Review: Virtuosity

Title: Virtuosity
Series: No
Genre: Young Adult- Contemporary
Author: Jessica Martinez
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Book: Galleygrab

"Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.
Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall...."

As I began this book, I really loved the feel of the book.  The passionate music flowing between the fingers of the strings of the violin, but also the great competition in between. The reader begins with two great musicians, yearning for a fantastic prize of fame and fortune. What starts off with an exchange of fighting words slowly becomes something beautiful.

The plot line of this book blew me away! I loved reading about music. Both  characters were so passionate about it. The strive to be the best, the uphold a family legacy, had me reading pages faster and faster. I adored watching both Carmen and Jeremy push and pull each other. See there love blossom between the aches and pains of music is very nice.

The characters Carmen and Jeremy felt real enough to the reader, that you felt every ounce of stress, nausea, anxiety when it came to performance time. I guess you can say I have had a taste of this cause I too was in band. I played Clarinet and when it came to competition time, it was on! I liked that Carmen and Jeremy face a road of obstacles. Though it did not bring them down, it made them stronger. Stronger in themselves, as well as a couple.

I also adored the betrayal in the story. it may not seems like a big one to some people, but when you are that passionate about something like that, it comes off as a low blow. You are no longer what you claimed to be. You are now a fraud. I adored that the character took steps in the right direction to correct the matter, but I also felt for the pain of loss they had to endure.

Virtuosity is a great book about two amazing musician coming to term with who they are. With passionate music, a burning love and a betrayal that will make everything different, this book I loved.

I give it 4 BITES!

Happy Reading!