SYNOPSIS:
I lied my way into a band, humiliated them on stage, and got my heart broken by the bassist. Now…we’re on tour together.
Of course my dad, who I haven’t seen since he kicked me out, makes a surprise visit the day before we leave. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t go well. I have to quit the band and go to college or he’s cutting me out of his life for good.
This tour is the best opportunity we may ever have – and it’s already a disaster. We’re broke. We can’t stop fighting. And being in such close quarters to Sean isn’t exactly helping me get over him. Even though we’re just friends now, every time our fingers brush or our eyes catch, my heart betrays me. He’s the kind of distraction I can’t afford to have right now…no matter how much I wish things were different.
This is one road trip that will be hard to forget…
MY REVIEW:
4 of 5 stars to Encore by Tara Kelly ★★★★
A book that bravely voiced out social issues with a staggering amount of realness to it. It was surprisingly gritty that would leave its readers not only thinking of societal injustice that once in our lives we saw or even experienced ourselves, but also would spur us into action, to do something about it.
(Spoilers ahead)
Some other books have tried to do the same (and fell short) but this one felt the most stirring and the most effective. The author didn’t just tell about these social injustices, she made us experience it along with the characters. Take Veta’s mental illness for example. She has always been painfully honest and can be rude at times but she came to a point where I started questioning her motives. In short, I thought she was a bitch. It turns out, she has bipolar and with the stress of the tour, she snapped so many times and Jasmine was the unfortunate target. The point is, the author didn’t just spoon fed us with information at the forefront. Instead she made us guess what could possibly be happening and only then she would give us answers.
I love the fact that every band member and some minor characters weren’t just one-dimensional personalities. They were all given back stories and depth to their characters, each one different. Somehow, we could all relate to one of their quirks.
Another startlingly real aspect of the book: the not so glamorous life of new bands. C-Side is the very definition of struggling artists. No fairy god mother came to swept them away and magically offered them contracts because they were poor and talented and deserved it. Nope. C-Side is a struggling yet hopeful band in the beginning and still a struggling yet hopeful band in the end.
So much has to be said about this book but I’ll end the review here.
*** Cover art: 3/5 stars. I wish it wasn’t a guy on the cover as this book is really all about the female lead.***
For a review of the first book in the series, Amplified, click here.
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