Did I like it? Yes!
You'll love it if you liked: A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, Before I Die by Jenny Downham, Love Story by Erich Segal
Aura: Emotional, Heartwrenching
Read If: A heartbreaking sad story with a beautifully crafted emotional journey and a tragic ending
Narration: First Person
Main Character: Beth, High Schooler female
Themes: First love, Death, Friendship
Plot: 8/10
Narration: 9/10.
Characterization: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
Did I get bored anywhere? Nope.
Did any part confuse me? Not at all.
Line/ Page Skippability: 1/5
Writing Style: Short Sentences, Expressive, Emotional
Uniqueness: 7.5/10
Predictability: 2.5/10
Imagery: 9.25/10
Song(s) to go with book: You by Switchfoot, You and Me by Lifehouse, The Mixed Tape by Jack's Mannequin, Take Me Home by After Midnight Project, Your Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, In Loving Memory by Alter Bridge
Favourite Quote(s): "Gosh, Beth. You've got a one-track mind."
Cover: 8.75/10
Ending: Heartbreaking yet Hopeful (but heartbreaking! I cried.)
Reading Priority: Definitely Read
Reading duration: Fast readers-4 hours; Slow readers-6 days. I breezed through it.
Synopsis:
Beth has always been "The Beast"--that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glases. Who could love a beast? Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist and receives the makeover of a lifetime. Suddenly, everyone wants a piece of Beth.

Things only get better when her choir travels to Switzerland and Beth meets the mysterious Derek. They have an incredible whirlwind romance that makes Beth realize, for the first time, she too can find love. She’s no longer The Beast. In Derek’s eyes, she’s a beauty. But then Scott makes a heartbreaking confession to Beth that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous passionate feelings she has for Derek?

And there’s an even bigger problem: Derek’s got a secret . . . one that could shatter everything.

WordVore Prod's Review:

Sing Me to Sleep was a heartbreaking novel that really pulled at my strings, and not many books have done that in a while. It was a romance to the truest sense of the word. The plot was nothing too magnificent or out of this world—just another story about star-crossed lovers that you may have heard many times before. However, it is the journey and Beth and Derek’s everyday struggle to make it work that sets their story apart. Most importantly, it is the feelings they evoke in each other that really makes you want to sit down and listen to their story than get up calling it “typical”. One thing I thought Angela Morrison did a great job with was keeping the romance real. I’ll admit I was annoyed out of my mind at times by the desperation that both Beth and Scott brought in the mix of their romantic feelings, but slowly they seemed to make some sense to me. Morrison didn’t make Beth and Derek’s love one of those perfect, pure relationships which later end in tragedy, but a real one with its share of imperfections that ends in tragedy and causes just as much of pain and sorrow. Beth’s transition was quite believable other than the sudden makeover part. But otherwise, her awkwardness with the newfound admiration is just right. I was quite in tune with Scott’s character in the book. The musical setting of the book sat more than well with me—the parts where Beth sang or wrote songs conveyed her emotions right to my heart. The strongest factor in this book, I would say, was the intensity with which it can make a reader feel—unbelievable (Tears leaked out of my eyes at the end. Why, why, WHY did it end like that?!? Um, sorry. Sidetracked). The emotions communicated are raw, unpretentious and vivacious, and throughout the book my heart ached, leaped in happiness, went empty in sorrow—felt with the two main characters.
Now, coming to the complains I have. I really, really wanted more conversations between Beth and Derek—actual verbal interactions. Sure, I could feel the passion between them radiating out of the pages, but some more conversation would have provided more grounding for the relationship for me. I think I would have howled near the end if they did. Another thing that slightly irked me was Scott’s desperation. Beth’s suited her somehow; but Scott’s seemed out of the blue. But I think if you think about his situation (not ruining it) you can probably understand why the poor guy is justified.
Sing Me to Sleep is a perfect example that love doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful, and that the journey means more than the ending. If you’re looking for a strong, passionate and intense romance read and are absolutely okay with sad endings, then this book is for you. Oh heck, just read it—it’s truly an amazing experience!

Labels: Angela Morrison, Death, Friendship, Heartbreaking, Romance, Sing me to sleep, Tragic, WorDissection