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Wildflower #1
Wildflower
The best songs come from broken hearts.
Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett has grown up on the road, singing backup in her family's bluegrass band, and playing everywhere from Nashville, Tennesee to Nowhere, Oklahoma. One fateful night, Bird fills in for her dad by singing lead, and a scout in the audience offers her a spotlight all her own.
Soon Bird is caught up in a whirlwind of songwriting meetings, recording sessions, and music video shoots. Her first single hits the top twenty, and suddenly fans and paparazzi are around every corner. She's even caught the eye of her longtime crush, fellow roving musician Adam Dean. With Bird's star on the rise, though, tradition and ambition collide. Can Bird break out while staying true to her roots?
In a world of glamour and gold records, a young country music star finds her voice.
Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett has grown up on the road, singing backup in her family's bluegrass band, and playing everywhere from Nashville, Tennesee to Nowhere, Oklahoma. One fateful night, Bird fills in for her dad by singing lead, and a scout in the audience offers her a spotlight all her own.
Soon Bird is caught up in a whirlwind of songwriting meetings, recording sessions, and music video shoots. Her first single hits the top twenty, and suddenly fans and paparazzi are around every corner. She's even caught the eye of her longtime crush, fellow roving musician Adam Dean. With Bird's star on the rise, though, tradition and ambition collide. Can Bird break out while staying true to her roots?
In a world of glamour and gold records, a young country music star finds her voice.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2014
40 people are currently reading
1934 people want to read
About the author
Alecia Whitaker
4 books112 followersAlecia Whitaker grew up with a big imagination on a small farm in Kentucky, which was worlds away from where she currently resides in fast-paced New York City. She knows more about cows, tobacco, frog gigging, and carpentry than the average girl, and she applies the work ethic and common sense she learned from her southern upbringing to the way she now navigates her career and family life in the big city.
Although she graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BFA in Theatre and a BS in Advertising, she's always been a writer. She won the Soil Conservation Essay contest in the 4th grade, was selected as a Governor's School for the Arts student in Creative Writing in the 10th grade, and then in college, she was a Top Ten Finalist in the US Southeast Region for a Ten Minute Playwriting competition at James Madison University.
Since then, she has been in loads of commercials, as well as on stage in a few small theatrical productions and poetry slams. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show numerous times, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, and was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal. She is currently the host of a twice weekly web show called The Baby Book, which chronicles her real life experiences of being a mom in New York City.
Her personal essays have been published in the anthology Blink: Fiction in the Blink of an Eye and several times in Underwired Magazine. She co-wrote the popular one act play Becoming Woman with a grant from The Kentucky Foundation for Women. The Queen of Kentucky is her first novel and proudest artistic accomplishment.
Now living in New York City with her husband and son, she is amused at how often her big imagination takes her back to a simpler life in Kentucky.
Although she graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BFA in Theatre and a BS in Advertising, she's always been a writer. She won the Soil Conservation Essay contest in the 4th grade, was selected as a Governor's School for the Arts student in Creative Writing in the 10th grade, and then in college, she was a Top Ten Finalist in the US Southeast Region for a Ten Minute Playwriting competition at James Madison University.
Since then, she has been in loads of commercials, as well as on stage in a few small theatrical productions and poetry slams. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show numerous times, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, and was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal. She is currently the host of a twice weekly web show called The Baby Book, which chronicles her real life experiences of being a mom in New York City.
Her personal essays have been published in the anthology Blink: Fiction in the Blink of an Eye and several times in Underwired Magazine. She co-wrote the popular one act play Becoming Woman with a grant from The Kentucky Foundation for Women. The Queen of Kentucky is her first novel and proudest artistic accomplishment.
Now living in New York City with her husband and son, she is amused at how often her big imagination takes her back to a simpler life in Kentucky.
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May 30, 2018
For the past several years, Bird Barrett has travelled the American heartland in an RV with her family. By day, her parents homeschooler Bird and her two older brothers. By night, they light up honky-tonks and local bluegrass/country music festivals as the Barrett Family Band.
Seventeen-year-old Bird can sing, but feels best playing her fiddle—she loves her instrument so much she named it (Maybelle). But when her dad gets a cold, Bird, the second strongest vocalist in the family, has to do lead vocal duties at the next gig. Her father’s minor illness changes the course of her life.
For there are two talent scouts in the audience: one from the (in-universe) giant label of country music, Great American Music, and the other from the (also in-universe) indie label Open Road Records. Both think Bird could be the next big thing and want to sign her. Our heroine wants a bit of artistic control and opts for Open Road, although she’s quick to learn that even a small indie label will force her to change some things…
A well-timed music video propels Bird to sudden superstardom. She’s thrilled to earn money for her family and share her original music with the world, but she’s not prepared for how the change will affect her family, especially her brothers, and their friend Adam, the boy she’s had a crush on for as long as she can remember.
Content Advisory
Violence: None.
Sex: Bird and her friend Stella giggle themselves silly over Adam and several other boys. The male model costarring in Bird’s music video has his shirt unbuttoned and his chest oiled at one point, which makes our heroine feel a bit awkward. When Bird’s brothers inform Stella that they’re sick of her rhapsodizing over her celebrity crush and his beautiful eyes already, she retorts, “Okay, then, I’ll talk about his cute butt.”
Language: A few uses of “freaking” is about as strong as it gets.
Substance Abuse: None.
Nightmare Fuel: Bird quickly learns that, having become a celebrity, she has absolutely no privacy. Everything she does will be taken out of context, sensationalized or outright lied about, and judged. That said, there are absolutely zero frightening images or instances of gore in this book.
Bird tells us that the Family Band got started
Conclusions
This is a very cute book. It set out to be a light-hearted look at the rise of a fictional teen star who is not unlike many real teen stars of recent memory, and it does exactly that. It also manages to address the pitfalls of young fame without wallowing in—or even bringing up—drugs, sex, and alcohol. It doesn’t have a whole lot of darkness or depth, and sometimes seemed more like a Disney Channel movie from the late 2000s than a novel in its own right. But still, it’s cute and very good at what it does.
The part that bothered me most was when Bird gets assigned some stylists, whose first job is to determine if her naturally strawberry-blonde hair should be dyed pure blonde or pure red. Is this something that really happens in Hollywood and at music labels? Do they think that people are too stupid to accept that there are intermediary shades of hair color? And when this is someone’s natural color, why on Earth would you mess with it?
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Anyway. This was a nice, breezy, clean little story, and a welcome break from all the angsty stuff I’ve been reading lately. I think a lot of young teen girls will enjoy it, and I will happily read more stuff by Alecia Whitaker.
Seventeen-year-old Bird can sing, but feels best playing her fiddle—she loves her instrument so much she named it (Maybelle). But when her dad gets a cold, Bird, the second strongest vocalist in the family, has to do lead vocal duties at the next gig. Her father’s minor illness changes the course of her life.
