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mari1532's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I would like to thank Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Brief Summary: Mia Peters is stuck. She can feel the pull of a bigger life as she writes songs in secret, but she is also the daughter of Tori Rose, a famous country singer tragically taken at the height of her fame. As Mia prepares to start her life after graduation she looks around the town that has raised her and immortalized her mother wondering what her next move should be. Luckily she has a rainbow of clues pointing her in the right direction.
Thoughts: This book is a slow burn. It took at least five chapters before this book really hooked me.
How Holford was able to not only write a book, but all of the songs included in this book is impressive. Although it was a bit of a slow start, the way that Holford was able to integrate two coming-of-age stories, two love stories, and two musical worlds ended up bringing me to tears.
This is a love story, but I would not call it a romance novel. Mia and Britt do have friends to maybe lovers vibe throughout the endearing book, but the real focus of this book is Mia and Tori and their relationship as mother and daughter. The way that Holford writes Mia as a confused teenager trying to grapple with her grief is breathtaking. So many times throughout the book I just wanted to hug Mia and tell her it would be okay and I felt joy at her every success and sadness at every failure.
Tori was a little more difficult to read throughout the book. We only catch glimpses of her from the stories people share with Mia and letters, but I could never really say I understood her...at least the younger version of her. Tori chases her dreams and finds herself in a love triangle. The mystery surrounding her drives the narrative of the story. I did wish that there was a little more explanation of Tori's relationships with the women she was friends with throughout her life. I feel like with her bandmates and classmates we just see snippets of Tori's relationships with her friends. The love triangle had me hooked and I had a favourite, but her friends made such big sacrifices for her and it was a little hard to understand why.
Holford's writing made me feel and I truly did cry at the end of the book. I found Mia to be such a dynamic character even though she was a teenager. I read somewhere that this book is similar to Mamma Mia. In many ways, I agree with that description, but it feels more like the sequel rather than the original because Mia is just surrounded by a shrine of her mother. I do wish that we had been able to see any part of the town that was not some roadside attraction to draw fans of Tori Rose. It felt a little weird that this was all the town offered, but maybe that is supposed to make us feel the oppressive weight that Mia must feel having grown up there.
I would recommend this book, but I do think that you should go into it understanding two things. First, this is a book about a mother-daughter relationship. Other relationships are described in its pages, but this is the central focus of the book. Second, the music is going to guide you through the book. If you are a fan of puzzles and how song lyrics help you answer those puzzles this is the perfect book for you. I would also recommend having a tissue handy for the tears at the end.
Brief Summary: Mia Peters is stuck. She can feel the pull of a bigger life as she writes songs in secret, but she is also the daughter of Tori Rose, a famous country singer tragically taken at the height of her fame. As Mia prepares to start her life after graduation she looks around the town that has raised her and immortalized her mother wondering what her next move should be. Luckily she has a rainbow of clues pointing her in the right direction.
Thoughts: This book is a slow burn. It took at least five chapters before this book really hooked me.
How Holford was able to not only write a book, but all of the songs included in this book is impressive. Although it was a bit of a slow start, the way that Holford was able to integrate two coming-of-age stories, two love stories, and two musical worlds ended up bringing me to tears.
This is a love story, but I would not call it a romance novel. Mia and Britt do have friends to maybe lovers vibe throughout the endearing book, but the real focus of this book is Mia and Tori and their relationship as mother and daughter. The way that Holford writes Mia as a confused teenager trying to grapple with her grief is breathtaking. So many times throughout the book I just wanted to hug Mia and tell her it would be okay and I felt joy at her every success and sadness at every failure.
Tori was a little more difficult to read throughout the book. We only catch glimpses of her from the stories people share with Mia and letters, but I could never really say I understood her...at least the younger version of her. Tori chases her dreams and finds herself in a love triangle. The mystery surrounding her drives the narrative of the story. I did wish that there was a little more explanation of Tori's relationships with the women she was friends with throughout her life. I feel like with her bandmates and classmates we just see snippets of Tori's relationships with her friends. The love triangle had me hooked and I had a favourite, but her friends made such big sacrifices for her and it was a little hard to understand why.
