Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Title: Virtuosity
Author: Jessica Martinez
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Source: Simon and Schuster Galley Grab (Also bought a copy.)

Summary: Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

Review: Virtuosity is pure amazing. I'm going to try and attempt to tell you how much I loved this. No words can describe how Virtuosity affected me.

I immediately connected with Carmen and her awful situation. I think a better thing to say than situation is awful mother. I hated Carmen's mother. She made me shudder every time she came onto the page. Carmen and her struggle absolutely broke my heart. There was no way that I couldn't have not connected with her. She was an outstanding character. What she did will always make her one of the most admirable and strongest girls in YA.

I was so emotionally invested in Virtuosity that it was almost crazy. Carmen's narration had me rooting for her the whole time. It was truly an emotional roller coaster. And a well-written one at that. Martinez knew what she was doing in her debut. I loved the writing.

The anxiety drugs that Carmen took to help her on stage were scary. If I hadn't seen so many good reviews of this I probably would have stayed away because of that aspect. Now I know not to shy away from books that deal with aspects that have the possibility to make me uncomfortable.

Jeremy, the love interest, makes my heart burst with joy. This British boy is just perfect. Carmen's and Jeremy's romance was so real that I could hardly wrap my head around it. I mean it in a totally good way, though.

Virtuosity is a book that you will not want to miss. I read this over two and a half months ago and I still can't forget it. Virtuosity is a book that turned me into a sobbing mess in places but made me smile and laugh in so many other places. I hope to experience that many more times.

Rating: I'd give it a million stars if I could!