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Rock Star Superstar
Music is Pete's life. He's happiest when playing his Fender P-Bass. He doesn't care about prestige or getting girls; it's the quality of the music that matters. Then he meets the Carlisle brothers. They can't sing and they can barely play, but somehow they have a following. Pete can't resist, and he joins The Tiny Masters of Today.
When the band gets a chance at real stardom, Pete wonders if he's ready. He knows the music should come first... but who knew selling out could be so much fun?
When the band gets a chance at real stardom, Pete wonders if he's ready. He knows the music should come first... but who knew selling out could be so much fun?
229 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 23, 2004
6 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Blake Nelson
27 books402 followersBlake Nelson grew up in Portland, Oregon. He began his career writing short humor pieces for Details Magazine.
His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.
His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.
His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.
His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.
His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.
His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.
His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.
His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 13, 2018
This is a book about a kid named Peter McGrady. He plays the bass and is totally good at it. So good that he can play “So What?” by Miles Davis with his musician dad every night. His dad is a good guitarist and an alcoholic. His mom died of cancer when he was younger. The book makes you think these things will be explored. They never are.
Peter is 16 years old when the book begins. He is in high school, and he is in a cover band called "Mad Skillz". This book was published in the early 2000s, when every word ending with “s” used a “z” instead. So I guess it was the 2000z. Anyway, they’re okay but Peter gets asked to play in this band called “Tiny Masters of Today.” The guys running the band are older and totally amateur (according to Peter), but they have a raw power he can’t help but notice. Still, he thinks he is too good for them so he denies their requests. He denies them many many times because he is so good.
Meanwhile he meets with a girl named Margaret. She is kind of chubby and dresses weird, and Peter thinks she is totally a freak. She isn’t popular and she writes poetry. What a freak! She helps Peter buy shoes for a “Mad Skillz” gig and they start talking. Peter doesn’t like her. I mean, she’s a total freak right? How could he like her? Then Peter likes her. Then they make out and “do other stuff.” What does “do other stuff” mean? I don’t know, ask Peter.
“Mad Skillz” starts to lose itself. They start to sell out to an electronic sound but Peter only plays real music. So he quits and finally joins “Tiny Masters.” “Tiny Masters” starts getting big. Peter meets a lot of people who all talk the same way. I don’t remember any of their names. Then he has inane conversations with Margaret like this:
“Do you want to be boyfriend and girlfriend?” she asked.
“Do you?”
She nodded.
“Okay,” I said.
“But only if you want to,” she said.
“I want to.”
“Okay,” she said.
(P. 28)
Or this:
“So Lauren and Robert want to go ice-skating,” Margaret told me at lunch.
“Okay,” I said.
“Like on Friday.”
“We’re playing Blackbird on Friday.”
“How about Saturday?”
“Yeah, Saturday’s cool,” I said.
(P. 170)
This is how high schoolers talk. Apparently.
Then “Tiny Masters” starts getting popular. Peter keeps playing gigs. Then he says he’s in love with Margaret and they have sex for the first time. Then popular girls start to notice Peter and he talks about how insanely hot they are. Then he goes on tour with “Tiny Masters” and cheats on Margaret with a folksinger. Then he comes home and he and Margaret fight. Margaret’s parents don’t like him. Then they break up. But he loves her. So he misses her. Then he starts dating a girl who is more popular and more hot than Margaret. But she wants to have sex all the time so Peter isn’t into it.
Then he records an album with “Tiny Masters” and they go to L.A. to get famous. They play some shows and the record guys like them. But they want to work with the guitarist and singer, so the “Tiny Masters” break up. Then Peter meets his dad’s friend in L.A. He stays with her until he can go home. He plays video games with his dad’s friend’s daughter. Then he goes home. He didn’t get a recording contract, but he isn’t a sell out. He is all about the music. He has always been about the music. “Tiny Masters” was full of amateurs anyway. Then he meets up with Margaret. They stare into each other’s eyes. Then Peter looks forward to the future. Then The End.
Imagine reading an entire novel written like this. With sentence flow that stops and starts like this. Things happen, then other things happen, then other things happen. With no consequence, no build up, no resolution. People do things and then things happen. No one grows or changes. The situation doesn’t really change either. Things happen, but really nothing happens.
