Reviews

Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

lpineo's review

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5.0

Loved this. I'm not the target audience (mom in my 40s) but truly enjoyed this story.

otto_leonie's review

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4.0

reading this book as a sixth grader deeply in denial about my sexuality altered my brain chemistry. 

katiejackson's review against another edition

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5.0

Well what can I say about this book?

One of the sweetest and most heart warming books I have ever read.

For a middle grade this book deals with some very important and serious problems but I feel they were handled in such a good way.

Melly our main character is so interesting, I found myself relating to her in a lot of ways, as in I was similar to her when I was a young teenager.

A very diverse book with a lovely message. Some great music references too1

It was sweet, funny, thought provoking and my heart is just full of all these wonderful happy emotions! :D

Fantastic!

ridy22's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

tinyphrases's review

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4.25

this book is so fucking cute i can't believe it. i had high hopes for it and assumed i'd enjoy it but it was truly what i needed in the moment i was reading it. plus, major camp rock vibes.

sinoush's review

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

charlietheninth's review

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5.0

Okay, so the writing is kind of clunky at times, but it’s a queer middle grade novel with no homophobia or coming out drama, just happy acceptance and the normal interpersonal pitfalls of a twelve-year-old. Wish this had existed when I was that age!

akmargie's review against another edition

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4.0

This was very sweet and really fun story with a great setting of rock summer camp. Melly's journey from shy, quiet drummer to loud and in charge, is full of the highs and lows you'd expect from a middle grade story, friend drama, family drama, romance drama, it's all there but told with a lot of heart and authenticity. Really enjoyed seeing Melly grow and meeting her friends, new and old. Highly recommend.

pennyriley's review

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4.0

Not quite as good as Hazel's Theory of Evolution as far as I'm concerned, maybe because the setting - a Rock and Roll music camp was just not the kind of place I would ever have wanted to set foot it, although it is very well described. Bigelow returns to some of the same themes as in Hazel's Theory of Evolution - young love, or perhaps crush boy on girl, girl on boy and girl on girl. I didn't find realistic that well-educated, middle class parents would drop the divorce bombshell on their daughter the day before she leaves for her first ever away from home camp. No spoiler there; it's in the first two pages. Still a solid entry in the Middle School realistic fiction genre.

bethietee's review

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5.0

Really excellent middle grade exploration of some difficult topics, such as sexuality, divorce, and independence/assertion. Also I love books about sleepaway camps so I knew I would probably love this one no matter what!