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Notes from Boston #2
Nightsong
Nate Kingsley is a master at messing up. Out of jealousy, he outed his best friend in a public and embarrassing way. Now he’s doing his best to make up for his crimes, but it’s left him empty and frustrated, unfulfilled even by his career as an opera singer and creative director. He enters an unsatisfying relationship he keeps hidden from his closest friends. When that ends on a disappointing note, he seeks solace in his crush on one of the drag queens performing at his favorite club.
Izzy Kaplan is an EMT by day, a drag queen named TaTa Latke by night. He hasn’t been in a relationship since his divorce from his wife, despite the best efforts of his mothers and his work partner. He avoids their suggestions in favor of attending the opera alone to see the gorgeous baritone who’s caught his eye. He knows it’s just a fantasy, but it’s easier than starting over.
A charity performance to benefit a local youth shelter and clinic puts them in each other’s lives in an unexpected way. They begin to emerge from their relationship disasters, slowly building trust. But unknown to themselves or each other, they are facing separate health crises that might be enough to send them both running the opposite way. It will take drawing on the love and strength of their friends and families to bring them back together again.
Notes from Boston is a series about four friends navigating the ups and downs of life, relationships, and their music careers in the historic city. Book Two follows Nate in the aftermath of Trevor Davidson’s messy coming out as a bisexual Christian singer in Notes From Boston #1: Anthem.
Izzy Kaplan is an EMT by day, a drag queen named TaTa Latke by night. He hasn’t been in a relationship since his divorce from his wife, despite the best efforts of his mothers and his work partner. He avoids their suggestions in favor of attending the opera alone to see the gorgeous baritone who’s caught his eye. He knows it’s just a fantasy, but it’s easier than starting over.
A charity performance to benefit a local youth shelter and clinic puts them in each other’s lives in an unexpected way. They begin to emerge from their relationship disasters, slowly building trust. But unknown to themselves or each other, they are facing separate health crises that might be enough to send them both running the opposite way. It will take drawing on the love and strength of their friends and families to bring them back together again.
Notes from Boston is a series about four friends navigating the ups and downs of life, relationships, and their music careers in the historic city. Book Two follows Nate in the aftermath of Trevor Davidson’s messy coming out as a bisexual Christian singer in Notes From Boston #1: Anthem.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2017
20 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Leibowitz
40 books64 followersAuthor. Editor. Spouse, parent, queer, feminist, reader, and writer falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum. Agnostic Christian offering commentary on faith, culture, and writing. Read more: http://amleibowitz.com/about-me/
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 15, 2017
4.5 stars
I loved so many things about this story, I’m not sure where to start. Actually that’s not true. What I loved the most was the fully fleshed out cast of characters. Nate is a complex man, still reeling from his unrequited crush on his best friend, Trevor. Enter alluring Drag queen Tata, aka Izzy, and this story really takes off.
Early on, Nate hooks up with his ex, Rocco, a man I wanted to punch in the nuts for more reasons than I can say without spoilers.
I loved the diversity of genders and couplings for want of a better word. I love, love, loved the way the story portrayed bisexuality and what it’s like for a person to be attracted to both men and women.
The relationship between Trevor, Andre, and Marte certainly reiterates love comes in all forms, and sometimes that involves a love triangle. The birth of baby Aiden was a nice touch and lightened a story that delved into some heavy topics.
The story took an emotional toll on me, and stayed with me for long after I turned the last page.
To summarize – this story touches on many issues; HIV, MS, friendship, three-way relationships, domestic abuse, family issues, and even a dash of religion.
Copy generously provided by the publisher, Supposed Crimes.
I loved so many things about this story, I’m not sure where to start. Actually that’s not true. What I loved the most was the fully fleshed out cast of characters. Nate is a complex man, still reeling from his unrequited crush on his best friend, Trevor. Enter alluring Drag queen Tata, aka Izzy, and this story really takes off.
Early on, Nate hooks up with his ex, Rocco, a man I wanted to punch in the nuts for more reasons than I can say without spoilers.
I loved the diversity of genders and couplings for want of a better word. I love, love, loved the way the story portrayed bisexuality and what it’s like for a person to be attracted to both men and women.
