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This Song Is (Not) For You
Ramona fell for Sam the moment she met him. It was like she had known him forever. He's one of the few constants in her life, and their friendship is just too important to risk for a kiss. Though she really wants to kiss him...
Sam loves Ramona, but he would never expect her to feel the same way-she's too quirky and cool for someone like him. Still, they complement each other perfectly, both as best friends and as a band.
Then they meet Tom. Tom makes music too, and he's the band's missing piece. The three quickly become inseparable. Except Ramona's falling in love with Tom. But she hasn't fallen out of love with Sam either. How can she be true to her feelings without breaking up the band?
"Educators and librarians looking for fast-moving, interesting plots, in-depth characters, and meaningful themes need to add this one to their shelves."-VOYA praise for If He Had Been with Me
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
628 people are currently reading
18661 people want to read
About the author
Laura Nowlin
14 books8,065 followersLaura Nowlin holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Missouri State University. . In addition to being ambitious writer Laura is also an avid reader who believes that books allow her to live many lives in one lifetime. When she isn’t at home agonizing over her own novels Laura works at the public library where the patrons give her plenty of inspiration for her writing. She lives in St. Louis with her musician husband, neurotic dog, and psychotic cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,239 reviews
August 8, 2025
The song was indeed not for me 💀
That’s it. That’s the review.
That’s it. That’s the review.
September 24, 2015
This book is not for you.
July 31, 2025
Although there are some good aspects in this book, I really can't deny that this is like my worst nightmare.
This is the first novel I read from Laura Nowlin, although I had seen her name before and was planning to read her other book. I really like her writing, and sadly, that is the only thing I can say about this novel. Oh, and I appreciated the book's effort to explore asexuality, although it failed miserably. The love triangle was just.. a mess.
It really dragged, it kept readers reading because it will make you believe that there will be a big revelation or something important will happen, but sadly, that didn't happen at all. I was bored, and I was just pissed because the girl is just annoying, and the other guys came out as cryboys instead of swoony and charming. I did not like anyone at all. Plus, this book is filled with such music snobbery that it makes me wanna throw it. Yes, things like that make me a violent person.
December 27, 2024
I’m sorry wtf did I just read
January 6, 2016
I tried to read this, I really did. But this book was (not) for me.
January 5, 2025
i’m so sorry but what even was this???? not even like bc of the poly relationship but the writing? how it was portrayed? why was everyone so awkward? but also i feel like the poly relationship came out of no where bc i totally thought tom was asexual?? what even happened in this book please someone tell me how this author wrote If He Had Been With Me (excellent book, one of my favorite romances) and also this??????
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
Easy read, I read it in one day but it was god awful. I swear a 13 year old wrote it😂 do not recommend
January 3, 2025
this is one of the worst books i have ever read.
April 14, 2019
One of the very few YA books that explores non-monogamy. Whilst the plot isn't going to blow you away, the relationship between the characters makes this book important.
December 15, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley.)
This was a slightly strange story, about three teens and their relationships.
Ramona was a bit of an odd character, and she always seemed to be hyperactive about something. Tom was a quiet boy who liked glitter a lot, and liked to do illegal things like putting fish into fountains, and Sam seemed the most normal out of the bunch (which isn’t saying much).
The storyline in this seemed to be about these three teens playing weird music, and glitter bombing things (including a fire hydrant! So irresponsible!), as well as their relationship with one another. We started the book with Ramona and Sam secretly fancying each other, and then we got Tom thrown into the mix, even though he seemed to have no libido at all.
The ending to this was okay, although things were still a little weird on the romance front.
6 out of 10
“So here’s the plan,” I say. I am taking Ramona glitter bombing.
This was a slightly strange story, about three teens and their relationships.
Ramona was a bit of an odd character, and she always seemed to be hyperactive about something. Tom was a quiet boy who liked glitter a lot, and liked to do illegal things like putting fish into fountains, and Sam seemed the most normal out of the bunch (which isn’t saying much).
The storyline in this seemed to be about these three teens playing weird music, and glitter bombing things (including a fire hydrant! So irresponsible!), as well as their relationship with one another. We started the book with Ramona and Sam secretly fancying each other, and then we got Tom thrown into the mix, even though he seemed to have no libido at all.
The ending to this was okay, although things were still a little weird on the romance front.
