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Playlist #1
Songs of Our Breakup
Every breakup has its playlist.
How do you get over a seven-year relationship? 21-year-old Jill is trying to find out. But moving on is a harder job when Kim, her ex-boyfriend, is the lead guitarist of the band, and Jill is the vocalist. Every song they play together feels like slicing open a barely healed tattoo.
Jill’s best friend Miki says she will be out of this gloom soon. Breakups have a probation period, he says. Jill is on the last month of hers and Miki is patiently keeping her company.
But the real silver lining is Shinta. Having a hot Japanese actor friend in times like these is a welcome distraction. This gorgeous celebrity has been defying time zones and distance through the years to be there for Jill. Now he is here, physically present, and together he and Jill go through old lyrics, vivid memories, walks in the rain, and bottles of beer. Together they try to answer the question: what do you do when forever ends?
How do you get over a seven-year relationship? 21-year-old Jill is trying to find out. But moving on is a harder job when Kim, her ex-boyfriend, is the lead guitarist of the band, and Jill is the vocalist. Every song they play together feels like slicing open a barely healed tattoo.
Jill’s best friend Miki says she will be out of this gloom soon. Breakups have a probation period, he says. Jill is on the last month of hers and Miki is patiently keeping her company.
But the real silver lining is Shinta. Having a hot Japanese actor friend in times like these is a welcome distraction. This gorgeous celebrity has been defying time zones and distance through the years to be there for Jill. Now he is here, physically present, and together he and Jill go through old lyrics, vivid memories, walks in the rain, and bottles of beer. Together they try to answer the question: what do you do when forever ends?
151 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2015
11 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Jay E. Tria
17 books99 followersJay E. Tria is inspired by daydreams, celebrity crushes, live music, K-dramas and J-doramas, and an incessant itch to go places. She writes contemporary romance and young adult, sometimes paranormal fantasy too. When not writing, she wishes she were, but sometimes it's hard.
LATEST RELEASE:
Love To Meet You
Also by Jay:
You Out of Nowhere (Flair #1)
Playlist #1: Songs of Our Breakup
Playlist #2: Songs to Get Over You
Playlist #3: Songs to Make You Stay
Playlist #4: Songs You Come Back To
Playlist #5: Songs To Your Beat
That Thing Called Closure (A Playlist Short Track on buqo.ph) #WriteBreakupSongsAbout
Blossom Among Flowers
Majesty
Make My Wish Come True (a #romanceclass Christmas anthology)
Promdi Heart: Hometown Love Stories
Summer Crush (Beach. Love. Rock and Roll)
Second Wave Summer (Summer Crush 2)
Website: www.jayetria.com
Email: jayetria@gmail.com
Socials: jayetria
LATEST RELEASE:
Love To Meet You
Also by Jay:
You Out of Nowhere (Flair #1)
Playlist #1: Songs of Our Breakup
Playlist #2: Songs to Get Over You
Playlist #3: Songs to Make You Stay
Playlist #4: Songs You Come Back To
Playlist #5: Songs To Your Beat
That Thing Called Closure (A Playlist Short Track on buqo.ph) #WriteBreakupSongsAbout
Blossom Among Flowers
Majesty
Make My Wish Come True (a #romanceclass Christmas anthology)
Promdi Heart: Hometown Love Stories
Summer Crush (Beach. Love. Rock and Roll)
Second Wave Summer (Summer Crush 2)
Website: www.jayetria.com
Email: jayetria@gmail.com
Socials: jayetria
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 29, 2016
Check out my review on my blog!
** Thank you ms. Jay Tria for providing an e-copy of your book.**
What I loved most are the book's characters. I can't help but like all of them; their personalities, attitudes, how they handle things, everything. Seems like I can feel what they feel. Each has their own experiences that I can tell it happened to me too. Especially Miki, my love for him will stay here forever in my heart.
Songs of Our Breakup, oh god, this book is all emotions in one. It made me sad, it made me cry my heart out, it made me realize a lot of things. Especially when it comes to coping. SOB gave me the answers I've been looking for.
There were lyrics that made me hope it'll eventually be turned to a real music. Because damn those lyrics reverberates the emotions, the feelings, of its writer.
With all those, and ms. Tria's amazing writing style, could I even ask for more? The second book maybe. I can't wait to know more about the characters! I know there's still too much than what has been written.
Went through a rough break-up? Can't get over? Not sure about how you feel? Song lyrics? Emotional roller coaster? This one's for you.
** Thank you ms. Jay Tria for providing an e-copy of your book.**
What I loved most are the book's characters. I can't help but like all of them; their personalities, attitudes, how they handle things, everything. Seems like I can feel what they feel. Each has their own experiences that I can tell it happened to me too. Especially Miki, my love for him will stay here forever in my heart.
Songs of Our Breakup, oh god, this book is all emotions in one. It made me sad, it made me cry my heart out, it made me realize a lot of things. Especially when it comes to coping. SOB gave me the answers I've been looking for.
There were lyrics that made me hope it'll eventually be turned to a real music. Because damn those lyrics reverberates the emotions, the feelings, of its writer.
With all those, and ms. Tria's amazing writing style, could I even ask for more? The second book maybe. I can't wait to know more about the characters! I know there's still too much than what has been written.
Went through a rough break-up? Can't get over? Not sure about how you feel? Song lyrics? Emotional roller coaster? This one's for you.
February 10, 2017
You can listen to my Songs of Our Breakup playlist on Spotify. You can see the tracklist in Tumblr.
Do you like an understated romance between a celebrity and a musician? Do you like an ensemble of cast? Do you like music? sun and moon metaphors? Then you should give Playlist series a chance.
Songs of Our Break Up is my first book by Jay E. Tria. The story introduces Jill, the lead singer of indie band Trainmain. She’s currently icing the end of her seven-year relationship. Though, moving on is quite difficult when your ex-boyfriend is also the front-runner of your band. As her best friend, Miki assures her, it will heal down soon. Distraction at last will come in the form of an international Japanese actor named Shinta. He’s been friends with Jill’s band for years.
Jill still knew the face, but no longer the boy behind it.
Songs of Our Break Up is told from Jill’s perspective. It switches back and forth with the present times and the past where her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Kim was being narrated. I love how the author chose to include this facet of Jill’s life. It was built by young love, trust, but even teenagers grow. It was up to them if they could weather growing up together and their shifting environment. That’s why some relationship tends to pan out badly. It’s not always because love isn’t there anymore, it just develops into something else. Perhaps, resentment? You’ve been together for so long, you don’t know how to be yourself, or you don’t know how to be something else without feeling the shackles of your partner. That’s how Kim and Jill’s relationship ended. Though, props to Tria because I love the aftermath of their break up. It’s nostalgic, but sweet.
I will go all the way
Search the stars for a stray
Take the yellow brick road
And come back to you
I will go all the way
All the way for you
The romance is cute! I love the inviting ambiance, lyrical writing, and metaphors. This book is a refreshing break from New Adult genre. The US only highlight western-centric romance which is a shame. There are so many uncharted cultures we should be exploring. Songs of Our Break Up is a prime example of that.
The only legit criticism I have is–this is a very male dominant series. The lack of female characters and camaraderie is dismaying. I hope the author rectify that in her following books.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
August 25, 2015
After a long stretch of silence, she spoke to the empty, inky sky. "Miki says breakups have a 3-month probation period."
"What happens there?" Shinta murmured.
"You wait."
"For what?"
"For someone to change their mind."
"And if nobody does and the three months are over?"
"You move on. "
Shinta sidled in closer beside her. "Why bother waiting that long?"
She turned to him, his face mere inches away that her breath grazed the tip of his nose when she answered. "A question I ask myself every day."
So there goes the three-month rule after breaking up. Personally, I agree to it. You give yourself time, as long as three months, to think and contemplate, to deal with your heartbreak, to drown your sorrows in tears and move on and look back and say, "thanks for the memories."
Unless you wanted to get back to the one who shattered your heart in the first place. But is 3 mmonths really worth it?
