Tag: musicians

REVIEW: Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

REVIEW: Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Melody and Beat met as teens – her, awkward and self conscious and him, gorgeous with seemingly effortless ability to command a room. Their mothers were the Steel Birds – female rock legends. The teens were shooting interviews about their famous mothers – and the infamous breakup of Steel Birds. But there was a moment – a comradery born from their shared role as offspring of the famous duo. It might have turned into something if they had had more time.

Years later, Beat is crushed under the weight of a blackmailer’s scheme. And a producer offering him enough to make that go away – again – is too good to ignore. It doesn’t hurt that it gives him a chance to see Melody for the first time since they were teens. But when the producer suggests a reality stream of the two trying to convince their mothers to reunite, he’s about to walk away.

Melody is tired of the empty relationship she has with her mother. This streaming reality program is a chance to get her mother’s attention for once. Maybe Melody could finally be SEEN. And if it doesn’t work, the money could at least allow her the financial freedom to walk away from her mother for good.

Review

There’s a lot to love here. The storyline is just plain fun. Add to that the amazing main character – I was expecting Mel to be mousy but she never was. Reserved, maybe, but hilarious and sweet with a sassy streak. She was a delightful surprise. The heat between her and Beat crackled on the page. The moms brought some excellent additions to the story. And the friend group characters needed more page time. The whole cast is fantastic.

The “we’re getting the band back together” vibe of this was perfect for me too. I loved that premise and the parts of the story that explored the history of the band.

There was a line early in the book that set off a few alarm bells in my head that said this book might be much farther along the “spice” scale than I usually read. And that inkling was right on target. There’s some frank talk about sex with some details bordering perhaps on “kink” at least as I define it. If spicy romance is your jam, you should definitely check this one out. The story is excellent and the content definitely skews “spicy.” If that’s not your style, you might approach this one with caution. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

REVIEW: A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

A year ago, Colton and Gretchen slept together. And the next morning, Gretchen fled. She’s been avoiding Colton ever since. Sharing a friend group makes it tricky at times, but she makes it work. She loves her job as an immigration lawyer, and she lets her work fill her calendar. But her estranged family throws a wrench in her avoid-Colton plan by dangling the one thing she wants – a seat on the board of the family foundation – in front of her.  All she has to do is get Colton to agree to be the next ambassador for their whiskey company.

Colton’s in the middle of tense negotiations with his record label, but it’s not going to distract him from this opportunity to reconnect with Gretchen and make her see how amazing they could be together. But he has no idea how much he has to overcome.

Review

I have been a fan of this series from the start, and this was a fun holiday-ish addition to the series. Grumpy/Sunshine is not a trope I usually seek out, but I loved Colton, and Gretchen grew on me over time.

There were a few threads to this I thought were looser than in other books in the series. The guys don’t work through a romance book together in this one, but Colton and Gretchen share some conversations about a book. But the set up for this wasn’t as clear as I wanted, and then it sort of just disappeared when the book shifted focus to Gretchen’s family. I also would have liked a bigger, more definitive wrap up to those family things also. At the end of the book I was left feeling like I was holding something 85% finished. I enjoyed the whole, but I would have liked it to feel a little more solid to me.

Series fans will want to pick this up to see the progress through the larger friend group. I think newcomers might enjoy starting with an earlier book (Undercover Bromance is my favorite) in order to get a better sense of the Bromance Book Club than they might get if they start here. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

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.

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: It Started with Goodbye by Christina June

REVIEW: It Started with Goodbye by Christina June

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

It starts when Tatum’s best friend asks for a ride. Before Tatum really knows what’s happening, she’s being arrested because her best friend’s boyfriend decided committing grand larceny was a terrific idea. While Tatum was only there to keep an eye on her friend because she didn’t trust the boyfriend, she now has a record, a fine and community service. And she’s completely lost the trust of her dad and step-mother.

At home, Tatum’s punishment is a loss of most of her freedom. Her step-mother checks her mileage before and after she drives to work. She also denies Tatum any chance to socialize outside of her community service hours. Her step-mom even called her own mother to stay with them for the summer to help watch Tatum while she works and manages her daughter’s dance career. And Tatum’s father leaves the country for work right after everything falls apart, leaving her at the mercy of her critical, demanding, helicopter “step-monster.”

Tatum has a lot of time this summer for contemplation. And she has a lot to consider – her relationship with the people in her house, her friendship with the “best friend” who got her into this mess, and questions of who she even wants to be. One saving factor for her summer is the graphic design business she starts. Not only is the work a nice, creative distraction that will help her pay off her fine, but it also puts her in touch with a talented, flirty musician in need of a website. His emails definitely make her summer more enjoyable!

Review

This was so sweet! I loved it. The family and friendship pieces of this Cinderella-esque tale are terrific. The dynamics between Tatum and her step-mother and step-sister are fascinating. There’s a lot to overcome here, but also some things that maybe Tatum isn’t seeing or reading correctly. There are issues with Tatum’s dad, too, frankly, but those are more in the background since he’s gone for most of the book. Tatum’s step-grandmother, though, is a breath of fresh air in a tension-filled home where control, authority and propriety are the name of the game.

But the romance is what delighted me. It’s warm and sweet and builds perfectly. I loved every moment of it! I would have read five more chapters of just the happy couple together – along with the two other potential couples from the story. They were adorable.

I have really enjoyed the books published by Blink YA in the past. I read this author’s book No Place Like Here earlier this year and loved it. But it wasn’t until I finished this that I realized No Place stars Tatum’s best friend from this book and is the third book in a collection. Now I’m going to have to read that book again to put it in its proper context. And I have to track down the second book, Everywhere You Want to Be, that stars Tatum’s step-sister. I need to get the full story on these young women!

So far, this is my favorite of the two Christina June books I have read. But I recommend both of them for readers who love contemporary YA with some romance. Obviously the books stand alone, which is good for clueless readers like me. But I am eager to read them in order to get the full picture of the teens and their lives as things develop for all three of them.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Solo by Kwame Alexander

REVIEW: Solo by Kwame Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Blade is a young man anticipating his future. Graduation is right around the corner, and college is approaching quickly. He has his music and the girl of his dreams. These should be his best days.

But he’s also

  • grieving the loss of his mother,
  • dodging paparazzi trying to catch a glimpse of the famous Morrison family going down in flames,
  • hiding from his girlfriend’s father who forbade her from dating him, and
  • disgusted by his father’s empty promises of staying sober “this time”

And when all of those things collide along with new challenges, Blade is off. Not to college, but to Ghanna Africa, in search of answers and in search of himself.

Review

Like other books by Alexander, this book is written in verse, along with song lyrics and other creative forms and references. I liked the unusual format. It’s amazing that he can tell terrific, effective stories with such sparse, carefully chosen words!

I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this one. I completely understood Blade’s emotional states, but I didn’t click with him like I had hoped to, or like I did with the twins in his book, The Crossover. Blade wasn’t the heart of the story for me. I did enjoy a couple other characters – like Joy and Sia, but not the others.

This book has been wildly popular with other early readers. If the story sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to give it a try. I usually enjoy Alexander’s work. I may just not be the right reader for this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Blink, for providing an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. [Some sources show this book releasing this week, and some say it will release on August 1.]

Rating: ♥♥♥