Doing My Own Thing

June 15, 2011

Another smart, gossipy peek into the music industry with level-headed rising star Sunday Tolliver and her impulsive, self-centered cousin Dreya.

The story opens soon after the explosive finale of All the Wrong Moves (2011), and readers new to the series are quickly brought up to speed on the cheating, infighting and family drama from previous volumes. This installment takes Sunday and the others to Barbados to film a new video. Sunday revisits her decision to put her music career first and her interest in studio engineer Sam second. New information surfaces about who swindled whom in the incident that demolished Sunday's college fund. Sunday's success pleases producer Big D and R&B diva Mystique, but Dreya resents her cousin and makes her feelings clear. The book explores some serious issues like relationship violence, but the overall tone is light and funny, not unlike the novel's (fictitious) BET reality show about the teens' summer tour.

Juicy drama with constant twists, turns and bons mots and plenty of room for additional episodes. (Urban chick lit. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

Gr 7 Up-Teens who haven't been following the adventures of Sunday Tolliver in the first two titles of this series might have difficulty getting into the story line initially, but if they stick with it, they'll be drawn in. The 18-year-old Atlanta singing star on-the-rise has been writing songs for her cousin Dreya (aka "Drama") and providing voice backup along with her friend Bethany. But Sunday is rapidly tiring of Dreya undercutting her, which escalates as she begins to be recognized for her own talent. The high school senior only got into this game to earn money to go to Spellman College, but the emotional drama is wearing her out and distracting her from her goals. Add Sam's demands that she commit to being his girl and Sunday's father suddenly showing up after being released from prison and wanting to manage her career, and you have one torn young woman. Sunday presents a positive image of a hardworking teen determined to make something of herself in the music industry. Her goals are often threatened, especially when the whole entourage goes to Barbados to shoot a BET special of her newest song, but she stays true to her goals and avoids the pull of conflicting advice from "names." At 18, she feels ready to do what she wants, but she also respects her mother's hard work to raise her right and knows enough to turn to her for advice when she's unsure whom to trust and how to right wrongs. This title is sure to be popular in teen collections but especially in urban libraries.-Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY

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