Customer Reviews

Changing Faces (Real TV, 1)

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4 star:		(4)
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Facing a three-way tie for Valedictorian, senior Olivia O'Donnell has to do something to stand out. Grades aren't enough so she volunteers at a homeless shelter, something she is less than thrilled to do. Isn't she already busy enough? Hasn't she worked all through high school to maintain her grade point average? When will she find the time to enjoy her much anticipated senior year? But it's all part of her big plan. Her already bulging day planner takes a beating as she tries to squeeze yet another moment out of every 24-hour period.

It isn't only her day planner that takes a beating. She suddenly has no time to spend with her best friend, Jane. Or her heavenly Father even though she keeps penciling Him into her schedule. And she can't even begin to consider something as time consuming as a boyfriend. Old rivalries and the demands of high school take their toll on Olivia. Even when she is chosen for a makeover by her favorite reality show, she can't truly enjoy it without worrying how it will affect her friendship with Jane.

Changing Faces is well done and timely in this age of reality TV. Wendy Lawton has done it again with a book chock full of characters to whom readers will relate.

How fun! Wendy Lawton takes the intriguing world of reality shows and brings it home through the stories of real life teens. Olivia not only has the opportunity to see her "brand new" self, but touch the lives of others in the process. It's all about making a difference -- not just on the outside, but on the inside where it counts.

Very cool idea. Very fun book. Great read!

From the opening conversation between Olivia and her best friend Jane, we are plunged into the fast paced life-style of high school seniors. Changing Faces, by Wendy Lawton, captures the myriad of activities, choices, relationships, and decisions that form their daily reality. Whimsical fun with their love of a favorite reality television show bumps up against painful and emotional life experiences with friends.
Olivia lives glued to her day planner and is out of her depth within moments. But she keeps trying to find a balance where she can fulfill her calendar commitments and live by her faith. The real world isn't waiting for graduation, and she struggles with issues that challenge all ages in our frenetic world. Enjoy the ride as Olivia comes to an understanding of what priorities really matter.

Changing Faces is timely, fun, and exactly right. In this first book of the series Wendy Lawton does a fantastic (imagine Jane's faux British accent saying this) job of creating characters that are multi demensional. Only the mother of a senior girl could have written a book that paints such a perfect picture of the pressures of senior year. The excitement of Olivia being on the show was wonderfully written. But it was even more fun to see how her character had grown to the point of being able to share the experience with others. I loved every minute of this book and plan on getting a copy for each of my nieces and donating a copy to our church your group. All that is missing is a discussion guide for the book for small group study. Highly recommended.

High school senior Olivia O'Donnell is a typical overachiever stressed and stretched to the limits. However, learning she must volunteer at a local homeless shelter to improve her chances of becoming valedictorian doesn't excite her. With flaws and foibles, Olivia stumbles her way through the volunteer work learning to look at others in a less judgmental manner. She also learns what's really important to her.

Wendy Lawton captures the heart, soul and voice of teenagers in her new book Changing Faces creating credible characters and establishing a realistic plot. This is a book most teens (and adults) won't be able to put down!

I fell in love with the characters and they honestly could have been the girls I know at church. The story was intriguing and I was truly surprised by the ending. It was much better than anything I had conjured up. Great read for teens and moms of teens.

High school senior Olivia is "scheduled to the max" in her quest to become Valedictorian. Between school work, church activities, and volunteer time, Olivia's personal relationships are neglected. A make-over on TV's "Changing Faces," new friendships, and a change in a long-term friendship help Olivia re-examine her priorities, especially her relationship with God. Wendy Lawton captures the pressure to "build resumes" that many of today's teens feel and laces her story with friendships that we all long for and cute guys with "crinkly smiles" that make hearts flutter. A must-read for every girl with a well-used day planner!

This book shows a character who has to take a different look at her life and priorities. Oliva's goals are giving her an attitude towards others that earns her the nickname "Chip" for the chip on her shoulder. Through her experiences at the homeless shelter she learns to reevaluate her attitude towards the homeless and really her attitude towards life in general - including her relationship with God. For anyone who feels like they're always going 100 miles an hour with no idea how to slow down or how to make time for priorities, this book is definitely worth reading!
~ CTF Devourer.com

Matthew 11:28 - Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

I bought this book and the rest of the series for my daughter who is 14. She said she liked them.

Olivia O'Donnell's senior year hasn't started off too well. On the first day of school she finds herself in a three-way tie for valedictorian and needs to come up with a volunteer position to give herself an edge over the competition. As she schedules volunteer time in her already over-crowded day planner, other things get crowded out-family, friends, homework. But an unexpected stint on a makeover show gets her to thinking about others, especially those women trying to start a new life in the shelter. Olivia learns about what is really important in life and uses that knowledge to help out others.

This is a book I will encourage my daughter to read.