The relationship between Trevor, Andre, and Marte certainly reiterates love comes in all forms, and sometimes that involves a love triangle. The birth of baby Aiden was a nice touch and lightened a story that delved into some heavy topics.
The story took an emotional toll on me, and stayed with me for long after I turned the last page.
To summarize – this story touches on many issues; HIV, MS, friendship, three-way relationships, domestic abuse, family issues, and even a dash of religion.
Copy generously provided by the publisher, Supposed Crimes.
May 1, 2017
If you've read the first book in this series, you'll remember Nate.
I disliked him intensely in the first book after he cowardly outed Trevor out of jealousy and spite, and I wasn't quite sure that the author would find a way to redeem him.
I should've had more faith.
Nate Kingsley is a rather complex character, someone who has patched his wounds with band-aids, and whose self-esteem issues are rooted in past heartbreak. He's lost, so lost, when this book begins, because he misses Trevor's friendship, and he doesn't know how to apologize and how to make up for what he did. His cowardly actions are haunting him, and he's unhappy but doesn't know how to fix what he broke.
Not even his work can pull him out of the doldrums, and in his loneliness, floundering without the friend he hurt so badly, he again makes a huge mistake that costs him dearly later on in the book.
Izzy Kaplan is an EMT whose drag queen alter ego, TaTa Latke, has caught Nate's eye. Unbeknownst to Nate, Izzy harbors a similar crush for him. Izzy has trust issues, much like Nate, and he keeps parts of himself hidden from view. He has reasons, of course, even if those reasons perhaps only make sense to him. He realizes that something is going on with him, but doesn't want to deal with it, and thus makes like an ostrich - head in the sand.
I really loved how this book showcased the variety of the rainbow, and how non-judgmental the author handles all the different flavors of sexuality and gender identity. While the characters may favor one over the other, it's always very clear that this isn't what the author believes to be true. This was similar to the first book, and we get to visit with Trevor, Andre, and Marte again in this book.
What also stands out is that both MCs hide their true selves from their friends, at least for a long while, and that they both learn to be more open by the end. Both are dealing with some devastating health issues, and trusting each other, and their friends, is a hard-won battle.
There's a ton of angst inside, some of it external to the relationship, and some of it self-induced, but none of it ever felt unreasonable. Both Nate and Izzy have their own personal demons to slay, and they both still have some important lessons to learn. The book touches on some really heavy yet important topics and handles them with sensitivity and honesty, without becoming preachy.
The romance is really subdued here and takes quite some time to develop and then come to fruition, but that also made sense within the overall time line. Neither Nate nor Izzy are ready to confront their demons early on, and a more rapid development would likely have sent them to crash and burn. The author includes intimate scenes, but none of them felt superfluous or gratuitous, and all were furthering the plot. While I would classify this as a romance (because there is a happy ending for Nate and Izzy), it's actually a lot more than that. It's a character study of two rather flawed and often frustrating men, who find exactly what they were looking for when they didn't even realize they were looking for it.
This book could be read as a standalone, but probably shouldn't, as it's built on the events of the first book, and a reader is better served knowing the history between Nate and Trevor, which is one of the main catalysts for Nate changing himself in this book.
By the way, I wanted to junk-punch Rocco. Repeatedly. Once you've read this book, you'll know why.
This isn't your typical M/M romance fare, and I was glad for it.
Highly recommended.
** I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
I disliked him intensely in the first book after he cowardly outed Trevor out of jealousy and spite, and I wasn't quite sure that the author would find a way to redeem him.
I should've had more faith.
Nate Kingsley is a rather complex character, someone who has patched his wounds with band-aids, and whose self-esteem issues are rooted in past heartbreak. He's lost, so lost, when this book begins, because he misses Trevor's friendship, and he doesn't know how to apologize and how to make up for what he did. His cowardly actions are haunting him, and he's unhappy but doesn't know how to fix what he broke.
Not even his work can pull him out of the doldrums, and in his loneliness, floundering without the friend he hurt so badly, he again makes a huge mistake that costs him dearly later on in the book.
