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In The Spotlight
When sixteen year old Hannah Brewster lands the lead in the school musical she hopes it will be the perfect chance to get the attention of her family and her long time crush, Kyle. The only problem is that school super star, Josh Larson, has been cast opposite her, and he seems to like her as more than just a cast mate.As Hannah and Josh grow closer, things between Hannah and Kyle get complicated. When Hannah realizes that Kyle is not who she thought he was, she also realizes that she just might like Josh as more than just a friend.Will Hannah and Josh be able to overcome their obstacles and admit their feelings before the musical ends?
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2011
4 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 11, 2012
I would actually like to give this book 4.5 stars but GR doesn't allow that. I honestly wasn't overly wowed with this book. I found it a bit predictable and even a little cliched at times (even the MC points out the cliches at one point). But I did meet a group of characters who were all 110% genuine to me. Everyone had a unique voice, unique problems and depth. Grandma cracked me up (and scared me a little - amateur night - yikes!). I know Kyle was a jerk from the beginning and didn't understand how Hannah couldn't see it. Every time she wondered about Josh, I asked myself how she couldn't know - and had *I* been like that in high school? (to which I almost always answered yes.)
Even while the plot was predictable, this book was a fun read. I would love to read more from Ms. Botts and definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun YA contemporary read.
Even while the plot was predictable, this book was a fun read. I would love to read more from Ms. Botts and definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun YA contemporary read.
June 22, 2019
This wasn't written poorly, but it came off as very cookie cutter and rather boring, with most of the usual clichés.
December 14, 2014
This is another of the books that I can turn to when I cannot find anything new to read. Like whenever I'm bored, I borrow this book and read it because the story never gets old. I like Hannah and Josh's romance and all the surrounding high school drama. Plus this is one of the few books I have read about theatre people in high school, so I kind of also get some insight.
Ok lets talk about Hannah first. Hannah was just really cool though sometimes I just wanted to punch her face because of the way she acted towards Josh. And to add insult to injury she was doing all that for the douche-bag Kyle. I am not some expert or anything but from the first scene I knew he was a jerk. With all that unnecessary touching and seriously cheesy way of talking and not to mention the self-centredness, Kyle's character was not that hard to interpret. But, I think Hannah was really innocent and I felt sorry for what that stupid guy did to her and what she had to suffer because of that. So yes, other than the fact that she didn't see the Kyle was a worthless scum from the start and the larger mistake of putting down Josh to support Kyle (which I will forgive her for since she realised how great he was in the end), I thought Hannah's character was fantastic. I especially envy her relationship with Hayley and like how they support each other through their problems.
Now to Josh. Josh was a great hero. He was so tentative and cute! Even though both of them tiptoeing around telling each other true feeling made for a painful read, it also endeared Josh to me. He was so obviously insecure about his feelings for Hannah and I don't know it was just adorable. And he was such a good guy too. One Hannah could rely on after what that idiot Kyle did. So sweet and such a darling (Geez, I sound so maternal). But truly, Josh made the whole book worth reading by possessing such great traits and by having an awesomely crackling chemistry with Hannah. Those two belong together.
On to the supporting characters, we have established that Kyle is a jerk-head that need not be mentioned again in this review. Another person to add to the jerk list is Harlow. This girl was way worse than Kyle. Really, I thought that was impossible, but in the few scenes Harlow appeared, she totally convinced me that it wasn't. Those two should get together cos' they deserve each other. Personally, I really liked Hannah's Grandma, who has a scandalous relationship with a guy thirty, yes THIRTY, years younger than her and also strips at a strip pub (which, apparently, she is really good at!). She was so funny and although I kind of didn't like how she wasn't supportive of Hannah at first, I could overlook this small fact due to her overall awesomeness.
I can still write tons of stuff but I will stop myself cos' otherwise I will just reveal the entire plot over here!
Ok lets talk about Hannah first. Hannah was just really cool though sometimes I just wanted to punch her face because of the way she acted towards Josh. And to add insult to injury she was doing all that for the douche-bag Kyle. I am not some expert or anything but from the first scene I knew he was a jerk. With all that unnecessary touching and seriously cheesy way of talking and not to mention the self-centredness, Kyle's character was not that hard to interpret. But, I think Hannah was really innocent and I felt sorry for what that stupid guy did to her and what she had to suffer because of that. So yes, other than the fact that she didn't see the Kyle was a worthless scum from the start and the larger mistake of putting down Josh to support Kyle (which I will forgive her for since she realised how great he was in the end), I thought Hannah's character was fantastic. I especially envy her relationship with Hayley and like how they support each other through their problems.
Now to Josh. Josh was a great hero. He was so tentative and cute! Even though both of them tiptoeing around telling each other true feeling made for a painful read, it also endeared Josh to me. He was so obviously insecure about his feelings for Hannah and I don't know it was just adorable. And he was such a good guy too. One Hannah could rely on after what that idiot Kyle did. So sweet and such a darling (Geez, I sound so maternal). But truly, Josh made the whole book worth reading by possessing such great traits and by having an awesomely crackling chemistry with Hannah. Those two belong together.