This was one of my favorite books in middle school. I thought it would be fun to re-read it. It was an interesting experience. I know why it sucks, but I also know why I liked it. When I was in middle school, this book was what I thought high school would be like. Playing in bands, drinking and partying, getting with girls, that was what high school was. Everyone still acted and talked like middle school kids, they just had more fun. That was what I assumed.
Peter is a self-centered asshole who thinks he is such a good musician that he is above most music. Peter also wants to make out and do other stuff with hot girls. He thinks being in love is the same as dating someone for awhile, and he will never sell out like an amateur. Middle-school-me loved this book because middle-school-me could slip himself into Peter’s character. This is one of those novels where the characters are empty shells and the reader fills them with their own experiences. And the reader can live out a fantasy People harp on Twilight for using this technique but Rock Star Superstar did it sooner. The internet only hates Twilight because girls liked it. The internet hates girls. I think middle-school-me hated girls too. But middle schoolers are jerks so who cares what they think?
Well the fantasy is over. This book doesn’t live up to my discerning adult standards. But I’m still bumping this up a star for old time’s sake. I wasn’t reading Kafka at age 13, but at least I was reading something.
Peter is 16 years old when the book begins. He is in high school, and he is in a cover band called "Mad Skillz". This book was published in the early 2000s, when every word ending with “s” used a “z” instead. So I guess it was the 2000z. Anyway, they’re okay but Peter gets asked to play in this band called “Tiny Masters of Today.” The guys running the band are older and totally amateur (according to Peter), but they have a raw power he can’t help but notice. Still, he thinks he is too good for them so he denies their requests. He denies them many many times because he is so good.
Meanwhile he meets with a girl named Margaret. She is kind of chubby and dresses weird, and Peter thinks she is totally a freak. She isn’t popular and she writes poetry. What a freak! She helps Peter buy shoes for a “Mad Skillz” gig and they start talking. Peter doesn’t like her. I mean, she’s a total freak right? How could he like her? Then Peter likes her. Then they make out and “do other stuff.” What does “do other stuff” mean? I don’t know, ask Peter.
“Mad Skillz” starts to lose itself. They start to sell out to an electronic sound but Peter only plays real music. So he quits and finally joins “Tiny Masters.” “Tiny Masters” starts getting big. Peter meets a lot of people who all talk the same way. I don’t remember any of their names. Then he has inane conversations with Margaret like this:
“Do you want to be boyfriend and girlfriend?” she asked.
“Do you?”
She nodded.
“Okay,” I said.
“But only if you want to,” she said.
“I want to.”
“Okay,” she said.
(P. 28)
Or this:
“So Lauren and Robert want to go ice-skating,” Margaret told me at lunch.
“Okay,” I said.
“Like on Friday.”
“We’re playing Blackbird on Friday.”
“How about Saturday?”
“Yeah, Saturday’s cool,” I said.
(P. 170)
This is how high schoolers talk. Apparently.
Then “Tiny Masters” starts getting popular. Peter keeps playing gigs. Then he says he’s in love with Margaret and they have sex for the first time. Then popular girls start to notice Peter and he talks about how insanely hot they are. Then he goes on tour with “Tiny Masters” and cheats on Margaret with a folksinger. Then he comes home and he and Margaret fight. Margaret’s parents don’t like him. Then they break up. But he loves her. So he misses her. Then he starts dating a girl who is more popular and more hot than Margaret. But she wants to have sex all the time so Peter isn’t into it.
Then he records an album with “Tiny Masters” and they go to L.A. to get famous. They play some shows and the record guys like them. But they want to work with the guitarist and singer, so the “Tiny Masters” break up. Then Peter meets his dad’s friend in L.A. He stays with her until he can go home. He plays video games with his dad’s friend’s daughter. Then he goes home. He didn’t get a recording contract, but he isn’t a sell out. He is all about the music. He has always been about the music. “Tiny Masters” was full of amateurs anyway. Then he meets up with Margaret. They stare into each other’s eyes. Then Peter looks forward to the future. Then The End.
Imagine reading an entire novel written like this. With sentence flow that stops and starts like this. Things happen, then other things happen, then other things happen. With no consequence, no build up, no resolution. People do things and then things happen. No one grows or changes. The situation doesn’t really change either. Things happen, but really nothing happens.
This was one of my favorite books in middle school. I thought it would be fun to re-read it. It was an interesting experience. I know why it sucks, but I also know why I liked it. When I was in middle school, this book was what I thought high school would be like. Playing in bands, drinking and partying, getting with girls, that was what high school was. Everyone still acted and talked like middle school kids, they just had more fun. That was what I assumed.
