Turn It Up!

October 23, 2017
Sophomores Lidia Sato, Sydney Marino, and Julianna Ramirez attend the private Bradley Academy in Florida where the Nightingales, the school’s female a cappella group, may have to disband due to a shortage of talented singers. An unexpected kiss from Griffin Mancini, a popular lead singer with the male Kingfishers a cappella group, threatens to ruin the friendship between Nightingales co-captains Lidia and Sydney, as well as the Nightingales’ comeback. Meanwhile, new student and songwriter Julianna doubts her singing ability after not making the Tonal Teens group at her old high school. Lidia and Sydney’s misunderstanding, group infighting, and Julianna’s lack of confidence jeopardize the Nightingales’ chances of bringing home a trophy from the upcoming Turn It Up competition. Although the three protagonists are talented and hardworking, Calonita (the Fairy Tale Reform School series) tends to emphasize their insecurities and immaturities for the sake of drama, and their decidedly first-world problems may not win them much sympathy. A rushed ending ties up the story’s loose ends at warp speed. Ages 12–up. Agent: Dan Mandel, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

This story of friendship, pranks, and a cappella is told from the perspective of three high school girls. The girls include best friends Lidia and Sydney, who are co-captains of the Nightingales a cappella group, and Julianna, the new girl at Bradley Academy. Chapters alternate the points of view of the three girls, and narrator Amanda Dolan uses a variety of voices to help differentiate the cast of characters, who include Lidia's grandmother. In this audiobook about singing and music, song lyrics are read as part of the story. Dolan does not attempt to perform these sections but instead reads them at a slower pace that sets them off from the dialogue. As Lidia, Sydney, and Julianna struggle with boys, friendship, commitment, and competition, their story is a roller coaster of emotion. Dolan captures all the highs and lows of being in high school in her narration. E.N. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine