Screaming Divas

by Suzanne Kamata

**ALA Rainbow List**
**Nominated for the Cybils Young Adult Bloggers Literary Award**

At sixteen, Trudy Baxter is tired of her debutante mom, her deadbeat dad, and her standing reservation at the juvenile detention center. Changing her name to Trudy Sin, she cranks up her major chops as a singer and starts a band, gathering around other girls ill at ease in their own lives. Cassie Haywood, would-have-been beauty queen, was scarred in an accident in which her alcoholic mom was killed. But she can still sing and play her guitar, even though she seeks way too much relief from the pain in her body and her heart through drugs, and way too much relief from loneliness through casual sex. Still, it's Cassie who hears former child prodigy Harumi Yokoyama playing in a punk band at a party, and enlists her, outraging Harumi's overbearing first-generation Japanese parents. The fourth member is Esther Shealy, who joins as a drummer in order to be close to Cassie--the long-time object of her unrequited love--and Harumi, her estranged childhood friend. Together, they are Screaming Divas, and they're quickly swept up as a local sensation. Then, just as they are about to achieve their rock-girl dreams, a tragedy strikes.

Genres: Young Adult, Music, Realistic Fiction, New Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, LGBT

208 pages, Hardcover

First published December 19, 2011

About the author

Five-time Pushcart Prize nominee Suzanne Kamata is the author of the memoir Squeaky Wheels: Travels with My Daughter by Train, Plane, Metro, Tuk-tuk and Wheelchair (Wyatt-Mackenzie, 2019); the novels Indigo Girl (GemmaMedia, 2019), The Mermaids of Lake Michigan (Wyatt-Mackenzie, 2017), Screaming Divas (Merit Press, 2014), Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible (GemmaMedia, 2013) and Losing Kei (Leapfrog Press, 2008); and editor of three anthologies - The Broken Bridge: Fiction from Expatriates in Literary Japan, Love You to Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs, and Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing, 2009). Her short fiction and essays have appeared widely. She was a winner in the memoir category of the Half the World Global Literati Award.

Reviews

[AH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts: While the premise of this book is intriguing - an all girls punk band in the 1980's - I had a lot of difficulty keeping focused while reading this book. I liked the girls, with the exception of Trudy who was somewhat of a loose cannon. I also liked that each character suffered from some sort of issue: parental abandonment, disfigurement, sexual identity, and unreasonable parental expectations. I was rooting for Harumi throughout the book because she had the most potential of all the characters. Full review to come.

[Merisha28 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Screaming Divas by Suzanne Kamata
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Merit Press (May 18, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1440572798
ISBN-13: 978-1440572791

My Review~~~
The cover is amazing and matches the punk rock feel of the book. The cover is stunning. This book is about four girls who meet and make a punk rock band. The work itself is a wonderful read that is realistic and aww inspiring. The reader feels like they are in the 80's with the girls on the punk scene and part of the band. This is a very fast read that will make you scream and sing to the author to give you more in this 80's world. I loved this and I feel that even adults would love to read this book not just young adults. I plan on reading more by this unique author.

Amazon Book Description~~
At sixteen, Trudy Baxter is tired of her debutante mom, her deadbeat dad, and her standing reservation at the juvenile detention center. Changing her name to Trudy Sin, she cranks up her major chops as a singer and starts a band, gathering around other girls ill at ease in their own lives. Cassie Haywood, would-have-been beauty queen, was scarred in an accident in which her alcoholic mom was killed. But she can still sing and play her guitar, even though she seeks way too much relief from the pain in her body and her heart through drugs, and way too much relief from loneliness through casual sex. Still, it's Cassie who hears former child prodigy Harumi Yokoyama playing in a punk band at a party, and enlists her, outraging Harumi's overbearing first-generation Japanese parents. The fourth member is Esther Shealy, who joins as a drummer in order to be close to Cassie--the long-time object of her unrequited love--and Harumi, her estranged childhood friend. Together, they are Screaming Divas, and they're quickly swept up as a local sensation. Then, just as they are about to achieve their rock-girl dreams, a tragedy strikes.

[Paula M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest. Heartbreaking. Funny.

