Sing Me to Sleep

by Angela Morrison

THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been "The Beast", that's what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth's only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she's selected to be her choir's soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth's choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek's untethered passion, for music, and for Beth, leaves her breathless. Because in Derek's eyes? She's not The Beast, she's The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek's been hiding a dark secret from her that could shatter everything.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Music, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Chick Lit

301 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Award-winning author, Angela Morrison, loves it when characters like Gavin in her debut picture book, ROCKHOUND, wake her up in the middle of the night and whisper their stories to her. She scribbles, listens, and revises until a story is born. When Angela isn't busy writing another tale, she enjoys playing with her grandkids, teaching writers young and old, and scuba diving with sharks. She holds and MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, along with an English BA from BYU. She and her husband live in Peoria, Arizona.

Reviews

[Yin Chien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say that Sing Me To Sleep is one of the best books I’ve read these few years. Angela cleverly weaves a touching, absorbing story about friendship, family, love and life. Sing Me To Sleep makes me see the harsh realities of life, the unyielding power of friendship, and shows us that true love transcends all.

Beth was once an ugly girl who was bullied some mean boys in school. After she received sessions of beauty treatment in order to be presentable as the Bliss’s soloist during the Choral Olympics, she becomes a beauty. Even though we always say that inner beauty is more important, this novel suggests otherwise. Just take Beth as an example, why did she receive such unfair treatments in school? I’m sure you know the answer well.

Beth follows her choir to Switzerland to participate in the competition. There, she meets a mysterious, handsome boy from the Amabile Young Men’s Ensemble, Derek, and falls head over heels for him. Her love for Derek grows stronger and stronger each passing day, just as Derek's love for her.

Ah, Derek! He is gorgeous, talented and confident. Just the type of guy that any girl would fall for. Behind his glorious façade, he hides a terrible secret, and Beth doesn’t know what is it. Angela keeps me interested by making him play ‘hide and seek’ – he accompanies Beth for a day or two, then he disappears for days and weeks. I’m not sure if he is just fooling around with Beth or that he really loves her. He seems…elusive. This makes me want to know about his secret even more.

Another thing I love about this novel is the support and love shown by the Amabile guys. They are like a huge, loving family, always supportive and caring.

Angela Morrison succeeded in delivering an original, touching story through Beth's voice with her wonderful writing. She makes me realize that true love is not about appearance, status and ability, but rather the deep feeling of love, care, affection and willingness to sacrifice for the person you love, because of who he/she originally is.

Towards the end of the story, I cried. Yes, you heard me. I cried. And I used a lot of tissues. The story is heart-wrenching... and everything is so real. Two different feelings mingle into one in my heart. I was heartbroken, but I also felt a tinge of happiness at the same time. Beautiful, poignant, touching and thought-provoking, Sing Me To Sleep is a book not to be missed.

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[oliviasbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

***This review contains some mild spoilers***
This book has been a Christmas present (Thank you, Kim). And that makes not-finishing it pretty impolite (So sorry, Kim). But I also know, that Kim has the same opinion as I have when it comes to reading and pleasure: Spending time with a novel means having fun, means being entertained in the first place to us. And if a book starts to bore, to annoy or to make turning pages hard, there is always the possibility to switch books. I could peruse the question "Is it me or is it the book?". And in many cases I would have to admit: "It's me." But since we are speaking "hobby" here, the consequences would be the same: The book has to go.

I am very grateful for the chance to try this one, though, because:

- The writing is quite good.
- If one likes makeover stories that turn a hideous girl into someone pageant-worthy, "Sing me to Sleep" is perfect fodder. Pre-makeover Beth is described at being so hideous, that the children in the library where she jobs part-time after school are too afraid of her to let her read stories to them (questionable). The bullies at school have coined her as "The Beast" and offer Beth-based pranks for the school's entertainment. Like Mia in the first Princess Diary film, Beth has bushy, wiry hair that hides her scarred, acne-covered face and her thick glasses, which turn her beautiful blue eyes into tiny buttons. I addition Beth is taller than most guys and walks around hunchbacked in order to make her stand out less. Like in other makeover-stories I have read or watched (i.e.: She's out of control) Beth's problems are easily solved by investing some money and by making use of modern cosmetic surgery: The acne gets lasered off permanently (doesn't it return eventually?), the eyes get lasered to perfect vision, the hunch-back gets cured by the resolution to stand straight and the hair gets straightened on a daily basis. And - voilà - Beth is the owner of two surprisingly attractive legs and an impressive bust-line anyhow. Although I do not buy this kind of easy transformation and the bursts of confidence that go with it, I truly enjoyed Beth's new-found self-appreciation and the acceptance and awe of her fellow girls' choir's singers, when Beth reveals her magic power voice to the world. What rubbed me a little wrongly was that Beth didn't know that her best friend Scott actually did see the beauty of her real self all along.
- I liked the choir-centered plot. It doesn't always need to be sports, cheer-leading, rock music etc., does it?

What went horribly wrong and made me chuck the book:

- Beth and Derek meet. I somehow understand that Derek wants to maintain his sexy stud-reputation and craves a normal boy-girl relationship with the girl whose voice made him dream of the girl attached to it and without the emotions and reactions a complete honesty would have stirred up. And I cannot say what kind of teenager I would have been would I have had to deal with his hardships. Still, I get really upset when I get served a manipulative, controlling hero like him. Again and again he tries to influence Beth with unfair means, he makes her feel unsure about his affection, he distances himself, he lies more than he tells the truth. Maybe I even resented clingy and whiny and complying Beth even more. I know this feeling to be wanted and admired is new to her. But does she have to throw away all self-respect and beg - practically on her knees - for a chance to see him although he declined repeatedly?
- Beth, Derek and Scott blather non-stop about about "loving-you-forever", "can't-live-without-you", "running-away-and-having-a-couple-of-kids" and "supporting-a-family". Hell, these kids are 17! I don't deny that the depth of your feelings is not related to age, but eternal love in combination with high-school kids creeps me out in a major way. And I had the sour impression the author was on some kind of mission.
- The love triangle (no need to elaborate). How annoying and how convenient in the end.

I think, will not try another book by the author. I do recommend this book to those who do not mind love-triangles, oppressive heroes, dependent heroines and tearjerkers.

[Lara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know so many people who have read this seem to have LOVED it, but by the end of it all I felt was...confused. There's so much focus on how ugly Beth is at the beginning of the book (like, she SCARES KIDS AT THE LIBRARY ugly--huh???). Really she's just tall and has frizzy hair and acne and giant thick glasses, but people at school treat her like she's some kind of monster freak. Except for her best friend Scott, who is completely in love with her, but since she knows she's a "beast" she doesn't see it.

Okay, though the extent of the teasing and the scaring of kids seemed a little over the top for reality, sure, the part about Scott rang true. I've been there. But what happened next really bothers me. Her choir group forces her to get laser dermabrasion, stuff her bra, wear makeup and flat iron and dye her hair (blonde, of course). And her mom gets her lasik. First of all, why are we STILL under the impression that glasses = ugly? NOBODY suggests, hey, you know they make glasses that are flattering and are not twelve feet thick these days? Maybe we should go check some out! Nope--it's contacts or surgery or walking around blind instead. And bra stuffing? Seriously? UGH. The makeover was way too extreme and way too stereotypical and way too...old fashioned offensive.

So anyway, she gets this extreme makeover and is suddenly HOTT! and then she goes to Switzerland with her choir group and falls in love IMMEDIATELY with this guy who won't tell her anything about himself (but who we can tell is dying withing the first couple of chapters about him). She eventually figures it out, he dies, and then she ends up back with Scott, saying that Derek taught her how to be beautiful (even though really her choir just did an extreme makeover on her) and now she can love Scott.