For there are two talent scouts in the audience: one from the (in-universe) giant label of country music, Great American Music, and the other from the (also in-universe) indie label Open Road Records. Both think Bird could be the next big thing and want to sign her. Our heroine wants a bit of artistic control and opts for Open Road, although she’s quick to learn that even a small indie label will force her to change some things…
A well-timed music video propels Bird to sudden superstardom. She’s thrilled to earn money for her family and share her original music with the world, but she’s not prepared for how the change will affect her family, especially her brothers, and their friend Adam, the boy she’s had a crush on for as long as she can remember.
Content Advisory
Violence: None.
Sex: Bird and her friend Stella giggle themselves silly over Adam and several other boys. The male model costarring in Bird’s music video has his shirt unbuttoned and his chest oiled at one point, which makes our heroine feel a bit awkward. When Bird’s brothers inform Stella that they’re sick of her rhapsodizing over her celebrity crush and his beautiful eyes already, she retorts, “Okay, then, I’ll talk about his cute butt.”
Language: A few uses of “freaking” is about as strong as it gets.
Substance Abuse: None.
Nightmare Fuel: Bird quickly learns that, having become a celebrity, she has absolutely no privacy. Everything she does will be taken out of context, sensationalized or outright lied about, and judged. That said, there are absolutely zero frightening images or instances of gore in this book.
Bird tells us that the Family Band got started
Conclusions
This is a very cute book. It set out to be a light-hearted look at the rise of a fictional teen star who is not unlike many real teen stars of recent memory, and it does exactly that. It also manages to address the pitfalls of young fame without wallowing in—or even bringing up—drugs, sex, and alcohol. It doesn’t have a whole lot of darkness or depth, and sometimes seemed more like a Disney Channel movie from the late 2000s than a novel in its own right. But still, it’s cute and very good at what it does.
The part that bothered me most was when Bird gets assigned some stylists, whose first job is to determine if her naturally strawberry-blonde hair should be dyed pure blonde or pure red. Is this something that really happens in Hollywood and at music labels? Do they think that people are too stupid to accept that there are intermediary shades of hair color? And when this is someone’s natural color, why on Earth would you mess with it?
[image error]
Anyway. This was a nice, breezy, clean little story, and a welcome break from all the angsty stuff I’ve been reading lately. I think a lot of young teen girls will enjoy it, and I will happily read more stuff by Alecia Whitaker.
August 31, 2014
To see full review clickhere
Note: This review is brought to you by Patty Beagle who only reads those books I feel it's bad about reviewing because it's like kicking a puppy.
Apparently, I have to review another sucky book.
I don’t get why I never get to review good books. But MJ says I can only read kick the puppy worthy books. Books that are so bad, you almost feel bad about reviewing them poorly.
Whatever. If that’s what I have to do, I’ll do it.
his book involves country music.
I like country music because it’s normally associated with barbecue, apple pie, and anything yummy (like chicken fried steak). It seems this book forgets how yummy country music can be and it just made me want to go to Patty sleepy sleep time.
I mean, the plot is pretty simple. Which isn’t exactly a bad thing if the book had more to offer. I like simplicity. But the book lacked spunk, really anything out of the ordinary. You had a Taylor Swift wannabe who wanted to become a star. And one snap and then she had it.
And everyone praised her. They were like.
Bird you sound good.
Bird you’re pretty.
Bird you’re going to be the next Miley Cyrus-though I don’t think anyone in their right mind should want to be Miley Cyrus. She’s forever compromised my view of stuffed animals. And that’s sad because I love my Ricky Raccoon.
Screw you, Miley.
But back to Bird, no struggle to fame. It was easy peasey. Just play in your family van traveling round the country and then get a record deal.
It’s odd her family can make so much money to play full time, even though they have no record deal. MJ’s dad used to belong to multiple bands, but that didn’t mean that they traveled round the country in the RV. And he still had to work his day job so that his family could eat.
You know, it’s sad when a Beagle notices the lack of logic a book has.
Same with the whole playing the fiddle versus a guitar thing. I mean, I know that my human has spent years perfecting one instrument. You can’t simply pick up another instrument and be Taylor Swift.
Well, Bird can.
And she’s so perfect. As I was told for three hundred pages.
But not as perfect as me.
Note: This review is brought to you by Patty Beagle who only reads those books I feel it's bad about reviewing because it's like kicking a puppy.
Apparently, I have to review another sucky book.
I don’t get why I never get to review good books. But MJ says I can only read kick the puppy worthy books. Books that are so bad, you almost feel bad about reviewing them poorly.
Whatever. If that’s what I have to do, I’ll do it.
his book involves country music.
I like country music because it’s normally associated with barbecue, apple pie, and anything yummy (like chicken fried steak). It seems this book forgets how yummy country music can be and it just made me want to go to Patty sleepy sleep time.
I mean, the plot is pretty simple. Which isn’t exactly a bad thing if the book had more to offer. I like simplicity. But the book lacked spunk, really anything out of the ordinary. You had a Taylor Swift wannabe who wanted to become a star. And one snap and then she had it.
And everyone praised her. They were like.
Bird you sound good.
Bird you’re pretty.
Bird you’re going to be the next Miley Cyrus-though I don’t think anyone in their right mind should want to be Miley Cyrus. She’s forever compromised my view of stuffed animals. And that’s sad because I love my Ricky Raccoon.
Screw you, Miley.
But back to Bird, no struggle to fame. It was easy peasey. Just play in your family van traveling round the country and then get a record deal.
It’s odd her family can make so much money to play full time, even though they have no record deal. MJ’s dad used to belong to multiple bands, but that didn’t mean that they traveled round the country in the RV. And he still had to work his day job so that his family could eat.
You know, it’s sad when a Beagle notices the lack of logic a book has.
Same with the whole playing the fiddle versus a guitar thing. I mean, I know that my human has spent years perfecting one instrument. You can’t simply pick up another instrument and be Taylor Swift.
Well, Bird can.
And she’s so perfect. As I was told for three hundred pages.
But not as perfect as me.
July 1, 2014
Another fantastic book from Alecia Whitaker! I read and loved The Queen of Kentucky back when it came out in 2012. What I remember (and love best) about Whitaker's writing is that she writes about teen girls in the midst of forging their identities and struggling to come to terms with who they are, and she's done it again in Wildflower. And, once again, she had me feeling the feels. So much I don't want to write this review because I was so busy enjoying the novel I forgot to take notes on what I'm supposed to be writing about.
Bird's voice is light and youthful. From the first pages, it had me hooked. So bad that I noticed during on the of couple times I came out of my reading reverie that I hadn't heard my family members talking in the same room—loudly. Her youthfulness means that she has big dreams, which sets her up for the crash when she realizes they aren't as easy to obtain as she hoped. Like Ricki Jo from The Queen of Kentucky, she plunges forward without much thoughts to the consequences, choosing instead to live on the thread of hope that everything will come true only to despair when they don't. She's also prone to thinking that she doesn't know the best for her, which made me sad since she relies on other people so much, and not all of them want the best for her as a person. Sometimes, I just wanted to slap some sense into her, but most of all I wanted to hug her and tell her to take the time to slow down a little and think about what she really wants instead of what she thinks she wants.
