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Wildflower #2
The Road to You
Bright lights…Screaming fans…Cute roadies…Bird Barrett has officially arrived.
Next up on the road to stardom, Bird’s heading out on tour. Between opening for one of the biggest acts in country music and meeting a passionate young photographer who’s working as part of the backstage crew, the weeks pass by in an exciting blur. It might even be enough to distract Bird from the way things ended (or never quite started) with Adam Dean.
When the tour wraps up, though, it’s back to reality. The label is eager for a new hit song, but the sudden fame—complete with a media-fueled rivalry with another up-and-coming starlet—has Bird questioning her priorities. Before she can pour her heart out into her music, she’ll need to figure out where it truly lies.
Filled with sweet country music spirit, Wildflower is a series you just can’t get out of your head.
Next up on the road to stardom, Bird’s heading out on tour. Between opening for one of the biggest acts in country music and meeting a passionate young photographer who’s working as part of the backstage crew, the weeks pass by in an exciting blur. It might even be enough to distract Bird from the way things ended (or never quite started) with Adam Dean.
When the tour wraps up, though, it’s back to reality. The label is eager for a new hit song, but the sudden fame—complete with a media-fueled rivalry with another up-and-coming starlet—has Bird questioning her priorities. Before she can pour her heart out into her music, she’ll need to figure out where it truly lies.
Filled with sweet country music spirit, Wildflower is a series you just can’t get out of your head.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 14, 2015
9 people are currently reading
813 people want to read
About the author
Alecia Whitaker
4 books112 followersAlecia Whitaker grew up with a big imagination on a small farm in Kentucky, which was worlds away from where she currently resides in fast-paced New York City. She knows more about cows, tobacco, frog gigging, and carpentry than the average girl, and she applies the work ethic and common sense she learned from her southern upbringing to the way she now navigates her career and family life in the big city.
Although she graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BFA in Theatre and a BS in Advertising, she's always been a writer. She won the Soil Conservation Essay contest in the 4th grade, was selected as a Governor's School for the Arts student in Creative Writing in the 10th grade, and then in college, she was a Top Ten Finalist in the US Southeast Region for a Ten Minute Playwriting competition at James Madison University.
Since then, she has been in loads of commercials, as well as on stage in a few small theatrical productions and poetry slams. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show numerous times, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, and was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal. She is currently the host of a twice weekly web show called The Baby Book, which chronicles her real life experiences of being a mom in New York City.
Her personal essays have been published in the anthology Blink: Fiction in the Blink of an Eye and several times in Underwired Magazine. She co-wrote the popular one act play Becoming Woman with a grant from The Kentucky Foundation for Women. The Queen of Kentucky is her first novel and proudest artistic accomplishment.
Now living in New York City with her husband and son, she is amused at how often her big imagination takes her back to a simpler life in Kentucky.
Although she graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BFA in Theatre and a BS in Advertising, she's always been a writer. She won the Soil Conservation Essay contest in the 4th grade, was selected as a Governor's School for the Arts student in Creative Writing in the 10th grade, and then in college, she was a Top Ten Finalist in the US Southeast Region for a Ten Minute Playwriting competition at James Madison University.
Since then, she has been in loads of commercials, as well as on stage in a few small theatrical productions and poetry slams. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show numerous times, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, and was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal. She is currently the host of a twice weekly web show called The Baby Book, which chronicles her real life experiences of being a mom in New York City.
Her personal essays have been published in the anthology Blink: Fiction in the Blink of an Eye and several times in Underwired Magazine. She co-wrote the popular one act play Becoming Woman with a grant from The Kentucky Foundation for Women. The Queen of Kentucky is her first novel and proudest artistic accomplishment.
Now living in New York City with her husband and son, she is amused at how often her big imagination takes her back to a simpler life in Kentucky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 19, 2016
ARC Review.
The parents complain about everything, what happened to the wonderful people from the last book? Did they get sucked out of it? Aliens? Possession?
She spends 9k ONCE on some clothes. Yeah, that is a lot, but does she need to get preached by everyone? Seriously, it happened ONCE. She never ever splurged on something, it is HER money, HER thing, so why is everyone making a big deal out of it. If she does it all the time, go ahead. But come on, let the girl have fun with her OWN money for once. Her parents, Kai, everyone is just making a big fuss about it. Sjeesh, really I hate this. Again, it is her OWN money, her OWN choice. And sure she is 17, but sorry, I don't really see the problem as long as she doesn't keep doing it all the time.
I don't like how Bird treats Kai and Adam. Pick one of them, not both. You can't just flirt with Kai and then also flirt with Adam. That is just not good. Either pick one of them or lose both of them.
The blurb spoiled the book for me. I expected those things (Kai and L.A.) to happen in the beginning. But no. Kai doesn't come into the romance picture until 1/4 in, and L.A. and the decision to go there doesn't happen until 1/2. We met Kai, and I was like: Oh hello, Kai, did you know she likes you? And when L.A. happened, I was like, Oh hello L.A.. I really hate it when blurbs spoil stuff. If it happens in the beginning, I don't mind, but sorry, this was just annoying and it ruined a fair chunk of the book.
The book misses its magical spark. The spark that pulled me into the previous book. It felt empty and devoid of emotion. I hated practically every character (also Bird), while I loved them in the previous book. :(
I loved the Bird in the previous book. However in this one, she was just lacking. Her work ethic sucks. She has to make an album, but yet cares more about her new boyfriend. She had so many inspiring ideas, and instead of shoving her boyfriend out of her trailer, she just stayed with him and let the awesome ideas go away. It is a real shame.
All the drama between Kai and Bird was just so stupid. It was overdramatic and silly and instead of feeling sorry for either of them, I was just shaking my head and hoping this thing would stop.
Also those random THE PAUSE stuff that happened between conversations of Bird and Kai. It was interesting the first time, it was nice the second time, but when it happened over and over again.... I was just wondering how these 2 are together. They don't match, they argue and Kai just wants Bird for the sex (at least that is how it feels to me).
