Rival

Apr 30, 2011 Janina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, mean-girls, music, contemporary, covers-i-love, on-my-shelf, read-in-2011, available-for-swapping, alternating-pov

I can’t exactly tell you what I expected this book to be like. It simply caught my interest a few months back when I read the synopsis. I love books about music, and the friendship/rivalry issue gave it an extra touch. So I bought it without reading many reviews – which is pretty unusual for me. I normally always try to make sure I’ll like a book before spending money on it.

So – what should or shouldn’t you expect from it?

1) You should not expect romance, swoon-worthy kisses and the like. It’s n...more I can’t exactly tell you what I expected this book to be like. It simply caught my interest a few months back when I read the synopsis. I love books about music, and the friendship/rivalry issue gave it an extra touch. So I bought it without reading many reviews – which is pretty unusual for me. I normally always try to make sure I’ll like a book before spending money on it.

So – what should or shouldn’t you expect from it?

1) You should not expect romance, swoon-worthy kisses and the like. It’s not that there are absolutely no romantic issues here, but on the main level, the story focuses on Brooke and Kathryn: their difficult friendship, their fallout, the rivalry between them and the pressure that rests on their shoulders in their final year at school. Kathryn desperately needs a scholarship to be able to go to college; Brooke wants nothing more than to go back to New York and her father. The solution of their problems: winning the prestigious Blackmore, an annual festival for young singers, which is the head start for a career in music and is accompanied by a 25,000$ check.

2) You should not expect the standard “nice girl vs. mean girl” cliché. Yes, Brooke is the popular and rich girl who dictates who is popular and who isn’t at their small-town high school. Yes, Kathryn is poor and a loner before she befriends her and becomes an outcast after things change for the worse between them. But nevertheless, it’s hard to take sides. Both girls make mistakes and are complex characters. Which sometimes made me able to relate to them so well, and sometimes made me want to strangle them for the decisions they made. But all in all, I very much appreciated this aspect of the book. Their relationship isn’t reduced to hate, it is much more layered and complicated.

3) You also shouldn’t expect an ending that ties up all loose ends. It does give closure – because an episode in their lives ends for the two girls, but their future couldn’t be more open. Not that this is a bad thing. An open future stands for chances and hope for the characters and I like it if an author gives me the possibility to imagine my own ending for them. So – hopefully – no sequel here ;) (you can never know these days).

All in all, a good read. I liked that it didn't follow any of the current trends in YA, but stood on its own. At the same time, though, it didn’t really stand out for me personally. I liked it, but I didn’t really like it. I know that my review is mostly positive, but something was missing for me. A real connection with the characters maybe: I never really warmed up to Brooke, and in the end, Kathryn did a few things that made her a lot less likeable to me. Also, I’m a little sap. Not that I want my books centred only around romance, but a little romance never hurts. (view spoiler) Of course, all this is completely my personal taste. So I think if the book interests you, you should give it a try.

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May 31, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, read-2011, huge-disappointments, 2011-publication

2.5 stars I liked the first half of this book quite a lot. Kathryn and Brooke used to be best friends until something drove them apart--but what was it? The story starts off in senior year, told in alternating chapters between both girls' points of view, then eventually goes back and forth between junior and senior years. This framework might sound complicated, but it actually works just fine, and the author does a good job of writing different voices for both girls' narratives. The reader gets...more

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Feb 15, 2011 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: released-wishlist

Original post - http://hobbitsies.net/wordpress/?p=1736

Wow. I did not expect to love Rival as much as I did. I was pretty hesitant about starting it because it sounded like there was going to be very little romance and kissing, and mainly just about the history between the two girls.

Which is mostly true. I mean, that is the point of the book, I think. That there’s more to being a teenage girl than boys. There’s pressure and stress and even friendships are hard to maintain. I thought Rival did an...more Original post - http://hobbitsies.net/wordpress/?p=1736

Wow. I did not expect to love Rival as much as I did. I was pretty hesitant about starting it because it sounded like there was going to be very little romance and kissing, and mainly just about the history between the two girls.

Which is mostly true. I mean, that is the point of the book, I think. That there’s more to being a teenage girl than boys. There’s pressure and stress and even friendships are hard to maintain. I thought Rival did an excellent job of showing this other perspective and it really meant a lot to me. Don’t get me wrong – there’s definitely cute boys and boy drama, but it all ends back at up at Katherine and Brooke.