Holford's writing made me feel and I truly did cry at the end of the book. I found Mia to be such a dynamic character even though she was a teenager. I read somewhere that this book is similar to Mamma Mia. In many ways, I agree with that description, but it feels more like the sequel rather than the original because Mia is just surrounded by a shrine of her mother. I do wish that we had been able to see any part of the town that was not some roadside attraction to draw fans of Tori Rose. It felt a little weird that this was all the town offered, but maybe that is supposed to make us feel the oppressive weight that Mia must feel having grown up there.
I would recommend this book, but I do think that you should go into it understanding two things. First, this is a book about a mother-daughter relationship. Other relationships are described in its pages, but this is the central focus of the book. Second, the music is going to guide you through the book. If you are a fan of puzzles and how song lyrics help you answer those puzzles this is the perfect book for you. I would also recommend having a tissue handy for the tears at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Cursing and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
ghostingarden's review against another edition
this is a it's me, not you situation. I just think I'm not the right demographic for this book which is fine! I don't think its a bad book at all just not for me :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent
crystalleighwrites's review against another edition
4.25
THE LAST LOVE SONG kicks into gear quickly and moves through its ~230 pages at an equal pace. The story follows Mia Peters as she graduates from high school and struggles to figure out what her next step in life is. Helping her on her journey is a scavenger hunt set up for her by her mother, a country singer who died tragically when Mia was only a year old. Through her life, she's struggled with her identity as they daughter of her small town's most famous resident, especially since no one, including her grandmothers, can bring themselves to talk about her mother with her. During her journey to learn more about her mother (and her own past) she carves out a path for her own future.
This story punched me in the feelings in a big way. Debut writer Kalie Holford gets the emotions -- of abandonment, yearning, that summer after graduation when everything feels that it's changing -- all so right and so truthful that you can't help but be brought along the journey with Mia. A standout element of the writing is the song lyrics; it's incredibly difficult to write song lyrics for songs that within their universe are smash hits, but these lyrics sing right off the page (pun absolutely intended).
THE LAST LOVE SONG might be for you if you love:
- Taylor Swift, Mamma Mia, I KISSED SHARA WHEELER, Almost Famous
- Queer representation all over the place
- Complex mother/daughter dynamics
- Girl bands
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing an advanced review copy. This review is cross posted to other sites.
This story punched me in the feelings in a big way. Debut writer Kalie Holford gets the emotions -- of abandonment, yearning, that summer after graduation when everything feels that it's changing -- all so right and so truthful that you can't help but be brought along the journey with Mia. A standout element of the writing is the song lyrics; it's incredibly difficult to write song lyrics for songs that within their universe are smash hits, but these lyrics sing right off the page (pun absolutely intended).
THE LAST LOVE SONG might be for you if you love:
- Taylor Swift, Mamma Mia, I KISSED SHARA WHEELER, Almost Famous
- Queer representation all over the place
- Complex mother/daughter dynamics
- Girl bands
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing an advanced review copy. This review is cross posted to other sites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment
Moderate: Terminal illness
gibbse97's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I really enjoyed this young adult contemporary coming-of-age story about Mia, who embarks on a scavenger hunt set up by her late mom to get answers about her mom (who was a singer) and who her dad is! She also navigates her relationship with her best friend Britt, who is about to begin her own music journey.
Honorable mention to Mia's Nana and Grams; they were adorable, and I love seeing elder queer folks represented. The queer community deserves to grow old and live peaceful lives!
Overall, I read this in two sittings because it was both goofy and tender, and I was rooting for Mia so hard! Her concerns and questions were so understandable, and thought she (like all people and especially teenagers) was a bit of a mess, I appreciated her arc/journey!
I really enjoyed this young adult contemporary coming-of-age story about Mia, who embarks on a scavenger hunt set up by her late mom to get answers about her mom (who was a singer) and who her dad is! She also navigates her relationship with her best friend Britt, who is about to begin her own music journey.
Honorable mention to Mia's Nana and Grams; they were adorable, and I love seeing elder queer folks represented. The queer community deserves to grow old and live peaceful lives!