I could have handled the part of the book about Beth being with Derek and (FINALLY!) learning that he's dying and dealing with that. Or I could have handled the part of the book about her being "SO UGLY!!!" and learning to like herself with Scott. But both? It didn't tie together well for me, and honestly, I didn't feel like Beth ended up growing as a character at ALL. I don't even know what the hell Morrison was trying to say with this thing. I mean, the love story between Beth and Derek was kind of beautiful (although pretty dysfunctional) and mostly well written, but...that just wasn't nearly enough for me. There were too many things that detracted from the poignancy of it for me, the main thing being Beth herself; I just didn't find her very likable. And none of the other characters felt terribly realistic, especially Scott. And then there's the stuff about Beth's weird rare genetic issue that will keep her from having kids...what was the point of all that (other than giving her something to cry about in Switzerland)? The whole thing just felt like too much of a mess.

Beh.

[Eunice · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 of 5 stars

Beth has always been "The Beast" - that's what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth's only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she's selected to be her choir's soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever. When Beth's choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy and fell in love instantly. However there is something Derek is hiding from her, something that could shatter everything.

Okay, I'm getting teary again just by remembering the things I so love about this book. When I started this I never really thought I would be getting seriously emotional, just until the last part, the impact was really hard you wouldn't be able to help it. Even after I read it, Oh my god, I just can't stop crying.

Beth has a really strong personality. She knows what the people in school calls her, she gets hurt and offended but she doesn't let it affect her massively. Instead she thrives with what she's good at, singing. I love how her character developed through out the story, how she gained confidence, how she has come to accept that she can be loved and she can also love someone. And how to let go and move on.

Derek is the kind of character you would instantly fell in love with. He's thoughtful, real and genuine. Everything about him is just so likable. When he and Beth met I was soo into them already. I love them, I love how they love each other, how they are so sweet together, how they care for each other, even how they make out which they do so steamingly hot. LOL. It wasn't even awkward when the issue of sex is brought up.

The last part was heartwarming, moving, touching, and totally heart breaking. Especially the part where Derek asked her to sing him the "Beth's Song" - to sing him to sleep, and at that instant my heart went crashing down. And then I was crying, really crying. I was suddenly so sad because if you get back to the earlier parts you wouldn't see it happening. You would see a total different Derek, a perfect Derek. And the perfect Derek was the once crafted on my mind. And well, I guess will always be the one crafted on my mind.

Everything from that part was just so emotional that it felt so real even though I was just reading it. It felt like I know them all, that I actually bonded with those characters. The emotional impact was just so strong. It hurts. There are only few books that had affected me like this. I only have 2 books on my 'i-cried-over' shelf. And now this one's added. I rarely let myself cry over a book but, Gahd, this one is just...you just wouldn't be able to help it. After reading, I just lay there on my bed looking at the ceiling, working on the 'what ifs' that made me cry even more. No books had ever made me cry this much.

This book is just wonderful. The kind where you'd find yourself fully involved, like you see, feel, taste everything. That in the end you'd find yourself learning lessons and having realization. :))

This review is also posted at Book Overdose

[Mitchii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where should I start? This book is one hell of an emotional ride for me. I laughed, I cringed, I smiled and I cried. And oh boy did I cry, I bawled like a baby. It never happened to me. I tear a little that’s all but this book wrenched my heart. It’s about loving yourself. It’s about family, friends, music, love and most of all it’s about life. I so love this book!

I didn’t expect this book to be this beautiful. I didn’t expect at the end I’ll cry. But man, it pulled out the cry baby in me, the poignant part of me. I’m emotionally attached not only with the characters but the story itself. It was simple, it was nice, and it was true. I felt the author’s emotion pouring in this book, because it made its way to my heart.

Oh gosh, I’m being so emotional, forgive me. I have a very different expectation of the story. While I do get something right off the bat, it was delivered differently. I thought it’s about a girl who isn’t gifted physically but with overflowing talent. I thought it’s about embracing what you are despite your flaws. I thought it’s about music. I thought it’s about people loving for who you are. It was. It really was. But it’s more, it’s better than I could’ve imagined. I’m super glad that it shattered my pre-notions of the book, because what I have in my head was just a plain story. I didn’t expect it to have a soul. I’m glad I didn’t read any reviews because I don’t think I’ll enjoy it as much as I did if I knew what story will be.

I did say it was an emotional ride. I’m in my highest to my lowest. After a few pages in I could feel that I’m about to give a perfect rating. But the middle part came in, and was hesitant if it deserves it. I didn’t like how Beth and Derek’s relationship had formed. It was so desperate, too rushed. Beth was so clingy, and I’m not sure if I’ll accept it knowing it was a whole new experience for her and as much as possible she want to hold on it tightly (although IMO it was suffocating and on the brink of breaking). But once I found out about Derek’s situation and I kinda feel ok with it. Especially now she knows the truth. I already have my suspicions, from him shoving Beth to Scott, him saying things like it was final, and Beth’s physical observation of him. It only led me to one conclusion. But oh man, it still gave me the surprise of my life. Having a hunch, and proving it… it hurts. It was a sad point in the story. I had a heavy feeling inside my chest and I know I’ll end up with a tear or two gushing out.

My favorite part was when Beth sang her song, the one Derek made for her. When she finally fills his music with her words… the right, true words. Truth to be told, when I read the lyrics it didn’t have music, but it still left a great deal of impact on me. It was beautiful if you put everything in perspective. I hope if I read it again, there’ll be music (but if it does I think I’ll be more emotional than I already am). I love that it is full of life and heart.

I don’t think there’ll be a better title—“Sing me to Sleep” it rings so true. It was perfect, it hits home, and it captivated the full essence of the story. The story opened my eyes—that some people live their life despite everything. It made me appreciate mine more. I hope you guys will read it. It’s a wonderful story of life and music. But I do hope you have a tissue nearby because this one will lead you to tears.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Having been in a choir myself, I hoped I could identify with Beth and her experiences in choir. This, however was not the case. Angela Morrison's writing was very pleasant, I'll give her that. Everything else, however, fell a little short.

Beth is described as ugly. She has horrible acne scars, big bushy hair, and she's so tall that she towers over all the guys at her school. However, she conveniently has a gorgeous singing voice which makes her the star of her choir. When her choir enters and wins a competition to go to Switzerland and compete in a huge choir competition, they of course say yes -- and they nomiate Beth as their choice soloist. But, oh no, Beth is ugly! How can this be fixed?

Bam. Some snooty rich girl in choir pays for laser eye correction, skin surgery to remove the scars, and a hair straightener. All of a sudden, Beth is beautiful. The rest of the story is somewhat formulaic -- girl meets beautiful, mysterious boy, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl must be separated, you know how it goes.

Having said that, I was really frustrated with Beth's character. I found her extremely unbelievable when she became "beautiful." I mean, really? A girl who was brutally teased as a teenager is going to suddenly be all flirtatious and awesome when she suddenly turns pretty? I understand that, yes, it would give her a confidence boost, but I also feel like it was somewhat unrealistic the way she acted.

And then Derek. Oh, Derek. He seemed sweet enough at first. But then Beth decided to be super clingy and freak out whenever he's not right at her side. I found their relationship to be kind of weird. Maybe it's because I don't believe in literary relationships that are based on only physical attraction, but I really get this feeling that Beth didn't "love" Derek like she thinks she did. All she did was talk about how hot he was. After all, if Beth had truly loved Derek, would the book have ended the way it did?

Then there were the song lyrics dusted throughout the novel. To me, it made it seem like Angela Morrison was trying way too hard to make Beth seem moody and deep. And speaking of songs, all of the scenes where Beth was singing (namely towards the end where she sings the song with Derek)? I understand that they gave us insight as to how music made Beth feel beautiful and powerful, but they were really awkward to read. Way too... just too. It was strange.

And, of course, the ending. I mean, really? Really, Beth? After your super-mega-hot-perfect boyfriend dies you're going to go and kiss your best friend, whom you've put through the wringer emotionally? Come on. Truthfully, as I was reading the ending, I couldn't believe what Angela Morrison was doing. Maybe it's all some deeper metaphor that is suggesting that relationships are not always as they seem, and Beth couldn't have really loved Derek if she felt the way she did about Scott, but either way, it was awful.