I loved both of the protagonists – Brooke and Katherine. There was no way for me to choose which one I wanted to root for, which one I identified with the most because there were elements of both girls that really stood out to me and I could easily relate to. Really, though, they were both realistic characters and although there were elements of their lifestyles that I couldn’t identify with/don’t know anyone who can (Brooke, for the most part), they really felt like teenage girls to me. Their mood swings, jealousy, peer pressure, pressure in general – it reminded me a lot of my own high school experiences.

Maybe it doesn’t have to be music, or money from scholarships, but there’s always something in high school that manages to put that load of pressure on you, and that’s what I liked about this book. Even though this book was specifically about the music competition and the pressure, there was a lot more to it.

I loved the ending and the progression of the storyline. I’m usually worried about flashbacks – sometimes they interrupt the flow of the story, but it really worked in Rival.

I would absolutely recommend Rival. Seriously. It’s a fantastic debut and very original for a contemporary young adult book. I can’t wait to see more from Sara Bennett Wealer!(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 Princess Bookie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read2010

My Thoughts: I did not know what I was going into as I started this. Backstabbers? Check. Hot guys?Check. Best friends turned rivals? Check. Music? Check. High school? Check. Guy best friend? Check. As you can clearly see this book had it all and was everything I was looking for. We are introduced to Kathryn and Brooke. Brooke was always Queen B and popular while Kathryn just kept to herself and was a loner. That is until Brooke befriends her and introduces her to her clique and the world of pop...more My Thoughts: I did not know what I was going into as I started this. Backstabbers? Check. Hot guys?Check. Best friends turned rivals? Check. Music? Check. High school? Check. Guy best friend? Check. As you can clearly see this book had it all and was everything I was looking for. We are introduced to Kathryn and Brooke. Brooke was always Queen B and popular while Kathryn just kept to herself and was a loner. That is until Brooke befriends her and introduces her to her clique and the world of popularity. Brooke has another best friend named Chloe and soon Chloe starts to get jealous over Kathryn. Kathryn is so much different than Chloe and she really gets Brooke so her and Brooke become super close really fast.

Kathryn and Brooke are also really into music and are both great singers. They both excel in music and always feel like they are on the same level and one could easily beat the other.

Basically, we are swept away in past memories and flashback chapters than jolted right back to the present. We discover how two great friends went from best friends to bitter rivals. How they went from helping one another out with music and loving it to competing against each other in the same competition. Each wants to win the competition and knows what they will lose if they do not beat the other.

Kathryn has spent the last year getting over the horrible episode that went down between her and Brooke.I won't tell you what exactly happened, read the book to find out! Kathryn never really quite understood what happened. But she does know how she's had to suffer through major loads of embarrassment. She went right from the top to the bottom as quick as humanly possible. Brooke's crew basically tormented her the past year and she's been left to face it every day since.

Lets talk about some of the other characters for a minute. First, there is Matt. I really liked Matt. He was always there for Kathryn, to listen to her problems, to help her a long the way. Next came Brooke and Kathryn's families. Each girl had a very different family. We come to know their parents and how they operate, which roles the girls play. Than came Brooke's brothers. You could tell instantly they would be the life of the party and out to have a good time. Next was Miles, whom Kathryn dated for a while during her popularity spurt. I clearly hated him from the get go. haha. Than there was John who seemed to take an interest in Kathryn while Brooke had the hots for him. I actually really liked him. He did seem different and I came to respect him. As for Chloe and Brooke's other friends, I could tell how fake they really were, and they were just out for themselves, to stay popular and on Brooke's good side.

Honestly, I really liked both Brooke and Kathryn. Usually I would be rooting for one or the other but I actually thought they were both decent girls. They both had great personalities and were unique and lovely in their own way.

Rival was an enjoyable read. I loved the different prospectives from each girl. And how both girls made me feel as though I was experiencing life in their shoes. The flashbacks were awesome. It told the story perfectly. The plot of best friends who realized the truth and were left to deal with the aftermath of what went down was remarkable. Rival had an enjoyable voice and left me wanting to read more from Wealer. Since it wasn't a book purely based on romance, it had just the right sparkle of romance dabbled into it.

Overall: Really enjoyed it. One you should definitely read this year. Rival was a memorable experience for me and I will be recommending it to others!

Cover:Love it! I love the flowers and how the petal has fallen off. Neat cover.