Peter is a self-centered asshole who thinks he is such a good musician that he is above most music. Peter also wants to make out and do other stuff with hot girls. He thinks being in love is the same as dating someone for awhile, and he will never sell out like an amateur. Middle-school-me loved this book because middle-school-me could slip himself into Peter’s character. This is one of those novels where the characters are empty shells and the reader fills them with their own experiences. And the reader can live out a fantasy People harp on Twilight for using this technique but Rock Star Superstar did it sooner. The internet only hates Twilight because girls liked it. The internet hates girls. I think middle-school-me hated girls too. But middle schoolers are jerks so who cares what they think?
Well the fantasy is over. This book doesn’t live up to my discerning adult standards. But I’m still bumping this up a star for old time’s sake. I wasn’t reading Kafka at age 13, but at least I was reading something.
February 6, 2015
If I have a pet peeve that gets me every single time, it is people who think they have no control over their lives and give off the impression that they are just totally swept away by events they had nothing to do with, and therefore they should not have to take any responsibility for their actions. Ugh ugh ugh. So this book is about a teenage boy who seems to only have opinions like, "your music is weird," and otherwise he gets led around by the nose and is kind of a dick. He gets a girlfriend because she asks him out, after he asks her some questions that he has "no choice" but to ask her because he can't stand up for himself and there is no one else to ask, and he doesn't like her or want to go out with her but he has "no choice," and then they make out and everything is great. He joins a band he doesn't like and isn't interested in because they ask him and he has no choice. Basically all his decisions are made because he has "no choice," and they turn out to have been the right decision all along, and that is really not the type of person I am interested in or enjoy reading about. In fact, that is the type of person I actively despise. So anyway. On top of that shit, the writing was really simplistic, even for a YA novel.
November 3, 2007
Blake Nelson's books have a remarkable authenticity. In this book, it's both the protagonist's voice and the setting (Portland's music scene) that seem authentic. His writing is sparse and precise. Anyone who plays an instrument will enjoy the lead character's "riffs" on being a musician and playing music. There's nothing overdone or overwrought about his books, which is so refreshing. We're never hammered over the head by any truths or revelations, yet they are there for the taking. There is drama but in his hands, it never has the feel of a soap opera or gossip. I just can't say enough about his writing style. I'm now a big fan of Blake Nelson.
September 1, 2016
Great book. Yes, I read too many rock and roll books, but I love them! Lovable characters, you feel the love, the pain and the sweet rock throughout the book.
Read
April 30, 2020Music is Pete's life. He's never happier than when he's playing his Fender Precision Bass, or jamming with his dad in their basement studio, or practicing with his band, Mad Skillz.
Read p. 10: "It always helped talking over music stuff … I was good at the bass."
When Pete's friend Kevin from the high school jazz band invites him to try out for a different band, Pete is skeptical but willing to try.
Read p. 46: "It took a while to tune up … he'll figure it out."
So now Pete has a choice: stay with Mad Skillz and play good music that no one may ever hear, or go with the Carlisle brothers and ride their energy wave to a distinctly possible record deal.
Read p. 10: "It always helped talking over music stuff … I was good at the bass."
When Pete's friend Kevin from the high school jazz band invites him to try out for a different band, Pete is skeptical but willing to try.
Read p. 46: "It took a while to tune up … he'll figure it out."
So now Pete has a choice: stay with Mad Skillz and play good music that no one may ever hear, or go with the Carlisle brothers and ride their energy wave to a distinctly possible record deal.
June 29, 2016
Well this was terrible.
I've been getting into rock music lately. And I love to read. But to find a book that was about a band trying to reach stardom was kind of hard. As I browsed through my local library, I found this and nearly started screaming because, "YES, A BOOK ABOUT A ROCK BAND YEAHHHH!"
I was so disappointed.
The story is the typical "high school band is trying to reach stardom" story. Even though I was fully aware of this going in, I was more interested in how the characters would be presented. I know that many musicians (usually the best ones) tell of how long and hard they struggled before finally getting the opportunity to sign onto a label, write and record music with professionals and proper equipment, and then be able to present it to the world. I was hoping for a book that presented these struggles and triumphs through the eyes of kids my age. I wanted to see them work their butts off. I wanted to see these guys balance their band responsibilities with their teenage ones. I wanted to see them struggle to succeed, but then see the problems that come with touring. I want to see them deal with fame and how it affects them as not just a band, but as human beings.