Those are the words that really came into my head after reading The Screaming Divas. I'm a music lover. In fact just give me a good book and a music to listen to, and I'm fine. So when I read the Blurb if The Screaming Divas I know I'm going to like it. It met my expectations and I was engaged from the first chapter.

This book is very relatable and easy to read. I found myself relating with every characters. Trudy for me is the strongest, she had a very rough life. Her attitude wasn't really something that I would like but if you knew her backstory, you would know that there's a reason why she acts that way. Then there's Harumi. Her life seems to be perfect compared to others but like the other girls, she's also struggling. There's Esther. My heart broke for her a little. She's confused and I think all she wants is acceptance. Don't we all? And of course, Cassie. I'm done. She's my favorite and.. what happened just broke my heart. I didn't like it, but I do think it's necessary.

I'm really a fan of the author now. She made a story of friendship that is full of laughs, heartbreaking moments and unforgettable characters.

[zapkode · Rating 5 out of 5]

{my thoughts} – This book was easy to fall into and quite memorable to me. I enjoyed reading it and I do look forward to reading more by this particular author. With that said onto the review!

Trudy – she is one of the main divas in the book. She has a rough childhood where she is bounced from place to place, she then finally gets saved by her father only to eventually be tossed out onto the streets where she is forced to find her own way to make it at the mere age of sixteen. I have to admit she is the character that most relate to because of a similar background story. However, unlike her I have zero musical talent.

Esther – is a interesting high school girl She is working on finding herself in the world, trying to discover who she really is. One night she goes to a party with her childhood friend Harumi and she meets a girl named Rebecca. That night everything in Esther’s world was changed forever.

Harumi – she is a very skilled prodigy when it comes to playing the violin and the bass. She has what it takes to get places, however somewheres she lost her passion and she needs to figure out how to get that back. She goes through some difficult times with her parents, but it doesn’t stop her from persuing her new dreams.

Cassie – she is a lot individual. She is confused, she doesn’t know what she really wants and she looks to the wrong places to find the comfort that she craves.

There was so much going on in this book that it was easy to keep reading. I enjoyed learning more and more about the girls, their back stories and who they were as individuals. This book is mainly centered on Trudy’s path of life and what happens to her due to the choices she makes, but it also includes the other girls and their choices and who they are, what they can and will become. If you enjoy music, if you want to read song lyrics, if you want to follow a 208 page journey of self discovery then I think you should read this book. I am sure that you will enjoy the read as much as I have.

[Marama Carmichael Kishimoto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book and the storyline. I particularly liked that each of the main characters were facing problems and found all the characters easy to relate to. Would like to know what happens to the characters in the future. Maybe a sequel is needed.

[Maria (a)]

DNF @ 17%. It all feels so very random. And I'm assuming the different introduction chapters for each of the girls lead to them meeting, but it weirdly enough doesn't feel like they're happening at the same time. It felt jarring almost when Cassie sees Harumi play.

[Hollyberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the lives of four young girls, each trying to find their way in the world. First we meet Trudy, she is on her way to a detention centre for stealing a pair of sunglasses. It was her Mother who decided that that is where she would be going, rather than trying to deal with her on her own. Trudy has lead a very eventful life, her Mother always traipsing her away to somewhere new, or sometimes not taking her and leaving her in the foster care system as her Father was not allowed to have contact with her. It is not a wonder that Trudy developed the way she did with parents like that.

We then meet Harumi, she is what her parents like to brag a "child prodigy" when it comes to the violin, and she has given up everything that a normal child would have and go through to make her parents happy. She did enjoy the violin for a long time, then there was so much pressure on her, she didn't know how to handle it anymore.

Then we meet Cassie. She was in a car accident when she was young with her Mother, her Mother did not make it, but she did. She is trying to go out and date, however, none of the guys in high school interest her, so she is trying to branch out and find a new group of friends.

The last girl that we meet is Esther. She is a lesbian, however, she cannot tell anyone, especially her parents, her Dad says "homo" under his breath every time he sees a guy with an ear pierced, so she basically knows the way that they would react.

Through a series of events, all these girls meet, and Trudy decides that they are going to start a band, and they get their name from her roommate who calls them "a bunch of screaming divas". This book covers some heavy subjects, drug abuse, sexual orientation and even death.

