Tag: music

REVIEW: Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher

REVIEW: Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Weston is the outcast in the town of Enfield. In a small town, everyone knows your business. So everyone knows about his parents’ divorce, about the year he spent at the rival high school. And the things they don’t know, they make up with rumor and assumption. Everyone but his closest friends thinks he’s weird at best if not actually dangerous.

Anna is an unexpected bright spot in Weston’s life. While they are supposed to be practicing their big duet for marching band, they are finding in each other someone who, surprisingly, GETS them – his struggles after the divorce, her anxiety, his music, her writing.

But since everyone assumes the worst about Weston, Anna feels she has to hide and lie to be with him. But in a small town, no one keeps a secret for long.

Review

I have to be honest. The synopsis for this book did not grab me when I read it. But the author wrote my favorite book of 2021. So reading this one was a given. While I read, my feelings were mixed.

I loved Anna and Weston, both as individuals and together. And the author’s writing is top notch. But I just did not get this story. For so long, nothing was happening. Sure, they grew closer, they faced some roadblocks. But things just kept rolling along. I couldn’t figure out the point of it all.

I’ve described my ideal book a lot here. A big piece of my enjoyment is the puzzle or the quest – something to solve, something to overcome, something to rail against. This just isn’t that sort of book.

I have no idea how to rate this – I was engrossed in the characters and enjoyed the writing. On that alone, I would probably give this 4 stars. But I just couldn’t connect to the plot. And the ending did not help my enjoyment of the story. The whole reading experience was unsatisfying in the end.

Readers who love character-rich stories and don’t care about driving plots are likely a much better audience for this than I was. There’s a lot here to enjoy if you are excited about watching a relationship unfold over time with some fantastic descriptions – especially if you have a soft spot for band stories. (Language, sex, TW: Grief)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good, solid, fine

REVIEW: Whatever Happens (Julie and the Phantoms) by Candace Buford

REVIEW: Whatever Happens (Julie and the Phantoms) by Candace Buford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Includes SPOILERS for the Netflix show Julie and the Phantoms.

[At the end of season one of Julie and the Phantoms, the band has finished playing at the Orpheum, but the guys don’t “cross over.” Their unfinished business, whatever it is, isn’t done. Julie finds them in the studio, still suffering from Caleb’s power over them. But something happens that releases them from Caleb; their club stamps disappear. And for the first time, Julie can touch them even though they are ghosts.]

While Alex and Reggie leave to find Willie and see what they can figure out about their more solid ghostly state, Luke and Julie reminisce about their show at the Orpheum and talk about their most cherished days from the past. For Luke, it’s the day Sunset Curve was preparing to play the Orpheum the first time in 1995. For Julie, it’s a day she spent with her mom in 2019, before they knew her mom was sick.

Review

This is so clever! It fills in fun backstory for the characters without getting in the way of any potential season 2 stories for the show. Fans will get to read about songwriting moments for Luke, Julie, and Rose as well as some family interactions for Alex, Flynn, and Julie. Readers get a glimpse at Bobby and his place in the band and find out a little more about Reggie’s family.

As old as I am, I am probably way too attached to a show for kids and teens, but I absolutely *adore* these characters. I have my fingers crossed that Netflix will shoot at least one more season of the show. But while we all wait, fans will love getting to spend time with these characters in some new stories which fit perfectly into the show and reveal a little more depth to each of the teens. This book made me love my favorite characters all the more.

If I was rating this on my enjoyment alone, I would give this 4.5 stars. I loved it. I would re-read this. The author does almost too good of a job conveying the chemistry between Luke and Julie (this is a middle grade story, after all), and I am thrilled to add some backstory to my head canon about these characters. A lot of that character depth comes from the characters getting to tell their own parts of the stories. Each of the 6 teens has at least one point-of-view chapter. But that is also where the wrinkle comes in for me. The set up is that Luke and Julie are alone, telling these stories to one another. There’s no place in that set up for the other 4 characters to chime in with their perspective on group events, much less sharing about things that happened away from Luke or Julie. That structural wrinkle would drop my book rating to probably a 3.5 – the story is otherwise solid. I’m going to give it an average rating of 4 here, but in my head, the content is definitely rated higher than that.

