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Exile #1
Exile
Catherine Summer Carlson knows how to manage bands like a professional - she’s a student at the PopArts Academy at Mount Hope High, where rock legends Allegiance to North got their start. The never-skipping-class Catherine part of her knows, though, that falling for the lead singer of her latest band is the least professional thing a manager can do. But Caleb Daniels isn’t an ordinary band boy - he’s a hot, dreamy, sweet-singing, exiled-from-his-old-band, possibly-with-a-deep-dark-side band boy. And he can do that thing. That thing when someone sings a song and it inhabits you, possesses you, and moves you like a marionette to its will.
Over tacos on lunch dates to far-off outlet-mall planets and during practices at the Hive with their new band, Dangerheart, Catherine - no, Summer - falls in love with Caleb.
She also finds herself at the center of a mystery she never saw coming. When Caleb reveals a secret about his long-lost father, one band’s past becomes another’s present, and Summer finds it harder and harder to be both band manager and girlfriend. She knows what the well-mannered Catherine side of her would do, but she also knows what her heart is telling her. Maybe it’s time to accept who she really is, even if it means becoming an exile herself...
Kevin Emerson's Exile is a witty and passionate ode to love, rock and roll, and the freedom that comes in the moment when somebody believes in you, even if you're not quite ready to believe in yourself.
Over tacos on lunch dates to far-off outlet-mall planets and during practices at the Hive with their new band, Dangerheart, Catherine - no, Summer - falls in love with Caleb.
She also finds herself at the center of a mystery she never saw coming. When Caleb reveals a secret about his long-lost father, one band’s past becomes another’s present, and Summer finds it harder and harder to be both band manager and girlfriend. She knows what the well-mannered Catherine side of her would do, but she also knows what her heart is telling her. Maybe it’s time to accept who she really is, even if it means becoming an exile herself...
Kevin Emerson's Exile is a witty and passionate ode to love, rock and roll, and the freedom that comes in the moment when somebody believes in you, even if you're not quite ready to believe in yourself.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
27 people are currently reading
4201 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Emerson
40 books446 followersAuthor of sixteen novels for children and young adults, most recently LAST DAY ON MARS, BREAKOUT, and the ATLANTEANS series. His books have been published in ten different countries. Formerly a science teacher and a creative writing teacher, Kevin is also a singer and drummer. He has won a spelling bee, lost a beauty pageant, and once appeared in a Swedish TV commercial.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
April 24, 2014
"...all together, it's doing that thing, he's doing that thing that a song can do. Do you know it? When a song inhabits you, possesses you, and moves you like a marionette to its will?"
Didn't you write this well, Kevin Emerson? But it goes for your book too - I was completely mesmerized. And no, you don't deserve a glare anymore.
How to describe Exile and not give away too many details? Hm... That will be hard because there's so much more to this story than what is described in the synopsis. How about I list everything I liked?
- Music. If you are music fan like myself, and if you appreciate '90 music scene, you will feel nostalgic because of all Nirvana... um, references? You'll get it when you read the book. But it's not just about music that marked my teenage years. Exile is not another glorified novel about rock stars and their groupies. Well, of course it's not, after all it is labeled as young adult, but we are constantly bombed with those kind of stories. Kevin Emerson offers two different views on music - from a person who creates it and one who should promote it. Creativity plus business. It reminded me a lot of Amplified by Tara Kelly and even a little bit of Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John - both my favorites.
- Summer. Main character - seventeen year old girl, band manager, music lover. I know that some of you will find her annoying, but the thing is she is more real than some fictional girl written by a woman. Who should know how is it to be seventeen year old girl. She is selfish, jealous, insecure, brave and shy, grown up but still a child. She has big plans and is all about girl power, but turns in complete idiot in front of her current crush or bastard of ex-boyfriend.
- Mystery. Exile is not just about love and music, about cute boy and that new girl. There is whole other layer of the plot. Let's leave it at that, I don't want to spoil it for you.
- But... There is always but. No, it's not about cliffhanger. Now you want to know if there is a cliffhanger. My lips are sealed. I found few more philosophical parts kind of misplaced. Or I didn't get them.
Who should read it? Everyone who loved Five Flavors of Dumb, Amplified and similar books. If you want to read a little bit different young adult novel. If you are Nirvana fan. If you love music and books about music.
My rating: 4.5 stars
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
***Copy of this book was provided by publisher, Katherine Tegen Books, via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***
March 30, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review.
Lovely attraction from the start. . But I couldn't really grasp the entire book. It was painfully boring. Nothing happens that is even memorable to talk about. I wasn't interested in the characters at all. What really gripped me and why I picked this to read in the first place was about the music. Even though I wasn't thoroughly interested in music a whole lot, I wanted to know more about it. Pacing was probably the main issue for me. And for something to happen to the plot. I read this last year, and didn't write a review until now, and I can't even remember what happened at all.
Lovely attraction from the start. . But I couldn't really grasp the entire book. It was painfully boring. Nothing happens that is even memorable to talk about. I wasn't interested in the characters at all. What really gripped me and why I picked this to read in the first place was about the music. Even though I wasn't thoroughly interested in music a whole lot, I wanted to know more about it. Pacing was probably the main issue for me. And for something to happen to the plot. I read this last year, and didn't write a review until now, and I can't even remember what happened at all.
July 3, 2015
Thank you Andye @ Reading Teen, for sending me this for an honest review!
You can find this review here!
I looked forward to Exile mainly because it's about music (even though I'm really not the music type). In the synopsis, it mentions a mystery and a secret: two things I really enjoy reading about. Unfortunately, Exile was a huge disappointment.
From the start, Exile couldn't hold my interest. It was painfully boring, and nothing interesting was happening. I started to lose more and more interest and multiple times I wanted to stop reading altogether. I heard positive things about this though, so I continued on with hopes of enjoying this more (I didn't).
Summer was not a likable character. She's a band manager who just got left behind by her former band when the said band got signed by a record label. She went out with one of the band members, only to find out that he's been cheating on her because "I couldn't help it. They were so into me. It was hard, you know?" Summer regrets hanging out with the band so much because without the band, she doesn't have any friends. Basically. But as she's looking for a new band, she instantly falls in love with Caleb, who got left behind by his band.
With relationships, I like the romance to build up. There was no building up here. They got together too soon and I never felt the love between them. Why are they even going out? It was so hard to connect with both of them, because Summer was her annoying self and Caleb didn't have much of a personality.
The pacing was too slow for my liking. I kept waiting and waiting for something exciting to happen. But I did like the twist. That is probably what I liked most from Exile because the mystery, finally! I guess you could say that it's the mystery that pushed me to the end, and made me rate this two stars instead of just one. But the mystery brings in a new character, Val, who I did not like reading about.
Overall, Exile turned out to be a major disappointment. I disliked the characters and majority of the plot. Because of that, I won't be continuing with this series. I honestly don't think this should be a series, because I can't see this going on much further. Exile is fine as just a standalone. I won't say I don't recommend this, however, because even though this didn't work for me, it could for you.
You can find this review here!
I looked forward to Exile mainly because it's about music (even though I'm really not the music type). In the synopsis, it mentions a mystery and a secret: two things I really enjoy reading about. Unfortunately, Exile was a huge disappointment.
From the start, Exile couldn't hold my interest. It was painfully boring, and nothing interesting was happening. I started to lose more and more interest and multiple times I wanted to stop reading altogether. I heard positive things about this though, so I continued on with hopes of enjoying this more (I didn't).
Summer was not a likable character. She's a band manager who just got left behind by her former band when the said band got signed by a record label. She went out with one of the band members, only to find out that he's been cheating on her because "I couldn't help it. They were so into me. It was hard, you know?" Summer regrets hanging out with the band so much because without the band, she doesn't have any friends. Basically. But as she's looking for a new band, she instantly falls in love with Caleb, who got left behind by his band.
With relationships, I like the romance to build up. There was no building up here. They got together too soon and I never felt the love between them. Why are they even going out? It was so hard to connect with both of them, because Summer was her annoying self and Caleb didn't have much of a personality.
The pacing was too slow for my liking. I kept waiting and waiting for something exciting to happen. But I did like the twist. That is probably what I liked most from Exile because the mystery, finally! I guess you could say that it's the mystery that pushed me to the end, and made me rate this two stars instead of just one. But the mystery brings in a new character, Val, who I did not like reading about.
Overall, Exile turned out to be a major disappointment. I disliked the characters and majority of the plot. Because of that, I won't be continuing with this series. I honestly don't think this should be a series, because I can't see this going on much further. Exile is fine as just a standalone. I won't say I don't recommend this, however, because even though this didn't work for me, it could for you.
February 6, 2017
I'm too old for this shit...
June 19, 2016
Let's say this book started out great, it was a real 4 star for the first few pages, but around the middle that turned into 3, and soon after that 2 and with the ending it turned into one star.
I am sorry, but the story was interesting, but it just lacked. For most of the time I didn't understand why Caleb and Summer were still together, if they are together at all. They totally don't match. Caleb is quite oblivious to lots of things, Summer is just a bit too demanding at times, so yeah, most of the time I only knew they were together because they stared at each other, or if they give a few rare kisses.
Then we got Val, OH GOD, I hated Val, even after I knew her history, I just couldn't resist wanting to smack her. She was so annoying, pushing Caleb and Summer away from each other, knowing full well what the hell she was doing and she did a whole lot more of stuff that I just didn't like. She was lying about various other things, and sure if you know her history it might be all ok, but for me no, definitely no.
Then I soon find out that this book won't be a standalone, and that disappoints me too. I think everything could have easily be handled in one book, but the author just kept making new plot twists here and there to keep the book from stopping at one book.
The band thing was fun, and interesting, but for a manager Summer wasn't all that good. She hid stuff (while logical, but come on, give your new band a bit of credit), gave them less chances and more stuff.
So yeah, I wouldn't recommend this book.
I am sorry, but the story was interesting, but it just lacked. For most of the time I didn't understand why Caleb and Summer were still together, if they are together at all. They totally don't match. Caleb is quite oblivious to lots of things, Summer is just a bit too demanding at times, so yeah, most of the time I only knew they were together because they stared at each other, or if they give a few rare kisses.
Then we got Val, OH GOD, I hated Val, even after I knew her history, I just couldn't resist wanting to smack her. She was so annoying, pushing Caleb and Summer away from each other, knowing full well what the hell she was doing and she did a whole lot more of stuff that I just didn't like. She was lying about various other things, and sure if you know her history it might be all ok, but for me no, definitely no.
Then I soon find out that this book won't be a standalone, and that disappoints me too. I think everything could have easily be handled in one book, but the author just kept making new plot twists here and there to keep the book from stopping at one book.
The band thing was fun, and interesting, but for a manager Summer wasn't all that good. She hid stuff (while logical, but come on, give your new band a bit of credit), gave them less chances and more stuff.
So yeah, I wouldn't recommend this book.
April 17, 2021
2 stars
I absolutely adore music and books involving music (i.e. This Song Will Save Your Life) - so when I heard of Exile, all about music, band management, and a promising romance, it went on my must read list. Sadly, this book is just a blend of meh for me.
Summer is an aspiring band manager who just got dumped from her previous band after they got picked up by a record label. Even worse, she was involved with the band's front man, and he ended up cheating on her. Her life revolves around music, and with a new school year, she now has to pick up the pieces and find a new project. She quickly finds one in the talented musician Caleb - who also just got dumped from his band. She inspires him to start a new band.
And here right away is my biggest problem with this book. Summer constantly narrates how it was a bad idea to get involved with someone from her last band, and how she hates the judgement she gets from it. She feels peoples stares and practically hears them thinking, "Oh, there's that groupie lovesick girl." And what does she do with Caleb? Immediately starts dating him. The first time they meet, he asks her on a date, and she goes under the pretense of inspiring him to make this new band so that she can manage it - but they are immediately dating, already.
Girl, are you serious? I will say that it's not instalove. They don't go around proclaiming that they can't live without the other, but they're just immediately a couple, before the band even starts up. In fact, the rushed formation of the relationship gives me exactly ZERO feels for them. But I just hate how Summer knows and frequently tells the reader that this is a bad idea, and then does it anyway. There isn't a sense of burning chemistry between them or attraction or whatever either. Just, she likes his music, he likes her personality, they both feel exiled. Whoooo, so much in common.
And her hypocrisy doesn't stop there. No, they soon find out about Caleb's secret - about his father, and go on this treasure hunt for these lost songs. Meanwhile, the band quickly gets noticed and a label becomes interested, and Summer keeps all that a secret from the band. She again tells the readers that coming clean is probably the best option but then doesn't until it's too late and drama rears its ugly head. Just ugh. Just ugh.
So clearly I don't care much for the characters. Summer's hypocrisy annoyed me and Caleb didn't make me feel much of anything. But the plot was also super weak. This is a series which is absolutely depressing, because the story in this book is so unresolved it makes me want to rage. It was just drama drama drama, with mean girls and jealousy and family drama (Summer resents and writes off her parents in such a way that seriously makes me give her some side eye; although, major props to her relationship with her gay aunt), and then tiny little reveals (most of which were totally predictable) and then THE END BUY THE NEXT BOOK SUCKER. I.. no. Just no.
Summing Up:
I liked the idea of this. A performance arts high school is an awesome setting, and I loved seeing a different side of the world (band management), so for what it's worth, there were still parts of this that entertained me. But mostly I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the story. It was unresolved in a way that just makes me raise my shoulders and wipe the book from my memory. NEXT.
GIF it to me straight!
Me to Summer
*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
I absolutely adore music and books involving music (i.e. This Song Will Save Your Life) - so when I heard of Exile, all about music, band management, and a promising romance, it went on my must read list. Sadly, this book is just a blend of meh for me.
Summer is an aspiring band manager who just got dumped from her previous band after they got picked up by a record label. Even worse, she was involved with the band's front man, and he ended up cheating on her. Her life revolves around music, and with a new school year, she now has to pick up the pieces and find a new project. She quickly finds one in the talented musician Caleb - who also just got dumped from his band. She inspires him to start a new band.
And here right away is my biggest problem with this book. Summer constantly narrates how it was a bad idea to get involved with someone from her last band, and how she hates the judgement she gets from it. She feels peoples stares and practically hears them thinking, "Oh, there's that groupie lovesick girl." And what does she do with Caleb? Immediately starts dating him. The first time they meet, he asks her on a date, and she goes under the pretense of inspiring him to make this new band so that she can manage it - but they are immediately dating, already.
Girl, are you serious? I will say that it's not instalove. They don't go around proclaiming that they can't live without the other, but they're just immediately a couple, before the band even starts up. In fact, the rushed formation of the relationship gives me exactly ZERO feels for them. But I just hate how Summer knows and frequently tells the reader that this is a bad idea, and then does it anyway. There isn't a sense of burning chemistry between them or attraction or whatever either. Just, she likes his music, he likes her personality, they both feel exiled. Whoooo, so much in common.
And her hypocrisy doesn't stop there. No, they soon find out about Caleb's secret - about his father, and go on this treasure hunt for these lost songs. Meanwhile, the band quickly gets noticed and a label becomes interested, and Summer keeps all that a secret from the band. She again tells the readers that coming clean is probably the best option but then doesn't until it's too late and drama rears its ugly head. Just ugh. Just ugh.
So clearly I don't care much for the characters. Summer's hypocrisy annoyed me and Caleb didn't make me feel much of anything. But the plot was also super weak. This is a series which is absolutely depressing, because the story in this book is so unresolved it makes me want to rage. It was just drama drama drama, with mean girls and jealousy and family drama (Summer resents and writes off her parents in such a way that seriously makes me give her some side eye; although, major props to her relationship with her gay aunt), and then tiny little reveals (most of which were totally predictable) and then THE END BUY THE NEXT BOOK SUCKER. I.. no. Just no.
Summing Up:
I liked the idea of this. A performance arts high school is an awesome setting, and I loved seeing a different side of the world (band management), so for what it's worth, there were still parts of this that entertained me. But mostly I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the story. It was unresolved in a way that just makes me raise my shoulders and wipe the book from my memory. NEXT.
GIF it to me straight!
Me to Summer
*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
July 21, 2014
DNF AT 59%
Sorry, can't take it anymore. So I just dropped it then skimmed the rest.
Exile started really great for me. Summer, the MC, was a a little bit over dramatic and demanding. But she manages bands! That's why her attitude is yeah, reasonable. I love how descriptive this book is. You really get inside Summers' life.. But you know what ruined this for me?
The Romance. The non sense relationship of Caleb and Summer. I don't even know why these two are together. But you know what, I tried to ignore that because the mystery really caught my attention. It's really interesting.. Imagine solving the death of a rockstar legend.
Then this girl came. Val. Part of me is thankful that she showed up because it helps the readers realize how crap of a boyfriend Caleb is. The other part is just plain annoyed. But whoah! There's a twist! And I did not see that coming! You see, it's part of the mystery. There's a reason why this annoying Val showed up after all. But when I found out, it's too late already. My annoyance can't be erased any more and Caleb is still a jerk to me.
Caleb's like a robot guys. Seriously, Summer liking him doesn't make sense.
Anyway, this was disappointing. The Music references and the mystery pulled me in a little but the under developed romance ruined it for me.
May 28, 2014
By the first paragraph
Five start
By the third paragraph
Four star
By the third page
Two star
When I got bored and flipped to the back and saw that there this book is part of a trilogy
no star
Five start
By the third paragraph
Four star
By the third page
Two star
When I got bored and flipped to the back and saw that there this book is part of a trilogy
no star
October 1, 2016
This review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews
Catherine Summer Carlson lives her life as two separate people. At home, with the parents, she's Catherine. Catherine is the bright straight-A student on track to be the next big shot lawyer in her family. But elsewhere, she's Summer. Summer is a music junkie who excels at managing bands and has no interest in being a lawyer. She's recently been dumped by her band, Postcards From Ariel, due to an actual record label picking them up. She's on a mission to find a new group to manage and she knows she's hit gold when she finds Caleb Daniels singing and convinces him to start a new one. Falling for Caleb is the number one wrong thing to do as a manager but she can't help herself. Then Caleb reveals a secret about his long-lost father and things get really interesting. Suddenly she's right in the middle of some else's mystery. She knows that she needs to be on her professional best, but sometimes ignoring your heart is difficult to do and you're head will just have to live with the consequences. Can Summer sort out her life (as well as the band's) or is everyone doomed to failure?
I'll be completely honest. A big reason I downloaded this was because of the pretty cover. I read the synopsis and it sounded great (I love books about music), but it was that gorgeous, simplistic cover that really grabbed me. I also loved the idea of a male author writing a female perspective. In YA, it's mostly girls. Female authors writing mostly female characters. Female authors sometimes writing male characters, which is always a crapshoot because some female authors can't capture that male voice. It's always fascinating to read a male writing as a female because it's like "so, this is what they think of us, huh?" kinda vibes. I have to say that Emerson did a great job capturing the female voice. Many times when authors write outside their gender, it feels like a female trying to do a male voice or vice versa, but Emerson is not guilty of this.
Summer is a complex character. It's easy to sympathize with her because her band literally abandoned her after they signed with a record label and that includes her boyfriend, the frontman. Her love for music was something I could instantly relate to. I'll never be in the music business, but I totally get that need to disappear into the perfect song. She's smart and driven and completely determined to live out her dreams in the music industry, even if she can't bring herself to tell her parents that piece of information. She's also unfailingly human, making judgement errors and having insane moments of jealousy when other girls come on to Caleb. It really rooted her down to Earth.
I liked Caleb a lot, but sometimes I wasn't exactly a huge fan. He does some stupid things and treats Summer badly at moments when she really doesn't deserve it. I get that the guy is going through a lot and he's having a difficult time, but there are moments when other girls are blatantly flirting with him in front of Summer and he does nothing to reassure this girl who has already been dumped by one rocker boy who gained fame. He also shuts her out sometimes and that bugged me too. It was clear that he was a good guy, but his inner asshole shone through more often than I would like and the older I get, the more anti-asshole I become.
This was a compulsive read, with that just-one-more chapter addictive quality that we all look for in a book. I only had a few issues with it. The first one being that the dynamic between Summer & Caleb was very insta-lovey. They meet and then they are dating and serious almost immediately afterwards. It kinda throws you off. I do think that attraction happens immediately, but there was no dating period, just an immediate this is my girlfriend and the manager of the band I'm going to create thing. Then there was the fact that Summer feel into a similar situation that she has already been in. She was already the girlfriend/manager of a band and that didn't end well. Why would she jump back into the same situation? She has a few reservations, but she didn't really even hesitate before dating Caleb.
All things considered, this novel is pretty awesome, and I am impatiently awaiting it's sequel. Summer is a pretty awesome heroine, especially because of her imperfections. The plot and writing keep you going and wondering how exactly the light mystery will play out and if Caleb's band will be successful. If you love contemporary YA, books centered around music, or even just YA fiction, this is for you. Give it a try and you won't regret it!
****Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****
Catherine Summer Carlson lives her life as two separate people. At home, with the parents, she's Catherine. Catherine is the bright straight-A student on track to be the next big shot lawyer in her family. But elsewhere, she's Summer. Summer is a music junkie who excels at managing bands and has no interest in being a lawyer. She's recently been dumped by her band, Postcards From Ariel, due to an actual record label picking them up. She's on a mission to find a new group to manage and she knows she's hit gold when she finds Caleb Daniels singing and convinces him to start a new one. Falling for Caleb is the number one wrong thing to do as a manager but she can't help herself. Then Caleb reveals a secret about his long-lost father and things get really interesting. Suddenly she's right in the middle of some else's mystery. She knows that she needs to be on her professional best, but sometimes ignoring your heart is difficult to do and you're head will just have to live with the consequences. Can Summer sort out her life (as well as the band's) or is everyone doomed to failure?
I'll be completely honest. A big reason I downloaded this was because of the pretty cover. I read the synopsis and it sounded great (I love books about music), but it was that gorgeous, simplistic cover that really grabbed me. I also loved the idea of a male author writing a female perspective. In YA, it's mostly girls. Female authors writing mostly female characters. Female authors sometimes writing male characters, which is always a crapshoot because some female authors can't capture that male voice. It's always fascinating to read a male writing as a female because it's like "so, this is what they think of us, huh?" kinda vibes. I have to say that Emerson did a great job capturing the female voice. Many times when authors write outside their gender, it feels like a female trying to do a male voice or vice versa, but Emerson is not guilty of this.
Summer is a complex character. It's easy to sympathize with her because her band literally abandoned her after they signed with a record label and that includes her boyfriend, the frontman. Her love for music was something I could instantly relate to. I'll never be in the music business, but I totally get that need to disappear into the perfect song. She's smart and driven and completely determined to live out her dreams in the music industry, even if she can't bring herself to tell her parents that piece of information. She's also unfailingly human, making judgement errors and having insane moments of jealousy when other girls come on to Caleb. It really rooted her down to Earth.
I liked Caleb a lot, but sometimes I wasn't exactly a huge fan. He does some stupid things and treats Summer badly at moments when she really doesn't deserve it. I get that the guy is going through a lot and he's having a difficult time, but there are moments when other girls are blatantly flirting with him in front of Summer and he does nothing to reassure this girl who has already been dumped by one rocker boy who gained fame. He also shuts her out sometimes and that bugged me too. It was clear that he was a good guy, but his inner asshole shone through more often than I would like and the older I get, the more anti-asshole I become.
This was a compulsive read, with that just-one-more chapter addictive quality that we all look for in a book. I only had a few issues with it. The first one being that the dynamic between Summer & Caleb was very insta-lovey. They meet and then they are dating and serious almost immediately afterwards. It kinda throws you off. I do think that attraction happens immediately, but there was no dating period, just an immediate this is my girlfriend and the manager of the band I'm going to create thing. Then there was the fact that Summer feel into a similar situation that she has already been in. She was already the girlfriend/manager of a band and that didn't end well. Why would she jump back into the same situation? She has a few reservations, but she didn't really even hesitate before dating Caleb.
All things considered, this novel is pretty awesome, and I am impatiently awaiting it's sequel. Summer is a pretty awesome heroine, especially because of her imperfections. The plot and writing keep you going and wondering how exactly the light mystery will play out and if Caleb's band will be successful. If you love contemporary YA, books centered around music, or even just YA fiction, this is for you. Give it a try and you won't regret it!
****Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****
Want to read
October 10, 2013We've got the cover reveal on the blog and a chance to win an ARC! Check it out here!
August 7, 2018
I saw this book in a "music-related" display at my local library and decided to give it a go. I'm glad that I did. I found this book to be multi-layered. First, there is romance, obviously. You can probably guess that much from the fact that it's a YA book and the cute little wire heart on the cover. But so much more is going on in this story. You've got high school drama, probably also a given, but in this situation it's somewhat career based and seems much more important. Then there is a big mystery. There are clues left behind to decipher and the characters must follow them to find what they want so badly to find. All of this is wrapped up in a very musical world, where teens are in bands or managing bands.
I enjoyed all aspects of the story. There's a lot going on, but not so much that you get lost. More like real life most of the time has a lot going on. The characters are diverse and interesting and the story is very entertaining. This is book one in a series, so I'm very eager to read the next two books and find out what happens!
I enjoyed all aspects of the story. There's a lot going on, but not so much that you get lost. More like real life most of the time has a lot going on. The characters are diverse and interesting and the story is very entertaining. This is book one in a series, so I'm very eager to read the next two books and find out what happens!
March 17, 2014
3.5 stars
I really wanted to love this book. Music is srs bsns for me, so when it's a major plot point of a book, I pay attention.
What I loved:
•The passion that all of the characters have for music. The feeling comes across in the page so well. It becomes seemingly tangible.
•The scavenger hunt. This will make more sense when you read it and I'm being vague on purpose because spoilers.
•The twist. I can't even say anything else.
•The band members. They all had their quirky little personalities, but they meshed together.
•Caleb. A boy with a guitar? Yeah. Sign me up.
What I didn't love:
•Summer. I didn't hate her, but I didn't love her. There were times that she was so into being a manager that it seemed that she lacked the sensitivity some of the scenes needed. She was focused on money when it should have been hugs.
•The fact that this is going to be a series. I could have sworn it was a stand alone and in my opinion, it ends on a perfect note. There doesn't need to be more and I probably won't be reading the other books.
It'll probably be something that I read again. I want to rate it more than 3.5, but I just can't. And I'm fully aware that this review is a bit of a hot mess, but it's a perfect representation of how I'm thinking about this book.
**Thanks to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I really wanted to love this book. Music is srs bsns for me, so when it's a major plot point of a book, I pay attention.
What I loved:
•The passion that all of the characters have for music. The feeling comes across in the page so well. It becomes seemingly tangible.
•The scavenger hunt. This will make more sense when you read it and I'm being vague on purpose because spoilers.
•The twist. I can't even say anything else.
•The band members. They all had their quirky little personalities, but they meshed together.
•Caleb. A boy with a guitar? Yeah. Sign me up.
What I didn't love:
•Summer. I didn't hate her, but I didn't love her. There were times that she was so into being a manager that it seemed that she lacked the sensitivity some of the scenes needed. She was focused on money when it should have been hugs.
•The fact that this is going to be a series. I could have sworn it was a stand alone and in my opinion, it ends on a perfect note. There doesn't need to be more and I probably won't be reading the other books.
It'll probably be something that I read again. I want to rate it more than 3.5, but I just can't. And I'm fully aware that this review is a bit of a hot mess, but it's a perfect representation of how I'm thinking about this book.
**Thanks to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
September 8, 2016
You know that the author did something impressive when details of the supposed subject of the book fascinated you. That was me when I read Exile by Kevin Emerson. It was pretty obvious that he really knows the subject and how he distributed and planted it in the plot. But that is where the good impression ended, sadly Me, Summer, and Caleb just didn’t jive together. I get Summer most of the times. I knew she was hurt, hence the attitude. But I just felt detached towards them in general. And you know how I value character-reader connection. But as whole, it was a good read. Impressed on some but not so much on the others. I’m somewhere in the middle and sitting comfortably so.
December 8, 2019
3.5
I wasn't expecting a scavenger hunt but I was in for it. I just thought it was a bit too convenient to my liking. I'll keep reading the series because i'm intrigued to see where it will go next.
I wasn't expecting a scavenger hunt but I was in for it. I just thought it was a bit too convenient to my liking. I'll keep reading the series because i'm intrigued to see where it will go next.
September 3, 2014
Exile, by Kevin Emerson, began with such promise. When the book opened, I really liked Summer, especially her spark, snark and determination, but those qualities disappeared as her relationship with Caleb became more complicated. Caleb was a little more of a mystery, and kind of remained that way even after we learned his secrets. I liked the way their relationship unfolded, sort of in a very meant-to-be, clicked-from-the-start kind of way. As it progressed, it became a hot mess of deceit, secret keeping, and avoiding. I had real trouble when Caleb put the band—or more specifically a band member—before Summer. She was determined not to repeat the mistakes she’d made with Ethan and it felt like she was doing exactly that. It left me really disappointed.
Caleb wasn’t a bad guy, but his behaviour was so unpredictable and explosive that I had trouble trusting him. His past laid the groundwork for an interesting background story, however I found I cared more about finding the songs than I did about how he was doing. It was a real disconnect for me. I needed him to be vulnerable with someone—to let someone in. He started to let Summer in, and maybe he let Val in—we wouldn’t really know since the book was in Summer’s POV—but it was only in bits and pieces and only at first. As soon as he got stressed out or angry, he shut everyone out emotionally. I found this frustrating. Alternating points of view where we were able to read things from his point of view might have helped this.
I think a lot of the things Caleb and Summer felt—the confusion, the need to keep things secret—were realistic, very indicative of a high school romance. And that’s why most high school romances don’t last. Their behaviour certainly didn’t scream healthy relationship. I didn’t really understand why they were together because they rarely seemed happy together. Summer tells us how she feels, but I never got the sense of how important Summer was to Caleb. It almost felt like he wanted someone there, and she was convenient. Caleb’s choices weakened his bond with Summer, and all of the secrets they kept further degraded it. There was no trust beyond fleeting moments.