Two things really brightened this novel for me (other than Bird herself): family and the country vibes. Frequent blog visitors know that I'm big on family and always appreciate a good novel that has a present family (that sticks around and doesn't fade into the background). Having lived on the road with her family for most of her life, Bird is very close to her family, and they're so strong and supportive. I'm half in love with them. (The other half is with Adam and yearning for him alongside Bird. I have to know what happens between them!!! And no, I'm not speaking up about this anymore because spoilers!) I also love a good Western setting, which is the number one reason I picked up this book!
If I have any complaints, it's that time tends to skip a little in this book. The story doesn't really spend much time exploring any one events or time in Bird's life; rather, the big picture comes together through all these snippets. But this is a minor complaint. I don't know much about a singer's life, being far removed from this scene, but I probably don't need to or want to know about all the in-betweens in Bird's life. That said, it is a little jarring, especially when combined with Bird's tendency to rush into things and think later.
After this book, I'll probably give most anything Alecia Whitaker publishes a try. I'll definitely be on the lookout for Wildflower book two! I'm both happy and sad for Bird's success, and I look forwarding to seeing where she goes and how she matures from here on out!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
Bird's voice is light and youthful. From the first pages, it had me hooked. So bad that I noticed during on the of couple times I came out of my reading reverie that I hadn't heard my family members talking in the same room—loudly. Her youthfulness means that she has big dreams, which sets her up for the crash when she realizes they aren't as easy to obtain as she hoped. Like Ricki Jo from The Queen of Kentucky, she plunges forward without much thoughts to the consequences, choosing instead to live on the thread of hope that everything will come true only to despair when they don't. She's also prone to thinking that she doesn't know the best for her, which made me sad since she relies on other people so much, and not all of them want the best for her as a person. Sometimes, I just wanted to slap some sense into her, but most of all I wanted to hug her and tell her to take the time to slow down a little and think about what she really wants instead of what she thinks she wants.
Two things really brightened this novel for me (other than Bird herself): family and the country vibes. Frequent blog visitors know that I'm big on family and always appreciate a good novel that has a present family (that sticks around and doesn't fade into the background). Having lived on the road with her family for most of her life, Bird is very close to her family, and they're so strong and supportive. I'm half in love with them. (The other half is with Adam and yearning for him alongside Bird. I have to know what happens between them!!! And no, I'm not speaking up about this anymore because spoilers!) I also love a good Western setting, which is the number one reason I picked up this book!
If I have any complaints, it's that time tends to skip a little in this book. The story doesn't really spend much time exploring any one events or time in Bird's life; rather, the big picture comes together through all these snippets. But this is a minor complaint. I don't know much about a singer's life, being far removed from this scene, but I probably don't need to or want to know about all the in-betweens in Bird's life. That said, it is a little jarring, especially when combined with Bird's tendency to rush into things and think later.
After this book, I'll probably give most anything Alecia Whitaker publishes a try. I'll definitely be on the lookout for Wildflower book two! I'm both happy and sad for Bird's success, and I look forwarding to seeing where she goes and how she matures from here on out!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
December 23, 2015
This a a fun, clean YA fiction without the usual suspects. For instance, Bird is not orphaned. In fact, the story is a solid building block for a series, featuring 16 year old Bird, the youngest surviving of the B family who travel around in a Winnebago and do Bluegrass gigs in dives. Okay, so yeah. There is one of the usual suspects which is a tragic death of her 5 year old brother 10 years ago. This is not the main story but the reason the family took up music. Their pastor suggested they find something they enjoyed together in order to grieve and heal, growing closer together. Music took on a life of its own.
The book stands out because it gives a realistic and not glossed over look at the life of a rising star. Small spoiler, Bird gets discovered and signed with a label in Nashville. Her muse is unrequieted love interest, Adam Dean, who is a family friend.
It's a nice break from the books that make me throw up a little bit in my mouth when I'm surprised by a scene or an outburst. Even though Bird is living the life of being discovered, her 16 year old life experiences are more similar to the bulk of 16 year old girls reading this book. She is discovering first and young love, navigating friendship with Stella, and trying to find balance in her life that seems to be consumed by one aspect.
Highly recommend to my children and my children's friends.
http://amusingreviews.blogspot.com/20...
The book stands out because it gives a realistic and not glossed over look at the life of a rising star. Small spoiler, Bird gets discovered and signed with a label in Nashville. Her muse is unrequieted love interest, Adam Dean, who is a family friend.
It's a nice break from the books that make me throw up a little bit in my mouth when I'm surprised by a scene or an outburst. Even though Bird is living the life of being discovered, her 16 year old life experiences are more similar to the bulk of 16 year old girls reading this book. She is discovering first and young love, navigating friendship with Stella, and trying to find balance in her life that seems to be consumed by one aspect.
Highly recommend to my children and my children's friends.
http://amusingreviews.blogspot.com/20...
June 25, 2014
Wildflower by Alecia Whitaker was a perfect addition to my summer reading line-up. I enjoyed Bird’s story from the very beginning and journeying with her during her rise to fame was both rewarding and memorable. Definitely a great contemporary Young Adult novel that shouldn’t be missed by fans of authors such as Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Echols and Leila Howland.
At the age of sixteen, Bird Barrett has enjoyed traveling with her family singing bluegrass at small honky-tonks all over Nashville. Her instrument of choice is her trusted Maybelle fiddle, and her position in the family line-up is back-up vocals to her dad. During a fateful night at the Station Inn, her father falls ill and Bird is asked to take lead vocals for their scheduled performance. That night, she’s spotted by a talent agent and shortly thereafter signs a record contract with a newer music label. Life begins to take some sharp, drastic turns for this teen as she learns to manage a grueling schedule and demanding expectations from everyone around her. At a time when simply singing for a live audience is her passion and the boy that captured her heart is pulling away, Bird begins to wonder how much she has to sacrifice for this new life of hers.
Wildflower did an exceptional job of pulling in worthy themes into the novel to add depth and realism to the story. I appreciated learning about the physical, emotional and family strain fame brings to such a young star. Exhaustion from tabloid lies, long hours of songwriting, the stress of social media attention, and falling short of your family and friends’ expectations can be tough for anyone, especially someone as young as Bird. Wow! What a huge burden to place on such young shoulders.
I appreciated how throughout the entire novel Bird just wanted to do what was right for everyone involved in her life. She consistently showed that she wanted to help everyone she cared about and not let them down. As quickly as she realized fame, I liked the fact that Bird remained somewhat grounded. She was an easy character to care for, and she won my heart immediately. I loved the family dynamics that played out in the novel as well as the meaningful friendships that were fostered. Truly a story full of honest emotion and depth.