On to the supporting characters, we have established that Kyle is a jerk-head that need not be mentioned again in this review. Another person to add to the jerk list is Harlow. This girl was way worse than Kyle. Really, I thought that was impossible, but in the few scenes Harlow appeared, she totally convinced me that it wasn't. Those two should get together cos' they deserve each other. Personally, I really liked Hannah's Grandma, who has a scandalous relationship with a guy thirty, yes THIRTY, years younger than her and also strips at a strip pub (which, apparently, she is really good at!). She was so funny and although I kind of didn't like how she wasn't supportive of Hannah at first, I could overlook this small fact due to her overall awesomeness.
I can still write tons of stuff but I will stop myself cos' otherwise I will just reveal the entire plot over here!
April 2, 2013
This is a fun YA novel that follows a high school junior, Hannah Brewster, as she navigates the treacherous waters of teenage love. Of course, such a journey is fraught with drama - which Hannah should be well equipped to handle since she is a "drama kid". Hannah's a typical teenage girl who has had a crush on Kyle for about 3 years now. She has loved him from afar & hopes to get his attention this year by auditioning for the female lead in the school musical that he wrote. Then there's Josh, new transfer to the high school & sports all-star who manages to also audition for the musical and land the lead male role (much to the chagrin of Kyle).
I loved that this novel had a definite "teenage vibe" going. It read and felt like a teenage romance. I think that sometimes adults read YA expecting the kids to act like adults do, when teenage romance is a completely different beast. Teens are easily blinded by love and are often fickle in love too. I felt that the plot was solid and that there was decent character development.
I'll admit that I got a bit frustrated with Hannah, but once again - it's typical teenage behavior, so it's to be expected. There was definitely some variety in Hannah's family. Drama and general family craziness kept it light and fun. I did appreciate how Hannah and her mom were able to have a conversation around Harlow and her influence on the younger girls and how their parents interacted with them. That interaction is one example that helped to give a bit of depth to the story.
What I didn't like: 3 things in particular. First, Grandma and Duke. It's one thing for Grandma to be dating a man 30 years her junior. It's another thing entirely when Duke meets Grandma at a strip club, where he works, when she participates in "amateur night". Not exactly something I would expect in YA clean fiction. My second beef is with the party scene. Hannah is a junior in high school. Her older sister Harlow is a junior in college. Harlow brings Hannah to a party where the first thing Harlow does is drink two shots out of another girl's belly button and then takes off with a guy, not to be seen again that night. This book is labeled as "clean", but this is not appropriate content for clean YA. Finally, the end. Specifically the fact that a freshman girl, her upperclassman boyfriend, and then a junior along with her boyfriend all fly out to Las Vegas together. Really? Once again, not what I would expect from clean YA.
I loved that this novel had a definite "teenage vibe" going. It read and felt like a teenage romance. I think that sometimes adults read YA expecting the kids to act like adults do, when teenage romance is a completely different beast. Teens are easily blinded by love and are often fickle in love too. I felt that the plot was solid and that there was decent character development.
I'll admit that I got a bit frustrated with Hannah, but once again - it's typical teenage behavior, so it's to be expected. There was definitely some variety in Hannah's family. Drama and general family craziness kept it light and fun. I did appreciate how Hannah and her mom were able to have a conversation around Harlow and her influence on the younger girls and how their parents interacted with them. That interaction is one example that helped to give a bit of depth to the story.
What I didn't like: 3 things in particular. First, Grandma and Duke. It's one thing for Grandma to be dating a man 30 years her junior. It's another thing entirely when Duke meets Grandma at a strip club, where he works, when she participates in "amateur night". Not exactly something I would expect in YA clean fiction. My second beef is with the party scene. Hannah is a junior in high school. Her older sister Harlow is a junior in college. Harlow brings Hannah to a party where the first thing Harlow does is drink two shots out of another girl's belly button and then takes off with a guy, not to be seen again that night. This book is labeled as "clean", but this is not appropriate content for clean YA. Finally, the end. Specifically the fact that a freshman girl, her upperclassman boyfriend, and then a junior along with her boyfriend all fly out to Las Vegas together. Really? Once again, not what I would expect from clean YA.
March 14, 2012
Overall this was a fun read. I enjoyed the main characters, Hannah and Josh, who were well developed, realistic, and entertaining as they lived through their high school musical, and as Hannah worked through her feelings for competing guys. The supporting cast might have been better individuated (Mike? who's Mike?) but their roles weren't so heavy that this became an issue, and the ones whose roles mattered were sound. And I love Hayley, and Grandma. Everyone should know a Grandma. Seriously.
Two issues knocked off that last star. First, the setting and background vanished, rather than framed the story. A few sentences of description stand out in my memory, but I never got that feeling of texture that a solidly thought-through background gives. Second, the editing seemed to break down after the play's opening night. The smooth writing style Liz Botts displayed for the first three-quarters of the book loses some of its rhythm, and "telling" the story began outweighing the "showing." Neither interfered tremendously with my enjoyment, though. A good, lively read.
