Revenge Of A Band Geek Gone Bad by Naomi Rabinowitz Blog Tour and Giveaway

Revenge Of A Band Geek Gone Bad
Author: Naomi Rabinowitz
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release Date: October 8, 2012

Summary:
Shy, overweight Melinda Rhodes' sophomore year of high school isn't going so well. Her own mother mocks her weight. Her pants split in the middle of school, earning her the nickname, "Moolinda." She then loses first chair flute in band to Kathy Meadows, her pretty and popular nemesis.

Her luck changes when she catches the eye of Josh Kowalski, a rebellious trumpet prodigy and class clown. Josh has also been hurt by Kathy and asks Melinda to help take Kathy down. Mel figures that she has nothing to lose ... and Josh is adorable with gorgeous blue eyes and a winning smile. She agrees to team up with him and looks forward to finally getting back at her rival.

At first, the pair's pranks are silly, and as they work together, Mel comes out of her shell. Even better, she finds herself falling for Josh and it appears as if he might feel the same way about her.

However, their schemes become more and more dangerous and Mel is surprised to discover her dark side. Just how far will she go to get what she wants -- and is Josh really worth the risk?

My Thoughts:
From start to finish Revenge Of A Band Geek Gone Bad is charming, adorable and reminds you of just how hard high school can be. Days when nothing goes right and it feels like the whole world is against you.

Mel is a great character. I think we can all see a little bit of ourselves in her. She stresses over clothes, diets, school, boys... you know all the normal high school stuff. Plus, she has her very own group of tormentors. When fellow band member Josh approaches Mel about putting Kathy, one of those tormentors in her "place" she loves the idea but also has reservations. Mel is basically a really sweet girl that  feels like she has been pushed too far and is ready to push back. 

Josh's personality is big, no really it's huge! He is one of those guys that seems really self assured. He's super talented and he knows it. He's a clown and he really enjoys rebelling. He feels like he also has a score to settle with Kathy and he wants Mel's help to settle it. 

Watching these two get to know each other and seeing how they bring out the good and bad in each other is really fun. Naomi Rabinowitz does an incredible job of writing believable character interactions. The conversations they have flow beautifully and never felt contrived. I really enjoyed reading Revenge Of A Band Geek Gone Bad and highly recommend it to readers that enjoy YA Contemporary novels. As far as language or adult themes this book is pretty tame. There is a scene that includes underage drinking and there is some making out but nothing overly graphic. 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Naomi Rabinowitz has always loved being creative. Raised in Nesconset, NY -- a suburb on Long Island -- she was introduced to the arts at an early age. Her mother, Joyce, is a pianist; her father, Melvin, plays piano and guitar; her grandmother, Esther, was a talented knitter; her late grandfather, Morris, was a violinist; her late great uncle, Sid Robin, was a well-known jazz musician, who penned the lyrics to the popular big band hit, "Undecided."

Naomi's parents, who were both teachers, frequently took her to museums and concerts. During their summers off, her family traveled. By the time she was 15, Naomi had been to several European countries, as well as China, Japan, Israel, Egypt, Russia and Mexico.

Naomi's love for writing emerged when she was in the second grade and her poem, "The Four Seasons," won first prize in a local literary competition. She became interested in journalism in junior high when her English class was selected to write for Newsday's "Kidsday" column. 

She had as much passion for music. Though she began playing piano when she was three, she switched to her "true" instrument, the flute, when she was nine and eventually added tenor sax and clarinet to her list so that she could play in jazz band. She performed in almost every musical group from wind ensemble to orchestra (but never marching band!). In 2008, she released her jazz album FLUTE PATH.

Naomi received a B.A. in English from Binghamton University and an M.A. in magazine journalism from Syracuse University. From 1998-2012, she worked as a reporter/editor for national TV magazine Soap Opera Digest.

These days, Naomi writes, plays jazz flute and designs jewelry for her businesses Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations. She lives in Queens, NY with her husband, Jonathan, and their cat, Maya.

LINKS:

*Book purchase link on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NNXUJI

* Blog: naomirabinowitzauthor.blogspot.com

* Facebook: www.facebook.com/naomirabinowitzauthor

* Twitter: @NaomiRDesigns

Giveaway

Naomi will be giving away a CD of flute music, and a pair of hand-made earrings to one randomly drawn commenter on the tour. Check out other tour stops for more chances to win!