So far, I can honestly say that I've liked all the books I've reviewed, but I think this one's my favorite. When Bella first described it to me, she said it was something like a modern day version of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, which I found to be pretty accurate.
Emma Proctor is a senior in high school, but her senior year isn't turning out to be much fun. She kisses her best friend, Joann's, boyfriend, Colin, over Christmas break and she is, of course, spotted because you can never get away with anything in the small town of super religious Wheaton. Emma absolutely despises the tiny Indiana town and is craving the adventure of the big city, Chicago, which she can only live in if she gets a full scholarship to Northwestern University; this can only be achieved with her track star skills, so she's pretty obsessed with training.
Emma chooses to speak with Colin, and tries to find out if there's anything between them. The two decide to go to a local hangout called the Barn, but once they arrive people are already wasted so they skip it. After Kimberly, daughter of the police sheriff, winds up in the hospital, she and Queen Bee Darci, daughter of Reverend Evers, have to cover their actions, so they come up with a wild story that they're being poisoned and blame the nerds of Trinity Evangelical School. Emma has to decide whether to spill what she knows and risk her scholarship or to let the innocent be punished.
This book started out as something that seemed like another teen love triangle book and ended as an entirely new story. The format Cook uses for her chapters is unique, and not something I've come across before. I actually added this book to my list of favorites on my personal MySpace, so I'd say it's pretty decent; however, it did have a bit of a flaw. Colin tended to tick me off on occasions. One minute he was sneaking Emma off somewhere to confess his everlasting love, and the next he was doting over Joann. I found that as a character he didn't have much dimension; in other words, he was a pretty flat character, but don't let one silly boy keep you from reading an otherwise totally wicked book!
-Viola
What Would Emma Do? can be puchased on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/What-Would-Emma-Eileen-Cook/dp/1416974326/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232761299&sr=8-1
Learn more about Eileen and read the first chapter of What Would Emma Do? on her website: http://www.eileencook.com/
Hmmm...Colin does sound a little wishy washy, but I don't think it'll keep me from loving this one when I finally get my hands on it.
ReplyDeleteI've been hearing a lot about this book, but your review makes me want to read it!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, I'll get this book soon somehow. I've been hearing alot of great reviews about it.
ReplyDeleteI have heard a whole bunch of reviews for this and they all seem to be good.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've read a lot about this book and they all talk very well about it so I'll have to read it.
ReplyDeleteDon't try to keep a secret in a small town!