What I'd Give It:
5/5 Cupcakes

princessbookie.com

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Feb 13, 2012 Andi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemp-challenge-2011-books, nook-archive, 2012-contemp-challenge

If any of you have been following my reading progress on Goodreads it was made very very clear that this book and I did not get along. I didn’t hide my disdain while reading it, but I finished it to give it the benefit of the doubt. Sadly my opinion did not change by the end. I found the whole story, the characters and the plot points, underwhelming, annoying and a tad predictable. I must apologize if this is slightly spoilerish.

Rival is about two girls, Brooke and Kathryn, that dream of winning...more If any of you have been following my reading progress on Goodreads it was made very very clear that this book and I did not get along. I didn’t hide my disdain while reading it, but I finished it to give it the benefit of the doubt. Sadly my opinion did not change by the end. I found the whole story, the characters and the plot points, underwhelming, annoying and a tad predictable. I must apologize if this is slightly spoilerish.

Rival is about two girls, Brooke and Kathryn, that dream of winning a highly respected singing competition in their small town in Minnesota. As freshman they are both accepted into the honors choir program(something basically unheard off), but that is their only connection. They are from two different worlds, Brooke being popular and Kathryn a loner. But that all changed Junior year when Brooke’s friend Chloe comes up with the an immature idea to “draft” new friends. Because of this Brooke and Kathryn become fast friends and even sooner they are each others worst enemies. Thanks to a lot of outside sources and incorrect information and selfish acts they are officially rivals and only one can win the competition. Bet you didn’t see that coming.

The book is told from alternate view points(which I normally enjoy) and alternate time periods, from Junior year to Senior year. Through the switch you learn not only what lead to the fight and how they not only became friends but what each girl is thinking and feeling as the friendship falls apart. With this style of story telling normally you can really get to know both characters the author is trying to showcase. You get to see what is going on in their lives and what is in their heads. It is a highly effective way to progress the story in most instances, a way to really get to know the characters. The problem is I didn’t really like what I got to know.

To be honest I couldn’t stand either girl. I could tell that I was supposed to like Kathryn because she was the one being “bullied” and I was supposed to feel bad for Brooke because she was just trying to save face, but both girls were so self centered and juvenile that I found myself rolling my eyes and wanting to throw my NOOK. Kathryn thought everything Brooke did revolved around her. Sure Brooke embarrassed her when she ended their friendship, but Kathryn took it too far. It was like the world revolved around her and she was waiting for her just due. She treated her best friend Matt like crap, was somewhat rude to her parents and was so paranoid it made me crazy! And then there was Brooke. Her brothers were immature and kept hanging at high school parties even though they were in like their 3rd year of college, her mom thought she was one of the “kids” letting all Brooke’s friends drink and party at the house and her dad ran away with a famous actor forcing the whole family to move from NYC to Minnesota. Fine, she had the poor little rich girl thing down. The problem was I didn’t believe it. She kept saying music was what she wanted but never would stand up to her over the top, annoyingly sneaky best friend Chloe. Brooke thought she deserved things like understanding and respect, but she never gave any to get any. They both just rubbed me the wrong way and made it impossible for me to believe in their once friendship or their rivalry.

Now with all of that said I want to make it clear that it really wasn’t a bad book. It was written well and a fast read. And I’m more then positive that it would be enjoyable for others. It just wasn’t the book for me. I didn’t connect with it no matter how much I tried. So don’t take my word for it. Try it out and you be the judge. Maybe it will be the book for you.(less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one heck of a book. From the start, the book, it played on like beautiful music to my ears never letting go. It flowed on and on playing me like a guitar. Brooke and Katheryn were best friends then rivals though a misunderstanding. Will both girls learn to forgive? Or will the music that they play forever ring in their ears.

I loved the writing and the plot of this story. Ms. Wealer not only introduce us to music but she intertwine it with her writing. With each turn of the page, her writ...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Cass - Words on Paper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, bought, read-2011, favourites, author-love, music

Loved it.

I loved the girls. I hated the girls. I wanted to know the girls more and more. I liked that they had hobbies outside of music, how their lives don't revolve around guys or popularity or shopping, etc. That there are secrets and mystery. We are only privvy to some of the facts as Wealer weaves the story from the past to the present.

Rival kept me up until 4 am this morning, until I finally gave in to my stomach and had to go to sleep. Later, at 8 am, I was rudely awoken and despite being...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Gemma rated it 2 of 5 stars

Bad: When you're totally and completely off-key, off-pitch and off-tune.

