Review: Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

Take a Bow

By: Elizabeth Eulberg

Pub. Date: April 1, 2012

Publisher: Point Publishing

Pages: 278

Source: ARC

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and band mates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

Let me start by saying that Take a Bow is one of my favorite reads of 2012. This book was amazing and awesome and wonderful! Seriously, this book had so much heart and emotion. I fell in love with this story and it's characters. It's books like this that remind me why I love to read so much.

Take a Bow tells the story of four teens (Carter, Sophie, Emme and Ethan) who are about to graduate from the New York City High School of the Creative and Performing Arts. With four different point of views, we get to learn their thoughts and struggles but we also learn who they really are. We see them succeed and becoming the people they were meant to be.

Carter- The school's golden boy, former child star turned soap opera celebrity. Carter is sweet, caring and thoughtful. He just wants to be a normal teenager. Acting isn't for him anymore but he doesn't know how to tell anyone that what he really wants to do is paint.

Sophie- She will do anything and step on anyone to get what she wants, which is to be a famous singer. She dates Carter for his celebrity status and is best friends with Emme because Emme would do anything for her. She was such a bitch!

Emme- Oh Emme, how I loved her! She is this amazing person and friend who puts everyone first and doesn't realize how much she is worth, or how talented she really is. Emme, along with Ethan and their friends Jack and Ben started a band freshman year that is still going strong. The connection between these four band members was amazing and hilarious! I loved her POV's the most. Since she was so much a part of everyone else's life, we got to know what was happening in everyone else's life too.

Ethan- Ethan was a very interesting guy. Quiet and reserved, he hates singing and being the center of attention, but he is the lead singer of their band. He is basically a musical genius who can play any instrument. He isn't cocky about his talent and doesn't let many people in, except for his band mates. He is in love with Emme, but doesn't think he is good enough for her, so he destroys anything good in his life that he does have. See? Interesting guy there! I loved his POV and figuring out his inner workings.

There was nothing that I did not like about Take a Bow. The writing was fantastic and the characters were so realistic. I could see myself having coffee with Emme, going to an art show with Carter, or listening to Ethan sing and play guitar. I could also see myself tripping Sophie (oops!) in the hallway!

I loved how Eulberg wrote the different POV and weaved everyone's story together. I thought it was extremely well done. The story isn't just about four teens about to graduate from high school. It's about figuring out who you really are and finding out what you are capable of! 

I plan on buying a finished copy of this book as soon as possible. Take a Bow deserves so much praise that I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Eulberg is my new favorite author and I have to read her other books as soon as possible!