Not to mention all the other silly drama stuff. Or the silly rival crap. That just got old very fast. Seriously, Bird needs to learn what to say and not just blurt out stuff and then regret it later when Anita tells her it was a bad thing. Things like: "Look, Kayelee and I have totally different styles. If fans want authenticity, that's what they'll get from me - real music". Seriously, what is up with that girl. You DON'T say stuff like that, you should know better. URGHHHHHH, drama.
I am sad to say that I can't rate this book more than 2 stars, and that already feels like too much. I loved the previous book (having it at 4 stars), but this one just sucked. And I wouldn't recommend the book. I am sorry, I was so looking forward to this book, and I am so sad and disappointed that it turned out to be like this. :\
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
The parents complain about everything, what happened to the wonderful people from the last book? Did they get sucked out of it? Aliens? Possession?
She spends 9k ONCE on some clothes. Yeah, that is a lot, but does she need to get preached by everyone? Seriously, it happened ONCE. She never ever splurged on something, it is HER money, HER thing, so why is everyone making a big deal out of it. If she does it all the time, go ahead. But come on, let the girl have fun with her OWN money for once. Her parents, Kai, everyone is just making a big fuss about it. Sjeesh, really I hate this. Again, it is her OWN money, her OWN choice. And sure she is 17, but sorry, I don't really see the problem as long as she doesn't keep doing it all the time.
I don't like how Bird treats Kai and Adam. Pick one of them, not both. You can't just flirt with Kai and then also flirt with Adam. That is just not good. Either pick one of them or lose both of them.
The blurb spoiled the book for me. I expected those things (Kai and L.A.) to happen in the beginning. But no. Kai doesn't come into the romance picture until 1/4 in, and L.A. and the decision to go there doesn't happen until 1/2. We met Kai, and I was like: Oh hello, Kai, did you know she likes you? And when L.A. happened, I was like, Oh hello L.A.. I really hate it when blurbs spoil stuff. If it happens in the beginning, I don't mind, but sorry, this was just annoying and it ruined a fair chunk of the book.
The book misses its magical spark. The spark that pulled me into the previous book. It felt empty and devoid of emotion. I hated practically every character (also Bird), while I loved them in the previous book. :(
I loved the Bird in the previous book. However in this one, she was just lacking. Her work ethic sucks. She has to make an album, but yet cares more about her new boyfriend. She had so many inspiring ideas, and instead of shoving her boyfriend out of her trailer, she just stayed with him and let the awesome ideas go away. It is a real shame.
All the drama between Kai and Bird was just so stupid. It was overdramatic and silly and instead of feeling sorry for either of them, I was just shaking my head and hoping this thing would stop.
Also those random THE PAUSE stuff that happened between conversations of Bird and Kai. It was interesting the first time, it was nice the second time, but when it happened over and over again.... I was just wondering how these 2 are together. They don't match, they argue and Kai just wants Bird for the sex (at least that is how it feels to me).
Not to mention all the other silly drama stuff. Or the silly rival crap. That just got old very fast. Seriously, Bird needs to learn what to say and not just blurt out stuff and then regret it later when Anita tells her it was a bad thing. Things like: "Look, Kayelee and I have totally different styles. If fans want authenticity, that's what they'll get from me - real music". Seriously, what is up with that girl. You DON'T say stuff like that, you should know better. URGHHHHHH, drama.
I am sad to say that I can't rate this book more than 2 stars, and that already feels like too much. I loved the previous book (having it at 4 stars), but this one just sucked. And I wouldn't recommend the book. I am sorry, I was so looking forward to this book, and I am so sad and disappointed that it turned out to be like this. :\
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 23, 2020
The Road To You is a realistic fiction novel by Alecia Whitaker. The story is a sequel to Wildflower and it follows Bird Barrett as she opens on tour for one of the biggest names in country music. Bird is now seventeen years old, and after being discovered last year, she is ready to get back on the road, but this time things are much different.
While on tour, Bird meets a young roadie, named Kai, who makes the tour an exciting blur. They stay up late talking on the phone and spend all of their free time getting to know each other better. To Bird, it seems like she finally has everything she could ever want, an amazing boyfriend, a best friend, and the career of her dreams, but when the tour wraps up, it’s back to reality.
With her label pressuring her to write another hit song and the long, tense conversations with Kai over the phone, Bird is beginning to question her priorities, and the media-fueled rivalry with up-and-coming singer, Kaylee Ford isn’t helping. Bird can feel herself getting sucked into the Hollywood life, and when everything blows up in her face, Bird discovers which of her relationships were strong enough to last and where her heart truly lies.
My favorite part was when Bird and Adam see each other on Thanksgiving. They haven’t seen each other in months, and when they finally do, their relationship is still strong. Adam and Bird both play songs that aren’t finished and it shows the trust that they have with each other. This part reminded me of the last book because it went back to when things were so easy for Bird and Adam. While they are talking, Bird says to herself, “I am not stirred, not nervous or giddy or overcome by an old crush. Instead, next to Adam, I feel at home.” This shows that the spark that was there in the first book is still there, but it’s not like how it was with Kai. It reminds me of the beginning of the first book, before Bird’s rise to fame when things between them were comfortable and not forced like most of the other relationships in Bird’s life.
I would recommend this book to people whose life has changed dramatically in a short period of time. It covers how to juggle your new life and your old one while staying true to what you really want.
While on tour, Bird meets a young roadie, named Kai, who makes the tour an exciting blur. They stay up late talking on the phone and spend all of their free time getting to know each other better. To Bird, it seems like she finally has everything she could ever want, an amazing boyfriend, a best friend, and the career of her dreams, but when the tour wraps up, it’s back to reality.
With her label pressuring her to write another hit song and the long, tense conversations with Kai over the phone, Bird is beginning to question her priorities, and the media-fueled rivalry with up-and-coming singer, Kaylee Ford isn’t helping. Bird can feel herself getting sucked into the Hollywood life, and when everything blows up in her face, Bird discovers which of her relationships were strong enough to last and where her heart truly lies.
