Jill S. AlexanderCritiques

This is an engrossing book by Jill S. Alexander, with what I considered a surprising culmination of events.

Paisley is the spirited teenage protagonist who desires to be a drummer. A boy from Paradise, Texas threatens to come between her and her dream.

This is definitely a page turner. I read it in an afternoon. I liked Paisley and the other characters. I didn't think anyone was painted as a stereotype, which is nice because writers thrusting stereotypes to be foils happens far too often in fiction.

I also liked the fact that while it is obvious that Alexander is a devout Christian, I didn't have that thrust in my face as I was reading. It was there, but not pushy.

I suppose that a lot of readers might only give this a three, but I am a sucker for a book about music and especially if it's well written.

3.5***

Austin Gray is nearly 15 years old, and tired of just watching the parade; she wants to be one of the “hood ornaments” who ride in the parade, perched atop a shiny new pick-up truck and waving to her adoring public. She figures if she’s crowned next year’s Sweetheart, the town bully will finally have to stop targeting her. With the support of her best friend, Maribel, she decides to join the Future Farmers of America and vie for the title. The first step is to convince her mom to give her a chicken for Christmas. She gets not just any chicken, but a show bantam rooster, which she names Charles Dickens. Slowly she gains confidence and makes new friends, including a strong-silent-cowboy type. Now if she can just get her Mom to stop being over-protective, everything will be perfect.

This is a lovely YA novel dealing with universal themes – bullying, self-image, friendship, independence, loss, love, responsibility, peer pressure, self-confidence, and happiness. I like that Alexander doesn’t sugarcoat the issues that Austin faces, and that she has her heroine make some mistakes along the way. Still, Austin is a great heroine, and this is a sweetheart of a book.

First, don't judge a book by the cover. Its a lovely cover but it didn't seem to fit the story. Paradise by Jill Alexander was more of following your dreams even when there are things that are making the journey laborious, seemingly impossible, or downright hopeless.

(no spoilers here)

Following dreams, to me, is something that requires two elements: fortitude and hope, and in regards to the later there need not be much of it. This tale could have easily ended with reinforcing these two elements with a wide-open road ahead. Full steam. Just reach for it. You can do it! Oh, the places you'll go, a la Dr. Seuss.

Instead, the writer came out of left-field and blindsides the reader. I do have to give kudos...it was a pretty gutsy move for the author even though it almost felt like an afterthought to twist the story this way but who knows? Regardless, it didn't work for me and from reviews I'm not the only reader that felt this way.

People remember the biggest impact of the book and the impact fails to tell the whole story here.

This said, I very much enjoyed this book until the end. The writing was captivating: Music, young love, the banter, lovable and not so lovable characters - all in all, characters with depth.

I will read Jill Alexander again. Her writing is good. I will be a bit reluctant though, unless I read a review or two of her next book, at least for this Pollyanna.

This is one of those books that is almost there. I loved the setting of small town Texas. It was unique, interesting and unexpected. I like the main characters and really felt their struggles and issues. But...much of the book felt flat. Secondary characters, the plot, the conflict. There was very little rising action and most definitely a weak ending. Which makes me sad because this book was about another 20 pages away from being a new favorite.
PS - Even YAers get to at least KISS at the end!! You can't expect me to read a pink book and not get at least a kiss.

I expected an “Austin, you’re more than somebody’s hood ornament” lesson, which happens, but there’s a lot more going on in this slim book than the Sweetheart contest. (Full review at http://www.parenthetical.net/2011/03/04/review-the-sweetheart-of-prosper-county-...

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I had heard great things about Paradise before I started reading. This was one of those books I purchased a long time ago, but never really got around to reading until a few days ago. I am glad I read it--it was a great book--but it also pissed me off quite a bit. I'll get to that part in a few moments, but first I'm going to talk about what I really liked.

The writing was absolutely gorgeous. I'm not a big fan of the state of Texas (I have my reasons) but seeing the state through the author's eyes made me really want to visit. The sensory language was pretty fantastic. There were times when I felt I was right next to Paisley. The imagery really worked for me. Especially some of the musical performance scenes. I enjoyed the description of the setting: the woods, the Tucker barn, the airplane hangar, etc.