Izzy Kaplan is an EMT whose drag queen alter ego, TaTa Latke, has caught Nate's eye. Unbeknownst to Nate, Izzy harbors a similar crush for him. Izzy has trust issues, much like Nate, and he keeps parts of himself hidden from view. He has reasons, of course, even if those reasons perhaps only make sense to him. He realizes that something is going on with him, but doesn't want to deal with it, and thus makes like an ostrich - head in the sand.
I really loved how this book showcased the variety of the rainbow, and how non-judgmental the author handles all the different flavors of sexuality and gender identity. While the characters may favor one over the other, it's always very clear that this isn't what the author believes to be true. This was similar to the first book, and we get to visit with Trevor, Andre, and Marte again in this book.
What also stands out is that both MCs hide their true selves from their friends, at least for a long while, and that they both learn to be more open by the end. Both are dealing with some devastating health issues, and trusting each other, and their friends, is a hard-won battle.
There's a ton of angst inside, some of it external to the relationship, and some of it self-induced, but none of it ever felt unreasonable. Both Nate and Izzy have their own personal demons to slay, and they both still have some important lessons to learn. The book touches on some really heavy yet important topics and handles them with sensitivity and honesty, without becoming preachy.
The romance is really subdued here and takes quite some time to develop and then come to fruition, but that also made sense within the overall time line. Neither Nate nor Izzy are ready to confront their demons early on, and a more rapid development would likely have sent them to crash and burn. The author includes intimate scenes, but none of them felt superfluous or gratuitous, and all were furthering the plot. While I would classify this as a romance (because there is a happy ending for Nate and Izzy), it's actually a lot more than that. It's a character study of two rather flawed and often frustrating men, who find exactly what they were looking for when they didn't even realize they were looking for it.
This book could be read as a standalone, but probably shouldn't, as it's built on the events of the first book, and a reader is better served knowing the history between Nate and Trevor, which is one of the main catalysts for Nate changing himself in this book.
By the way, I wanted to junk-punch Rocco. Repeatedly. Once you've read this book, you'll know why.
This isn't your typical M/M romance fare, and I was glad for it.
Highly recommended.
** I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
May 12, 2017
I found "Nightsong" to be, at times, an emotional read, with characters who experience the trials and tribulations of complex relationships to which nearly everyone can relate. Some characters in the novel have annoying personalities and make regretful decisions (like Nate), but that is a reality in life. We don't always enjoy the dynamics of living with roommates, no matter the situation.
Drama seems to envelop this particular group of friends like a dark cloud (almost too much drama to believe), and the author unfolds the various details about each character. Sometimes the details are revealed quickly, and other times in the book it takes a while to get to the depth of the person.
The sex scenes are the most detailed scenes in the book, being vivid and arousing. They gave me the best visual interpretation of Nate and Izzy, specifically. I had to let my imagination work a little harder to form a visual picture of the other characters. This book focused quite a bit on Nate, and I would like to see the perspectives of some of the other characters, like Trevor, in the next part of the series. The setting is Boston, a city in which I have lived and loved, and I would have enjoyed more integration into that setting to help me feel a little nostalgia.
Even though I haven't read the first book in this series, "Anthem," I didn't feel like I missed any details about the circle of friends' pasts, and it's readable on its own. However, I may have felt a little more engagement and connection with the main characters if I had read "Anthem" prior to "Nightsong." I look forward to reading more of A.M. Leibowitz's works.
Drama seems to envelop this particular group of friends like a dark cloud (almost too much drama to believe), and the author unfolds the various details about each character. Sometimes the details are revealed quickly, and other times in the book it takes a while to get to the depth of the person.
The sex scenes are the most detailed scenes in the book, being vivid and arousing. They gave me the best visual interpretation of Nate and Izzy, specifically. I had to let my imagination work a little harder to form a visual picture of the other characters. This book focused quite a bit on Nate, and I would like to see the perspectives of some of the other characters, like Trevor, in the next part of the series. The setting is Boston, a city in which I have lived and loved, and I would have enjoyed more integration into that setting to help me feel a little nostalgia.
