Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

Title: Sing Me to Sleep
Author: Angela Morrison
Published: March 2010 by Razorbill

My Rating: 4.5 stars
Tags: YA | Romance
Includes: Brief Profanity

First Lines: Crap. There's a naked freshman chained to my locker. No. Not naked. Briefs. Not a good look, kid. Spindly white legs, wimpy chest, shaking arms. Black socks.

Beth has always been "The Beast". With her frizzy hair, thick glasses, awkward height, and acne scars, the only person that will be her friend is Scott. But when Beth becomes the soloist in her girls' choir, she receives the ultimate makeover - a total transformation. Suddenly she's beautiful. The choir takes a trip to Switzerland to compete in the Choral Olympics competition; and it's there that Beth meets Derek. Mysterious, handsome, and secretive Derek. They quickly fall in love but it's obvious that he's keeping a secret from her. He becomes distant at times and avoids her questions. Then when he finally opens up to her, he risks ruining their entire relationship.

This was such a sweet and emotional book. I loved Beth's honest character and watching her change throughout the story. Beth's cruel bullying at school felt so real, even if it was over-the-top; I could practically feel her pain.

From page 36
He shoves something cold and rubbery at me. A green witch mask with hairy warts and cracked lips lies at my feet. I run toward the girls' restroom - crash into a wall of people watching. Laughter. A hand grabs my butt. I rip the mask off, grab my glasses, and let it fall. Head down, arms wrapped around myself as if that will keep me from falling apart, I scuttle down the hall.

The author's writing style was so raw and original, I could visualize what was going on in the story so well. She transported me to another world. Angela Morrison was also spectacular at writing song lyrics. She includes them in each chapter, since Beth writes lyrics in her spare time. They were beautiful and portrayed what Beth was going through.

Oh man, the romance was just gushing out of this book. Beth is torn between choosing bestfriend Scott, who has stuck by her side through all the teasing and tormenting - he loves her for exactly who she is, ugly or beautiful. Or Derek: the heart-melting, tall, dark, and mysterious Canadian choir boy. I have to admit, I liked both guys. They each had separate personalities and special things that I liked about them. I didn't really have a preference for which one she chose in the end.

The end? Ahhhh such a tear-jerker. If you choose to read this book (which I highly recommend you do), come prepared with a box of tissues. I wasn't expecting those final chapters when Derek finally revealed his secret. Overall, this book was an emotional journey for Beth to find her true identity and her true love.

Book Supplied by: Publisher for review.