This book does none of those things. All it does is...I don't even know. They just kind of ho-hum around. Find some success. But I didn't care.
And that's one of my biggest problems with this book. The author doesn't give me any reasons to care about the characters. There's not many reasons behind their motives except "we just wanna be in a band." I mean, okay, but surely there's another reason. Maybe you have a message you want to share. Maybe you struggled throughout your life and you want to sing about it to let people know they're not alone. Maybe you had a vision and know it's your life's calling. I don't know. I need more than just "I want to be in a band."
The writing was bland and boring. I don't even know how I managed to survive. It was so simplistic. I've read children's books that aren't near this bad. I found myself praying for each page to end, stupidly hoping--for some reason--that the writing would somehow improve on the next page. I also constantly found myself glancing off into the distance and trying to convince myself that it wasn't the story that was boring, but the writing, and that I should keep reading to give it a chance. It didn't work.
Another issue was that everything moved along far too quickly. The story really felt more like a first draft than anything else. Nothing was fleshed out. Not a single detail was given. It seemed as if each paragraph was its own scene, each one jumping from one scenario to another. One moment we're with Pete's band; the next he's hanging out with the weird girl. A lot of this also suffered from telling instead of showing. There was no detail being put into any scene, other than "this happened, that happened, and then I went home." Really.
Also, I find it funny that Pete-- a bassist-- shares a first name with another really popular bassist. Ya know, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy? Whether or not that's a coincidence, I have no idea. But I really couldn't imagine anyone other than 2007 Pete Wentz as our friend Pete.
Anyways, this book was...geez. It was hard to read. And I will confess--I didn't finish this book. It was actually that bad. But take a look for yourself and see. Maybe you'll like it. Maybe you won't. But I didn't.
I've been getting into rock music lately. And I love to read. But to find a book that was about a band trying to reach stardom was kind of hard. As I browsed through my local library, I found this and nearly started screaming because, "YES, A BOOK ABOUT A ROCK BAND YEAHHHH!"
I was so disappointed.
The story is the typical "high school band is trying to reach stardom" story. Even though I was fully aware of this going in, I was more interested in how the characters would be presented. I know that many musicians (usually the best ones) tell of how long and hard they struggled before finally getting the opportunity to sign onto a label, write and record music with professionals and proper equipment, and then be able to present it to the world. I was hoping for a book that presented these struggles and triumphs through the eyes of kids my age. I wanted to see them work their butts off. I wanted to see these guys balance their band responsibilities with their teenage ones. I wanted to see them struggle to succeed, but then see the problems that come with touring. I want to see them deal with fame and how it affects them as not just a band, but as human beings.
This book does none of those things. All it does is...I don't even know. They just kind of ho-hum around. Find some success. But I didn't care.
And that's one of my biggest problems with this book. The author doesn't give me any reasons to care about the characters. There's not many reasons behind their motives except "we just wanna be in a band." I mean, okay, but surely there's another reason. Maybe you have a message you want to share. Maybe you struggled throughout your life and you want to sing about it to let people know they're not alone. Maybe you had a vision and know it's your life's calling. I don't know. I need more than just "I want to be in a band."
The writing was bland and boring. I don't even know how I managed to survive. It was so simplistic. I've read children's books that aren't near this bad. I found myself praying for each page to end, stupidly hoping--for some reason--that the writing would somehow improve on the next page. I also constantly found myself glancing off into the distance and trying to convince myself that it wasn't the story that was boring, but the writing, and that I should keep reading to give it a chance. It didn't work.
Another issue was that everything moved along far too quickly. The story really felt more like a first draft than anything else. Nothing was fleshed out. Not a single detail was given. It seemed as if each paragraph was its own scene, each one jumping from one scenario to another. One moment we're with Pete's band; the next he's hanging out with the weird girl. A lot of this also suffered from telling instead of showing. There was no detail being put into any scene, other than "this happened, that happened, and then I went home." Really.
Also, I find it funny that Pete-- a bassist-- shares a first name with another really popular bassist. Ya know, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy? Whether or not that's a coincidence, I have no idea. But I really couldn't imagine anyone other than 2007 Pete Wentz as our friend Pete.
