Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

"The Beast" is just one of the most common of horrible nicknames that Beth has grown up hearing. With frizzy hair, "coke-bottle" glasses, & disfiguring acne scars stacked on top of her tall frame, Beth has never stood a chance against bullies. She has learned to deal with her unfortunate circumstances rather than try to overcome them. All of that changed when she stepped forward to take over a soprano solo in her competitive show choir.

After having her hair chopped, straightened & colored, having lots of places waxed, & a complete wardrobe makeover, "The Beast" is now just Beth. She's quite good-looking and has started turning heads in a good way. Too bad the only person who noticed her in a good way before the transformation is now repulsed by her actions. Scott has always been such a great friend to Beth, that she just doesn't understand why he wouldn't want her to be happy. It's her ultimate goal to get him to understand, until Derek starts schmoozing his way into the picture. With a voice like silk and a bad boy repertoire, he's just the kind of guy that Beth is looking for to go with her new look. But, who really cares about her? The boy who always cared or the one who cares now?

I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I was hoping that it would be a lot like Taken By Storm which was quite well-written & overall enjoyable. This one just flatlined part of the way through the book. Beth could have been a likable character if it weren't for her utter lack of a spine. I understand that there are bullies who exist and that they are cruel, but what some of these kids do to Beth is assault, not just teasing. There are many other instances that are just beyond belief for me in this novel and while I understand that sometimes the suspension of our own reality is necessary, I refuse to believe that the situations in this book are so common.

Most of the characters were so stereotypical it was annoying. I found I could practically predict what action the characters would take or what phrase they would use. Even the storyline was flat. Ugly girl becomes pretty girl and chases after bad boy, when good boy has been there all along. There wasn't even a twist on this tale. In all honesty, and as much as it pains me to say this, this book wasn't worth it. There was no silver lining and the book does not redeem itself at the end. If you want a plain, obvious story, this is it, but if you prefer something with any kind of creativity, you'll want to pass.

Book provided by Around the World Tours.