Tanya Lauterbach, 17-year-old daughter of country music diva Rita Harding, didn’t want to go stay with her father’s family in the Blue Ridge Mountains while her mother went on a world tour. She was a city girl! She almost had to be dragged out kicking and screaming. But once she was there, the hills began to work their magic…part of which included a handsome young man with a mysterious past and … and possibly dangerous present….
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Heartwarming, Thought-Provoking and Entertaining.
Mall-loving heel struttin’ boy-gogglin’ Tanya Harding, has to leave Nashville for Kentucky, where she stays with her dad and her stepmom. How will a girl like her survive in the country, it sucks! Her mom, Rita Harding, a famous singer, is travelling, and now Rita must live with her dad and his new wife. No-one knows of Rita in the new neighbourhood, or do they? Tanya used to be in the limelight by association, and this backwater seems a world away from the glitz and glamour to which she has grown accustomed.
With some trepidation, she resolves to adjust to her circumstances, all the while feeling her mom has abandoned her.
But when Tanya first sets her eyes on Seth, perhaps she has an inkling that it can’t be all bad, at least, not if she can attract his attention. Tanya’s sister, Charlotte, has a crush of her own, but he doesn’t seem to notice her …
With feisty determination, Tanya adapts to her new way of life and we see her transformation from spoiled rich kid to a generous young woman who forms close bonds with those she grows to care about; she is real and full of heart.
Tanya has matured and now wants to show her mom she loves her, misses her. She wants to tell what she has achieved in her absence. She’s on her own path now. During this process of becoming, Rita wants to share her thoughts, feelings and experiences; confide her deepest secrets. When her mom doesn’t contact her, she searches for the kind of love and empathy that will sustain her.
Seth, too, has emotional scars from the past that are unresolved. He carries the weight of guilt on his shoulders.
The sadnesses in their lives, paradoxically, draw them closer. In particular, they both yearn for something or someone missing, something or someone lost. And, before too long, it is their fate that their own lives cross paths …
This intricate coming of age tale with plenty of well-constructed twists and turns is well-paced, and the characterization interesting and well-developed, leading the story. The settings are well-chosen, the themes, compelling.
A particular strength of the book is the author’s ability to portray the voices of her characters in dialogue. She gets into the mindset of her young adult audience, so that the characters feel and sound authentic. Another thing I really love is the reference to songs, which enhances the read, stirring the emotions. This story will leave you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next. It’ll make you want to laugh. It’ll make you want to cry. I love the ending! (less)
Review of Moonshine Lullaby
Author: Rozita Berry
By Katherine Soto (Arc Reader)
This is a well written story of a coming of age and life for a teenage girl. Her famous singer mother drops her off in rural country with her Dad while goes on a world tour. Tanya does not want to be there at all. She wants to be back in the city with all her friends. Her Mom gives her no choice.
Tanya does not know her Dad and his family very well. She tries to get along with everyone in the family at family gatherings and in the house the live in. She attempts to fit in.
Of course, there are two boys vying for her attention. Seth is a country boy blonde and good looking. Tanner is a cowboy singer, so good-looking Tanya’s sister has a crush on him. There is an adventure with murder, kidnapping, and intrigue. Through everything, Tanya learns things about herself she never thought were possible.
This story is a good young adult read for someone wanting an easy to follow romance/adventure with a coming of age story weaved throughout.