Viola in the Spotlight [Paperback]

I quite enjoyed Adriana's YA debut, Viola in Reel Life, last year, and was eager for the sequel to be released. Viola in the Spotlight did not fall into the sequel slump, and, in my opinion, it was even better than the first! Viola Chesterton spent her entire freshman year away at boarding school, and she is ecstatic to be returning to New York City for the summer. She can finally spend everyday hanging out with her best friends, Andrew and Caitlin, and relax all summer. But, this summer will not be at all what she expected.

Viola in the Spotlight allowed readers to get to know certain characters even better than in the prequel. Her parents, Andrew, and Caitlin, especially. Andrew, her best friend, has changed a lot while she was away at boarding school, and Viola is worried about their friendship. And when a British play director and his teenage son, Maurice, move into their basement, Caitlin falls in love. Caitlin's character was very complex in this book. We got to better understand her and her parent's rules, as well as her Indian culture. She didn't always prove to be a great friend to Viola because she constantly had Viola cover for her and Maurice so her parents wouldn't find out she had a boyfriend. In addition, so many of Viola's friends (including her roommates) have gotten summer jobs and Viola's grandmother helps her get an internship with the lightning director for her play. Viola's "Grand" and her boyfriend are both fabulous actors, and are starring in a Broadway production of Arsenic and Old Lace.

There were so many great plot twists in this book and Viola was such a real character. Anyone could relate to her as she dealt with the ups and downs of the summer before her sophomore year of high school. My heart went out to Viola when things got tough and some of her friendships were tested, and I only wanted the best for her.

Her boarding school friends also played a role in this story. I am so glad I got to be reintroduced to the trio of fabulous girls Viola got to know during her first year of boarding school. Each of the girls had a distinct personality and they were such great great friends for Viola.

I love realistic fiction novels and this one was no exception. The premise was unique and well executed and Adriana Trigiani created a memorable character in Viola. While there were a lot of laughs and fun moments, there was also a more emotional side to the book, making it that much more real. I liked the first book in the series, but I loved this one. I can only hope for a third book about Viola and her friends soon!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Viola and her video camera return to her beloved Brooklyn after a year in private school in South Bend, Indiana. That year was chronicled in VIOLA IN REEL LIFE, the first book in the series. The budding filmmaker is so happy to be back with her best friends, BFFAA Andrew and Caitlin. On her first night back, she learns that Andrew is going to camp and Caitlin has a job. So all her plans for the summer have evaporated, leaving her at loose ends. As usual, though, Viola finds herself some adventures in this fun novel from bestselling adult author Adriana Trigiani.

Grand, her grandmother, is in a new play along with her handsome boyfriend George, and Viola is soon hired as a lighting intern, which sends her all over New York on errands. While working on the production of Arsenic and Old Lace, she comes up with the idea of bringing her Indiana roomie friends Romy, Marisol and Suzanne to the city for a reunion weekend. Skype and email aren't enough, and they plan for the event.

In the meantime, the show's director has a handsome and charming son who is coming from Britain for the summer. The two of them are renting the lower apartment Viola's family owns, and Maurice is 15 like Viola. On his first night, she and Caitlin invite him to dinner on the roof of the house; Viola sees her friend fall in love for the first time, and he with her. The problem is that Caitlin's very strict parents have a plan for her life that does not include boys and barely includes friends. While that part of the story seems stereotypical, it does develop more towards the end of the book.

Andrew comes home on occasion, and during one visit ends up kissing Viola. She does not know what to do with that; they struggle to sort out what each is ready for in terms of a relationship. Trigiani handles this delicate situation cleverly and in a way that is not in the typical Hollywood style.

The story kicks into high gear when the friends and Suzanne's parents come to New York to visit. Descriptions of the Big Apple are spot-on, and the night of the show's opening are depicted in fun detail. After that celebratory tone, the novel takes a sudden turn. While it is a realistic situation, readers will have to shift gears quickly to keep pace with some painful truths and a big surprise from Viola herself. The series and characters are fun enough to offer audiences a good summer escape.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Viola in the Spotlight is the follow up to the fun and humorous Viola in Reel Life.

Viola is fifteen-years-old and her summer is just beginning. She is extremely happy to be back in New York with her family and best friends. She had been away at boarding school for her freshman year. Soon she finds out that her home buddies aren't going to be around during summer vacation and her best bud, Andrew, is acting strangely around her and she doesn't understand why. Things are not off to a good start when her friend Caitlin talks Viola into lying for her so she can sneak off with her secret British boyfriend, Maurice. Viola knows it's wrong but Caitlin is a good friend, but at the same time, she knows that she should be talking Caitlin into telling her parents but she doesn't. Viola doesn't know what she's going to do for the summer now that all her friends are going to be busy but then she lucks out and her Grandma gets her an intern job at the theatre.

The one thing in this novel that I really liked was the fact that Adriana focused on the `friendships' between the kids rather than `romance' which is what you usually find in Young Adult novels. The focus on Andrew, Caitlin, her school friends and how their friendships work is a refreshing change from the norm. Just like in real life, teenagers think more of their friendships than they do their parents and what their friends think and do is very important to them.

The great character development, the setting, and the relationships make this an intriguing and engrossing read. There are plenty of surprises in this novel and Viola must make some decisions that may change her life or will they? Another great aspect of this novel is the fact that Viola is really a regular ordinary teenager and Adriana has her dealing with everyday situations. I can't wait for the third book in this series to see what Viola and her friends are up to next. Well done!!