Waiting for Callback: Take Two by Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill

Take Two by Perdita and Honor Cargill

Packed with funny and cringe-worthy moments, this is the perfect read for teen girls.

Everything seems to be slotting into place for 15 year-old wannabe actress Elektra James. The summer’s here and she’s finally landed the boy of her dreams. Added to that she’s about to start filming a blockbuster film with internationally famous co-stars. Could life get any better? Ur… maybe… No, definitely … especially when said boy of her dreams lands his own starring role in a TV series that’s filming in Transylvania. And, to make matters worse, shooting a blockbuster film (while dressed in a costume that looks like a sack) isn’t quite as smooth and glamorous as Elektra imagined.

The second in the ‘Waiting for Callback’ series, I was really looking forward to reading ‘Take Two’. I lost count of the number of times book one made me laugh so I had high hopes for book two. I was, however, a little nervous given sequels are rarely as good as the first book. This, however, breaks the mould and Perdita and Honor have achieved a rare thing – a sequel that is even better than the original.

This talented mother and daughter duo have captured the same realistic teen voice and ‘Take Two’ is packed with funny and cringe-worthy moments. Once again, I couldn’t keep track of the number of times I laughed out loud. As before, the two strongest characters in the book are, unsurprisingly, 15 year-old Elektra and her long-suffering, slightly neurotic, mum. (Indeed, many of those laugh out loud moments were a result of Elektra’s wry asides as her mum overreacts again and again).

While ‘Take Two’ contains everything that made book one so enjoyable it also has a more unpredictable plot and, to my surprise, an emotional kick that had genuine tears streaming down my face rather than the usual tears of laughter. It is very rare for a book to make me cry which shows how invested I have become in the characters. (Sadly, to say more could spoil your enjoyment).

This is the perfect read for teen girls. It’s not what many would consider great literature but – if you judge it based on what the authors are trying to achieve – this book is about as good as it’s possible to get. That’s why I’m happily awarding it a 5 star rating.

If you enjoyed this, you should definitely check out book one Casting Queen: Waiting for Callback. You might also enjoy Geek Girl by Holly Smale or Never Evers by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison.

ISBN: 978-1471144851
Date: January 2017
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 368
Website: Waiting for Callback

Madge's 5 / 5 Star Book rating

Review first published on The Bookbag

 

Spread the love