6 out of 10
January 5, 2024
"am i a poser?" yes. yes u are
August 9, 2025
⋆౨ৎ 3 stars⭐️°⟡˖ ࣪
i really expected more from this. i liked if he had been with me and if only I had told her so I thought I would also gonna like this one. and I wanted to like this so badly. the book looks so good, I mean look at this gorgerous cover but the story didn't really attached me😔 it was cute, yes, but not much more
i really expected more from this. i liked if he had been with me and if only I had told her so I thought I would also gonna like this one. and I wanted to like this so badly. the book looks so good, I mean look at this gorgerous cover but the story didn't really attached me😔 it was cute, yes, but not much more
May 2, 2017
I wouldn't say I loved this book. I enjoyed it and the love triangle but then that kinda got weird towards the end. She should have chosen one person. I liked how there band was different and they weren't afraid what others thought
Read
April 19, 2016“Growing up isn’t summiting a mountain, you know. There’s no end point.”
This is one strange book.
On one hand I had a feeling it was robotic at times and there were brief moments where I got everything these kids were saying because I too am dealing with my (a)sexuality for the past year. You're never too old to change or even realize things about yourself.
So in a way, this review is about me coming out. I was brave enough to come out to 2 people. One in person, which was really hard but liberating and one over text.
For the longest time I've felt like people were judging me for not wanting to date again or even hook up with randoms. Those feelings are still there and I've already explained a million times why I'm the way I am, I can probably recite it in sleep. I'd try to tell them I have bigger priorities, that having a boyfriend is the least of my worries. I've never outright told them: "I'm ace." because they've probably never heard that term and they would say very helpful things like-you just haven't found the right person yet, you'll feel differently when you're thirty, or even look down upon me and ask me if I was into women, which sets me off completely. I guess other people find it hard to grasp the fact not everyone wants to have sex, get married or have kids.
I've been always obsessed with couples on tv and in book mostly because I've never felt that connection you share with someone else. I've never been in love despite being in a couple of long relationships. I've always been the cold one in a relationship and I've been (in a way) bullied because I wasn't showing my affection in a more physical way. I've cherished the friendship parts of those relationships but for some reason those moments can easily be interpreted as sexual attraction to some people. Why is it so hard to have a normal conversation with someone without them asking me out after that? People like to call me a bitch and mean cause I like to say it how it is but why is it so hard to accept someone who thinks nothing like you?
I'm an aromantic asexual! I've been this way my whole life. Yes, I've had sex and no, I don't really want to have sex just to please someone else. I don't want to repeat those experiences. I accept my very flawed, over the top, sometimes too serious/immature and opinionated personality. I'm just human and I'm not perfect. But I'm okay with that.
I'd like to thank Laura Nowlin for writing about something as complex as asexuality and for other reviewers saying she misrepresented ace community I say this- everyone experiences sexuality in their own, unique way so you shouldn't be saying things you probably know nothing about. Some aces do have sex and they do experience some form of sexual/emotional attraction towards same/different gender. You are not entitled to define anyone.
July 9, 2025
Dnf at 15%
where was the banter and the world building it just jumped right into what is usually supposed to be the middle of the book??? I read if he had been with me and if only I had told her by the same author as this book and they were both amazing I don’t know what happened here.
Pre read: i got this from the library a few days ago because i loved if he had been with me but i just saw the average rating of this. 2.55?????????? im kinda intrigued.
where was the banter and the world building it just jumped right into what is usually supposed to be the middle of the book??? I read if he had been with me and if only I had told her by the same author as this book and they were both amazing I don’t know what happened here.
Pre read: i got this from the library a few days ago because i loved if he had been with me but i just saw the average rating of this. 2.55?????????? im kinda intrigued.
January 8, 2025
i’ve decided i’m done trying to like books by laura nowlin. i’ve read 3 now and i just can’t bring myself to like them. this book just reminded me of what i dislike about her other books
March 15, 2025
‧₊˚𖦹 ⋆.☘︎ ݁˖🛼🎵
"sometimes the whole world seems like this big machine churning people out, making everyone into the sort of person they're expected to be. it scares me."
thoughts ———
‧₊ ⌗ 🍒 ⋅ ˚✮ 3.25!!! i have such mixed feelings about this honestly, i liked it but the writing was so annoying i actually struggled reading this because of it, im sorry😭 it kinda annoyed me how ramona and sam like wouldn't talk about their feelings. it was fun at some parts though!!! i did like this more than i thought i would but i wouldn't say i loved this :((
characters ———
‧₊ ⌗ 🎧 ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ ramona .ᐟ ⋮
i like ramona but i just couldnt connect with her character. she was cool but i just needed like... more of her? she just kinda felt like she didn't have much of a personality besides the band☹️ i did grow to like her towards the end though!!! she was a super fun character lowkey, i liked her!!