In short, I was really disappointed with this book. I thought I'd like it, after the good reviews I'd seen on here, but it wasn't worth the read. Like I said, Angela Morrison is a promising writer -- I just wish she'd had a better story to tell.

[Judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book...infuriated me, in more than one area. There were so many things that I struggled with in this book, even though I really wanted to love it. I mean I'm a sucker for realistic romances that involve music. I love the idea of Beauty and the Beast reversed.

However *takes deep breath*...
I found Beth really, really trying. She really did have the personality of a "beast" because she was constantly whining, constantly complaining, constantly down on herself. She was just so miserable and make so many excuses for this or that about her life (relating to her father, her looks, etc.). She has a good friend who is always there with her, but she trivializes their relationship. "Oh Scott can't really like me because I am the BEAST", and then alternating between wanting to jump him and then thinking terrible things about herself again. I also found the bullying from the boys really unrealistic, not because I don't think guys are not capable of cruelty, but because she suddenly became **MODEL BEAUTIFUL** after changing her hair and getting laser eye surgery and some sort of freakish laser cosmetic surgery done to her face. I mean...what?

She was described as tall and gangly, but her actions don't really show that. Someone who is supposedly beautiful, but has kind of a beastly slouch, will not automatically become gorgeous simply by changing her appearance. I mean beauty isn't only because you have symmetrical features or highlighted hair, it's also how you carry yourself, how you act and Beth was such a selfish creature that I found myself repulsed by almost everything she did.

(Also, she was so ugly that she scared children? What? It just makes me wonder if the author has even spent time with children, because I don't think they see the world through an adult's version of "beauty". I cannot imagine anyone with acne and thick glasses and being tall can possibly frighten children so much that they are afraid of her unless she has half of her face missing or she is completely terrible to them or something. And then by the end of the book somehow she is "allowed back" to work with the kids. I remember that as a teenager who thought of myself as unattractive, I never "scared" any kids.)

The love triangle bothered me a lot, because Scott and Beth's friendship was almost completely destroyed just because Beth decided to date Derek instead of Scott. Scott's actions, what he says to Beth, the complete emotional manipulation...it's disgusting, especially when he wasn't even there for her throughout the length of Derek's illness. What a terrible friend.

Derek wasn't exactly a model boyfriend either. He wouldn't tell her what was going on with her, and Beth still dated him even though she thought he had a drug habit! And disappeared for weeks at a time! It felt like their relationship wasn't even that deep, and that serious medical illnesses were trivialized for the sake of squeezing a few tears from the reader. It just felt like they constantly made out and there was this physical **connection** that I felt was very fake. There was such a significant part (Derek's illness) missing from their relationship that undermined everything they did together. It was just descriptions of kissing and wanting to kiss Derek and Derek's lips and Beth pushing herself and pushing herself and basically begging for sex. Which is fine for girls to be forward, but I wish that she would just CLUE IN eventually that maybe he has his reasons instead of constantly trying to shove your tongue down his throat.

I also struggled with the idea of Derek being able to perform at such a high level when obviously he is struggling with his illness. Not to say that people with CF are not able to sing extraordinarily, but with someone that heavily medicated and requiring a lung transplant and coughing up blood, the choir superstar part was a little unbelievable.

After I read the ending I just felt...cheap. Derek dies and Beth crawls into Scott's arms and KISSES him? After the funeral? Because Derek "taught her how to love"? Who does that? Who grieves for their dead boyfriend by kissing the guy that your dead boyfriend kept on trying to push you towards because he knew he was going to die? Shouldn't Beth have a few months of grieving, of remembering, of growing and changing, AND THEN maybe pursuing a new relationship? It just seems shallow and superficial.

In the middle of writing this I changed my 2 star rating to 1 star, because I realized how much I didn't like this book thinking about it as a whole and the message that it sends. At least Lurlene McDaniel's novels, how ever cheesy they are, were more touching to me because they didn't rely on makeovers or love triangles for conflict. They actually brought some mistiness to my eyes because of tender moments shared by the main characters or the emotion I felt when one of them passed. Throughout Sing Me To Sleep, I was too bothered by what was happening to even blink an eye at Derek's death.

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were definitely some heartwarming moments in Sing Me to Sleep, and I completely understand how this book could be quite charming for the majority of YA contemporary fans. Therefore, I’m going to equate my indifference for this book to my current mood. See, I think I’m on the precipice of a reading slump, and I don’t want to blame SMtS for what might be a bad book mood.

So, I will start off by saying that I feel the writing and the characters were both sharp and intriguing; and while I struggled with a majority of this 300+ page book, I have to say the last 50 pages of the story really tore at my heartstrings and made the journey to the finish line very much worth it.

There were moments of awkwardness where Beth’s self esteem had me cringing at her thoughts and actions, but the reader can’t really blame her seeing what she went through growing up. So in the end, I felt compassion and sympathy for her moments of insecurity. I thought Scott was your typical too-good-to-be-true boy next door, but there were times where I felt he was a bit too pushy and hard-set on what he felt was best for him and Beth, but overall I have to say I really liked him. Derek was that typical mysterious guy that I have to admit, what took Beth 275 pages to figure out, I knew by their second encounter, but that didn’t make the blow any less painful.

Overall, this book does a good job of grappling themes such as self-esteem, struggles of new love, jealousy, and the pain of wanting something you just can’t have. Pretty good book, that I think would have been great if my mood was in a different mindset.

Thank you Nic for challenging me to read this story that has been sitting on my shelf for over a year and sorry it took me so long to get to it.

[Jasprit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sing me to sleep was one of those books which had been on my wish list for ages, but I just never got the chance to buy. As you can imagine I was ecstatic when I got a copy.

Sing me to sleep is the story of Beth or the “beast” as she refers to herself, she’s always been picked on and ridiculed at school by the school bully’s about her looks. Everything changes when Beth earns herself a solo in her choir group Bliss. The other girls in the choir group take it upon themselves to give Beth a makeover to match her unique voice; she dyes and straightens her hair, gets laser eye surgery and has her scars and acne removed. Beth has never looked this good. Then Beth’s recording of her solo gets their choir group into a contest in Switzerland and that’s where she first meets Derek from the Amabile group. I was literally swooning over Derek; he was so overprotective over Beth, wanted what was best for her and was caring and just so perfect. But he was also really secretive, he was always evading Beth’s personal questions about him. I was dreading finding out the truth about him, as his and Beth’s relationship was heart wrenchingly beautiful.

I’m one of those people that cry over the smallest things, Sing me to sleep was written so poignantly and beautifully that I just couldn’t stop crying.

Once I’d finished Sing me to sleep I wasn’t sure if I could ever pick it up to read again, as it was such a moving and heartbreaking read. If you ever read Sing me to sleep you may find it a little slow to start off with, but then once you get into it you just don’t want to put it down. Sing me to sleep was everything I’d imagined and so much more, it will without a doubt remain one of my favourite reads.

[Angela Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last I can bring you a low-priced Kindle edition of SING ME TO SLEEP. This is a new author edit, complete with the epilogue the powers at Razorbill made me cut. I think you'll agree it finishes Beth, Scott and Derek's tragic tale perfectly.

I've heard from so many SING readers around the world and hope to now hear from many more. I'm thrilled to make it available to more readers at last.

The kindle edition is available at http://www.amazon.com/Sing-me-Sleep-A...

November, 2010

I'm so excited!!! SING ME TO SLEEP is a 2010 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for YA Fiction!! Thank you all so much for making this happen. Please vote and tell the world you did via Tweets, you blogs, and FaceBook. I'm looking around at the other books and others nominated and can't quite believe me and my sweet little book are here. It's a miracle. You guys are all miracles, too. Writing SING was a miraculous blessing, so why am I surprised?

[~Tina~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sing Me to Sleep is a story about a girl named Beth. Her first memory growing up is her father describing her as dame ugly. Growing up, Beth is known as The Beast. Teased and abused by the boys at school just because she's tall, facial scars and coke bottle glasses. Her fathers words rings true, she believes those words...dame ugly, the Beast, no one will ever love her, but, she can sing, really sing, and it's beautiful...