Even though I haven't read the first book in this series, "Anthem," I didn't feel like I missed any details about the circle of friends' pasts, and it's readable on its own. However, I may have felt a little more engagement and connection with the main characters if I had read "Anthem" prior to "Nightsong." I look forward to reading more of A.M. Leibowitz's works.
May 1, 2017
Nightsong by A.M. Leibowitz is the stunning second instalment in Notes from Boston - a series that is LGBTQIA fiction at its finest. The stories revolve around a central core of characters, touching on their relationships with family and friends, their work, religion, love, romance, health, day-to-day challenges...you know, all that life stuff.
I read Nightsong - book two - first, which is not something I usually do. Indeed, my preference for reading series in order used to be so strong I wouldn't dream of reading a later instalment before the first one, and I'd avoid the blurbs for future books because they always contained spoilers.
Given how difficult it is to write spoiler-free sequel blurbs, it seems impossible that an author could write a sequel that is almost free of spoilers, but some can, and do. One such author who does this brilliantly is A.M. Leibowitz.
It is intentional on the author's part, and whilst it could, potentially, lead to gaps in readers' knowledge of past events, this is not the case with Notes from Boston, as each instalment focuses on specific characters. There are some longer story arcs relating to those past events, but having incomplete knowledge of these only makes it more real. We don't know the past of new friends; it's something that is slowly and incompletely revealed to us, shaped by our mutual acquaintances, how much the friend wishes to share, our own perceptions, context, and so on.
With Notes from Boston, I've discovered this is a bit like getting two for the price of one. I read Nightsong and formed some fairly strong opinions about some of the characters (Nate and Trevor in particular). Then I read Anthem (book one), and my thoughts and feelings shifted. I fell in love with Andre, who was a bit different from how Nate painted him in Nightsong. I also felt a bit less blah about Trevor, although I think I could probably forgive Nate for anything. Revisiting Nightsong, post-Anthem, is like shifting from camera one to camera two - it's a lot of fun!
Unsurprisingly (considering the series and book titles, and the characters' professions), there is a musical quality to the narrative. It's subtle and clever, with slight shifts in sentence structure and word choice - particularly in the more emotional/intimate scenes - that are like dynamics marked on a musical score. Whether this is a conscious device or the author's unconscious magic at work, I don't know, but there is nothing accidental in this novel. Every thread leads somewhere, and it all culminates in a grand crescendo.
The cast of characters is diverse, and many forms of relationship are reflected; it is a wonderful thing to see this represented/celebrated in fiction. Nor does the author shy away from writing about life's challenges, which again, brings a sense of reality to this fictional world. It's also there in the intricacies of the relationships and in the dialogue, and how often I thought, 'yep, that's typical Mack' (or whoever).
I love reading book series. I'm one of those readers who go for total immersion in a fictional world, and if the author gets it right, the book hangover is awful. But if I know there's more to come, that lessens the blow somewhat; I can keep hold of those characters and the relationship we've established, imagine we've shared a vacation together, and start planning the next one.
And there is a next one (at the very least). Until then, I'll be staving off my Notes from Boston craving with the snippets on A.M. Leibowitz's blog.
I read Nightsong - book two - first, which is not something I usually do. Indeed, my preference for reading series in order used to be so strong I wouldn't dream of reading a later instalment before the first one, and I'd avoid the blurbs for future books because they always contained spoilers.
Given how difficult it is to write spoiler-free sequel blurbs, it seems impossible that an author could write a sequel that is almost free of spoilers, but some can, and do. One such author who does this brilliantly is A.M. Leibowitz.
It is intentional on the author's part, and whilst it could, potentially, lead to gaps in readers' knowledge of past events, this is not the case with Notes from Boston, as each instalment focuses on specific characters. There are some longer story arcs relating to those past events, but having incomplete knowledge of these only makes it more real. We don't know the past of new friends; it's something that is slowly and incompletely revealed to us, shaped by our mutual acquaintances, how much the friend wishes to share, our own perceptions, context, and so on.
With Notes from Boston, I've discovered this is a bit like getting two for the price of one. I read Nightsong and formed some fairly strong opinions about some of the characters (Nate and Trevor in particular). Then I read Anthem (book one), and my thoughts and feelings shifted. I fell in love with Andre, who was a bit different from how Nate painted him in Nightsong. I also felt a bit less blah about Trevor, although I think I could probably forgive Nate for anything. Revisiting Nightsong, post-Anthem, is like shifting from camera one to camera two - it's a lot of fun!