‧₊ ⌗ 🎸 ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ sam .ᐟ ⋮
oh i love sam, i think he was actually the only person i loved in this book. he was such a cutie. i adore him so much, he means the world to me. i just wanted to pull him out of the pages and keep him for myself. i lowkey saw a lot of myself in him so that may have made me like him more....😖
‧₊ ⌗ 🎙️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ tom .ᐟ ⋮
honestly i didn't like tom much at the start!!! again, it just felt like he had no personality but he did grow on me around halfway. i liked the things he did sometimes, especially the glitter bombs. i loved him a lot actually!!! not as much as i loved sam but definitely a lot, he was actually really cute :33
‧₊ ⌗ ⋅ ˚✮ .ᐟ
"i'd been waiting my whole life to meet you guys, you're a part of me now, and no matter where any of us goes, i know i'm gonna know you for forever."
‧₊˚𖦹 ⋆.☘︎ ݁˖🛹🎶
"sometimes the whole world seems like this big machine churning people out, making everyone into the sort of person they're expected to be. it scares me."
thoughts ———
‧₊ ⌗ 🍒 ⋅ ˚✮ 3.25!!! i have such mixed feelings about this honestly, i liked it but the writing was so annoying i actually struggled reading this because of it, im sorry😭 it kinda annoyed me how ramona and sam like wouldn't talk about their feelings. it was fun at some parts though!!! i did like this more than i thought i would but i wouldn't say i loved this :((
characters ———
‧₊ ⌗ 🎧 ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ ramona .ᐟ ⋮
i like ramona but i just couldnt connect with her character. she was cool but i just needed like... more of her? she just kinda felt like she didn't have much of a personality besides the band☹️ i did grow to like her towards the end though!!! she was a super fun character lowkey, i liked her!!
‧₊ ⌗ 🎸 ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ sam .ᐟ ⋮
oh i love sam, i think he was actually the only person i loved in this book. he was such a cutie. i adore him so much, he means the world to me. i just wanted to pull him out of the pages and keep him for myself. i lowkey saw a lot of myself in him so that may have made me like him more....😖
‧₊ ⌗ 🎙️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ tom .ᐟ ⋮
honestly i didn't like tom much at the start!!! again, it just felt like he had no personality but he did grow on me around halfway. i liked the things he did sometimes, especially the glitter bombs. i loved him a lot actually!!! not as much as i loved sam but definitely a lot, he was actually really cute :33
‧₊ ⌗ ⋅ ˚✮ .ᐟ
"i'd been waiting my whole life to meet you guys, you're a part of me now, and no matter where any of us goes, i know i'm gonna know you for forever."
‧₊˚𖦹 ⋆.☘︎ ݁˖🛹🎶
July 18, 2017
I FREAKING LOVED THIS.
The characters are absolutely all likeable. I literally love all, even secondary ones, because this book doesn't leave them at just being secondary characters, but actually acknowledges that there are stories we might not know behind every personality.
Tom is my favourite, because he's such an edgy artist who wants to educate himself constantly and change the world, and it was beautiful. I also love that he honestly has nice things to say about people he fell out with, and he's actually lovely. He loves glitter! Come on!
They are all very open minded teens and it was beautiful to see this when YA is usually filled with dumb af teenagers.
Also this book contains discussions about gender issues, calls out misogyny and sexism and explores various sexualities and relationship types. It was brilliant.
It's a short one. Make yourself the favour of reading it. Surprisingly nice. I'm not that much of a music person, but if you're into that (making of music, old bands), then this book is even more for you.
The characters are absolutely all likeable. I literally love all, even secondary ones, because this book doesn't leave them at just being secondary characters, but actually acknowledges that there are stories we might not know behind every personality.
Tom is my favourite, because he's such an edgy artist who wants to educate himself constantly and change the world, and it was beautiful. I also love that he honestly has nice things to say about people he fell out with, and he's actually lovely. He loves glitter! Come on!
They are all very open minded teens and it was beautiful to see this when YA is usually filled with dumb af teenagers.
Also this book contains discussions about gender issues, calls out misogyny and sexism and explores various sexualities and relationship types. It was brilliant.