To be fair, my expectations for this book were probably much higher than they should have been.

I really enjoy books about music. Not sure why; I'm not a huge musician or anything. But books about singing or acting (or sometimes both) are usually fascinating. Books about the arts. I like those. There aren't nearly enough of them, which may be why I tend to enjoy the ones that are out there.

Like Dramarama by E. Lockhart. That...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Rachel Harris rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite things about reading YA Contemporary novels is that they transport me right back to the hallways of my high school. Some authors nail the entire experience so well it is like I am reading pages out of my journal, and not merely some abstract creation from someone else’s mind. The characters are believable, their interactions and emotions realistic (both good and bad), and the relationships are pitch perfect.

And Sara Bennett Wealer’s debut RIVAL might just be the best I’ve come...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer follows two girls who have an intense hatred for each other but also share a love of music. Kathryn went from nobody to somebody when she became friends with Brooke over a shared love of music. Things went sour and Brooke humiliated Kathryn in front of the whole school at homecoming causing Kathryn to become an outcast who is taunted by Brooke's friends. When Katherine and Brooke compete in a singing competition they must find a way to get over the past so they can s...more

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Feb 18, 2011 MaryBookSwarm rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, arc, harperteen

This book? Awesome. Loved it. Maybe it's because I can relate to the rivalry of the girls. Maybe it's because I played in a close-knit band growing up and there was both friendly and not-so-friendly competition between us, especially when we completed solo. Whatever the case may be, Sara Bennett Wealer nailed it.

Because of the dual perspectives, the reader gets a glimpse into the minds of both the girls and how a friendship turns into a bitter rivalry. Through a series of delicately balanced fla...more This book? Awesome. Loved it. Maybe it's because I can relate to the rivalry of the girls. Maybe it's because I played in a close-knit band growing up and there was both friendly and not-so-friendly competition between us, especially when we completed solo. Whatever the case may be, Sara Bennett Wealer nailed it.

Because of the dual perspectives, the reader gets a glimpse into the minds of both the girls and how a friendship turns into a bitter rivalry. Through a series of delicately balanced flashbacks from senior year to junior year, the story of Kathryn and Brooke unfolds.

Brooke is a live-out-loud girl with money, friends, an incredible voice, and deep-seated passion for music. But she's not happy. Her friends don't understand her music, her older brothers are the stars of the show both at school and home and, in many ways, she's just riding their popular coattails as "Baby B". That is, until she meets Kathryn. Kathryn's a quiet, shy soul who shares Brooke's love of music. She's got her own musical gift--a soulful soprano voice. Then, through a series of both conscious actions and misunderstandings, Brooke and Kathryn's friendship shatters and reforms into a bitter rivalry, one tinged with regret on both sides.

I loved how we get to see in the minds of both of the girls. It's fascinating how both of the girls are so different but had many of the same goals and how that twists their view of each other. You'd think that, with two points of view and flashbacks between junior and senior year, the story would be muddled and confusing. However, it's not. Not at all and, if anything, this style of storytelling provides the reader with a clear picture of the girls' relationship.

Anyone who has been in competition with someone else (which is pretty much all of us, at one point or another, right?) will totally relate to this story. A beautifully told aria of friendship and betrayal, passion and drive, RIVAL hits all the right notes. (Come on. You knew it had to be said--this is a music-driven book, after all.)(less)

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Dec 09, 2011 Kelly Hager rated it 3 of 5 stars

Junior year, Brooke and Kathryn were best friends. They bonded over their shared love of choir in general and opera in particular, and spent a lot of their free time together. Senior year, it's a whole different story. Something happened that made them not only not friends but actual enemies and it's about to get even worse. They're going to compete in a prestigious singing competition and the winner gets $25,000 and almost guaranteed acceptance into any music program in the country.

This story i...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Elanor Lawrence rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was exactly what I expected: an honest, almost heartbreaking story about two girls who make a ton of stupid mistakes but end up being friends anyway. It was well written, simple but emotional. There were times that made me laugh, or wince or nearly cry... It felt like reading a Jodi Picoult novel, but without all the over-writing. The dialogue was always natural.

I loved the characterization. Both Kathryn and Brooke seemed like real people. They weren't caricatures and they most certain...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a good book with a great message. Kathryn is a normal, everyday girl who can sing. She is not popular. She is just not known. Until she is invited to a sleepover at Brooke's house. Brooke is the "It" girl at school. She also sings and Kathryn and Brooke bond over their love of music, which the other girls don't share.