Although it is at basic a story about a group of girls coming together to join a band, there was so much more to it than that. I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the pacing. I can't pick out a favourite character from this book, however, I think that the one I could relate to the most would be Esther, with her personality and just wanting to fit in.

I think that this was overall a good book, I give it a 4/5, and I read it in one sitting, so if you are looking for a quick read with some tough subjects brought up, this one is for you.

[Patrí · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also posted at alwaystofu@blogspot.com

They are broken, and music might heal them.

Trudy. I hate her. She's selfish and possessive. I get where she's coming from, though. Both her parents were never good role models for her. She was always abandoned by her mother.
Trudy is fierce but too stupid, especially with her choice of guys. She was never really a good friend, I think. Yeah, she's there for them but she always let her anger control her. It's like she's expecting them to understand her just because she has no one.
Cassie. Probably my favorite. Her mother died in a car accident. Her father isn't always there for her. But she has never asked for sympathy. She's stronger than what people think. Cassie loves to experiment. You'll know why when you read the book. And Cassie is really fearless. I just wish I get to know more about her.
Esther. She reminds me of Emily in PLL. Yes, Esther is gay too. She doesn't want her parents to know because she doesn't want them to be disappointed on her. Esther has this huge crush on Cassie. Whenever the chapter is about Esther, her thoughts are either about Cassie or her friendship with Harumi.
Harumi. She's the neutral one in the group. She plays the violin, and she's Japanese. Which means she is Asian, which means her parents are strict. I can relate to Harumi about the strict parents. Her parents almost planned her life for her, from her college course to her husband(well, maybe). Harumi feels like a supporting character, instead of one of the leads. It's because she's always supporting them.

Screaming Divas is a good read. I like it. But it was too short. I want to learn more about the main characters' lives. I want to know more about their relationships. It's like buying a big box of chocolates, you opened it and discovered that there's no chocolates.

The plot is good. The characters are mostly  boring and flat, except for maybe 2 or 3 characters. But I still like this book. It has a certain charm. The book has sex. So if you don't want your YA book with sex, better stay away from this one.

[Marni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really stoked to read this book. Having been a teen in the 80’s I had grown to love music from just about every musical genre out there, but my heart belongs to the 80’s pop, punk and alternative scenes. I love to watch movies that show how some of the groups got together, i.e. The Runaways or read books about how members of bands interacted with each other, i.e. “Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran.” Reading through the first quarter of the book, I could see the making of a band that would rival the best of the garage bands. The back stories of pain, curiosity, insecurities, revenge, heartache, etc. were there and waiting to be brought to the forefront.

Unfortunately, the story itself didn’t give me the impact that I had hoped for. The chemistry of the girls just didn’t interweave the way it should have. Some of them, even having been through so much together, seemed like almost complete strangers. The lack of chemistry in turn made the story come out a bit flat and monotone. Another issue I had was that sometimes I wasn’t sure who had said or done what because there was a lack of distinction of which character it was. With this I’m talking about dialogue. Two people in the room but unsure of whom said the first line which means the whole conversation could go either way.

An interesting book, an interesting look into the band scene, and an interesting look at lives that some would consider cookie cutter but are the complete opposite. The Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover totally represents Cassie. The Barbie girl looks, complete with the family that has gone through implosion after implosion, she is the one that I felt for the most in this book but who also took a wicked turn in her life that brought a different side of her out. The others seemed to have their fingers on their own fates and knew when it was time to turn their lives around.

Anyone who is into the band scene, both the highs and lows of them, would appreciate this book and find themselves rereading it and reliving different stages in their own lives. I look forward to reading further books from this author.

[Emily Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this sharp, smartly written novel four teen girls join together to form a rock band, and in finding their own sound, they find themselves. I loved the glimpse we get via Harumi, the disillusioned violin prodigy, of the contrast between the classical music world and the punk rock scene. The 80s are brought to life with a light touch that makes the book seem at once immediate and evocative of another time. It's as if you are really there. On a side note, I think this is the first time I’ve seen Joy Division mentioned in a novel!

