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jeskota's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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? Yes
4.5
paulag's review
3.0
My official rating: 7 out of 10 songs
Full review: https://www.storybookem.com/post/review-battle-of-the-bands
I was skeptical when I realized that this book has not one, not two, but 16 authors, each with their own chapter in the form of a short story. Two stories in and I was sold!
I loved the representation embedded in this book, the voices that get to be heard and the friends that present themselves to anyone struggling with figuring out who they are!
More details can be found in my official review. Link posted above!
Full review: https://www.storybookem.com/post/review-battle-of-the-bands
I was skeptical when I realized that this book has not one, not two, but 16 authors, each with their own chapter in the form of a short story. Two stories in and I was sold!
I loved the representation embedded in this book, the voices that get to be heard and the friends that present themselves to anyone struggling with figuring out who they are!
More details can be found in my official review. Link posted above!
caitief's review
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
betweentheshelves's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This was such a fun anthology! I loved the premise and overall, enjoyed the stories for the most part. I just think there were maybe too many stories. It made it difficult to keep track of how all of the characters were connected. Still really entertaining, though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, and Drug use
randyribay's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
storiesandsours's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.25
annawilson's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and dreamscape media for this audiobook copy of battle of the bands!!
I never knew I needed my anthologies to be interconnected until now. This was sooooo good! As a whole, I would give this 5 stars! I loved how it was at the same event following all these different points of views and what everyone was doing without feeling like I heard the same scene over and over. The transition between stories was flawless! I loved getting little snippets of a character and then later we came back to them and what they were doing. It was great!
Here are my individual story ratings:
Miss Somewhere by Brittany Cavallaro 3 stars
Cecilia You’re Breaking my Heart by Ashley Poston 5 stars
Sidelines by Sarah Nicole Smetana 5 stars
Battle of the Exes by Sarvenaz Taghavian 5 stars
Love is a Battlefield by Shaun David Hutchinson 5 stars
You Found Me by Ashley Woodfolk 3 stars
Adventures in Babysitting by Justin Courtney Pierre 3 stars
Peanut Butter Sandwiches by Jasmine Warga 3 stars
Reckless Love by Jay Coles 4 stars
The Ride by Jenn Marie Thorne 4 stars
Three Cords by Eric Smith 3 stars
Merch to do About Nothing by Preeti Chhibber 4 stars
All These Friends & Lovers by Katie Cotugno 3 stars
A Small Light by Jenny Torres Sanchez 3 stars
Set the World on Fire by Lauren Gibaldi 3 stars
Sisterhood of Lights and Sound by Jeff Zentner 3 stars
And here are mini summaries if your like me & have trouble remembering what each one is about!
Miss Somewhere by Brittany Cavallaro
-twin sisters have a falling out after moving to a new school
Cecilia You’re Breaking my Heart by Ashley Poston
-2 best friends admitting they like each other
Sidelines by Sarah Nicole Smetana
-a band breaks up leaving a girl crushed
Battle of the Exes by Sarvenaz Taghavian
-a new girl group about to go on stage when one sees her ex bf playing a song about her: they preform “heartshitter” in response
Love is a Battlefield by Shaun David Hutchinson
-a guy is dating a girl & a guy in a band but wants to date someone who would play video games with him
You Found Me by Ashley Woodfolk
-best friends prepare for their performance. One realizes that the other made out with his gf & now they have to breakup
Adventures in Babysitting by Justin Courtney Pierre
-a group of friends trip acid right before one of them preforms
Peanut Butter Sandwiches by Jasmine Warga 3 stars
-a girl starts writing songs while helping her bf’s band. When he cheats on her she takes her song & goes solo
Reckless Love by Jay Coles
-a boy discovers he’s bi and tells his gf & bandmates
The Ride by Jenn Marie Thorne
-a girl leaves her toxic bf at home & goes to the battle of the bands without him. She finds herself on stage singing his parts
Three Cords by Eric Smith
-a guy deals with going back on stage after being kicked out of his popular band. He gets stage fright & his friend builds him up
Merch to do About Nothing by Preeti Chhibber
-2 Indian kids work a merch stand and find they have things in common
All These Friends & Lovers by Katie Cotugno
-a girl with a crush on her bandmate meets a new boy in tutoring who she kinda likes while dealing with a fight with her BFF
A Small Light by Jenny Torres Sanchez
-a boy tries to save his sister from an abusive relationship thru their love of music
Set the World on Fire by Lauren Gibaldi
-a girl is tired of being in the background decides she’s gonna make a statement with some sparklers
Sisterhood of Lights and Sound by Jeff Zentner
-follow hailey from the first story as she lives thru her last battle of the bands as a techie. She also patches her relationship with her sister
I never knew I needed my anthologies to be interconnected until now. This was sooooo good! As a whole, I would give this 5 stars! I loved how it was at the same event following all these different points of views and what everyone was doing without feeling like I heard the same scene over and over. The transition between stories was flawless! I loved getting little snippets of a character and then later we came back to them and what they were doing. It was great!