Readers will want to have at least a passing knowledge of the events in the show and the characters in order to enjoy this. Fans craving new content for these characters should snap this up. (LGBTQ+, TW: coming out stories/parental disapproval)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read (but you know I totally will with this one!)

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Amulet Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

On the morning of Brian’s 13th birthday, his dad disappears leaving only a cryptic note, and his mom overdoses and is rushed to the hospital. Before the day is over, Brian and his little brother are in foster care. The pressure starts mounting, Brian’s anxiety starts growing, and he starts pushing back at everyone around him. He strikes back at his bully. He runs away from his foster home.

Ezra is one of the only guys at school who treats Brian like a friend. But as Brian starts to spiral, Ezra realizes that he’s never stood up for Brian to his other friends. Lately it seems like Brian might need a buddy to lean on, and Ezra is the one person he might trust enough to help him. The complication is that Ezra has a crush on Brian. And he’s not quite sure what to do with those feelings.

Review

I adored this! Brian and Ezra will quickly become kids you want to hang out with – and hug. There are so many exceptional character pieces in this – Brian’s evolution through the story, Ezra’s fierce desire to help Brian, Gabe – my favorite character – and Brittany, Brian’s family dynamics… It’s all perfection. I quickly became attached to these characters. And I would have happily kept reading another book’s worth of pages with them.

There’s a lot of heavy content in this one – the overdose/suicide attempt, Brian’s panic attacks and social anxiety, some of Brian’s choices in the story, Ezra working through his understanding of his sexuality and the impact of it on his friendships, grief and loss – which is why this is an older middle grade story for readers 10 and up. All of the content is handled beautifully. But it’s still a lot, especially when you remember that Brian and Ezra are only 13. (The story reminds me of A List of Cages in some of the content, although more “mild” in some ways for the younger audience.)

This would be a great book for discussion with kids – both to help them process some of the more serious pieces of the story, but also because it’s such a rich and meaty story with great characters and an engaging plot. I think kids will love Brian and Ezra (and Gabe!). And the story here will leave readers with lots to think about. (LGBTQ+, TW: Panic attacks/anxiety, suicide attempt, bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Capturing the Earl by A. S. Fenichel

REVIEW: Capturing the Earl by A. S. Fenichel

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Lyrical Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

A woman of no title or money, Mercy Heath knows she is likely to wind up a spinster. And the one man who makes her pulse race, the Earl of Castlewick, would never pursue her. She’s nowhere near his level. And she keeps telling herself that, even when he asks her to dance out of the blue, or when he pays her any bit of attention.

Mercy’s best friend, Aurora, Lady Radcliff, is widowed and has no intention of remarrying. Ever. But the Earl of Castlewick has decided to court her. She owns a parcel of land that used to belong to his family. As her husband, the land would return to his family’s holdings. That has been the driving focus of Wesley’s adult life – buying back the land his grandfather lost yeas ago.

Wesley is committed to this plan for the sake of his family and the promise he made to his father before he died. And Aurora is lovely and bright and would make a good wife. But he can’t stop thinking of Mercy and wishing she was the woman he was pursing instead.

Review

This was lovely! It’s book 3 in the Wallflowers of West Lane series. I have the first two books on my TBR, but I haven’t gotten to them yet. After enjoying this so much, I’ll be bumping them up the list. I adored all four of the Wallflowers, and I can’t wait to read the first two stories. (I had no issues jumping into this series with book 3.)

The first thing I loved about this was the quartet of friends. I didn’t have to have read the previous books – The Earl Not Taken and Misleading a Duke – in order to enjoy and understand their bond. They are like sisters in all the best ways – fiercely loyal and protective of anyone in their circle. These ladies are amazing.