Unsurprisingly (considering the series and book titles, and the characters' professions), there is a musical quality to the narrative. It's subtle and clever, with slight shifts in sentence structure and word choice - particularly in the more emotional/intimate scenes - that are like dynamics marked on a musical score. Whether this is a conscious device or the author's unconscious magic at work, I don't know, but there is nothing accidental in this novel. Every thread leads somewhere, and it all culminates in a grand crescendo.
The cast of characters is diverse, and many forms of relationship are reflected; it is a wonderful thing to see this represented/celebrated in fiction. Nor does the author shy away from writing about life's challenges, which again, brings a sense of reality to this fictional world. It's also there in the intricacies of the relationships and in the dialogue, and how often I thought, 'yep, that's typical Mack' (or whoever).
I love reading book series. I'm one of those readers who go for total immersion in a fictional world, and if the author gets it right, the book hangover is awful. But if I know there's more to come, that lessens the blow somewhat; I can keep hold of those characters and the relationship we've established, imagine we've shared a vacation together, and start planning the next one.
And there is a next one (at the very least). Until then, I'll be staving off my Notes from Boston craving with the snippets on A.M. Leibowitz's blog.
April 6, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:
This was an enjoyable yet frustrating story. Both characters seem to not want to admit what they want to others let alone to themselves while not seeking the support they both need. They seem so absorbed in their own issues they have trouble seeing past themselves.
Nate doesn’t know what to do now that he has alienated his best friend and while he wants to heal that relationship he continues to be jealous and confused over his friend’s life and relationships. Izzy has pretty much lived his life in limbo since his divorce and hasn’t moved forward which isn’t helped by his constant reminder from his mother and his ex-wife on how her life has moved on. Both of them have shocking news that could break their budding relationship if they aren’t willing to try.
We get to see both of these characters’ points of view, which helped to understand their actions and feelings even if they frustrated me. Nate keeps himself closed off from pretty much everyone; even his best friend doesn’t really know the real Nate. Izzy has just continued his life without seeking out any change and while his best friend can read him like a book he avoids talking or admitting the truth. I was happy that in the end they found what they were looking for even if there are some big bumps along the way. This book was presented as part of a series but able to be read as a stand-alone, I’m not sure that is completely accurate and felt that I was missing a bit for awhile and the characters from the first story are important in this one.
Cover art is wonderful and gives a good background to the story.
This was an enjoyable yet frustrating story. Both characters seem to not want to admit what they want to others let alone to themselves while not seeking the support they both need. They seem so absorbed in their own issues they have trouble seeing past themselves.
Nate doesn’t know what to do now that he has alienated his best friend and while he wants to heal that relationship he continues to be jealous and confused over his friend’s life and relationships. Izzy has pretty much lived his life in limbo since his divorce and hasn’t moved forward which isn’t helped by his constant reminder from his mother and his ex-wife on how her life has moved on. Both of them have shocking news that could break their budding relationship if they aren’t willing to try.
We get to see both of these characters’ points of view, which helped to understand their actions and feelings even if they frustrated me. Nate keeps himself closed off from pretty much everyone; even his best friend doesn’t really know the real Nate. Izzy has just continued his life without seeking out any change and while his best friend can read him like a book he avoids talking or admitting the truth. I was happy that in the end they found what they were looking for even if there are some big bumps along the way. This book was presented as part of a series but able to be read as a stand-alone, I’m not sure that is completely accurate and felt that I was missing a bit for awhile and the characters from the first story are important in this one.
Cover art is wonderful and gives a good background to the story.
June 30, 2017
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
I truly enjoyed this story. I didn’t read the first book in this series and was never confused or lost. I did feel like I was thrown in the deep end at first because of the amount of friends involved in the story and I had to play catch up to learn who was who and dating who else. That initial learning curve was quick though and I enjoyed seeing all of the friends involved in the story. The journey Nate and Izzy go on to be together was lovely. Many of Ms. Leibowitz’s books have a relationship in the story that isn’t the end couple. However the relationship always has a purpose for the story and the character. Here, Nate’s short lived fling before getting together with Izzy has him learning how own self value and some other lessons along the way.
