Sunday, November 17, 2013

The Holdout By: Laurel Osterkamp + Giveaway!

Title: The Holdout
Author: Laurel Osterkamp
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shelves: Young Adult, New Adult, Realistic Fiction
Recommended for Fans Of: Jen Calonita, Lauren Conrad, Krista McGee

Synopsis: All Robin wanted to do was win The Holdout, a reality TV survival show, where the winner walks away from a million dollars.  Winning would not only mean fame and  money that she desperately needs, but also the glory that might finally get her older brothers to stop treating her like a baby, and more like the 30 year old woman she is now. A couple of months after Robin is called to participate on The Holdout, she is back home on jury duty, after getting her heartbroken, and enduring situations Robin never wants to relive.  Trying to conceal her true identity, Robin listens in on a jury case that she can't help but relate to her own time on The Holdout.  As the story goes on, the narrative switches between Robin's past performances on The Holdout  her present life, giving the reader an insight into just how much Robin has grown and how much growing up she still has to do.

Review: First, a HUGE thank you to Laurel Osterkamp for giving me a galley of The Holdout to review! For all reality TV loving fans, this is the book for you. I've read many reality TV books where it follows a cliche and makes the story boring and unoriginal. The Holdout was a most wonderful exception to this. While Robin says she would probably never participate in another reality television show, she does not trash her time on The Holdout and even admits to learning lessons from the situations she went through. Not only does this show that reality TV is not ALL bad, but it also demonstrates how amazing of a character Robin is.

Robin, among many of the characters in The Holdout, was quite honestly, awesome. She had intellectual and physical strength, endurance and integrity. A true heroine, Robin is a character you cannot help but love. The way she does not stray from her true self during the course of The Holdout shows she is genuinely a great character. Although there were many characters that I just wanted to punch in the face, such as the a-hole Grant, Laurel Osterkamp adds in a bunch of other lovable people. Nick (known to Robin as juror number 10) and her alliance during The Holdout, Henry.

The entertainment factor for this book was a full ten. I could not put it down at times! Although there was no major lesson or philosophy behind The Holdout, it is still a fun and humorous novel.

*Although this book is shelved as NA, any YA reader would also enjoy this book. The Holdout is clean and there is no profound language to be found.*

Conclusion: Just as entertaining and addicting as reality TV, The Holdout is a must read for lovers of wit, strength, and The Survivor;)


GIVEAWAY TIME! 
Because I enjoyed The Holdout so much and I want you to be able to read it too, you can enter to win A COPY OF THE HOLDOUT, which will be provided by the author, Laurel Osterkamp.

Rules of Entry:
1) Fill out the Rafflecopter, and if you cheat with the entries, you will be automatically disqualified.
2) If you win, a copy of the book will be sent out at the author's discretion.
3) If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours, then I will have to pick a new winner.
4) THIS GIVEAWAY MUST HAVE MORE THAN 50 ENTRIES IN ORDER FOR ME TO PICK A WINNER. IF IT DOES NOT, THEN I GET TO HAVE THE COPY. HA.
5) Paperback copy is US ONLY
6) E-book is US OR INTERNATIONAL



a Rafflecopter giveaway

4 comments:

  1. I'm excited to read "The Holdout" even if I don't win the giveaway! Thank you for a great review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for entering! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! :)

      Delete
  2. This sounds really great! Hopefully I'll be able to read it one of these days! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Umm.. YES PLEASE. I have an addiction to reality shows.. it's bad ... I should work on it.. and yet... NOPE. This sounds really interesting!

    ReplyDelete