My favorite part was when Bird and Adam see each other on Thanksgiving. They haven’t seen each other in months, and when they finally do, their relationship is still strong. Adam and Bird both play songs that aren’t finished and it shows the trust that they have with each other. This part reminded me of the last book because it went back to when things were so easy for Bird and Adam. While they are talking, Bird says to herself, “I am not stirred, not nervous or giddy or overcome by an old crush. Instead, next to Adam, I feel at home.” This shows that the spark that was there in the first book is still there, but it’s not like how it was with Kai. It reminds me of the beginning of the first book, before Bird’s rise to fame when things between them were comfortable and not forced like most of the other relationships in Bird’s life.
I would recommend this book to people whose life has changed dramatically in a short period of time. It covers how to juggle your new life and your old one while staying true to what you really want.
June 3, 2017
I've really enjoyed Bird's story so far! This was a good follow up to Wildflower. Although I did feel like Bird starting losing her way a bit, , I felt like it was an honest depiction of the confusion of growing up while navigating a thriving career. I hope the last book finds Bird more in tune with who she is, and reaching even more milestones in her career!
July 19, 2025
Great 2nd book
I loved this as much as Wildflower. Watching Bird grow as a performer and becoming accustomed to her stardom is interesting.
I loved this as much as Wildflower. Watching Bird grow as a performer and becoming accustomed to her stardom is interesting.
June 30, 2015
The first book in this series, Wildflower, was good but it needed improvements. I feel as though Alecia improved on a lot of little things in The Road to You, which ultimately helped the series out. But I also feel like some of the elements included in The Road to You that were more prominent in this book, dragged it down slightly.
I find The Road to You to be much more focused on the romance than Wildflower was. Wildflower was much more about family, and Bird’s journey to find out who she was. In The Road to You, things have progressed quite a bit, and you see Bird thrown into an entirely different world. It’s not easy for her, but she tries her best to make the most out of it.
The Road to You just has a much different vibe, which is a good thing. It’s nice to see the story progressing, and to see the characters faced with ever changing situations. It’s not meant for everything to work out perfectly, and I enjoyed following Bird as she tries to figure everything out after such a huge transition in her life.
Even with the improvements Alecia has made, I won’t go as far as saying this book is perfect. There are still quite a few pacing issues, which was my main problem with Wildflower. I feel like a lot of it just falls on the writing style. It’s not so much a negative thing, as it is just a minor annoyance. The characters and the overall story is very well written, but there needs to be some work done on figuring out better ways to pace major events, and to keep the reader interested by including hooks in the writing between the bigger events.
I am happy that this book improved slightly on Wildflower, and I enjoyed getting to reunite with Bird and see what new issues she was facing, and how she aimed to overcome everything and get to where she wants to be. I just didn’t find myself totally engrossed in the story. As I mentioned, the characters are well written, and as a reader I can easily connect with Bird but that is where I feel a lot of it ends.
I wasn’t impressed with the romance in The Road to You. This disappoints me, as I feel it is a more prominent feature in this book than it was the first, so I was hoping it would be written in a way that echoes that. There is drama involved, with both of them having to do their own thing, and making sure they keep up with their obligations, but it just didn’t feel as flushed out as it could have been.
Overall, I would say that if you have read Wildflower, you should pick up a copy of The Road to You. I can see many contemporary fans enjoying this series, but I also want to make sure readers are aware of some of the minor issues that I have mentioned in this review. For everything Alecia tries to do in this series, the books honestly do turn out quite good. I just don’t feel as though they are my favorites. I had a decent time reading them the first time, but I wouldn’t want to go back to them.
I find The Road to You to be much more focused on the romance than Wildflower was. Wildflower was much more about family, and Bird’s journey to find out who she was. In The Road to You, things have progressed quite a bit, and you see Bird thrown into an entirely different world. It’s not easy for her, but she tries her best to make the most out of it.
The Road to You just has a much different vibe, which is a good thing. It’s nice to see the story progressing, and to see the characters faced with ever changing situations. It’s not meant for everything to work out perfectly, and I enjoyed following Bird as she tries to figure everything out after such a huge transition in her life.
Even with the improvements Alecia has made, I won’t go as far as saying this book is perfect. There are still quite a few pacing issues, which was my main problem with Wildflower. I feel like a lot of it just falls on the writing style. It’s not so much a negative thing, as it is just a minor annoyance. The characters and the overall story is very well written, but there needs to be some work done on figuring out better ways to pace major events, and to keep the reader interested by including hooks in the writing between the bigger events.
I am happy that this book improved slightly on Wildflower, and I enjoyed getting to reunite with Bird and see what new issues she was facing, and how she aimed to overcome everything and get to where she wants to be. I just didn’t find myself totally engrossed in the story. As I mentioned, the characters are well written, and as a reader I can easily connect with Bird but that is where I feel a lot of it ends.
I wasn’t impressed with the romance in The Road to You. This disappoints me, as I feel it is a more prominent feature in this book than it was the first, so I was hoping it would be written in a way that echoes that. There is drama involved, with both of them having to do their own thing, and making sure they keep up with their obligations, but it just didn’t feel as flushed out as it could have been.
Overall, I would say that if you have read Wildflower, you should pick up a copy of The Road to You. I can see many contemporary fans enjoying this series, but I also want to make sure readers are aware of some of the minor issues that I have mentioned in this review. For everything Alecia tries to do in this series, the books honestly do turn out quite good. I just don’t feel as though they are my favorites. I had a decent time reading them the first time, but I wouldn’t want to go back to them.
January 5, 2016
Bird, Bird. What to do with you? You were doing so well in the first book—all well-adjusted and generally sweet. You spent more time on friendship than mooning over boysboysboys (although there was some of that).
It was too good to last, wasn't it?
In The Road to You, Bird lets fame and fortune go to her head. There's another boy in the picture, and Bird spends much of the book agonising over them being apart, but he's kind of...filler? And so many of the things I liked about the first book (the sensible-and-well-adjusted stuff) don't apply here. Instead it's all mean-girl drama and boy drama and money drama and...
Reminds me quite a lot of Paparazzi Princess, actually. Secrets of My Hollywood Life is a great (fluffy) series, but I think it offers more of a foundation than Wildflower does. Both series are predictable in their own way, but this felt like a letdown after the first book. Still cute (...even if Bird's a bit of a Mary Sue, despite her flirtation with being a bratty star here), but not as much follow-through.
One thing: Bird plays the fiddle. She does a bit of guitar work, yes, but mostly she's a fiddle girl. It's a relief to her every time she can get the fiddle out with her on stage, because it feels true to who she is. Interesting, then, that the covers (which are decided by the publisher, not the author) show her with a guitar (and with blonde hair rather than red). Very in line with Bird's observations about her record label wanting what's expected/easily accessible...
It was too good to last, wasn't it?
In The Road to You, Bird lets fame and fortune go to her head. There's another boy in the picture, and Bird spends much of the book agonising over them being apart, but he's kind of...filler? And so many of the things I liked about the first book (the sensible-and-well-adjusted stuff) don't apply here. Instead it's all mean-girl drama and boy drama and money drama and...
Reminds me quite a lot of Paparazzi Princess, actually. Secrets of My Hollywood Life is a great (fluffy) series, but I think it offers more of a foundation than Wildflower does. Both series are predictable in their own way, but this felt like a letdown after the first book. Still cute (...even if Bird's a bit of a Mary Sue, despite her flirtation with being a bratty star here), but not as much follow-through.
One thing: Bird plays the fiddle. She does a bit of guitar work, yes, but mostly she's a fiddle girl. It's a relief to her every time she can get the fiddle out with her on stage, because it feels true to who she is. Interesting, then, that the covers (which are decided by the publisher, not the author) show her with a guitar (and with blonde hair rather than red). Very in line with Bird's observations about her record label wanting what's expected/easily accessible...
April 14, 2021
3.5
I think sometimes when you go into the first book in a series with no expectations and end up really enjoying it, it can be very easy to go into the next book with higher expectations and be disappointed.
I enjoyed most of this book, but what I didn’t enjoy was the romance between Bird and Kai which took up quite a bit of the book, as soon as Kai said that he didn’t like it when bands he liked became too known and that it affected how he enjoyed them I knew I wouldn’t like him. I felt like he was quite dismissive of Bird and her music and career because of it, which causes the conflict between them so I actually enjoyed that – Bird trying to come to terms what she likes about Kai and their relationship and how Kai seems to feel about her music and fame and how she feels about it. While Bird is quite immature at times about their relationship, it is her first relationship and she is 17/18, if she handled it more maturely, I feel like that would’ve been unrealistic.
At the beginning I was also kind of disappointed in how the rivalry between Bird and Kayelee, I thought it would end up that it really was Kayelee’s record label behind the drama and that they would end up being friends, instead it took the typical rivalry, but I do like how Bird ended up feeling about it and the song she wrote, where she realised that she didn’t have to like Kayelee but she also didn’t need to feel threatened by her success, that they both had a place. Again, I also try and look at it through a 17/18-year-old perspective and sometimes jealousy and pettiness can get in the way.
I did like the subtle way it showed that maybe fame was getting to Bird but didn’t over dramatize is and drown the book in it – it was subtle ways that I feel anyone who quickly gains fame may act, doesn’t make them a horrible person but can be seen as stuck up. I also liked the conversation about having a parent as a manager, how their inexperience can harm a career and how it can affect them as a parent, I liked that it dived into that and had some discussion about it.
I was disappointed at how the family relations took a back seat in this book, it was still there but not as prominent and while I understand that Bird will meet friends etc, the family dynamic is something I really enjoyed in the first book so to not see it so much in this book disappointed me a bit.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but I felt it was missing a lot of heart that the first book did, but I am looking forward to reading the last book.
I think sometimes when you go into the first book in a series with no expectations and end up really enjoying it, it can be very easy to go into the next book with higher expectations and be disappointed.
I enjoyed most of this book, but what I didn’t enjoy was the romance between Bird and Kai which took up quite a bit of the book, as soon as Kai said that he didn’t like it when bands he liked became too known and that it affected how he enjoyed them I knew I wouldn’t like him. I felt like he was quite dismissive of Bird and her music and career because of it, which causes the conflict between them so I actually enjoyed that – Bird trying to come to terms what she likes about Kai and their relationship and how Kai seems to feel about her music and fame and how she feels about it. While Bird is quite immature at times about their relationship, it is her first relationship and she is 17/18, if she handled it more maturely, I feel like that would’ve been unrealistic.
At the beginning I was also kind of disappointed in how the rivalry between Bird and Kayelee, I thought it would end up that it really was Kayelee’s record label behind the drama and that they would end up being friends, instead it took the typical rivalry, but I do like how Bird ended up feeling about it and the song she wrote, where she realised that she didn’t have to like Kayelee but she also didn’t need to feel threatened by her success, that they both had a place. Again, I also try and look at it through a 17/18-year-old perspective and sometimes jealousy and pettiness can get in the way.
I did like the subtle way it showed that maybe fame was getting to Bird but didn’t over dramatize is and drown the book in it – it was subtle ways that I feel anyone who quickly gains fame may act, doesn’t make them a horrible person but can be seen as stuck up. I also liked the conversation about having a parent as a manager, how their inexperience can harm a career and how it can affect them as a parent, I liked that it dived into that and had some discussion about it.
I was disappointed at how the family relations took a back seat in this book, it was still there but not as prominent and while I understand that Bird will meet friends etc, the family dynamic is something I really enjoyed in the first book so to not see it so much in this book disappointed me a bit.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but I felt it was missing a lot of heart that the first book did, but I am looking forward to reading the last book.
December 21, 2024
Bird Barrrets career is full steam ahead as she opens for a major country star for the summer. Despite her breakup from Adam and her jitters for performing in front of stadium audiences, she manages to do it all with stride. But what she doesn't expect is the lighting crew member she falls for and the famous Devyn star who swoops in to be her 'friend'.
I enjoyed seeing how Bird handles the new aspects that fame throws at her. I also enjoyed experiencing her falling truly in love for the first time and how it can feel as if it takes over everything else.
As she juggles it all, it was also nice to see how Bird still kept to her true self, valued her family and true friends.