This book, Songs of Our Breakup, tells about Jill and her way of coping with her ex-boyfriend, Kim, two months after they broke up. It didn't help that they were in a band together, the Trainman and had to see each other whenever they had rehearsals, gigs, shows and whatever it was that bands do together. It surely didn't help either that they wrote their songs together. But with friends and bandmates like Miki, Nino and Son, who knew they were both nursing a broken heart?
To Jill, strumming the guitar and singing in front of a crowd was her way to release the pain she felt. To her, life still took its place even if Kim wasn't talking to him. To Kim, he thought he was doing a great job pretending they were in good terms.
Until Shinta, the Idol came back. Shinta, the actor who recently made love with a girl in a car. Shinta, the friend who had the audacity to display Jill's face on his cellphone for everybody to see. Shinta, the force to reckon with.
Jill is sort of one person in an island. She's an only child, she deletes her social media accounts, she only has her bandmates as her friends. The songs she write serve as her outlet, the music her self-prescribed medicine.
I liked how this story started and ended. All the characters have their distinct personalities that easily draw you in and make you feel you are also part of their story. The songs and lyrics were added bonus, a special treat for those who love music. Jay E. Tria was able to connect the readers to the characters through songs to create one-of-a-kind reading experience. All that's missing now are my headphones!
"What happens there?" Shinta murmured.
"You wait."
"For what?"
"For someone to change their mind."
"And if nobody does and the three months are over?"
"You move on. "
Shinta sidled in closer beside her. "Why bother waiting that long?"
She turned to him, his face mere inches away that her breath grazed the tip of his nose when she answered. "A question I ask myself every day."
So there goes the three-month rule after breaking up. Personally, I agree to it. You give yourself time, as long as three months, to think and contemplate, to deal with your heartbreak, to drown your sorrows in tears and move on and look back and say, "thanks for the memories."
Unless you wanted to get back to the one who shattered your heart in the first place. But is 3 mmonths really worth it?
This book, Songs of Our Breakup, tells about Jill and her way of coping with her ex-boyfriend, Kim, two months after they broke up. It didn't help that they were in a band together, the Trainman and had to see each other whenever they had rehearsals, gigs, shows and whatever it was that bands do together. It surely didn't help either that they wrote their songs together. But with friends and bandmates like Miki, Nino and Son, who knew they were both nursing a broken heart?
To Jill, strumming the guitar and singing in front of a crowd was her way to release the pain she felt. To her, life still took its place even if Kim wasn't talking to him. To Kim, he thought he was doing a great job pretending they were in good terms.
Until Shinta, the Idol came back. Shinta, the actor who recently made love with a girl in a car. Shinta, the friend who had the audacity to display Jill's face on his cellphone for everybody to see. Shinta, the force to reckon with.
Jill is sort of one person in an island. She's an only child, she deletes her social media accounts, she only has her bandmates as her friends. The songs she write serve as her outlet, the music her self-prescribed medicine.
I liked how this story started and ended. All the characters have their distinct personalities that easily draw you in and make you feel you are also part of their story. The songs and lyrics were added bonus, a special treat for those who love music. Jay E. Tria was able to connect the readers to the characters through songs to create one-of-a-kind reading experience. All that's missing now are my headphones!
March 12, 2017
Made me cry!!! Review to be posted.
August 24, 2015
Note: I received a complimentary copy in return for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Fact. Breakups are harsh.
They’re even more so when you’re forced to work with the person who broke your heart on an almost daily basis. And that’s the situation that Jill, the protagonist finds herself in.
The narrative starts off a bit edgy—reflective of Jill’s state of mind as she braces herself to perform onstage with her ex, Kim. The music is an escape, and Jill tries to lose herself in the exhilaration of the performance. But at the same time, the songs are a painful reminder of her past—she and Kim wrote most of their band’s songs after all.
But then Shinta comes onto the scene.
All at once, you feel the dark cloud lift and the narrative picks up as Jill comes to terms with her breakup and begins to move on.
Jill was a complex character---sarcastic and funny, a keen observer, yet was totally clueless about some things. I liked how she was slowly able to let go of her hurt and bitterness . . . showing that moving on is a conscious decision that comes from within. I like how the author showed glimpses into Jill and Kim’s history, thereby justifying the difficulty Jill experienced in letting go of her first love. Their struggles were relatable and real.
I just loved how steady and sweet Shinta’s character was . . . how he waited patiently for Jill, how he was simply there for her, and how he understood her . . . er, not-so-social tendencies. And please, when I learned the author used Oguri Shun as a peg, I fell in love with Shinta on the spot :-)
But really, this book should really come with its own soundtrack :-)
Fact. Breakups are harsh.
They’re even more so when you’re forced to work with the person who broke your heart on an almost daily basis. And that’s the situation that Jill, the protagonist finds herself in.
The narrative starts off a bit edgy—reflective of Jill’s state of mind as she braces herself to perform onstage with her ex, Kim. The music is an escape, and Jill tries to lose herself in the exhilaration of the performance. But at the same time, the songs are a painful reminder of her past—she and Kim wrote most of their band’s songs after all.
But then Shinta comes onto the scene.
All at once, you feel the dark cloud lift and the narrative picks up as Jill comes to terms with her breakup and begins to move on.
Jill was a complex character---sarcastic and funny, a keen observer, yet was totally clueless about some things. I liked how she was slowly able to let go of her hurt and bitterness . . . showing that moving on is a conscious decision that comes from within. I like how the author showed glimpses into Jill and Kim’s history, thereby justifying the difficulty Jill experienced in letting go of her first love. Their struggles were relatable and real.
I just loved how steady and sweet Shinta’s character was . . . how he waited patiently for Jill, how he was simply there for her, and how he understood her . . . er, not-so-social tendencies. And please, when I learned the author used Oguri Shun as a peg, I fell in love with Shinta on the spot :-)
But really, this book should really come with its own soundtrack :-)
April 30, 2020
When my world spins out of line
Making up seems hard to do
Early evening, your tears are falling
But I promise to return to you
Someday I will find my way to you
📚 Series? Yes, first installment.
📚 Genre? Contemporary Romance.
📚 POV? Third person.
📚 Cliffhanger? No.
⚠ Content Warnings: There's one transphobic joke in there.
⚠ Book Tags : Musicians. Love triangle-ish. Exes. Moving on. Song Lyrics.
⚠ This Book In Emojis: 😥🎤🎸🇯🇵🔺️🛫🎼🎶
The book is about:
Songs Of Our Breakup tells the story of Jill, the vocalist of Trainman, and her recent break up with Kim, who is the lead guitarist of the band. It showed how she is dealing with the end of a long relationship (7 years!) and how it has the potential to affect the band's dynamic.
What drew me in:
This book took my attention because of an opportunity to review the 4th book of the series. Though all the books can be read as standalones, there are hints here and there about the band dynamic, and I want to go through all of the stories to get to know the band even more.
I also adore everything about music, and I get giddy when the books and music meet. This book definitely satisfied my cravings of the ins and outs of being in a band, making me love it even more.
Characters & connections:
The story is mainly told through the eyes of Jill and how she is dealing and processing her pain. This book gave glimpses to the past as well, making readers see more of Kim and Jill's relationship and its influence to the band.
One of the strengths of these series, for me, is the actual band itself. Its hard not to fall in love with how everyone treats each other. I always find it fun when the scenes in the book involve all or most of them.
There's also Shinta, a Japanese celebrity that are close to Jill and her bestfriend Miki. Shinta, aside from being handsome and hot (haha) provides a great distraction for Jill's grief.
Miki, on the other hand, deserves more. That's it. Miki deserves more.
My favorite parts:
It might be weird because they are not real but my favorite part of this book is all of the songs. They were all written very beautifully and I really wish that they were real.
Overall thoughts:
Songs Of Our Breakup is a good read in its totality. It can be read in one sitting and it can deliver lots of feels. Plus, there were many things to love about this read.. for me, in particular, it was the characters and the writing style.