I especially appreciated the edgy honesty with which each of these girls is portrayed. There are some very bad parents here. It feels like these girls are on their own way too soon. They make wrong choices, are sometimes selfish, and learn the hard way that love is not all sunshine and roses or sex. Ultimately the screams of Screaming Divas echo their struggles with their dysfunctional families, sexuality, and love, in this moving and thought-provoking novel.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like the idea of a all girl band. They can be empowering. Not that I would really know as I am not in a band. However I can imagine that women showing that they are just as good as men at things is always a great thing. My problem is that none of the girls in this book were that endearing to me. Thus I could not really get into the story. I tried to stick with it hoping that I would feel something for the girls but their problems and attitudes overwhelmed me and I did not care for it. Plus I thought that the story would eventually become more positive and upbeat. There is only so much of trouble with boys and drugs that I can take. Even the songs they sang while they were meaningful were sad. The ending was also sad. If you wanted to ever show your kids how not to act and the end result than let them read this book.

[H.A. Leuschel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the cool book cover and reading the blurb, I was immediately attracted to the story. I love music so found the idea of girls creating a band very interesting. The story is about four unusual 16-year-old girls starting a band together. Trudy, Cassie, Harumi and Esther call themselves the ‘Screaming Divas’. What brings them together is a passion for music. They also share the fact that they have difficult and tragic backgrounds. The main themes, apart from music of course, are drug addiction and teenage issues, such as relationship problems, struggles at school and self-confidence. It is a well-written book but I thought it was a bit slow at times. The story was also quite sad because something bad happens to one of the girls. Overall I found it a good and enjoyable read.

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved this book since it's first draft. Full review to come upon publication.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Screaming Divas" tells the story of an all-girl rock group forming in the 1980s.

Kamata goes to great lengths to make each of the four teenage band members stand out as strong and unique characters, each with their own wounds to deal with and mistakes to make. The characters aren't always likable, and they don't have to be. The reader is made to care about these girls, and when they do things that seem mean or stupid, we understand the past damage that informs these poor choices. Often with heartbreaking results.

This book was uniquely set in the 1980s. By that I don't mean it's unique to set a story in the '80s, but that unlike every other '80s throwback you've ever read or seen, this one isn't slathered with references to Pac-Man and Ghostbusters and Dexys Midnight Runners. With the exception of some relevant references to "contemporary" music, this book is nearly bereft of pop culture shout-outs.

The '80s of "Screaming Divas" is more of a logistical '80s. It's a tech-simple world with corded phones and taxis and record albums where teenagers still think it's cool to smoke. I mean, I enjoy a good San Junipero treatment as much as anyone, but I thought it was refreshing to see the '80s portrayed more as an actual time period than a neon-colored retrogasm.

[Rich Wagner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to say this one did nothing for me.It never went anywhere and it just seemed to add elements of storyline just to check off boxes rather than adding anything to the book. ### Full disclosure I won this book through goodreads in exchange for an unbiased review ###

[Audrey Wilkerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trudy lies and steals. Cassie is consumed by anger. Harumi steps away from her life. Esther's real self is locked away. Four girls, all with problems. Problems that can be ignored while thrashing and screaming and wailing on guitars.

Trudy can't trust those closest to her, so she does everything in her power to push them away. Her mother, a former debutante/current hippie, is constantly finding new men to marry and other places to live. When Trudy acts up, she is sent to foster care. More than once. When Trudy's absent father shows up, she still pushes. On her own, she figures out that the only good constant in her life has been music.

Cassie's permanently scarred from a car accident that took her mother's life. Cassie loved doing pageants with her mom, performing in front of an audience. At home, it was a different story. Her continuously philandering father has driven her mother to drink, and after their latest fight, she gets behind the wheel and changes Cassie's life permanently.

Every minute of Harumi's life has been orchestrated by her mother. Her parents are Japanese immigrants, and Harumi thinks that they are expecting her to be what gets them accepted. All she does is practice her violin, and even her only friend, Esther, stops coming by. Harumi is never available. In New York City trying out for Julliard, Harumi is suddenly hit with this realization: for the rest of her life, she will be playing this violin in front of faceless people on stages just like the one where she stands. After she finishes playing, she smashes her beloved violin and vows to never play again.

