Sunday, March 16, 2014

Review: SOMETHING REAL by Heather Demetrios

Title: Something Real
Author: Heather Demetrios
Publication date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt BYR (Macmillan)
Source: YA Book Exchange

There’s nothing real about reality TV.

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show’s cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it’s about to fall apart…because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™’s mom and the show’s producers won’t let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.


Review: 


First line: It took me four years, seven shrinks, three different hair colors, one Zen meditation retreat, and over six hundred mochas to get to his moment.

Reality TV. It's a horrible, but captivating thing. I admit it, I watch it and fully understand that it actually isn't realistic. I've heard before that they twist your words around and can do an impeccable editing job so it makes you look like a completely different person. And I still watch. Of course, some reality tv "stars" need to get OFF since they're being famous for being stupid, unlike actors who have talent. Anywho, this book? It was...what was it? Enthralling turned annoying? Yummy ice cream turned brain freeze? Yep, I'll go with that analogy. Reading this book was like indulging into ice cream and then midway through your carton, you get a brain freeze, which leads to a headache of course, then during all of this, you reflect back to how you got there and your stomach turns and you feel the need to counteract yourself with something productive...like squats. 

Something Real started off great. My sister can vouch for me because I think I told her several times how good this book was. I was captivated. Bonnie Chloe? had a fresh narrative and we really hit it off. We're introduced to Bonnie as Chloe. After the Baker family had been on TV for thirteen years, Bonnie changed her name along with other things to cleanse herself from the past. To not make things too confusing, I'll just reference her as Bonnie. 

Before I discuss the negatives, I have to reiterate that this book had me hooked for most of the story. I loved getting to know Bonnie and her family, I loved the relationship she had with her brother Benny, and I even liked seeing the reality TV aspects. For the first time in a while, I stayed up late reading chapter after chapter. 

Here's the not-so-fun part: somewhere after halfway through, I became increasingly annoyed. I want a mix of emotions, but after halfway, the only emotions I felt were rage and annoyance. We all know that Bonnie's family and situation were going to be bad. And it was really bad. Her mother was someone I wanted to like at first, but I slowly—then quickly—figured out that she was simply horrible. In the same way, I wanted to like Bonnie's stepfather and he turned into a dud. Her whole family was basically the Jon & Kate Plus 8 situation and sadly, only a little bit felt more dramatized. Really, I could see Demetrios following the Gosselin family around and just switching a few facts in this book. But while I was expecting that negativity, I wasn't expecting how my feelings for Bonnie swiftly took a nosedive. 


THOSE PARENTS. 
I sympathized with her for the most part because the poor girl just got over her traumatic childhood and now she was forced into this again. Then she kept making excuses. She would complain and whine about her life, her mother, and her family, but then wouldn't do anything to fix it. She was constantly given opportunities that she would turn away and then a couple chapters later, she went back to take those opportunities. Bonnie seemed to go back and forth with her mindset on her family constantly and by doing so, whenever she was faced with another frustration in her life, I didn't feel it was that horrible. The word "two-face" crept up on me a couple times while reading Bonnie's narrative. 


Unfortunately, while I was hooked and couldn't stop reading chapter after chapter, the aftertaste wasn't pleasant. What I read was actually a bit disturbing since the parents were awful, I really wanted to know more about the younger siblings, I thought Bonnie's love interest was just okay (see, I don't even remember his name), and everything felt too dragged-out for my taste. I thought of a TV show that had one season too many. Something Real just wasn't the something for me. 

Verdict: An interesting plot turned into a headache at the end with a "I ate too much candy" aftertaste.

16 comments:

  1. Aww... a shame it didn't turn out well. I think it was a good idea altogether with the reality TV... but... I know how it goes when things get repetitive and characters get ignored and parents get evil.

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    1. I get the conflict of the character's should I or should I not, but it got old fast for me!

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  2. Aw, so sad how it ended up not being so good :( I don't really watch reality TV, but the concept of this book sounds interesting. I still may have to read this though just to see what's with it. Great review!

    -Kimi at Geeky Chiquitas

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    1. It's good you don't really watch reality TV, save your soul ;)

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  3. Hahahaha. I know that reality TV isn't actually real, but come one! It's still pure entertainment ;) eh, I'm sorry this turned out to be um.. Headache for you. I think it sounds wonderful and I have only seen great reviews so far. Though wtf on the family? O.o Eh eh eh. but I do not like complaining and whining. Whyyy? Well, I'm glad you at least liked the beginning :(

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    1. I did! Maybe someday I'll reread and...nope, I just can't reread it. But I hope you like it better!

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  4. I love that so many (or at least what seems like so many) of your reviews contain food analogies. :)

    It's too bad that you didn't love this book, though. Your problem with the main character and her passiveness would annoy me as well - I absolutely hate it when characters complain but don't do anything to fix their problems. But the concept still sounds intriguing, and I'm glad the story hooked you. I don't watch reality TV, but I enjoy reading about it, so I may still give Something Real a try. :)

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    1. Food. I have a close relationship with it. It understands me. ;)

      I hope you do!

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  5. I recently read this and was also hooked the entire time I was reading it. I agree with you that Bonnie definitely became kind of frustrating towards the end of the story. Her mom was so awful, too! I did love Patrick, though. I just thought he was super sweet, especially with how much he cared about Bonnie. I love your analogy ;) Thanks for the amazing, honest review!

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  6. Well I skimmed this one because I'm writing my review later in the week--but shucks--sorry this one didn't end as strong as it started, Sunny! I really liked it--and I HATE reality TV on the whole--so I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the characters in this were refreshing and found it to be laugh out loud funny. I'll come back and read your review in it's entirety in a bit!

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    1. Well, I'm glad you really liked it! It's just one of those books I guess :)

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  7. Hahaha I loved your analogy of ice cream at the beginning! I have this book on my shelf but have yet to pick it up. It seems like it's one of those you either love it or hate books. But I'm definitely curious so I'm probably going to read it.

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    1. Ha, that seems to be a well-liked analogy I guess! Food. You can't go wrong with food. I'm curious to know which side you'll be on!

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  8. You didn't love Patrick? I mean, he was a little *too* perfect, but all the same, he was actually a good guy and I much prefer that over the douchey guys some book girls fall for. I'm sorry this one didn't work out for you...I think it was my anger and annoyance that led me to connect with the story so well because I already loathe reality TV. In fact, my whole review was all about the emotions I went through as I read this book. Thanks for the honest review, Summer!

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  9. It's too bad this one didn't turn out too well, the synopsis had sounded so interesting (plus I liked the T.V. screens on the cover), but you had me hesitating at a "two-faced" lead and a love interest who was so uninteresting that you couldn't even remember his name (that's never a good sign)!

    Your review was really helpful! :)

    Alice @ Alice in Readerland

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