Undercover
by Beth Kephart
Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, Elisa ghostwrites love notes for the boys in her school. But when Elisa falls for Theo Moses, things change fast. Theo asks for verses to court the lovely Lila—a girl known for her beauty, her popularity, and a cutting ability to remind Elisa that she has none of these. At home, Elisa's father, the one person she feels understands her, has left on an extended business trip. As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father won't bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take center stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theo's friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisa's ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family.
The first things I must say about the book is I really love the tie to literature in this book. Elisa is a poet and helps boys win the hearts of their dream girls by writing for them. Unfortunately, the one boy who keeps coming back for more poems to keep his popular girlfriend is the one she falls for. And let me tell you, Theo's girlfriend Lila is not a girl to mess with. She is the ultimate evil popular girl, ready to do whatever it takes to keep her life exactly the way she likes it.
I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this book. I could relate a bit to the character as a girl who always observed love, but never really got it until Theo came along. There are some other themes - such as her parents becoming separated - that really help the novel become more than just a silly romance.
One of the best audiobooks I've listened to in a while. I think the actress's voice was perfect for Elisa and she did a great job of changing it up for the various other characters.
5/5 Roses
Pretty cover!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad you liked it...sounds really good:D
ReplyDeleteAnother blogger read this recently and really liked it. Beth is an amazing writer so I can only imagine how wonderful this book is.
ReplyDeleteI had seen a play of Cyrano de Bergerac on TV and loved it. I can't wait to read this. It's already on my wishlist. Glad you liked it so much.
ReplyDelete~Briana :D
I like the cover!
ReplyDeleteAnd a she-Cyrano sounds interesting...
Sounds good. Might just have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteA YA Cyrano de Bergerac, sounds good
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of this book before. Or I might of and just forgot. Anyways - it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI like the cover too. Thanks for the review. I'll have to check this out.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first review I have read for this and it sounds great. I will have to check this out sometime in the near future. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI guess I should try audio books sometimes, it really does sounds good. WOuld give mye eyes a break!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of commuting in the future, so am on the look out for audiobooks. I'd like to thank you for reviewing an audiobook it's useful to us commuters!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of this book before and it sounded really awesome! I'll have to put it higher on my TBR list now that I've read your review.
ReplyDelete~The Book Pixie
ReplyDeleteI am with you there. Always nive to see classics dusted off.
For some reason reading the summary of this book made me think of Boy Meets World. I think something like that happened on an episode or maybe I'm just crazy.
ReplyDelete