I also really appreciated the tone of the book. I tend to really like the follow-your-dreams-and-screw-everybody-else type of book. I did find the characters to be a little flat. It was the story that shone here, and while I thought Paisley was written fairly well, I found the rest of the characters kind of one-dimensional. Yes, even Paradise. I had to giggle that the two daughters were named Paisley and Lacey, and it had me wondering if their parents were a husband-wife Wal-Mart design team. I know some southern names can be a bit ridiculous, but c'mon, really?

Before I get to the big thing I took issue with, there were a few minor things that bothered me. I found it kind of weird how they went from one rehearsal with a new lead singer to a live performance right away. That was not very realistic at all. Did the author actually expect me to believe Paradise learned all of the songs and and lyrics that fast? Either she really did or the editor screwed up. Bad, editing, bad. Also, I really didn't get the reason for sticking in some of Cal's song lyrics between chapters. From reading them I gathered that he had feelings for Paisley. But that never came into play in the story. So I found it to be kind of useless. I know it was there as a plot device to raise readers' spirits because of what happened in the ending, but to me it didn't work. At all. And to be honest, some of the lyrics were pretty terrible.

Now. The ending. Talking about this will be tricky without spoiling anything, so I'm going to say STOP READING HERE if you haven't read this book or think you may want to. I'm not going to give away any plot details, but you will be able to figure things out if you think too hard about it and I don't want to end up spoiling it for anyone, so STOP HERE.

As much as the ending had an emotional effect on me, I found it entirely unnecessary. It was gimmicky and done to make the book different from other books, but sometimes simpler is better, and because of the way this book ended, I am extremely wary of reading anything else written by this author. The ending was shocking and emotional, but it didn't need to be that way. The writing was stunning up until that point and then I got really angry. I put off writing this review for a few days because I needed to stew over this and sever my emotional connection. But although my anger dissipated, I never really forgot about how much the book ticked me off. So keep that in mind. The ending, in my honest opinion, sucked. Everything up until that point was absolutely wonderful. It may have even gotten a 5 star rating from me.

Favorite Quotes:

Under a center spotlight, she pulled the horse to a sudden stop. The horse reared up on its hind legs, first to one side of the audience then to the other. Dad and I and the rest of the crowd jumped to our feet clapping and whooping. I watched the face of Miss Rodeo Texas. I wanted that smile, the ear-to-ear grin of a girl living her dream.

He took the drum and knelt down beside me. "Hold it between your knees." He placed his hand on my knee and gently pushed my legs open, placing the drum between my thighs. My throat tightened. The air thinned. I wished the hangar had fans. "I've got it." I pushed his hand away. "I've got it." I squeezed the drum, holding it tight between my legs.HOT.

It isn't easy for me to coherently explain my feelings about Jill S. Alexander's sophomore novel, PARADISE. I really enjoyed Alexander's first novel, THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY, but I wasn't at all prepared for how much I would adore PARADISE. Not only does PARADISE feature a fantastic plot and engaging setting, the characters are phenomenal.

The main character, Paisley, caught me off guard... The name Paisley seemed a bit pink to me. I literally pictured a pink paisley pattern when I first saw her name and that didn't seem all that appealing at the time. (Okay, I never find pink paisley appealing... I'll admit it.) Eventually I stopped picturing her as a pink psychedelic pattern and accepted her for the badass she is. I think her parents really wanted her to be a Paisley, she just refused to be one... She's spunky, direct, and a drummer. And the fact that she's a drummer was, in my mind, a key part of her being a legitimate badass. She wasn't up on stage do wear skimpy clothes and dance around, she was behind an entire drum set rocking out and being awesome. Love it!

And then there's Paradise. Not only was he an interesting character on his own, he was a great match for Paisley. I liked that they challenged one another and didn't immediately fall madly in love. Paisley may have acknowledged his good looks early on, but she didn't fall for him for shallow, physical reasons, which sometimes happens and leaves the reader perturbed and not at all supportive of the relationship. I appreciated the banter between the two and the small moments that eventually led them to develop feelings for one another.