Nate struggled with himself. He had to overcome his own inner demons before he could be ready for a relationship. Watching him work through the issue with his friend Trevor was so emotional. Nate felt with his whole self. He cared for his friends and wanted everyone around him to be happy and succeed. He also wanted to take relationships slowly. The scene where Nate finally felt comfortable enough to share his desires with Izzy was wonderful. Seeing him let go and enjoy was beautiful.
Izzy was a complex character. He has a full history that was completely fascinating. I loved all of his many facets. His drag persona was so much fun. He owned the stage when he was singing. His bouts of insecurities were different than Nate’s. His fears were just as vivid as Nate’s but came from a completely different place. Watching Izzy fall for Nate and then realize their road was decidedly more curved than they originally thought was amazing. I adored seeing Izzy fall for Nate.
Nate and Izzy were so good together. They had a bumpy road but they weathered it together. Both Nate and Izzy were surrounded by supportive friends and family. They leaned on each other when they needed it and enjoyed the times they had to themselves. Nate’s friends were amazing. I would love to know more about Jamie and to see him get a happy ending. There’s more going on there than we learn in this story. I liked how Nate and Trevor are able to move past their issues and rekindle their tight friendship. I adored Izzy’s friend Val. She didn’t take crap from anyone and had Izzy’s back unconditionally. There were a few times I didn’t think Nate and Izzy would get it together enough to become a couple. But they definitely got there and wound up so happy. They will continue to have a long road ahead of them. But they’re so in love and will work to keep each other happy as log as they live.
Four and a half stars!
I truly enjoyed this story. I didn’t read the first book in this series and was never confused or lost. I did feel like I was thrown in the deep end at first because of the amount of friends involved in the story and I had to play catch up to learn who was who and dating who else. That initial learning curve was quick though and I enjoyed seeing all of the friends involved in the story. The journey Nate and Izzy go on to be together was lovely. Many of Ms. Leibowitz’s books have a relationship in the story that isn’t the end couple. However the relationship always has a purpose for the story and the character. Here, Nate’s short lived fling before getting together with Izzy has him learning how own self value and some other lessons along the way.
Nate struggled with himself. He had to overcome his own inner demons before he could be ready for a relationship. Watching him work through the issue with his friend Trevor was so emotional. Nate felt with his whole self. He cared for his friends and wanted everyone around him to be happy and succeed. He also wanted to take relationships slowly. The scene where Nate finally felt comfortable enough to share his desires with Izzy was wonderful. Seeing him let go and enjoy was beautiful.
Izzy was a complex character. He has a full history that was completely fascinating. I loved all of his many facets. His drag persona was so much fun. He owned the stage when he was singing. His bouts of insecurities were different than Nate’s. His fears were just as vivid as Nate’s but came from a completely different place. Watching Izzy fall for Nate and then realize their road was decidedly more curved than they originally thought was amazing. I adored seeing Izzy fall for Nate.
Nate and Izzy were so good together. They had a bumpy road but they weathered it together. Both Nate and Izzy were surrounded by supportive friends and family. They leaned on each other when they needed it and enjoyed the times they had to themselves. Nate’s friends were amazing. I would love to know more about Jamie and to see him get a happy ending. There’s more going on there than we learn in this story. I liked how Nate and Trevor are able to move past their issues and rekindle their tight friendship. I adored Izzy’s friend Val. She didn’t take crap from anyone and had Izzy’s back unconditionally. There were a few times I didn’t think Nate and Izzy would get it together enough to become a couple. But they definitely got there and wound up so happy. They will continue to have a long road ahead of them. But they’re so in love and will work to keep each other happy as log as they live.
June 13, 2017
Nightsong (Notes from Boston #2) A.M. Leibowitz
This is a very sappy love story between Nate Kingsley and Israel -- Izzy -- Kaplan, two men who fall in love in spite of many obstacles presented to them. Nate Kingsley is a manager at Dyer Theater, an operatic company in Boston. Izzy Kaplan is an EMT who performs at a drag bar in Boston as Ms. Tata Latke.