Esther is lonely. Once her friend Harumi is no longer able to hang out with her, she spends a lot of her time alone. She thinks a lot, especially about Cassie. Esther is in love with Cassie, and writes her letters, albeit anonymously, almost every day. But Esther's family would never approve of her feelings toward another girl, so she won't even allow herself to think that it is possible.

Together, they make Screaming Divas. Each one of them is working out a difficult problem, but one more than the rest. And as the band starts to make a name for itself, tragedy strikes.

Whadja Think?: I read this book a few months ago, and really disliked it. All of the main characters seemed self-centered and depressing, and their problems multitudinous and dismal. I waited too long to write my review, so I re-read it.

Yesterday, I tweeted the question that basically said: what if a book you read is well-written and has issues that need to be talked about, but, as a reader, you just didn't like it? Someone tweeted back that he didn't trust a reviewer who had to like something. For me, it is much easier to apply this kind of thinking to a painting, not a book. Maybe it is because much more time is spent reading a book. While the painting should get you to feel things, even unpleasant things, a book goes deeper than that. It has to, especially when covering a topic that is horrible or disagreeable or that has no answer. In realistic fiction, the truth may not be enjoyable. The ending may not be tied up in a neat bow where we get to sigh and think: wow, that was tough, but everything turned out ok in the end.

So I am conflicted, sometimes, about how to review a book that is good writing with an interesting plot and deep questions. I don't want to say that I am not a fan of realistic fiction in YA, because that's not the truth. And really, I don't mind an unhappy ending sometimes. Maybe I just prefer a little more sunshine sprinkled in with my gravity.

To Read or Not To Read: Taking my review with a grain of salt, if realistic fiction is your thang, you'll be happy you read it. Otherwise, leave the salt out of it and decide for yourself.

Screaming Divas by Suzanne Kamata was published May 18, 2014 by Merit Press. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to Merit Press and the Author.

Rating: 3

Genre: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary LGBTQ+
Ages: 15 and up
You Might Want to Know: Mature themes, including sex, drinking, smoking, drugs and profanity.

[Once · Rating 3 out of 5]

OUaT's Review

One, two, one, two, three four! I figured I could start this review just like a band starts a show. Screaming Divas are four girls who get together to form an all-girl rock band. We follow the lives of Trudy, Harumi, Esther, and Cassie, all girls completely different but all find the passion in music with each other.

Screaming Diva’s focuses on all of the girl’s lives before the band and during, the girls together and girls separate. This may be a shorter book but you learn a lot about each one of them and are able to see them grow tremendously, good and bad in just a limited amount of pages.

When we first meet Trudy Baxter she’s already getting in trouble, getting arrested for shop lifting, her mother then sends her off to jail where she sits until her father whom she hasn’t seen in years picks her up. People seem to leave Trudy as soon as trouble ensues; they just give up on her when she truly needs them the most. Trudy moves out and decides to start a band, become someone.

Harumi Yokoyama is destined to become a violin prodigy until her audition for Julliard changes everything her family has mapped out for her. Harumi didn’t get in trouble, she didn’t date, and she didn’t do anything but practice and master her violin. But when people are under a constant cloud of pressure they can crack, and that just so happened with Harumi, she cracked at her audition, she didn’t want the path her parents have paved for her. Instead she picks up a bass and joins a band, paves her own path.

Then we meet Cassie Haywood, beautiful pageant child, Cassie. When we’re first introduced to Cassie she is covering a huge scar that runs down her face, a scar she got when her and her mother got into accident. Cassie’s mother found out her husband was cheating, she was already drinking, she took Cassie and left, the accident took her mother’s life and gave Cassie a scar on her face and her heart. While Cassie’s dad is busy with his new trophy wife Cassie stumbles upon a flyer to join an all-girl band.

And then lastly, but not any less important we’re introduced to Esther Shealy. The first thing we learn about Esther is that she harbors secret feelings for Cassie and she used to be good friends with Harumi. Esther spends a lot of time under the influence of others expectations that it takes her awhile to truly come out of her shell. Everyone around her truly taught her a lesson about herself.

I completely enjoyed the amount of time we got with each of the girls; they became each other’s crutches, and became true sisters. As expected though having girls around each other all the time there is guaranteed drama and Screaming Divas have their fair share of drama, as well as love, hate, exploration and a kick ass time playing together.

