Thursday, February 16, 2012

First Date by Krista McGee

Release Date: January 10, 2012 
 
Addy Davidson discovers God's unexpected plans for her life when a reality TV show turns her quiet existence on its head.

The orphaned daughter of missionaries, Addy is quite content to stay in the shadows and never draw attention to herself. But when she's selected for a reality TV show to try to become the President son's prom date-a show she didn't audition for-she's suddenly in America's spotlight.

The lights, the make-up, the competitions, and the blogs discussing every move she makes all make Addy incredibly uncomfortable. But through her time at The Mansion, Addy comes to realize that first impressions aren't always right, that hiding out may not be what God had planned for her life, and that her faith should affect everything she does. It may just be that her selection wasn't random at all and that she's on this show "for such a time as this."

I actually quite liked this book. I wouldn't say I loved it, but I definitely liked it. I thought it was a fun, light, uplifting read. It was pretty predictable, but that possibly made me like it more, instead of less, surprisingly. 

I have a small confession. Don't judge me for it. One of my favorite movies ever is Chasing Liberty. It stars Mandy Moore (love her!) as the "first daughter" who falls in love. So let's get real-- this book was right up my alley. :)
  
Now I don't usually gravitate towards books that mention religion, but it's not because I don't like them. I guess it's more because they're just not the kind of books I read on a regular basis. I have to say that it was quite refreshing to read about a teenager that was firmly planted in her beliefs without being pushy or obnoxious about it with people who weren't as comfortable with religion. 

I really liked Jonathon and how "down to earth" he was. He wasn't at all what I (or Addy) expected. He wasn't stuffy or conceited or fake. I thought he was so sweet when he'd talk about his family, and I liked his interactions with Addy. Especially his first interaction-- oh, how I laughed!
Overall, I liked this book. I would definitely recommend it, and it's appropriate for even pre-teens. It's so difficult to find Young Adult books that are actually appropriate for young adults nowadays, but this one is most certainly one to check out!

Happy Reading!

**I received this egalley from the publisher for the purpose of review. 

1 comment:

Cortney Pearson said...

I saw Chasing Liberty once, and I remember liking it! This book sounds like fun, and I agree with your last comment about how few YA books are actually appropriate for young adults anymore. Thanks for the recommendation!