Blog Tour: What Matters Most by Melody Carlson

Summary
Maya’s Green Tip for the Day: Recycled fashion is one of the most fun ways to go green. A pair of jeans could be transformed into a denim skirt. A sweater into a vest. A bunch of old ties into a dress. A blanket into a poncho. Accessorize it in new way–with beads, buttons, appliqués, buckles, stencils, or ribbons…your imagination is only the limit. (65 words)

Sixteen-year-old Maya Stark has a lot to sort through. She could graduate from high school early if she wants to. She’s considering it, especially when popular cheerleader Vanessa Hartman decides to make her life miserable–and Maya’s ex-boyfriend Dominic gets the wrong idea about everything. To complicate matters even more, Maya’s mother will be released from prison soon, and she’ll want Maya to live with her again. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. And when Maya plays her dad’s old acoustic guitar in front of an audience, she discovers talents and opportunities she never expected. Faced with new options, Maya must choose between a “normal” life and a glamorous one. Ultimately, she has to figure out what matters most.

My Thoughts
This was the last book in a series. While I did enjoy it I probably would have gotten more out of it if I had read the other books first. Maya is an interesting and sometimes complex character, especially for a teenager. She has to deal with typical high school angst which can be hard enough but then to add her mother's situation and her own desire to be a musician she definitely had a full plate. She is determined to make her dreams come true. I did like the format of her story and how it was told in journal entries. I also thought Maya's Green Tip For The Day was a great addition to the end of each chapter. After reading this book I would be interested in reading more from the series.


Author
Melody Carlson has published over ninety books for adults, children, and teens, with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards, including the Gold Medallion and the RITA Award.


Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for a review copy of this book. This was part of a blog tour for last week but because of my computer problems I'm late getting this posted. So sorry for the delay!

How to purchase
Author's website