SING ME TO SLEEP by Angela Morrison

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Razorbill (March 4, 2010)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
THE TRANSFORMATION
Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. 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 that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

MY REVIEW: There are books which I'll never think about once I've read them. The ones I love I keep to enjoy again. And then there are the ones I finish which linger and make me analyze my reading experience. SING ME TO SLEEP made me think, a lot. This novel took me on an emotional roller coaster ride.

In the beginning I wasn't crazy about the main character, Beth. I found her naive and too depressing. As the story went on I realized these characteristics were necessary as part of her natural progression. The part where Beth  undergoes a complete transformation--ugly duckling turned into a beautiful princess (or as the Amabile choir guys call her "the goddess") was slightly formulaic and slowed down the narrative for me. The story picked up once Beth's choral group, Bliss, competes in a national competiton in Switzerland. She meets Derek there and can't believe a hot, great singer like him is interested in her. Morrison did a good job conveying Beth's uncertainty with the new feelings she has as well as her grappling with low self-esteem.

"We get lost in lips and hands and hair and faces. It feels different this time--now that I know it will last. Less physical. More emotional. With every kiss, the way I feel about him deepens. With every touch, he is more and more precious. I'll be his high. I'll be his therapy. If he has me, he won't need anything else. I so want to take care of him.

His lips flow over every inch of my face, promising me.

Hundreds.

Thousands.

Of moments like this." (page 122 in the ARC)

Beth and Derek's falling in love was beautifully written. By employing the closeness associated with first person and the immediacy of present tense, the reader is kept "in the moment", and coupled with fragmented sentences, emotion and reaction are quickly conveyed.

"He scares me. Thrills me. Totally confuses my sense of direction. Up in the trees. Down on the ground. In the spotlight. In his arms. I have no idea where I am." (page 135)

It was in passages like this where I really began to like Beth. Derek was an interesting and sympathetic character. He was the dark, mysterious, brooding type with a secret reason for his behavior (and his 'reason' rings true). As Beth's best friend, Scott, I felt sorry for him stuck playing second best as Beth's relationship with Derek progressed. He was admirable with his determination to be there for her.

The ending, especially the last two pages, seemed rushed, much like the last drop on the coaster. I felt it was tacked on UNTIL I went back and read it again. I was wrong.

Morrison's nuanced writing is layered and has to be experienced at a slower speed. I tend to read quickly, devouring instead of savoring. My interpretation of the last two pages is Morrison showing us--through Beth's eyes--the different types of "love" the two guys in her life represented: the hit-over-your-head effect of falling, being, and experiencing that "first love" ( unrequited for Beth, or not in her mother's case), and the tug-and-pull dawning of  "true love." By loving Derek, Beth finally learned how to love (herself and others).

SING ME TO SLEEP is the type of novel which needs to read more than once to appreciate Morrison's talent in her craft. Her writing was lovely, many times poetic, and I was glad to see music, singing and lyrics take such a prominent role. The novel truly came alive for me when Beth sees Derek on TV and calls his best friend, Blake. I couldn't put it down.

Experience this book for yourself. Highly recommended.

COVER COMMENT (a new feature we'll be including): Cover picture is as poignant and touching as the story. A perfect match. I think having faces would have been distracting. I love the cover, especially after reading the book (specifically those last two pages and the lyrics to the songs "Take Me Home" and "Beth's Song").

RATING: ++++

FOR FANS OF: Contemporary YA.

REVIEWED BY: Laurie

BOOK SOURCE: ARC provided by International Book Tours