It's a short one. Make yourself the favour of reading it. Surprisingly nice. I'm not that much of a music person, but if you're into that (making of music, old bands), then this book is even more for you.
August 8, 2016
Not sure where my review went!
I picked up this one because it has an ace character and , and it had an unexpected polyamorous aspect that I was pleasantly surprised about. I loved all three of the main characters and their individual POVs. The way the relationship played out between all three characters was so interesting. I loved seeing how they grew closer and how Ramona and Sam's dynamic changed as they added Tom into their small friend group and band. I highly recommend picking this one up!
I picked up this one because it has an ace character and , and it had an unexpected polyamorous aspect that I was pleasantly surprised about. I loved all three of the main characters and their individual POVs. The way the relationship played out between all three characters was so interesting. I loved seeing how they grew closer and how Ramona and Sam's dynamic changed as they added Tom into their small friend group and band. I highly recommend picking this one up!
January 6, 2025
this might be on the worst books i have ever read…
the characters are written so forcefully to be "edgy" and it honestly just makes me dislike them. their ideas of life and what they do are just annoying as a reader and i don’t feel any character growth whatsoever. there’s no actual build up to anything. on a random chapter or a random page they decide to just randomly say something that as a reader you have been waiting for with no proper buildup. it was so dumb. poorly written. poorly executed. and the themes and characters sucked
the characters are written so forcefully to be "edgy" and it honestly just makes me dislike them. their ideas of life and what they do are just annoying as a reader and i don’t feel any character growth whatsoever. there’s no actual build up to anything. on a random chapter or a random page they decide to just randomly say something that as a reader you have been waiting for with no proper buildup. it was so dumb. poorly written. poorly executed. and the themes and characters sucked
February 18, 2025
dnf @ pg. 32
i’m sorry. i tried. (for ten minutes but hey, at least i tried to read it)
the writing style is ATROCIOUS
ramona is “not like the other girls” and “quirky” (it literally says so on the blurb)
tom is an emo uwu pick me boy
and sam is pathetic
…gross
i’m sorry. i tried. (for ten minutes but hey, at least i tried to read it)
the writing style is ATROCIOUS
ramona is “not like the other girls” and “quirky” (it literally says so on the blurb)
tom is an emo uwu pick me boy
and sam is pathetic
…gross
November 24, 2015
Love, love, loved! This wasn't what I was expecting but I loved it. Everything from plotting, characterizations, to the ending. I can't rave enough about this one. The concept of love and how we all see it and what makes love different for everyone is just amazing. Highly recommend and can't wait to add this to my personal library.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2025
Is this how people feel about if he had been with me?
May 30, 2025
everything about it was atrocious. from the writing, rushed, and just a no.
February 8, 2016
This book is not for everyone. But I'm one of those that this book is meant for, because I enjoyed it and it resonated with me.
This book has a lot of "deepness" and profundity to it. I'm not saying that it's actually profound, but that it tries to be... or at least, the characters are trying really hard to make sense of the world and determine how they fit in the structure that underlies society.
These kids are on the cusp of adulthood. They're trying to figure themselves out. They have so much love within them. You could call this book a love story, even though it's not one in a traditional way. I would love to see them a few years down the line, and then again a few years after that. Would they still be Ramona, Sam, and Tom? Or would they change and grow apart? Could they possibly be merely a product of their environment; friends by pure chance? I think one of the great things about enduring friendships is that people actively try to make it work even when they are far apart. Even when those circumstances don't align, they still intend to seek each other out. I would love to see that come to fruition.
There are some wonderful supporting characters here, especially in the form of parental figures. Each character has his or her own side character as well, I guess to show that they are their own people (and not encapsulated in a tiny, lovely, bubble): Emmalyne, Sara, and that guidance counsellor. I was a big fan of all of this.
This book is complicated. It has a lot of layers. There's a part early on where Sam and Tom argue about whether Ramona prefers piano or drums. It didn't click that these instruments were metaphors (or perhaps, they were the metaphors?). I didn't realize that conversation was foreshadowing something bigger that would happen to this motley crew. Or rather, that they would choose to make more happen.
This review is getting cryptic since I don't want to spoil anything. Trust me, it's a perfectly ironic, quiet, and thoughtful read.
This book has a lot of "deepness" and profundity to it. I'm not saying that it's actually profound, but that it tries to be... or at least, the characters are trying really hard to make sense of the world and determine how they fit in the structure that underlies society.