Wildflower is a great novel that explores fame, growing up, and the heartache of first love. Great story, fantastic narration and heartfelt plot that pulled me in and kept me vested. Well done!
At the age of sixteen, Bird Barrett has enjoyed traveling with her family singing bluegrass at small honky-tonks all over Nashville. Her instrument of choice is her trusted Maybelle fiddle, and her position in the family line-up is back-up vocals to her dad. During a fateful night at the Station Inn, her father falls ill and Bird is asked to take lead vocals for their scheduled performance. That night, she’s spotted by a talent agent and shortly thereafter signs a record contract with a newer music label. Life begins to take some sharp, drastic turns for this teen as she learns to manage a grueling schedule and demanding expectations from everyone around her. At a time when simply singing for a live audience is her passion and the boy that captured her heart is pulling away, Bird begins to wonder how much she has to sacrifice for this new life of hers.
Wildflower did an exceptional job of pulling in worthy themes into the novel to add depth and realism to the story. I appreciated learning about the physical, emotional and family strain fame brings to such a young star. Exhaustion from tabloid lies, long hours of songwriting, the stress of social media attention, and falling short of your family and friends’ expectations can be tough for anyone, especially someone as young as Bird. Wow! What a huge burden to place on such young shoulders.
I appreciated how throughout the entire novel Bird just wanted to do what was right for everyone involved in her life. She consistently showed that she wanted to help everyone she cared about and not let them down. As quickly as she realized fame, I liked the fact that Bird remained somewhat grounded. She was an easy character to care for, and she won my heart immediately. I loved the family dynamics that played out in the novel as well as the meaningful friendships that were fostered. Truly a story full of honest emotion and depth.
Wildflower is a great novel that explores fame, growing up, and the heartache of first love. Great story, fantastic narration and heartfelt plot that pulled me in and kept me vested. Well done!
June 21, 2016
Closer to a 3.5 - This was in my first book box. I enjoyed the story, but it was a bit predictable. I can think of many students who would like it.
December 19, 2018
Wildflower has been sitting on my tbr pile since 2014 (whoops). There’s something so satisfying about knocking out these titles of shame. I’m actually a bit happy that I put this one off for so long, because I feel like I read it at the perfect time: when the country, my personal life, and my recent reads have been pretty dark. Wildflower is fluffy and happy to the max.
Reviewers have commented on the lack of depth to this book, and that’s certainly true. There’s not much tension, and Bird’s basically endlessly nice and thoughtful in this book. She occasionally says something rude, but then she immediately thinks better and apologizes for it. It’s kind of nice to read a fame book where the MC doesn’t immediately lose her head. Bird’s career definitely evolves impossibly smoothly but that’s also sort of what I signed up for, so I didn’t mind.
What I liked best about this book were the family dynamics. Bird and her family played in a band together, touring the country and living out of their RV…until Bird was discovered and signed as a solo artist. There’s a bit of tension here, but mostly the whole family is supportive and they all love each other so much. It’s rare to get really tight-knit families in YA, so I loved this a lot. This is where I got the most feels, as the romance between Bird and Adam didn’t do much for me.
If you’re looking for something that’s full of good feelings and family as an antidote to the darkness all around, Wildflower might hit the spot.
Reviewers have commented on the lack of depth to this book, and that’s certainly true. There’s not much tension, and Bird’s basically endlessly nice and thoughtful in this book. She occasionally says something rude, but then she immediately thinks better and apologizes for it. It’s kind of nice to read a fame book where the MC doesn’t immediately lose her head. Bird’s career definitely evolves impossibly smoothly but that’s also sort of what I signed up for, so I didn’t mind.
What I liked best about this book were the family dynamics. Bird and her family played in a band together, touring the country and living out of their RV…until Bird was discovered and signed as a solo artist. There’s a bit of tension here, but mostly the whole family is supportive and they all love each other so much. It’s rare to get really tight-knit families in YA, so I loved this a lot. This is where I got the most feels, as the romance between Bird and Adam didn’t do much for me.
If you’re looking for something that’s full of good feelings and family as an antidote to the darkness all around, Wildflower might hit the spot.
July 2, 2015
A very fun read! Can't wait for Bird's next adventures!
May 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! The theme in this book was to follow your dreams. Bird, the main character, was in a band with her family for her entire life since her younger brother died. It was a way for her and her family to distract themselves. But the band gets split when the president of the biggest music label notices her, but only wants her and not the entire family band. The author passes the theme throughout the entire book by making Bird make choices that could change her entire life. Rate: 5 stars
April 24, 2017
This was such a fun, quick read! As a music lover, I really enjoyed this book. Bird was very likeable and I was rooting for her the whole time. I loved it!
July 1, 2014
Review originally posted here at Paper Riot
Unintentionally, 2014 has been the year of country music books for me, and I love it! I grew up on country, and it’s still the main music that I listen to, so when I see a book that features it in some way, I snatch it up. Therefore when Gwendolyn Heasley (author of Don’t Call Me Baby—check it out if you haven’t!) recommended Wildflower by Alecia Whitaker to me, I immediately requested it on Edelweiss. It did not disappoint! I refer to this book as a “palate cleanser,” because it turned out to be just what I needed to get my reading mojo back after a minor mid-year reading lull. Bird’s story was so much fun!
Now, I’m going to warn you that this book won’t appeal to everybody. It starts out a little bit slow, and there isn’t a lot of action, so if you’re looking for a repeat of Open Road Summer, you won’t find it here. However, that’s exactly what I like about Wildflower. It’s different from the other country music/musician books that I’ve read this year.
Wildflower initially focuses on the Barrett Family Band, a bluegrass band which consists of Bird Barrett, her mom and dad, and her brothers Dylan and Jacob. Bird is very talented, especially at playing the fiddle and writing songs, particularly songs about Adam Dean, a fellow country artist who tours the same circuits as the BFB. One night in Nashville, Tennessee, when her father is too sick to sing the lead, Bird takes over on vocals and ends up attracting the attention of a talent scout in the audience. By the end of the next day, Bird Barrett has a recording contract and the future of the Barrett Family Band is no longer certain.
The main thing that makes this book different from Open Road Summer and Somebody Everybody Listens To (the other two books I’ve read this year featuring country artists) is the strong family element. I love that the Barretts remain a close family unit throughout the book, even when Bird’s fame threatens to cause tension between her and her brothers, who have basically put their music careers on hold for her. It was so nice to read a book that didn’t feature some major disaster that split the family up, or that caused best friends to break up, or that ruined the singer’s career (although it’s true that a record deal doesn’t turn out to be quite what she expects…). Though some readers may find this boring, I found it to be refreshing and authentic.
