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travelingallison's review
5.0
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story starts during the summer of 1995 and Rainey Cobb is not the average teen girl. She's never been kissed, had a crush, or been in public school. She is the youngest daughter and the pianist and a vocalist for her famous parent's band. During her parents' residency at a resort in Michigan that summer, she meets Juliet, a girl her age that is everything she isn't. Juliet is confident, cool, defiant, and Rainey gets a special feeling when she's with her. Rainey is dealing with trying to find her own identity after meeting Juliet and tells her parents she no longer wants to be part of the band and she wants to go to public school.
After the residency, Rainey has to make decisions about herself, her family, what she wants to do, and who she wants to be. Will Rainey want to be a singer and song writer on her own or will she go back to her parents' band?
This is a great coming of age that deals with sexual identity, awakening, and realizing that being yourself may come with struggles but they are worth it. And who knows, maybe you'll be able to write a hit song about it that speaks to more than just one person.
This story starts during the summer of 1995 and Rainey Cobb is not the average teen girl. She's never been kissed, had a crush, or been in public school. She is the youngest daughter and the pianist and a vocalist for her famous parent's band. During her parents' residency at a resort in Michigan that summer, she meets Juliet, a girl her age that is everything she isn't. Juliet is confident, cool, defiant, and Rainey gets a special feeling when she's with her. Rainey is dealing with trying to find her own identity after meeting Juliet and tells her parents she no longer wants to be part of the band and she wants to go to public school.
After the residency, Rainey has to make decisions about herself, her family, what she wants to do, and who she wants to be. Will Rainey want to be a singer and song writer on her own or will she go back to her parents' band?
This is a great coming of age that deals with sexual identity, awakening, and realizing that being yourself may come with struggles but they are worth it. And who knows, maybe you'll be able to write a hit song about it that speaks to more than just one person.
jenwoodrum's review
5.0
Summary: Rainey Cobb has spent most of her life traveling with her family band, led by her rock star parents. She didn't expect that in the summer of 1995, she would meet a girl named Juliet who changes how she sees herself and the world. Now questions lie before her - who does she want to be? Will she stay in the family band or try to create a life for herself?
Rainey Cobb reminds me a lot of myself at 15. Trying to find herself, writing songs as self-expression, creating lists to cope... She was such a sweet and relatable character.
I absolutely loved watching her journey to navigate parental expectations, work through family mental health problems, explore her sexual identity, and try to accept who she is.
It was such a quick and "breezy" read, and the audiobook was spectacular. I typically have trouble focusing on audiobooks, but not this one!
Thank you to the author for the free copy to review. Rainey will always be in my heart!
Rainey Cobb reminds me a lot of myself at 15. Trying to find herself, writing songs as self-expression, creating lists to cope... She was such a sweet and relatable character.
I absolutely loved watching her journey to navigate parental expectations, work through family mental health problems, explore her sexual identity, and try to accept who she is.
It was such a quick and "breezy" read, and the audiobook was spectacular. I typically have trouble focusing on audiobooks, but not this one!
Thank you to the author for the free copy to review. Rainey will always be in my heart!
tavitay's review
5.0
I haven’t read many YA novels, but I’m so glad I read this book. What a sweet story of a girl trying to discover who she is and what she wants at a difficult time of life. All of the characters rang true with real-life flaws and struggles.
As a writer of musical fiction, I appreciated both the structure of the book (divided by mixtape “track”) and the music theory sprinkled expertly throughout, never hitting the reader over the head, just making us aware that this writer has full control of his subject.
And of course, I’d be amiss not to mention the gorgeous cover and excellent title. This novel was such a fun, easy read without being fluffy in any way. He dug at the serious topics of mental health, sexual questioning and youth substance usage without ever making judgments or dragging the story down. A big win for this debut author. I’m looking forward to his next book.
As a writer of musical fiction, I appreciated both the structure of the book (divided by mixtape “track”) and the music theory sprinkled expertly throughout, never hitting the reader over the head, just making us aware that this writer has full control of his subject.
And of course, I’d be amiss not to mention the gorgeous cover and excellent title. This novel was such a fun, easy read without being fluffy in any way. He dug at the serious topics of mental health, sexual questioning and youth substance usage without ever making judgments or dragging the story down. A big win for this debut author. I’m looking forward to his next book.
offinherownmind's review
2.0
I seem to be in the minority for this one. Blowin' My Mind Like A Summer Breeze fell flat for me. There were parts that I enjoyed myself but, most of the time I couldn't wait to be finished.