Overall, I read this in two sittings because it was both goofy and tender, and I was rooting for Mia so hard! Her concerns and questions were so understandable, and thought she (like all people and especially teenagers) was a bit of a mess, I appreciated her arc/journey!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent
quirkyneon's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Last Love Song was an emotional rollercoaster, in the best way possible.
Mia Peters was a character that felt fully fleshed out, even in the parts of the story where I didn't always agree with her actions. Mia was a deeply thought out character but she wasn't my favorite character - the real star of the story (in my opinion) was Tori Rose.
The condensed timeline that Mia was faced at the height of the story, the whirlwind of a week, was a great way to make the reader feel like every step that Mia took really mattered. And it did, every step forward that Mia took revealed a deeper part of the overall story that really sucked me in.
The relationship between Britt and Mia felt real, slightly juvenile for sure, but they felt like real people in a real friendship. I loved the two of them working together to figure out the Big Thing that Mia was hunting for.
The story pace felt great in the beginning and middle but it did feel slightly rushed toward the end, all the loose ends were trying to be tied up in a very short window of time and I could feel that rush. That's not to say it was bad, the ending was just as heart wrenching as the middle, but I feel that it could have been built out more - even an extra twenty pages (I feel) would have felt less rushed toward the end.
This was a solid 4 star read, if only because it felt like every 30 pages I was being brought to tears by the emotion in the The Last Love Song.
**This book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher as an Advanced Reader Copy (eARC) in exchange for an honest review**
Mia Peters was a character that felt fully fleshed out, even in the parts of the story where I didn't always agree with her actions. Mia was a deeply thought out character but she wasn't my favorite character - the real star of the story (in my opinion) was Tori Rose.
The condensed timeline that Mia was faced at the height of the story, the whirlwind of a week, was a great way to make the reader feel like every step that Mia took really mattered. And it did, every step forward that Mia took revealed a deeper part of the overall story that really sucked me in.
The relationship between Britt and Mia felt real, slightly juvenile for sure, but they felt like real people in a real friendship. I loved the two of them working together to figure out the Big Thing that Mia was hunting for.
The story pace felt great in the beginning and middle but it did feel slightly rushed toward the end, all the loose ends were trying to be tied up in a very short window of time and I could feel that rush. That's not to say it was bad, the ending was just as heart wrenching as the middle, but I feel that it could have been built out more - even an extra twenty pages (I feel) would have felt less rushed toward the end.
This was a solid 4 star read, if only because it felt like every 30 pages I was being brought to tears by the emotion in the The Last Love Song.
**This book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher as an Advanced Reader Copy (eARC) in exchange for an honest review**
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
looseleafellie's review
5.0
The Last Love Song is a queer Mamma Mia-inspired YA novel that follows Mia, a songwriter who is the daughter of deceased country music superstar Tori Rose. When Mia finds a letter from her mother shortly after her high school graduation, she must follow clues throughout her small hometown of Sunset Cove to unravel Tori Rose's past -- and maybe figure out the path to her own future.
This book is heartfelt, emotional, and bursting with enjoyable characters! I loved the slow-built friends-to-lovers romance between Mia and her longtime crush Britt. The relationships in this book weave so neatly into Mia's character arc as she weighs up the people who make her want to stay in Sunset Cove and the people who make her want to leave with them -- and questions whether it's possible to have both.
As much as I loved the romance elements, the mother-daughter relationship was the beating heart of the story, and the most resonant part for me. Not to spoil it, but a scene toward the end fully made me cry! It was really cool to experience how Tori's story mirrors Mia's story.
I adored the song lyrics sprinkled throughout the book. Each song reflects the character who wrote it, and they helped me get more immersed in the story. I also think it's super cool that the author collaborated with a musician to actually record one of the songs and post it on Spotify!
Long story short, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sunset Cove. If you're looking for a dazzling, musical debut novel with plenty of heart, you should definitely pick this up!
This book is heartfelt, emotional, and bursting with enjoyable characters! I loved the slow-built friends-to-lovers romance between Mia and her longtime crush Britt. The relationships in this book weave so neatly into Mia's character arc as she weighs up the people who make her want to stay in Sunset Cove and the people who make her want to leave with them -- and questions whether it's possible to have both.