Here are my individual story ratings:
Miss Somewhere by Brittany Cavallaro 3 stars
Cecilia You’re Breaking my Heart by Ashley Poston 5 stars
Sidelines by Sarah Nicole Smetana 5 stars
Battle of the Exes by Sarvenaz Taghavian 5 stars
Love is a Battlefield by Shaun David Hutchinson 5 stars
You Found Me by Ashley Woodfolk 3 stars
Adventures in Babysitting by Justin Courtney Pierre 3 stars
Peanut Butter Sandwiches by Jasmine Warga 3 stars
Reckless Love by Jay Coles 4 stars
The Ride by Jenn Marie Thorne 4 stars
Three Cords by Eric Smith 3 stars
Merch to do About Nothing by Preeti Chhibber 4 stars
All These Friends & Lovers by Katie Cotugno 3 stars
A Small Light by Jenny Torres Sanchez 3 stars
Set the World on Fire by Lauren Gibaldi 3 stars
Sisterhood of Lights and Sound by Jeff Zentner 3 stars
And here are mini summaries if your like me & have trouble remembering what each one is about!
Miss Somewhere by Brittany Cavallaro
-twin sisters have a falling out after moving to a new school
Cecilia You’re Breaking my Heart by Ashley Poston
-2 best friends admitting they like each other
Sidelines by Sarah Nicole Smetana
-a band breaks up leaving a girl crushed
Battle of the Exes by Sarvenaz Taghavian
-a new girl group about to go on stage when one sees her ex bf playing a song about her: they preform “heartshitter” in response
Love is a Battlefield by Shaun David Hutchinson
-a guy is dating a girl & a guy in a band but wants to date someone who would play video games with him
You Found Me by Ashley Woodfolk
-best friends prepare for their performance. One realizes that the other made out with his gf & now they have to breakup
Adventures in Babysitting by Justin Courtney Pierre
-a group of friends trip acid right before one of them preforms
Peanut Butter Sandwiches by Jasmine Warga 3 stars
-a girl starts writing songs while helping her bf’s band. When he cheats on her she takes her song & goes solo
Reckless Love by Jay Coles
-a boy discovers he’s bi and tells his gf & bandmates
The Ride by Jenn Marie Thorne
-a girl leaves her toxic bf at home & goes to the battle of the bands without him. She finds herself on stage singing his parts
Three Cords by Eric Smith
-a guy deals with going back on stage after being kicked out of his popular band. He gets stage fright & his friend builds him up
Merch to do About Nothing by Preeti Chhibber
-2 Indian kids work a merch stand and find they have things in common
All These Friends & Lovers by Katie Cotugno
-a girl with a crush on her bandmate meets a new boy in tutoring who she kinda likes while dealing with a fight with her BFF
A Small Light by Jenny Torres Sanchez
-a boy tries to save his sister from an abusive relationship thru their love of music
Set the World on Fire by Lauren Gibaldi
-a girl is tired of being in the background decides she’s gonna make a statement with some sparklers
Sisterhood of Lights and Sound by Jeff Zentner
-follow hailey from the first story as she lives thru her last battle of the bands as a techie. She also patches her relationship with her sister
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
I received this book free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I gave this book 4.25 stars
This book had it all! Cute/funny stories and some a bit sadder stories. I'm glad both the authors and the characters are diverse. With some new to me authors as well as some new authors I'd never heard of but now want to check out their other works. The stories wove together beautifully, and everything came full circle which I enjoyed. Though some of the stories I wish were longer or made into their own books!
An overall a great anthology!
I gave this book 4.25 stars
This book had it all! Cute/funny stories and some a bit sadder stories. I'm glad both the authors and the characters are diverse. With some new to me authors as well as some new authors I'd never heard of but now want to check out their other works. The stories wove together beautifully, and everything came full circle which I enjoyed. Though some of the stories I wish were longer or made into their own books!
An overall a great anthology!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
Minor: Domestic abuse