The setting of Wildflower was another aspect that captured my attention because I live very close to Nashville, Tennessee, and it’s one of my favorite places to visit. There were a lot of familiar places in this book, including the Bluebird Café, which is an amazing place to visit (seriously, if you’re ever in Nashville, go to the Bluebird! You never know what famous face you might see there!). If you haven’t been to Nashville, you might recognize the Bluebird from the TV show Nashville, since Deacon often plays there. :)
I’ve been very rambly in this review, so I hope I’ve conveyed to y’all how much fun Wildflower is. Not only does it feature Bird’s relationships with her family, friends, and fellow artists, she also records her first album, writes an album full of original songs (that are really awesome!), and tries her hand at “acting” in her first music video (hello, sexy video guy with no shirt! Haha). Seriously, Wildflower is just FUN. I definitely recommend it, especially if you’ve just finished a book that was particularly emotional. You’ll fly through the pages of Bird’s story. No pun intended. Or maybe it was. ;)
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Bird's story was so much fun. This book was a palate cleanser of sorts-- I needed it to help get my reading mojo back. WILDFLOWER won't appeal to everybody because it isn't a book with a lot of action, but I loved the characters & familiar settings that I recognized from my own trips to Nashville. Full review to come.
Unintentionally, 2014 has been the year of country music books for me, and I love it! I grew up on country, and it’s still the main music that I listen to, so when I see a book that features it in some way, I snatch it up. Therefore when Gwendolyn Heasley (author of Don’t Call Me Baby—check it out if you haven’t!) recommended Wildflower by Alecia Whitaker to me, I immediately requested it on Edelweiss. It did not disappoint! I refer to this book as a “palate cleanser,” because it turned out to be just what I needed to get my reading mojo back after a minor mid-year reading lull. Bird’s story was so much fun!
Now, I’m going to warn you that this book won’t appeal to everybody. It starts out a little bit slow, and there isn’t a lot of action, so if you’re looking for a repeat of Open Road Summer, you won’t find it here. However, that’s exactly what I like about Wildflower. It’s different from the other country music/musician books that I’ve read this year.
Wildflower initially focuses on the Barrett Family Band, a bluegrass band which consists of Bird Barrett, her mom and dad, and her brothers Dylan and Jacob. Bird is very talented, especially at playing the fiddle and writing songs, particularly songs about Adam Dean, a fellow country artist who tours the same circuits as the BFB. One night in Nashville, Tennessee, when her father is too sick to sing the lead, Bird takes over on vocals and ends up attracting the attention of a talent scout in the audience. By the end of the next day, Bird Barrett has a recording contract and the future of the Barrett Family Band is no longer certain.
The main thing that makes this book different from Open Road Summer and Somebody Everybody Listens To (the other two books I’ve read this year featuring country artists) is the strong family element. I love that the Barretts remain a close family unit throughout the book, even when Bird’s fame threatens to cause tension between her and her brothers, who have basically put their music careers on hold for her. It was so nice to read a book that didn’t feature some major disaster that split the family up, or that caused best friends to break up, or that ruined the singer’s career (although it’s true that a record deal doesn’t turn out to be quite what she expects…). Though some readers may find this boring, I found it to be refreshing and authentic.
The setting of Wildflower was another aspect that captured my attention because I live very close to Nashville, Tennessee, and it’s one of my favorite places to visit. There were a lot of familiar places in this book, including the Bluebird Café, which is an amazing place to visit (seriously, if you’re ever in Nashville, go to the Bluebird! You never know what famous face you might see there!). If you haven’t been to Nashville, you might recognize the Bluebird from the TV show Nashville, since Deacon often plays there. :)
I’ve been very rambly in this review, so I hope I’ve conveyed to y’all how much fun Wildflower is. Not only does it feature Bird’s relationships with her family, friends, and fellow artists, she also records her first album, writes an album full of original songs (that are really awesome!), and tries her hand at “acting” in her first music video (hello, sexy video guy with no shirt! Haha). Seriously, Wildflower is just FUN. I definitely recommend it, especially if you’ve just finished a book that was particularly emotional. You’ll fly through the pages of Bird’s story. No pun intended. Or maybe it was. ;)
___________________________________________
Bird's story was so much fun. This book was a palate cleanser of sorts-- I needed it to help get my reading mojo back. WILDFLOWER won't appeal to everybody because it isn't a book with a lot of action, but I loved the characters & familiar settings that I recognized from my own trips to Nashville. Full review to come.
May 29, 2015
In the book, “Wildflower”, written by Alecia Whitaker the main character, Bird, faces some challenges that are very difficult for her to deal with. Bird gets discovered by a record label and has to decide between breaking up her family’s bluegrass band or become a recording artist. I did not enjoy how she acted once she was discovered. She seemed to act better than the rest of her family even though they were the reason that she was discovered. Also, she always acted as if everyone else’s worlds should revolve around her and her new singing career. I thought of her as a bratty teenager. I did not enjoy this book at all. The author did not make it easy to connect with her except with her relationship issues. The boy that she had always had a crush on told her because of her new career that they wouldn't have time for each other. It was a very mean move on his part, but I did agree with him. She tried to make him change his schedule to fit into her’s which is not okay. Plus, there wasn’t really an ending which wasn't cool. She just ended it without any information on what happened to Bird in the later years. I just did not like the way the author wrote this book; now I know not to read anymore like this book.
There were a few main characters in this story. Bird Barrett was a dynamic character. The rest of the Barrett family as well as Adam Dean were all static characters. Bird was the fiddle player in the background of the Barrett Family Band- B.F.B. She finally got her turn to sing lead singer in the band because of her father who had no voice because of being sick. To everyone's surprise she was amazing. After that night Bird's life changed for the better and for the worse. The rest of her family had to act as if they didn’t have a care in the world about only her receiving a record deal. Bird’s parents were obviously very happy about her achievements and all that she had become in that short amount of time. Her brothers on the other hand were happy and upset at the same time. Dylan put off heading to college to play in the family band and because of Bird the family band was over. While Jacob was just upset because there was nothing else for any of them to do. The whole family changed their entire lives just to go on the road and play in B.F.B. The family never had gotten over the fact that Bird was the only one that seemed to matter anymore. Bird’s longtime crush and Jacob’s best friend, Adam Dean, was a different story. He was super excited at first about Bird’s record deal, but once she became “famous” everything seemed to change. He didn’t treat her the same, even after they had kissed. Adam made it clear to Bird that she meant nothing to him which killed her; he did not seem to care. Everybody’s lives changed all because of Bird and she never seemed to care about the other people in her life. Bird came off as a very sweet girl in the beginning, but by the end to me she seemed kind of stuck up.
This story took place on the family’s RV while they traveled the country singing bluegrass music. Once Bird had gotten discovered the family up and moved to Nashville, where they stayed. The story was written in present day around the year 2014.
I would recommend this book any teenage girl ages from thirteen to seventeen. The reading is very easy and for me it wasn’t a very good book. The reason why I didn’t like it was because I over analyzed the main character too much and thought of her actions as not being very family like. I also did not like that the author didn't give a good ending. Other than that the book was okay. I wouldn’t recommend this book to any advanced reader because he/she would end up doing what I did, over analyzing the characters and events that took place.