These kids are on the cusp of adulthood. They're trying to figure themselves out. They have so much love within them. You could call this book a love story, even though it's not one in a traditional way. I would love to see them a few years down the line, and then again a few years after that. Would they still be Ramona, Sam, and Tom? Or would they change and grow apart? Could they possibly be merely a product of their environment; friends by pure chance? I think one of the great things about enduring friendships is that people actively try to make it work even when they are far apart. Even when those circumstances don't align, they still intend to seek each other out. I would love to see that come to fruition.
There are some wonderful supporting characters here, especially in the form of parental figures. Each character has his or her own side character as well, I guess to show that they are their own people (and not encapsulated in a tiny, lovely, bubble): Emmalyne, Sara, and that guidance counsellor. I was a big fan of all of this.
This book is complicated. It has a lot of layers. There's a part early on where Sam and Tom argue about whether Ramona prefers piano or drums. It didn't click that these instruments were metaphors (or perhaps, they were the metaphors?). I didn't realize that conversation was foreshadowing something bigger that would happen to this motley crew. Or rather, that they would choose to make more happen.
This review is getting cryptic since I don't want to spoil anything. Trust me, it's a perfectly ironic, quiet, and thoughtful read.
December 31, 2024
What the hell was that?
This book was (not) for me.
This book is 230 pages of no storyline, random snippets and chapters of random things that are not needed. The ending was absolutely terrible and full of nothing.
There were so many grammatical errors in this book. I have a 2025 print book, you can’t tell me that for 9 years people have been reading and proofreading this book and missed all of these mistakes?!?!
The entire book felt like it was being described in edgy rainbows and glitter. What was the authors obsession with glitter? And what the hell is glitter bombing?
The characters are dull and predictable.
The only thing that was not predictable was the fact that Tom was asexual and this was briefly explored in the book. I do not feel that this book dealt with the challenges that someone who is asexual may encounter in their relationships with people.
The end worked out for everyone but ended up in a thruple? Tom went off to be homeless (by choice). Ramona went into music and Sam was the smart one who wanted to build an actual career for himself. The end.
Don’t bother reading this book. Save your money, time and shelf space.
This book was (not) for me.
This book is 230 pages of no storyline, random snippets and chapters of random things that are not needed. The ending was absolutely terrible and full of nothing.
There were so many grammatical errors in this book. I have a 2025 print book, you can’t tell me that for 9 years people have been reading and proofreading this book and missed all of these mistakes?!?!
The entire book felt like it was being described in edgy rainbows and glitter. What was the authors obsession with glitter? And what the hell is glitter bombing?
The characters are dull and predictable.
The only thing that was not predictable was the fact that Tom was asexual and this was briefly explored in the book. I do not feel that this book dealt with the challenges that someone who is asexual may encounter in their relationships with people.
The end worked out for everyone but ended up in a thruple? Tom went off to be homeless (by choice). Ramona went into music and Sam was the smart one who wanted to build an actual career for himself. The end.
Don’t bother reading this book. Save your money, time and shelf space.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2016
I received this e-arc on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Months ago when I first requested this book on NetGalley I started, like I always do when writing reviews, writing down notes as I was reading to make sure I remembered what I wanted to write in my review. Looking back on it now, all I managed to write was:
'Ramona is one of those quirky girls who so rarely exist in real life but so often exist in YA novels'.
I'm quite proud of that line. It sums up most of how I feel of the 51% of the book I managed to read. Months later, and after multiple re-attempts, I have come to the decision to give up on this book. In many ways I am therefore not a good judge of how good this book is, seeing as a major plot twist may have happened, and probably did, after I gave up. This review is shakey to say the least.
The book follows Ramona, who like I said before, is THE manic pixie girl of so many YA novels, some kind of combination of Luna Lovegood's ditzy-ness and a massive kick of Rose Hathaway's teenage rebellion, a dash of angst and some black eyeliner for good measure, and you have this main character down pat.
There are two guys too, at this point I can't remember their names (Sam and someone else...) but they seemed generic enough too. One was the best friend, the other an aloof newcomer. Together the three form a band. Both boys are struck by Ramona's amazing ability to flit along and always be cool and above it all. And thats pretty much all that had happened when I gave it all up.
I felt like I had read this book a million times- on Wattpad of all places. It's that kind of story, it seems like the writer was writing about an idolised version of herself, apart from her selfishness Ramona had no faults at all. The book flitted between all the main players point of views, which I have no problem with, but its execution was amateurish. I picked this up because I used to love books about band; this definitely fell short of the mark.