And the ending... oh my goodness. I definitely didn't see it coming at all. Since I read this novel in one sitting, I actually reread the ending a couple times just to make sure I wasn't just getting a bit loopy and imagining things. After becoming so invested in PARADISE's characters, I may have cried a bit to see it end, especially so surprisingly.

Okay, I'm lying, I cried a lot. Sobbed really. This isn't a bad thing though: if I hadn't cared about the characters, I wouldn't have been moved to tears... Especially not big, sloppy tears. I won't be forgetting about Paisley and Paradise any time soon.

Alexander is one of those authors whose books are, for me, an automatic buy. I highly, highly recommend both her debut and sophomore novels.

I think my HS girls will really enjoy this novel!

Jill Alexander completely blew me out of the water with Paradise. Was expecting your typical quick, fun summer read. Something I could read in a day, be satisfied with, and not dwell over for long. However, that is not something that happened. Yes, Paradise started out as a cute summer romance with the mysterious and insanely attractive newcomer and the girl with a secret dream, but then it changed into something more. Paradise centers around Paisley, a girl who secretly wants to be a musician. However, she has to play in a secret band with some of the people her Mom disapproves most of, because her mother has very specific plans for her future. That is where she meets Paradise, the insanely sexy accordion player and singer who has Paisley and the rest of the band questioning the way they do things.

I thought Paradise was only going to be important to Paisley, but instead he serves as sort of a driving force and a trigger to everyone else making changes for the better. Not only does he bring sexy vocals and a new twist to the band with his accordion, but he slowly pushes everyone else to be more confident and go for what they believe in. Over the course of the novel Jill Alexander uses Paradise to push Paisley and her sister to stand up to her parents, Waylon, the band leader, to grow more confident in his music, and several other big changes throughout the novel.

Alexander does a great job of using all of the characters different problems to weave a storyline about dreams, perseverance, and independence. She also adds several different little spins on the story to make it even better than it was already. She adds spunky characters like Paisley's uncle who provides an interesting adult POV, and incorporates lyrics from one of the band members, Cal, into the story giving you a view from the outside.

Overall, I really liked this book. It told a great story about going for your dreams and keeping your goals in mind. However, there is a reason I only gave it 4 stars. Jill Alexander completely throws you through a loop at the end of the novel. I still can't decide whether or not the plot twist at the end added to the story or just didn't make sense. I don't want to spoil anything, but at the end of the story Alexander pulls the story in a U turn, changes the plot entirely, and leaves you wondering why the heck she just did that.

So... the story was fantastic. Heartwarming, enlightening, and extremely romantic, but I will give you fair warning that you might not like the ending. However, if you're feeling brave and also sort of romantic, give Paradise by Jill Alexander a try.

Awhile back, I saw some early buzz about Paradise on Twitter, in reviews, and such. The talk was mainly about the ending. I had to read Paradise for the book itself (of course) and to see what happens at the end. Oh yeah, and for the cowboys! Who doesn’t love a hunky cowboy…or a whole story full of ‘em?

Jill S. Alexander can tell herself a story! I’m not a music fan myself, which I speak of all the time, but I was really engrossed in this story which is based on Paisley, Paradise (a gorgeous boy), and a band. I really felt like I was in Texas and in the band. Jill is descriptive with her writing, but not overly so, which can be a pet-peeve of mine. I enjoyed read the song lyrics and how they coincided with the context of book.

Paisley I loved as a character. She’s strong, but still wants to be loved and accepted like the rest of us. Huge parts of Paradise (the book, not the boy) involve Paisley’s mother and her acceptance into the band and with playing drums. I initially disliked Paisley’s mom, but she redeemed herself eventually. I also can understand where she is coming from.

If you’re a fan of cowboys like myself, I would really recommend this book to you. Paradise or Gabriela (a boy, not a girl) is described to be a super duper gorgeous boy! He’s super talented with singing and playing the accordion, yep an accordion…first time I’ve seen that. He also wears cowboy hats and boots, has gold hoops in is ears, and the whole bit!