I can't wait to read the next book!
I enjoyed seeing how Bird handles the new aspects that fame throws at her. I also enjoyed experiencing her falling truly in love for the first time and how it can feel as if it takes over everything else.
As she juggles it all, it was also nice to see how Bird still kept to her true self, valued her family and true friends.
I can't wait to read the next book!
December 9, 2017
Did not like this one as much as the first, unfortunately. And I think it's because, like, none of the secondary characters were likable. Maybe it's my loyalty to Adam, but I never liked Kai. (There was also an extreme lack of Adam in this, which didn't help the book.) Devyn was obnoxious, I hated the rivalry between Bird and Kayelee... Also, what happened to her super-cool and supportive parents? I guess I just wasn't a fan of Bird's Hollywood life.
Here's hoping things pick back up in book three!
Here's hoping things pick back up in book three!
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July 30, 2023I thought it was really good! It truly shows what a person is capable of doing if they put their mind to it. And that includes if you get side-tracked by love. Sometimes you have to just let life "take the wheel." Sometimes you have to be spontaneous. That is coming from a girl that plans a lot. Such as grocery shopping trips, her day from the time that she wakes until she goes to bed. But in this book, Bird showed her dad that she can make decisions for her music career without him and she can be independent. And that is what a lot of people her age want to do. They want to prove themselves to their parents and to the world who they are, what they are capable of, and what they want to do.
April 7, 2023
I was really looking forward to reading this, unfortunately majority of the book just talked about a sixteen-year-old Bird getting together with a twenty-year-old and throwing fits that they couldn't be together 24/7...Girl you're SIXTEEN!! Focus on making music instead of getting dick! And why the f**k is a twenty-year-old guy WANTING to hook up with a sixteen-year-old?!...Can writer's STOP writing about underage people hooking up with people over the age of eighteen??...It's gross and takes away from the "Story"...That's all<3
November 10, 2024
Overall pretty solid. I like Bird as a character and I also love the side characters. But I have a few criticisms, the first being that a 16-year-old should not be dating a guy who is twenty. I don't know why their relationship is seen as OK by her parents because if that was me, and I was 16, my parents would've said no way. I also felt that she should've been able to see through Devyn but for some reason she didn't. If she can see through Kayelee, she DEFINITELY should've seen right through Devyn. Overall though, still pretty solid.
December 29, 2016
I love series about the music industry or Hollywood. Bird is a great, down to earth glimpse into the entrance of the world.
It is very T. Swift-like, but it was so sweet and fun! I love all of her family and friends. Although the love interest was one of those annoying hipster, I'm too cool for popular music guys.
It is very T. Swift-like, but it was so sweet and fun! I love all of her family and friends. Although the love interest was one of those annoying hipster, I'm too cool for popular music guys.
May 28, 2018
Lost the charm of book 1. Maybe it's because I live here, but the whole glamorous LA lifestyle was unconvincing from the get go.
July 26, 2021
Didn't enjoy as much as the first book but I loved the characters
July 25, 2023
The first one was cute, but the author probably should have ended it there. This was a lot of mindless teen drama for the sake of drama. Mostly skimmed.
October 5, 2025
Terrible book for readers. This is a complicated mess. Will not recommend to my girls to read.
October 24, 2019
This one was probably my least favorite out of the trilogy. I am still getting used to Whitaker’s style and narrative.
July 11, 2016
An entertaining read.
I actually didn't realize that this book was a sequel until I looked up the book on goodreads to review it.
The only problems I had with the book:
-The way the characters spoke: A couple of times in the book, Bird, or the people her age, would use the phrase "I ought to" or "you ought to." What kind of 16/17 year old uses the word "ought?" That word is kind of dead in the millennial world.
-Bird's lyrics: I can be a little forgiving on this because I understand that songwriting is really difficult, especially if you're writing a song that isn't personal to yourself (and when I say that I mean the author hasn't actually lived Bird's life), but most of Bird's lyrics in my opinion weren't worthy of a CMA or Grammy nomination. They were kind of bland. But it's okay, I was able to just pretend that they were supposed to be really amazing.
I actually kind of wish the book went more into her actual music and her lyrics, but I understand that writing about a story about a musician is difficult. There were only small snippets of lyrics mentioned in the book whenever she would perform the songs. Maybe the first book included more lyrics to her songs, and I just wouldn't know because I didn't read the first book.
In regards to the plot:
I thought the "champagne scandal" was slightly unrealistic. People put sparkling beverages in champagne glasses all the time. You can't just look at a photo of someone holding a champagne flute and be like, "wow, she is shitfaced and that is definitely an alcoholic drink!" The author could have gone into a little more detail with the photo, maybe by mentioning that Bird's face was so red from the heat of the room and her makeup was messed up from the sweat and the photo was blurry, so she looked drunk even though she wasn't. I'm not sure, realistically, if anyone would care if they knew a 17 year old had a glass of champagne at an afterparty. Yes, it's technically illegal, but under age people drink in moderation at important events all the time, like at weddings and such.
Secondly, I kind of hated Kai. At first, I was cool with him, but later I found his "hipster" mindset to be really irritating. Anyone else with me??? He had a lot to say and was really critical for someone who isn't even a REAL musician. He knew like, two guitar chords. I got really annoyed with him and found him to be a really unsupportive boyfriend. I'm not saying he had to LOVE Bird's music, but he didn't have to be an ass about it. He knew what he was getting into when he started dating Bird. I also got really annoyed when he was criticizing Bird's shopping habits. He isn't her father. I found his reaction to be so rude as a significant other.
I get that this was a young adult novel targeted towards a younger audience, but I found Kaylee Ford's character to be a little too "stereotypically" cruel, if that makes any sense. I guess I just got kind of annoyed because she was rich, "revealing" in the way she dressed, annoyingly flirtatious, and mean. I feel it was almost too typical of an antagonist character. The way the rivalry between Ford and Bird was portrayed was a little too intense to be real to me. Most musicians want to appear to be friendly and innocent in order to be likable for their fans, and Kaylee was a little to intense, so I can't imagine how she had any fanbase. I mean, I guess in reality, Kanye West is a little crazy and still has a lot of fans. Speaking of Kanye, I liked how the author mentioned some real musicians/celebrities in the novel. It made it more real to me.