If you love the true sisterhood type stories, Screaming Divas is for you. Rock and Roll has its ups and downs and you definitely get that with Trudy, Harumi, Cassie, and Esther. Being together changed them, being the Screaming Divas changed them.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received this book for free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Screaming Divas had a couple of elements that I particularly liked: music, friendship and diversity.

Music effectively tied all four main characters together despite all their differences. Trudy, Harumi, Cassie and Esther had very different musical backgrounds, yet they came together to form a punk band. Each one of the girls had something to bring to the table, which also led to a lot of conflict. I think that is one thing I particularly appreciated. They didn't always get along, which added a facet of realness that I often find lacking in books.

Diversity existed in several forms. The girls came from varying socioeconomic backgrounds, one of them was confused about her sexual orientation, and Harumi came from a strict Japanese family. Their dispositions were very well integrated into the plot, such that their backgrounds had an influence on their thoughts, choices and actions without undermining who they were as individuals.

The writing however, sometimes felt disjointed. I'm not sure if it was meant to be experimental to give a psychedelic feel to fit with the mood of the book but I wasn't really getting it. It didn't help that there were four main characters among whom the plot kept jumping around in a bid to capture all their stories. Keeping the characters straight became a little difficult as a result and also led to characters that were less developed than they could have been.

Maybe the plot could've been drawn out a little more to allow readers more time with each of the characters. In fact, since the dramatic arc was somewhat stilted, the book as a whole would've benefitted from being longer. A few more scenes needed to be written to fill in the gaps that especially led to the dramatic ending. The climax basically came out of nowhere and didn't end with a complete resolution.

Nonetheless, the characters intrigued me, and subcultural endeavours always make for fascinating reads because they transport me to people and places that I'll otherwise never have access to.

This review is also available at dudettereads.com.

[Missie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Screaming Divas was an intriguing story, it was like Lemonade Mouth meets Rent. It definitely was not what I was expecting, it wasn’t a bad read, it was just not really my style.

Likes:

The story had good pacing. It was a quick read I finished in a couple hours.

The writing was interesting, there were some parts that I really enjoyed, especially because of the writing style.

Each character was well-developed and you were given a good view of who they really were.

The characters were sexually diverse. I have not really read books with characters who are homosexual, so it is good to have diversity in books for those who desire to read more stories with characters that are not the mainstream.

Gripes:

I would call this a YA book with the ages of the characters, but it almost seemed like new adult in action. A few of the characters lived on their own, even though they were still in high school.

There was more graphic details in the book than I am used to in this genre, including sex and drugs. I really do not enjoy “erotica” myself and tend to shy away from books that have sexual acts in detail, although this was mild, it was still not my cup of tea.

I was really thinking the book would be more “Lemonade Mouth” than it is. It was more a Disney book in my head, so that was really my fault coming into the story not really knowing what I was getting into.

Favorite Quote:

“Their sound made Trudy think of a funeral in a Gothic cathedral, or the spooky look of the low country at dusk, Spanish moss hanging like cobwebs, bats flitting around. Noel’s voice was low and menacing. He stood at the center of the stage, his hands cupped around the mic. From time to time he pressed his palms to his temples as if he were trying to quell demon voices. Although he barely moved, his body was tensed. Trudy expected him to pounce into the crowd like a panther.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of the ebook was provided to me by the author and publisher in exchange of an honest review. The views expressed above are entirely my own and are in, no way, affected by the source of this book.

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A Flurry of Ponderings

[Sheyenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I wasn't expecting this story at all. It isn't one of my favorites but I didn't not like it so I'm giving it two stars because it was just okay.

The Screaming Divas are four young girls who come from very different backgrounds. They all have something going on but they still have the time to be in a band.

Trudy was my least favorite of the group. I did feel bad for her because both her parents didn't want to deal with her. And all the guys she liked were douche bags. But chick was kinda crazy.

Even though Harumi's life wasn't that easy. She kind of had it better than the other girls. Her parent's were too uptight but I think they just wanted the best for her and didn't want her to turn out like them.

