Scan barcode
resslesa's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
So many great stories and love how these are all from the same night for lots of different characters.
bookworm123456789's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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
kaylaraine23's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.75
This is the first collection of short stories I've read where each was written by a different author, and I really enjoyed it and seeing where all of the stories connected. It made me curious about the writing process and which came first, but regardless of the ordering, the fact that the first and last connected so perfectly was extremely satisfying. This also made me wish my school did a Batlle of the Bands (to spectate, not perform).
comethallee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.5
lauren716's review
4.0
Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy! My review can be found on my blog!
https://laurenbodiford123.wordpress.com/2021/09/15/battle-of-the-bands-edited-by-lauren-gibaldi-and-eric-smith-review/
https://laurenbodiford123.wordpress.com/2021/09/15/battle-of-the-bands-edited-by-lauren-gibaldi-and-eric-smith-review/
toloveisdestroy's review
4.0
All of the short stories in this were actually super enjoyable! But it got a star marked off for complaining about staying in Zanesville, Ohio (I happen to know they’re staying across from the Red Lobster, it ain’t the worst place in the world. Also Zanesville is my birthplace, so you get what you get kid).
snchard's review
4.0
Honestly, this book had me at Motion City Soundtrack. I love it when a short story anthology has stories that connect with each other and have overlapping characters. I especially liked Love is a Battlefield by Shaun David Hutchinson, A Small Light by Jenny Torres Sanchez, and Battle of the Exes by Sarvenaz Taghavian.
loonyruni2's review
4.0
So i found this book cute, but not full 5 stars because of two things mainly.
One, it is highly unlikely that so much drama and unpredictable things would happen all at the same time, and two… all the stories had twisty love story’s in them… again, so unbelievable/unlikely/impossible that it would all happen at once! Even spaced out over a schoolyear that would have been unlikely. But yes, I did like the individual stories… but I think 3-4 characters in one book spaced out over longer time would have been more believable
One, it is highly unlikely that so much drama and unpredictable things would happen all at the same time, and two… all the stories had twisty love story’s in them… again, so unbelievable/unlikely/impossible that it would all happen at once! Even spaced out over a schoolyear that would have been unlikely. But yes, I did like the individual stories… but I think 3-4 characters in one book spaced out over longer time would have been more believable
rkcraig_24's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ejdavis98's review
4.5
I’m giving this a high rating, not because it was flawless, but because reading it was a blast. Ever since a lesson on it in middle school, I’ve been a sucker for the interconnected anthology format. I barely read the first sentence of the summary before buying this book, I needed next to no convincing. It had everything I like, teenage shenanigans, concerts, and an out of the box concept beautifully executed by a diverse group of contributors that all share a common love of writing and music. By the end of the book I found I didn’t even care who won the contest the entire book was based around. But then again, I think that was the point.
Is this book “perfect” in a technical sense? Probably not, but I haven’t taken an English class since 2015 and I admittedly don’t know how to properly use a comma making me one unqualified critic.
Might some people think Battle of the Bands feels disjointed and inconsistent? Maybe. There are 16 authors involved here with all varying degrees of experience in writing. I personally find that to be a beautiful thing, but there are always people who will find something to nitpick.
TL;DR- While some might not find this collection of stories to be a technical 5 star piece of literature, this is my account and I make the rules. What isn’t to love about a revolving door of fun characters through the perspectives of a bunch of music lovers? Bonus points for amazing references ranging from great bands to great anime and multiple jokes poking fun at ska.
Is this book “perfect” in a technical sense? Probably not, but I haven’t taken an English class since 2015 and I admittedly don’t know how to properly use a comma making me one unqualified critic.
Might some people think Battle of the Bands feels disjointed and inconsistent? Maybe. There are 16 authors involved here with all varying degrees of experience in writing. I personally find that to be a beautiful thing, but there are always people who will find something to nitpick.
TL;DR- While some might not find this collection of stories to be a technical 5 star piece of literature, this is my account and I make the rules. What isn’t to love about a revolving door of fun characters through the perspectives of a bunch of music lovers? Bonus points for amazing references ranging from great bands to great anime and multiple jokes poking fun at ska.