I especially liked Mercy as the odd woman out in this book. No title, no money, but fully secure in who she is and in the love of her friends. It was obvious from the start that Wesley was captivated by her. But he stubbornly clung to his plan to marry Aurora, despite his feelings and her clear disinterest. I felt like a stronger case could have been made for why this land mattered to Wesley so much. (I also would have liked much stronger repercussions for something that happens later in the story.) But I liked everything else so much that I didn’t let those pieces distract me from the story.

Historical romance fans who enjoy stories with characters thwarted in their pursuit of love and with excellent, strong women, should be sure to check this book out – as well as the rest of the series. (Sex, TW: sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O'Shaughnessy

BONUS REVIEW: The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Maybelle Lane lives in Louisiana with her mom. Not in Baton Rouge where they used to live – where Maybelle had a best friend and a more comfortable life. Now they’re in Davenport. Maybelle is alone a lot while her mom works two jobs to make ends meet. And instead of friends, she has a gang of boys to avoid whenever possible. They’re bullies at school, and they tease Maybelle because her mom went on a date with the art teacher. Maybelle’s mom called off the relationship with her when Maybelle asked, but apparently word got around anyway.

Maybelle is about to be even more on her own than usual. Her mom has a job singing on a cruise ship for a month. It’ll pay really well, and they need the money. And it could open doors for her mom for the future. So Maybelle will stay with a neighbor.

Just before her mom leaves, Maybelle discovers her dad is a radio DJ in Nashville. Her mom is adamant that there’s no place for him in their lives, but listening to him on the radio makes Maybelle feel a little less lonely.

When her father announces a singing contest in Nashville where he will be one of the judges, Maybelle knows she has to go. Her mom loves the idea of Maybelle performing – of course, Maybelle left out all mention of her father. So Maybelle and her neighbor head out on a road trip that could change Maybelle’s life forever.

Review

This was lovely. I adored the traveling trio on their summer road trip to Nashville. Maybelle was sweet, determined and afraid. There was just the right amount of introspection and self-discovery and awareness in this. A perfect balance of outward living and internal processing. Tommy and Mrs. Boggs were delightful – and did their own growing along the way. I got a kick out of Maybelle’s collection of sounds, something that threads through the book. There are also pieces in here about anxiety and panic attacks that are handled well. The book also looks at grief and evidence of child abuse.

I’ve read other road trip stories with secret or semi-secret treks to meet a relative or a personal hero or to dream an impossible dream. What makes this one special is the ensemble on the journey. I was thrilled to find an epilogue in this that shows a quick view of the next year in the characters’ lives. It’s a satisfying wrap up to the larger story as well as the individual journeys of the main characters. Be sure to check this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Zits: Chillax by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

REVIEW: Zits: Chillax by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Jeremy, star of the Zits comic strip, and his best friend Hector bought two concert tickets to hear their favorite rock band, Gingivitis, from Tim, the bass player in their band. At first, their only concern is how to convince their parents to let them go to the show. Then they find out why Tim sold his tickets. His mom has cancer, and the day of the concert, he’s having surgery to give his mom some bone marrow.

Fitting the teen boy stereotype, Jeremy doesn’t know how to relate to Tim or to the situation. After talking to his parents and his girlfriend, Jeremy decides that he and Hector will get Tim a gift at the show as a sign of support. But nothing that night goes like they plan.

Review

This is an illustrated novel like a Dork Diaries or a Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Fans of the Zits comic strip will recognize all the major players. And the usual humor over teen stereotypes and parent interactions are present as expected. The cancer story could be heavy for a book with this format, but it’s balanced well with the humor.

I have enjoyed the Zits comics for years. While this was a new format, I enjoyed it.  The story felt familiar, but I can’t pinpoint what came from a previous comic and what might have been changed or added for this book.