It is also exciting to know that the story doesn't end here and we will get to see what life brings to the rest of the band. I would like to believe that they will all get their HEAs.. I hope.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4.36/5 ☁
Some favorite quotes:
“I like seeing your face. Every time I miss you I’d just click on my phone and there you are. I don’t know why I didn’t do that sooner.”
~
"She had grown up with this boy, shared B-sides, long nights, test answers, pajamas, and shawarma with him, a collection of things and moments that changed them both. Jill still knew the face, but no longer the boy behind it."
~
“I don't know about forever, but I love you just the same.”
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April 5, 2017
"She had grown up with this boy, shared B-sides, long nights, test answers, pajamas, and shawarma with him, a collection of things and moments that changed them both. Jill still knew the face, but no longer the boy behind it."
This was incredibly adorable and wonderfully diverse. I was so happy to see so many interesting and complex but also lovely characters in this book that all had their virtues and flaws and that we got to know in this few pages. I adored that even though some of the decisions they made weren't the most logical, they were all extremely realistic for the things that were happening and they handled a lot of things very maturely. I thought Jill and Shinta were so cute and I appreciated that we got to see them in the past as well as the present as we got to see a sense of their relationship super easily, even when Kim and Jill were together and they still had a super strong long distance friendship. I actually started this book absolutely hating Kim and it lasted almost till the end of the book, but when Jill got over him, it was so easy to let go of that hate and seeing the good things in him as well. I mean, he will never be as amazing as Shinta but he was alright, I guess.
This book was definitely full of all the different types of emotions. It made me feel for Jill in ways I didn't think I would get to do because it was such a short book but I actually got to understand her point of views and all the feelings that she had. Also, the lyrics of the songs were a beautiful addition since I absolutely adore reading about art and music and passionate people and I loved how they intertwined with everything that was happening in the past and the present of their stories. I enjoyed Jay Tria's writing style a lot, it was so easy to read and follow these characters and how they were constructed. I also loved that it was an #ownvoices book because you can tell how much the identities of these characters define a lot of their actions and you can tell how important it was for her to include all of those things in these characters and stories.
Something that I just couldn't understand why it was there was Miki being in love with Jill. Like, it was so unnecessary? Also, I couldn't get on board with the fact that everyone was in love with Jill and she wouldn't notice all these guys wanting to be with her. In addition, there's this one kind of transphobic joke that Shinta makes that I wasn't sure what the point of it was anyway (spoiler: there's no point to transphobic jokes). I mean, I couldn't understand if it was actually transphobic because it was such a short moment. It was like "you know that person used to be a man" and everyone laughed. I don't understand why it's so funny? But it's a small moment so maybe I'm overthinking this. Anyway, apart from those things, this book was incredibly cute and romantic and I need more Jay E. Tria in my life ASAP.
November 1, 2016
"She had grown up with this boy, shared B-sides, long nights, test answers, pajamas, and shawarma with him, a collection of things and moments that changed them both...Jill still knew the face, but no longer the boy behind it."
I have so many things to say about this book. I loved it in more than one way, and for a book that's supposed to be lighthearted and romantic, it made me feel nostalgic and sad in so many ways. This book goes back and forth between Jill's past relationship with Kim, and their current relationship after their breakup. It's been more than 2 months since they broke up and both of them are forced to interact on a daily basis since they're in the same band. Jill is trying to make a decision on how she feels about him as well as Shinta, her famous Japanese actor, who's been in her life for the past 3 years.
I really appreciate how this book showed a healthy breakup, since this is lacking in YA/NA in general. I knew for a fact that Jill and Kim's relationship was doomed from the first line and that Kim wasn't a healthy option for Jill. And yet the author somehow made me feel nostalgic for a relationship I didn't have, I missed their long history, the way he cared about her, the way he felt jealous from Shinta. I was just looking for more. At some point, I knew she was supposed to move on and she'd be crazy to ever think of taking him back, and yet I was still sad as if I'm the one being broken up with.
I was actually rooting for Miki. I loved him from the first scene. He is kind and caring and is always there for Jill at all times even when she doesn't think she needs him. But I was annoyed that he was an option to begin with, I felt like it ruined a perfect opportunity for a platonic friendship with neither parties having feeling for one another.
The only thing I didn't like was the lack of females and the amount of guys present in the story. Jill needed more girls in her life, and the band could use less testosterone. Other than that, I loved the whole book, the lyrics of the breakup songs were heartbreaking, the flashbacks were sad yet beautiful, the dynamic of the band was engaging and funny and made reading this more entertaining.
April 3, 2017
I finally ended up reading Songs of Our Breakup! I am so happy I read it because I have heard nothing but greatness and yes in fact it's really FREAKING GREAT. Thank you Sue for always supporting me in my readings and always being there when I need to shout about feels.
What you will find inside this book:
- A girl who is in a band and writes songs and is heartbroken because her boyfriend ~ also another member of the band ~ broke up with her
- A Japanese actor, best friends with this same girl, who is so frigging cute and calls and texts her and has her picture as his phone background
- Friendships within the band
- Shinta and his mom's relationship is epic
- Songs, written by the author herself, between chapters + you will want them to be real ~ They should make a tv show like in If I Stay that they made all the band's songs real and they were really good they should make that with Trainman tbh
- Shinta and Jill are so adorable together I ship them to the moon and back
- And I'm so excited for Miki, another member of the band, to get his own book because gosh I am also in love with him thanks Jay
What you will find inside this book:
- A girl who is in a band and writes songs and is heartbroken because her boyfriend ~ also another member of the band ~ broke up with her
- A Japanese actor, best friends with this same girl, who is so frigging cute and calls and texts her and has her picture as his phone background
- Friendships within the band
- Shinta and his mom's relationship is epic
- Songs, written by the author herself, between chapters + you will want them to be real ~ They should make a tv show like in If I Stay that they made all the band's songs real and they were really good they should make that with Trainman tbh
- Shinta and Jill are so adorable together I ship them to the moon and back
- And I'm so excited for Miki, another member of the band, to get his own book because gosh I am also in love with him thanks Jay
December 20, 2018
Will Unexpectedly drag you into the pit of tears together with the broken pieces of your heart and Jill's...
An instant connection was formed between Jill and me... Maybe it is because of the break up with our 7 years relationship with the same "symptoms"... but with difference. I broke up with my partner and we managed to save it within the probation period**.
The story starts with Jill and Kim already on their 2 months and 2 days split. While there is tension with the 2. They keep the band afloat with their proffesionalism but deep inside, Jill is broken just as any girl with crushed heart. Then Shinta, the Japanese movie star that secretly loves Jill since they met on Japan while Jill's band performed on a music fest, courtesy of Shinata's mother.
A fast kinda-heavy read. It left me crying and sleep deprived for I can't put it down and think what would happen to kim and jill... Shinta and Jill... or maybe Miki and Jill...
**-read the novel to understand
An instant connection was formed between Jill and me... Maybe it is because of the break up with our 7 years relationship with the same "symptoms"... but with difference. I broke up with my partner and we managed to save it within the probation period**.
The story starts with Jill and Kim already on their 2 months and 2 days split. While there is tension with the 2. They keep the band afloat with their proffesionalism but deep inside, Jill is broken just as any girl with crushed heart. Then Shinta, the Japanese movie star that secretly loves Jill since they met on Japan while Jill's band performed on a music fest, courtesy of Shinata's mother.
A fast kinda-heavy read. It left me crying and sleep deprived for I can't put it down and think what would happen to kim and jill... Shinta and Jill... or maybe Miki and Jill...
**-read the novel to understand
September 26, 2015
As I mentioned in my Open Road Summer review, I like books with music and bands. So when Jay E. Tria's book, Songs for Our Breakup surfaced in my radar, I was curious although I was a bit hesitant with the Japanese-sounding characters because I'm not a huge fan of foreign lead interests in my Filipino romance novels. I think I was in line at a bank without a book when I decided to read this, and a few pages in the book, I was hooked.
