Piece of My Heart

Just about everything about Marisol Reyes's life changes when, at 17, she is discovered by a record producer and offered an audition with her favorite pop singer, Diego Salazar. All summer, Marisol has been hanging out in El Barrio in East Harlem with her Latina friends, who are all anxious to tackle their futures. Her best friend Vanessa will attend college, and her sister, Tati, works for a designer in SoHo, but with Marisol's four-octave range and creativity, she is throwing everything she has into her dream to be a singer. The many glamorous opportunities that accompany her big break are complicated by a fickle boyfriend, jealous friends, and dodgy musicians. Marisol's new life also allows her to see New York City in a new light%E2%80%94particularly its dramatic cultural and economic polarization. While relatively light and predictable, Menna's first novel is an optimistic story about preserving one's identity and morals amid the engulfing world of celebrity. Fashionistas and pop-culture junkies should enjoy the lavish descriptions of New York City's rich and famous. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (June)