I liked Esther the most. I'm glad she left Rebecca alone. Because she was trying to force her into something she wasn't ready for. And I know she really liked Cassie. But Cassie was only using her and I'm glad she figured that out before it was to late.

Cassie had the saddest story to me. She lost her mom and even though she still had her dad it's like he wasn't there. I think her problem was that she just needed someone to talk to. But it seems like everyone she was around wanted something from her. And it sucks her it ended. But I knew it was coming.

The story went by really fast. I didn't have time to take in one thing before we moved on to something else. I know this is an early copy but the writing could use alot of work. Overall it wasn't a really great story but it wasn't a really bad story either.

[YA Reads Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole.

I’m not the overall biggest fan of the YA contemporary genre, but I actually found this book to be rather refreshing. It had a laid back Joan Jett rocker feel to it that was pretty cool to read about. I really enjoyed that this book was focused around a female rock band. Not only was that empowering but it was cool!

Personally, I think that there were too many POV’s in Screaming Divas. Four POV’s was a bit much, especially since there was one girl who I didn’t care for. Even though I thought that it was too many POV’s, I thought that it was executed well and everything blended well together. Again, though, I would have preferred that it come from one POV.

I really enjoyed that Screaming Divas was not the typical flowery, sunshiney, everyone be happy sort of YA contemporary book. There was something dark and dangerous about it that I found really appealing. Even though it was dark and dangerous, though, it wasn’t too over done. The laid back feel to the book kept everything in check. I will say, though, that sex and drugs play a part in this book and that’s not going to be a topic for everyone.

The ending of this book was SHOCKING! Some things happened that I didn’t see coming and I was completely blindsided. I liked that element of surprise a lot. The ending of Screaming Divas is set up well for a second book and I think that it’s going to gain a lot of interest.

Overall, I thought that Screaming Divas was a good book. It was a solid read that continuously kept me interested. I liked it!

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book is very promising, and I enjoyed the fact that none of the girls was perfect, each had their own problems, different from the rest, and there's at least one girl every reader will be able to relate to, well at least their problems anyway.

I was born in the 90's, but I have a penchant for the music from the 80's and sometimes think I was born in the wrong time, and I loved the setting for this book. In the midst of such a setting, was an incredible band, made up of unique individuals with plenty of pain to draw from for their art, while providing interest.

But not enough interest. I found it hard to stay focused on the book, my attention was easily drawn from what I was reading and I couldn't pay attention. The girls didn't fit well, they didn't have the right chemistry, and when I was done reading the book it had no lasting impact, I pretty much forgot most of it when it ended. When I think of a girl band, this one doesn't match up, there's none of the closeness that should be present quite frankly.

The writing was quite poor. It was boring, monotone and lacked any distinction between who was speaking so half the time you have no idea what the hell is going on. It was bland. I couldn't connect with any of the characters either, which made reading even more difficult than it should have been.

While the book was interesting, it didn't have the sparkle I was looking for, and it struggled to keep my attention.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is two things I love reading and music combine that in one book and I am a happy book lover even when that music is punk which is not my style. But with that said I did enjoy this book.

The four girls who make up Screaming Divas are all broken in their own way but when they come together the music starts to heal them but one mistake leads to a tragedy that can ruin everything they have done to heal themselves. Can they find their way back to each other or suffer through their pain and loss alone?

I enjoyed this book even though the music wasn’t my taste but the way Suzanne writes had me seeing the club the girls played in down to the mosh pit of dancing. I felt as if I was actually there watching the Screaming Divas play and see all the people dancing.

All four girls come from completely different back grounds but each one is broken in her own way and watching them come together and help heal one another is a beautiful thing even with all the crazy things going on around them. I of course I had my favorite of the girls and that was Cassie. There was just something about her that really touched my heart and the way her story ended was heartbroken. I understood why it had to happen but it was still hard to read.

I will definitely read more from Suzanne in the future. 4/5 Bloody Fangs

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book about a girl band, about the members coming of age, learning about themselves.
It was an okay story that had background about the music world or at least, this world that was in bars and small audiences. At times, I had a hard time following the story, because it seemed somewhat scattered, and I would have to look back to some pages, to figure out who the characters were. At first, the book seemed alright in describing how Trudy put her band together, but then it ventured out into the girl's lives, which tended towards lesbian encounters and sleeping around with some of the guys, lots of drinking and also drugs...all of which made the book not so appealing to me. I suppose the author was showing their lifestyle, and it was probably necessary to set up the happenings in the book, but I couldn't help but wish for another story to read. A good part of the book was Harumi, a shy Japanese girl who has her first date and finds a nice guy that really likes her...it was good to read her story. I received this book for free from goodreads and the author for an honest review.