As much as I loved the romance elements, the mother-daughter relationship was the beating heart of the story, and the most resonant part for me. Not to spoil it, but a scene toward the end fully made me cry! It was really cool to experience how Tori's story mirrors Mia's story.
I adored the song lyrics sprinkled throughout the book. Each song reflects the character who wrote it, and they helped me get more immersed in the story. I also think it's super cool that the author collaborated with a musician to actually record one of the songs and post it on Spotify!
Long story short, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sunset Cove. If you're looking for a dazzling, musical debut novel with plenty of heart, you should definitely pick this up!
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness, Homophobia, and Death of parent
mel_muses's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
2.0
Whelp, this was underwhelming.
The Last Love Song follows Mia Peters, daughter of the the late sensation Tori Rose, as she prepares for a summer of endings. Her best friend is leaving their small town of Sunset Cove to pursue her dream of music, and Mia is absolutely certain she can't join — no matter how much she wants to — because she doesn't want to end up like her mom. Dead, a mystery no one can solve, and a person no one really knows. But then Mia receives the graduation present her mom made her right before she died. There she finds a scavenger hunt: the promise of answers.
First off, I don't think this book is accurately described by how it's pitched (i.e. bisexual Mamma Mia). The whole "who's my dad" plotline felt ineloquently thrown in there, and didn't have any real bearing on the plot. It's more giving I Kissed Shara Wheeler, but make it friends-to-lovers and centered around stardom, with a touch of the movie The Half of It.
I felt for Mia, and I really did like seeing her start to understand herself and her mother. I also really liked the way music was used in this book. The lyrics of all the songs embedded tell vivid stories. They're powerful and beautiful and I could almost hear them off the page. I also loved the alternating timelines. Rather than describe Mia reading her mom's letters, we saw the world from Tori Rose's perspective. It was immersive and really made the mother's story shine.
However, my biggest problems stem from the writing. Not only was it written so simply that each point seemed to depend on a cliche, it also just did not make sense. In one sentence*, Mia notes that the "coldness has faded from her [best friend's] eyes" and the next sentence claims that her face is "completely unreadable"? Or in another, Tori Rose describes the stage lights glinting off a tattoo on her collarbone — and WHAT? Is she giving herself a double chin staring at her COLLARBONE right before she performs in front of a massive audience?
In both these instances (and many others), I see the intended impact. But the contradictions in the language indicate that these moments were not clearly thought out beyond the drama. And that's frustrating as a reader! I want to feel these things, but you have to earn the impact — not with flowery words, but by painting a powerful story that works in the world you have created. *just a disclaimer that these quotes are from a review copy and may not be the final version.
I also found the scavenger hunt Mia's mother leaves her very random. For me, I felt like the foundations of the clues were not established enough to make it a fun mystery. Especially as the clues got more creative and complex, there was no way Mia could have figured them out. And yet, even though the hunt was random, the plot itself was predictable. I guessed the big reveal a couple chapters in.
Mia's thought cycles were also endlessly frustrating. She just kept repeating the same thoughts (and actions!) throughout. There's only so much self-degradation and self-pity I can read in place of a real plot (I'm telling you, nothing substantial really happens between 5% and 40%).
I did like the Tori Rose romance timeline. I enjoyed how messy and honest it felt. Even if I am not and will never be a music star like her, I connected to the feelings of having to decide which sacrifice would be worth it. Mia's romance, on the other hand, felt strangely forced? I just didn't get the sense that she really wanted it to turn out well. It felt less nuanced than her mother's narrative.
ALSO: Why does no one in this book ever have to warm up?? Not once does Mia or literally any other character mention warming up, or practicing, or being anything less than perfect at music. It just felt really odd.
This book would make a good Netflix movie, honestly, but I struggle to recommend it. It is a short read, but I don't feel it really adds anything new or exceptionally executed to the genre of queer YA.
Trigger Warnings: terminal illness, death of parent (off page, central to the plot), absentee father
I received an eARC via NetGalley from Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Love Song follows Mia Peters, daughter of the the late sensation Tori Rose, as she prepares for a summer of endings. Her best friend is leaving their small town of Sunset Cove to pursue her dream of music, and Mia is absolutely certain she can't join — no matter how much she wants to — because she doesn't want to end up like her mom. Dead, a mystery no one can solve, and a person no one really knows. But then Mia receives the graduation present her mom made her right before she died. There she finds a scavenger hunt: the promise of answers.
