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Radio Free Texas
From beloved bestselling author Libba Bray, a story of love, rock n' roll, and sex (in that order) in 1980s Texas.Bowie (pronounced "boo-eee") is a little bit lost in his small Texas town. As he starts his senior year, the only thing he's pretty sure of is that he has a crush on Comet Jensen, a girl who's such a firecracker that she actually sets a firecracker off on the first day of school.Since Comet's one wrong move away from getting expelled, Bowie steps in and takes the blame for the firecracker stunt. His punishment? Community service at a local radio station run by an anti-social, anti-establishment anti-hero named Marlon. Suddenly Bowie finds he not only has something to do, but he also has something to say. And, possibly, a future with Comet.In the tradition of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Eleanor & Park, Dazed & Confused, and The Last Picture Show, this is a funny, touching story about how coming-of-age, like love, is never a solo project.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2026
About the author
Libba Bray
49 books15.7k followersWhat is it about writing an author bio that gives me that deer-in-headlights feeling? It's not exactly like I'm going to say "I was born in Alabama…" and somebody's going to jump up and snarl, "Oh yeah? Prove it!" At least I hope not.
I think what gets me feeling itchy is all that emphasis on the facts of a life, while all the juicy, relevant, human oddity stuff gets left on the cutting room floor. I could tell you the facts–I lived in Texas for most of my life; I live in New York City with my husband and six-year-old son now; I have freckles and a lopsided smile; I'm allergic to penicillin.
But that doesn't really give you much insight into me. That doesn't tell you that I stuck a bead up my nose while watching TV when I was four and thought I'd have to go to the ER and have it cut out. Or that I once sang a punk version of "Que Sera Sera" onstage in New York City. Or that I made everyone call me "Bert" in ninth grade for no reason that I can think of. See what I mean?
God is in the details. So with that in mind, here is my bio. Sort of.
TEN THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME by Libba Bray
1. I lived in Texas until I was 26 years old, then I moved to New York City with $600.00 in my shoe ('cause muggers won't take it out of your shoe, y'know . . . riiiiight . . .) and a punchbowl (my grandmother's gift) under my arm. I ended up using the punchbowl box as an end table for two years.
2. My dad was a Presbyterian minister. Yes, I am one of those dreaded P.K.s–Preacher's Kids. Be afraid. Be very afraid . . .
3. The first story I ever wrote, in Mrs. McBee's 6th grade English class, was about a girl whose family is kidnapped and held hostage by a murderous lot of bank robbers who intend to kill the whole family–including the dog–until the 12-year-old heroine foils the plot and saves the day. It included colored pencil illustrations of manly-looking, bearded criminals smoking, and, oblivious to the fact that The Beatles had already sort of laid claim to the title, I called my novel, HELP. My mom still has a copy. And when I do something she doesn't like, she threatens to find it.
4. My favorite word is "redemption." I like both its meaning and the sound. My least favorite word is "maybe." "Maybe" is almost always a "no" drawn out in cruel fashion.
5. My three worst habits are overeating, self-doubt, and the frequent use of the "f" word.
6. The three things I like best about myself are my sense of humor, my ability to listen, and my imagination.
7. I have an artificial left eye. I lost my real eye in a car accident when I was eighteen. In fact, I had to have my entire face rebuilt because I smashed it up pretty good. It took six years and thirteen surgeries. However, I did have the pleasure of freezing a plastic eyeball in an ice cube, putting it in a friend's drink, ("Eyeball in your highball?") and watching him freak completely. Okay, so maybe that's not going down on my good karma record. But it sure was fun.
8. In 7th grade, my three best friends and I dressed up as KISS and walked around our neighborhood on Halloween. Man, we were such dorks.
9. I once spent New Year's Eve in a wetsuit. I'd gone to the party in a black dress that was a little too tight (too many holiday cookies) and when I went to sit down, the dress ripped up the back completely. Can we all say, mortified? The problem was, my friends were moving out of their house–everything was packed and on a truck–and there was nothing I could put on . . . but a wetsuit that they still had tacked to the wall. I spent the rest of the party maneuvering through throngs of people feeling like a giant squid.
10. I got married in Florence, Italy. My husband and I were in love but totally broke, so we eloped and got married in Italy, where he was going on a business trip. We had to pull a guy off the street to be our witness. It was incredibly romantic.
I think what gets me feeling itchy is all that emphasis on the facts of a life, while all the juicy, relevant, human oddity stuff gets left on the cutting room floor. I could tell you the facts–I lived in Texas for most of my life; I live in New York City with my husband and six-year-old son now; I have freckles and a lopsided smile; I'm allergic to penicillin.
But that doesn't really give you much insight into me. That doesn't tell you that I stuck a bead up my nose while watching TV when I was four and thought I'd have to go to the ER and have it cut out. Or that I once sang a punk version of "Que Sera Sera" onstage in New York City. Or that I made everyone call me "Bert" in ninth grade for no reason that I can think of. See what I mean?
