Making the Cut

By: Ian Thomas Healy

Narrated by: Summer Jo Swaine

Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Making the Cut is the flagship show on the FoodieTV network, giving recent high school graduates a chance to win a scholarship to a prestigious culinary school. Midori is from San Francisco, and grew up in a family that owns a restaurant. All she ever wanted to do was cook, but in Japanese culture, women are relegated to hostess and management roles. Nicole is from Denver, the child of a broken home who's been forced to grow up way too soon. She's been poor her entire life, and that prize package is impossibly valuable to her. These two girls become friends despite their cultural differences, and together with six more challengers, will be competing in front of the cameras. With a $10,000 prize and that incredible scholarship at stake, can their friendship survive the rigors of reality television?

©2018 Ian Thomas Healy (P)2018 Ian Thomas Healy

I didn't connect with the Characthers

I found this book difficult to listen too. This is more to do with the characters then the story plot itself. I really did not like Nicole and Midori I couldn't say one way or the other.
Nicole I found to be odd. She is meant to be overwieght yet she works and goes to school, I would have not expected her to be that fat and I also found that she had no self respect for herself. I think it was this that put me off her completely.
This book is not for me but might be for others

Awesome YA Listen!

Making the Cut is a new reality cooking show for FoodieTV, a show for recent high school graduates to compete for a $10,000 prize and a scholarship to a prestigious culinary school. The prize seems like a fortune to Nicole, a young Latina girl who works long hours to help support her mom and young sister. And the scholarship seems like a dream come true to Midori, a young Japanese girl desperate to prove to her parents that she can do more than wait tables in the family restaurant. Midori and Nicole are fast friends from the beginning, but the show gives them challenges that test that friendship as they both cook their hearts out to be crowned the winner.

I really loved this book! It's a clean read I'd recommend for young teens on up. I thought it was interesting that it followed two contestants instead of one, I was never sure which girl was going to win. It was refreshing not knowing the ending, it made it suspenseful. Both girls were so likable and I was rooting for both of them, although I did have my own favorite! I loved that we got to see both Midori and Nicole's point of view and the diverse cast was a pleasure. The only fault I could find with this book is that all those descriptions of amazing food had my stomach grumbling all day. It all sounded so tasty, I wouldn't listen to this one before a grocery store trip!

The book has a very diverse cast, Nicole is Hispanic, Midori is Japanese, one of the judges is Jamaican, and the rest of the contestants are from various parts of the US. That range of accents would be difficult for any narrator, and I wouldn't expect anyone to be able to perform them all! The narrator's voice for Nicole's half of the book is very soothing, but has no accent even when Nicole mixes in Spanglish phrases. But Midori's half of the book is narrated in a baby voice that was a little trying after a while. I'd recommend listening to the audio sample to see how the narrator suits you. I requested a copy of the audiobook, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

who doesn't like food

I really enjoyed the concept for this book. It was fun and i really liked hearing about all of the different foods.

REALLY ENTERTAINING

What a fun book/story!
Great idea, loved the story and narration, it all made for an entertaining 8+ hours :)

If you enjoy cooking, food, and crazy times, this will be a treat!
I thought it was a blast!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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