For me, the book read like Summer was on the outside looking in. There was too much description, for example on page 149 where we’re introduced to Vic: “A man has appeared at our table. It’s like he just popped out of thin air, or more likely out of a time vortex. He’s wiry, and wearing a black silken shirt that billows around his skinny frame and is tucked into dark jeans. A toothpick rolls around between his lips. There’s a cigarette at-the-ready behind his left ear. His thin gray-black hair is slicked over his oval skull, and his face is all shadow and stubble.” Not only does almost no one notice that much detail in a split second, the guy being described serves a single purpose and is completely unimportant to the plot except for that purpose. The same thing happened with the music references. It was just too much detail for the average reader. I love music and I have a good general knowledge about it, but at times there were places with too many terms that were never explained, let alone in layman’s terms. These two things together with the fact that Summer was often talking about what was happening to Caleb and the band gave a feeling separation, of too much telling and not enough showing, of too much happening around Summer and not to her, too much I-should-have and not enough doing. Again, dual points of view, or a story written from Caleb’s POV might have helped this.
I was surprised to read at the end that this is the first in a trilogy. At this point, I don't plan to read the rest. I just didn’t care about the characters or like the writing style enough to continue.
Caleb wasn’t a bad guy, but his behaviour was so unpredictable and explosive that I had trouble trusting him. His past laid the groundwork for an interesting background story, however I found I cared more about finding the songs than I did about how he was doing. It was a real disconnect for me. I needed him to be vulnerable with someone—to let someone in. He started to let Summer in, and maybe he let Val in—we wouldn’t really know since the book was in Summer’s POV—but it was only in bits and pieces and only at first. As soon as he got stressed out or angry, he shut everyone out emotionally. I found this frustrating. Alternating points of view where we were able to read things from his point of view might have helped this.
I think a lot of the things Caleb and Summer felt—the confusion, the need to keep things secret—were realistic, very indicative of a high school romance. And that’s why most high school romances don’t last. Their behaviour certainly didn’t scream healthy relationship. I didn’t really understand why they were together because they rarely seemed happy together. Summer tells us how she feels, but I never got the sense of how important Summer was to Caleb. It almost felt like he wanted someone there, and she was convenient. Caleb’s choices weakened his bond with Summer, and all of the secrets they kept further degraded it. There was no trust beyond fleeting moments.
For me, the book read like Summer was on the outside looking in. There was too much description, for example on page 149 where we’re introduced to Vic: “A man has appeared at our table. It’s like he just popped out of thin air, or more likely out of a time vortex. He’s wiry, and wearing a black silken shirt that billows around his skinny frame and is tucked into dark jeans. A toothpick rolls around between his lips. There’s a cigarette at-the-ready behind his left ear. His thin gray-black hair is slicked over his oval skull, and his face is all shadow and stubble.” Not only does almost no one notice that much detail in a split second, the guy being described serves a single purpose and is completely unimportant to the plot except for that purpose. The same thing happened with the music references. It was just too much detail for the average reader. I love music and I have a good general knowledge about it, but at times there were places with too many terms that were never explained, let alone in layman’s terms. These two things together with the fact that Summer was often talking about what was happening to Caleb and the band gave a feeling separation, of too much telling and not enough showing, of too much happening around Summer and not to her, too much I-should-have and not enough doing. Again, dual points of view, or a story written from Caleb’s POV might have helped this.
I was surprised to read at the end that this is the first in a trilogy. At this point, I don't plan to read the rest. I just didn’t care about the characters or like the writing style enough to continue.
May 30, 2014
Exile is the perfect read for a reluctant reader who loves music and the music scene. It’s also a great read for the non-reluctant reader who knows nothing about the music scene (me).
Characters~ Summer is a character that while very different from me, I could connect with. At least on some levels. We have such different lives, but her two lives that she lives, is similar to what I did as a teen as well. The me that my parents and family knew, and the me that my friends knew me as. Summer wants to make her parents happy and she wants to avoid the lectures, so she gets good grades, puts in the work to appear to be interested in attending law school, etc. But she’s happiest when she’s in the music scene, managing a band and getting them attention. Her dedication to all of this was fantastic and was fun to read about.
Caleb was a great character as well. He has a lot to deal with in the book but my favorite thing about him was his dedication to Summer and his lack of drama. He has drama, but it’s not relationship related and I appreciated that.
The other characters were pretty good but I’d like to see more of them. See them more fleshed out. There simply wasn’t enough time in this book to get to know them well, and so I’m hoping this happens in the future, assuming we get more from this current story line.
Romance~ This book does not have the typical romance. It happens fast (too fast) but this is so we can move forward to all the more main points of the story, which is not the romance. The romance is definitely present, and there are issues with it, but it’s not the forefront of the story at all. I would have liked more relationship build up, but at the same time I appreciated that it wasn’t the main focus and was slightly glossed over to allow more time with the other plot points, which was more important. I liked that for the most part the romance is pretty easy for them, and I enjoyed their time together. There was some drama with it, but it was on the light side and never lasted long.
Plot~ Summer has helped put together this new band and she knows it’s amazing but now she needs to get them out there. Caleb has discovered something huge. Something that could really put them on the map, but he doesn’t want to use it. However, he wants to find out more about it. So Summer, Caleb and the rest of the band set out to discover some things and it was a fun journey discovering these little things along the way. There are secrets and there are twists and it’s a fun ride that I enjoyed the whole way through.
Negatives~ The relationship was really, really fast. I covered this already though, and while it was a negative for me, it allowed for more plot development, which I did appreciate. I got annoyed with Summer a few times because she kept some secrets and it wasn’t right. This allowed for me to get more invested in the story and characters though, so maybe it’s not a negative at all. I had thought this was a stand alone until I went to write this review and saw that it says ‘Exile #1′. Originally I was going to say that I wasn’t sure what I thought of the end, but knowing it’s the first in a series, that’s no longer an issue. As a matter of fact, this ended up being a good ending. Things can’t really be completely wrapped up that quickly, but there’s no cliffhanger either. I’m very curious to see what else is going to happen and how things will play out with Summer and Caleb.
Overall this was a fun read and perfect for those that are really into music. There was a lot that I wasn’t very familiar with before so it was very interesting and entertaining for me. I also enjoyed the descriptions of their school, it sounds so cool. Are there are schools like that, I wonder? I do recommend this one and it’s one that boys and girls alike would enjoy, even though it is Summer narrating, it’s definitely one that many boys would enjoy too.