There were a few main characters in this story. Bird Barrett was a dynamic character. The rest of the Barrett family as well as Adam Dean were all static characters. Bird was the fiddle player in the background of the Barrett Family Band- B.F.B. She finally got her turn to sing lead singer in the band because of her father who had no voice because of being sick. To everyone's surprise she was amazing. After that night Bird's life changed for the better and for the worse. The rest of her family had to act as if they didn’t have a care in the world about only her receiving a record deal. Bird’s parents were obviously very happy about her achievements and all that she had become in that short amount of time. Her brothers on the other hand were happy and upset at the same time. Dylan put off heading to college to play in the family band and because of Bird the family band was over. While Jacob was just upset because there was nothing else for any of them to do. The whole family changed their entire lives just to go on the road and play in B.F.B. The family never had gotten over the fact that Bird was the only one that seemed to matter anymore. Bird’s longtime crush and Jacob’s best friend, Adam Dean, was a different story. He was super excited at first about Bird’s record deal, but once she became “famous” everything seemed to change. He didn’t treat her the same, even after they had kissed. Adam made it clear to Bird that she meant nothing to him which killed her; he did not seem to care. Everybody’s lives changed all because of Bird and she never seemed to care about the other people in her life. Bird came off as a very sweet girl in the beginning, but by the end to me she seemed kind of stuck up.
This story took place on the family’s RV while they traveled the country singing bluegrass music. Once Bird had gotten discovered the family up and moved to Nashville, where they stayed. The story was written in present day around the year 2014.
I would recommend this book any teenage girl ages from thirteen to seventeen. The reading is very easy and for me it wasn’t a very good book. The reason why I didn’t like it was because I over analyzed the main character too much and thought of her actions as not being very family like. I also did not like that the author didn't give a good ending. Other than that the book was okay. I wouldn’t recommend this book to any advanced reader because he/she would end up doing what I did, over analyzing the characters and events that took place.
Read
July 9, 2014Wildflower is the first installment in a squeaky-clean YA Cinderella trilogy about a sixteen year old who goes from traveling around in an RV with her musical family, Partridge-style, to being a bona fide country star.
I have nothing against nice or sweet, especially in real life. But Wildflower was like cotton candy topped with marshmallow fluff and sprinkles. Bird and her family are polite and kind. They pray before concerts. Bird's brothers are only a tiny bit jealous when an A & R guy comes to one of the family's performances but only wants to sign Bird, not the rest of the family. The Barretts are exactly the kind of people you'd want in your real life as neighbors and friends, but I guess I prefer fictional characters with a bit more complexity and edge.
Bird is also edge-free: pretty and talented, plus just the right amount of insecure. She's also lucky: one day she's a regular girl, the next she's a rising country star getting a full Cinderella makeover and hearing her song on the radio. When she accidentally does something wrong -- agrees to help out at a charity concert without realizing that she should have checked with her publicist or management company first -- it turns out that her mistake was pure marketing genius.
As I read, I kept waiting for some -- any!!-- hint of tension or conflict to arise. The only character in the book who ever does anything that isn't nicer-than-nice is a so-called "mean blogger" (ahem...) who interviews Bird and asks her about her younger brother's death years before, an event that precipitated the creation of the family band.
I love Cinderella stories as much as the next girl, but the original story of Cinderella DID have plenty of tension -- the villainous stepsisters and stepmother, that ticking clock, the lost shoe -- and I was feeling the need for some of that in this modern fairy tale. Even country music is grounded in angst and heartbreak...
I loved Alecia Whitaker's first book, The Queen of Kentucky. While Wildflower wasn't the best fit for me, it would make a great choice for tween readers or anyone who is feeling the need for a book that's sweet and upbeat.
Thanks to Poppy for providing me with an e-galley to review
I have nothing against nice or sweet, especially in real life. But Wildflower was like cotton candy topped with marshmallow fluff and sprinkles. Bird and her family are polite and kind. They pray before concerts. Bird's brothers are only a tiny bit jealous when an A & R guy comes to one of the family's performances but only wants to sign Bird, not the rest of the family. The Barretts are exactly the kind of people you'd want in your real life as neighbors and friends, but I guess I prefer fictional characters with a bit more complexity and edge.
Bird is also edge-free: pretty and talented, plus just the right amount of insecure. She's also lucky: one day she's a regular girl, the next she's a rising country star getting a full Cinderella makeover and hearing her song on the radio. When she accidentally does something wrong -- agrees to help out at a charity concert without realizing that she should have checked with her publicist or management company first -- it turns out that her mistake was pure marketing genius.
As I read, I kept waiting for some -- any!!-- hint of tension or conflict to arise. The only character in the book who ever does anything that isn't nicer-than-nice is a so-called "mean blogger" (ahem...) who interviews Bird and asks her about her younger brother's death years before, an event that precipitated the creation of the family band.
I love Cinderella stories as much as the next girl, but the original story of Cinderella DID have plenty of tension -- the villainous stepsisters and stepmother, that ticking clock, the lost shoe -- and I was feeling the need for some of that in this modern fairy tale. Even country music is grounded in angst and heartbreak...
I loved Alecia Whitaker's first book, The Queen of Kentucky. While Wildflower wasn't the best fit for me, it would make a great choice for tween readers or anyone who is feeling the need for a book that's sweet and upbeat.
Thanks to Poppy for providing me with an e-galley to review
June 16, 2014
Alecia Whitaker has written a heartfelt novel about family, music, and staying true to your roots. I requested this one on Netgalley because I was intrigued by the idea of reading about a rising country music star. What I didn't expect was how much I would enjoy this sophomore novel. While Wildflower wasn't perfect, it had heart and that's what I liked the most about it.
Bird Barrett and her family have spent the last ten years traveling in their RV, playing bluegrass together. The family dynamic was terrific in Wildflower and it was great to see how involved Bird's family was with each other. Things did get a little tense, though, when Bird gets a record deal and leaves the family performing group to take on the bright lights of Nashville.
All of the characters were very developed and while some of the industry people's names blurred together for me, I definitely enjoyed getting to know Bird's family and close friends- particularly Adam and Stella. While there was a romance, it wasn't in your face and wasn't the focus of the story. Bird's relationship with her best friend Stella played a more important role and it was a refreshing break from some of the romance infused contemporary reads I've encountered later.
The plot was very fast-paced, sometimes a little too much in my opinion. I would have liked to watch Bird's career grow more slowly, rather than seeing her go from unknown to celebrity status in a matter of chapters, but that was really one of the only flaws for me.
Bird was such a realistic and likable protagonist and I was sad when I turned the final page in her story. She was a normal teenager with an incredible talent and she never let it go to her head. I admired Bird for sticking up for what she believed in and for not getting sucked into the more corrupt side of the music industry. I only wish I knew more of what happens next for her!
Contemporary YA has definitely been a win for me lately and I am eager to check out more by Alecia Whitaker. I adored the southern charm and family vibe in Wildflower and am so glad I decided to check it out!
