Book Review: "Stop Me If You've Heard This One" by Kristen Arnett

Cherry is a clown. Seriously. She spends a lot of time at children’s parties and other events all over Orlando, playing the part of Bunko, a rodeo clown who’s terrified of horses. She loves making people laugh, and would love to take her act to the next level.

When she’s not performing, she works at an aquarium supply store. (More accurately, she does as little work as possible and she and her coworker antagonize their boss.) But she hopes that she’ll make the connection that will allow her to concentrate full-time on clowning.

When she goes on a date with Margot the Magnificent, a talented magician, Cherry’s first thoughts center around her attraction to the older woman. But then she realizes that Margot might be the one to help further her ambitions.

When Margot suggests that they team up, Cherry is excited about what the opportunity could hold. But what will Cherry have to sacrifice in order to get what she wants? And what does she want—from her career and from her life?

It’s not just her career ambitions that Cherry has to make sense of, though. She needs to figure out her relationship with her mother, who never approved of her clowning, and she lives in the shadow of her late older brother, Dwight, who everyone remembers as hysterically funny. It’s a lot to live up to.

I liked the concept of this book a lot, but it never really grabbed me. I like the way Kristen Arnett writes, so I’m definitely interested in checking out her backlist, but I never felt completely connected to the story.

Book Review: "Flirty Dancing" by Jennifer Moffatt

I don’t know about you, but I can’t resist a book that has this as its title! Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this fun book.

Archer was an accountant in Ohio who quit his job to move to NYC and pursue his dream of being on Broadway. But the auditioning isn’t going well, and maybe his mother is right: 27 is too old to chase your dreams. Still, he goes on one more audition, vowing to head back to Ohio if he doesn’t succeed.

He lands a job as a performer at Shady Queens, an LGBTQ-friendly resort in the Catskills. It’s not quite what he was hoping for, but you never know where your big break can come from. Much to his surprise, he learns that one of his co-stars is Mateo Dixon, once a Broadway star and Archer’s teenage crush.

After Mateo’s time on Broadway flamed out in spectacular fashion, Shady Queens is one of the only jobs he can get. He’s not thrilled to have been the target of Archer’s teenage worship (which has maybe carried over into his 20s), but all he wants to do is dance. Maybe he’s a little standoffish, but he’s still sexy as hell in Archer’s eyes.

Archer tries to build a friendship with Mateo but always seems to say and do the wrong things. And when a relationship with Caleb, one of his castmates, turns sour, it adds to the drama and tension among the performers. The show starts to suffer, and it’s up to the performers to buckle down and try to leave their emotional issues offstage.

As a huge fan of musical theater and romance, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun, emotional, and overly dramatic, much like you’d imagine performers to be. I loved the chemistry between Archer and Mateo, and at times it felt like Shady Queens reminded me of Kellerman’s from Dirty Dancing.

The book will publish 5/27/2025.

Book Review: "Acts of Violet" by Margarita Montimore

There's nothing quite like family drama that tests the boundaries of reality.

Thanks so much to BookSparks, Flatiron Books, and Margarita Montimore for the complimentary copy of this book as part of #SRC2022! I had been eagerly anticipating this, as I really enjoyed Oona Out of Order.

Violet was a famous magician. She was the flamboyant one while her sister Sasha was the more stable one who was happy staying out of the spotlight. And then one day, in the middle of her act, Violet disappeared and was never seen again.

Trying to figure out what happened to Violet transfixed the public. And as the 10-year anniversary of Violet’s disappearance approaches, a podcaster is looking for answers, and won’t stop until he gets them from Sasha. But as much as she’d like to put Violet behind her, she is plagued by physical and emotional issues that must be tied to her sister. What does it all mean?

I tend to love books that mix different storytelling formats. This has letters, news articles, even emails scattered throughout, which gives the book more of an investigative feel. The story takes a while to unfold and the pacing moves slowly, but the plot is so rich. You will have to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy this, so if a little bit of magic irritates, this may not be the book for you.

This was really a fascinating, heartfelt, and altogether unique story of family. It’s definitely touching and memorable, proving Montimore has a knack for stories that challenge reality but tug at your heart.

Book Review: "Nate Plus One" by Kevin van Whye

Looking for a sweet, friends-to lovers rom-com? What about Nate Plus One?

Nate was a fan of Jai’s band before he knew who Jai was. Now they’re best friends, and Jai helped Nate through heartbreak when his boyfriend ghosted him.

But lately, Nate can’t seem to get Jai out of his mind. He finds himself thinking about what it would be like to date him, but he’s afraid telling Jai how he feels might ruin their friendship. So when Jai’s band loses its lead singer as they’re prepping for a huge competition, Nate agrees to sing for the band, even though stage fright has kept him more behind the scenes than in the spotlight.

Nate is getting ready to go to South Africa for his cousin’s wedding. He’s excited to spend time where his late father grew up. But when he finds out that his ex-boyfriend is going to be at the wedding, he doesn’t think he can handle that alone, so Jai agrees to be his plus-one.

South Africa is amazing, and Nate and Jai keep getting closer and closer. Should Nate tell Jai how he feels and risk their friendship? And will Nate’s ex complicate things further?

I really enjoyed this. It was great to have main characters of color where there wasn’t crazy crises or racism, and South Africa was a terrific setting. Sure, it was predictable, but that was part of its charm!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!

Book Review: "Boy Queen" by George Lester

George Lester's Boy Queen is a beautiful, joy-filled book about finding the right path—and the belief in yourself to follow it.

Robin has his future planned—he’s going to attend a performing arts academy and set the theatre world on fire. Everyone tells him how talented he is, even though he doesn’t always believe it.

When he doesn’t get into the academy as he (and everyone else) thought he would, he’s utterly devastated. What’s next for his future? He didn’t apply to university and all his friends did, so he has no clue what he’ll do, and he doesn't want to have to stay in his hometown alone.

On his birthday, to try and get him out of his doldrums, he and his friends go to Drag Night at a gay bar, and he is utterly mesmerized. He realizes that this is what he wants to do. This is who he wants to be.

Under the tutelage of the glorious Kaye Bye, he sets out to find his true self. But he’ll need to believe in himself and his talent first, and realize he also needs to focus on the people who love him for who he is—not the ones who only support and love him when no one is around.

“I’ve never felt so powerful or fully in control of myself before, but, in that moment, there it was. The more applause I got, the more powerful I felt, like some kind of oversized Tinkerbell in three pairs of tights and a six-inch heel.“

So full disclosure: while I have immense admiration for the artistry, talent, and sheer confidence of drag artists, I’ve never been a huge fan. But this book by George Lester has gotten me hooked a bit!!

I absolutely loved Boy Queen and the characters, especially Robin’s friends, some of his teachers, and his mother, who was incredible. The support and encouragement they gave him really filled my heart.

It was fun buddy reading this with my friend Javi. We both loved it, and hopefully you will, too!

Book Review: "More Than Maybe" by Erin Hahn

More Than Maybe, Erin Hahn's upcoming book, is a terrific story about music, love, family, and the freedom to follow—or not follow—your passions.

Vada has had a crush on Luke Greenly for a while. It’s not just his accent (his family moved to Michigan from the UK when he was younger) or his looks; it’s his soulfulness, his personality, and of course, the passion for music they share.

Luke has always been partial to gingers so of course Vada catches his eye every time he and his brother record their podcast at the bar where she works. But Vada’s passion for music—her music blog is one of Luke’s obsessions—fuels his crush on her.

The two pair up for a senior assignment and they learn more about each other’s vulnerabilities and ambitions, and try to fight the undeniable chemistry between them. Vada wants to be a music journalist and Luke wants to write music—but not sing it—despite his musician father’s desire that Luke pursue stardom he could so obviously achieve.

When Luke’s brother secretly releases a recording of Luke singing a love song he wrote, it sets off a ton of ripples that affect everyone. And Vada isn’t (too) embarrassed to admit she wishes he was singing to her.

While the book took a little bit to hit its groove, I really loved it. These characters were just so appealing and weren’t overly erudite or sarcastic so they felt very real to me. I read this until late the other night and was totally choking up in the dark. (I'm a sap, so whatever.)

I love the way Erin Hahn writes. Her first book, You’d Be Mine, was amazing, too. (Loved the mentions of that book in this one!) If you love books about music and love, here’s one for you!!

NetGalley and Wednesday Books provided me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

The book publishes July 21.

Book Review: "Daisy Jones & The Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"I am not a muse. I am the somebody. End of fucking story."

I am a gigantic music fan. I was in a band in high school and college, and sing almost everywhere. As much as I love music and lyrics, I'm equally as fascinated by those who make the music and what inspires them to write the songs they do, not to mention the stories of connection and tension and dissension among band members."

This obsession was one of the myriad reasons I couldn't wait to get my hands on Taylor Jenkins Reid's newest book, Daisy Jones & The Six. Reid is the author of one of the best books I read last year, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and given the way she depicted the often-tumultuous personal life of a famed actress from Hollywood's heyday, I had a feeling she'd knock it out of the park with this look at the music business.

She knocked it way out of the park. This book, written as an oral history of the band, reads as if you were watching an episode of VH1's "Behind the Music" crossed with the amazing movie Almost Famous.

Daisy Jones & The Six was one of the legendary bands of the 1970s, turning out hit after hit, filling stadiums and arenas across the country, and captivating the world with what appeared to be the electric relationship between singer/songwriters Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, the musician who headed The Six. But what made the band end everything in the middle of their world tour, when they had everything in the palm of their hands?

Growing up in Los Angeles in the late 1960s, Daisy Jones was a free-spirited teenager who wanted to be a singer more than anything. Essentially left to raise herself, she spent her formative years in some of LA's most famous clubs and bars, sleeping with rock stars, and experimenting with every kind of drug. As she moves into her early 20s, her beauty opens doors but her voice gets her noticed. She's more than ready to be the next big thing.

