Violet on the Runway

When you're a seventeen-year-old high school student who is both freakishly tall and forced to wear glasses, there is no question that you will, at some point during your adolescence experience self-esteem and confidence issues. For Violet Greenwood, that time is now. Which is truly devastating as high school is supposed to be the time of your life. And while Violet has two awesome buddies in the form of Julie Roger, she can't help but long for a chance to be part of the Bees Knee's (BKs) a trio of girls who rule the school and make everyone's life miserable. But that's the way things go in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, until Violet meets "the lady in Chanel shades." Angela Blythe is sassy, sophisticated, and a scout for Tryst Models. She's also interested in yanking Violet out of her go-nowhere job at the local movie theater, and casting her into the spotlight at New York City's Fashion Week. Violet, who has spent most of her formative years in Chapel Hill, the victim of bad fashion and buttery popcorn, can't help but think that this is a joke. But it's not, and she grabs the chance in a heartbeat, eager to make a name for herself. Soon she finds herself on a whirlwind ride of magazine covers, runway show closings, Page Six fodder, and even a few shocking moments from her supposed "best" friends. Violet never knew that leaving her cushy small-town life for the Big Apple would result in so much backstabbing. So much hatred. So much...pain. But each and every moment of it gives her the ability to grow and become a stronger person. And if getting to the top is what it takes to find out who your true friends are, then let the games begin. Melissa Walker knows teenage girls. She also knows the body image issues we encounter and face on a daily basis; the struggles to fit in and be normal; and the self-deprecating way that we view ourselves in just about any situation. She knows the self-loathing, and the angst. The joys and the tears. She knows it, and she put every last one of those things in her debut VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY. Violet is a girl who any reader can identify with. Sure, she may be a supermodel, but under all those haute couture clothes and pounds of make-up, she's a normal girl just like you and me who has experienced the same ups and downs that we go through on a day-to-day basis. Walker has taken the perpetual wallflower, and placed her front and center, making her an inspiration to all those awkward-feeling readers who are convinced that they don't belong. VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY is a true diamond in the rough that will draw anyone in. Bravo Melissa! [...]

I LOVED this book - by the time it ended, I was hoping that Melissa Walker will write another one so I can follow along and see where Violet's life is going. Very good writing, awesome book!

It is impossible not to love the main character Violet, even if she has won the genetic lottery! Her story of transforming from gawky high school student to runway model kept me rooting for her...she was refreshingly real and endearing. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!

Just your average awkward teen by schoolday and glamorous New York model by...well...the rest of the time. Violet's totally fun and relatable -- even if you don't happen to have a pair of twelve foot gams or could ever pull off skinny jeans. She's got real-life issues, along with dealing with the unreality of the fashion industry. This book is so great -- I'm glad there's a whole series to quench my Violet fix!

Melissa Walker has a very unique insight to the teen world, and one not usually found in the oversaturated 'teen fiction' market. She brings a realistic spin to her characters, mainly by not falling into the trap of using typical 'teen' stereotypes that are very black and white. There are no 'jocks' vs. 'nerds' in the traditional sense (though, as with any good story, there are underdogs, and people you hope get taken down a few notches), and the story isn't one of 'loser conquers all'. It is far more complex than that, which how teenager-hood, especially around the ages of 16,17, and 18, really was. If you think back, we all had 'jock days' and 'nerd days'. Some days, you felt like you were on top of your game. Great friends, great fun, etc., and then the next week, you could feel like you were all alone. And Walker captures all of that so well, especially the ever-important relationship between the two main characters, Violet and her best friend Roger. You feel you know these characters, and you are intrigued by them. They aren't merely a device to promote the storyline (i.e., girl moves to city becomes model). Too many best-sellers these days have a plot that races along and, while intriguing, lacks any serious character development. You aren't in love with Robert Langdon from the DaVinci Code, but rather where the 'zany' plot will take you next. Walker's characters, conversely, are the heart and soul of the story, and one could, and I hope Melissa does, put them in a variety of different situations and plot lines in future books, and you would still be interested in their relationship and exploits.