Jill and Kim have been together for seven years, until their break-up came that ended the relationship that Jill has known for a third of her life. It's even more difficult to move on, because her ex-boyfriend is the lead guitarist of the band where Jill is the vocalist. And as expected, most of the songs they sing share memories of their relationship and Jill's not sure how much her heart could take. Her best friend, Miki, stays by her side, picking her up when things get too hard, and then there's their other friend, Shinta, a Japanese celebrity that they befriended during one music festival. Shinta provides the distraction that Jill needed, as she wrestles with the questions that the break-up has left with her.
Let me get the obvious thing out of the way: the book shares an almost similar title with the Piolo-Sarah movie that came out a few months ago, but like what other reviews said, it's different from that. I should know, because I watched that movie. :P There's so much more going on in Songs of Our Breakup compared to that movie, and it was made entertaining because of the fun cast in this book. I loved everyone in the band, Trainman, and how their friendship seemed to spring alive in every page. I loved their banter, how they played off one another and know each other so well that even if there's this elephant in the room with them, the rest of them fought for their friendship and the band just to keep them together.
And then of course, there's Shinta, who was a delight to read. I liked him, and perhaps all his screen time made me join his team early on in the book. I liked how he also felt like a member of the band because of his friendship with them, and how he was especially fun and gentle with Jill. His storyline wasn't so surprising, but it was still a pleasure to watch that unfold and I was really cheering for him at the end of the book. However, I also can't deny that my heart went out for Miki, the best friend, because...well, he's the best friend, and I also have a soft spot for those characters! I liked him, and I wished that he did something different in the book to give him his share of the spotlight...but if he did, then we probably wouldn't have book 2. ;)
As with every book with a band and songs, I wished the songs here were real. I'm not sure if Trainman would be the kind of band I would religiously follow, but I would probably enjoy their songs if I catch them in a gig or something. I liked how the songs in this book fit exactly with the major moments in the book. And because we're all about heartbreaks and feels for this book, I have to say that the last duet kind of destroyed my heart (and made me almost waver with my team choice haha). If there's any song in the book that I want to be real, it's that duet. Please let that happen?
With all those points, plus the great writing, I thoroughly enjoyed Songs of Our Breakup. It gave me so many feelings after I was done (which I realized probably contributed to the feelings I had later that night when I watched Heneral Luna , but that's another story) that I couldn't stop thinking about it after. This book also made me kind of appreciate Japanese lead interests, because hey, if it's someone like Shinta, then why not? :P Songs of Our Breakup is not exactly for light reading because of all the feelings, but there's something pretty cathartic about this if you allow yourself to indulge and accompany Jill in her story. I can't wait to read the next book (because Miki!), and really, just read whatever Jay comes up with next. :)
--
Also posted in I Like It Dog-Eared
Jill and Kim have been together for seven years, until their break-up came that ended the relationship that Jill has known for a third of her life. It's even more difficult to move on, because her ex-boyfriend is the lead guitarist of the band where Jill is the vocalist. And as expected, most of the songs they sing share memories of their relationship and Jill's not sure how much her heart could take. Her best friend, Miki, stays by her side, picking her up when things get too hard, and then there's their other friend, Shinta, a Japanese celebrity that they befriended during one music festival. Shinta provides the distraction that Jill needed, as she wrestles with the questions that the break-up has left with her.
Let me get the obvious thing out of the way: the book shares an almost similar title with the Piolo-Sarah movie that came out a few months ago, but like what other reviews said, it's different from that. I should know, because I watched that movie. :P There's so much more going on in Songs of Our Breakup compared to that movie, and it was made entertaining because of the fun cast in this book. I loved everyone in the band, Trainman, and how their friendship seemed to spring alive in every page. I loved their banter, how they played off one another and know each other so well that even if there's this elephant in the room with them, the rest of them fought for their friendship and the band just to keep them together.
And then of course, there's Shinta, who was a delight to read. I liked him, and perhaps all his screen time made me join his team early on in the book. I liked how he also felt like a member of the band because of his friendship with them, and how he was especially fun and gentle with Jill. His storyline wasn't so surprising, but it was still a pleasure to watch that unfold and I was really cheering for him at the end of the book. However, I also can't deny that my heart went out for Miki, the best friend, because...well, he's the best friend, and I also have a soft spot for those characters! I liked him, and I wished that he did something different in the book to give him his share of the spotlight...but if he did, then we probably wouldn't have book 2. ;)
As with every book with a band and songs, I wished the songs here were real. I'm not sure if Trainman would be the kind of band I would religiously follow, but I would probably enjoy their songs if I catch them in a gig or something. I liked how the songs in this book fit exactly with the major moments in the book. And because we're all about heartbreaks and feels for this book, I have to say that the last duet kind of destroyed my heart (and made me almost waver with my team choice haha). If there's any song in the book that I want to be real, it's that duet. Please let that happen?
With all those points, plus the great writing, I thoroughly enjoyed Songs of Our Breakup. It gave me so many feelings after I was done (which I realized probably contributed to the feelings I had later that night when I watched Heneral Luna , but that's another story) that I couldn't stop thinking about it after. This book also made me kind of appreciate Japanese lead interests, because hey, if it's someone like Shinta, then why not? :P Songs of Our Breakup is not exactly for light reading because of all the feelings, but there's something pretty cathartic about this if you allow yourself to indulge and accompany Jill in her story. I can't wait to read the next book (because Miki!), and really, just read whatever Jay comes up with next. :)
--
Also posted in I Like It Dog-Eared
Read
December 20, 2015I was scared to read this book--I had heard lots of painful and wonderful things about it., hahaha! But I suppose a lot of things in life can be both painful and wonderful.
Like this book! I started reading it on a Friday morning while waiting for a colleague to get to the office. I finished it in under four hours, totally neglecting my work. (Let's just say my colleague wasn't happy when he arrived.)
I love that all the men in this book sound and act like different men I know in my life. (Well, except for Shinta. Greek god levels.) I love that there wasn't a legit bad guy in this story: just flawed hearts running around. I didn't hate anybody, but I felt for everyone. I love that, despite all the hurt and loss, there was no rage.
Read it for the feels, read it for the songs, read it for the witty dialogue and the many truths that jump off the page.
I can't wait for the next book!
So, where can I buy the soundtrack? I want to hear these songs <3
Like this book! I started reading it on a Friday morning while waiting for a colleague to get to the office. I finished it in under four hours, totally neglecting my work. (Let's just say my colleague wasn't happy when he arrived.)
I love that all the men in this book sound and act like different men I know in my life. (Well, except for Shinta. Greek god levels.) I love that there wasn't a legit bad guy in this story: just flawed hearts running around. I didn't hate anybody, but I felt for everyone. I love that, despite all the hurt and loss, there was no rage.
Read it for the feels, read it for the songs, read it for the witty dialogue and the many truths that jump off the page.
I can't wait for the next book!
So, where can I buy the soundtrack? I want to hear these songs <3
November 1, 2017
Full review over at The Bookaholic Blurbs!
DAMN, SOMEONE PICK UP THE PIECES OF MY SHATTERED HEART, PLEASE.
A story of moving on and living life one day at time, Songs of Our Breakup gives another level of meaning to forever. YOU NEED THIS BOOK YESTERDAY!!!!!
DAMN, SOMEONE PICK UP THE PIECES OF MY SHATTERED HEART, PLEASE.
A story of moving on and living life one day at time, Songs of Our Breakup gives another level of meaning to forever. YOU NEED THIS BOOK YESTERDAY!!!!!
May 22, 2017
"The last time I was this much invested in bands is a vague memory so I find it amazing that Jay E. Tria’s Playlist series has managed to awaken the groupie in me. (I’m not sure if it’s healthy to be daydreaming of attending a Trainman gig at random, though.) Songs of Our Breakup and Songs to Get Over You are certified hits." Continue reading our review here.
Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
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Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
Would like to be a reviewer/contributor to Bookbed? Sign up here!
We also accept review requests. More info here.
