Title: Something Real [Amazon]
Author: Heather Demetrios [website]
Publisher: Henry Holt BYR
Genre: Contemporary
Source/Type: Blog Giveaway/Hardcover
Stars: 5 of 5
Publisher Description:
There’s nothing real about reality TV.
Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show’s cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it’s about to fall apart…because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™’s mom and the show’s producers won’t let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.
My Thoughts:
Wow, wow, wow! What an amazingly fantastic book with really awesome characters and a gripping story to boot. I am so happy to have finally read Something Real and not sure I can adequately put into words how awesome this book was. Basically it was one of those books that just has everything and leaves you feeling refreshed and cleansed when you’re done. Did I mention it was fantastic? And is also now one of my top 15 reads ever!
Something Real is about Bonnie, a 17 year old girl that has grown up on TV. Since she was born her life, along with her 12 brothers and sisters, has belonged to MetaReel and the wildly popular reality show Baker’s Dozen. That is until four years ago when an incident happened that resulted in the shows cancellation. Now living a normal life with friends, a possible boyfriend and a made up past, Bonnie is ready to have it all and move on from the mess that was her life. Until MetaReel shows up and messes up everything all over again. Now instead of trying to figure out if her crush likes her or what her and her friends are going to do, Bonnie is living life in front of the cameras once again. With her happy existence threatening to disappear she has a choice to make…fight or flight.
First I must say I learned two very important lessons from this book. 1) I’m so very glad I’m an only child. 12 siblings? That’s more than a baseball team. Holy crap that’s a lot of kids! And 2) I have never not wanted to be on reality TV so much in my whole life! I swear this book almost made me feel bad for the Kardashian’s…almost. 😉
But seriously I am absolutely head over heels in love with Something Real. Straight up the characters rocked. From “Chloe” to Benton to Tessa to Mer to Lexi to everyone’s favorite sexy emo dude Patrick, I loved them all. Each one of these characters was a piece of Bonnie is one way or another. Whether it was someone she wanted to be, someone she was trying to be, someone she wanted to be with, each of them played a huge role in who Bonnie was by the end of her story and I loved that. And I just really loved Bonnie. She was a kid stuck between a rock and a hard place. She felt guilty for choices she made and things she thought were her fault. My heart broke for her and Benton and the vile people that were supposed to be their parent(s). But like in any good YA book watching bonnie grow truly was a delight. And watching this while she had Patrick Sheldon on her side was even better.
Patrick Sheldon. What does one say about Patrick Sheldon??!! He is the epitome of the perfect book boyfriend. He has the characteristics of all the things anyone wants in a good partner. He was unsure and sweet and adorable and protective. He was geeky and emo and just an all-around good guy. And he was exactly what Bonnie needed but wasn’t all she had which I found very important. I’ve been hearing about Patrick for months now and I finally understand the hype.
Basically I loved everything about this book and was so sad when it was done as I don’t feel like their stories are done. I want whole books on Benton and Lexi next with pop-ins from my favorites. I just want more because Something Real is one of those books you just don’t want to let go of. Bravo Ms. Demetrios. Bravo!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I won a copy a few weeks ago and am planning to take it on my spring break trip.
PS – I’m glad to be an only child too!
I want to read this one so badly and this review just moved it even further up Mount TBR. 😉 Have you read Reality Boy by A.S. King? It’s another take on the effects of reality TV and I really loved that one.
You are going to love it Emily! And I haven’t read Reality Boy yet but it is on my radar. It is always out at the library. Soon I hope.