Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

This book is so sugary sweet that you shouldn't be surprised if you wind up with sixteen cavities and a toothache after finishing it. I don't usually read fluffy books but once in a while I feel the need to heed the siren call and take a break from my darker fare.

LUCKY CALLER is a YA title about a girl named Nina. Nina has an older sister named Rose and a younger sister named Sidney, and their mom is about to get married to her boyfriend, Dan, a viral YouTuber who does cute, Bob Ross-esque art stuff. Nina is happy for her mom, but she also feels that regret about her dad, who skipped out on them but is still very much around, seeing as how he's a famous radio host living it up in sunny California.

Nina's father is very much on her mind when she signs up for a radio class. When she finds out that her childhood friend, who she may or may not have feelings for, is also in the class, things get even more complicated. Especially when they get put in the same group and the competition-- to see who can get the most on air listeners-- begins to grow fierce among the other students.

I love YA books where the characters have hobbies, and I really liked all the emphasis on what it means to be a successful radio host/star, and all the talk about music and contests and banter. The author did a really good job bringing that all to life, and it was fun to see Nina and her friends grow and become more confident with each "episode" that they did.

I'm giving this three stars because I do think it got a little too twee-- especially with the flashbacks to the imaginary games they played as kids-- and the series of coincidences that brought the book to its climax were a little hard to swallow. It started to feel kind of like a Disney movie-- fun and cute and larger than life, but also not very believable and a bit too fairytale-esque to seem very realistic. But, like a Disney movie, it was cloyingly satisfying in its fashion and left me with a smile.

This should be a must-read for anyone who likes cute, fluffy stories and Disney movies.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!    

3 to 3.5 out of 5 stars