September 7, 2015
Review posted on Will Read for Feels
**I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
There’s something magical that happens when you chance upon a new author and the quality of their work just leaves you in awe—that pretty much sums up my feels after reading Jay Tria’s Songs of Our Breakup. And of course, with that title, there’s not much room for second guessing what the story’s all about.
I’ve read books with breakups as the subplot, but not so much with it being front and center as with this one. To be honest, I approached this story with much trepidation as I’ve been burned by one too many books about characters dealing with breakups in romantic relationship that it’s all about the angst and nothing else. Thankfully, Songs of Our Breakup had the right kind of balance between post-relationship hangups and let-go-move-on feels.
It’s a fact of life that breakups suck. It’s the risk people take when they fall in love and commit to a relationship. But how do you pick up the pieces after a bad fall when you happen to work with the same person who broke your heart? This intro for Jill, the main character, sets the tone of the story—which was a brilliant opening to establish her motivations and personality. There’s something about Jill’s personality that gave the impression of a spirited, poetic, and sassy woman.
The events in the story weren’t presented in chronological order, and this may be something that could be off-putting and confusing to other readers. But once you get the hang of it, there’s a wealth of back stories that give context to supporting characters such as Shinta, Miki, and Son, as well as the events that led to Jill and Kim’s breakup. While my sympathies were with Shinta, there were times when I couldn’t help but feel iffy with Jill with no less than three guys presented as love interests. Things would have been more evened out had there been additional scenes with Kim to give more depth to his character and motivations. Yes, Kim and Jill have known each other a long time, and he was a douche for breaking up with her in the most callous way possible, but I wanted a few more scenes to give context to his decisions that led to his douchebaggery.
And Shinta…well, I’ve always been #TeamShinta from start to finish. I think the author did a splendid job of making him endearing without being that much of a tool. Shinta and Jill have an interesting dynamic in terms of playful banter and chemistry, and those were golden moments for me.
One thing I loved most about this story was the poetic quality to the author’s prose. The accompanying lyrics/songs to specific scenes amped up the feels for that given moment. I felt I was reading about an honest-to-goodness band that made poetry with music. That kind of quality bled through the character’s realizations that were perfect quotable quotes.
All in all, Jay Tria’s writing is the stuff of magic. I highly recommend reading Songs of Our Breakup and indulge on the feels. Because how can you not?
**I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
There’s something magical that happens when you chance upon a new author and the quality of their work just leaves you in awe—that pretty much sums up my feels after reading Jay Tria’s Songs of Our Breakup. And of course, with that title, there’s not much room for second guessing what the story’s all about.
I’ve read books with breakups as the subplot, but not so much with it being front and center as with this one. To be honest, I approached this story with much trepidation as I’ve been burned by one too many books about characters dealing with breakups in romantic relationship that it’s all about the angst and nothing else. Thankfully, Songs of Our Breakup had the right kind of balance between post-relationship hangups and let-go-move-on feels.
It’s a fact of life that breakups suck. It’s the risk people take when they fall in love and commit to a relationship. But how do you pick up the pieces after a bad fall when you happen to work with the same person who broke your heart? This intro for Jill, the main character, sets the tone of the story—which was a brilliant opening to establish her motivations and personality. There’s something about Jill’s personality that gave the impression of a spirited, poetic, and sassy woman.
The events in the story weren’t presented in chronological order, and this may be something that could be off-putting and confusing to other readers. But once you get the hang of it, there’s a wealth of back stories that give context to supporting characters such as Shinta, Miki, and Son, as well as the events that led to Jill and Kim’s breakup. While my sympathies were with Shinta, there were times when I couldn’t help but feel iffy with Jill with no less than three guys presented as love interests. Things would have been more evened out had there been additional scenes with Kim to give more depth to his character and motivations. Yes, Kim and Jill have known each other a long time, and he was a douche for breaking up with her in the most callous way possible, but I wanted a few more scenes to give context to his decisions that led to his douchebaggery.
And Shinta…well, I’ve always been #TeamShinta from start to finish. I think the author did a splendid job of making him endearing without being that much of a tool. Shinta and Jill have an interesting dynamic in terms of playful banter and chemistry, and those were golden moments for me.
One thing I loved most about this story was the poetic quality to the author’s prose. The accompanying lyrics/songs to specific scenes amped up the feels for that given moment. I felt I was reading about an honest-to-goodness band that made poetry with music. That kind of quality bled through the character’s realizations that were perfect quotable quotes.
All in all, Jay Tria’s writing is the stuff of magic. I highly recommend reading Songs of Our Breakup and indulge on the feels. Because how can you not?
November 15, 2015
Songs of Our Breakup, by Jay E. Tria, was an interesting read. We all know that emotions and music go hand in hand, but the way this author combined the two into a book was incredible. At first it was a little difficult to follow the story because of the format of the book. It was done by days, instead of chapters. It was almost as if you were reading Jill’s diary!
Jill and Kim are members of an indie band called Trainman, along with Son, Miki and Nino. Jill and Kim have been in a relationship for seven years and have known each other since they were 14 years old. This book is the story of Jill coming to grip with the fact that even though their relationship as a couple is over, they still need to work together as band mates and friends. Throw into the mix of Jill trying to get over Kim is Shinta. Shinta is the Japanese movie star son of one of the band members’ former college professors. Shinta and Jill have been friends for years and unbeknownst to her, he wants to be more. She also has one other suitor that she isn’t aware of and he chooses not to make his feelings for her known.
What I loved most about this story was not the wealth of emotions that are obvious in the telling of the story, but in the lyrics of the music. Between many chapters there are the lyrics to the songs referred to in the chapter. This book would be great if it included a soundtrack using the lyrics presented in the book. As with any book, when you read you create your own visualization of the story. With this book you created a soundtrack in your mind. I would love to hear what the author feels the songs sound like.
-Reviewed by Selina
Jill and Kim are members of an indie band called Trainman, along with Son, Miki and Nino. Jill and Kim have been in a relationship for seven years and have known each other since they were 14 years old. This book is the story of Jill coming to grip with the fact that even though their relationship as a couple is over, they still need to work together as band mates and friends. Throw into the mix of Jill trying to get over Kim is Shinta. Shinta is the Japanese movie star son of one of the band members’ former college professors. Shinta and Jill have been friends for years and unbeknownst to her, he wants to be more. She also has one other suitor that she isn’t aware of and he chooses not to make his feelings for her known.
What I loved most about this story was not the wealth of emotions that are obvious in the telling of the story, but in the lyrics of the music. Between many chapters there are the lyrics to the songs referred to in the chapter. This book would be great if it included a soundtrack using the lyrics presented in the book. As with any book, when you read you create your own visualization of the story. With this book you created a soundtrack in your mind. I would love to hear what the author feels the songs sound like.
-Reviewed by Selina
September 9, 2015
(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Aside from wading through the complicated qualities of relationships, the theme that stood out to me in Songs of Our Breakup was acceptance. It somehow encourages you to accept changes and deal with it in the best manner possible without sacrificing who you are and what you believe in. Resign to the fact that love is fleeting, and that forever might not be in the books for you, but love anyway and love hard. Love for today and tomorrow and the next day. Resign to the fact that someone you love will never love you back, but love them anyway because that’s who you are. And if one day you finally find yourself growing out of it, then you step away and be happy because you’ve tried your best. And even if you lose some things, you get to keep some things too.
Overall, I loved the journey I took with Jill, Kim, Shinta, Son, Nino, and Miki, and I would love to see them again soon. Songs of Our Breakup had been a breezy, fun read which was punctuated with a couple of laughs and maybe an entire glass of tears. Wonderfully written with a great balance between humor and heartfelt moments–that rain scene was just something, I was screaming internally when it happened!–I’d already recommended it to my friends, and I’m pretty sure you will, too.
Full, spazzy review up on Tara Tries To Write: https://taratriestowrite.wordpress.co...