God is in the details. So with that in mind, here is my bio. Sort of.
TEN THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME by Libba Bray
1. I lived in Texas until I was 26 years old, then I moved to New York City with $600.00 in my shoe ('cause muggers won't take it out of your shoe, y'know . . . riiiiight . . .) and a punchbowl (my grandmother's gift) under my arm. I ended up using the punchbowl box as an end table for two years.
2. My dad was a Presbyterian minister. Yes, I am one of those dreaded P.K.s–Preacher's Kids. Be afraid. Be very afraid . . .
3. The first story I ever wrote, in Mrs. McBee's 6th grade English class, was about a girl whose family is kidnapped and held hostage by a murderous lot of bank robbers who intend to kill the whole family–including the dog–until the 12-year-old heroine foils the plot and saves the day. It included colored pencil illustrations of manly-looking, bearded criminals smoking, and, oblivious to the fact that The Beatles had already sort of laid claim to the title, I called my novel, HELP. My mom still has a copy. And when I do something she doesn't like, she threatens to find it.
4. My favorite word is "redemption." I like both its meaning and the sound. My least favorite word is "maybe." "Maybe" is almost always a "no" drawn out in cruel fashion.
5. My three worst habits are overeating, self-doubt, and the frequent use of the "f" word.
6. The three things I like best about myself are my sense of humor, my ability to listen, and my imagination.
7. I have an artificial left eye. I lost my real eye in a car accident when I was eighteen. In fact, I had to have my entire face rebuilt because I smashed it up pretty good. It took six years and thirteen surgeries. However, I did have the pleasure of freezing a plastic eyeball in an ice cube, putting it in a friend's drink, ("Eyeball in your highball?") and watching him freak completely. Okay, so maybe that's not going down on my good karma record. But it sure was fun.
8. In 7th grade, my three best friends and I dressed up as KISS and walked around our neighborhood on Halloween. Man, we were such dorks.
9. I once spent New Year's Eve in a wetsuit. I'd gone to the party in a black dress that was a little too tight (too many holiday cookies) and when I went to sit down, the dress ripped up the back completely. Can we all say, mortified? The problem was, my friends were moving out of their house–everything was packed and on a truck–and there was nothing I could put on . . . but a wetsuit that they still had tacked to the wall. I spent the rest of the party maneuvering through throngs of people feeling like a giant squid.
10. I got married in Florence, Italy. My husband and I were in love but totally broke, so we eloped and got married in Italy, where he was going on a business trip. We had to pull a guy off the street to be our witness. It was incredibly romantic.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Want to Read
May 30, 2026girl, i love your books but why do they have to be 400+ pages long?
sincerely,
a texas high school librarian that is constantly trying to rec your books but the kids' eyes glaze over when they see how thickkkkk they are.
sincerely,
a texas high school librarian that is constantly trying to rec your books but the kids' eyes glaze over when they see how thickkkkk they are.
Read
November 26, 2025i am going to be hand selling this one in the streets
Want to Read
April 2, 2026see y'all in the pre-pre-pre-order line
Did Not Finish
August 28, 2026Nothing has happened by page 80. I got so many books to read to try to get thru a boring book. Nothing is distracting me from the slow moving plot. The character and writing are just okay. Mr. Chao, the poetry teacher, is hilarious tho.
September 27, 2026
I am not much of a Young Adult (YA) reader these days as so much of it feels juvenile, immature and entirely repetitive. I have to say, Libba Bray surprised me in the best of ways with this heartwarming story about growing up and figuring out who you are, learning to love yourself, falling in love and fighting for the things you believe in.
Bowie (pronounced Boo-ie) is a loveable, realistic (snarky, shy/nervous, impressionable) teenager in his senior year of high school just trying to impress the girl he likes by taking the fall for her antics but instead lands 100 hours of community service at a radio station that's on its last leg in small-town Texas. The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me, but for good reason because you are getting to know Bowie at his own pace as a teenager living life in a small Texas town. I felt so nostalgic reading this and listening to the chapter title songs as I went, that really stitched the story together for me.
I loved that I felt connected to the characters throughout - be it from my own life experience/age or that Bray is fantastic at evoking connection through her writing. It was a refreshing, emotional YA read that has resettled my enjoyment for the genre and gives me hope that they're not all the same. Bowie will forever have a piece of my reader heart, and Bray has a new reader closely following her work! I highly recommend this if you are looking for an emotional, reflective, nostalgic story that'll warm your heart and have you looking for your old walkman when no one is looking.
Thank you to @IReadYA and @StorygramTours for providing a gifted copy of the book in exchange for my honest, voluntary review.