Two issues knocked off that last star. First, the setting and background vanished, rather than framed the story. A few sentences of description stand out in my memory, but I never got that feeling of texture that a solidly thought-through background gives. Second, the editing seemed to break down after the play's opening night. The smooth writing style Liz Botts displayed for the first three-quarters of the book loses some of its rhythm, and "telling" the story began outweighing the "showing." Neither interfered tremendously with my enjoyment, though. A good, lively read.
June 11, 2012
It's been a while since a book has made me laugh out loud, and In the Spotlight did just that!
Hannah was so easy to relate to. She's just a good teenage girl who is confused about her feelings concerning two boys.
Her family, on the other hand, absolutely cracked me up. The situation with her grandmother had me bursting out with laughter and horror and it just kept on throughout the book whenever she appeared. I'm still chuckling over her grandmother. And I won't tell you what happens, you need to read to find out.
Each character in this story had their own distinct personality and it carried well throughout the story. I found myself completely engrossed in the book because of it.
While the story line was slightly predictable, it didn't deter me in the slightest from enjoying this book.
If you're looking for a light-hearted, sweet romance of a story, then definitely check out In the Spotlight.
Hannah was so easy to relate to. She's just a good teenage girl who is confused about her feelings concerning two boys.
Her family, on the other hand, absolutely cracked me up. The situation with her grandmother had me bursting out with laughter and horror and it just kept on throughout the book whenever she appeared. I'm still chuckling over her grandmother. And I won't tell you what happens, you need to read to find out.
Each character in this story had their own distinct personality and it carried well throughout the story. I found myself completely engrossed in the book because of it.
While the story line was slightly predictable, it didn't deter me in the slightest from enjoying this book.
If you're looking for a light-hearted, sweet romance of a story, then definitely check out In the Spotlight.
February 29, 2012
I absolutely loved In The Spotlight.
I remember the time when I was just like Hannah so I could relate to her a lot, With boys, crushes and broken hearts.
Hannah seems a bit naïve but that made me like her even more.
I loved her sense of humour and was laughing out loud while reading the book on several occasions with things she said or did, which I have never done before when reading a book.
There was also sadness when she learnt Kyle was not who she thought he was.
The book kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end with the will they won’t they storyline and the laughs throughout the book made it a great read.
My 14 year old daughter is now reading this herself as I said she would really like it.
I remember the time when I was just like Hannah so I could relate to her a lot, With boys, crushes and broken hearts.
Hannah seems a bit naïve but that made me like her even more.
I loved her sense of humour and was laughing out loud while reading the book on several occasions with things she said or did, which I have never done before when reading a book.
There was also sadness when she learnt Kyle was not who she thought he was.
The book kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end with the will they won’t they storyline and the laughs throughout the book made it a great read.
My 14 year old daughter is now reading this herself as I said she would really like it.
January 5, 2012
This book is adorable and sweet. Grandma and Duke stole all the scenes they were in, which weren't alot but I couldn't wait for them to show up again. I loved Josh from the start and Kyle bothered me right away by telling Hannah what part she should try out for. This book is excellent for any age,who doesn't want to read about young love. Its a fun read and you want to jump for joy when Hannah and Josh finally kiss. :)
February 26, 2012
If you're looking for a YA story that will leave you smiling, pick up In the Spotlight! I loved the protagonist Hannah as soon as I met her. She's a girl I think many teens can identify with. And her leading man Josh is a total sweetie who will capture your heart. Their relationship develops at a believable pace and has all the cute and awkward moments you expect from teen relationships.
I'm looking forward to more of Botts' work!
I'm looking forward to more of Botts' work!
January 15, 2012
OH MY GOSH!!! I'm so giggly and giddy from reading this book. It was adorable and beyond cute. Other than the length it took them and the thing with Kyle it is the kind of romance every teenage girl dreams about! Josh is so perfect! Hannah was a great heroine, nothing objectionable about her like in some books. I can't wait to read more by this author.
April 21, 2012
In the Spotlight is a must read for anyone who's ever felt a little left out in high school. Not a cheerleader. Never had a boyfriend. Not a giggly, like-all-the-other girls, girl. That's the main character, Hannah. She's talented, smart, level-headed and kind. And Josh, the hero, is sweet, funny, and well actually heroic in the way he looks out for Hannah.
A sweet, feel-good read!
A sweet, feel-good read!
December 21, 2011
This book is funny and insightful. Although ostensibly a teen romance, the characters are well-developed and believable. I love the whole family, with all its quirks! And the romance and story of finding one's place in the spotlight is sure to appeal to adolescents.
March 4, 2012
3.5 Stars - Cute story, quick read, I enjoyed it.
March 15, 2012
I liked this story. I really liked Josh, but I could not full connect to the characters. The story line never when past "high school" level. Cute story just lacked depth.
February 9, 2013
Cute coming of age story.
Hannah gets the lead in the musical and her leading man is not who she was expecting and her crush turns out not to be prince charming.
Hannah gets the lead in the musical and her leading man is not who she was expecting and her crush turns out not to be prince charming.
January 29, 2012
Quick light fun read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews