The Daughters Take the Stage is the third novel in Joanna Philbin's YA contemporary series The Daughters.
Just as I said in my review of The Daughters Break the Rules on Friday, I strongly suggest reading every series in order to have the best reading experience. So, I'd recommend skipping this review if you haven't read the first and second books in the series yet, even though each one is about a different character so the spoilers aren't too bad. But any spoilers at all, in my opinion, are bad! :)
Anyway, in The Daughters Take the Stage Hudson Jones is the star. Being the daughter of super-famous, ultra-popular pop star Holla Jones makes the fact that Hudson is starting to have an interest in her own music career a bit more difficult. Because Hudson has a sound different from her mom's, and she still hasn't felt ready to have the spotlight on her yet.
Can Hudson overcome her stage fright? And even if she does, will she have the courage to sing the way she wants instead of the way her Mom wants her to?
Hudson is quieter and more introspective and shy than Carina and even Lizzie from the first and second Daughters books. But this makes her unique and offers a new relatable quality, despite being the daughter of a famous person. Joanna Philbin is excellent at carving out a layered characters and providing just enough drama and issues to be believable and honest. The fact that Hudson's Mom is overbearing and leads to self-doubts in her teen daughter is understandable - and you root for Hudson to gain a voice of her own.
The Daughters Take the Stage is a beautiful, raw portrayal of stepping out of someone else's prominent shadow and becoming your own person. There is a lack of romance in this third novel that is almost refreshing. After all, this series is fun and frothy, despite it also being heartfelt and emotional - and its nice to see Joanna Philbin is not taking the cliche route of by-the-numbers romance in each outing.
Then we have the healthy friendship that Philbin shows us, instead of backstabbing. We don't see quite so much in The Daughters Take the Stage, as it is more about Hudson's self-esteem and has an individualistic quality to it, but the friendship is in the background, always solid and steady and strong. The pain Hudson goes through makes you ache with her, and the lessons she learns along the way are not preachy but natural and true to life.
I loved it and I cannot wait for the next Daughters book!!! Apparently a new Daughter is going to be introduced, which sounds cool. But I admit, that I wouldn't mind a second round of these beloved characters anyway.
The Daughters Take the Stage is a meaningful novel that is more than just fun, but still totally fun. Check it out!
*I received a review copy of The Daughters Take the Stage from Hachette Book Group. Their generosity in no way influenced, nor sought to influence, my opinion of the novel.
-->Make sure to check back tomorrow for a special TUESDAY post in which I will be posting a CONTEST where FOUR books are up for grabs!!! Come back and enter tomorrow!
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