First off, I don't think this book is accurately described by how it's pitched (i.e. bisexual Mamma Mia). The whole "who's my dad" plotline felt ineloquently thrown in there, and didn't have any real bearing on the plot. It's more giving I Kissed Shara Wheeler, but make it friends-to-lovers and centered around stardom, with a touch of the movie The Half of It.
I felt for Mia, and I really did like seeing her start to understand herself and her mother. I also really liked the way music was used in this book. The lyrics of all the songs embedded tell vivid stories. They're powerful and beautiful and I could almost hear them off the page. I also loved the alternating timelines. Rather than describe Mia reading her mom's letters, we saw the world from Tori Rose's perspective. It was immersive and really made the mother's story shine.
However, my biggest problems stem from the writing. Not only was it written so simply that each point seemed to depend on a cliche, it also just did not make sense. In one sentence*, Mia notes that the "coldness has faded from her [best friend's] eyes" and the next sentence claims that her face is "completely unreadable"? Or in another, Tori Rose describes the stage lights glinting off a tattoo on her collarbone — and WHAT? Is she giving herself a double chin staring at her COLLARBONE right before she performs in front of a massive audience?
In both these instances (and many others), I see the intended impact. But the contradictions in the language indicate that these moments were not clearly thought out beyond the drama. And that's frustrating as a reader! I want to feel these things, but you have to earn the impact — not with flowery words, but by painting a powerful story that works in the world you have created. *just a disclaimer that these quotes are from a review copy and may not be the final version.
I also found the scavenger hunt Mia's mother leaves her very random. For me, I felt like the foundations of the clues were not established enough to make it a fun mystery. Especially as the clues got more creative and complex, there was no way Mia could have figured them out. And yet, even though the hunt was random, the plot itself was predictable. I guessed the big reveal a couple chapters in.
Mia's thought cycles were also endlessly frustrating. She just kept repeating the same thoughts (and actions!) throughout. There's only so much self-degradation and self-pity I can read in place of a real plot (I'm telling you, nothing substantial really happens between 5% and 40%).
I did like the Tori Rose romance timeline. I enjoyed how messy and honest it felt. Even if I am not and will never be a music star like her, I connected to the feelings of having to decide which sacrifice would be worth it. Mia's romance, on the other hand, felt strangely forced? I just didn't get the sense that she really wanted it to turn out well. It felt less nuanced than her mother's narrative.
ALSO: Why does no one in this book ever have to warm up?? Not once does Mia or literally any other character mention warming up, or practicing, or being anything less than perfect at music. It just felt really odd.
This book would make a good Netflix movie, honestly, but I struggle to recommend it. It is a short read, but I don't feel it really adds anything new or exceptionally executed to the genre of queer YA.
Trigger Warnings: terminal illness, death of parent (off page, central to the plot), absentee father
I received an eARC via NetGalley from Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Abandonment
booksandbesitos's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This heartwarming book follows Mia, a recent high school graduate, on a scavenger hunt left by her late mother, Tori Rose. Both Mia and her mother grew up with music in their blood. Despite sharing roots and music, Mia knows very little about her mother.
The book contains two timelines, showing the lives of both Mia and Tori.
It's an incredible debut novel. I’m excited to see what Kalie Holford creates next. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and highly recommend it to music lovers, those navigating mother-daughter relationships, and to anyone who want a queer story with beautiful writing.
Almost forgot my favorite detail- There was two grandmothers/mothers and I loved them so much!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
katevdz's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a cute YA debut novel from Kalie Holford. The cover is great, I adored the gay grandmas. This story follows Mia as she completes a scavenger hunt set by her late mother, country music star Tori Rose. It’s enjoyable to go through the steps with her and watch as she uncovers more about her mother’s past. However, it is definitely a book best enjoyed when you don’t worry about the details. There is definitely a lot that Mia doesn’t seem to know about her mom, despite google existing, and lots of little things I found hard to suspend my disbelief for. Overall I had fun following alone with Mia as she learned more about her mom’s life. And I am always here for queer love stories!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Terminal illness
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