Skip to main content

Lucky Fools by Coert Voorhees


Lucky Fools
Author: Coert Voorhees:
Publication: July 10, 2012
By: Hyperion 
3.5 Stars!

David Ellison dreams of acting at Julliard, but he's expected to attend nearby Stanford University, just like all of his classmates at hard-driving Oak Fields Prep. As if wasting his private school education weren't enough, David is also on track to destroy his relationship with his girlfriend, Ellen, when he finds himself falling for his new co-star, Vanessa.

With David's Julliard audition approaching, and his relationship teetering on the brink of disaster, Oak Fields is thrown into chaos as a mysterious prankster begins attacking the school's highest achievers, determined to sabotage their college aspirations. Anyone who excels is a potential target, and David, the star of every play, could be next.

From the author of the highly praised The Brothers Torres comes a dangerously insightful book about enduring the pressures of high school, surviving the ins and outs of love, and fighting for your dreams, no matter what.


I was really looking forward to this for several reasons, it's a male POV, it has to do with the theater - something I've always loved and wish I'd had enough confidence to pursue further in college and because it looked like a great read.

It's well written and while the story ebbs and flows in places, the characters are interesting.  David Ellison, the MC is the school's theater star with the long-time girlfriend, Ellen, who has his sights set on Julliard.  His parents want him to have a back-up plan just in case Julliard doesn't work out but David doesn't really see the point. He's a decent enough guy but he's also slightly egotistical and his attitude doesn't begin to change until a series of anonymous attacks on his fellow students begin to take place.  These mysterious attacks are done by someone who calls themselves, "The Artist" whose intent is to take out the school's most promising students by tarnishing their reputations.

Ellen, David's girlfriend is smart, pretty and loyal, almost to a fault but I had a hard time with their relationship. It lacked any kind of romance for me and I'm not sure if that's because he seemed so focused on himself and his infatuation with his costar Vanessa or because there weren't many opportunities for them to be alone.  Vanessa didn't impress me either and I felt like David was more enamored with her than he should've been; something Ellen and his sister Lisa tried to warn him about.  Colten was refreshing and funny, albeit quirky but good for David nonetheless.

As David's Julliard audition approaches, the pressure begins to build making him doubt whether he's good enough, not just for the school of his dreams but for the stage at all.  It doesn't help matters that his feelings for Vanessa, his beautiful co-star are growing harder to deny each day and causing more problems in his relationship with Ellen.  Before David can say, "Break a leg!', his real life becomes more dramatic than any play he's ever performed in and once again, he's got the starring role, one he doesn't remember auditioning for.  

As his life begins to slowly unravel, leaving David to wonder how things could possibly get any worse, "The Artist" strikes one final blow.  David will learn who his real friends are and what matters most.  He'll also learn the true meaning of success.  Is it measured in the amount of fame one receives?  How much money one makes?  What other people think or is it how YOU feel about yourself and the career you've chosen to pursue?  Ultimately, David will have to decide if following a dream is worth the risk of failure or of not ever knowing because you never tried.

My favorite quote comes from a conversation David has with his drama teacher...

"My point is that the second-the second-you start basing your definition of success on what other people think, you've lost.  If you know what you want, and you're doing everything you can control, then it doesn't matter who tells you that you suck or how privileged you are or how normal your childhood was; your self-worth is safe no matter what happens." ~ Big Pro



 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Best Of 2012 Blog Hop

  Thanks for stopping by Jenuine Cupcakes! 2012 has been an epic reading year for me and wh ile h aving to choose the BEST of anything is never easy , I pre sent you with a sampling of my Best of 2012. (You'll notice, I've made up a few of the categories to fit my needs but all of these books are fantastic . ) Best Fantasy Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo Best Dystopian/Sequel/People Forgot The MC Was Grieving Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth Best Sci-Fi /A ction /Made Me Beat My Husband U p I n My Sl eep False Memory ( F alse Memory #1) by Dan Krokos  Best Dystopian/Sci-Fi Mashup /I Sa w The Other Hot Boy First Defiance by C.J. Redwine        Best P sychological Thriller /This Book Might Kill Me Be fore It Ends The Evolution of Mara Dyer (M ara Dyer #2) by Michelle Hodkin Best Scared T he Jelly Belly's Out of Me (Because it could happen) Ashen Winter (A shfall #2) by Mi ke Mullins Best Boo

BLOG TOUR: Frazzled by Booki Vivat (GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY)

Meet Abbie Wu! She’s about to start middle school and she’s totally in crisis. Abbie Wu is in crisis—and not just because she’s stuck in a family that doesn’t quite get her or because the lunch ladies at school are totally corrupt or because everyone seems to have a “Thing” except her. Abbie Wu is in crisis always. Heavily illustrated and embarrassingly honest, Frazzled dives right into the mind of this hilariously neurotic middle school girl as she tries to figure out who she is, where she belongs, and how to survive the everyday disasters of growing up. With Abbie’s flair for the dramatic and natural tendency to freak out, middle school has never seemed so nerve-racking! Packed with hilarious black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout, Frazzled takes readers through Abbie Wu’s hysterical middle school adventures. Amazon | B&N   My Thoughts This book is so freaking adorable! I can't wait to see the finished version with all of Booki's (

Best Series Blog Hop hosted by Cuddlebuggery

Welcome to Jenuine Cupcakes Thank you Cuddlebuggery for organizing this Best Series Blog Hop! *cupcakes for everyone* I have quite a few series that I love but the one I chose to spotlight is The Sweet Series by Wendy Higgins.  Why? Because it's unique, entertaining and jammed packed full of awesome! Sweet Evil (Book 1) Author: Wendy Higgins Publication: May 1, 2012  Amazon | B&N  Embrace the Forbidden What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels. Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her te