Aside from wading through the complicated qualities of relationships, the theme that stood out to me in Songs of Our Breakup was acceptance. It somehow encourages you to accept changes and deal with it in the best manner possible without sacrificing who you are and what you believe in. Resign to the fact that love is fleeting, and that forever might not be in the books for you, but love anyway and love hard. Love for today and tomorrow and the next day. Resign to the fact that someone you love will never love you back, but love them anyway because that’s who you are. And if one day you finally find yourself growing out of it, then you step away and be happy because you’ve tried your best. And even if you lose some things, you get to keep some things too.
Overall, I loved the journey I took with Jill, Kim, Shinta, Son, Nino, and Miki, and I would love to see them again soon. Songs of Our Breakup had been a breezy, fun read which was punctuated with a couple of laughs and maybe an entire glass of tears. Wonderfully written with a great balance between humor and heartfelt moments–that rain scene was just something, I was screaming internally when it happened!–I’d already recommended it to my friends, and I’m pretty sure you will, too.
Full, spazzy review up on Tara Tries To Write: https://taratriestowrite.wordpress.co...
July 31, 2017
Songs of Our Breakup is unlike any other romance book I've read. It's not about falling in love—rather it's a story about falling out of it; the heartache of it all, but also the healing.
The characters were easy to connect with - I was surprised to be really heartbroken about Kim and Jill's relationship even though I knew they were hopeless from the beginning. I fell in love with both characters and the angst of their breakup really got to me, but I'm also incredibly happy with how their relationship turned out in the end. Another character I really loved was Miki. Aahh this boy had me swooning from start to finish. I also really loved Miki and Jill's best friend dynamic—even though I was internally rooting for them to become more—their supportive, platonic, m/f friendship is something we rarely see in books.
Probably my favorite thing about this book were the song lyrics. They fit so well with the plot and the mood of the book, and they were so well-written! For me, the songs also gave more depth to each character and showed how each of them developed.Overall, highly recommend this book & can't wait to read the next one.
December 26, 2016
***This review was first posted on book blog Will Read for Feels.
I had early warnings this book was packed with feels, thanks to my friends’ incoherent excitement over it and also former co-blogger Anne Plaza’s glowing review, so expectations were high. I’ll admit, then, that I found myself in an editorial nitpicking session for perhaps the first half of Chapter 1. And then the hero, Shinta, came on scene, and it was like, howdy, hello, what? And thoughts of nitpicking fell away because from then on it was like dayum, girl, stop moping and go and get with that.
Seriously, my notes for the first quarter of this book consisted of two very short sentences: Shinta is adorkable but so hot! and Kim is a flea-bitten horse’s behind—what a douche!
I’ll also admit it took me a little while to fall into the rhythm of this read because each chapter is headed by a date and time and these bounce around between ancient history, past, and present as far as Jill, Shinta, and Jill’s ex-boyfriend Kim are concerned. So I’ll say, make sure not to gloss over these chapter headings and take note of the dates and times. It’ll help you get a better sense of where everyone is coming from and why they’re now doing what they’re doing and saying what they’re saying.
The story is told from a third-person point of view limited mostly to Jill, although some scenes randomly segue so you get a glimpse into another character’s head. I did have a few objective points of contention that contributed to a slightly weakened verisimilitude if I were nitpicking, but honestly it was very hard to take note of these because most of the time I was just enjoying the ride on this roller coaster of feels.
Most of those feels, admittedly were in the vein of Wow, Shinta! or Swoon, Shinta! or Damn, Shinta! In fact, I actually had to reread parts of it to get a real sense of Jill because Shinta was just so darned swoonworthy. He was, as mentioned, adorkable—just goofy enough to keep from being godlike, just sensitive enough from being too alpha, just sweet enough to keep from being too snarky. Then you add in his X factor and movie star status, and let me tell you that if Goldilocks had been shopping for men instead of porridge and a bed, she would’ve snuggled right up to Shinta.
But this just-rightness of Shinta Mori is a bit of a problem for me as a reader because he’s such a scene stealer it took a bit of hard concentration for me to pay attention to and learn about the other characters in this book. The question of whether Jill was ready for another relationship was swept under the wave of But of course! It’s Shinta! As was the question of why Kim and Miki didn’t resent Shinta’s presence more. Because it’s Shinta! And that, I think was part of why I gave Songs of Our Breakup four stars instead of five because I eventually had to admit to myself that I would’ve been five-starring Shinta and not the book itself.
I had early warnings this book was packed with feels, thanks to my friends’ incoherent excitement over it and also former co-blogger Anne Plaza’s glowing review, so expectations were high. I’ll admit, then, that I found myself in an editorial nitpicking session for perhaps the first half of Chapter 1. And then the hero, Shinta, came on scene, and it was like, howdy, hello, what? And thoughts of nitpicking fell away because from then on it was like dayum, girl, stop moping and go and get with that.
Seriously, my notes for the first quarter of this book consisted of two very short sentences: Shinta is adorkable but so hot! and Kim is a flea-bitten horse’s behind—what a douche!
I’ll also admit it took me a little while to fall into the rhythm of this read because each chapter is headed by a date and time and these bounce around between ancient history, past, and present as far as Jill, Shinta, and Jill’s ex-boyfriend Kim are concerned. So I’ll say, make sure not to gloss over these chapter headings and take note of the dates and times. It’ll help you get a better sense of where everyone is coming from and why they’re now doing what they’re doing and saying what they’re saying.
The story is told from a third-person point of view limited mostly to Jill, although some scenes randomly segue so you get a glimpse into another character’s head. I did have a few objective points of contention that contributed to a slightly weakened verisimilitude if I were nitpicking, but honestly it was very hard to take note of these because most of the time I was just enjoying the ride on this roller coaster of feels.
Most of those feels, admittedly were in the vein of Wow, Shinta! or Swoon, Shinta! or Damn, Shinta! In fact, I actually had to reread parts of it to get a real sense of Jill because Shinta was just so darned swoonworthy. He was, as mentioned, adorkable—just goofy enough to keep from being godlike, just sensitive enough from being too alpha, just sweet enough to keep from being too snarky. Then you add in his X factor and movie star status, and let me tell you that if Goldilocks had been shopping for men instead of porridge and a bed, she would’ve snuggled right up to Shinta.
But this just-rightness of Shinta Mori is a bit of a problem for me as a reader because he’s such a scene stealer it took a bit of hard concentration for me to pay attention to and learn about the other characters in this book. The question of whether Jill was ready for another relationship was swept under the wave of But of course! It’s Shinta! As was the question of why Kim and Miki didn’t resent Shinta’s presence more. Because it’s Shinta! And that, I think was part of why I gave Songs of Our Breakup four stars instead of five because I eventually had to admit to myself that I would’ve been five-starring Shinta and not the book itself.
August 27, 2015
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
If you're from the Philippines and have watched The Breakup Playlist, don't ever think for a second that this is the book version of the movie. It's not---in so many levels. But they have common ground, yes. Heartbreak and music.
Jay did great for thinking about writing a book like this since not much of it are around.
Songs of Our Breakup is about Jill and her ex-boyfriend who happened to be a jerk and a bandmate of their band, Trainman. Kim was very professional during sessions, I give him that, but as the other half of their relationship? NOPE, not at all, sorry. Of course, my sympathy was on Jill's side because she deserved better than what Kim did to her. And I hope she was able to realize that when the story took a turn and Shinta magically appeared somewhere. LOL. Shinta was Jill's friend and one of Trainman's fans and a sexy movie star in Japan. (cue heart-shaped eyes) Then there's Son and Nino, the instrumentalists of Trainman, who happened to be the funny guys. And how could I forget Miki? Gosh, Miki. The hopeless romantic of them all and very unapologetic about it. That's a lot of testosterone around Jill, right? I hope Jay's going to give each of them a story of their own since Jill and Kim's (or is it Jill and Miki's or Jill and Shinta's---READ THE BOOK) was already done!
I really like this book because it's touched a lot of aspects---healing, friendship, music (though I'm not really a fan), poetry (of course right?) progress/pacing, reality and love. And for a second book, you'd think Jay's been doing her writing gig for a while now. She writes sooo well! As soon as I finished, I was praying please let there be more of these two... but then it already ended. Huhu damn. But I'll surely be reading the following books of this series!