I've given this 1 stars. I have been quite harsh, and I feel bad that I never got to the end. I hope the issues I had with the book were resolved by then, but I couldn't make it to see.
If you want a good YA band novel, check out Guitar Girl by Sara Manning, and skip this one.
Months ago when I first requested this book on NetGalley I started, like I always do when writing reviews, writing down notes as I was reading to make sure I remembered what I wanted to write in my review. Looking back on it now, all I managed to write was:
'Ramona is one of those quirky girls who so rarely exist in real life but so often exist in YA novels'.
I'm quite proud of that line. It sums up most of how I feel of the 51% of the book I managed to read. Months later, and after multiple re-attempts, I have come to the decision to give up on this book. In many ways I am therefore not a good judge of how good this book is, seeing as a major plot twist may have happened, and probably did, after I gave up. This review is shakey to say the least.
The book follows Ramona, who like I said before, is THE manic pixie girl of so many YA novels, some kind of combination of Luna Lovegood's ditzy-ness and a massive kick of Rose Hathaway's teenage rebellion, a dash of angst and some black eyeliner for good measure, and you have this main character down pat.
There are two guys too, at this point I can't remember their names (Sam and someone else...) but they seemed generic enough too. One was the best friend, the other an aloof newcomer. Together the three form a band. Both boys are struck by Ramona's amazing ability to flit along and always be cool and above it all. And thats pretty much all that had happened when I gave it all up.
I felt like I had read this book a million times- on Wattpad of all places. It's that kind of story, it seems like the writer was writing about an idolised version of herself, apart from her selfishness Ramona had no faults at all. The book flitted between all the main players point of views, which I have no problem with, but its execution was amateurish. I picked this up because I used to love books about band; this definitely fell short of the mark.
I've given this 1 stars. I have been quite harsh, and I feel bad that I never got to the end. I hope the issues I had with the book were resolved by then, but I couldn't make it to see.
If you want a good YA band novel, check out Guitar Girl by Sara Manning, and skip this one.
March 8, 2025
I have mixed feelings about this. The story was kinda meh but I wasn't bored at all well reading. It wasn't a bad book, I enjoyed it, but the story wasn't very good.
Idk.
Idk.
January 1, 2016
My original review of this title can be found
here
on The Book Hookup.
**SPECIAL NOTE:** An eARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 2.5-3 stars! It's been weeks since I've read this book and I'm still not quite sure how I felt about it. It was...slightly weird--sometimes even good weird--and I'm not really able to formulate my thoughts into something that's review-worthy, to be honest. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, and had some pretty great quotes and ideals worth sharing, but overall left me feeling generally indifferent about it all.
♥ The Lowdown: Ramona and Sam are best friends and bandmates, but also secretly in love with one another. When they find their missing sound in oddball artist, Tom, everything seems to be looking up for this duo. But then Ramona starts falling for Tom while she's still in love with Sam, and Tom loves Sam and Ramona, but has zero sexual interest in either and everything is suddenly...weird. But when the group has a major communication breakthrough, they manage to find a rhythm that suits their personal interests, the group's interest, and romantic interest all in one go that creates a perfect harmony and a satisfying ending.
♥ Review: I've spent the better part of a couple of weeks trying to untangle all the opinions in my head when it came to this book, and I still don't feel like I've successfully managed them at this point either, but I'm going to give it an honest-to-goodness go. In the beginning, I found it rather difficult to connect to the characters. The pacing was slow-going and each of the characters felt almost caricature-like and very one note: Romana was always hyper and cheerful, Sam was super pensive, and Tom appeared to be quiet despondent. For it to have been written in alternating first person POV between all three main characters, I felt a general lack of varying "voice" between them all. However, over time and as the story progressed, allowing their stories to finally intersect more, I came to appreciate the uniqueness of each character and the differences they brought to the story. I also enjoyed all the musicality that the story had in it, but I'd imagine for those that aren't aware of certain music elements or those that don't care to go in-depth about it will find it difficult to trudge through, even skim-worthy at some times because music seems to be at the heart of who these kids are. I also respected the way the author decided to handle the ending, and while it felt a little open, I can see the need for it to happen this way in this situation.
The biggest reason I feel like people need to read this book is because of Tom. He was the first asexual character I've read about, and while I would have loved to have delved into his character a little more, I liked the brief explorations into his mind when dealing with his sexual desires--or lack thereof--arose. I almost wish the author would have spent a little more time on this particular aspect, but seeing that sex didn't necessarily interest him that much, I can see why it wasn't in his thoughts a little more.
