Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson

About the Book:

From Dancing with the Stars runner-up and Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson comes a fun novel about two teenage girls from different backgrounds and opposite lifestyles who discover there is more to friendship than meets the eye.

Sixteen-year-old A.J. Smith, born and raised in backwoods Tennessee, loves nothing more than repairing broken cars with her father and hanging out with her brothers and their friends. Not far away in the busy city of Nashville, Kate Kelly is always dressed in the latest fashion, wearing clothes from her mother’s boutique and jetting around the world with her father.

When A.J. starts going to the school Kate attends, they instantly dislike each other. But as the year progresses, Kate’s brother Val is drawn to A.J., and when prom comes around, he asks her to be his date—much to his sister’s displeasure.

But Kate has bigger things to think about, including the reality show Real Life. Everyone says the show is her chance to make it big. But then the producers decide to bring A.J. into the show. As the producers of Real Life try to stir up the drama, Kate’s idea of the perfect prom spins out of control.

When Kate’s life goes disastrously wrong, it is A.J. who steps up to help—no questions asked. A friendship between the two girls just might grow—but only if they both live original and stay true to whom God made them to be.

In Life Just Got Real Sadie Robertson inspires teens to find the value God has placed inside us all and to live with confidence and purpose in a very complicated world.

My Thoughts:

In the interest of full disclosure, allow me to begin with the fact that I received an advance copy of "Life Just Got Real" from a sweetheart and a publicist (Hi, Jeane!) on behalf of Howard Books.  Now for my disclosure...

...oh, you thought THAT was it??  Oh, no, no, no.  MY disclosure is this:  I devour every single book written by a Robertson as soon as I can have one in hand, I was glued to a television reality show that I truly dislike, all for the sake of watching a true original perform (she was just the best, wasn't she??), and I love the Robertson family so much I wish I could be in their family (as long as I didn't have to clean any squirrels--but frog legs--YUM!)

So, when I saw Miss Sadie had dipped her toe into the world of young adult fiction with her very first signature 'Live Original Novel", I had to take a peek.  And I wasn't above begging for a copy!  I'd read her previous book, non-fiction, and loved it.  Sadie Robertson talks the walk and walks the talk--a definite original.

But, can this Original girl write fiction??

Oh, yes she can!  And I'm glad she did!  The characters are true to life and fully three dimensional teens struggle to make a mark in this big, crazy world.  Personally, I think the back cover copy gives a little too much away, but I'd rather have too much than not enough.

With her experience in public speaking, her persona on national television, her new experience on a reality show, and a rock solid faith in Christ, Sadie was perfectly positioned to start a series of books that illustrate the Live Original life while engaging the reader via fiction.

Ever love a book so much you make yourself  Read. Very. Slowly. To. Make. It. Last. As. Long. As. You. Can?  Yeah, that was pretty much me with "Life Just Got Real".  I'm looking forward to more 'Live Original' novels from a TRUE Original and inspiring young woman of God--Sadie Robertson--please do not let me be disappointed, Miss Sadie!

Lest you think I'm just being a fangirl and it's all gush, gush, gush, allow me to offer my critique of "Life Just Got Real".  I didn't like Sadie as the cover model for both girls--something about it gave me pause, almost like it wasn't "serious" fiction.

Believe me...while written with wit and humor--this is serious fiction that is desperately needed in today's cookie-cutter, group mind think culture we're living in.  Take this story and pair it with Sadie's real life example of being your true self in Christ and you've got a powerhouse of a book series.

So, that was my one major critique...oh, wait.  Forgot something...

The opening chapters need to be stronger in the next book.  The first two chapters about A.J. read a little rough--kind of like an essay or a short story for English class.  But no worries!  It didn't take very long at all for this Live Original Girl!  Miss Sadie found her stride and with the assistance of a bit more top-notch editing, I'm sure she will grow as a writer--not that she has much room to get to the top of her fiction game, mind you.

So, my thanks to my friends at Howard Books for my advance copy which I didn't even have to beg for that much, in exchange for an honest (and apparently very long winded review--but did you SEE the back cover copy?!?  And it's Miss Sadie Robertson, the Live Original member of America's first family, in my humble opinion). 

Highly, highly recommended...and keep watch for Sadie's original devotion book for teens coming soon titled--guess what--A Live Original Devotion!  Personally, I can hardly wait!

Happy Reading!





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