I get frightened in all this darkness
I get nightmares I hate to sleep alone
I need some company, a guardian angel
To keep me warm when the cold winds blow
I can feel you breathe
I can feel your heart beat faster
Take me home tonight
~Eddie Money
Yes. I’m starting this review of Take Me Home Tonight with lyrics from Eddie Money. Why? Because if I’m honest that is the song that ran through my head throughout the entire book. Although, I did also have a little bit of Out Tonight from Rent in there too at a few different points due to the multiple NYC and Broadway references. So basically this book had everything that I love right from the beginning.
For those of you who may not be aware, I am a theater person. Specifically Broadway. My favorite place to visit is NYC especially if I’m going to see a show. It doesn’t have to be a new show – it can be a show I have seen multiple times (like Come From Away) – and I will always be hyped to go. So, when I heard that Take Me Home Tonight was a young adult book that involved two best friends who were theater kids and a NYC background, I knew I was going to be hooked.
Kat and Stevie are best friends but they are complete opposites. Kat is the outgoing, active, and driven one while Stevie has always been more of a background character never really standing up for herself. The two of them decide to sneak off to NYC for the night to celebrate Stevie’s birthday with a picture perfect plan. Except you know what happens with a picture perfect plans – they have a tendency to fall apart – and show you different adventures along the way.
What I really enjoyed about Take Me Home Tonight is the message about trying new things and not being afraid to expand your horizons. Kat and Stevie are at that point in there lives where they are trying to figure everything out and prepare for the next step in their lives. This can be a very messy time. You don’t always know the right answer right away and even if you do sometimes you have missteps along the way. I know I did! The important part is being able to take part in the journey of discovering yourself and accepting whatever it is that is ahead.
There are several laugh out loud moments in Take Me Home Tonight. I found the tone of the book to be very comforting. Morgan Matson knows how to write her characters and for her audience of choice. These characters are not flawless. And the fact that they make mistakes throughout this book makes them even more human to me. I also enjoyed the interactions with the secondary characters as well. There is a touch of romance, a touch of reality, a touch of forgiveness, and of course, a touch of shenanigans. And who doesn’t love a touch of shenanigans?
I really feel like Take Me Home Tonight is going to be a book that people are going to love. I could see this being put on the big screen – in fact, I would love to see it on the big screen – it would be so much fun! And I would love to see that themed dry cleaner service too! It really is a fantastic contemporary that is relatable for teenagers and non-teenagers alike. Go check it out!
Rating: 5 Stars
*I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
welcome to the zoo! 