Brothers Billy and Graham Dunne put together a band, hoping to make a living making music. But Billy's magnetic appeal and his talent as a singer and songwriter take the group to the next level, and The Six, as they come to be called, are on their way to becoming stars. But fame and the tantalizing distractions that materialize for rock musicians, particularly in the 70s, test Billy's mettle and put the band at risk, as well as Billy's marriage to his longtime girlfriend, Camila, and their young family. If Billy is going to succeed at both music and marriage, he must battle his demons.

Billy and Daisy cross paths when their mutual producer brings Daisy in to sing a duet for The Six's record. Their connection is immediate, powerful, and electrifying, and it will change everything for everyone. It is the stuff of legend.

"Some people will never stop being themselves. And you think it drives you crazy but it is the very thing you will think about when they are gone. When you don't have them in your life anymore."

The story of Daisy Jones & The Six may not be anything new if you're a fan of the stories behind famous bands, but Taylor Jenkins Reid succeeds in making this utterly compelling from the very first sentence, and she makes you wish these musicians actually existed, so you could hear their music and watch videos of their performances, to catch a piece of the fictional legend she has made you believe in.

Daisy Jones & The Six is powerful because it's a story about ambition, need, fear, longing, love, jealousy, connection, talent, and music. But at the same time, it's a story about how exhausting it is to fight your demons on a daily basis, and it is equally as exhausting to give in to your demons as well. There is raw emotion in this book, and it is so potent that at times I felt like I was right there in the middle of the stories everyone was telling.

Reid is one heck of a storyteller. I had been dying to read this since I finished Evelyn Hugo at the end of last year, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get access to an advance copy of this book. I worried that seeing so many people rave about this book would build it up too much for me. But I truly believe this is worthy of the hype it's getting. They're now making it into a television series for Amazon and I honestly cannot wait.

You need to read Taylor Jenkins Reid's books. If you're not a music fan, pick up The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo first, and you'll see how masterfully she tells a story. But Daisy Jones & The Six is like a song you won't be able to get out of your head.

Book Review: "Bellweather Rhapsody" by Kate Racculia

Kate Racculia's Bellweather Rhapsody is a sweet, slightly goofy, rollicking romp of a book that may be a tiny bit overly ambitious, but it's tremendously infectious, and I can't get the characters out of my mind.

It's the winter of 1997. In upstate New York, high school musicians from across the state are gathering for the annual Statewide festival at the Bellweather Hotel, a once-grand place which has become a little rundown in recent years, and reminds many of The Overlook Hotel in The Shining. (There's more than a few references to The Shining in the book.) Fifteen years ago, the Bellweather was the site of a tragedy, a murder-suicide of a couple that had just gotten married in the hotel. Since then, the hotel has had a bit of a reputation for being haunted.

Coming to Statewide are twin siblings Alice and Rabbit Hatmaker. Alice is a bit of a diva, a singer/actress who is in her second year at Statewide, and she expects to be treated like the celebrity she thinks she is. Rabbit, a bassoonist, has always been a bit quieter, as he has lived in Alice's shadow, but he is desperate to be himself for the first time, to live his own life, and find love. When they first arrive at the festival, a chance encounter with the conductor of the orchestra turns Rabbit into a bit of a celebrity, and Alice bristles that suddenly she is being left behind.

Things go from bad to worse for Alice, as the first night, after she does a tarot reading for her roommate, Jill, a young musical prodigy and the daughter of the ruthless acting director of the festival, she finds that Jill has hanged herself. When Alice returns after summoning help, Jill's body is gone, the cord has been cut down, and a note reading, "NOW SHE IS MINE," is the only evidence left. And it turns out this all happened in the same room where the murder-suicide happened years before.

Jill's mother insists this is a prank designed to embarrass her, but Alice knows what she saw, and she has an unusual ally. As a young girl, Minnie Graves witnessed the tragic murder-suicide at the Bellweather, and it has haunted her ever since. She returned to the hotel to try and get her life back on track, but when she hears another crime has been perpetrated in the same room, she is determined to uncover the truth about both incidents. But amidst the investigation into Jill's disappearance, rehearsals are still going on, rumors are being spread, relationships are blossoming and ending, and lives are changing, as the Bellweather readies for what appears to be the snowstorm of the century.

What I loved about this book is that despite the craziness happening at the festival (and I've only scratched the surface in my description), this is at its heart a story about having the courage to be your own person, standing up for what you believe in (as well as yourself), the importance of love and friendship, and the thrills that come from performing. It's also a book about how one person's behavior towards another can have a truly damaging or truly uplifting effect.

There are a lot of characters in this book, and the chapters switch perspectives among many of them. That mostly works, but at times it's a little more confusing, so I had to go back and re-read a few things to make sure I understood who was talking or what was happening. But by and large, I loved these characters, and was glad that more of the plot was spent on character development and story rather than more of a whodunnit about what happened to Jill. As a former choir student who once made it to All-Shore Choir (there weren't a lot of tenors back then so I lucked my way in), this book brought back some great memories. Really fun.