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
April 29, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
17-year-old Summer is annoyed after the band she managed got signed by a record label and dumped her, so now she’s out to find a new band.
Can she make another band happen though? And is a dead rock-stars son the right way to go?
This was an okay story, but I just couldn’t get into it.
Summer was an okay character, she seemed to think that she was wonderful though, and as soon as one band left she just had to go and find another one to manage. Why she was so obsessed I don’t know, but I just didn’t get why she felt the need to instantly start managing, or even forming a new band, especially given how her previous band had bailed on her at the first opportunity.
The storyline in this was okay, but I lost interest. For some reason this book just didn’t hold my attention, and there wasn’t a whole lot to keep me reading; the music side of things didn’t excite me, and the romance was fleeting. I did like the mystery side of the story, but that didn’t feel developed enough, and the pace was just too slow.
The ending was also a bit of a disappointment. I just felt like very little was resolved, and the end wasn’t really an end, the book just stopped. While I was glad to be finished, the ending was less than satisfying, which really annoyed me.
Overall; okay, but didn’t hold my interest well.
6.5 out of 10.
17-year-old Summer is annoyed after the band she managed got signed by a record label and dumped her, so now she’s out to find a new band.
Can she make another band happen though? And is a dead rock-stars son the right way to go?
This was an okay story, but I just couldn’t get into it.
Summer was an okay character, she seemed to think that she was wonderful though, and as soon as one band left she just had to go and find another one to manage. Why she was so obsessed I don’t know, but I just didn’t get why she felt the need to instantly start managing, or even forming a new band, especially given how her previous band had bailed on her at the first opportunity.
The storyline in this was okay, but I lost interest. For some reason this book just didn’t hold my attention, and there wasn’t a whole lot to keep me reading; the music side of things didn’t excite me, and the romance was fleeting. I did like the mystery side of the story, but that didn’t feel developed enough, and the pace was just too slow.
The ending was also a bit of a disappointment. I just felt like very little was resolved, and the end wasn’t really an end, the book just stopped. While I was glad to be finished, the ending was less than satisfying, which really annoyed me.
Overall; okay, but didn’t hold my interest well.
6.5 out of 10.
April 6, 2015
Catherine Summer Carlson knows how to manage a band and make them successful, so successful that they are stolen away from her by a major label. She also has a thing for lead singers and now in her senior year at Mount Hope, the local art magnet school in Los Angeles, she must face the fact that there is not a band for her to take to stardom and ends up making college plans. Then she meet Caleb who just had a nasty break up with his band. She sees the potential in Caleb and starts to put together a solid foundation for a new stellar act. She doesn't plan on the chemistry that is ignited between them though. Caleb also confesses to her that he has just learned that his father was one of rock's brightest stars when his untimely death brought an end to his stardom.
Without giving away any plot details, Summer (as she is known professionally) helps Caleb track down his father's last songs as well as deal with despicable music corporations that own everything about his father. As the pair become closer and have all of the ups and downs a new relationship and mix that in with volatile musicians, the story really comes together. Summer is likable and Caleb seems like every girl's rock star dream. I really enjoyed this one and want to read more by this author.
Without giving away any plot details, Summer (as she is known professionally) helps Caleb track down his father's last songs as well as deal with despicable music corporations that own everything about his father. As the pair become closer and have all of the ups and downs a new relationship and mix that in with volatile musicians, the story really comes together. Summer is likable and Caleb seems like every girl's rock star dream. I really enjoyed this one and want to read more by this author.
May 25, 2014
In the end, this book turned out to be exactly what I feared it would turn into; a predictable mass of cliché’s. I wanted it to be something different, something on par with, say, Five Flavors of Dumb. I wanted real problems, real drama and witty, romantic dialogue. Instead I got a crappy storyline with a flimsy plot and a heroine so annoying I wanted to end her. All this book had was relationship drama that made me want to puke and wish the relationship would END already! By the middle of the entire thing I wanted Caleb and Summer to break up; I couldn’t feel the sparks, couldn’t fell the chemistry. Zip, zilch, nada.
The weird thing was, it started of so cool; the dialogue was witty, Summer sounded like a really cool character, Caleb had an actual backbone and personality. But then the shit hit the fan and everything just spiraled downwards. By the middle the only thing this book had going for it was that I really like angry, jealous girlfriends. But then Summer messed that up by being a giant bitch of epic proportions and then THAT happened.
Hmmm. I hope the second book would be a teeny tiiiiiiiny bit better than this.
The weird thing was, it started of so cool; the dialogue was witty, Summer sounded like a really cool character, Caleb had an actual backbone and personality. But then the shit hit the fan and everything just spiraled downwards. By the middle the only thing this book had going for it was that I really like angry, jealous girlfriends. But then Summer messed that up by being a giant bitch of epic proportions and then THAT happened.
Hmmm. I hope the second book would be a teeny tiiiiiiiny bit better than this.
August 3, 2016
Started 6/4/14
Finished 6/7/14
My niece won this on Goodreads Giveaways, then after she read it brought it to my house for me to read.
Catherine or Summer depending on which person she is being at the time, is a high school senior. She pretends to be one thing to make her parents happy, while she is totally a different person when she does what makes her happy. Catherine (parents ego) is a good student and wants to maybe go to law school. Summer (her ego) is all about managing a band. She already had a successful run at managing, but when the band was signed on with a label, the contract replaced her with one of their own agents. Now she has a new band and soon finds herself in the middle of a mystery.
As far as young adult type books go, this was on the better end. No real whiny parts, which I greatly appreciate. There were some times I wanted to slap the character up side the head though, but again, they were in high school and the actions were totally age appropriate. I enjoyed the characters, the story line moved along quite well, but the ending left a bit wanting. I know there is a book 2, but still.
Finished 6/7/14
My niece won this on Goodreads Giveaways, then after she read it brought it to my house for me to read.
