Review: YA Bound
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 5, 2011
Now THAT was a fun book. If you guys have read any of my past reviews, you know that I'm a huge fan of old school punk and girl bands. The SHADE series by Jeri Smith-Ready is my favorite partly because it makes me feel like I'm back in high school with references to my fave music and the band scene. And JUNE OF ROCK was brilliantly executed with a fun, smart voice and super cool plot that did just that.June was easy for me to relate to. I was so much like her when I was younger. I had exactly one girlfriend. One. And we ended up getting into a fight. Yes, a real pull-your-hair- and-scratch-your-eyes-out cat fight over our punk band boyfriends lol. Except, I played rhythm guitar, and June plays the drums. Which, by the way, is the coolest things ever. Girl drummers rock. And June is having a hard time relating to girls in general. Even her boyfriend. All she cares about is the music and her dreams of becoming a rock god. But she's not unlikable. She's thinking this is the smart way. She believes that her music will be there when others fail her, just like her father. So, she keeps everyone at a distance. It's easy to understand her logic and thought process. I get her completely. I loved watching her growth over the novel. She forms friendships with the most unlikely girls, and learns a thing or two about the rockstars she idolizes.I knew I was going to love this story from the very start when the author mentions The Donnas. Sold. And even though there wasn't a lot of romance, not the "we're meant to be and we'll fight against all odds and save the world to be together" stuff, I really liked the outcome for June and Micah. You'll just have to read to find out. No spoilers.  It was light romance, but there was still a powerful message about relationships, trust, and love. The real kind. The writing was clear and descriptive and put me right in the story with these characters. I enjoy Ms. Ludwig's writing style very much, and also June's youthful yet bright voice.If you're a music lover and are looking for a light, fast, but a fiercely intelligent book that will rock your socks, JUNE OF ROCK is a must.