I’ll be honest. When I put Paradise down after reading the entire thing, all I could think was…WHY?! I don’t understand the need to have the book end that way. Maybe I was missing something. I’m sure Jill S. Alexander had a reason for her ending, but I personally didn’t see it. I will be looking out for more books from Jill S. Alexander because I adore her writing style.

This was a pretty average read until the ending.

Paisley was a fun character to read. She was torn but talented and she has problems and she's really just a fantastic, real character. Paradise was also fun. He wasn't fully developed for me, but he was a decent love interest for Paisley and they had pretty good banter and chemistry.

I loved all the band members. The way they worked together, the way they were as individuals. I really pitied one of the characters, but you'll have to read it to figure that out. Paisley's sister, Lacey, was quite the character as well. She really made the story more interesting and twisty and complex.

The plot was interesting. Kind of predictable, but it was a fun read. The writing had me totally hooked and I read it really quickly. It's a perfect summer read.

Until the end.

The end totally changes the novel and it's kind of out of nowhere and it's massive and amazing and just added this extra weight to the novel. It made it more than just a light, summer romance and I loved the fact it could do that.

I just really recommend this. It has a lot of the makings for a light read but it can also be a heavier read and if you love music or you have a dream that seems impossible, you'll get this book. Just...give it a try, whether you like country music or not.

Before I start, let me just say that I am definitely a country girl at heart. The fact that I live in the northeast has no effect on me dreaming about cowboys and listening to country music exclusively. So a book about a country band was basically made for me. Especially one that has a boy with a mighty fine profile (I mean tell me he doesn't look gorgeous from the side!) Bias aside, this was a unique and fun read.

Paisley has always known that she wants to be a drummer, and she's on her way to making those dreams come true by rocking out in a country-rock band heading for Texapalooza. The only problem is that her mother disapproves of everything in Prosper County, and certainly wouldn't approve of Paisley's dreams... which is why she hides them.

When Gabe, a boy from Paradise, Texas, comes along as the band's new lead singer, everything starts to change. All of a sudden Paisley's dreams aren't too clear anymore.

I liked many aspects of this book. One thing that I really liked is that when the boy comes to town, not everything just stops. Paisley's feelings for him progress and change drastically. It seemed much more real and likely to happen than alot of love-at-first-sight types of relationships often found in YA.

I also really enjoyed that throughout the novel, after every few chapters, there would be song lyrics. It was as if Paisley was living in a country song (which if you appreciate country music, you would understand how cool this is). The lyrics would reflect on what had recently happened or what the characters were feeling in a new and interesting way. I found myself trying to put music to the words (didn't really work out for me) and I'd be really eager to hear those preformed.

I liked how I didn't really see where the book was going. I mean on a really broad spectrum, maybe, but the details were not so easy to pick out. Paisley is a strong girl, and I appreciated that, she kept things interesting. One thing that I definitely did not see coming was the end, oh my goodness.

If you're like me and you love everything country, you'd definitely like this book. The characters were funny, strong and real - making their story seem like it was really going on. Nothing was far fetched, and that was okay because the story was presented in a new way.

Paradise is a sweet teen romance, realistically portrayed, that will capture the attention of many teen girls.

All Paisley wants to do is play the drums in her band. She’ll do anything she can to keep this secret from her mother who has other ideas about what Paisley should be doing with her life. Paisley’s mom wants Paisley and her sister, Lacey, to be able to leave their small Texas town and make something more of themselves.

Paisley’s uncle lets her band practice in his airplane hangar on his farm. The problem is that the band doesn’t have a singer, so when the leader of the band, Waylon, advertises for a singer, Paradise enters the picture. Not only does Paradise sing, but he plays the accordion, which none of the band members are too thrilled with. Their goal is to play at the Texapaloosa music festival in Austin. As Paradise begins to practice with them, he begins to find his place and it seems their dream may come true. But Paisley is beginning to think she has more of a dream than just playing the drums....there’s a definite attraction to Paradise.