Bird Barrett and her family have spent the last ten years traveling in their RV, playing bluegrass together. The family dynamic was terrific in Wildflower and it was great to see how involved Bird's family was with each other. Things did get a little tense, though, when Bird gets a record deal and leaves the family performing group to take on the bright lights of Nashville.
All of the characters were very developed and while some of the industry people's names blurred together for me, I definitely enjoyed getting to know Bird's family and close friends- particularly Adam and Stella. While there was a romance, it wasn't in your face and wasn't the focus of the story. Bird's relationship with her best friend Stella played a more important role and it was a refreshing break from some of the romance infused contemporary reads I've encountered later.
The plot was very fast-paced, sometimes a little too much in my opinion. I would have liked to watch Bird's career grow more slowly, rather than seeing her go from unknown to celebrity status in a matter of chapters, but that was really one of the only flaws for me.
Bird was such a realistic and likable protagonist and I was sad when I turned the final page in her story. She was a normal teenager with an incredible talent and she never let it go to her head. I admired Bird for sticking up for what she believed in and for not getting sucked into the more corrupt side of the music industry. I only wish I knew more of what happens next for her!
Contemporary YA has definitely been a win for me lately and I am eager to check out more by Alecia Whitaker. I adored the southern charm and family vibe in Wildflower and am so glad I decided to check it out!
January 4, 2016
Oh, I am kicking myself for not picking up the sequel when I was at the library. I was trying to be all reasonable and not bite off more than I could chew, but drat all.
In many ways it's very standard YA lit: there's a girl, there's a boy, she thinks she's pretty ordinary, it turns out she has a special gift, a makeover makes her extra pretty, etc. She makes some mistakes, but things work out in the end. But what really did it for me is that Bird is so reasonable. When her brothers—she plays in her family's Bluegrass band, except then she's 'discovered' and they're not—get kind of jealous, she gets petty and pissed off...and then she thinks about it, and they all calm down, and the tension dissipates. When she makes promises she can't keep, she feels bad about them, but they don't spin out into all kinds of dramadramadrama to carry the book—the other characters are pretty reasonable as well. Bird does normal things like carrying one of her friend's heavy bags and 'accidentally forgetting' to invite her brother to breakfast with her crush. And, and! I know it is YA and that means that I am supposed to swoon over the hero and root for them to get together and live happily ever after, but really, I suck at that. I usually root for a more realistic Fiery Breakup of Doom, just to be contrary about it. Bird doesn't have a Fiery Breakup of Doom, but things on the romantic end really...don't end up as she'd hoped.
Hmm, maybe it's a good thing that I didn't get the second book after all. If there's successful romance in that one (and it's YA, so there will be, if not in book 2 then in book 3), it might ruin my very enjoyable schadenfreude.
In many ways it's very standard YA lit: there's a girl, there's a boy, she thinks she's pretty ordinary, it turns out she has a special gift, a makeover makes her extra pretty, etc. She makes some mistakes, but things work out in the end. But what really did it for me is that Bird is so reasonable. When her brothers—she plays in her family's Bluegrass band, except then she's 'discovered' and they're not—get kind of jealous, she gets petty and pissed off...and then she thinks about it, and they all calm down, and the tension dissipates. When she makes promises she can't keep, she feels bad about them, but they don't spin out into all kinds of dramadramadrama to carry the book—the other characters are pretty reasonable as well. Bird does normal things like carrying one of her friend's heavy bags and 'accidentally forgetting' to invite her brother to breakfast with her crush. And, and! I know it is YA and that means that I am supposed to swoon over the hero and root for them to get together and live happily ever after, but really, I suck at that. I usually root for a more realistic Fiery Breakup of Doom, just to be contrary about it. Bird doesn't have a Fiery Breakup of Doom, but things on the romantic end really...don't end up as she'd hoped.
Hmm, maybe it's a good thing that I didn't get the second book after all. If there's successful romance in that one (and it's YA, so there will be, if not in book 2 then in book 3), it might ruin my very enjoyable schadenfreude.
February 7, 2017
3.5 Stars
Wildflower is a fun, light-hearted teen read, but it falls a little flat. Bird Barrett tours with her family but is one day picked up by a record label and has to decide if it's all worth it.
What bothers me is that she has seemingly no struggles in terms of rising to fame. TWO record labels want her in one night the first time she ever performs as the lead. From that point on, she basically becomes instantly famous. The plot is also sort of weird- the time and location jumping threw me off and I hated how there was a lot of telling instead of showing.
The characters also didn't see super developed. One of Bird's brothers is supposed to be "rebellious", but I could never distinguish between him and the other basically "perfect" brother. Adam is really unlikeable and Stella is only there for Bird to talk to her about boys and such. I know Bird's the main character, and thankfully I liked her for the most part, but that doesn't mean the other characters have to be boring and underdeveloped.
Also the book ended in a weird spot. Even though there will be a sequel, it was just an awkward spot to close it up. I liked how it wasn't a perfect ending, but it felt sort of anticlimactic.
Despite everything, I enjoyed reading Wildflower . It was fun and quick to get through. I just felt like it could have been more.
P.S. Why is the girl on the cover blond? It mentions in the book that she is a redhead.
Wildflower is a fun, light-hearted teen read, but it falls a little flat. Bird Barrett tours with her family but is one day picked up by a record label and has to decide if it's all worth it.
What bothers me is that she has seemingly no struggles in terms of rising to fame. TWO record labels want her in one night the first time she ever performs as the lead. From that point on, she basically becomes instantly famous. The plot is also sort of weird- the time and location jumping threw me off and I hated how there was a lot of telling instead of showing.
The characters also didn't see super developed. One of Bird's brothers is supposed to be "rebellious", but I could never distinguish between him and the other basically "perfect" brother. Adam is really unlikeable and Stella is only there for Bird to talk to her about boys and such. I know Bird's the main character, and thankfully I liked her for the most part, but that doesn't mean the other characters have to be boring and underdeveloped.
Also the book ended in a weird spot. Even though there will be a sequel, it was just an awkward spot to close it up. I liked how it wasn't a perfect ending, but it felt sort of anticlimactic.
Despite everything, I enjoyed reading Wildflower . It was fun and quick to get through. I just felt like it could have been more.
P.S. Why is the girl on the cover blond? It mentions in the book that she is a redhead.
July 6, 2016
Short review because I am tired/not feeling well, but I still want to let people know what I thought about the book.
This book was great! However, the ending sucked. I won't spoil anything, but sadly the ending is what made me give this book 4 stars instead of the planned 5 stars. I felt the book was cut off at the last point, it could have elaborated on things, now it felt a bit inconclusive.
I did love Bird, however she was sooooo naive at times. I was just shaking my head at it. She was a wonderful girl though, and gifted. I wouldn't want to listen to her singing in real life (I hate country music) though.
I did like all the details on the recording, the publishing stuff and all other things surrounding it. We also got some romance, though it is not that much, and I expected more from it.