Anyways, this book was...geez. It was hard to read. And I will confess--I didn't finish this book. It was actually that bad. But take a look for yourself and see. Maybe you'll like it. Maybe you won't. But I didn't.
January 18, 2011
'Rock Star Superstar' by Blake Nelson is about Pete, a high school age musician, trying his best in life while in a developing band. Pete starts off as a sophomore playing in the band Mad Skillz. Mad Skillz is a cover band, and they only play at dances and parties. His real journey starts when his grade-higher band friend Kevin invites him to a practice with his band. Pete starts off hating the band with Nick, Billy and Kevin but develops a liking of it when they start getting gigs. The band gets the title 'The Tiny Masters of Today' after their first few practices. The Tiny Masters of Today start getting places and getting more gigs. Meanwhile his school grades get lower, and he develops problems with his other friends. He gets completely devoted to the band. After a while, they start to get real places and end up in LA for trying out for a record deal. The band gets the deal, but only with Nick and Billy. Pete and Kevin have to clear out and move on.
Rock Star Superstar is one of the coolest books I've read. I read it a while ago, around 2 years, and didn't really understand it. Since I was forced to find a book to read, I remembered this one. I sat down and started reading it and was instantly sucked in. Blake Nelson has a narrative that draws you in without having a big commercial hook. He describes Pete's life and problems with such reality that you can almost imagine it happening at the moment. I've definitely gotten more meaning from this book since I decided to sit down and read it again.
I rate this book 5/5 stars because as above, this book is ridiculously amazing. I can relate to most everything in here, even though Pete plays the bass. Another person might not have as deep a connection, but will definitely be able to have one. It's really hard not to have a connection. The only thing this book lacks is an ending. It sort of drops off after Pete gets kicked out of the band. Although, it leaves some open ends that you can imagine Pete figuring out. This book is a definite read for anybody. Especially if your a musician or are in a time crunch and need to read a novel.
Rock Star Superstar is one of the coolest books I've read. I read it a while ago, around 2 years, and didn't really understand it. Since I was forced to find a book to read, I remembered this one. I sat down and started reading it and was instantly sucked in. Blake Nelson has a narrative that draws you in without having a big commercial hook. He describes Pete's life and problems with such reality that you can almost imagine it happening at the moment. I've definitely gotten more meaning from this book since I decided to sit down and read it again.
I rate this book 5/5 stars because as above, this book is ridiculously amazing. I can relate to most everything in here, even though Pete plays the bass. Another person might not have as deep a connection, but will definitely be able to have one. It's really hard not to have a connection. The only thing this book lacks is an ending. It sort of drops off after Pete gets kicked out of the band. Although, it leaves some open ends that you can imagine Pete figuring out. This book is a definite read for anybody. Especially if your a musician or are in a time crunch and need to read a novel.
September 30, 2009
You can't beat a good rock and roll novel, and this one is a great one! Pete is a bass player, and goes back and forth between the bands Mad Skillz and The Tiny Masters of Today. In the process, he falls in love with Margaret, a girl who dresses like a "punk librarian" and falls out of love a bit when his band gets popular and cool chicks start flirting with him. Pete knows he is a good bass player but the Tiny Masters change the way he thinks about music. They play at the big clubs in Seattle and even make their way down to L.A. to try to get a record deal. [return]After reading my attempt at a summary, the book doesn't sound all that interesting, but, believe me, it is. I like Pete. I like his music even though I've just read descriptions of it. I like his friends. And I like this book!
August 4, 2012
I personally didn't like this book very much, which really disappointed me, considering it's topic of 'teenager rocker band boy' which I usually love. But this just seemed like it was very basic with no real emotions. The main character Pete, didn't seem to have a genuine love for music as a whole, instead only liking his specific way of playing and nothing else. He was very closed minded when it came to new ideas for the band. His little bit of a love story, if you can call it that, also lacked any genuine emotion. Everything just seemed very forced and unnatural. I was very disappointed with this book because I enjoyed other books by Blake Nelson and I usually enjoy books about music and bands, so I was very surprised when this book let me down.
June 14, 2012
"Paranoid Park" immediately became one of my favorite movies when I watched it. Having learned it was based on a book, I decided to read it and I liked it too. The writing was very simple, but the tone was so sensitive and serene that it became kind of special to me too, and I got curious about the other works by Blake Nelson. I then got "Rock Star Superstar" because it was the cheapest from his catalog. The story is definitely less dark than "Paranoid Park" - just this kid dealing with the changes from the "adventure" of joining a rock band - but it's still sparse and emotional, and the style keeps the softness which made reading about teenage rockers a surprisingly soothing experience.