Kathryn gains popularity overnight and soon, her and Brooke are doing everything together. Then Brooke's other friend, Chole, gets involved and from there it all...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Hderaps rated it 4 of 5 stars

In alternating narratives, Sara Bennett Wealer tells the story of two talented teens--Kathryn and Brooke. Both girls are exceptional singers and, though they used to be very close, they have a rivalry that has spiraled out of control.

Brooke seems to have it all. She is the most popular girl in her class, she has talent, money, and people generally look to her to decide who's cool and who's not. Of course, life is not as perfect as it seems. Brooke is lonely and desperately wants her absent fathe...more In alternating narratives, Sara Bennett Wealer tells the story of two talented teens--Kathryn and Brooke. Both girls are exceptional singers and, though they used to be very close, they have a rivalry that has spiraled out of control.

Brooke seems to have it all. She is the most popular girl in her class, she has talent, money, and people generally look to her to decide who's cool and who's not. Of course, life is not as perfect as it seems. Brooke is lonely and desperately wants her absent father's love and attention. She is surrounded by people who want to be near her so that they can be popular. None of her friends care about her passion for singing; they only care about parties and dances. Brooke finds a true friend in Kathryn during her junior year, but by their senior year their bitter enmity has completely clouded over any friendship they might have had.

Kathryn is more content in the shadows than in the limelight when it comes to being popular. That is, until she gets a taste for the spotlight when Brooke invites her to a sleepover their junior year. After that fateful night, Kathryn is kept busy with parties and activities and shows with all of her new friends. In particular, Brooke seems to want to hang out with Kathryn and talk about music. But, when Kathryn unwittingly betrays Brooke, their friendship crumbles and so does Kathryn's new popularity.

In the end, the only thing these two unlikely friends have in common is their desire to win at the Blackmore--a prestigious singing competition. And, it seems that both girls are willing to crush the other in order to win.

* * *

Rival is an excellent debut for Sara Bennett Wealer. It is always a risky venture to write a book where the main characters are complex and not always sympathetic. There were points in this book where I didn't like either of the main characters, but this dislike was because the girls are presented as real people who make real mistakes and use poor judgment. It would've been much easier for Ms. Bennett Wealer to present one of the girls as "right" and the other as "wrong." It's much more difficult to make each girl complex in their own way.

In addition to the characters, I loved the format of this book. It alternated between main characters and from their junior to senior years. In all of this, I was not confused in the least by which character was speaking and when the scene was taking place. It was interesting to flip between the girls' senior year, when they hated each other, and their junior year, when they were inseparable. Through the shifting time periods, the relationship and the motives behind the girls' actions becomes much more complex and interesting.

I loved that this rivalry was based, for the most part, on singing. There were some jealous moments based on boys and beauty, but that was not the crux of the girls' conflict. That story has been played out, in my opinion. In this book, the girls are vying for something real and based on hard work and merit. This focus on singing took away from some of the catty, stereotypical competition over looks that is often portrayed in YA lit. This story was far more serious and interesting than a typical girl-hates-girl story.

This is an awesome debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from this author. I can imagine that there are several students in my classes, particularly those girls involved in chorus and one of our school's music programs that will understand the richness of this book. (less)

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Jan 01, 2011 Chelsea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kathryn and Brooke are fierce rivals in their senior year of high school. They both sing in choir and are shoe-ins to win the prestigious Blackmore Young Artsists award. Oh yeah, and they hate each other. But it wasn't always like this. During their junior year, they had been inseparable at times. Then something terrible happened and the hatred has been thick ever since. As the stress of the upcoming contest gets heavier, both girls begin to re-evaluate what is truly important to them.

Two books...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Tatiana Campos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Never have I come across a book that so accurately describes the amount of cruel high school girls can be to one another.

