quinn's blue hair and love of indie music make her stand out in North Carolina so she's ready to spend the summer with her cousin and, hopefully, have a summer fling with a cute musician. It all seems to be going perfectly when she meets Sebastian, a dj at a hip club in town. But Quinn can't stop thinking about her cousin's frat boy, country loving neighbor, Russ. Quinn has always hated country music and frat boys and she's determined to ignore him. Nothing is going to ruin her perfect summer.

Melissa Walker won me over with her Violet on the Runway trilogy and I was curious to see how she would handle a novel that wasn't about Violet. I shouldn't have worried. Lovestruck Summer is a wonderful, exciting stand-alone novel and Quinn is just as engaging as Violet, though in a different way. Whereas Violet was shy and unsure of herself, Quinn is all spunk and attitude. She knows what she likes and what she wants and it was fun to see her learn to be flexible and open to new things. This novel breaks down stereotypes as refreshingly as a cool summer breeze. So don't let the bubblegum toned cover fool you—Lovestruck Summer is a top notch novel written by a savvy author who knows her audience.

See more of Melissa Walker at I Heart Daily, a newsletter devoted to all those fabulous things that we just can't get enough of.

Violet in Private by Melissa Walker Book Review

Violet in Private by Melissa Walker
(Berkley, Paperback)
Rating:

Shy-girl-turned-model Violet is on her way to college. She's decided to put the runway behind her and focus on being a normal girl for awhile. New friends, parties, and late night snack sessions await. But can Violet really turn her back on modeling? Pretty soon Violet is heading back to New York City every weekend for her editorial internship at Teen Fashionista. But did Violet get the internship on her own merit or is she still a wallflower off the runway?

This is absolutely my favorite Violet book yet. I've enjoyed reading the other Violet books, Violet on the Runway and Violet by Design, and I think Melissa Walker has really come into her own with this third book in the series. Violet is incredibly smart and talented off the runway, but she isn't so sure that people like her for her. Violet faces the insecurities that we all face but she has the added question of wondering if people only like her because of her modeling. As Violet adapts to life at college, it was this extra doubt that really made her character appeal to me. Life is messy (as her relationships with friends Veronica and Roger show) and Violet learns that sticking up for her principles is never a bad thing. I loved that Violet's new friends were so supportive of her, her decision to stop modeling, and her opinions about body weight. Melissa's writing style makes it easy to get caught up in this book and makes it feel as if Violet is an old friend. I can't wait to see what's next for Melissa Walker. Hopefully another Violet book...or two or three or four! I've said it before and it bears saying again, I know nothing about fashion and I still love these books. Violet is a great role model with the added benefit that she's tons of fun to read about.

Violet by Design by Melissa Walker Book Review

Violet by Design by Melissa Walker
(Penguin, Paperback)

Rating:

After taking a break at home in North Carolina, Violet is heading back to the runway. In Brazil. Violet postpones her admission to Vassar College til spring semester and excitedly heads off to become a globe-trotter. She's not in it for the fame, she just wants to see the world. But as level-headed as Violet is, the modeling world sucks her in. She starts obsessing about her weight, she falls in love with a Brazilian playboy, and she becomes a media sensation again. What's a wallflower to do when she's halfway around the world and one best friend is busy with college and the other won't talk to her?

I'm usually really bad about remembering details from books. Give me a few months and I become a little fuzzy on the details. But reading Violet by Design was like sitting down with an old friend. Despite the fact that I read Violet on the Runway over 5 months ago, I dove back into Violet's story. She's such a great character, equally brave and shy. This mix gets Violet into a lot of trouble (like when she holds her own mini press conference so she can speak out against eating disorders) yet it also endears her to a lot of people (such as the likably rude Veronica and the dreamy, best-friend-to-the-rescue-kinda-guy, Roger). Violet makes mistakes but she also has principles. She obsesses about her weight but, after a few shaky days, she realizes that it's self-destructive to crash diet. I also loved that all of Violet's friends were there to support her in this novel, Julie, Roger, Sam, and Veronica. And for all of you Roger fans out there, things spice up just a little between Roger and Violet. Enough to make me desperate to read the next book in the series, Violet in Private, which will be out in August.

Check out Melissa's blog for news about Violet, plus lots of great writing tips and contests.