The Lightning Bottles

by Marissa Stapley

The Lightning Bottles An absolutely gripping and heartbreaking page-turner ABISBOOK Hodder Paperback.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 10, 2024

About the author

Marissa Stapley is the NYT bestselling author of the novels Lucky (a Reese's Book Club pick), The Last Resort, Things to Do When It's Raining, and Mating for life. Her fiction has been published around the world and her journalism has appeared in magazines and newspapers across North America. She has taught creative writing and editing at the University of Toronto and Centennial College, and lives in Toronto with her family.

Reviews

[Beth Anne]

I liked this one a lot.

Steeped in a love of music (specifically, the '90s Seattle scene), this book addresses sudden fame, addictions, and destiny. The characters are likable (even the main antagonist turns out to be kind of okay), the locations are great, the story is compelling, and it left me with a good feeling. I stayed up later than I normally do to finish it, because I really needed to know what happened.

Recommended! Rock on!

[Vasudevarao Aggunuru]

Examine: From the first page, you are captivated by the emotional and enthralling adventure that is The Lightning Bottles. The narrative delves deeply into the lives of its characters, who all experience profound vulnerability and personal struggles. It's tough to put down because of the author's deft blending of suspense and genuine feelings. The pacing is perfect, striking a balance between intense action sequences and introspective periods that allow you to empathize with each character's inner life. It is a story that stays long after the last page because of the profound heartbreaks that also ring with hope. With its realistic and unvarnished speech and striking visuals, the writing is brilliantly done. You will be caught up in the highs and lows as a reader, experiencing every

[Kara Ukolowicz]

This book is like a “ripped from the headlines” Law and Order episode about Kurt and Courtney. It has a good premise, but it just ends up being so cheesy. Instead of the Viper Room, it’s Pythons‘s Apartment (I actually laughed out loud at that one). Instead of Saturday Night Live, it’s All Saturday Night where a character burns a photo of Saint Francis🤦🏻‍♀️. I think if she had just created a truly fictional band rather than trying to constantly include actual pop cultural moments, this could’ve been good. It has a feminist touch that I like, but it won’t pass the Bechdel test because everything revolves around a man. It is fun. It’s just not deep and the ending is silly.

[Logyn]

Following Jane and Elijah through this book, you can hear their talents through the way they are described. Often, I got goosebumps from the raw emotions and descriptions given. Yet, it felt as if that was all the book had to offer. Sure, we’re on this mission to find Elijah, but that mission just exists. There is not much plot to encourage the reader to want to read more; I wanted to be on the edge of my seat, yet I was left bored.

[Carla Vergot]

Great, raw, music-infused love story with tons of angst, some coming of age, brutal addiction and an ending I did not see coming. Standing ovation to author Marissa Stapley!