All in all, this book was pretty entertaining and I would definitely read the next one, if the author is planning on writing another.
I actually didn't realize that this book was a sequel until I looked up the book on goodreads to review it.
The only problems I had with the book:
-The way the characters spoke: A couple of times in the book, Bird, or the people her age, would use the phrase "I ought to" or "you ought to." What kind of 16/17 year old uses the word "ought?" That word is kind of dead in the millennial world.
-Bird's lyrics: I can be a little forgiving on this because I understand that songwriting is really difficult, especially if you're writing a song that isn't personal to yourself (and when I say that I mean the author hasn't actually lived Bird's life), but most of Bird's lyrics in my opinion weren't worthy of a CMA or Grammy nomination. They were kind of bland. But it's okay, I was able to just pretend that they were supposed to be really amazing.
I actually kind of wish the book went more into her actual music and her lyrics, but I understand that writing about a story about a musician is difficult. There were only small snippets of lyrics mentioned in the book whenever she would perform the songs. Maybe the first book included more lyrics to her songs, and I just wouldn't know because I didn't read the first book.
In regards to the plot:
I thought the "champagne scandal" was slightly unrealistic. People put sparkling beverages in champagne glasses all the time. You can't just look at a photo of someone holding a champagne flute and be like, "wow, she is shitfaced and that is definitely an alcoholic drink!" The author could have gone into a little more detail with the photo, maybe by mentioning that Bird's face was so red from the heat of the room and her makeup was messed up from the sweat and the photo was blurry, so she looked drunk even though she wasn't. I'm not sure, realistically, if anyone would care if they knew a 17 year old had a glass of champagne at an afterparty. Yes, it's technically illegal, but under age people drink in moderation at important events all the time, like at weddings and such.
Secondly, I kind of hated Kai. At first, I was cool with him, but later I found his "hipster" mindset to be really irritating. Anyone else with me??? He had a lot to say and was really critical for someone who isn't even a REAL musician. He knew like, two guitar chords. I got really annoyed with him and found him to be a really unsupportive boyfriend. I'm not saying he had to LOVE Bird's music, but he didn't have to be an ass about it. He knew what he was getting into when he started dating Bird. I also got really annoyed when he was criticizing Bird's shopping habits. He isn't her father. I found his reaction to be so rude as a significant other.
I get that this was a young adult novel targeted towards a younger audience, but I found Kaylee Ford's character to be a little too "stereotypically" cruel, if that makes any sense. I guess I just got kind of annoyed because she was rich, "revealing" in the way she dressed, annoyingly flirtatious, and mean. I feel it was almost too typical of an antagonist character. The way the rivalry between Ford and Bird was portrayed was a little too intense to be real to me. Most musicians want to appear to be friendly and innocent in order to be likable for their fans, and Kaylee was a little to intense, so I can't imagine how she had any fanbase. I mean, I guess in reality, Kanye West is a little crazy and still has a lot of fans. Speaking of Kanye, I liked how the author mentioned some real musicians/celebrities in the novel. It made it more real to me.
All in all, this book was pretty entertaining and I would definitely read the next one, if the author is planning on writing another.
May 21, 2021
I liked the first book better than this one. I am still not used to Alecia Whitaker’s writing style; it is easy to read—so much that it kind of makes me bored.
Throughout the book, Bird just feels much different than in the first one. It seems like her career (and Devyn) just puts a lot of pressure on her that it kind of affected her personality. She became more immature, insecure, and eager to please. She wanted everyone’s reassurance about her music. What happened to the Bird in the previous book?
Lastly, I don’t like the fact that her parents aren’t that supportive of her anymore. Sure, they’re there for Bird and her music. But what about outside her career? They became much complicated than before; they get mad easily at her even at the smallest things (her spending her OWN money, her drinking and having fun with her friends, etc.).
Throughout the book, Bird just feels much different than in the first one. It seems like her career (and Devyn) just puts a lot of pressure on her that it kind of affected her personality. She became more immature, insecure, and eager to please. She wanted everyone’s reassurance about her music. What happened to the Bird in the previous book?
Lastly, I don’t like the fact that her parents aren’t that supportive of her anymore. Sure, they’re there for Bird and her music. But what about outside her career? They became much complicated than before; they get mad easily at her even at the smallest things (her spending her OWN money, her drinking and having fun with her friends, etc.).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2017
2.5 Stars
The first novel in this series, Wildflower , was not my favorite book ever, but it wasn't too shabby. Going into this novel, I had the same expectations.
I was disappointed, and here's why:
The Characters
While Bird is admirable and pretty well-developed, the rest of the characters are VERY lacking.
Bird meets a lot of celebrities in this installation, but they just seemed to blend together. They were all so fake and stereotypical, and maybe that was the point, but it certainly was lacking in creativity. I doubt every single celebrity likes pink rhinestones and hashtags.
Kai, Bird's new love interest, also bothered me. Why does he HAVE to have a six pack and be so handsome just like every other YA-genre guy? His personality was realistic and unique, so that helped a little but he was not a character I "swooned over".
The Plot
The plot felt uninspired, almost like it was Wildflower with some tweaks and new branding. There's the hottie love interest (with a few complications in Bird's relationship with him). Bird tries to create a new album. She deals with the challenges of being famous.
There was even less of a plot with this one- it was very anticlimactic and left me wondering, What was the point? The chapters jumped around a lot, too. On one page it might be New Year's Eve when in just the last chapter Bird was celebrating Christmas, and a lot of things happened in-between. I didn't like the telling without the showing.
The Writing
The writing was tolerable, but nothing amazing. Phrases were often overused, like "The energy is palpable", and sometimes adjectives, like in this case:
"It smells delicious."
He holds my chair out, which is so cute I could die.
"So?"he asks when I take my first bite.
"Mmmm...delicious."
It isn't necessarily bad, but it just might be the writing style isn't my personal preference.