This book is..Beautiful!

Sing Me to Sleep really hit me hard, it's filled with so much raw emotion that it hurt to keep reading, and hurt to stop. I was overwhelmed a lot of the time and found myself walking away, getting frustrated and crying like a baby. Maybe it hit harder cause I'm not use to these kinds of reads, so when I read a story with this much power, I tend to overly feel.

Self Esteem is the biggest problem with most kids/teenagers, it can either make you or break you.
Sing me To Sleep is about that issue, but it's so, so much more.
It's about love, and how that love can save a person's soul and ultimately how beautiful a person real is when they believe.

With the theme set to Beauty and the Beast, Angela Morrison writes a unique and touching plot that will steal your heart away.
I've never meet more real and intense characters in a story. And while some may think that the romance is to strong at first, I for one think Angela got it right on. This.was.such.a.gorgeous.love.story.

I felt really connected to Beth, I felt nervous, frightened, swooned, frustrated, alone, wanting, hating, loving and losing. I even got goose bumps when she sang, Beth is an extremely well written character.
I loved Scott, a true best friend through thick and thin. His determination and will is both amusing and enlightening. Every single soul needs someone like him and I was so happy that Scott was hers.
Derek, ah, where to start with a character that is so amazingly wonderful? Derek loves with his whole soul, he's gorgeous, talented and says things to make you melt like butter. Which I did. He's living his life large with an edge you can appreciate given his circumstances, like Beth you can't help but fall in love with him.

Sing me to sleep is heart warming, breathtaking and ever so heart breaking. If your anything like me-- Tissues. Lots of tissues. You've been warned.
I walked away from this book with tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat and a total awe of satisfaction.
The dedication memory at the very end was a tender touch, it made the story so much more real and effected me even harder.

A moving masterpiece that has touched my heart and soul.
An absolute beauty of a read!

[Melanchallina · Rating 1 out of 5]

У вас почти получилась Анджела. Почти….

Я хочу сказать вы взяли отличную идею, историю, но совершенно испортили ее главной героиней. Признаться, мне сложно вспомнить хоть одну книгу, где героиня была бы столь же эгоистичной и глупой, как в данной книге.

Я хочу сказать… эй… одна вечерняя прогулка по городу и уже столь невероятная любовь? Нет, правда?

Бет… она была ужасна. У меня было ощущение, что она непросто влюбилась в Дерека, а решила вцепиться в него, вгрызлась словно бульдог.

«Ты меня любишь? Тогда приезжай. Не можешь? АААААААААААААААА. Ты меня не любишь, ты изменяешь мне с бывшей!».
«Что? Ты просишь приехать меня? Как ты можешь мной командовать?»
«Я хочу быть с тобой всегда, не смей даже дышать без меня!»
Именно так для меня выглядит эта книга. И самое подходящее слово, которое может описать Бет – «истеричка». Возможно дело во мне, но я как человек, которому необходимо свободное пространство и который уважает свободу других, никогда в жизни не позволила бы себе такое поведение.


Любовные треугольники. Да порой мне нравится про них читать, иногда среди них даже есть стоящие, но последнее время они…. Надоедают. Особенно, когда в центре внимания оказывается неинтересная героиня, а парни клянутся ей в любви до гроба. И больше всего раздражает, что это выглядит так «Я люблю ее! Я не могу жить без нее, я хочу детей от нее!», когда на самом деле вполне правильнее было бы сделать «Она милая, симпатичная и умная. Я хочу с ней встречаться.» Чувствуете разницу? И вообще весь треугольник подозрительно напоминал знаменитую троицу из «Сумеречной саги».
Дерек/Эдвард: «я не буду заниматься с тобой сексом Бет, и знаешь, на самом деле Скотт намного больше тебе подходит, но я люблю тебя».
Скотт/Джейкоб: «я люблю тебя Бет, мы созданы друг для друга! Дерек совершенно тебе не подходит!»
Я верю, что так вышло не специально, но все-таки я время от времени вспоминала о знаменитом творении Майер.

Меня растрогала одна из последних сцен книги, я действительно почти прослезилась. Но сам конец книги…. УЖАСЕН! Что это вообще было? Как, как до этого можно было додуматься???

Моя оценка: 2/10

[Katie(babs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sing Me to Sleep is a book that tears at your heart. Sounds painful, but when such a book keeps you reading late into the night, where you have tears rolling down your face, you know that author has written a work of art. Angela Morrison has written a timeless tale about young love, self worth and the beauty that is inside of us all, where that one person can come along and show us no matter what we look on the outside we have something to offer the world.

Beth has a lot to offer with her amazing singing voice, but not so much with her looks. Beth thinks she’s ugly, so much so that the kids at her school call her The Beast. She wears big glasses, has bad skin and hair that is a mess like the rest of her. One person who does care for her deeply is her best friend Scott. Beth doesn’t really understand why he’s friends with her because she is such a loser, but he doesn’t care and tells her so every chance he gets.

Things begin to turn around for Beth when she is given the chance to travel to Switzerland to compete in the Choral Olympics. The girls in the choir, who at first put Beth down, help her improve her looks. One of the girls, Meadow, who is rich and perfect in every way, becomes her fairy godmother and gives Beth a makeover of a lifetime. Now keep in mind, Beth tames her unruly hair, has a few cosmetic laser surgeries on her face to get rid of her acne scarring and a new wardrobe, but she isn’t miraculously changed into swan. She still thinks of herself as an ugly duckling, but at least people won’t automatically turn away from her in horror.

Before Beth goes to Switzerland, she makes contact with one of the boys from the Amabile Boys’ Choir who will also be competing in the Olympics. Derek, one of the choir boys chats with Beth on-line. She is interested in him but still wary. Derek doesn’t know what she looks like and she thinks the minute he sees her, he’ll make fun of her. She doesn’t think much will come out of it even though it’s nice to have Derek, who is considered quite handsome and popular, to be interested in her voice. Beth is not used to having such attention, especially from Scott, who’s not happy with her new look. Things begin to change between them and Beth becomes very confused, especially after he tries to kiss her after the prom. But before she figures out what Scott wants, off she goes to Switzerland.

Beth meets Derek face to face. Derek is star struck and finds her amazing. They spend all their free time together and begin to fall in love. Beth experiences the wonders of young love and those kisses and touches from Derek that she has been denied for so long. This is a fairy tale come to life for her and she can’t wait to go home and continue with Derek, who lives a short distance away from her. But when they return to their normal lives, their relationship grows rocky. Derek won’t let her meet his family, is sick at strange times and refuses to take the next step in their relationship, where Beth is willing to give him not only her heart but her body. She begins to think Derek is tired of her, but he keeps coming back and shows her how special she is to him with his wonderful kisses and words of admiration.

Beth knows Derek is hiding something and think he’s into drugs. Scott doesn’t like Derek for obvious reasons because he wants Beth and should be the only one sharing her kisses and dreams with. He begins to feed into her worries about Derek. He is keeping a major secret from her and the lies start to mount up, but not for the reason Beth thinks. Derek is living on borrowed time and doesn’t want Beth to know that each day could be his last.

Sing Me to Sleep is a very poignant romance that reminded me of the ugly duckling turning into a swan fairy tale. Even though Beth does become a swan in her own way, Derek isn’t attracted to her because of her looks. He loves her for what she embodies, from her innocence, her inner strength and her lovely singing voice that reminds him of the angels in heaven. Derek is there to push Beth into believing in herself and that she is someone to be cherished.

It’s hard to say why this book made such the emotionally impact it did on me. In part, it has to do with the character of Derek and what’s he’s hiding. That’s a big spoiler, which readers will probably figure out by the last quarter of the book. What Derek goes though is so very heartbreaking, especially for Beth because just as she finds her inner beauty and strength, he must leave her. Angela shows with the character of Derek why some people are in our lives for only a short moment of time. Because Derek and Beth are so in love with one another, they are very intimate with one another. These two can’t stop kissing and touching. It’s handled very well, even when the topic of sex comes up.