More of Songs of Our Breakup review on the blog.
If you're from the Philippines and have watched The Breakup Playlist, don't ever think for a second that this is the book version of the movie. It's not---in so many levels. But they have common ground, yes. Heartbreak and music.
Jay did great for thinking about writing a book like this since not much of it are around.
Songs of Our Breakup is about Jill and her ex-boyfriend who happened to be a jerk and a bandmate of their band, Trainman. Kim was very professional during sessions, I give him that, but as the other half of their relationship? NOPE, not at all, sorry. Of course, my sympathy was on Jill's side because she deserved better than what Kim did to her. And I hope she was able to realize that when the story took a turn and Shinta magically appeared somewhere. LOL. Shinta was Jill's friend and one of Trainman's fans and a sexy movie star in Japan. (cue heart-shaped eyes) Then there's Son and Nino, the instrumentalists of Trainman, who happened to be the funny guys. And how could I forget Miki? Gosh, Miki. The hopeless romantic of them all and very unapologetic about it. That's a lot of testosterone around Jill, right? I hope Jay's going to give each of them a story of their own since Jill and Kim's (or is it Jill and Miki's or Jill and Shinta's---READ THE BOOK) was already done!
I really like this book because it's touched a lot of aspects---healing, friendship, music (though I'm not really a fan), poetry (of course right?) progress/pacing, reality and love. And for a second book, you'd think Jay's been doing her writing gig for a while now. She writes sooo well! As soon as I finished, I was praying please let there be more of these two... but then it already ended. Huhu damn. But I'll surely be reading the following books of this series!
More of Songs of Our Breakup review on the blog.
July 31, 2016
The beautiful author Jay E.Tria has written this beautiful book and as the name suggests it clearly defines and carries a story about a girl named Jill who is much awaited to overcome the emotions after her 7year relationship broke into pieces. And things took into turmoil because the love of her life named as kim was the lead guitarist in the same band where she performed as a vocalist. She always had to face him and situations were always awkard but much thanks to the other band members who took things other way to make the circumstances and results normal. Despite her struggle to forget her relationship its pretty much hard for her to move on with her feelings still alive for kim.
The story is simple yet the characters have been placed into perfect broadlines which helps the reader to relate the situations with ease. The story is balanced and the author has played quite well with the plottings without making any fuss with extra overflowing emotions and tears all the way long.
Breakups do hurt but the strength to move on is the key to lead a happy and a new life. This is how things turn the table when Jill meets her celebrity friend Shinta who from the start of the story seems to be awed away with looks, his attraction and care towards Jill too easily gets distracted when Shinta is around and the chemistry between them is beautiful . Now the question arises will Jill be able to overcome her feelings towards Kim? With whom Jill will end up with? In order to get the answers I would highly recommend my fellow book readers to go ahead and read this contemporary romance.
And lastly i would love to flaunt about the author who turns a prose into a beautiful lyrics in particular plots to make the storyline more distinctive and go with the flow. Her immense capability to capture the moments and knock the words into a sharp and definative plot makes the story crystal clear and at the same time the book to be a page turner.
The story is simple yet the characters have been placed into perfect broadlines which helps the reader to relate the situations with ease. The story is balanced and the author has played quite well with the plottings without making any fuss with extra overflowing emotions and tears all the way long.
Breakups do hurt but the strength to move on is the key to lead a happy and a new life. This is how things turn the table when Jill meets her celebrity friend Shinta who from the start of the story seems to be awed away with looks, his attraction and care towards Jill too easily gets distracted when Shinta is around and the chemistry between them is beautiful . Now the question arises will Jill be able to overcome her feelings towards Kim? With whom Jill will end up with? In order to get the answers I would highly recommend my fellow book readers to go ahead and read this contemporary romance.
And lastly i would love to flaunt about the author who turns a prose into a beautiful lyrics in particular plots to make the storyline more distinctive and go with the flow. Her immense capability to capture the moments and knock the words into a sharp and definative plot makes the story crystal clear and at the same time the book to be a page turner.
February 22, 2018
So I finally met Trainman (after seeing their cameos in Feels Like Summer i was eager to know where it all began) and man i loved this book.
The story's told mostly from Jill's POV, with Shinta (squeal) and Miki (awww) getting a POV as well. It also incorporates flashbacks which worked so well in adding so much more depth to the current events. i love them. The author also included the bands songs in between and wow...I wish i knew the actual tunes for these songs so i could sing along. Not that that stopped me, i sort of added my own tunes and sang along in my head LOL
The band dynamics were great, we really get a sense of each of their personalities i think. My faves were definitely Jill, Miki and Son from the band. Nino and Kim are put on a time out for their behaviour lol.
The author does an excellent job of showing the stages of Kim and Jill's relationship. We see this via the flashbacks. how they started, broke up, got back together, broke up again, how Jill is trying to cope with being ina band with her ex boyfriend AWKWARD.
And then we add Shinta Mori to the mix and man that guy. he was a trip. a fun trip ;) Right off i liked him. so funny so cute. So totally crushing on Jill.
So is Miki. i really felt for him, crushing on your best friend sucks. Miki's song got me right in the feels :/ I see his book is up next so I have hope he'll find his HEA :)
I wished there were more ladies in the mix though. Jill and Shinta's mom were legit the only ones with much page time and well most of that was given to Jill as the MC so there weren't many ladies.. Yeh it's explained why she doesn't have female friends but it's so very male centric. i loved the boys but would have loved for Jill to at least have one female friend. Miki's maybe potential love interest shows up here too so i'm hoping she can become friends with Jill in the next books?
Over all i really loved this one! grabbing book 2 immediately i must know what happens with my sweetie Miki :)
The story's told mostly from Jill's POV, with Shinta (squeal) and Miki (awww) getting a POV as well. It also incorporates flashbacks which worked so well in adding so much more depth to the current events. i love them. The author also included the bands songs in between and wow...I wish i knew the actual tunes for these songs so i could sing along. Not that that stopped me, i sort of added my own tunes and sang along in my head LOL
The band dynamics were great, we really get a sense of each of their personalities i think. My faves were definitely Jill, Miki and Son from the band. Nino and Kim are put on a time out for their behaviour lol.
The author does an excellent job of showing the stages of Kim and Jill's relationship. We see this via the flashbacks. how they started, broke up, got back together, broke up again, how Jill is trying to cope with being ina band with her ex boyfriend AWKWARD.
And then we add Shinta Mori to the mix and man that guy. he was a trip. a fun trip ;) Right off i liked him. so funny so cute. So totally crushing on Jill.
So is Miki. i really felt for him, crushing on your best friend sucks. Miki's song got me right in the feels :/ I see his book is up next so I have hope he'll find his HEA :)
I wished there were more ladies in the mix though. Jill and Shinta's mom were legit the only ones with much page time and well most of that was given to Jill as the MC so there weren't many ladies.. Yeh it's explained why she doesn't have female friends but it's so very male centric. i loved the boys but would have loved for Jill to at least have one female friend. Miki's maybe potential love interest shows up here too so i'm hoping she can become friends with Jill in the next books?
Over all i really loved this one! grabbing book 2 immediately i must know what happens with my sweetie Miki :)
September 15, 2015
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this. I just wanted a re-introduction to romance, after what felt like a long while since I enjoyed one, and now I am happy to say that I have made the right decision to choose this book.
Jill, the main girl, breaks-up with her long-time boyfriend and band-mate Kim. This frees her from the love of her life, the man of her dreams and the girl she thought she ought to be. While she tries to figure out how to get over all of it, her heart's recent availability finds it an opportune time to vie for her affections.
The premise might seem cliche, a story about a failed ever after; the coping when a heart breaks; the moving on. A story that will threaten to be sappy, but Ms. Tria tells it so well, interchanging timelines smoothly and brilliantly; and squeezing in beautiful lyrical poetry when the narrative calls for it; that one will find his/herself eagerly wanting to know what happens next, who will Jill choose, or will she actually choose someone?