The writing felt basic to me, more of something that you'd see in early YA. It was more telling, than showing.
The biggest flaw was you could tell it was a man writing the perspective of a young female. The descriptions of all the females only had to do with their looks. They were so beautiful, their hair was this color, ect. Nothing about the female's personalities. There was a chapter were our MC goes swimming. She felt insecure about being in her swimsuit. After swimming she writes a list of things she likes about herself. It felt condescending, when the MC thinks "there, that wasn't so bad" after writing the list. Later on the MC thinks she needs to eat more salads since she gained 15 pounds in a few months. However, during these few months the MC has undergone a huge life change and gaining weight from the stress would be understandable. Telling a female to eat a salad is extremely old fashioned.
There were a few serious topics that were mentioned in the book. Depression, anxiety, sexuality, divorce to name a few. I only said mentioned because that's all it was. These topics only felt like plot points, not actual discussions. They all felt brushed over. I understand the story takes place in the 90s but, it doesn't mean important commentary relevant to today can't occur.
Perhaps I'm being a little harsh. This book wasn't my cup of tea. I did enjoy the set up of the book as if it was two sides of a cassette. Also the authors clear vast knowledge of music shined through.
*I received a free ARC from BookSirens but in no way does it impact my opinions.
The writing felt basic to me, more of something that you'd see in early YA. It was more telling, than showing.
The biggest flaw was you could tell it was a man writing the perspective of a young female. The descriptions of all the females only had to do with their looks. They were so beautiful, their hair was this color, ect. Nothing about the female's personalities. There was a chapter were our MC goes swimming. She felt insecure about being in her swimsuit. After swimming she writes a list of things she likes about herself. It felt condescending, when the MC thinks "there, that wasn't so bad" after writing the list. Later on the MC thinks she needs to eat more salads since she gained 15 pounds in a few months. However, during these few months the MC has undergone a huge life change and gaining weight from the stress would be understandable. Telling a female to eat a salad is extremely old fashioned.
There were a few serious topics that were mentioned in the book. Depression, anxiety, sexuality, divorce to name a few. I only said mentioned because that's all it was. These topics only felt like plot points, not actual discussions. They all felt brushed over. I understand the story takes place in the 90s but, it doesn't mean important commentary relevant to today can't occur.
Perhaps I'm being a little harsh. This book wasn't my cup of tea. I did enjoy the set up of the book as if it was two sides of a cassette. Also the authors clear vast knowledge of music shined through.
*I received a free ARC from BookSirens but in no way does it impact my opinions.
rachelholly3's review
4.0
Rounded up from 3.5 stars.
This book falls somewhere between a coming of age and a coming out story, interspersed with a good hit of music trivia and a reasonably honest depiction of what being a teenager can be like. Rainey Cobb has spent her whole life on tour with her parents, as part of the family band, but now 15 years old, she falls in love for the first time and desperately wants to learn what being a 'normal' teenager is like.
It's very relatable in parts, and I loved that it wasn't super sickly sweet and unbelievable in the romance. I really liked that whilst the romance was in there, it was by no means the only thing explored in the book, and the other themes, of finding yourself and not knowing what to do with your life, were just as present.
Rainey Cobb is a really likeable character, and I found myself rooting for her, however there were definitely instances where I found myself thinking I was being told the characters feeling, rather than shown in how they were acting. I found some sections of the narration quite condescending towards the reader, and the use of slurs in the book is jarring and unnecessary.
Overall though I did really enjoy it. Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC.
This book falls somewhere between a coming of age and a coming out story, interspersed with a good hit of music trivia and a reasonably honest depiction of what being a teenager can be like. Rainey Cobb has spent her whole life on tour with her parents, as part of the family band, but now 15 years old, she falls in love for the first time and desperately wants to learn what being a 'normal' teenager is like.
It's very relatable in parts, and I loved that it wasn't super sickly sweet and unbelievable in the romance. I really liked that whilst the romance was in there, it was by no means the only thing explored in the book, and the other themes, of finding yourself and not knowing what to do with your life, were just as present.
Rainey Cobb is a really likeable character, and I found myself rooting for her, however there were definitely instances where I found myself thinking I was being told the characters feeling, rather than shown in how they were acting. I found some sections of the narration quite condescending towards the reader, and the use of slurs in the book is jarring and unnecessary.
Overall though I did really enjoy it. Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC.
wardenred's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
I love music more than anything, but sometimes I feel like a character in a fairy tale who doesn’t realize she was born in a prison until she tries to go outside for the first time and the guards stop her at the door.