Rival is a story of two teenage choir girls, who are seemingly as far apart on the spectrum as possible. Their love of singing is what ends up bringing these opposites together. Brooke is the typical popular high school girl, she has a somewhat wealthy family, popular older brothers who had her socializing in the right circles before she was even in the big leagues, and an unc...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Brandi Kosiner rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are two sides to every story and boy does this book prove it. I was all geared up to completely side with Kathryn because she sounds more like me--shy and not part of a-list crowd, but as the story progressed I felt more and more for Brooke too and her story and voice was able to shine. I feel like I am more able to understand some of the workings of popular crowd and that it's not as shiny as it may seem from the outside.
I also found it enlightening being in both character's heads-what...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Lilac rated it 4 of 5 stars

kathryn and brooke. soprano and alto. shy and outgoing. they fit each other perfectly. for a while. after their fall out, it's outsider and a lister. but with the blackmore coming up, will kathryn put brooke in her place, or will brooke demolish kathryn once for all?

i don't know why, but something about this book struck me as very odd. i think it's the cover and the plot. the cover is totally something that belongs on an adult novel, but the plot is obviously YA. nonetheless, it was a very good...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Terri rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Rival," by Sara Bennett Wealer, is told from the alternating points of view of seniors Kathryn Pease and Brooke Dempsey. The narrative flashes back intermittently to their junior year where we learn the details of the development and destruction of their friendship. On the surface, we see Kathryn as the smart girl musician who pretty much keeps to herself. We see Brooke as the rich, attractive, popular, athlete. the two appear very different on the surface. But both love music and are excellent...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sarah Bennett Wealer introduces the two main characters, Brooke and Kathryn, as complete opposites. Brooke is an alto and the most popular girl in school while Kathryn is a soprano and somewhere in the middle. Junior year, Brooke and Kathryn become practically inseparable, but when Brooke’s friends adopt Kathryn into their group, Kathryn and Brooke lose their common ground. After a big fight at a party, Brooke and Kathryn’s friendship comes to an end, and Brooke destroys Kathryn’s social life....more

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Feb 26, 2011 Nicole (Nicoleslaw00) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: four-star-books

I read this for the debut author challenge. I was in the mood to read a contemperary realistic fiction novel. I've been going pretty heavy on the fantasy and dysotopian here lately. So I went onto The Story Siren's blog to see what new debut novels were coming out in the month of February in the YA genre. Most of the ones listed were fantasy... Rival was one of the few realistic novels on the list.

I was immediately turned off and intrigued (at the same time if that's possible) by the synopsis a...more I read this for the debut author challenge. I was in the mood to read a contemperary realistic fiction novel. I've been going pretty heavy on the fantasy and dysotopian here lately. So I went onto The Story Siren's blog to see what new debut novels were coming out in the month of February in the YA genre. Most of the ones listed were fantasy... Rival was one of the few realistic novels on the list.

I was immediately turned off and intrigued (at the same time if that's possible) by the synopsis and I'll get into why a little later in this review.

So basically this novel is the story of two girls in their senior year... who happen to be arch rivals. They are both deeply involved in the school choir and are competitive with each other. Brooke is the school's "teen queen". She's the popular one who everyone wants to be in the graces of. Kathryn is more of the pretty, quite, shy type. So how is it that two girls on complete opposite spectrums of the high school world could become rivals? Well the storyline is full of flashbacks that take you back to their junior year when the girls first met and give you the entire back story... all while you are experiencing their current dilemas of their senior year.

So like I said before, the synopsis gave me conflicting feelings for this book. I was turned off by the choir, "Glee", type storyline. I was not involved in choir in highschool and my school did not have a big choir program. I was concerned that I would not be able to relate with that part of the storyline. Then I was also pretty sure that as a 28 year old woman, I would not be interested at all in the catty-ness of teenage girls being "rivals". But on the other hand, I at one time too was a teenage girl... and I've dealt with my share of catty-ness coming from other females. I've always kind of related myself to the "Kathryn" type of girl. So I was intrigued to see the inner workings and thoughts behind the actions of the Brooke character... the epitome of the "mean girl".

I was pleasantly suprised by this book. I always go into the debut author novels feeling like they are a crap shoot. I was very happy with this one. I didn't find myself rolling my eyes as the girls argued. I actually related to a lot of what they went through. I sympathized with the characters and found myself fully invested in the book very quickly. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of YA or realistic contemperary fiction!(less)

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Dec 04, 2010 Melanie Goodman added it

Brooke and Kathryn were best friends, but a misunderstanding causes them to become rivals at the end of their junior year of high school. When senior year begins, both girls are entered into the same prestigious singing competition. The love of music that once united them now only serves to tear them farther apart. Brooke and Kathryn see the competition as a way out; Brooke wants to use it as a path to a career as a professional singer, and Kathryn needs the scholarship money to attend college....more Brooke and Kathryn were best friends, but a misunderstanding causes them to become rivals at the end of their junior year of high school. When senior year begins, both girls are entered into the same prestigious singing competition. The love of music that once united them now only serves to tear them farther apart. Brooke and Kathryn see the competition as a way out; Brooke wants to use it as a path to a career as a professional singer, and Kathryn needs the scholarship money to attend college. But only one of them can win.