Catherine or Summer depending on which person she is being at the time, is a high school senior. She pretends to be one thing to make her parents happy, while she is totally a different person when she does what makes her happy. Catherine (parents ego) is a good student and wants to maybe go to law school. Summer (her ego) is all about managing a band. She already had a successful run at managing, but when the band was signed on with a label, the contract replaced her with one of their own agents. Now she has a new band and soon finds herself in the middle of a mystery.
As far as young adult type books go, this was on the better end. No real whiny parts, which I greatly appreciate. There were some times I wanted to slap the character up side the head though, but again, they were in high school and the actions were totally age appropriate. I enjoyed the characters, the story line moved along quite well, but the ending left a bit wanting. I know there is a book 2, but still.
July 1, 2014
This book was quite *meh* for me, and I'm not exactly sure why. I was all about these kinds of indie bands when I was in high school, so I was expecting to love this, but nothing about it excited me much. The characters Caleb and Summer were okay, but Caleb especially was so whiny and all about the drama, so I never got why Summer was so excited about him (maybe he reminded me of a certain high school boyfriend who was a drummer in a band and was also quite whiny and drama-queenish... it could have led to a couple of uncomfortable flashbacks for me). And I felt like the story tugged in two different directions-- on one hand, it's about Summer coming to terms with herself and her passions rather than following what her parents want, but then half way through the book it becomes about Caleb and the mystery surrounding his dad and his last songs. And then neither storyline gets resolved because it ends on a total cliffhanger where I guess I'm supposed to be dying to read the next book.
Except I wasn't, so I'm probably not. Not a bad book by any means, just not for me.
Except I wasn't, so I'm probably not. Not a bad book by any means, just not for me.
December 27, 2013
Hmm...that ending...why does it feel like it just abruptly ended?
Well aside from the fact the book ended the way it did, I enjoyed Exile.
Summer is the ultimate heroine because she's just that awesome. I enjoyed her voice as well as her story. Caleb was equally as interesting if not more despite me wanting to ring his neck sometimes.
But it all comes in to play and you realize that not only is this a contemporary novel but it's also a mystery with a sweet romance thrown in. There are definitely some twists you won't see coming.
Exile is a lighthearted funny story that will keep you guessing until the very end. And even then you may still be guessing. Or just could just be me but I just feel dissatisfied with the ending.
Anyways my full review will be up closer to publication!
*thank you to Edelweiss for providing me with a review copy for an honest review
3.5
Well aside from the fact the book ended the way it did, I enjoyed Exile.
Summer is the ultimate heroine because she's just that awesome. I enjoyed her voice as well as her story. Caleb was equally as interesting if not more despite me wanting to ring his neck sometimes.
But it all comes in to play and you realize that not only is this a contemporary novel but it's also a mystery with a sweet romance thrown in. There are definitely some twists you won't see coming.
Exile is a lighthearted funny story that will keep you guessing until the very end. And even then you may still be guessing. Or just could just be me but I just feel dissatisfied with the ending.
Anyways my full review will be up closer to publication!
*thank you to Edelweiss for providing me with a review copy for an honest review
3.5
April 27, 2014
Exile by Kevin Emerson is totally a book that appealed to me because of the cover and the subject matter, which is bands and music. I had been approved on Edelweiss, then the ARC showed up in the mail. Then the cheery yellow cover started calling to me, so I added it to my books to read by BEA pile, also because it was short. Then serendipity happened and I was offered an audiobook review copy of Exile and I was like YESSS this will help me beat my BEA-TBR pile of doom. Also, it’s narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Emma Galvin who I just can’t say no to.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review goes live 4/29/14
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review goes live 4/29/14
March 28, 2014
Received an ARC copy of this from harpercollins and edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
enjoyable. BUUUUUT, i'm not sure if my arc is complete or not. It was the MOST abrupt ending I've ever read. I'm not sure how to rate this because I liked the story, but I don't feel like anything was resolved. I'm confused.
*EDIT*
NEVERMIND, apparently it's a series! WOW well that explains SO MUCH. So I'm guessing two more books for the last two songs. Well...i still felt disconnected from the characters. Didn't hate them, but didn't love them. I'll probably read the next one just to see what happens.
enjoyable. BUUUUUT, i'm not sure if my arc is complete or not. It was the MOST abrupt ending I've ever read. I'm not sure how to rate this because I liked the story, but I don't feel like anything was resolved. I'm confused.
*EDIT*
NEVERMIND, apparently it's a series! WOW well that explains SO MUCH. So I'm guessing two more books for the last two songs. Well...i still felt disconnected from the characters. Didn't hate them, but didn't love them. I'll probably read the next one just to see what happens.
Read
December 3, 2015Graded By: Poshdeluxe
Cover Story: Does This Come In Vinyl?
BFF Charm: Sassy Gay Friend
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Straight Up With a Shot of Snark
Bonus Factors: Behind The Music, Mystery
Relationship Status: Concert Buddies
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Does This Come In Vinyl?
BFF Charm: Sassy Gay Friend
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Straight Up With a Shot of Snark
Bonus Factors: Behind The Music, Mystery
Relationship Status: Concert Buddies
Read the full book report here.
August 30, 2014
At the beginning of this book, I thought I was going to hate it, that it would be annoying and cliché and there would be too many dumb misunderstandings. I was wrong! I still didn't really get the romance of it, but everything else was fun and mysterious and exciting. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
December 31, 2015
Despite the fact that Summer and Caleb's romance felt forced, insta-lovey, and just kind of there throughout the book, it was still really enjoyable. I liked learning more about the music world, and Kevin Emerson's writing was quite good. I don't think it's always easy for a male author to write from a female's POV, but Kevin Emerson did it well.
July 12, 2015
So my sister was hyping this book to me, and so I decided to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. Though I didn't like Summer the whole time, the story kept me engaged, mostly because I thought Caleb was a great character. The plot twists at the end were very unexpected and I cant wait to read more.
November 7, 2013
I've been reading this in sections for a year. It's fantastic! Mr. Emerson really captures the voice of the narrator (a female) and totally knows his chops around being in a band, because this is as real as it gets. Funny, surprising, totally spot-on. Loved it.
July 2, 2015
This book was soooo good! I was intrigued from the first chapter and it never let me go. I was blown away by the plot twist towards the end, but then another plot twist within the last 5 pages?! I'm so excited for the next one!
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