Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes
Genre: Contemporary
Published By: Delacorte Books
Pages: 352
Format: E-Book
Rating: ★★★★★
Where to Find: Goodreads | Amazon

Just ask yourself what two things would make ‘The Breakfast Club’ a better movie. Bridgit Mendler and singing did you say?

Oh, ‘Lemonade Mouth’ has both of those things set in detention, sign me up!

After watching the Disney Channel Original Movie, a title screen that will warm my heart for the rest of my days, I just had to get my hands on the book. I was mega disappointed that Mo and Charlie didn’t get together in the film, but finding out their relationship was canon was literally the best thing to happen to me since ‘Clearwater Crossing’. (Don’t even get me started on that twenty book series gem.) Let me tell you that the book definitely filled the ‘Lemonade Mouth’ void that the movie left me with. I really didn’t want those 112 minutes to be over, so was glad that I had a potential five hours of more lemon-flavoured fun.

Firstly, what I love the most about the book is the diverse range of characters. I really enjoy reading books from multiple perspectives, in my opinion, the more the merrier. So to read about every character through different mediums, like letters and interviews and typed essays was refreshing and wholesome, just like a glass of lemonade.
The characters were not afraid to admit their flaws, but it wasn’t like a big deal was made of the fact that Olivia was chubby, or Stella was six foot tall or that Charlie could be best described by the word ‘thick’. None of their appearances mattered, instead the emphasis was placed on the personal growth that each character went through when they picked up an instrument and started to play.

The whole atmosphere of the book was toxic. I couldn’t get enough of what was going on in their lives and what they were singing. The foundations set for the plot were built upon in a way that everything was both expected and unexpected. You just knew that bad things were going to happen, after so much good especially with Charlie’s constant references to destiny and the balance in the universe.

What set this book apart from just being another ‘High School Musical’ drama was the constant stream of rebellion and the feeling of change. I think it’s really important for teenagers to realize that, no matter what their age or ability, they have the power to change the world and ‘Lemonade Mouth’ really proved that. I learned a lot about fighting for what I believe in, even if it seems like a lost cause, and to never doubt the power friendship can have on someone’s life. Olivia went from being a friendless nobody to a lead singer, a girl that was quiet and underestimated but when it came to saving the world, she didn’t hold back from joining the revolution.

And that’s really what it was. A revolution. I loved every single rebellious second and because of that I have no second thoughts when it comes to giving ‘Lemonade Mouth’ 5 out of 5 stars.