Beth can be too hard on herself and this may turn off some readers. But I could understand because of the way she has been treated by those around her and her own opinions of herself. Scott has an important part to play, just as much as Derek, but toward the end he was pushed to the side in a way I couldn’t understand. But the again, this helps cements the love Beth and Derek have for one another and the overall message Angela is trying to get across with their relationship.

Sing Me to Sleep is both uplifting and heartbreaking. I can’t help but compare Angela’s writing to Nicholas Sparks. A Walk to Remember specifically comes to mine when thinking of Sing Me to Sleep. The central ideas of love and devotion are so very strong. After you finish reading this story, the characters of Beth and Derek will stick with you for a long time after.

[Drea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m still really torn about how I feel about this book. On one hand it’s an interesting story and excellent writing. Morrison knows how to spin a story in a way to keep the reader captivate and interested in her characters. It’s a true gift when an author can get a reader to care about the characters even when I didn’t agree/like everything they did/went through.

That said, there are still two things about the story that, even weeks later, still really bother me. One is the make over. I don’t mind the type where a little hair restyling and wardrobe change gives the illusion of a “better” girl. I do have a HUGE issue with the lengths that this makeover went to. When you get into cosmetic procedures and other surgeries, I start to cringe. What kind of message is that sending to teenage girls? (Who already have SO much to deal with when it comes to body image.) Morrison’s only saving grace is that the makeover didn’t instantly “fix” Beth. She still had doubts about how she looked and took her a while to believe she was truly beautiful. I only hope that the girls can latch onto that and not the whole ugly-duckling made swan = get everything I want.

The other thing that really, really bothered med was Beth and Derek’s relationship. At times, Derek feels like the perfect boyfriend, but most of the time I felt like he was too controlling and mentally/emotionally abusive. Every time he disappeared in a rage or tried to control her life, I just wanted to scream. I know finding out his secret explains his actions, but I don’t think that it excuses him. The secret that he kept made the relationship feel false, like something that always stayed just at the surface. I think Morrison was aiming for a much deeper relationship, but for me it just fell short. While the relationship lasted for sometime (over 6 months if my calculations are correct) they were barely in each other presence during that time and really never knew the real truths about each other.

While Scott had his own quirks, I kept wishing that Beth would dump Derek already and go to him. He was the one who truly knew Beth’s beauty (before she was one!) and loved her for HER and nothing else. I think their relationship was the true love story and wish it had played out more than it did. Of course, their story was not the one that Morrison was trying to tell. (Trying to stay relatively spoiler free, but once you read the book and author note you’ll understand that comment)

Overall, Morrison does a good job at telling a story. I, unfortunately, cannot get past the emotions this book inflicted (whether intentionally or not) and ultimately hurt how much I could have enjoyed the book.

[Tanja (Tanychy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will maybe contain spoilers!

One thing I dislike is when books are predictable (trust me, that's the only thing i don't like about books.) I thought this book will be one of those "predictable books". Typical story, she is ugly, nobody likes her, and then she meets a perfect guy. He is starting to act strange, and she knows that something is wrong. And yes, something is wrong...(I don't want to say the rest because of people who will read this book). I can't say I was wrong. I knew that they'd fall in love and that she'd do everything for him. Maybe I knew that the book would end up like this. But one thing I didn't know - the story behind this book.
I'll just say prepare a lot of tissues. And enjoy this heart-breaking story.
And AFTER you read this book go to the official Angela Morrison page and you'll find an epilogue. And more about the whole story.

I think I won't be able to forget this book. Thank you Angela for this story.

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK YET!!!!! WILL RUIN ENDING!!!!!
Okay, let me start my review by saying that I did not like most of this book. So Beth, the main character, is ugly. Really ugly. And she has an amazing voice. Really amazing. So the girls in her chorus group decide that she needs to look gorgeous for their concert in Europe. And this is the part I really hate. So instead of maybe giving her some make-up, nicer clothes, and maybe some ProActive, they give her a hell of a lot of plastic surgery. That's right, I am not joking. And afterwards, this loser who was made fun of for years is suddenly a drop-dead gorgeous blonde, who attracts the attention of hot singer, Derek. And they meet, and fall in love, and blah blah blah. Now the entire time this is happening, it is not so subtly hinted at that Derek may or may not be sick, through the use of many tissues, and him being away for extended periods of time with his family. And now three quarters into the book, Beth finds out he is in the hospital, dying. Now this is when this book starts to become amazing. And in the last five chapters, I found one of my favorite books of all time. So Derek is dying and he tells Beth that he's going to stop and give up. And she starts singing to him, and his parents come in and I was BAWLING the entire time. And I do NOT cry at books. At all. And here I was, whimpering more than Beth as she walks away and hugs her mother quote"trying to remember what it felt like to hold his hand." WOW. After reading the book(though I was not happy about the ending, with her and her best friend Scott) I proceeded to go downstairs and cry to my sister about the whole thing. And then I did the same with my friend who reccomended the book to me. And then to my best friend. And my other best friend. Until I was all cried out. And then I thought of that line again, and it started again.
So, push yourself to finish it. It will be worth it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d rather be miserable loving you than happy with anyone else.

3 and a half stars

Basic plot:
Girl is "ugly" but is a beautiful singer. Choir group gives her makeover. "Hot" guy from another choir falls in love with her. Dark secret, etc.

What I liked about this book:
-It was cheesy but it still managed to be likeable and it kept my interest.
-The last 50 or so pages had me in tears, so obviously it was good at tugging at the heartstrings.
-The best friend. I liked her best friend more than Derek. I liked Derek AT TIMES but Scott was more likeable in my eyes.
-The overall book had a sweet, sad overtone which was nicely done.

What I didn't like about this book:
-Grace's makeover. It totally sends out the wrong message to girls. Plus it was completely obnoxious and unbelievable. In the beginning of the book, she describes herself as if she is hideous and her nickname in school is "The Beast". Then over a few weeks(I guess? I don't think the book made it clear how long the makeover took), she gets laser surgery to get rid of acne, a new haircut and laser eye surgery(which she seems to just get without a consultation; and you're supposed to be at LEAST over 18 years old to get Lasik. I got mine at 23 years old and my eyesight is already starting to regress a little.) And the girls in her choir group kind of teach her how to use a hair straightener and makeup.

REALLY?! It's hard to stomach that she goes from being "ugly" to being attractive(which is shown in how many boys/men pay attention to her after the makeover.) Apparently, acne + bad hair + glasses = UGLY. Nice message, huh?

-Derek's behaviour. I don't care why he did it the things he did. But the actual "relationship" between Derek and Beth wasn't exactly something to aspire to. Yes, the last 50 or so pages were nice but I was disappointed with the middle part of the book. Beth and Derek meet at a Choir competition in Switzerland and fall madly in love. And it's kind of sweet but mostly seems like Beth wants to jump his bones and Derek is like slooooooow dowwwwwn.

Then they have to go back to their regular lives but promise to make the long distance relationship work. Which doesn't really work that well because of Derek. He has his reasons but he should've just been honest. You can't hide something so major from someone you say you love.

-Beth's craziness. First of all, she is one of those "OMG I love him and can't live without him!" kind of girls. She is one of the neediest, clingiest girls I've read about in a long time. I know love is a powerful thing but I just kept picturing her as this psycho, constantly calling/messaging/texting her boyfriend. It was a little creepy.

Plus, there was her best friend, Scott. Scott, who loved her before her makeover and continues to love her throughout the book. I found it funny that she was so in love with Derek but when Scott went to kiss her, she was all "OMG! I luvz kissessss!" I don't believe you can be so in love with one person and willingly kiss another person. So that kind of ruined the credibility of the love she felt. Also the fact that she continued to have lusty feelings for her best friend throughout the book and at the end, falls right into Scott's waiting arms.

-The love triangle. Love triangles are okay sometimes but they start to get old. Especially in these books where an awkward, ordinary girl suddenly has two guys who want her. And not just normal "Oh, I think she's cute. I want to date her." kind of want. The "I LOVE HER! I want to spend forever with her and I can't live without her!" kind of want.