Bowie (pronounced Boo-ie) is a loveable, realistic (snarky, shy/nervous, impressionable) teenager in his senior year of high school just trying to impress the girl he likes by taking the fall for her antics but instead lands 100 hours of community service at a radio station that's on its last leg in small-town Texas. The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me, but for good reason because you are getting to know Bowie at his own pace as a teenager living life in a small Texas town. I felt so nostalgic reading this and listening to the chapter title songs as I went, that really stitched the story together for me.
I loved that I felt connected to the characters throughout - be it from my own life experience/age or that Bray is fantastic at evoking connection through her writing. It was a refreshing, emotional YA read that has resettled my enjoyment for the genre and gives me hope that they're not all the same. Bowie will forever have a piece of my reader heart, and Bray has a new reader closely following her work! I highly recommend this if you are looking for an emotional, reflective, nostalgic story that'll warm your heart and have you looking for your old walkman when no one is looking.
Thank you to @IReadYA and @StorygramTours for providing a gifted copy of the book in exchange for my honest, voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Radio Free Texas
Bowie James Jones (pronounced Boo-ee, not like David Bowie) is a senior in a small Texas high school, an only child whose mother works hard at the local diner, saving up for him to go to college someday. But Bowie feels lost, with no clear direction where his life should go after senior year. Unlike his group of close friends, most of whom have a clear career goal or college picked out. Their group is almost like the Breakfast Club, and fans of that movie will love this book—there’s the brain who’s in love with the pretty cheerleader, the kind cheerleader who needs to let go of her toxic jock on-and-off relationship, the Baptist minister’s son star football player, the stoner, and the female best friend hiding a secret. One day early in the year, Bowie gets a shot at impressing the girl of his dreams, the most subversive, punk rock girl in the school, who is brilliant and bored. So bored she tries to get suspended her first day by throwing a firecracker into a trash car right near the principal. Bowie instead takes the blame and winds up doing community service as punishment. But it couldn’t have been a better punishment, because it changes all their lives. He volunteers at the old, washed-up radio station in town, and ends up learning more than he ever imagined existed about music. The Vietnam vet alcoholic who runs the station becomes a sort of messed-up mentor, but also a terrible role model for a young teen with no father, and soon Bowie brings his friends into the world of music and radio too. And it changes all their lives and becomes the soundtrack for their senior year and all its huge, sometimes heart-breaking, changes.
This book is like a coming-of-age nostalgic love letter to Gen X, and to music lovers of that era. It’s for those who love stories about bringing something back from the edge of doom, in this case, a radio station. People who love stories about being a teen navigating early adulthood and trying to balance growing up will find that all here. This is a book for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Sloppy Firsts, John Hughes movies, 80s music, John Green books, and radio. Even if you were too young to have lived through the 80s, this book will give you nostalgia for driving all night listening to the radio, hanging out with friends (before cell phones and computers) living in the moment, fighting for something you believe in, and learning to let go. This book is full of wonderful nostalgic and also heartbreaking and honestly raw moments that feel like listening to your favorite song for the first time again.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely mine.
Bowie James Jones (pronounced Boo-ee, not like David Bowie) is a senior in a small Texas high school, an only child whose mother works hard at the local diner, saving up for him to go to college someday. But Bowie feels lost, with no clear direction where his life should go after senior year. Unlike his group of close friends, most of whom have a clear career goal or college picked out. Their group is almost like the Breakfast Club, and fans of that movie will love this book—there’s the brain who’s in love with the pretty cheerleader, the kind cheerleader who needs to let go of her toxic jock on-and-off relationship, the Baptist minister’s son star football player, the stoner, and the female best friend hiding a secret. One day early in the year, Bowie gets a shot at impressing the girl of his dreams, the most subversive, punk rock girl in the school, who is brilliant and bored. So bored she tries to get suspended her first day by throwing a firecracker into a trash car right near the principal. Bowie instead takes the blame and winds up doing community service as punishment. But it couldn’t have been a better punishment, because it changes all their lives. He volunteers at the old, washed-up radio station in town, and ends up learning more than he ever imagined existed about music. The Vietnam vet alcoholic who runs the station becomes a sort of messed-up mentor, but also a terrible role model for a young teen with no father, and soon Bowie brings his friends into the world of music and radio too. And it changes all their lives and becomes the soundtrack for their senior year and all its huge, sometimes heart-breaking, changes.
This book is like a coming-of-age nostalgic love letter to Gen X, and to music lovers of that era. It’s for those who love stories about bringing something back from the edge of doom, in this case, a radio station. People who love stories about being a teen navigating early adulthood and trying to balance growing up will find that all here. This is a book for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Sloppy Firsts, John Hughes movies, 80s music, John Green books, and radio. Even if you were too young to have lived through the 80s, this book will give you nostalgia for driving all night listening to the radio, hanging out with friends (before cell phones and computers) living in the moment, fighting for something you believe in, and learning to let go. This book is full of wonderful nostalgic and also heartbreaking and honestly raw moments that feel like listening to your favorite song for the first time again.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely mine.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Radio Free Texas was such a breath of fresh air — a YA novel that puts the young adult reader front and center and lets Bowie (pronounced like the knife, not the Starman 😜) tell his story with honesty, humor, and heart. Yes, the book starts slow, but that’s because it’s Bowie’s pace, Bowie’s world, and Bowie’s senior year in a small Texas town in 1980. This is a story about internal growth, figuring out who you are, and realizing that sometimes the biggest adventures happen in the quiet corners of your own life.
