Let’s just get this out of the way: THIS BOOK IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
I want a movie of it that’s like School of Rock meets Camp. Come on! Working out your parents divorce and your sexual awakening through rock and roll?!?!?! Turning Taylor Swift into a metal jam?! I die.
This story is about Melly, who is a quiet young lady that loves playing the drums. She and her best friend Olivia make up the perfect rhythm section, and they sign up together for Camp Rockaway, bass and sticks in hand. On the day they’re dropped off, though, Melly’s parents drop the bombshell of all bombshells: They’re getting divorced, and they’ll talk about it when she gets back from camp and her dad’s moved out. Have a great summer!
Jeez!! Poor Melly is left floundering. To top it off, she and Olivia end up split up, placed in separate bands, and Melly’s band is eclectic, to say the least. A metalhead, a numbingly shy bass player, herself (the quietest mouse of all drummers) and the lovely and down-to-earth acoustic guitar girl Adeline. Thankfully she and Adeline click, which is good since Olivia seems to have bailed on her for a cute guy in her band. Melly has a lot to work out, seemingly on her own — why won’t her dad write her a letter? What exactly is her band coach trying to get out of her as a drummer? Why is Olivia acting so self-centered? and why do her feelings for her budding friendship with Adeline feel extra-significant?
If you need a breath of fresh air, a quick and sweet read, and great tribute to musicians and music-lovers, definitely pick up this book! The problems it works out are very common, but what makes it unique is how the author delves into the complicated facets of relationships. All of the conflicts Melly faces are never black-and-white: she grows along with her friends and family. Also, this for me doesn’t happen a lot: the original songs that the kids compose are lovely and poetic. Add to that some queer joy and a whole lot of music puns, you’ve got a wonderful tweenage novel.