Which lets face it, it's hard to imagine many teenage boys actually being this intense.

Oh, and also, there were aspects of Derek/Scott that reminded me of Edward/Jacob.
Derek/Edward: won't have sex with Beth even though she's throwing herself at him(and yes, there are reasons, but he should've told her why!), tells Beth maybe Scott would be better for her(doesn't Edward tell Bella that Jacob would be better for her?)
Scott/Jacob: Beth's best friend who she has lusty feelings for, more physical than Derek, more personality and charm than Derek.

Also, Beth had similarities to Bella: insecure, needy, thinks her boyfriend is the most amazing boy ever, at one point says she'd die without him, etc.

Just little things. I'm sure it was unintentional but the love triangle reminded me of Twilight at times.

-I kept getting confused about where Derek was from! This is my own fault, really but here is why:
Beth said he's from London. I assumed London, England. Really it's London, Ontario but then Derek kept saying "mum" and at one part they sat in front of the Thames River. I was like "What?" Was the author deliberately trying to confuse me? I looked it up after and there is a Thames River in both London, England AND London, Ontario. However, a Canadian boy calling his mom "mum" is just fucked. Unless people in London, Ontario are trying to be as much like London, England as they can.
I'm Canadian but now that I'm in England, I call my mom "mum" as a jokey thing sometimes. I'm sure I was the only one confused by this aspect of the book and for that, I apologise.

-The lyrics. I thought all the lyrics were so boring and contrived. It made me think of how amazing the lyrics were in "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman. The lyrics in "Sing Me To Sleep" just made me roll my eyes.

Which reminds me, when I heard the title of this book, I immediately thought of The Smiths song "Asleep".
Sing me to sleep. Sing me to sleep. And then leave me alone.
Don't try to wake me in the morning cause I will be gone.
Don't feel bad for me I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart, I really want to go.
And I love that song so I thought there might be a connection. But no.
Oh wells.

So basically, overall I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked it as a one-time read but it didn't make me love it. It did make me cry but I thought the actual writing was pretty cheesy.

I appreciate that this was loosely based on a true story and that's what made the ending so much harder for me to read. It made me terribly sad knowing people have to live with this terrible disease. I cried mostly because I couldn't help imagining if it were me or someone I love going through all of it.

I liked this book. I just didn't love it. I wanted to love it. I had high hopes for it. I don't know if it was the makeover that ruined it for me or something else but I just didn't like it as much as I'd hoped I would.

This book did have it's good points and it kept me interested. I would recommend this to someone who likes ugly-duckling-turns-into-a-swan stories or anyone who loves Y.A contemporary romance.

I needed a whole heart once in my life. Is that so wrong?

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't begin to say how much I LOVED THIS BOOK! It surpassed my expectations and is definetly one of the best love stories I have ever read. I laughed, I cried, I felt everything Beth and Derek were feeling for each other.

Though she lived her life on the sidelines, Beth suddenly found herself thrust into the spotlight when she is chosen to be the new soloist for her all girls choir. With her beautiful voice leading the way, Beth's group wins a spot to compete in the 'Choral Olympics' to be held in Switzerland.

That's when the other girls in the choir decide to give Beth a make over. She receives special treatments for her face, highlights in her hair, and laser eye surgery to have perfect vision.

Now her outter beauty matches her inner beauty, but Beth still can't shake the painful identity of 'the beast'. On her first day in Switzerland, Beth meets Derek. He's handsome, friendly, and also very talented in the singing department. Derek makes it no secret that he likes Beth, just by hearing her sing on her choir's website he was in love with her. At first Beth is doubtful that Derek's feelings are genuine, but when she gets bad news via the phone, Derek is there to comfort her. One minute they're sitting on a bench and she's crying on his shoulder, and the next they're making out!

At that point I hugged the book, screamed a little, and then kept reading! With every page it got better and better. I fell in love with Derek just as much as Beth did! He opened her up and made her believe in herself like she never had before.

It's been days since I finished reading, and I still can't stop thinking about it. It got to me in a way that very few books have. Anyone who reads it will be emotionally affected. I loved it so much that I would campaign for it to be a movie! If you go to the author's official website Angela Morrison - Sing me to sleep you can read the epilogue that she left out of the book. (But don't read it until you read the book.) There is also a link for the trailer, which is on youtube.

[J.Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just cannot help but get the sense that more and more authors are grasping for that instant connection that Bella and Edward had in
"Twilight". Now, I know there are lots of haters of that series and frankly, I HATED the last book and once the glow wore off the first book, I realized it's not the best written book I've ever read. However, I cannot deny that the connection Bella and Edward had really seemed real (as least it did to me). I can not say the same about this book. The description of the book said that it was about a girl, Beth, who is called "The Beast" because of her looks, until she is selected to sing the solo in her choir and recieves the "make-over of a lifetime." After her make-over, she goes on a trip with her choir and meets a boy, Derek, who changes her life. They fall in love in one day despite the fact that she still feels like she is "The Beast" and he seems to be hiding some dark secret. Well, it's not such a secret when I was able to figure out in a chapter that he was dying. Yet, Beth couldn't figure it out for months. Anyway, their "love" seemed contrived, as did Beth's anguish over realizing she might kind of be in love with her best friend, Scott, too. This book is liberally peppered with song lyrics; a fact that I found wearying. However, despite all this, my eyes may have gone a little misty when Derek did finally die. And the fact that I won this galley for free off of the Goodreads first-reads give-aways was quite exciting.

[Zemira Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. It had me laughing, and it had me crying. It had me feeling so low, I was effected when I put the book down, yet so happy and hopeful for myself, that it left me smiley and in a bit of a dreamy state. It's just impossible for me to put into words just how incredibly moving I found Sing Me to Sleep. This book has effected me so deeply, it will stay with me forever. Just beautiful.

It’s hard to say why this book made such the emotionally impact it did on me. In part, it has to do with the character of Derek and what’s he’s hiding. What he goes though is so very heartbreaking, especially for Beth because just as she finds her inner beauty and strength, he must leave her. Angela shows with the character of Derek why some people are in our lives for only a short moment of time. Because Derek and Beth are so in love with one another, they are very intimate with one another. These two can’t stop kissing and touching. It’s handled very well, even when the topic of sex comes up.

Sing Me to Sleep is a book you easily find yourself involved in, living. Toward the end of the story I felt like I was there, astonished by the actions of those around me, feeling the same feelings the characters were experiencing. The tears sliding down my face proved my involvement.


If anyone is interested,this is the song I was listening to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km_Jvv...

[Seena Seena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I can do this book any justice.

As I sit hear with tears streaming down my face including my black mascara I still cannot comprehend how Morrison wrote this book so beautifully.

Sing me to sleep will (just typing the title of the book I got Goosebumps) always be forever embedded in my heart.

This story is so much, pain, love, hope & loss.

Please go out or jump online and buy this book. You will not regret it.

Some of my favourite lines……

"I know your soul. It’s there in every note”. He brushes my lips with his. “You can’t fake that. You can’t hide it"

"Your heart. That’s all I want. That’s the best thing you can give me”
You stole that that before we even met”
I don’t want to be a thief. I want you to give it”
His arms tighten around me, and his mouth presses on mine again.
It’s yours Beth”. His words flow into my soul and twist me into knots.
You know it’s yours"

"I needed a whole heart once in my life. Is that so wrong?"

“He wants to breath. For you. He wants to love. With you”

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying I cried, like tears rolling down my cheeks.


Starting this book I felt a little guilty for not reading Morrison's first novel TAKEN BY STORM but I couldn't resist it, the beautiful cover and the way the book started just grabbed me and pulled me in. I love how the story is more about the inside beauty of love than the outside, I felt that Beth really grew as a character. It's hard to love either Derek or Scott, their both amazing, I did have times where I would get frustrated with Derek, but, gosh at the end of the book I couldn't help but cry for him.

I think in the end Beth ended up with the guy I hoped she would, she ended up with the person that loved her eveb before her makeover.

Beautiful book, enjoyed it VERY much!