Overall, reading The Road to You is like eating a donut- it's enjoyable in the moment, but it fills you up with empty calories and leaves you unsatisfied in the end. It just may not be my style, but something is undoubtedly lacking in this second installment.
The first novel in this series, Wildflower , was not my favorite book ever, but it wasn't too shabby. Going into this novel, I had the same expectations.
I was disappointed, and here's why:
The Characters
While Bird is admirable and pretty well-developed, the rest of the characters are VERY lacking.
Bird meets a lot of celebrities in this installation, but they just seemed to blend together. They were all so fake and stereotypical, and maybe that was the point, but it certainly was lacking in creativity. I doubt every single celebrity likes pink rhinestones and hashtags.
Kai, Bird's new love interest, also bothered me. Why does he HAVE to have a six pack and be so handsome just like every other YA-genre guy? His personality was realistic and unique, so that helped a little but he was not a character I "swooned over".
The Plot
The plot felt uninspired, almost like it was Wildflower with some tweaks and new branding. There's the hottie love interest (with a few complications in Bird's relationship with him). Bird tries to create a new album. She deals with the challenges of being famous.
There was even less of a plot with this one- it was very anticlimactic and left me wondering, What was the point? The chapters jumped around a lot, too. On one page it might be New Year's Eve when in just the last chapter Bird was celebrating Christmas, and a lot of things happened in-between. I didn't like the telling without the showing.
The Writing
The writing was tolerable, but nothing amazing. Phrases were often overused, like "The energy is palpable", and sometimes adjectives, like in this case:
"It smells delicious."
He holds my chair out, which is so cute I could die.
"So?"he asks when I take my first bite.
"Mmmm...delicious."
It isn't necessarily bad, but it just might be the writing style isn't my personal preference.
Overall, reading The Road to You is like eating a donut- it's enjoyable in the moment, but it fills you up with empty calories and leaves you unsatisfied in the end. It just may not be my style, but something is undoubtedly lacking in this second installment.
December 19, 2018
Once again, I very much enjoyed Bird Barrett’s story, even somewhat in spite of myself. The Road to You has precisely the same problem as Wildflower: a lack of depth.
There’s not a whole lot to these books. The Road to You is where Bird hits her “low point,” which basically just means that she sometimes engages in some mean girl retaliation towards her rival singer and goes a bit too “Hollywood.” One of her dark moments is when she goes on a nine thousand dollar shopping spree, and everyone’s like “this just isn’t you.”
This book’s also a bit weaker because it loses some of the family focus, and that’s where this series does work for me: the Barrett family. Bird’s a bit more isolated here. I do like her struggle with the decision to fire her dad as her manager, though, again, the family works through it in this impressively healthy way; fights never last too long in this series.
The bulk of Bird’s emotional journey here is around her relationship with her first boyfriend, Kai. He works as a roadie for the tour she’s on, and they fall head over heels. However, he’s also totally toxic, not because he’s a bad guy but because they like and enjoy very different things. Bird struggles to write her second album, because he’s constantly trying to force her to sound like the anti-mainstream hipster stuff he’s into, and not like herself. It’s done with the subtlety of “You Think My Tractor’s Sexy,” but it is a good thing for teens (and adults) to read about all the small ways that relationships can be bad for you, even if the feelings are there and no one is a bad person.
Another quick read I couldn’t put down, but also lacking that oomph.
There’s not a whole lot to these books. The Road to You is where Bird hits her “low point,” which basically just means that she sometimes engages in some mean girl retaliation towards her rival singer and goes a bit too “Hollywood.” One of her dark moments is when she goes on a nine thousand dollar shopping spree, and everyone’s like “this just isn’t you.”
This book’s also a bit weaker because it loses some of the family focus, and that’s where this series does work for me: the Barrett family. Bird’s a bit more isolated here. I do like her struggle with the decision to fire her dad as her manager, though, again, the family works through it in this impressively healthy way; fights never last too long in this series.
The bulk of Bird’s emotional journey here is around her relationship with her first boyfriend, Kai. He works as a roadie for the tour she’s on, and they fall head over heels. However, he’s also totally toxic, not because he’s a bad guy but because they like and enjoy very different things. Bird struggles to write her second album, because he’s constantly trying to force her to sound like the anti-mainstream hipster stuff he’s into, and not like herself. It’s done with the subtlety of “You Think My Tractor’s Sexy,” but it is a good thing for teens (and adults) to read about all the small ways that relationships can be bad for you, even if the feelings are there and no one is a bad person.
Another quick read I couldn’t put down, but also lacking that oomph.
July 8, 2015
So far, the Wildflower is one of my favourite contemporary series! I find Bird to be so likable and relateable, even though her life is so much crazier than mine!
This installment starts with Bird going on tour as the opening act for a country superstar. It's there that she meets Kai, the intense indie roadie that Bird immediately feels a connection with. Once the tour wraps up, her label suggests that she move to LA and attempt to be a crossover artist.
Bird deals with a variety of issues this time around: a long distance relationship, navigating the pitfalls of the LA media, dealing with friends (both good and not-so-good) and trying to assert her independence with her parents.
I wasn't a huge fan of the love interest, Kai. He's a bit too hipster for my taste and I just didn't think he and Bird were a great match, despite their chemistry. But he really does seem like a nice guy and I can see other readers liking him a lot.
The other new character we meet is Devyn, a Hollywood actress who strikes up a friendship with Bird. I wasn't a big fan of her; she lives a bit too much a crazy Hollywood starlet lifestyle, compared the Bird's down-to-earth personality.
Despite me not being crazy over the love interest, I did really like this book and can't wait for the next one to be released!
This installment starts with Bird going on tour as the opening act for a country superstar. It's there that she meets Kai, the intense indie roadie that Bird immediately feels a connection with. Once the tour wraps up, her label suggests that she move to LA and attempt to be a crossover artist.
Bird deals with a variety of issues this time around: a long distance relationship, navigating the pitfalls of the LA media, dealing with friends (both good and not-so-good) and trying to assert her independence with her parents.
