Book Recommendation -- Virtuosity

Virtuosity

By Jessica Martinez

Blurb from Goodreads: "Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. Two weeks before the most important violin competition of her career, she has bigger things to worry about—like growing out of that suffocating “child prodigy” label, and not disappointing her mother. But it isn’t just the wrong time. It’s the wrong guy. Jeremy is Carmen’s most talented rival, and according to her mother, he’s only interested in one thing: winning. He isn’t the only one. Carmen is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to control performance nerves. But what started a year ago as an easy fix is now a hungry addiction. Her mother insists now is not the time to quit, but Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of doing what she’s told. When the darker side of the classical music industry and her mother's ambition collide, Carmen must choose between her career and her love for music."

First, take a moment and stare in wonder at that magnificent cover.  It's just so PRETTY! 

Guys.  Oh, guys.  Seriously...I am without words.

This book is so moving, so full of emotion and hope and love and life, that it absolutely sings on the page.  It was 100% unputdownable.  I kept sneaking peeks at it while I was at work.  I devoured it in the evenings, on my lunch break, any spare moment I could find.

It not only stole my breath, it stole my heart.  I can't stop thinking about it, about Carmen, about how brave she was, and how noble. 

Funny side note -- I always wanted to play violin.  I played guitar, but it never felt right.  I begged my parents, pleaded with them, to let me take violin lessons.  They couldn't afford to buy me a violin though, not to mention the fact that there was probably nobody anywhere near us that could give me lessons.  But it was a dream.  :)  This book brought the dream back, and I may just put playing violin on my bucket list now.

I can't tell you enough how simply amazing this book is.  You're just going to have to read it when it comes out in October.  And don't worry, I'll remind you about it.

A humongous thank you to Simon and Schuster for the egalley.