Between daring the local Pigman legend, wondering if asking Comet — the coolest unpopular deep‑thinking girl in school — to Homecoming is a good idea, and trying to prove he’s more than a small‑town boy, Bowie ends up taking the blame for Comet’s firecracker stunt and lands 1,000 hours of community service at KYEW‑FM. Suddenly he’s in a Cold War bunker radio station with Marlon Mardell, the anti‑establishment hippie DJ who becomes the mentor Bowie never knew he needed.
With Mr. Chao pushing him to see the stories inside poems, Comet challenging how he sees himself, Marlon giving him an education in jazz, blues, classic rock, indie, and everything in between, and his mom redefining herself as a single parent, Bowie’s senior year becomes a map of who he could be. He’s a kid told he’s an adult but never given an owner’s manual — and watching him surprise himself, step up, and earn every success had me cheering out loud.
And if you grew up in the 80s? This nostalgia hits like a freight train. I felt like I was back in English class snickering at Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard because of the word “molest,” sitting on the grass during a Catcher in the Rye anti‑ban rally, and flipping through my old LPs because every chapter opens with a song etched into my memory. The music becomes a perfect meta‑text for Bowie’s journey.
This book is the living echo of the old saying: “As you are now, so once was I; as I am now, so you will be later.”
It’s tender, funny, nostalgic, and absolutely five stars.
Between daring the local Pigman legend, wondering if asking Comet — the coolest unpopular deep‑thinking girl in school — to Homecoming is a good idea, and trying to prove he’s more than a small‑town boy, Bowie ends up taking the blame for Comet’s firecracker stunt and lands 1,000 hours of community service at KYEW‑FM. Suddenly he’s in a Cold War bunker radio station with Marlon Mardell, the anti‑establishment hippie DJ who becomes the mentor Bowie never knew he needed.
With Mr. Chao pushing him to see the stories inside poems, Comet challenging how he sees himself, Marlon giving him an education in jazz, blues, classic rock, indie, and everything in between, and his mom redefining herself as a single parent, Bowie’s senior year becomes a map of who he could be. He’s a kid told he’s an adult but never given an owner’s manual — and watching him surprise himself, step up, and earn every success had me cheering out loud.
And if you grew up in the 80s? This nostalgia hits like a freight train. I felt like I was back in English class snickering at Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard because of the word “molest,” sitting on the grass during a Catcher in the Rye anti‑ban rally, and flipping through my old LPs because every chapter opens with a song etched into my memory. The music becomes a perfect meta‑text for Bowie’s journey.
This book is the living echo of the old saying: “As you are now, so once was I; as I am now, so you will be later.”
It’s tender, funny, nostalgic, and absolutely five stars.
Review of advance copy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you to the publisher and Knight's Nook for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Was that what being an adult was? Constantly chasing after this idea of a better you always just out of reach? If so, it wasn't much better than being a teenager."
Radio Free Texas by Libba Bray is a young adult, coming-of-age story that follows Bowie (Boo-eee) through his senior year of high school set in Crockett, Texas in 1980. When Bowie's crush, Comet, sets off a firecracker on the first day of school, Bowie takes the fall for her and ends up with community service. Out of the several not-so-ideal options presented to him for his community service, Bowie settles on working at the local radio station under Marlon who can only be described as nonconformist.
During his time working at the radio station, Bowie finds his voice and learns that what he has to say matters. When Bowie learns Marlon owes taxes that must be paid or the radio station will be shut down, Bowie inlists the help of an unlikely crew: Omar, Jim-Bob, Pharaoh, Steffi, H, and the Farrelly Twins to help bring in money and save the radio station.
I absolutely loved this book! Each chapter is titled as a popular 80s song. Music lovers will really appreciate all the nods to these timeless favorites.
This book also gave me major Breakfast Club vibes with the different personalities coming together for a common goal.
Lastly, this book really captures the heart of being young. First love, being unsure of your future, friendships, the pressure of college and life after high school were all present and relatable in this book.
I highly recommend this book for music lovers, fans of the young adult/coming-of-age genre and anyone who can relate to the pressures and uncertainty of senior year.
Thank you to the publisher and Knight's Nook for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Was that what being an adult was? Constantly chasing after this idea of a better you always just out of reach? If so, it wasn't much better than being a teenager."