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~]

Requirements for being so ugly people call you "The Beast":

1) terrible eyesight, thick glasses
2) being tall with long legs
3) acne
4) frizzy hair

Guess what? All of these apply to me. I AM A BEAST.

I read some spoilers and I've decided not to continue with this one. I don't particularly care for the moody, choppy writing style. Beth may be "ugly" but she's also oblivious as hell. The other characters are flat and many of them didn't even come with physical descriptions to at least attempt to flesh them out. The makeover was kind of unbelievable and really convenient. Also expensive. Who the hell is going to pay to have pimples and scarring lasered off someone else's kid?

I will say the lyrics interspersed throughout the text weren't terrible.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE TRANSFORMATION
Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything. From Amazon US.

I can't tell you how amazing this book was. Really. I went through so many emotions while reading this, and I'm just completely blown away by it. It's brilliant! It covers so many issues all in one heart-warming yet heart breaking story, it's just fantastic.

Beth is known as "the Beast" at school. She's unusually tall, suffers with bad acne, and wears thick, beer-bottle classes. Not only is she bullied atrociously, but she knows the way her father reacted when she was born, commenting on her ugliness, and not staying in her life for very long. Her self-esteem is the lowest it could possibly be, and has only one friend, Scott. But the girl has a set of pipes on her, and with managing to get the solo spot in her choir, her life changes.

Now we all know bullying is never, ever right, and that it's disgusting in all it's forms. I was bullied when I was younger, so I know how much it sucks. But what Beth has to go through is beyond anything I could ever have coped with. The pain, the humiliation, day after day, it's heart breaking. It upset me so much, that I actually cried. And what's worse, she believes every word the bullies say. She looks in the mirror, and sees the Beast. Fortunately for us as readers, as the story progresses, we don't get to read too many bullying incidents, but it's with Beth, inthe back of her mind, the whole time. Even after her transformation into this beautiful young girl, she self-esteem is still low, and believes she will always be the Beast no matter how she looks, because that's who she is; the person she is. It's just so, so sad.

But along comes Derek; absolutely gorgeous, and unbelievably lovely, and rock star of his own choir, he sees in Beth what only one other person - Scott - has. Beth doesn't trust him at first, and to be honest, neither did I - a guy that hot saying all the right things? He's obviously just sweet-talking to get what he wants. But he fell for her before he even met her, before he even saw her. He fell for her voice, and the soul she brings to her singing. He sews the seed which sparks Beth's realisation of who she actually is, and that beauty is so much more than just skin deep. Yes, he is just as amazing as he sounds - I'm actually getting choked up as I write this, remembering what he does for her.

Their relationship, like all relationships, isn't all plain sailing. There are so many rocky patches, it's hard on both of them. Derek has a secret, and they both know it. He's vague, won't talk about things, and has long absences of no contact. Because her self-esteem is practically non-existant, Beth jumps to conlusions, some extreme conlusions, and gets insanely jealous. Derek can sometimes be demanding and controling, and Beth can sometimes be clingy and obsessive, or too forgiving and understanding. Beth's behaviour is annoying, but you can understand the reasons for it, and as the story unfolds and you find out about Derek, his behaviour is also understandable. But on the whole, their is just so, so sweet.

There's also Scott. He's been Beth's friend forever. An outside like she is, he used to suffer because of his appearance, his geekiness, and for defending her. But he ends up growing out of acne and weedy frame, and starts getting sexy. People notice, Beth notices. Yet Scott noticed Beth years ago, back when she was the Beast. Like Derek, he sees Beth for who she is, he always has. He's just the sweetest guy, and he finally gains the courage to do something about how he feels when Derek comes onto the scene. It's a case of who will Beth choose in the end?

I have to say, I worked out Derek's secret at the very beginning. I don't know if this makes the book predictable, or just means I'm good at working things out. Either way, I didn't get all the details, and there is a twist beyond anything I would have I expected. It left me reeling, completely. But looking back, and knowing now what I know about the story, there's no other way it could have ended.

This really is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. It had me laughing, and it had me crying. It had me feeling so low, I was effected when I put the book down, yet so happy and hopeful for myself, that it left me smiley and in a bit of a dreamy state. It's just impossible for me to put into words just how incredibly moving I found Sing Me to Sleep. This book has effected me so deeply, it will stay with me forever. Just beautiful. I seriously cannot wait to read more of Angela Morrison's novels.

This review is part of the Sing Me to Sleep Tour on International Blog Tours.

[Kym McNabney · Rating 5 out of 5]

SING ME TO SLEEP, WINS MY HEART

Wow, where do I begin. I was blown away when I read TAKEN BY STORM by Angela Morrison’s, so I had no doubt, SING ME TO SLEEP would be good. Yet I couldn’t have begun to foresee what an impact Beth’s story would have on me.

When I finish reading a book, I often run to the computer to write my review. Not so with SING ME TO SLEEP. There was no way I was emotionally ready after finishing the final pages. Heck, I wouldn’t have been able to see the screen, anyway.

I was pre-warned that I would need a box of tissues. Silently I said to myself, I don’t think so. As an avid reader, I’ve read my share of tearjerkers. One tissue, maybe…but a box? I don’t think so.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

As an aspiring writer, I was in awe of Ms. Morrison’s writing as I read one great line after another. There was nothing I would have changed and that’s saying a lot. It exceeded anything I could have conjured up. She has a uniquely amazing way with words. Each line was perfect in every way. I laughed. I cried. I was angry. I smiled. I felt every emotion Beth, Derek, and Scott experienced. I felt as though I were right there in the midst of their lives

On page 88, my jaw dropped. Some of the sweetest words you could image came from Derek and Scott. Ms. Morrison is more then a writer of fiction. She’s a poet and a song writer as well. I was so caught up in the story that I longed for a soundtrack of, SING ME TO SLEEP.

I was taken back to my school days, living them through Beth and Scott. Many faces came to mind of past schoolmates. Kids today need to hear this story, as do teachers and parents.

SING ME TO SLEEP is filled with trials, and tribulations, as well as friendship, love, hope and faith. It was moving, gripping and intense. It set me on an emotional rollercoaster from the very first line to the very last!

I have never experience a book such as SING ME TO SLEEP where I sensed what direction the author was taking the characters early on, then doubted my decision several times, then was blown away by the final chapters.

This morning after the kids left for school and my husband for work, I sat down in the living room to read the remaining seventy pages. God must have known I would need the solitude. I began to read and couldn’t put it down. There were moments where I was chocked up but I kept reading, absorbing every word.

I held back my emotions…until I got to page 291. That’s were I lost it! I have never HAD to step away from a book before. After several long minutes, I was finally able to pull myself together enough to read the final pages. This was not the first time I’ve cried or got caught up in a book but NEVER to this capacity. I was an emotional wreck through the last three chapters. They were truly the most powerful chapters I’ve ever read.

This book is a must read for preteen, teens, young adults, teachers, parents, and so many more. One can not help but get caught up in the lives of these characters, each one beautifully done. I savored and absorbed every word, often rereading many lines because they were that good.

I see “movie” written all over this book. If some producer doesn’t snatch it up, they’ll be missing a great opportunity.

Watch out, Nicholas Sparks.

Reviewed by Kym McNabney

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had really mixed feelings about this book. The story, I liked. Really liked. The start was a bit clunky with the 'transformation' and everything, but after it really got into the story, I was happy. Obviously the ending was heartbreaking. I didn't cry, but it was pretty sad.


The part I didn't like was the characters. Not all of them, most were okay, just the main ones, the ones who totally make the book, that's all. I actually liked Derrick for most of it, not just because of the end, because I saw it coming around about the time Beth should have, right at the start. He was moody and all the that, but I didn't really get this dangerous side he was supposed to have except for a small glimpse. I thought he was quite sweet.