Rival is written from both Brooke and Katheryn’s point of views, alternating between present time and junior year. As the story unfolds, readers learn more about the events that led to the demise of their friendship, as well as what is at stake in winning the singing competition. Its a quick read, in part because once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop until I found out who won. (I was tired the next day, but it was worth it.)

Wealer captures the nuances of female friendship and high school competitiveness perfectly. Brooke and Kathryn are both jealous of each other; Brooke envies Kathryn’s close-knit family, while Kathryn admires Brooke’s popularity and wealth. They each have problems with their own self-images, and read too much into each others’ actions as a result, seeing offenses where none were intended. As their disputes over boys and friends and family secrets grow more intense, the popular girls’ abuse of the less popular Kathryn increases, going beyond what Brooke ever intended. The high school caste system doles out more than its share of nastiness to keep Kathryn in her “place.” As it turns out, though, Kathryn learns that popularity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, finding that her real friend, Matt, is there for her after her falling out with everyone else.

It was a pleasant change of pace to read a book more interested in character development and friendship than romance (not to say that I don’t like romance, but I don’t need it ALL the time). I also enjoyed the depiction of extracurricular activities, college and scholarship applications, and school work. This is much closer to the reality I lived in high school than most YA books I encounter. For readers who enjoy contemporary realistic fiction, this is a book I would highly recommend.(less)

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Dec 06, 2010 Meghan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Music is the core of Kathryn and Brooke’s friendship throughout high school. Through the teenage drama that often severs even the closest of friendships, music keeps the two girls together. Kathryn is known as a “loner”; Brooke, the wealthy and popular “it” type of girl. What would someone so popular want to have anything to do with one from the bottom of the high school food chain? Such a difference in lifestyles has a major influence on the decisions and choices that Brook and Kathryn make thr...more Music is the core of Kathryn and Brooke’s friendship throughout high school. Through the teenage drama that often severs even the closest of friendships, music keeps the two girls together. Kathryn is known as a “loner”; Brooke, the wealthy and popular “it” type of girl. What would someone so popular want to have anything to do with one from the bottom of the high school food chain? Such a difference in lifestyles has a major influence on the decisions and choices that Brook and Kathryn make throughout their high school years.

A large portion of Kathryn and Brooke’s friendship revolves around jealousy. Brooke yearns for the loving and hospitable family Kathryn has and enjoys the time spent at their comfy and lived in home. Such is the opposite of Brooke’s often empty upscale house and distant divorced parents. To Brooke, Kathryn serves as a break from the uptight lifestyle often associated with wealth. On the contrary, Kathryn envies Brooke’s affluence and popularity compared with her own financial struggles.

As time progresses, Kathryn and Brooke begin preparing for the annual Blackmore Festival, a vocal competition with a huge monetary reward. Both girls enter with hopes of enhancing their futures; Kathryn, for financial assistance with college right around the corner; Brooke, to pursue her professional music career. Since there is only one winner of the Blackmore Festival, it is inevitable that Brooke and Kathryn will be faced against each other at one point. Rivalry, accompanied by an incident that takes place during junior year, officially destroys the friendship between Kathryn and Brooke. The music that once kept the two girls together now tears them apart. As a last resort, Kathryn returns to her trusting friend Matt, who she unknowingly ditches and replaces with Brooke at the beginning of the novel. As her sole friend once more, Matt helps Kathryn to better understand who her real friends are

Sara Wealer writes this novel in an alternating perspective between Kathryn and Brooke throughout their junior and senior years of high school. I thought this was particularly annoying and confusing, considering that the storyline is basically cut up and fed to the reader in randomized chronology. Without the proper background information I found it hard to piece matters together and form conclusions. On the bright side, I thought that Wealer’s friendship ideals were very realistic and that Kathryn’s financial struggles for college rang true to many high school students in the same situation as her. In the long run, if this story had been written in chronological order, I personally would have enjoyed it better. Rival is a quick read for those seeking a storyline that captures the dynamics of a good friendship and the struggles involved.

