Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison - Review

I really wanted to love Sign Me To Sleep, I loved reading the synopsis, I mean a love story with a music theme? Not to mention, I know what it's like feeling like the "beast," in high school, I was excited to be part of an ARC tour to read it.

Here's the synopsis -

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.

Doesn't it sound good?

But, now that I have read it, I feel like there must really be something wrong with me...I did not love Sing Me To Sleep, I did not even really like it.

I felt like it was a bit hard to read, it seemed like the writing was disjointed, sort of like you might write thoughts, never really complete sentences, just fragments. Sadly it distracted from the story so much that I could never really fall in love with any of the characters.

Also, the whole transformation thing...wow that got outta hand I think – girls today have so much on there plate, and so early! Already my 10 year old is dealing with it – I can't imagine why we would go this far with a teenager to "bring out her beauty." I mean, some make-up, a new hair cut, a change a cloths – yes, I can see that – but going as far as "procedures" and such, for me it just felt like to much. Though thankfully, after the transformation Beth does not go from feeling like a freak to feeling like she's the most beautiful girl in the world, she's still quiet insecure about herself, and has to learn to over come that – I hope girls reading this book will take a hard look at that, “procedures” may help the way you look outside but, only loving yourself can make you truly beautiful.

Derek and Beth's relationship was also hard for me to read, can you say controlling? Though, I guess looking back one could say that Edward very much controlled Bella, and I love that story, but something about there relationship just really threw me for a loop, and rubbed me the wrong way...maybe it was because I really was hoping Scott would win out in the end, after all it is he that loves her from the very beginning, never once thinking she's the “Beast” and loving her for who she is not what she looks like. I do think that Derek's big secret might explain some of the reason's of why he acted the way he did, I don't see that as an excuse.

The only real character that I liked was Scott, even though he's not IN most of the book, but from the very beginning I felt in love with him just a bit, he's the sweet, caring boy next door that looks beyond the outside...though for me he was a bit of a stretch, I never knew any teenage boys like him.

One other thing that I did like, was the peppering of song lyrics sprinkled though out the book, I thought they added a fun little twist, and reminded me of me...I tend to make up songs a lot, so they, for me defiantly added to the story.

Bottom Line – For me, Sing Me To Sleep was a disappointment – I really wanted to love it, I wish I could have. Please read some of the other reviews, lots of people love this one – here's just a few -
The Undercover Book Lover, Smart Girls Read and Katie's Book Blog.
And try it for yourself, hopefully you will like it much better than I did. I give Sing Me To Sleep 2 mushrooms, because in the end, it did keep me engaged enough to keep reading.

Sing Me To Sleep
Written by: Angela Morrison
320 Pages
Published: March 4, 2010
Publisher: Razorbill

I was provided this ARC via International Book Tours, for my honest review.