-♥-
♥ Rec it? Maybe. Certain elements in this book give me the perfect reason to push this on others (namely Tom and his asexuality), but other reasons (love triangle-y bits and music music everywhere!) make me a little more hesitant to tell people to jump on it. Mostly, I appreciate that with the setup, it could have been drama overload, but it was relatively light and ended on a good note (heh, see what I did there?).
Mostly I appreciated this book because it once again reminded me that love isn't quantifiable or can't be shoved into some tidy label, nor does it look or feel the same to everyone. We're all different with our own unique experiences, and that means that love is going to be expressed and accepted differently by each individual in our own way.
♥ A very special thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
**SPECIAL NOTE:** An eARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 2.5-3 stars! It's been weeks since I've read this book and I'm still not quite sure how I felt about it. It was...slightly weird--sometimes even good weird--and I'm not really able to formulate my thoughts into something that's review-worthy, to be honest. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, and had some pretty great quotes and ideals worth sharing, but overall left me feeling generally indifferent about it all.
♥ The Lowdown: Ramona and Sam are best friends and bandmates, but also secretly in love with one another. When they find their missing sound in oddball artist, Tom, everything seems to be looking up for this duo. But then Ramona starts falling for Tom while she's still in love with Sam, and Tom loves Sam and Ramona, but has zero sexual interest in either and everything is suddenly...weird. But when the group has a major communication breakthrough, they manage to find a rhythm that suits their personal interests, the group's interest, and romantic interest all in one go that creates a perfect harmony and a satisfying ending.
I am in love. With Tom. And with Sam, who I knew was my Sam as soon as I met him.
Some people don't think this could be true.
But I do.
I am.
I love.
~quote taken from the eARC of This Song is (Not) for You at 59%
♥ Review: I've spent the better part of a couple of weeks trying to untangle all the opinions in my head when it came to this book, and I still don't feel like I've successfully managed them at this point either, but I'm going to give it an honest-to-goodness go. In the beginning, I found it rather difficult to connect to the characters. The pacing was slow-going and each of the characters felt almost caricature-like and very one note: Romana was always hyper and cheerful, Sam was super pensive, and Tom appeared to be quiet despondent. For it to have been written in alternating first person POV between all three main characters, I felt a general lack of varying "voice" between them all. However, over time and as the story progressed, allowing their stories to finally intersect more, I came to appreciate the uniqueness of each character and the differences they brought to the story. I also enjoyed all the musicality that the story had in it, but I'd imagine for those that aren't aware of certain music elements or those that don't care to go in-depth about it will find it difficult to trudge through, even skim-worthy at some times because music seems to be at the heart of who these kids are. I also respected the way the author decided to handle the ending, and while it felt a little open, I can see the need for it to happen this way in this situation.
The biggest reason I feel like people need to read this book is because of Tom. He was the first asexual character I've read about, and while I would have loved to have delved into his character a little more, I liked the brief explorations into his mind when dealing with his sexual desires--or lack thereof--arose. I almost wish the author would have spent a little more time on this particular aspect, but seeing that sex didn't necessarily interest him that much, I can see why it wasn't in his thoughts a little more.
"I'm not gay. I'm not straight. I just don't really care about sex."
"You don't care. About sex." She said it like I'd said I didn't care about curing cancer.
"I don't know why," I said. I tried to gather together my years of puzzling over this and lay it all before her. "I just never developed this obsession with sex that everyone else has. It's never interested me, and it just seems to cause everyone else a lot of trouble. I love you, Sara. I think you're so smart and beautiful, and I love being with you. I just don't want to have sex with you."
~quote taken from the eARC of This Song is (Not) for You at 45%
-♥-
I have a lot of love in my life. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.
I don't know why I don't feel sexual urges, but I don't.
I didn't have anything horrible happen to me as a child.
I've told a doctor and been checked out. Nothing's wrong with me.
Except that something must be wrong, right?
Right?
So I should try to be with Ramona in the way she wants. I should try to feel sexual desire. Maybe it's like a muscle that can be exercised. Maybe I can be jump-started, and then I'll still be me, but I'll have this thing that everyone else feels.