This review appears on www.readergirls.blogspot.com (less)

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Jan 10, 2011 Vivien rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won this ARC in a giveaway from the author. I finished it a few days ago and I've been mulling over this review since then. I really enjoyed the way the story was written. The chapters alternate between the two girls and are equally compelling. I felt myself liking each one and disliking each one at the same time. The author also goes back and forth between junior and senior years. This may be confusing for some but I didn't have a problem following this at all. I liked piecing the story toget...more

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May 30, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts: Rival was different from most of the contemporary YA books I've read recently. The chapters in Rival bounce back and forth between Kathryn's point of view and Brooke's point of view. The chapters also bounce between the girls' junior and senior years. The result is a story that starts right in the middle of the action, told by two rivals who make you want to side with both of them at the same time.

My only complaint is that the jumping around made the book hard to follow at times. I...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullying, friendship, potential-gateway-noms-2013-14, teen-fiction, realistic-fiction

Kathryn and Brooke are alike in many ways. They're in the same grade, they're both in choir and they're both overachievers. They're also very, very different. Kathryn is petite and shy. Brooke is tall and gregarious. Kathryn is a soprano and Brooke is an alto. Kathryn is a bit of a loner. Brooke is an "a-lister". It is honors choir that brings them together and music that solidifies their bond. It is something else entirely that tears them apart and leaves Kathryn with a black eye following thei...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Portrait of a Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, young-adult, 2011-debut

First reviewed on Portrait of a Book

As a singer myself, I've wanted to read this book since I first heard about it. Even without the description, the cover alone would have drawn me to this book. Having witnessed firsthand how deeply rivalries can run between singers at the college level, I was very curious to see how this drama would play out in a high school chorus setting.

Kathryn has become a social outcast thanks to Brooke. Since Brooke punched her junior year, tensions have been high, and t...more First reviewed on Portrait of a Book

As a singer myself, I've wanted to read this book since I first heard about it. Even without the description, the cover alone would have drawn me to this book. Having witnessed firsthand how deeply rivalries can run between singers at the college level, I was very curious to see how this drama would play out in a high school chorus setting.

Kathryn has become a social outcast thanks to Brooke. Since Brooke punched her junior year, tensions have been high, and this is not helped by the fact that they have to see each other in choir every day. This rivalry only escalates as the Blackmore competition approaches; jealously and fear of secrets coming to light seem to be a constant state of being for both girls. But in the midst of this, they both cannot help but remember their junior year and the evens that led them to dislike each other so strongly. In fact, Rival alternates between both girls' points of view, as well as between memories and the present day, which really show this contrast and brings the reader deeper into the world of both girls.

I loved getting to know Kathryn and Brooke, and I could sympathize with both of them. Kathryn longs for the things that she has never had - popularity, money, the chance to really be seen - and Brooke is caught between what she wants and what everyone expects of her. I would say that these two aren't your typical high school girls, but they are; however, they are not the stereotypical girls found in so many stories. Instead, they both have their moments of goodness and their moments of poor decisions. Sometimes I was frustrated with them, but everything seemed so familiar from my own days in choir that I felt that I was attending school right along with Kathryn and Brooke.

I also enjoyed the scenes in which Kathryn and Brooke discussed music and opera. However, these conversations were not so predominant that someone who is not a singer couldn't follow them. The Blackmore competition may have been the driving force behind many of the events and the reminiscing, but it was not always the focus. However, the competition is part of the story, and while I was slightly surprised by the competition results and the ending of the book, I felt that it was both realistic and the way things should have been.

In Rival, Sarah Bennett Wealer has spun a story that is so realistic and engaging that you can't help but be drawn into it. Despite the frustrations, I had to know if Kathryn and Brooke would be okay after all was said and done. I will look forward to reading what Wealer writes next!(less)

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Mar 06, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who reads YA

Shelves: read-in-2011

Great book, fast read! I started briefly Friday night, but I read the rest yesterday. Brooke and Kathryn were interesting characters, the details of both their past friendship and rivalry were really true to life. I thought when I picked up the book that it would be easy to pick sides, that one girl would be more "right" than the other one, but Wealer does a great job of explaining both girl's motivations. There is one scene of violence that a particular character is allowed to get away with tha...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-books

Rival is filled with rivalry, which is a given, gossip, lying, romance, and more! Told in varying points of view, Rival tells the story of Kathryn, a shy, quiet teen, and Brooke, a rich, popular teen. These teen girls come from different worlds but are brought together by their love of music.

I initially thought this book would be focused more on music and singing than anything else, which made me not too thrilled to read it. However, I quickly realized that the music competition and rivalry was...more

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