The story is not well developed and the amount of drama is too large -- people in and out of relationships, going from heterosexual to gay relationships, getting fatal diagnoses, and falling in and out of love.
The story is narrated from the third person point of view from the two main protagonists, but every now and then it gets confusing. The characters are poorly developed -- names are dropped and you have a hard time to know who's who. It was very slow paced and at most times it was boring. The sex scenes were not erotic in any way and read like a bad soap opera.
If you're in for some sappy novel. without any relevance, feel free to read the book.
April 30, 2017
3.5 Stars
I have loved other A.M. Leibowitz books I’ve read, so I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, Nightsong didn’t quite work out for me.
I liked Izzy and Nate, but I think the author devoted too much page-time to the secondary characters and too little to Izzy and Nate’s relationship development. While their respective health issues were hinted at throughout the book, I felt like the resolution was too rushed and there were times when I just wanted to shake some sense into them both.
I guess, ultimately, I just wanted more. I think the book had potential, but there was too much going on and that diminished my enjoyment. That’s not to say that the book wasn’t well-written, because it was. It was emotional and intense in some parts, but it was a bit lacking in the romance department. I liked the friendship between Nate and his friends, though, that they were all there for him and him for them when they needed each other. I’m sure others might enjoy the book, it just wasn’t for me.
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
I have loved other A.M. Leibowitz books I’ve read, so I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, Nightsong didn’t quite work out for me.
I liked Izzy and Nate, but I think the author devoted too much page-time to the secondary characters and too little to Izzy and Nate’s relationship development. While their respective health issues were hinted at throughout the book, I felt like the resolution was too rushed and there were times when I just wanted to shake some sense into them both.
I guess, ultimately, I just wanted more. I think the book had potential, but there was too much going on and that diminished my enjoyment. That’s not to say that the book wasn’t well-written, because it was. It was emotional and intense in some parts, but it was a bit lacking in the romance department. I liked the friendship between Nate and his friends, though, that they were all there for him and him for them when they needed each other. I’m sure others might enjoy the book, it just wasn’t for me.
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
May 1, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Nightsong is the second book in A.M. Leibowitz’s Notes from Boston series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, as I did, I feel that I missed out on introductions to characters and their history together, which would have enhanced my enjoyment of Nightsong.
This is a relatively complex novel that not only follows the relationship between Nate and Izzy, but those that they have with their family and friends. In Izzy’s case, this is simpler because in his life there is really only Val, his co-worker and TaTa’s co-performer, and Eema and Ma Rose. This does not make them any less significant though and I really liked how Izzy’s mothers connect him to his religion. Judaism is important in Izzy’s life, but Leibowitz is able to bring the subject matter into Nightsong without making this a focus. For us, it just becomes a part of who Izzy is and I did not feel irritated by Leibowitz’s choice to incorporate religion into her story, as I sometimes do when authors approach the topic.
Nate has a very difficult relationship with his family and though I understand Leibowitz’s need to explore this, I also felt that the territory this draws us into is heavy and supplementary to the development of the plot.
Read Kirsty’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Nightsong is the second book in A.M. Leibowitz’s Notes from Boston series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, as I did, I feel that I missed out on introductions to characters and their history together, which would have enhanced my enjoyment of Nightsong.
This is a relatively complex novel that not only follows the relationship between Nate and Izzy, but those that they have with their family and friends. In Izzy’s case, this is simpler because in his life there is really only Val, his co-worker and TaTa’s co-performer, and Eema and Ma Rose. This does not make them any less significant though and I really liked how Izzy’s mothers connect him to his religion. Judaism is important in Izzy’s life, but Leibowitz is able to bring the subject matter into Nightsong without making this a focus. For us, it just becomes a part of who Izzy is and I did not feel irritated by Leibowitz’s choice to incorporate religion into her story, as I sometimes do when authors approach the topic.
Nate has a very difficult relationship with his family and though I understand Leibowitz’s need to explore this, I also felt that the territory this draws us into is heavy and supplementary to the development of the plot.
Read Kirsty’s review in its entirety here.
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