The romance builds slowly and naturally, although there’s much more to the story than romance. Paisley’s mother may seem like she’s out of her mind trying to control her daughters’ destinies, but we’re getting this story from Paisley’s perspective, and it turns out maybe her mother isn’t as crazy as Paisley always thought.

Alexander writes great, lovable characters that come to life. The other band members all have their own problems and hang-ups. Waylon is trying to live up to his father’s expectations. Levi is a baseball player who happens to be in the band (and happens to be crazy about Lacey). And Cal has a secret crush on Paisley. Lacey wants to go to beauty school, but her mom is convinced that she will have a singing career. Even Paisley’s uncle has a back story that adds to the motivations of these characters.

Paisley is a good kid. She doesn’t like deceiving her parents, but she doesn’t have a choice. She’s crazy about Paradise, but she also has strong feelings about abstinence, which is somewhat lacking in teen romances these days. These characters are just struggling to grow up, as all teens do. The story is realistic and heartwarming. They make mistakes. They cover them up. They get in trouble. It’s all very natural and believable.

The ending was unexpected and somewhat abrupt. You may just want to skip the last couple of chapters...but if that’s the way Alexander intended it, then I’m OK with it.

This book will be thoroughly enjoyed by teen girls who are fans of romance, especially if they are interested in music. I’d probably categorize this book as a coming-of-age novel, but the romance makes it even more special.

This debut novel is full of teen angst and Texas charm. Austin is fourteen, and has been bullied her whole life in her small town. She is the only child of a young widow who runs a hardware store. In the year portrayed in this book, things drastically change for Austin. She decides to change what she believes has always attracted the bully by becoming popular and being named the Sweetheart of Prosper County. You get the sense from the beginning that Austin is stronger than the bully. There are quite a few unique, interesting characters that support Austin through this year (and many of them always have, but Austin was blind to this previously). She finds more than one place to fit in – Alexander makes her popular in the FFA group (the best way to become Sweetheart), but she also does not give up her other friends. I also like that the way her dad dies isn’t necessarily a secret, but it unfolds naturally through the course of the book. It is well-written, and the whole book sings with character and personality. And the bully is dealt with in several ways – all effective and individual.

Fifteen-year-old Austin Gray is sick to death of standing on the curb while the whole parade passes her by . . . quite literally. Tired of the constant teasing at the hands of a local malevolent and wishing she could just branch out and find a place in her small Texas town, Austin hatches a plan to become a "sweetheart" -- a position of honor in Big Wells' No-Jesus Christmas Parade.

So she plots. And she works. And she comes to possess a sleek black rooster she names Charles Dickens -- and she works with him every day, hoping to train him so well that he wins her an award at the county fair. Much to her single mother's chagrin, Austin joins the Future Farmers of America in school and finds herself with a new group of friends -- including Sundi Knutt, the reigning parade sweetheart. And with the help of her new buddies and a little magic from Charles Dickens, Austin just might transform her life after all.

Jill S. Alexander's The Sweetheart Of Prosper County is a glimpse of life for one teenage girl struggling with the grief she feels over losing her father years before and her desire to become something more than what she is: a quiet, almost-friendless loner who spends her time working at her mother's hardware shop or hanging out with Maribel, her best friend. Her rooster, a gift from a local Creole man named Mr. Bourdreaux, adds a new dimension to her otherwise sheltered existence -- and working toward entering Charles Dickens in the county fair gives her a goal.

While I liked Austin and wanted her journey toward happiness and self-esteem to go well, I can't say that I particularly connected with her -- or any of Alexander's characters. Austin's rationale for joining the FFA, raising her rooster and striving toward becoming sweetheart is all about finding acceptance, but I didn't feel like she really wanted to change . . . that she was actively striving to become a stronger person. Somehow, the plot felt thin -- and it didn't take long for me to become frustrated with Austin, who consistently did what her grieving mother asked her not to do -- and I felt sad for her mother Jeannie, too. But not sad enough that I cared for them beyond merely reading about their lives in a book.