I stumbled upon this book pretty much accidentally, and I'm happy to report that it was a happy accident! This is pretty much everything I want to see in YA: a heartfelt story of coming of age, self-discovery, and finding a direction in the world. I loved the strong 1990s vibe and all the mentions of books and music, especially that listening to Nirvana scene near the beginning. It really transported me to the time when I was roughly the characters' age, listening to those very same songs and being absolutely damn haunted by the chorus of Lithium.
Rainey is a wonderfully compelling and complex characters with so many tangles in her life. I loved seeing her relationship with her family develop over the course of the book, and I empathized with her feeling stuck between the past her parents were determined to hold on to and trying to figure out what kind of future she wanted to have. Most of all, I loved seeing her developing relationship with music—because the way it's portrayed here, it truly is a relationship of its own. I love reading stories that focus on young artists and the way they figure out what their art means for them, and this novel truly delivered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Panic attacks/disorders
irinagoldberg1's review
5.0
This book is absolutely amazing! I can't express enough how much I love it! The writing, characters and story are perfect and so honest. Benjamin Roesch, you are so talented and I hope I can read more of your work. I am blown away by how perfect this book is!
Thank you to Benjamin Roesch for a copy of this book and for adding so much joy and meaning to my life.
Thank you to Benjamin Roesch for a copy of this book and for adding so much joy and meaning to my life.
lgbtrepinbooks's review
5.0
Trigger Warnings: Cursing, mental health, underage drinking, smoking, piercing, bleeding, mention of sexual assault, bullying, marijuana, coming out
Representation: Mental Health: anxiety, depression; sapphic
Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze is a ya fiction book about fifteen-year-old Rainey Cobb. It’s 1995 and The Cobb Family Band, led by Rainey’s rock star parents, has arrived for a week-long gig at the Midwestern resort owned by Juliet’s family. Dazzled by Juliet’s carpe diem attitude, DIY tattoos, and passion for grunge, Rainey falls hard. And when Juliet gives Rainey a mixtape that unlocks her heart’s secret yearnings, Rainey starts seeing herself—and her vagabond, show-biz life—through new eyes.
If Rainey quits the band, her parents’ fading career might never recover. But if she doesn’t leap now, she might be stuck forever in a life she didn’t choose, and always wonder who she could have been.
This ALC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This story is a great journey for our young adult heroine. It has great writing and is quite enjoyable as an audiobook. The main character, Rainey is a typical high school girl but her humanity makes her incredibly relatable, especially for those of us who struggled with our sexualities. I think meeting Juliet made an excellent turning point for Rainey and I loved the freedom her character gained. I thought the inclusion of the mental health storyline for Rainey’s dad was handled very well. I wish we could have had more perspective from the mom and brother, though.
This compassionate story provides an in depth look into Rainey’s world. The author does an excellent job incorporating the musical aspect of their lives, along with each member’s unique journey. Overall, this is a great debut novel and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
Representation: Mental Health: anxiety, depression; sapphic
Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze is a ya fiction book about fifteen-year-old Rainey Cobb. It’s 1995 and The Cobb Family Band, led by Rainey’s rock star parents, has arrived for a week-long gig at the Midwestern resort owned by Juliet’s family. Dazzled by Juliet’s carpe diem attitude, DIY tattoos, and passion for grunge, Rainey falls hard. And when Juliet gives Rainey a mixtape that unlocks her heart’s secret yearnings, Rainey starts seeing herself—and her vagabond, show-biz life—through new eyes.
If Rainey quits the band, her parents’ fading career might never recover. But if she doesn’t leap now, she might be stuck forever in a life she didn’t choose, and always wonder who she could have been.
This ALC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This story is a great journey for our young adult heroine. It has great writing and is quite enjoyable as an audiobook. The main character, Rainey is a typical high school girl but her humanity makes her incredibly relatable, especially for those of us who struggled with our sexualities. I think meeting Juliet made an excellent turning point for Rainey and I loved the freedom her character gained. I thought the inclusion of the mental health storyline for Rainey’s dad was handled very well. I wish we could have had more perspective from the mom and brother, though.
This compassionate story provides an in depth look into Rainey’s world. The author does an excellent job incorporating the musical aspect of their lives, along with each member’s unique journey. Overall, this is a great debut novel and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
grboph's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a really cute book. My expectations were not too high, given that this was a YA lesbian romance novel written by a man, but I ended up really enjoying it and relating to Rainey as a character. It also ended up being a lot more than just a romance novel, which I was pleasantly surprised by. I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read with a lot of heart.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Mental illness
miloblue's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5