Radio Free Texas by Libba Bray is a young adult, coming-of-age story that follows Bowie (Boo-eee) through his senior year of high school set in Crockett, Texas in 1980. When Bowie's crush, Comet, sets off a firecracker on the first day of school, Bowie takes the fall for her and ends up with community service. Out of the several not-so-ideal options presented to him for his community service, Bowie settles on working at the local radio station under Marlon who can only be described as nonconformist.
During his time working at the radio station, Bowie finds his voice and learns that what he has to say matters. When Bowie learns Marlon owes taxes that must be paid or the radio station will be shut down, Bowie inlists the help of an unlikely crew: Omar, Jim-Bob, Pharaoh, Steffi, H, and the Farrelly Twins to help bring in money and save the radio station.
I absolutely loved this book! Each chapter is titled as a popular 80s song. Music lovers will really appreciate all the nods to these timeless favorites.
This book also gave me major Breakfast Club vibes with the different personalities coming together for a common goal.
Lastly, this book really captures the heart of being young. First love, being unsure of your future, friendships, the pressure of college and life after high school were all present and relatable in this book.
I highly recommend this book for music lovers, fans of the young adult/coming-of-age genre and anyone who can relate to the pressures and uncertainty of senior year.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Scholastics and Libba Bray herself for this ARC from BookCon! As a born and raised Texan, so much of this book was a love letter to our Texas high school days of late night Sonic runs, the Friday night lights of football season and the biggest mums you ever saw at homecoming.
If you're a fan of Almost Famous and Perks of Being A Wallflower, this book will be for you.
Set in a small town in 1980-1981 Texas, "Radio Free Texas" follows Bowie James Jones as he enters his senior year of high school. After taking the blame for a lit firecracker on the first day of school (set by his crush Comet Jensen), Bowie enters the world of community service through volunteering at the local radio station. From day one at the station, Bowie discovers a lot about himself and others through the work and the music and power of rock and roll.
A major element of this book I loved was the way we learn so much about the ensemble of characters around Bowie without over explanation and exposition. You feel as if you know them all personally. This goes with the adults in the book as well. For a YA book, I was happy to see the adults had just as flushed out back stories as Bowie's friends. I want to shout out specifically his mother, Johnette, his English teacher Mr. Chao as well as the radio station manager, Marlon, who shares a story in the New Years Eve chapter that really stuck with me.
Another aspect I loved about the book were the chapter titles being songs from the 70s/80s. I can't wait to make a killer Playlist with them.
Overall, I really did love this book and the story we went on as readers following Bowie. I won't consider this my final review until the book comes out to see what changes will be made. I hope you add this to your TBR in October!
If you're a fan of Almost Famous and Perks of Being A Wallflower, this book will be for you.
Set in a small town in 1980-1981 Texas, "Radio Free Texas" follows Bowie James Jones as he enters his senior year of high school. After taking the blame for a lit firecracker on the first day of school (set by his crush Comet Jensen), Bowie enters the world of community service through volunteering at the local radio station. From day one at the station, Bowie discovers a lot about himself and others through the work and the music and power of rock and roll.
A major element of this book I loved was the way we learn so much about the ensemble of characters around Bowie without over explanation and exposition. You feel as if you know them all personally. This goes with the adults in the book as well. For a YA book, I was happy to see the adults had just as flushed out back stories as Bowie's friends. I want to shout out specifically his mother, Johnette, his English teacher Mr. Chao as well as the radio station manager, Marlon, who shares a story in the New Years Eve chapter that really stuck with me.
Another aspect I loved about the book were the chapter titles being songs from the 70s/80s. I can't wait to make a killer Playlist with them.
Overall, I really did love this book and the story we went on as readers following Bowie. I won't consider this my final review until the book comes out to see what changes will be made. I hope you add this to your TBR in October!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 ⭐️
he took the blame for a girl he barely knows. ended up finding himself instead. 🧨💛
bowie (pronounced "boo-eee"): senior year. small texas town. one massive crush on comet jensen. 🤠
comet: firecracker energy. literally. sets one off on day one. 🎆
bowie: takes the blame without thinking twice. 😅
punishment: community service at a local radio station. run by marlon — anti-social, anti-establishment, absolutely iconic. 📻
and suddenly bowie has somewhere to be. something to say. and maybe someone to say it for. 💛
small town boy finds his voice through radio and a girl who runs toward chaos — we are soft about this one. 📚✨
If you are an 80s girl, like me, you will love this book. Every chapter is named for a song that was popular during this time period, along with hinting to the reader what was going to happen in the chapter. Bowie (pronounced "boo-eee") is one of those male characters that come along who the reader wants to root for: be it for standing up for what he believes in or fighting for a first love that may or may not last. This cast of characters, from Comet to Omar to Steffie to H and beyond all found a place in this story. Without them, the story would have been lacking. If you remember the show WKRP in Cincinnati, then you will relate to this cast of characters. A solid coming of age story with an amazing soundtrack!
