Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Title: Shrinking Violet
Author: Danielle Joseph
Pages: 320
Publisher: MTV
Publication Date: May 5, 2009

Hey, Miami---you're listening to Sweet T on 92.7 WEMD The SLAM! It's after dark now, so don't change that dial...

High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out---doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into the confident, sexy Sweet T---and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest---and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize---Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare.

Shrinking Violet is one of the most original books I've ever read...and it was amazing. A shy girl, dreaming of becoming a DJ is totally fresh and new. It's a fun read, but underneath all of the light-hearted themes is a message to believe in yourself and not be afraid of standing up for yourself.

Tere's character is completely new to me. I've never come accross anything like her. She's always being put down by everyone, and eventually, she learns to break out of her shell and shine. And even though I can't relate to her that much (I'm not shy), I still felt like I knew what she was going through. Joseph's writing depicted how Tere was feeling extremely well. But sometimes, the situations were a little unrealistic for me. I don't know how it feels to be that shy, so I'm not really one to judge.

For me, Shrinking Violet was a little slow in terms of pace. Although I never got bored, I still wanted the climax to happen a little bit earlier. Also, I'm not particularly fond of Stacy. I'm still wondering what Tere did to her. Joseph should have added more conflict and reasoning behind Stacy's character and Tere's.

The Bottome Line: Shrinking Violet is a book that stands out from the rest (ironic right?). It's a very memorable read and completely creative and original. I loved it from start to finish. Watching Tere's character grow was exciting. It's a fun book with a touch of romance. Joseph is certainly an author to watch. A- :-)

---Report Card---
Originality: 10/10
Ending: 8.5/10
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 7.5/10
Setting: 3/5
Voice: 4/5
Style: 4/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Total Score: 89/100 (A-)