Fireworks by Katie Cotugno Book Review

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When I read Katie Cotugno’s books, How To Love and 99 Days, I instantly fell in love with her writing-style and the home-y and cozy worlds she built. I couldn’t help but compare this book to her previous ones, and realize how to different it was -and not exactly in a good way.

What I realized was how important Dana and Olivia’s friendship was in the story. But here’s the thing; what we got was a recap of a couple of memories showing how ‘close’ they were/are. I personally didn’t see anything special in their friendship. You can’t call a person your best friend just because you’ve known each other since forever -it doesn’t really work like that. True friendship requires unconditional love and sacrifice.

It was hinted a couple of times that Olivia was anorexic. I understand that although Dana was worried about her, she didn’t want to freak her out by pointing out how wrong the ‘things’ Olivia’s doing to keep herself ‘in shape’ are. But ignoring the signs of her deterioration and just trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing by giving her best friend privacy is not okay. How easy would it have been if she oh-so-delicately told Olivia’s mom about her daughter’s ‘sickness’, doesn’t she deserve to know?

Alex. What I don’t understand was how Dana convinced herself that she was actually in love with him. Sure, he motivated her and always had her back. But seriously, that was the most unrealistic relationship I’ve ever come across.

Overall, it was an ‘okay’ book. Definitely not what I expected from Katie Cotugno. I can’t say that I didn’t see the ending coming… I understand how significant Dana’s character transformation was, but that doesn’t make up for the defects in the book.

From Katie Cotugno, bestselling author of 99 Days, comes Fireworks—about a girl who is competing with her best friend to become the new pop star of the moment—and all the drama and romance that comes with it—set in Orlando during the late-’90s boy-and-girl-band craze.

It was always meant to be Olivia. She was the talented one, the one who had been training to be a star her whole life. Her best friend, Dana, was the level-headed one, always on the sidelines, cheering her best friend along.

But everything changes when Dana tags along with Olivia to Orlando for the weekend, where superproducer Guy Monroe is holding auditions for a new singing group, and Dana is discovered too. Dana, who’s never sung more than Olivia’s backup. Dana, who wasn’t even looking for fame. Next thing she knows, she and Olivia are training to be pop stars, and Dana is falling for Alex, the earnest, endlessly talented boy who’s destined to be the next big thing.

It should be a dream come true, but as the days of grueling practice and constant competition take their toll, things between Olivia and Dana start to shift . . . and there’s only room at the top for one girl. For Olivia, it’s her chance at her dream. For Dana, it’s a chance to escape a future that seems to be closing in on her. And for these lifelong best friends, it’s the adventure of a lifetime—if they can make it through.

Set in evocative 1990s Orlando, New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno’s Fireworks brings to life the complexity of friendship, the excitement of first love, and the feeling of being on the verge of greatness.