Josie was kind of a big deal in high school. She sang the lead in all the musicals and her drama teacher convinced her that she could make it on Broadway. But life in New York is harder than senior year in Arizona, and the directors weren't casting her for any parts. So she took a job as a nanny and moved with the child and her mother to Montana. Isn't that what everyone does when their life falls apart? Okay, maybe not. As things continue to spiral out of control...best friend having a great time in college and not always available with a shoulder to cry on, boyfriend acting distant and not answering his phone, mom no help at all, credit card bills to pay...Josie just wants to feel in command of her destiny again. So when a book recommended by the sales clerk at the local bookstore actually pulls her into the story and lets her become a character, is it a mental breakdown or magic?
The sense of life spiralling out of control is familiar to many of us, even in the teen years. Trying to decide on college and career, friend and dating drama, money problems, it can all add up. But imagine that combined with the gut-wrenching fear that you have peaked in high school and it is all downhill from there. Somehow, becoming the lead character in a tawdry romance or a post-apocalyptic adventure might seem tempting, especially if you can use your will power to steer the course of the story and affect its outcome. It might even be tempting enough to make you want to stay in the story permanently.
As we read along and watch Josie floundering to figure things out, we want her to make all the right choices and stay in the real world to face her fears. Somewhere along the way, we realize that we have been pulled into the story - Josie's story. And we don't want to leave it until we know how it will end.
Be prepared to read this in one sitting.
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