Double Take Review: Cara

When this book arrived in the mail, I wasn't sure if my daughter would even find Double Take interesting. Maybe because she enjoyed Kathleen Fuller's Amish mysteries for YA, she scooped this one up practically before I could get it out of the envelope. A day later she handed it back to me asking where the next one is. I think this is only the first of many Melody Carlson books my gal will inhale. 

The plot has a Prince and the Pauper feel to it as two divergent kids swap places. I also enjoyed the Parent Trap overtones of swapped lives. Both are sick of their lives. Both want a change. And the life the other leads sounds too good to be true. Does reality match the expectations of their new lives? You'll have to read the book to find out. While you do, you'll find characters that keep you engaged thrust into situations neither is prepared to handle. Just one week and both realize maybe the grass isn't so much greener on the other side of the fence. When I asked my daughter why she liked the book so much, she said it was because every kid has felt like these girls -- like they want a different life.

This book is a great addition to our YA library and we will definitely by buying any similar books from Melody. I'm so glad this option was available and one my daughter enjoyed so much.

More about the book: Bestselling author Melody Carlson takes readers into the worlds of a socialite and an Amish girl struggling with who they are in Double Take. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could switch your life with someone else for just one day? Readers will live the one-week experiences of a bored Amish girl and stressed out socialite when they decide to switch places in Double Take.  

Spring break has arrived. It’s her senior year, and Madison VanBuren is fed up with her surroundings and the pressures of life. Stressed out over choosing an Ivy League school that will please her parents, their marital problems, and her boyfriend's pressure, Madison gets in her car and drives west.

Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Anna Fisher wants to escape the so-called simple life--which for her consists of caring for younger siblings, sewing, cooking, and gardening--and she's well aware that her future will simply be more of the same with a man she doesn't love.

Madison and Anna stumble into each other in a small town. Realizing their looks are uncannily similar, they both think their lives are boring. Thinking the grass is greener on the other side, they make a decision that will transform them forever and switch lives for one week.

Readers will love this funny and provocative tale of switching places from bestselling author Melody Carlson. As they get a glimpse and understanding of these two very different worlds. They may find themselves happy to be just who they are, and where they are.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling books, Christmas at Harrington’s and The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and several books which  are being considered for TV movies. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

Looking for YA titles? Books my 10 y.o. has enjoyed...

A Summer Secret is an Amish title is intended for the Y.A. audience; however, my 10 y.o. daughter inhaled this book and book two. I wasn't sure if my daughter would join those who love Amish books, but she really enjoyed this story.

Here's what she says: A Summer Secret is about Mary Beth Mullet, a 13 y.o. with a twin brother and two younger brothers. Mary Beth had a special place in an old barn she was forbidden to go to by her parents. This barn has holes and rotting wood and is just a mess, but it's the only place Mary Beth can have time by herself. One day when she goes into her special place, she sees that one of the corners of her journal is dog-eared. She gets suspicious that one of her brothers has been reading it. A Summer Secret is very detailed. It goes back and forth between Mary Beth's perspective and the mystery person's perspective. There's a little mystery that Mary Beth has to solve. The person looks horrible but won't tell Mary Beth anything. I enjoyed this book very much and will read more by this author.

The second book in the series, The Secrets Beneath, let's Rebekah Yoder take center stage. She is a very curious girl. Since her favorite books are Nancy Drew, she's always ready for a new mystery. Then a mystery comes to Midfield and she decides to figure it out along with the reluctant assistance of her cousin Amanda. My ten year old really enjoyed the first book. And she dove right in to this title. She enjoys these books because at every break it jumps to a different character's perspective. According to my daughter, the mystery could have used a little more intensity (this made me smile), but she still enjoyed the book very much. She's a Nancy Drew fan and in her words used to a little more suspense. My daughter loved the characters and that's what kept her coming back. Still she read it in a few days and can't wait for the next one to release.