I wasn't a huge fan of the love interest, Kai. He's a bit too hipster for my taste and I just didn't think he and Bird were a great match, despite their chemistry. But he really does seem like a nice guy and I can see other readers liking him a lot.
The other new character we meet is Devyn, a Hollywood actress who strikes up a friendship with Bird. I wasn't a big fan of her; she lives a bit too much a crazy Hollywood starlet lifestyle, compared the Bird's down-to-earth personality.
Despite me not being crazy over the love interest, I did really like this book and can't wait for the next one to be released!
September 21, 2017
I admit I was hesitant to read this novel since I wasn't exactly a fan of the less than memorable prequel, Wildflower. Nevertheless, I stayed up late to read it and have a very mixed review.
Good parts:
-Bird moved on from Adam (kinda) to Kai.
-The novel expressed more about each of the characters and brought more attention to the individual personality that Bird had.
-Bird has stellar parents and a best friend, Stella, and an amazing boyfriend.
-Her parents.
-Her brothers.
Bad parts:
-The romance between Kai and Bird felt rushed and forced and more lust than love. Okay, I get it. He looks like Taylor Lautner. Happy?
-Bird acted like a spoiled brat a lot of the time and acted selfishly and irresponsibly with her money.
-Some of the minor characters were simple and undeveloped and had no effect on the overall plot.
Kai and Bird's romance accurately portrayed the struggles of a long distance relationship and how romance can quickly fizzle out.
-Bird still has feelings for Adam even when she's dating sweet, wonderful Kai.
-Where's Maybelle?
The Road to You was kinda a roller coaster. It had its highs and lows and was better in the beginning because it was so predictable and cliched towards romance and awards. Even giving it three stars is a stretch.
Good parts:
-Bird moved on from Adam (kinda) to Kai.
-The novel expressed more about each of the characters and brought more attention to the individual personality that Bird had.
-Bird has stellar parents and a best friend, Stella, and an amazing boyfriend.
-Her parents.
-Her brothers.
Bad parts:
-The romance between Kai and Bird felt rushed and forced and more lust than love. Okay, I get it. He looks like Taylor Lautner. Happy?
-Bird acted like a spoiled brat a lot of the time and acted selfishly and irresponsibly with her money.
-Some of the minor characters were simple and undeveloped and had no effect on the overall plot.
Kai and Bird's romance accurately portrayed the struggles of a long distance relationship and how romance can quickly fizzle out.
-Bird still has feelings for Adam even when she's dating sweet, wonderful Kai.
-Where's Maybelle?
The Road to You was kinda a roller coaster. It had its highs and lows and was better in the beginning because it was so predictable and cliched towards romance and awards. Even giving it three stars is a stretch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2016
I loved this book! I felt the characters were real people with problems which, even though the main character was a raising star in the music industry, your everyday person could actually relate to. The author did a great job of showing that a real person can become famous and all the challenges that could arise out of that. I also liked that she was homeschooled. I thought it added an interesting element you don't usually see in stories, and showed that when you are doing something kind of "out side of the box" already, it can lead to opportunities that just don't come around everyday. My only complaint would be that the romance in the book wasn't really characteristic with Bird's sweet nature. The choices she was making, and the angst she had because of it, didn't really mesh. The guy was totally wrong for her and I hope she gets back together with her original crush in the final book.
Over all I would give this book 5 stars, it kept me reading and wanting to know what happened to these great characters!
Over all I would give this book 5 stars, it kept me reading and wanting to know what happened to these great characters!
August 13, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and exactly what I needed at the moment. There's nothing groundbreaking about the writing or the plot, but at the same time, it's fresh and new and it made me really happy--which is just what I needed
I would definitely recommend this series if you want to read something about a country girl making her dreams come true. With family values in tow, it's a pretty good time.
I would definitely recommend this series if you want to read something about a country girl making her dreams come true. With family values in tow, it's a pretty good time.
January 1, 2017
The book was a bit predictable and the author's writing style isn't the best but Bird is kinda relatable and I can easily picture myself in her shoes doing exactly what she says/does. I could have used a few more chapters about her romantic interest. I just felt like the beginning of their relationship was so perfect then it became just a tiny part of the story and fizzled out with little explanation and a lot of overreacting. Oh, and her celebrity friends bugged me. Like no one is actually that fake in real life. The book started out awesome but the further I got into it the less I liked it. Still a fun book though. I love how the author mentions real life celebrities (like my favorite, Hunter Hayes!) and real places (I get serious wanderlust when she talks about places like Fido and the Pancake Pantry).
January 5, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Kudos to Whitaker as she really nailed the Country music industry and it's clear she's done her research. Bird makes bad choices galore in this book, she says things without thinking and believes her own hype all of which felt exactly how a 16\17 year old would act in her situation. I liked the conflict with her parents over money; her parents try to control how she spends her money while Bird feels that since she made the money and supporys the family she should spend it however she pleases. It felt very real and natural. My biggest complaint is that I wanted more Adam.
October 2, 2016
I love Alecia Whitaker's fresh voice in these books. Bird, the main character, is delightful. It is an interesting interpretation of the behind the scenes lives of pop/country music singers. Though I felt this book was not as carefully honed as the first, it was a lovely addition to the Wildflower series.
The humor in both the characters and the situations is a lot of fun. I appreciate the vulnerability of Bird and her sense of young love but also staying true to herself and her dreams.
This series is unique and I am definitely going to continue reading them along with my daughters.
The humor in both the characters and the situations is a lot of fun. I appreciate the vulnerability of Bird and her sense of young love but also staying true to herself and her dreams.
This series is unique and I am definitely going to continue reading them along with my daughters.
Read
April 19, 2016 This is a fun and lighthearted romance. Following the life and trials a newly discovered teen Country singer as she goes on tour for the first time.
I enjoyed this book I thought it had a good message and it was very wholesome Andrew is the rivalry between the two country singers in the romance I look forward to reading the third book though I missed the first one I need to go back and read it
I enjoyed this book I thought it had a good message and it was very wholesome Andrew is the rivalry between the two country singers in the romance I look forward to reading the third book though I missed the first one I need to go back and read it
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