Thank you @scholastic for the arc!
he took the blame for a girl he barely knows. ended up finding himself instead. 🧨💛
bowie (pronounced "boo-eee"): senior year. small texas town. one massive crush on comet jensen. 🤠
comet: firecracker energy. literally. sets one off on day one. 🎆
bowie: takes the blame without thinking twice. 😅
punishment: community service at a local radio station. run by marlon — anti-social, anti-establishment, absolutely iconic. 📻
and suddenly bowie has somewhere to be. something to say. and maybe someone to say it for. 💛
small town boy finds his voice through radio and a girl who runs toward chaos — we are soft about this one. 📚✨
If you are an 80s girl, like me, you will love this book. Every chapter is named for a song that was popular during this time period, along with hinting to the reader what was going to happen in the chapter. Bowie (pronounced "boo-eee") is one of those male characters that come along who the reader wants to root for: be it for standing up for what he believes in or fighting for a first love that may or may not last. This cast of characters, from Comet to Omar to Steffie to H and beyond all found a place in this story. Without them, the story would have been lacking. If you remember the show WKRP in Cincinnati, then you will relate to this cast of characters. A solid coming of age story with an amazing soundtrack!
Thank you @scholastic for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay, Libba Bray is a YA goddess. My YA students at Salem State regularly reference BEAUTY QUEENS as a perennial favorite and UNDER THE SAME STARS was transcendent. This one is firmly entrenched in both the nostalgia and the brown grit of a Texas setting and there is a realism that I have never seen from Bray before. And she fucking nails it!
Bowie begins his senior year taking the fall for a prank by Comet, a new likely-MPDG who is trying to get expelled, and is forced to perform community service at a local radio station run by Marlon who is just the drunken drug-addled Mr. Miyagi he needs. He ends up corralling a group of his peers (including Comet) to help out at the station and it changes the tenor of the town. Yes, the kids are out of control and the powers-that-be in the town force things to a head and everyone learns and grows, but in the best possible way.
There is friendship, romance, and really well-written adults who have depth. Except for the principal. He really sucks. Is there a "happy" ending? Not conventionally. And there is a subplot about suicide that (dare I say) feels a little tacked on, but these kids felt so real to me and I kept staring into space trying to decide where I would fit into the group. (Maybe the chubby, funny girlfriend of one of the Boston boys?) The music references had me hitting YouTube for the songs every 10 pages or so and I loved every minute of it. What on earth is she going to do next?
Bowie begins his senior year taking the fall for a prank by Comet, a new likely-MPDG who is trying to get expelled, and is forced to perform community service at a local radio station run by Marlon who is just the drunken drug-addled Mr. Miyagi he needs. He ends up corralling a group of his peers (including Comet) to help out at the station and it changes the tenor of the town. Yes, the kids are out of control and the powers-that-be in the town force things to a head and everyone learns and grows, but in the best possible way.
There is friendship, romance, and really well-written adults who have depth. Except for the principal. He really sucks. Is there a "happy" ending? Not conventionally. And there is a subplot about suicide that (dare I say) feels a little tacked on, but these kids felt so real to me and I kept staring into space trying to decide where I would fit into the group. (Maybe the chubby, funny girlfriend of one of the Boston boys?) The music references had me hitting YouTube for the songs every 10 pages or so and I loved every minute of it. What on earth is she going to do next?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First and foremost, remember this takes place in the 1980’s.
It is the start of Bowie’s senior year, and he has no idea what he will do next. The only thing he knows is he is crushing hard on Comet Jensen. So much so that he takes the blame for a prank she does because he doesn’t want her to be expelled. Bowie gets stuck with a lot of community service, and he chooses to do his at the local radio station. Wow, that community service does not go anywhere near what he possibly thought it would go, and that is enough about that. You need to read the book to see how his senior year goes or doesn’t.
This was great as I was an ’80s high schooler, but that time was very different than the high school experience of today. I am hoping the kids might ask parents (ugh, grandparents, I can’t be that old yet) about that time, or heck, it would make a great adult and teen book club book. This is a well-written and researched or lived, book. But I really liked it a lot. I know it was written for YA and teens, but it was a blast from the past for me and maybe others.
Review copy provided by netgalley
It is the start of Bowie’s senior year, and he has no idea what he will do next. The only thing he knows is he is crushing hard on Comet Jensen. So much so that he takes the blame for a prank she does because he doesn’t want her to be expelled. Bowie gets stuck with a lot of community service, and he chooses to do his at the local radio station. Wow, that community service does not go anywhere near what he possibly thought it would go, and that is enough about that. You need to read the book to see how his senior year goes or doesn’t.
This was great as I was an ’80s high schooler, but that time was very different than the high school experience of today. I am hoping the kids might ask parents (ugh, grandparents, I can’t be that old yet) about that time, or heck, it would make a great adult and teen book club book. This is a well-written and researched or lived, book. But I really liked it a lot. I know it was written for YA and teens, but it was a blast from the past for me and maybe others.