[Amber Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Screaming Divas is a rock-infused YA drama about four girls in the 80s who start a band together.

Trudy has been kicked out of her house yet again and uses her family problems as an excuse to party with no consequence. She falls too hard too fast and acts like she hasn’t a care in the world.

Cassie hasn’t been the same since her mother’s drunk driving killed herself and gave Cassie a huge scar down her face. She counters loneliness with drugs and casual sex.

Harumi finally fights against her parents’ constant pressure for perfection and ruins her chances for music school at the same time.

Esther is struggling with making sense of her life and her sexuality, including confusing feelings that have cropped up for Cassie.

This is a fast, fun read that puts you in the punk scene and makes you feel for these girls who can only find themselves in their music. While it was hard for me to relate to any of the girls very much, they were sympathetic characters that you root for and cry with the whole way. Though little hints placed the narrative in the 80s (no cell phones, etc.), this is a universal tale that could take place in any generation.

[Millie · Rating 3 out of 5]

All in all it's a good book. I wish the chapters were longer. You'd be in one situation and then it jumps to something else. It felt incomplete at times because I'd be like wanting to know what happens next and then it would jump to another of the girls point of view. However, it's very relatable. At least one of these girls will remind you of you either now or when you were that age. It's good to read a young adult book where some of the girls are a little messed up or going through things, and eventhough they start to become popular/famous they're still the same and their problems don't just get fixed. It's very realistic. The ending is sad. It left me wondering what the fate of the other Screaming Divas will be. It's a very good read for young adults. It shows them that fame/popularity doesn't always mean your life will change for the good or at all.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review can also be found at http://chiquitablogger.wordpress.com

So, if you read my reviews regularly, you'll know that I am a huge Grammar Nazi. I seriously can't get into a book if things are misspelled and/or proper punctuation or grammar is missing. With that said this is an ARC so I pray it gets better before it's real release.

I'll be honest and say I didn't get very far. It drove me up a wall they didn't capitalize Trudy, and there were so many run on sentences and missing periods that I was getting a headache. Like I said, this was an early review, and I may give it another chance when it's released, but I could not get into this story because of the horrid writing/grammar/punctuation. Definite skip for now.

*Received an ARC for honest review.*

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly I'm not a huge rock fan. But after reading this book I'll admit I was inspired to listen to some female musicians like Joan Jett for awhile. Seemed appropriate after reading a book about a female rock band.

“Screaming Divas” follows four girls from different backgrounds as they come together to form a rock band. Some of them come from darker backgrounds (such as Trudy) then others. And of course with the introduction of rock into their lives, comes the sex and drugs.

Though the sex and drugs show up time to time in the book I prefer to focus on the rock portion. Not because the sex and drugs part of the books are bad. Rather I feel more for the characters when it comes to their music.

For the rest of the review and the rating please visit me at Musekicker's Reading Place.

[Angelica Dimeo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from goodreads.
Cassie has more then just a scar on the outside
Inside she is scarred and wants to escape.
Trudy has never really had supportive parents
and never stuck in one place.
Harumi is excellent at the violin and is pressured so much
by her family she has a breakdown.
Esther is not attracted to boys and is pining for Cassie.
this book was a fun but hard read at the same time due to the tragic situations.
If you are offended easily you should not read this there is sex,drugs, Lesbians
This book is defiantly not for a child 16+ age wise I would say.
Thanks for the opportunity

[Summer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started off with a great first chapter but I found the characters to be stereotypical and interchangeable. The four narrating voices lacked distinction, making it difficult to tell them apart at times. Trudy was the most authentic, but she was also completely unlikable. The four girls frequently made decisions that weren't consistent with their characters, so it was difficult to even know who they were. Also, many of the plot twists were too far-fetched to be taken seriously, which really worked against the story.