November 4, 2010
This book was one of my favorite reads ever. I recommend it to all teenagers because it is in the point of view of a teenage bassist trying to make it in the music business. It addresses many essential parts of an average teenager's emotional life and relationships as well as dreams and how they don't always work out. It is a short read and it's not too difficult and it can relate to many young adults.
READ!
PG RULES!
READ!
PG RULES!
April 13, 2015
I read this book quite a few times when I was younger. The romance was sweet and Pete was cool.
So yeah I think my opinion on this book may have changed since I was a kid.
So yeah I think my opinion on this book may have changed since I was a kid.
February 9, 2015
Continuing my search for good novels about music, be they adult or YA or anything else, I found this on someone's list of Best Music Novels. It's solid enough--the narrator sounds, more often than not, like a teenager, and the art v. money angle is nicely described. There are some stretches of clunky dialogue, though, and a few clanks during some of the music life discussion--three encores for an opening band? really?
Read
January 26, 2007This book uses the same sort of narration as Blake Nelson's book, Girl, which I love and it uses some of the same locales and bands, which makes me feel like I'm in a time warp since Girl was written ten years before Rock Star Superstar. I still adored it, Blake Nelson writes appealing, fun characters.
August 26, 2009
I was waiting for something to happen, but it never really did in Blake Nelson's book. I enjoyed all the modern, timely references to music groups, but that was it for me. I thought the relationship between Pete and his dad could have been explored a little more; instead, it remained a backdrop to Pete's life. I guess if you are in a band, you might like this book more than me.
September 3, 2010
THIS IS A GOOD BOOK! i love this book because it relates to me and the plot is straight forward and the character development is great. the ending is kind of thrown at you and i wasn't expecting it and thats what makes this book great. there is always a surprise around the corner and it keeps the storyline interesting. if you like this book i would highly recommend "the new rules of highschool".
October 26, 2012
Rock star superstar was the best book ever! I tried to read it last year but I only got about half way done with it. But I just finished the book like 2 or 3 weeks ago and I thought t was really good. It's about music and I'm into music but it's innopropriate like swearing and other stuff that I shouldn't say. But it's mature enough for 7nth grade
January 18, 2016
This book was ok. I read it pretty fast and it kept me interested. I kind of liked that he ended his music with the Tiny Masters in the end because he was kicked out. I didn't like that he was hanging out with Margaret again, possibly trying to get her back. This was a good one time read but I wouldn't read it again.
August 17, 2008
I love Blake Nelson's books! He really captures the whole feel of what it's like to be young and in a band. Reading this brought me back to my youth in the '90's when I was both in a band and hanging out at local bars with bands.
August 30, 2008
This is one of the most honest teen books I've ever read. Sure, the premise is a little fanciful, but the emotions are spot on. As a female, I'm crushing on the protagonist. But I'm sure boys will totally identify with him. Move over Judy Blume's Forever. There's a new standard for honesty.
October 9, 2012
Standard rise of a teen band premise, but with more of a focus on the personal journey--what a regular kid would go through in that situation. Nelson has a great knack for grounding his characters. And the ending here is both realistic and true to the characters and narrative.
October 25, 2007
Stellar teen novel.
March 1, 2008
This book is probably most enjoyable if you're in tenth grade and bored. However, I think it's his best book since Girl.
March 13, 2009
My first library book as an adult! haha, and it's a young adult/teen book, go figure. I didn't think I would like this one as much since it was about a boy, but it was good.
July 31, 2009
Nelson's books want me to pack my bags, move to the Pacific Northwest, and pretend I'm still in high school.
Read
May 13, 2011This was a really great YA book. Blake is a wonderful writer, and the story is well balanced between band dreams and relationship ups and downs.
September 17, 2011
Good book. Very realistic, good writing. But definitely not for young-in's. Talk of sex and booze. If you've ever had a band you can totally relate to this book.
June 14, 2012
I really can hardly remember this book, all I know is I laughed and I liked it.
April 19, 2013
I've always wanted to be in a band, and the fact that this teenage kid is playing real gigs, makes me feel like I can. I loved. I recommend it to all music lovers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews