What I Read... February 2017

 

Love at Second Sight - Cathy Hopkins

 

A cute romantic read about teenager Jo's search for the boy she fell in love with in a past life. I loved the London setting, especially the rich imagery of Highgate Cemetery.

 

If you enjoy light-hearted YA, this could be one for you.

 

 

 

Unknown Pleasures - Inside Joy Division - Peter Hook

 

This is a difficult one to review, because although I read the whole thing within 24 hours, I didn't find it easy.

The opening sections were probably my favourite, where he's going to punk gigs and first taking a serious interest in music. These sections also capture a sense of Manchester and the north in the late 1970s and make fascinating reading.

There was a lot of the dry humour I'd expected, and Hooky doesn't hold back with his opinions which makes it feel as though he's sharing his secrets directly with the reader. The stories of Joy Division on the road and in the studio were interesting, and the recollections of individual performances were entertaining and evocative, but the way he writes about the dynamic within the band creates the tension that made this a compulsive (and at times draining) read.

This volume of Peter Hook's memoir was always going to be very much about Ian Curtis and I found myself waiting uncomfortably for the section I knew was coming - Ian's death. I liked how Hooky went to great pains to paint the Ian Curtis he knew - someone who was one of the lads, and at times downright crude. Everyone knows about the epilepsy, the affair, the suicide, the artsy Ian... the way he's been frozen in time by the fans and the media. Hearing what he was actually like from bandmate makes him more 3D somehow, less of a caricature.

I'm definitely going to read the New Order book very soon and imagine that'll be equally as gripping (if not moreso to me personally as that's the music I prefer).

 

 

The Unmumsy Mum - Sarah Turner

 



I'm not sure if part of the reason this didn't speak to me as much as it has some of my friends is because I'm well past the baby stage.

There were definitely scenes from their family life I could relate to, and I did find myself giggling along at the comments about the challenges of parenthood, but personally I feel the short, sharp blog posts have more of an impact than a full-length book.          

 

 

This Beats Perfect - Rebecca Denton

 



Amelie doesn't like boybands. She'd rather be listening to her diverse collection of original vinyl. However, because of her dad's job in the music industry, she finds herself surrounded by the biggest pop band of the moment 'The Keep'.

This is a book I'd been really looking forward to, and it was a quick YA read. The plot wasn't complex, but didn't need to be as it was still very readable.

My main issue was that I didn't always like Amelie and her ways. Yes, she is a teenager, but she came across as a bit brattish at times. However, I really liked the character Maxx and his motivations and story were very believable.

I'd have loved this book in my teens and I'm sure many fangirls will be hooked by this story of romance, the music industry and being true to yourself.

Why Pamper Life's Complexities? - Essays on The Smiths - Ed. Sean Campbell and Colin Coulter

Interesting collection of essays relating to The Smiths and their place in society, politics and musical history.

Some essays were more interesting to me than others, with particular praise going to Joseph Brooker's ' Has the World Changed or Have I Changed?- The Smiths and the Challenge of Thatcherism', Cecelia Mello's 'I Don't Owe You Anything - The Smiths and kitchen-sink cinema' and particularly Karl Maton's 'Last Night We Dreamt that Somebody Loved Us - Smiths fans (and me) in the late 1980s'. This is partly due to the content relating to areas that appeal to my own personal interest, but also because I felt they were most accessible and original.

One area which could have been stronger for me was a wider use of sources - many essays referred to the same key interviews and lyrics which made this book repetitive at times when read as a collection.  



Set the Boy Free - Johnny Marr

I've been waiting a long time for this book.  You can read my 'Hooray!  Johnny's writing an autobiography!' post here.



I love Johnny Marr.

His life story proves that the heady combination of hard work and natural talent pays off.  Set the Boy Free follows Johnny from humble beginnings on inner-city Manchester estates to global fame and acclaim.  It's partly a 'rise of the underdog' tale, but it's also a love story between Marr and music.  As a creative person myself, I couldn't help but be inspired by his drive, his ambition, his self-belief, and also his ability to do things his own way.

I love Johnny Marr.

His total commitment to guitar and continual desire to bettering his playing, writing and producing is obvious through his musical catalogue, and although I'm a huge fan of The Smiths, there is so much more to Johnny Marr's career.  I read a review that complained there was too much music lingo in this book.  Erm ... hello? This is Johnny Fuckin Marr, a man who's dedicated his whole life to music. What did you expect?!

I love Johnny Marr.

His style and the influences he has drawn on in terms of clothes and image fascinate me.  From roll-necks and beaded necklaces to well-chosen knitwear, his style has evolved yet never deviated from something that is totally 'Johnny Marr'. There's something comforting in that.   Familiar.  And the way Johnny talks about clothes and style in the book is highly evocative.

I love Johnny Marr.

He comes across as very introspective and self-aware, constantly reassessing what he wants from not only his career, but also other areas of his life.  Reading Set the Boy Free, particularly the sections about Johnny's lifestyle change to a tee-total, marathon-running vegan, has encouraged me to think about the life I want for myself. 

I love Johnny Marr. 

I've always been fascinated by his relationship with wife Angie.  They are a rarity - a couple who met young, knew they wanted to be together and still are over thirty years on.  I loved the chance to learn more about their relationship, although the romantic in me would have liked to have more of this and also his relationship with Nile and Sonny covered in the book.

I love Johnny Marr.

I love Johnny Marr's autobiography.  It's insightful and easy to read and although I'd heard a lot of the stories before, it was nice to have a chronological version of events from Johnny's viewpoint. 

I love Johnny Marr.

I love Johnny Marr.

And did I mention I love Johnny Marr?!

#boybandlit

Books about music are one of my major weaknesses so when I found about #boybandlit chat on Twitter I was in my element.  A group of likeminded readers and authors chatted about anything and everything to do with boybands and books for an hour (although it felt like five minutes, it was one of those strange time-twisting moments) and it made me desperate to devour even more books about music.

During 2016 I've read and reviewed (and loved ) Love Song by Sophia Bennett and Songs About a Girl by Chris Russell, and I've also read...

Kill The Boyband - Goldy Moldavsky

 

 

 

The Blurb

Fangirls get a bad rap all the time - people say we're weird, hysterical, obsessed, certifiable. But those people don't understand.

Just because we're fangirls, doesn't mean we're crazy.

It's important you know that up front. Because everything I'm about to tell you is going to seem . . . well, crazy.

From thrilling debut author Goldy Moldavsky comes Kill The Boy Band, a pitch-black, hilarious take on modern fandom and the badass girls who have the power to make - or break - the people we call 'celebrities'.

The Review



Kill The Boyband has been a big YA book in 2016 and as such I had high hopes for it. As an out and out fangirl I was especially interested in how the girls were going to be portrayed.

I need to clarify that this is a very different book when it comes to bands and fandoms, exploring the obsessive (and possessive) nature of the fangirl.  I was a bit confused as to whether it was meant to be satirical, especially as the digs being made were predominantly at The Ruperts fans, when I imagine many of the target readership are likely to be fans of boybands themselves, or if it was supposed to be funny - either way something was lacking.  I also had some issues with sweeping generalisations about groups within the novel, the overweight, the gay, the rich kids...which again I assume were satirical but didn't quite come across that way.

There were elements of this book I liked - the language and dialogue and the dynamics between the band members were done especially well - and it has stayed with me since reading it in the spring.  However, I'm not sure it's a book I'd return to again because of the issues I mentioned above.

Aimee and the Heartthrob - Ophelia London

The Blurb

 

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains references to drug use, drinking, some sexual content, and lots and lots of kissing. Its swoonworthy hero may ruin all others for you. He never noticed her before, but now she's all he can see…

 

 Miles Carlisle is every teen girl’s fantasy. His rugged good looks and exotic British accent have helped catapult his boy band, Seconds to Juliet, to super-stardom. But after two disastrous and very public breakups, Miles isn’t interested in dating just any girl; he wants The One. And the only girl he’s interested in is not only his best friend’s little sister - and off-limits - but won’t even give him the time of day…

 

As a kid, Aimee Bingham had a huge thing for Miles…until he made fun of her for always tagging along. Now that she’s outgrown both him and her pigtails, the prospect of spending two weeks on tour with the childhood crush who broke her heart isn’t exactly enticing. Except now Miles seems interested. Very interested. And no matter how hard Aimee tries to resist him, her crush is definitely making a comeback.

 

But everyone knows that falling for a heartthrob is a backstage pass to heartbreak…

 

The Review

 

I sometimes find the thought of starting a series daunting, especially at the moment as I've not got as much time for reading recently as I've had in the past.  However, I read this book as part of a readalong with another blogger (Hi Sofia!) and quickly found myself immersed in Aimee and Miles' story. 