It's amazing how true to themselves the characters have been written, that I found myself shipping the people after revealing scenes, and sticking to sailing these ships even when it seemed shaky because Jill is so unpredictable. Also, I am in love with the way the dialogues have been made, Jill and the boys have been presented gradually but effectively.
Overall, it was a fun read and I highly recommend it and this goes to my list of A-grade love stories without trying too hard, and without falling short of the inspiring build-up along the way.
Congrats, Ms. tria! I am so looking forward to the next ones in this series!
Jill, the main girl, breaks-up with her long-time boyfriend and band-mate Kim. This frees her from the love of her life, the man of her dreams and the girl she thought she ought to be. While she tries to figure out how to get over all of it, her heart's recent availability finds it an opportune time to vie for her affections.
The premise might seem cliche, a story about a failed ever after; the coping when a heart breaks; the moving on. A story that will threaten to be sappy, but Ms. Tria tells it so well, interchanging timelines smoothly and brilliantly; and squeezing in beautiful lyrical poetry when the narrative calls for it; that one will find his/herself eagerly wanting to know what happens next, who will Jill choose, or will she actually choose someone?
It's amazing how true to themselves the characters have been written, that I found myself shipping the people after revealing scenes, and sticking to sailing these ships even when it seemed shaky because Jill is so unpredictable. Also, I am in love with the way the dialogues have been made, Jill and the boys have been presented gradually but effectively.
Overall, it was a fun read and I highly recommend it and this goes to my list of A-grade love stories without trying too hard, and without falling short of the inspiring build-up along the way.
Congrats, Ms. tria! I am so looking forward to the next ones in this series!
July 29, 2017
I liked it.
July 11, 2018
It´s like the different stages of grief but in one fluent movement.
A very good YA.
A very good YA.
September 24, 2015
Loved this!
First of, yes,it's a bit of wish fulfillment -- a girl who's just had her heart broken has the attentions of a gorgeous Japanese star (who is also her friend, okay!). But author Jay E. Tria writes with so much wit, warmth and honesty that I never felt outside of the story. It was believable from page 1, where we are plunged into that devastating period right after a breakup when the waterworks are over and you start picking up the pieces to move on - the "breakup probation period," as main character Jill's best friend Miki says.
Can I just say that I also loved the band dynamic? I had a brief period in high school when I played 'band aid' to my friends' band, and the banter, back-and-forth and teasing between the members of Trainman instantly set me back xx years ago, to those days when I'd sit in a studio while my friends bickered and played and asked me to, well, hang around and watch as their one-girl fan club.
The songs are a lovely interlude too. Here's hoping some talented fan sets them to music and releases an OST! :D
First of, yes,it's a bit of wish fulfillment -- a girl who's just had her heart broken has the attentions of a gorgeous Japanese star (who is also her friend, okay!). But author Jay E. Tria writes with so much wit, warmth and honesty that I never felt outside of the story. It was believable from page 1, where we are plunged into that devastating period right after a breakup when the waterworks are over and you start picking up the pieces to move on - the "breakup probation period," as main character Jill's best friend Miki says.
Can I just say that I also loved the band dynamic? I had a brief period in high school when I played 'band aid' to my friends' band, and the banter, back-and-forth and teasing between the members of Trainman instantly set me back xx years ago, to those days when I'd sit in a studio while my friends bickered and played and asked me to, well, hang around and watch as their one-girl fan club.
The songs are a lovely interlude too. Here's hoping some talented fan sets them to music and releases an OST! :D
November 3, 2015
You don't really stop loving someone. It's just you're different now from the person you were yesterday. And you can't go back. Even if you can, why would you want to? - Yuki
I'm torn with giving this book three stars or four. It was a wonderful book, yes, but I encountered some dull moments.
Anyway, this book follows a twenty-one year old girl named Jill and her [love] life after her boyfriend, pardon that, ex-boyfriend, Kim, of seven years broke up with her. Moving on is especially harder for her since Kim is the lead guitarist of their band. But when a pleasant distraction came in a form of her friend, a hot Japanese actor, can they find the answer to the question: what do you do when forever ends?
Overall, it was a very enjoyable read but I was kind of hoping for more. More of the back story, more of the playful banter of the band, more of the past, just a bit more.
Full review + interview at the bookdragon
I'm torn with giving this book three stars or four. It was a wonderful book, yes, but I encountered some dull moments.
Anyway, this book follows a twenty-one year old girl named Jill and her [love] life after her boyfriend, pardon that, ex-boyfriend, Kim, of seven years broke up with her. Moving on is especially harder for her since Kim is the lead guitarist of their band. But when a pleasant distraction came in a form of her friend, a hot Japanese actor, can they find the answer to the question: what do you do when forever ends?
Overall, it was a very enjoyable read but I was kind of hoping for more. More of the back story, more of the playful banter of the band, more of the past, just a bit more.
Full review + interview at the bookdragon
February 5, 2016
THIS WAS SO CUTE!
I loved how sweet and soft this romance was, yet maintained that ability to deal with the harsher realities like drinking, one's dark moments, and... sexy time. As a new adult novel, this story was great with Jill trying to figure out what to do when a seven-year relationship ends.
She's hurting and can't heal with having to see her ex all the time, but thankfully... help comes... in the form of Japanese actor, Shinta. I thought he pulled off adorable and sexy really well and I Just liked how light-hearted he was, helping her to rise back up while keeping up with that happy-go-lucky act.
The whole thing was just amazing. I loved the way the author wrote; I was pulled into all the POVs and really felt every character, though I think two of them could've been pulled out more. After all, they are competing with Jill, Kim, Shinta and Miki, you know? This is an overall entertaining and heart-warming read despite the breakup theme and I totally recommend this to anyone who loves romances and hardships.
I loved how sweet and soft this romance was, yet maintained that ability to deal with the harsher realities like drinking, one's dark moments, and... sexy time. As a new adult novel, this story was great with Jill trying to figure out what to do when a seven-year relationship ends.
She's hurting and can't heal with having to see her ex all the time, but thankfully... help comes... in the form of Japanese actor, Shinta. I thought he pulled off adorable and sexy really well and I Just liked how light-hearted he was, helping her to rise back up while keeping up with that happy-go-lucky act.
The whole thing was just amazing. I loved the way the author wrote; I was pulled into all the POVs and really felt every character, though I think two of them could've been pulled out more. After all, they are competing with Jill, Kim, Shinta and Miki, you know? This is an overall entertaining and heart-warming read despite the breakup theme and I totally recommend this to anyone who loves romances and hardships.
November 19, 2015
Glad it's not over
The musical world of Jill and her bandmates, the angst of the breakup, the flashbacks, and all those pent-up emotions make this book such a powerful read! You're sucked into their lives and sent through a wringer of emotions. I wanted to hear the music, not just imagine it. But I loved that each song's lyrics are written out for you to read, appreciate, and conjure up in your brain.
The author's descriptions are beautiful and her characters are real. Jill, very clueless about her feelings and the feelings of others, at times makes you wonder why all the boys are in love with her. At some points, I wanted to see and understand why. But the boys were adorable -- Shinta who was as perfect as could be, Miki who is doomed to be in the friendzone, and even Son and Nico. Kim, well, maybe in the past.
The first few pages of book two really hooked me too. Can't wait to read that!
The musical world of Jill and her bandmates, the angst of the breakup, the flashbacks, and all those pent-up emotions make this book such a powerful read! You're sucked into their lives and sent through a wringer of emotions. I wanted to hear the music, not just imagine it. But I loved that each song's lyrics are written out for you to read, appreciate, and conjure up in your brain.
The author's descriptions are beautiful and her characters are real. Jill, very clueless about her feelings and the feelings of others, at times makes you wonder why all the boys are in love with her. At some points, I wanted to see and understand why. But the boys were adorable -- Shinta who was as perfect as could be, Miki who is doomed to be in the friendzone, and even Son and Nico. Kim, well, maybe in the past.
The first few pages of book two really hooked me too. Can't wait to read that!
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