Review copy provided by netgalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve read and really enjoyed several of Libba Bray’s books before, so I was excited to see where she went with this one. The books of hers that I’ve read have also been coming-of-age stories, but with girls in school with magical abilities etc. This one is much more grounded in reality, and I enjoyed seeing that different side of her writing.
The beginning was a little slower than I personally prefer, and it took me a bit to really settle into the story, but once I did, I enjoyed it. The characters, relationships, and overall heart of the book kept me invested.
And the ’80s nostalgia! As someone who grew up during that time, this was such a fun part of the book for me. The music, references, and overall atmosphere gave me plenty of those oh, I remember that! moments.
Overall, this was a good, heartfelt coming-of-age story and another enjoyable read from Libba Bray. It didn’t quite have the pacing I usually gravitate toward at the beginning, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
4 stars!
Thank you to Scholastic, Libba Bray, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The beginning was a little slower than I personally prefer, and it took me a bit to really settle into the story, but once I did, I enjoyed it. The characters, relationships, and overall heart of the book kept me invested.
And the ’80s nostalgia! As someone who grew up during that time, this was such a fun part of the book for me. The music, references, and overall atmosphere gave me plenty of those oh, I remember that! moments.
Overall, this was a good, heartfelt coming-of-age story and another enjoyable read from Libba Bray. It didn’t quite have the pacing I usually gravitate toward at the beginning, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
4 stars!
Thank you to Scholastic, Libba Bray, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Bowie is ready to start senior year in his small Texas town when Comet sets off a firecracker, and he takes the blame. He now must do 100 hours of community service, and he decides that the radio station is the easiest of all options. As hours become days, Bowie discovers his own radio voice and a possible relationship with Comet. What will Bowie learn about himself, his town, and his friends in this final year of high school?
Radio Free Texas is a stand-alone historical fiction story that had me laughing at the antics and sending quotes to my friends. Bray has taken the voice of a teen boy and made it accessible to every reader. The fact that the events in this story took place 50 years ago and are still relevant today shows that, at the core, teens will always be teens. Radio Free Texas is a great read for those who don’t want to read about “historical history.” 😊
Radio Free Texas is a stand-alone historical fiction story that had me laughing at the antics and sending quotes to my friends. Bray has taken the voice of a teen boy and made it accessible to every reader. The fact that the events in this story took place 50 years ago and are still relevant today shows that, at the core, teens will always be teens. Radio Free Texas is a great read for those who don’t want to read about “historical history.” 😊
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an arc of this book. For the first third(ish) of this book I really did not care for it. It did pick up a bit after that. It has been a very long time since I was in high school, but I still felt this was a pretty true accounting. You spend all this time trying to find yourself and your people. And Bowie (who no matter how hard I tried I always read it like David not like the knife) did find himself and his people. It may have all started with Comet but, even if he could t see it, it went so much deeper than that. I dont know that I would recommend this to my peers, but possibly to their kids who are in or getting ready to go into high school.
August 8, 2026
Thank you, Scholastic | Scholastic Press, for providing the copy of Radio Free Texas by Libba Bray. If you’re a fan of music, you’ll love this story of teens learning about music and life from a Vietnam vet in a small town in Texas. I loved the various characters, and how different the kids were. I appreciated having the adults also have actual backstories and lives, uncommon in most YA books. The book was very long, and would have felt better paced if it had been shorter, especially the first 40%. The rest of the book proceeded at a good clip that kept me totally engaged. The ending was anticlimactic, probably because I really loved the characters and had hoped for a blockbuster finale for all of them. 4 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Radio Free Texas by Libba Bray. This was a coming of age story that follows a teenage boy through his last year of high school. The author did an amazing job of describing life as a teenager in the 1980’s. The book allowed readers to experience the emotion and angst of teen life. The characters were very likable and draw you in to see how they navigate making decisions about the future and experiencing new things for the first time. Two thumbs up and 5 Stars! I recommend this for teens and adults.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
First off, I resent that this is considered historical fiction: these students are slightly younger than I am (ok, by a year, but still!).