The novel is fast-paced and a very quick read; I finished it in just a few hours, and I'm happy to have read it. Fans of Southern fiction and small-town settings will find Big Wells, Texas charming and quaint, and the setting helped keep my interest. Those love coming-of-age stories with a touch of romance will find something to enjoy here, too.

I should note that my views on the story have been shaped by reading so many other excellent coming-of-age young adult novels recently, and it's too bad for The Sweetheart Of Prosper County that I read Robin Brande's Fat Cat right after it -- and just before writing this review. Because if you're looking for a transformative, powerful and unbelievably entertaining read, Fat Cat takes the cake. This Sweetheart can only stand in the shadows.

Fifteen year old Austin lives in Big Wells, Texas. She wants to be the Sweetheart of the no-Jesus Christmas Parade and be a hood ornament on the lead car. There’s a problem, though. She’s not as pretty or well-endowed as the current Sweetheart, Sundi Knutt. Actually, she’s pretty flat, no curves. Also, she’s sort of an outsider. Plus, she hasn’t won any ribbons at the Prosper County Fair…a requirement for Sweetheart.

So, Austin hatches a plan. She decides she’s going to raise a rooster and compete in the fair. She knows her best friend Maribel will support her. She joins the FFA, Future Farmers of America, gets a gorgeous Bantam Rooster and names him Charles Dickens. One problem solved.

Other problems in her life? A major one is Dean Ottmer who razzes her every chance he gets. Austin doesn’t go with the flow. She gets upset. Another one is her mother. Ever since Austin’s father died a few Christmases ago, her mother, Jennie, is over protective and quiet. They don't talk about her father; they don’t celebrate Christmas or her birthday anymore. Other than that, everything’s fine.

Jill Alexander’s debut novel, The Sweetheart of Prosper County is cute. The people are cute. The town is cute. The action is cute. Even the rooster is cute. Even the bad guys are cute. It's just too cute for my taste. Alexander, who lives in Texas, gives us a bird’s eye view of life in small-town rural Texas. The book follows Austin from one Christmas parade to the next. She ponders things as they arise: Sundi’s confidence, the meaning of Maribel’s quinceanera, her mother’s silence regarding her father.

While The Sweetheart of Prosper County is a nicely written book, the story is too pat. One inconsistency which bothered me was that Austin didn't know anybody in the FFA but the minute she got Charles Dickens, the entire FFA became her friends. Does that really happen in farm country?

This book that’ll make you smile. So, if you’ve got a free afternoon and feel like reading a feel-good book, I’d suggest The Sweetheart of Prosper County. Yee-haw!!!!!½

I really enjoyed this sweet and heartwarming book story; Austin is a great character who definitely tugs at the reader's heartstrings. Her quest to find acceptance through her town's annual Christmas parade leads her on a journey of discovery that ultimately helps move her life forward in wonderful and unexpected ways. I thought the relationship between Austin and her mother was compelling, especially given the loss of her father in a freak accident years ago; Austin's attempts to become more popular help bring her mother through the final stages of the grieving process. The themes of friendship, bullying, and even first love are sensitively handled by Alexander. My only complaint is that the book felt a bit light; it was short and sweet but could have been further fleshed out to make a longer deeper book that would have revealed more about Austin to the reader. Great read; highly recommended.

15-year-old Austin Gray is tired of being a nobody, of always being made fun of by her classmate, Dean Ottmer. She decides that the only way for her to be elevated above the taunts is to become a “sweetheart” in their Texas town’s annual Christmas parade, actually taking part and being looked up to.

With the help of some new and old friends, Austin sets about obtaining the qualities she needs to be sweetheart material: she raises a rooster named Charles Dickens, tries her hand at hunting, and befriends junior members of the Future Farmers of America, who include the former FFA sweetheart and a sweet, cute budding cowboy. Part of Austin’s journey to become sweetheart, however, means convincing her overprotective mother, who is still mourning the death of Austin’s dad many years ago, to let her grow a little.