The side-characters (her family, the boys, her friends, the recording studio/company) were all great and made the story even more wonderful. I loved how supportive her family was, though I wanted to smack her brothers at times.
All in all, I would recommend this book. It is a great, fluffy summer read.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This book was great! However, the ending sucked. I won't spoil anything, but sadly the ending is what made me give this book 4 stars instead of the planned 5 stars. I felt the book was cut off at the last point, it could have elaborated on things, now it felt a bit inconclusive.
I did love Bird, however she was sooooo naive at times. I was just shaking my head at it. She was a wonderful girl though, and gifted. I wouldn't want to listen to her singing in real life (I hate country music) though.
I did like all the details on the recording, the publishing stuff and all other things surrounding it. We also got some romance, though it is not that much, and I expected more from it.
The side-characters (her family, the boys, her friends, the recording studio/company) were all great and made the story even more wonderful. I loved how supportive her family was, though I wanted to smack her brothers at times.
All in all, I would recommend this book. It is a great, fluffy summer read.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
June 14, 2015
This book is so good!
It's about a sixteen year-old fiddle player named Bird Barrett, and her rise to country music fame. There's young love, songwriting sessions, the Bluebird Café, and cute flirting between Bird and Adam at the Pancake Pantry!
AND IT'S IN ... ... ... N A S H V I L L E
It's only my favorite place in the world, and honestly, it's what led me to purchase this book from my local Books-A-Million.
Speaking from someone who'd like to be in Bird's shoes herself, I loved this story. Sure, it seemed a little easy how she got where she did, and that's the main reason why I withheld one star. But I still adored this novel. It was the epitome of sweet and innocent. I'd like it even more if Stella and Bird had had a conversation that didn't involve Adam, but that's a minor complaint.
I think, if you prefer contemporary YA, then this should be up your alley. Also, if you like music and are more artistically inclined in that respect, then you should love this book just like I did!
4/5 stars!
It's about a sixteen year-old fiddle player named Bird Barrett, and her rise to country music fame. There's young love, songwriting sessions, the Bluebird Café, and cute flirting between Bird and Adam at the Pancake Pantry!
AND IT'S IN ... ... ... N A S H V I L L E
It's only my favorite place in the world, and honestly, it's what led me to purchase this book from my local Books-A-Million.
Speaking from someone who'd like to be in Bird's shoes herself, I loved this story. Sure, it seemed a little easy how she got where she did, and that's the main reason why I withheld one star. But I still adored this novel. It was the epitome of sweet and innocent. I'd like it even more if Stella and Bird had had a conversation that didn't involve Adam, but that's a minor complaint.
I think, if you prefer contemporary YA, then this should be up your alley. Also, if you like music and are more artistically inclined in that respect, then you should love this book just like I did!
4/5 stars!
July 20, 2015
I recently got back from a trip to Nashville and it was so cool to see all the references to locations that I had been to or heard of while I was there in this book. I really enjoy stories like this one where someone is plucked from obscurity and thrust into the limelight. We get to see Bird balance her new fame along with her friends and family. It reminded me of Taylor Swift's story in a way. Now that I've finished this book the cliffhanger has me excited to see more of Bird's journey. I also enjoyed how Alecia Whitaker actually shared the sheet music to Bird's hit song. If you're in the mood for a fun, quick, and light hearted read and/or love the country music scene, then Wildflower is for you. I really loved this book and couldn't put it down. I can't wait to go pick up the sequel!
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February 17, 2016
The novel Wildflower by Alecia Whitaker is an amazing story about a young girl's rise to fame and how she copes with all the new attention and all of the problems that it brings with it. I love how all of the characters are easy to connect to and many problems mentioned in this story happen all the time in real life. The reader can easily understand the point of view of everyone in the book, and can understand the reasons behind their actions. Something that I loved about this book that seemed extremely unique was that not only did the author show some lyrics throughout the book, but there is a full song along with sheet music provided in the back. I have heard that this book is part of a series, and I cannot wait to read it. I definitely recommend this novel to music lovers and anyone looking for a great book that they can make connections to.
September 8, 2014
This was cute! I love music-themed books, and Bird was a really sweet MC - talented, in no way a diva, excited by everything...like THE QUEEN OF KENTUCKY, this is one I'd comfortably recommend to younger readers. This isn't the book if you're looking for something with a shippable romance, and I wish I'd remembered going in that it was the first in a series (the ending feels very cut-off out of nowhere), but it *is* very focused on family as opposed to relationship drama, and that was a really nice change. It's a very sweet, pleasant, easy read, but there aren't a whole lot of plot points - it's kind of just Bird's rise to stardom. The combo of that and the really unsatisfying ending prevent me from giving it higher than three stars, but by no means suggests an unenjoyable read.
December 29, 2014
Not gonna lie, I expected to really love this. Country musician thrown into the world of fame? I liked the premise. I love that it was tied with music. There's even a music sheet for one of Bird's songs at the back. (V. cool!) I just didn't really feel a strong connection with the book as a whole I guess. Bird was a pretty realistic protagonist and she was surrounded with good people but the story was well, rather simple. Still, it was a nice read and I'm looking forward to the next book. Longer review TK.
September 5, 2014
Totally boring, totally forgettable. I would set this book down and then I would forget I was reading it. I would remember it the next time I was looking for a book to read. You knew what was going to happen with adam because the book cover tells you "the best songs come from a broken heart." So I couldn't even believe that anything would happen with Bird and Adam. Everything was too easy, there was no struggle for Bird. Or at least a struggle that lasted more than one or two paragraphs.
December 31, 2014
I can see this being a huge success for teens who love Sarah Dessen, Stephenie Perkins, etc. For me, Bird seemed to be strong but the moment she gets into Nashville, that strength just completely disappears. Her parents are equally bad; luckily, her brothers and their reactions to everything are very real.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
September 26, 2015
3.5 stars. Finished an ARC of this book. Really sweet story and country music is at least a newish theme, unresolved ending to set up (of course) for the next in the series. Great for tweens/younger teens.
May 29, 2014
(Read as an ARC)
Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! I'd love to rant about it, but since its not published yet, I'll hold back. =) The ending made my cry, I cannot wait for a sequel. I thought I wouldn't like "Wildflower," but it's actually one of my favorite books.
Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! I'd love to rant about it, but since its not published yet, I'll hold back. =) The ending made my cry, I cannot wait for a sequel. I thought I wouldn't like "Wildflower," but it's actually one of my favorite books.
March 10, 2015
This was actually a good book. When I first saw it I didn't feel like reading it. Then I didn't have anything else to read so I read the book and finished it in 2 days! The plot was good there was a little bit of romance which I loved.
July 26, 2016
Ugh, I was almost done before I noticed the 3rd book is still incoming. Mostly trying to wait to start series these days until they're complete because by the time the next book comes I've forgotten the previous ones already. Oh, well.
May 12, 2016
I really like this book. This book is like Nashville but from the point of view of Scarlet. Can't wait to see what happens next!
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