Having said that, this is one of those historical fiction books that uses a hook well. All too often you have something (music, a current event, etc.) shoehorned into the book to set it in the appropriate time; meanwhile, readers suspect the author picked a time they knew and wrote what they knew, or wanted to avoid modern technology. This is not that book. The music is woven throughout the book, with a wide range of artists and titles mentioned and discussed and argued about by the teens... and Morgan! The relationship between Bowie and Morgan is wonderfully depicted, even at the end when there's a break.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
Having said that, this is one of those historical fiction books that uses a hook well. All too often you have something (music, a current event, etc.) shoehorned into the book to set it in the appropriate time; meanwhile, readers suspect the author picked a time they knew and wrote what they knew, or wanted to avoid modern technology. This is not that book. The music is woven throughout the book, with a wide range of artists and titles mentioned and discussed and argued about by the teens... and Morgan! The relationship between Bowie and Morgan is wonderfully depicted, even at the end when there's a break.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
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September 21, 2026staff rec blurb, oct 26: Everything's bigger in Texas...including Bowie's senior year ennui and his crush on Comet Jenson. Follow Bowie and his ragtag pals as they work to save the local radio station. Radio Free Texas asks big questions about what it means to be a man, how music shapes our youth, and how geography shapes our DNA. Almost Famous meets Boyhood. As a small town Texas kid, I give it 5 lone stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this book. It perfectly captures the world of small town high school seniors - the boredom, the longing for something else, the love of good friends, the intensity of first love and first heartbreak, the uncertainty of what lies ahead - and the radio station plot was the icing on the cake. The numerous musical references, and how deeply the kids fell in love with music, made me nostalgic. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set in the early 1980s, this book follows a teenage boy in a small Texas town as he discovers who he is. After getting in trouble in school, he must serve 100 hours of community service. He decides to volunteer at a failing local radio station, and he ultimately recruits a group of friends to help as well. This book was nostalgic for me in many ways, but I don't know how much appeal it will have to teens today, especially at 400+ pages.
Review of advance copy received from Shelf Awareness Pro
I absolutely LOVED this book. I laughed out loud so many times, and people kept looking at me funny. Bowie is so witty, and I was rotting for him the entire time. I loved so many of the characters in this book.
It was definitely a nostalgic read, even though it technically took place before I was born. I just really enjoyed seeing the characters transform throughout their senior year!
Thank you to Shelf Awareness Pro for sending me a copy to read and review! I truly adored it!
It was definitely a nostalgic read, even though it technically took place before I was born. I just really enjoyed seeing the characters transform throughout their senior year!
Thank you to Shelf Awareness Pro for sending me a copy to read and review! I truly adored it!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
As a former college radio DJ, this book was a perfect depiction of the energy and importance of small town radio. I loved the weaving of music throughout the chapter and titles. Someone make a Spotify playlist—quick! Absolutely loved the relationships between Bowie and Comet & the other high schoolers. In captured first love in such a realistic way! Thank you to Scholastic for the review copy!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.25 ⭐️
This was such an incredible story about friendship, love, and rock and roll. I absolutely adored all of these characters, and seeing them go through their senior year, and how relatable this story felt as someone who has also felt all of their feelings.
Our main character, Bowie, was such a well rounded character. I really loved reading from his perspective, and how he found himself through music and working at the station with Marlon. His experiences with love, and being in love with Comet were also so adorable, and I definitely wasn’t tearing up towards the end there at all 🥲
The main plot of this book revolves around our characters trying to save their town’s radio station by volunteering, and the way these characters came together even though some of them were so different was so inspiring. There was such a wide range of personalities and it was truly the epitome of a high school friend group.
This was truly such a great YA read, and I would definitely recommend for any music loving people out there!
Thank you to Scholastic Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This was such an incredible story about friendship, love, and rock and roll. I absolutely adored all of these characters, and seeing them go through their senior year, and how relatable this story felt as someone who has also felt all of their feelings.
Our main character, Bowie, was such a well rounded character. I really loved reading from his perspective, and how he found himself through music and working at the station with Marlon. His experiences with love, and being in love with Comet were also so adorable, and I definitely wasn’t tearing up towards the end there at all 🥲
The main plot of this book revolves around our characters trying to save their town’s radio station by volunteering, and the way these characters came together even though some of them were so different was so inspiring. There was such a wide range of personalities and it was truly the epitome of a high school friend group.
This was truly such a great YA read, and I would definitely recommend for any music loving people out there!
Thank you to Scholastic Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
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June 6, 2026I got an advanced copy of this book, so maybe there will still be some big changes but was pretty disappointed. I don’t want to leave a terrible rating as one of the first ones on here but this isn’t what I expected from Libba bray
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Scholastic for the ARC! This was a fun book that follows Bowie during his senior of high school. He starts recording and documenting his experience and we are along for the ride. Bowie does community service at a local radio station where he learns the power of standing up for your beliefs and sticking with your friends. The chapter headers were a nice nod to eighties music and would be a fun playlist to listen to while reading.
August 31, 2026
I liked this one! I’ve loved Libba Bray’s books since I can remember, and this one is an 80s throwback. A sweet story about a young man finding his voice his senior year of high school in a small Texas town. Loved all the musical references. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 stars. If you have a young adult in your life who doesn't know what to read next, put this book in their hands
Loved every page.
Loved every page.
Review of advance copy
I feel i little wary already becuz she is comparing her book to PERKS and eleanor and park..... TWO MODERN DAY CLASSICS MIND YOU so.... yeh this could be AMAZING or just meh and disappointing
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