The Arts - Angels Track 1: Drawn to You by Janel Rodgriguez Ferrer - Review tour and Giveaway

This review is done in conjunction with the author's tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Janel will be awarding winner's choice of a $25 gift card to iTunes (music) or, Capezio (dance), or Utrecht (art supplies) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so leave your thoughts here and you're entered! If you want more chances to win, visit the rest of her tour stops here.

The Arts - Angels Track 1: Drawn to You by Janel Rodgriguez Ferrer
Contemporary YA/Middle Grade
252 pages
5 Stars

Rock Your Destiny!

Gina Santiago is a thirteen-year-old "Nuyorican" with rock star dreams, so when she's accepted into the prestigious New York Academy of Arts and Talents for art instead of music, she's crushed. To make matters worse, the student body at the Upper East Side school is divided into "schollies" (students on scholarship, like her) and "dollies" (rich kids with "dollars"). But Gina discovers that there is one thing that brings schollies and dollies-and dancers, singers, actors, artists, and musicians-together: music! Maybe she can make her dreams come true after all....

My Review: What a fun book! I really enjoyed this and am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Middle grade school books can be so much fun and this is a great offering. If you are an adult who is looking for a quick read, or if you have a middle-grader (I would suggest this for mature 8 year olds up to about 14 or so), then I highly recommend Drawn to You.

Gina Santiago is a very talented artist and musician who receives a scholarship to the famed New York Academy of Arts and Talents---only she's disappointed when she gets in for art instead of music. There's a lot of drama in her household--her mom is against her music because Gina's father, a musician, was killed on his way to a show before Gina was born. But to Gina, her music is her life--she loves her art, but she lives for her music. The conflict between mother and daughter is very well drawn.

Thankfully, Gina has not only the support of other family members, but the new friends she meets at NYAAT. Of course, there's drama there of another sort--enough drama to carry us through a series.

Janel Rodriguez Ferrer is a name to watch out for-- and I already have her on my auto-buy list for the second book in this series!

Now enjoy an excerpt:

“You know what’s weird?” I asked, turning to Michiko. “That girl with the short hair reminds me of a girl I used to be friends with back in the third grade.”

Michiko shuddered. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

I snorted a laugh. “But it couldn’t be—”

“I sure hope you don’t mean—” Michiko said.

And together we ended, “—Willa Burch.”

Michiko gasped in horror. “No way! You were friends with—with Willa?”

“We were just little kids…. It was the third grade. She was an artist, too.”

Michiko didn’t change her expression. She still looked like was standing upwind of a garbage truck.

“Maybe I should go over and say ‘hi,’” I told Michiko. “See if she remembers me.”

Michiko actually put out her arm to stop me from going back down the stairs. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I doubt she’d give you the time of day. People call her ‘Willa the Witch’ these days. Let’s just continue with the tour.”

“Are you serious? She can’t be that bad.”

But just as I asked the question, I caught Willa’s reflection in the mirror.

She seemed to be looking straight at me. Did she…recognize me? I smiled at her.

Willa didn’t smile back. Instead, her face darkened and her eyes narrowed into slits. She tilted her head as if to get a better look at me.

“Come on. I’ll show you where your locker is.” Michiko was already halfway up the stairs. “You can catch up with Willa later. She might be in some of your classes. She’s an art major, too, you know.”

“All right,” I said. But as I followed Michiko, I couldn’t help but think that Willa had seen me—recognized me, even. And, the part I didn’t get? She hadn’t seemed happy about it.