~quote taken from the eARC of This Song is (Not) for You at 55%
♥ Rec it? Maybe. Certain elements in this book give me the perfect reason to push this on others (namely Tom and his asexuality), but other reasons (love triangle-y bits and music music everywhere!) make me a little more hesitant to tell people to jump on it. Mostly, I appreciate that with the setup, it could have been drama overload, but it was relatively light and ended on a good note (heh, see what I did there?).
Mostly I appreciated this book because it once again reminded me that love isn't quantifiable or can't be shoved into some tidy label, nor does it look or feel the same to everyone. We're all different with our own unique experiences, and that means that love is going to be expressed and accepted differently by each individual in our own way.
I love how they laugh together. I love how Tom is able to get mellow, dreamy Sam excited. I love making music with them in pairs and as a trio. I love listening to them as they make music together. I love how Sam can get hyper Tom to stop and think, just like he can with me. I love it when they tease me together.
I love them. Their friendship is at the center of my mind's maze, and their love is the highest-flying banner on my heart. Loving one does not take love away from the other. There isn't a limit to the amount of love I can feel.
There isn't a limit to how much I can love, and this knowledge makes me want to fly. Lying here on the couch, I feel as if I could lift off and away. The boys laugh and grin at each other.
This love makes me want to love everyone more. Everyone."
~quote taken from the eARC of This Song is (Not) for You at 74%
♥ A very special thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
December 22, 2015
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Okay, so, I read the synopsis of this book and thought, "Ooh look, a book with a love triangle!" I have nothing against love triangles, in fact, if written well, most of them are right up my alley! So when I got accepted for this book on NG, let's just say... I immediately delved into it. The love triangle totally turned out to be more than what I expected, which I'll be discussing below.
I started reading this book at 11 pm and finished at 2 am even though that was a TERRIBLE decision considering the fact that I had school in three hours. Like, I didn't even notice the book go by - not once did I check which page I was on! That's how much I enjoyed this book.
Each character had such a unique & distinctive voice and the POVs alternatively switched between the three of them in a very well-paced manner. This pleased me... a lot! Also, the characters' personalities were amazing! Their evolution throughout the story was definitively something to read. Ramona was cheerful and quirky, Sam was adorable and soft-spoken, and Tom was just such a driven character!
This book turned out to be more than just a love triangle, I won't be spoiling, but there was such a positive outlook on so many things! The relationships, the experimental music...etc. There are many small and realistic life lessons hidden within the book, and many of them really resounded through me.
Part of what made this book such an enjoyable page-turner is the writing itself. The prose was beautiful and the metaphors had me rereading half the paragraphs again. The descriptions were flawless & flowed smoothly; they effortlessly allowed the reader to get an idea of what's going on without being excessive. It was just fantastic.
Overall, this was such a refreshing change from other books in the genre. This book had such a positive outlook of many things in life not usually reflected in typical YA books such as high school, relationships, and love. If you like reading atypical YA Contemporary books, then this book is for you. (Haha, that was accidental, but I'll go with it.)
Okay, so, I read the synopsis of this book and thought, "Ooh look, a book with a love triangle!" I have nothing against love triangles, in fact, if written well, most of them are right up my alley! So when I got accepted for this book on NG, let's just say... I immediately delved into it. The love triangle totally turned out to be more than what I expected, which I'll be discussing below.
I started reading this book at 11 pm and finished at 2 am even though that was a TERRIBLE decision considering the fact that I had school in three hours. Like, I didn't even notice the book go by - not once did I check which page I was on! That's how much I enjoyed this book.
Each character had such a unique & distinctive voice and the POVs alternatively switched between the three of them in a very well-paced manner. This pleased me... a lot! Also, the characters' personalities were amazing! Their evolution throughout the story was definitively something to read. Ramona was cheerful and quirky, Sam was adorable and soft-spoken, and Tom was just such a driven character!
This book turned out to be more than just a love triangle, I won't be spoiling, but there was such a positive outlook on so many things! The relationships, the experimental music...etc. There are many small and realistic life lessons hidden within the book, and many of them really resounded through me.
Part of what made this book such an enjoyable page-turner is the writing itself. The prose was beautiful and the metaphors had me rereading half the paragraphs again. The descriptions were flawless & flowed smoothly; they effortlessly allowed the reader to get an idea of what's going on without being excessive. It was just fantastic.
Overall, this was such a refreshing change from other books in the genre. This book had such a positive outlook of many things in life not usually reflected in typical YA books such as high school, relationships, and love. If you like reading atypical YA Contemporary books, then this book is for you. (Haha, that was accidental, but I'll go with it.)
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