Now Scott. Scottie. Dickhead. He was SUPPOSED to be sweet. Bullshit. I get it at the start when Beth is still the Beast that not many guys, almost no guy, would be that nice. But when she comes back, she has a boyfriend that she is in love with and who is in love with her, he really couldn't give a shit, because Scottie isn't happy. If he was this amazing best friend, he would have been happy for her, let her know he was always there for her and ummmm, maybe, I don't know, not try to seduce her into cheating on her boyfriend literally every time he saw her. His motivations seemed really selfish, he wanted the girl, nevermind it's not what she wants and it's killing her to hurt him.
In love triangles, there is supposed to be the sweet romantic guy, and the guy who is pushy and tempting. Scott was meant to be the first guy and he totally wasn't. Out of the two, Derrick respected Beth's feelings more(although it didn't seem like it at times) and Scott was too stuck in his own world to do the same.

Beth...how quick can girls turn weird and stalkery? Seriously, record speed. I know they had this awesome, romantic, book-worthy romance in Lausanne, which I liked, but she always sounded so desperate after they got home. I know she has crippled self esteem, but her paranoia and unrealistic neediness made her hard to sympathise with at times. Every time Derrick backed away the tiniest bit and they couldn't be together, she would scramble and just lose it.
The part at the start with Colby, I hope that doesn't actually happen at schools. If three guys are restraining a girl in the middle of a school, dude, call the cops. I just didn't buy that, felt like it was written for the convenience of the story.

Also, the drug habit thing? Really? Is Beth that naive? He was always pale and coughing and sick, wounds that didn't really heal, and the only reason that she thought drugs was because of one little joking comment from Blake. I'll admit, I didn't pick CF(I thought maybe AIDS), but still, it looked like it was just a way to build Derrick up to be the bad boy he never seemed to be.



Parts that I really liked, but in the end, too much that was convenient to the story but didn't really fit. The characters annoyed me and seemed maybe a little one dimensional, especially Scott.

Also, anyone with tips for me on how to write more positive and much much shorter reviews, please let me know :)

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I would like to say that there is one thing I don't like to do and that is CRY! I really hate sappy love stories that end up making your cry at the end of the book. This is why I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book. Though I didn't actually cry I almost did and that is just as bad..lol So I have a warning for those who are like me. It is a very heart warming story though, I must give it that. :)

Warning!! This book will probably make you cry!

I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast type stories and I thought Sing Me To Sleep was a unique take on the story. Beth, never knew what it was like to be pretty. Her own father called her ugly. She had just one friend who seen her as a person, Scott.

This book has great characters that you can really feel for and even relate too. Beth, has a beautiful voice and loves to sing. She love to write lyrics and you can tell that music is her way of escaping reality. It was real interesting to see how she adapts to being attractive to a guy. Scott, is the faithful and loveable best friend. His only problem is that he is in love with his BF, but she just doesn't see it. I felt really sorry for Scott as he loved Beth and had to watch her be with Derek. Now Derek, I will be honest I wanted to hate him, I really did. I liked Scott and I didn't want Beth to be with Derek. I wanted him to be a druggie, so she would dump him. Derek, though was a really nice guy. I pretty much guessed what was wrong with him from the start, I just wanted it to be something else. His only fault was not letting Beth know what was wrong with him till the end. Over all he really was a sweet guy and I just couldn't be mad at him though I wanted too.

The one thing I couldn't stand about this book was how clingy the author made Beth be. I know that Derek is Beths first boyfriend and maybe she really didn't know how to act around the opposite sex, but it drove me crazy. She would get mad when he didn't want her to come over, she was even willing to drive a hour in the middle of the night just so she could kiss him, and hold him, etc. UGH, I just wanted to smack her for it.


Sing Me To Sleep was a very witty, dramatic, sappy love story that reminds me a lot of Nicholas Sparks books. Over all it was a good story and if you love those books that make you sigh and cry, then you will like this book.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sing me to sleep is about a 17 year old girl called Beth. Beth's life is kinda really lonely and miserable because every one is either scared or disgusted of her. She's been called ugly her whole life. In school they call her beast and bully her constantly. In the library ( where she works at summer) the little kids are scared of her. Her only friend is Scott ( a boy she have been best friends with since 3rd grade). Then one day she goes to choir and surprisingly volunteers to be the soloist for a song that no girls in the group can sing. The choir sounds so good with her as a soloist that they get in for the Choral Olympics. Then she receives a total makeover.

When they arrive at Choral Olympics Beth meets this boy called Derek, who sings as well. They get to know each other more after that and then get more close. But the closer Beth gets to him the further away he seems. She knows he is keeping something from her. He looks paler and thinner, and sometimes just disappears without a word for a few weeks or days. And the worst thing of all, when she returns home Scott makes a confession that leaves her breathless.


The book started really well. I really enjoyed it. It was a unique, memorable, well written and heartbreaking story. It kept me curious and guessing all the way through.

The characters were really interesting and i felt really connected with Beth, Derek and Scott. They were described really well but there wasn't much information about them. My favorite character is Derek, he is just so mysterious and romantic.

Sing Me To Sleep is so different from other books for so many reasons. At the end i was crying like a baby! And that's hard. Out of all my books only 1 made me cry before i read Sing Me To Sleep. I'm still a bit upset over what happened at the end. I thought that Beth's father would show up and they would be a family or something, and that's why i would cry. But nope. The ending took me by surprise. However, i felt like the book ended too soon. I was really hoping Beth's father WOULD show up. I was actually a bit disappointed when he didn't. And i guess that's why i gave it 4 stars.

Overall, Sing Me To Sleep is a beautifully heart wrenching story that shows what real love and loss means. definitely recommend it. :)

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is complicated for me to review. It's complicated because the meat of the book doesn't happen till 75% through the book. From the description one is going to roll their eyes and think it's a makeover story, but it is a whole lot more than that. The "makeover" someone thought was all these surgeries or what not. They were outpatient treatments such as laser care to remove facial scarring and a Lasik surgery for eyesight. I mean it's the sort of makeovers used to be done on TLC. Anyways, this isn't a makeover novel, let's get that out of the way.

This book made my heart hurt. I mean in the beginning it was a little tough to get through with all the bullying and what was going on. Then we got to the choir, which was fun to read about. Also, seeing as I was in choir in high school and an alto, and sang a soprano solo...it can happen if anyone had doubts. Anyways, I love reading about the choir competition and Derrek.

This is a good romance story because it isn't just paper-cut stereotypical story about an American girl finding love in a foreign romance (Canadian, not Swiss by the way). Anyways, you think you know what is going to happen--but find out how wrong you're really are by the time the end comes.

If you like "Just One Day" or "The Fault in Our Stars" one will like this book because it shares some interesting pieces from the two.

The only reason this book does not get five stars is because of some mistakes in spelling.

You heard me: spelling. The author referenced a famous song "Circle of Life" but in my version says "Circle of Light." I mean that's pretty bad as far as mistakes go, I can't let that one go. Normally, I'm not really picky unless the mistake is so blatant for me to see or when I read it does not make any sense.

I also could have done without the book taking up 25% being about makeup, and could have cut it at least a tiny bit more. Other than that, it's really good book and Derrek...sigh.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I have to admit that this isn't the type of book I usually read. Most of the books on my shelves contain some level of paranormal activity/creatures, mythology or something of that sort. I have been thinking about what I would say in this reivew all morning. To come up with words to describe this book just isn't possible, but i'll give it a try. Exciting, romantic, heartbreaking, breathtaking are just a few words that come to mind when I think of the brilliance that is Sing Me to Sleep. I wanted to be able to tell you all how this book made me feel. I don't know if its because I don't usually read books like this, or what but something about it just grabbed me and never let me go, and it still hasn't. I've been thinking about the characters in this story, the changes in them, everything about it, since I stopped reading it at 11:30 last night. I can't say much without giving away a spoiler so I will keep this review short and simple. I want everyone who reads it to feel like I did after I read it. I felt such raw emotion, and I don't know the last time I truly felt this way after reading a book. I get extremely excited about some books that I love, and I get into the emotions of those books, but something in the way Angela writes makes me feel like i'm going through what those characters are going through. I don't have enough good things to say about it, so I guess I just recommend that you pick this book up when it is released. You won't regret it!