I’m always on the lookout for books featuring farm, rural, small-town, or Southern fresh-faced girls, but THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY blows the competition right out of the water. The people of this quirky small town in Prosper County are funny, charming, and absolutely unforgettable.

The characters steal the show for this super sweet book. Austin is a relatable protagonist, with her desires to not be made fun of, to step out of the crowd and be a winner for once. Her actions may cause us to cringe, remembering the bad decisions we made as an uncertain teen, but ultimately Austin pulls through and becomes a character to fall in love with.

The plot is equal parts gut-achingly funny and poignant, the plot of THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY is sure to satisfy. Along with a group of interesting and well-developed friends, Austin navigates the slightly absurd process of achieving a sweetheart nomination. The result is a fun, fast-paced story that loses none of its sweetness or credibility.

All in all, I adored THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY. Austin makes a fantastically believable and lovable protagonist, and the plot and supporting characters live up to the main character’s strength as well. This is a fantastic pick if you love funny, small-town Southern charm reminiscent of Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s Dairy Queen series. Check it out!½

When almost fourteen year old Austin Gray was in the third grade, her father died in an auto accident. Her overprotective mother doesn’t talk about him, but his death hangs between the two of them.

Now that she’s in high school, Austin is having trouble with the high school bully. Austin says:

"I just couldn’t get out from under Dean Ottmer’s smothering insults and constant harassment. I didn’t need for him to like me; I just needed for him to shut up. Chestless, Stork, AustiNK. What other people say is not supposed to matter, but the truth is, it does."

While Austin’s at the annual Christmas parade, she decides that being a “hood ornament” (riding on a car in the parade) will be the answer to all of her problems. She determines that the best way to do this is to become the FFA Sweetheart. She signs up for FFA and asks for a chicken for Christmas, so she can win a ribbon at the County Fair. Along the way, she gains some confidence, helps her mother come to terms with her grief and discovers the value of true friendship.

The Sweetheart of Prosper County is a delightful coming-of-age story by Jill S. Alexander. Austin is a fantastic character – she has her insecurities and wants to fit in, yet she doesn’t want to hurt her mother. She’s a good, but not perfect kid – she stretches the truth with her mother a few times. In other words, she’s real. A lot of people will be able to relate to Austin and the problems she has dealing with the bully. I also thought the bully, Dean, was a great character. I think we all knew someone like him in high school – obnoxious but popular, and no one can understand why. The story is good, too and I liked the way Austin and her mother worked out their problems. The Sweetheart of Prosper County is classified as YA, but I think it will appeal to readers of all ages.

This has got to be one of the darn cutest, wholesome books I've read in awhile. I'm not sure if I've read anything like it! It just worked for me! I really don't have any complaints! It really has all that you could ask for, family, friends, a stupid bully, a touch of romance, eccentric town folks, and a rooster named Charles Dickens! I wish I could have visited this town!

I loved Austin Gray, she loves her momma, misses her daddy and just wants to get through high school without being picked on by bully Dean. She sees all the sweethearts in the parade pay him no mind and she decides that's the way she can finally stick it to Dean. To do so she'll need to join FFA (the Future Farmers of America) and also care for an animal for the purpose of showing him. The animal she picks is a rooster and oh boy does he come to life on the page! I loved Charles Dickens the rooster!

Before Austin decides to go out of FFA she had a friend named Maribel who is very confident in herself and never lets anyone's taunts get her done. While Austin makes some new friends in FFA she never abandons her friendship with Maribel and I just love that. It shows that while maybe your interests change and evolve a bit doesn't mean you have to leave your old friends behind for new ones. The friends she make in FFA are very kind to Austin and show her the ropes a bit and also help her out a bit with Dean! Sundi the past sweetheart is especially memorable.

Another memorable character is a boy that's an Elvis Performance Artist, as he puts it. He adds a great bit of humor and also classic manners to the story. Another character I really liked was Mr. Boudreaux who watches out for Austin and her momma. This story had a great cast of characters.

Overall a great book with a lot of heartwarming moments and also some good fun!½