 

It's unapologetically romance, and I loved that it didn't try to be anything else.  It reminded me a lot of the Sweet Dreams books I devoured as a teenager - a sprinkling of angst, a forbidden romance and a lot of kissing. 

 

I'm definitely interested in reading the rest of this series and finding out more about the rest of the band.  If you're looking for all-out boyband romance, this could be the series for you.

 

My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend - Eleanor Wood 

 

 

The Blurb

 

Geeky girl meets famous boy . . . what could go wrong?

Tuesday Cooper is happy being normal -doing her a-levels and indulging in her twin obsessions: buying weird vintage clothes in charity shops and writing her beloved music blog (which nobody ever reads). Her love for music started when she was thirteen and had a massive crush on Jackson Griffith, teen rock god and SUPER HOT LOVE OF HER LIFE. Now Tuesday's eighteen and has moved on to fancying boys in real life and Jackson went off the celebrity radar years ago.
So it can't be him that's messaging her on her blog, can it?

From one girl's computer to the pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival, this is a love story for anyone who has ever wished that someone would sing a love song just for them.

Dreams can come true . . .

 

The Review



 

This was a book I stumbled across at the library and picked up on a whim - and I'm so glad I did!  Eleanor Wood has done a brilliant job of writing a fun, romantic, quirky novel about an ordinary girl who meets a superstar band member.  Tuesday and Jackson end up in a complicated situation where fame and normality collide, resulting in a story far more poignant than I would have expected. 

 

I laughed out loud on more than one occasion and had a lump in my throat during the darker moments - this YA book had it all.  If you love books about bands, you really need to give this one a try.

Have you read any books about singer/bands that I really need to read?  I'd love any recommendations!

Songs About a Girl - Chris Russell

The Blurb

Heartbreak, romance, fame and pop music - for anyone who's ever dreamed of saying 'I'm with the band'.

Charlie Bloom never wanted to be 'with the band'. She's happiest out of the spotlight, behind her camera, unseen and unnoticed. But when she's asked to take backstage photos for hot new boy band, Fire&Lights, she can't pass up the chance.

Catapulted into a world of paparazzi and backstage bickering, Charlie soon becomes caught between gorgeous but damaged frontman Gabriel West and his boy-next-door bandmate, Olly Samson. Then, as the boys' rivalry threatens to tear the band apart, Charlie stumbles upon a mindblowing secret, hidden in the lyrics of their songs ...

The Review

It's no secret that I'm a total fangirl.  Bands, especially boybands, are my thing, and I'm not ashamed of that.  I also adore YA books with a musical element so I'm delighted there's been a bit of a boom in 'Boyband Lit' during 2016.

Chris Russell's debut novel Songs About a Girl follows Charlie Bloom as she becomes a backstage photographer for Fire&Lights.  She knows they're ordinary lads in an extraordinary situation - she sort-of-knew band member Olly before he became famous as they went to the same school - but although Fire&Lights are the hottest group on the planet right now, Charlie has no desire to be a groupie.  All she wants is the opportunity to improve her photography skills.

As the novel progresses Charlie learns more about each band member, discovering both their flaws and strengths as she sees them in and out of the spotlight.  Yet it's only as secrets reveal themselves that she realises just how bound she is to Fire&Lights...

I loved the themes in this book - friendship, trust, finding youself - and thought Russell did a brilliant job of capturing the essence of what it means to be a fan.  As a musician himself, I'm sure he drew on his own experiences of being on stage and also watching live bands when writing the scenes where Fire&Lights perform - these are some of the strongest in the book, perfectly encapsulating the unique experience of gathering with likeminded people to enjoy the shared experience of a gig.

This book is a mustread for any fangirl and is one of my books of the summer.  I'm already bursting for the next book in the series to be released to find out what's in store for Charlie and the boys!

Songs About a Girl is out now in both ebook and paperback.

With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a galley copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Love Song - Sophia Bennett

The Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Nina doesn't get why everyone's obsessed with The Point - but when she averts a backstage disaster and is offered a job on tour, she can hardly turn it down. She quickly learns that being with the hottest band on the planet isn't as easy as it looks: behind the scenes, the boys are on the verge of splitting up. Tasked with keeping an eye on four gorgeous but spoiled rock stars, Nina's determined to stick it out - and not fall for any of them ...

The Review

There are some book reviews that I dread writing.  This is one of them.  I just know that it'll be impossible to convey everything I loved about this book in a few short paragraphs, because as young adult fiction goes, Love Song is pretty darn perfect.

Nina is an ordinary seventeen year old - well, sort of.  All around her people are going crazy for hot band The Point, but she doesn't see the attraction.  In fact, she only goes to their gig to keep her sister, who's a big fan, company.  However, when by a twist of fate she's offered an opportunity to join them on tour she sees a different side to each of the boys and they're no longer celebrities staring out of a magazine but real people with real problems...

It's gently humorous and touching and I adored Nina - she's such a relatable character.  Although she's in an extraordinary situation she comes across as a normal, grounded young woman discovering who she is and what she wants from life, which sets this book apart from some of the other reads out there with a celebrity backdrop.  It was well written and engaging, and I genuinely couldn't stop reading it.  I actually fell asleep with it in my hand - that's how unwilling I was to put it down.

However, what I loved most about this book was the way it unflinchingly examined what it means to be a fan to the point of what some people might class as 'obsession'.  As a self-confessed fangirl I absolutely related to the hoards of fans who bonded over a shared love the band.  Sophia Bennett captured the essence of what it is to love a band, and more importantly be part of a fandom, perfectly.  I actually shared certain passages from this book on social media to try and explain that "Yes!  This is how it feels to be a fan!" to all those who have mocked and accused and been dismissive of what it means to be a part of a community of people who love the same thing.  Part of me hoped they'd see it and understand.  But there's a selfish part of me that didn't want them to, because it really feels that Love Song is for us die-hards, for those who've pressed F5 until their fingertips have gone numb on ticket release day, or those who've queued for eight hours for the doors to a gig to open. 

I hope all the other fangirls I know read this book and love it as much as I did.  Love Song is a book I know I'll reread again and again and again.

Love Song is out now, published by Chicken House books.

Johnny Marr's Autobiography To Be Released In 2016

Regular readers of Books with Bunny know I have a bit of an obsession with The Smiths/Morrissey/Johnny Marr, so the news last week that Johnny's autobiography is due for release next year was pretty darn exciting to me. 

Ever since Morrissey's Autobiography in 2013 (you can read my review here) there's been talk of Marr writing his version of events.  Johnny himself has tweeted about it on occasion, but the official statement came last Monday- Marr's autobiography will be released by Century in 2016.

In an interview with 6 Music today Marr said he'd written 'quite a few chapters, probably about a third [of the book]' and that he hopes to produce something 'really good' and 'really authentic'.   He described his life experiences as 'bewildering' and reminded fans that he's done 'a lot of living' since The Smiths went their separate ways in 1987 and not to expect the book to be devoted purely to his time in the band.  Johnny also spoke of wanting to write a screenplay after finishing the book.

So what do I want to see in Johnny's autobiography?  Yes, I'd like to read about Morrissey and The Smiths, particularly how the song writing process worked from his point of view. I'd like to know how it feels to be widely thought of as one of the greatest musical talents of a generation, and I'd like to know his thoughts on why The Smiths are still gaining new fans all the time, how they are now almost a rite of passage for any teenager.

I also really, really hope there's plenty written about his family life.  I'd love to know more about Johnny as a child and his first experiences playing guitar/writing music, but I'm especially keen to read about his relationship with 'childhood sweetheart' Angie.  The pair have been together since they were fourteen and fifteen, and married thirty years this year- an achievement for any couple, let alone one in the public eye.  Surely, however much you love each other that is a challenge-after all, we all change so much as we gain in years and experience?  I'm interested to know how they've made it work so well for so long.

I want to know more about what inspires him.  He has varied taste in music and books, is that partly because he wants fresh influences away from popular culture? 

Also, the question I most want answered- is he sick of his playing being referred to as a 'jangly'?  Sure, it's a vivid and accurate description of one part of his repertoire, but Johnny's music offers so much more than that for anyone who is willing to open their mind and their ears.

Watching him live at the Leadmill in Sheffield ten days ago only confirmed for me how magical Marr is-listening to him play is an almost spiritual experience and I was left craving more.

This book can't come soon enough for me. 

Is it next year yet?!

Johnny Marr's autobiography is due for release by Century in late 2016.

You can listen to Johnny's 6 Music interview here.

On my last visit to Salford Lads Club I had to lean on the same pillar Johnny had- 2012