I think this could be a bridge book from middle grade to teen, maybe a good fit for readers in the 10-15 year old range. There’s a lot of fun music/band stuff that musicians might enjoy. But compared to contemporary teen fiction and graphic novels, this skews younger in my opinion. Might be a good fit for teens who don’t want the heavier or more mature YA themes.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet

REVIEW: The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet

Posted on by Jaymie

[I mentioned this book in my post a couple weeks ago about the 2018 Cybils Awards. Here is my full review of The Orphan Band of Springdale.]

Summary

In 1941, Gusta is put on a bus to Springdale, Maine to live with her maternal grandmother for awhile while her parents sort out their life in New York. Grandma Hoopes runs a boarding house for orphans and “state kids.” And Gusta finds a second home in the hustle and bustle of a house full of kids.

Aside from her clothes, Gusta arrives only with a head full of her mother’s stories about her grandfather’s days as a sea captain in Maine and her father’s French horn. While Gusta’s mom said the horn could be sold for room and board expenses, Gusta can’t imagine parting with it.

Gusta’s resolve to keep the horn strengthens when she has the chance to play with the high school orchestra even though she is only eleven. And she forms a little band with her cousin and the “First Girl” at the boarding house. But realities of life start crowding in for Gusta. Her uncle Charlie was hurt at the Mill and lost his job. There’s no money for the surgery he needs, and he’s sinking into depression. She tries to take what she knows about labor laws and unions to help but ends up making things worse. Maybe selling her horn and using the money for her family is worth the heartache she would feel over the horn. Or maybe that will be the final piece that causes everything Gusta loves to fall apart completely.

Review

I have mentioned before that I don’t generally read historic fiction. It’s not a genre I seek out. In fact, I often actively avoid it. But I had to read this for an award committee. I planned to endure it. I pushed it off to last.

And I loved it!

I was captivated by Gusta right from the start. I loved her voice and her observations and thoughts and questions. And then the other characters started pulling me in even more.

This stirred up a lot of emotions for me, too. There’s terrific heart in the story, and there were many moments I loved. There were others, though, that left me sad, surprised and even ranting-and-raving-mad. A good story can crawl up inside you and pull all those different strings. And this one does.

I learned a lot from reading this, too, especially about 1941 America – the swell of patriotism and the moments it twisted into paranoia. I also learned about the beginning of the labor movement, which is something we take for granted today. It was fascinating. And it was all woven seamlessly into the story so I never felt like someone was trying to make a point. It was just a facet of this intricate story.

In some ways, I was hoping for a more satisfying ending, especially with regard to a few of the infuriating parts of the story. But the ending for this is satisfying and pretty realistic. I can’t wait to tell kids about this one. I’m afraid it could be a hard sell because this is a long book. It’s so hard to summarize all the things that go on here – I didn’t even include them all in my summary.

But Gusta….

For me if you just come to this book to meet Gusta, you’ll enjoy all the stories that follow her.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

REVIEW: Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sophie is the president of the Marching Pride of Acadia Student Fundraising Committee. And this year they will be trying to raise funds to go to the Rose Parade. Sophie’s idea is to track down Acadia’s most famous resident, country singer Megan Pleasant and have her sing at a benefit concert. On Megan’s first album she sang all about how much she loved Acadia. But now that her third album is out, Megan has moved on to singing that she’s “never going back.”

As Sophie cajoles her friends into helping her track down Megan, their group also starts making space for August. Sophie babysits for August’s brother and his wife every week. But she didn’t know August existed before he arrived at the start of the summer. Apparently his brother and sister-in-law didn’t know he existed either.

Sophie and August fall into a comfortable banter, but he’s hiding things. No matter what chemistry there may be tween them, he seems determined to keep her at arm’s length. But maybe the search for Megan Pleasant will change all that.

Review

I am a sucker for a book with witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments. So Famous in a Small Town was a perfect fit for me as a reader. I’m sure my family was getting tired of my sudden barks of laughter (and they were worried when I started choking rather than do a spit take at one line). I couldn’t help it. I got such a kick out of these characters!

While the story is billed as one centered around the search for Megan Pleasant, for me it’s really about the six teens in this friend group. While they are – to varying degrees – trying to help Sophie with her fundraising idea, there’s a TON going on between the characters. And I loved all of it.

There were some great surprises in the story and some heart-tugging moments to balance out the laughter. The whole package was terrific. I loved every moment of this story. I would enjoy even more stories with this group of teens. They were a treat! I highly recommend this for fans of funny contemporary YA with great characters. (Language, drinking, innuendo, LGBTQ)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar and Michelle Schusterman

REVIEW: The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar and Michelle Schusterman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Vanessa is attending the We Treasure Fandom con where she is hoping to enjoy some fanfiction with her fellow Wonderlandia fans. It will also be her first chance to meet her fanfic writing partner – and online girlfriend – in person.

Phoebe is attending the Indoor Percussion Association convention with her percussion team from school. While they don’t have the resources that their competition does, the team is really talented. They have a chance to perform really well this week – until a mishap in the hotel lobby with a xylophone.

Callie and her dad are at the World Taxidermy Championships. Things have been rough since Callie’s mom left.  But Callie keeps hoping that by working together her dad will remember she’s his daughter and not just his assistant.

All three conventions are happening in the same convention center at the same time.

When the convention week becomes a disaster for each of the girls, they find each other. And when their relationships from their regular lives are at their worst, this new friendship  may be what each girl needs to redeem her convention experience.

Review

What a fun story! I loved the three girls. Each one was distinct and yet all were endearing in their own ways. Their interpersonal issues – Vanessa with a “girlfriend” who is flirty online but distant in person, Phoebe whose friendships are changing, and Callie who wants to feel like she matters to her dad – are rich and complicated and realistic. I can’t even pick a favorite. I loved each of them for different reasons.

My favorite feature of the book was the way each of the girls found her voice or her place. Vanessa found the confidence to confront the mixed messages. Phoebe’s injury early on opened up an opportunity to find out she’s gifted in a way she never recognized before. And Callie asks for what she wants and needs (after trying a more passive-aggressive approach first). And when each girl finds her voice, she has something to contribute to the new friendship that is developing between them.

Con stories are my new favorite theme in books for teens and young adults. Our family loves going to cons, and I felt at home in the setting the author created for this book. There’s a fourth con interwoven in the story which made for a fun ending. I love what these authors created with these three characters!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Turn It Up! by Jen Calonita

REVIEW: Turn It Up! by Jen Calonita

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Bradley Academy boasts two a capella groups on campus – the all-boys group, the Kingfishers and the all-girls group, The Nightingales. While the Kingfishers are at the top of their game, the Nightingales have had a string of bad luck. New co-captains (and best friends) Lidia and Sydney are hoping to end the five-year slump.

But before the school year even starts, the best friends are barely speaking. Sydney was supposed to be getting to know Lidia’s crush, Griffin, so she could point him in Lidia’s direction. But Griffin falls for Sydney instead, and Lidia sees him kiss Sydney. When Sydney tries to play it off as no big deal, hoping Lidia will get over it so they can get back to a capella, Lidia quits the Nightingales.

The girls’ huge fight is a distraction the Nightingales don’t need. It keeps people from auditioning and leaves Sydney with a rival as her “co-captain.” Can the Nightingales pull it together or are they doomed for good?

Review

It took me awhile to get into the rhythm of this one. I was frustrated with Sydney and didn’t have a lot of sympathy for her in the fight with Lidia. But I loved that the fight gave Lidia a chance to find her own path away from the Nightingales. That path had seemed chosen for her in some ways. I was thrilled that they author let Lidia follow a new course all the way through the story. Lidia’s storyline kept me reading.

This is a fairly simple plot. The tension and suspense is minor. The conflicts are, too. The biggest stakes were Julianna’s stage fright and the future of the Nightingales. But every story doesn’t need a life or death conflict.

This is a fun, clean and simple friendship story with a side of light romance (kissing, holding hands). I could hand this to any kid in 5th grade and up without hesitation. There are some open ended threads that could be woven into a sequel, and I would readily read it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