Books and music are similar art forms in that they can
transport you back in time to when you first read a passage or heard a song,
and they can mean different things to different people. Like other art forms,
they can touch your heart and make you think, but I’ve yet to find another
medium that can strip my soul bare after countless readings or listens. Even
movies lose their luster for me after the second (or sometimes fourth) viewing.
And now that I shuttle my son to and from music lesson every week, I have a
whole new appreciation for musicians and the music they write.
Mary Amato’s GUITAR NOTES is a story about two very
different kids on different paths who find a connection through music. Lyla is
a cellist and a straight-A student destined to follow in her late mother’s
footsteps. Tripp is so grief-stricken over his father’s death that the only
thing that matters to him is playing his guitar. Early in the book, they are
assigned times to share a practice room: Lyla gets to practice on even days,
and Tripp gets to play guitar on odd days. What begins as petty correspondence
over trash becomes something much deeper. It turns out Lyla’s life is full of
static, and Tripp isn’t the unintelligent loner he appears to be.
I love books in which we see a relationship progress.
There’s no instalove—or even instalust—in this book. What we do get is a girl
who rediscovers her love of music by playing guitar and a boy who learns to
open up and care about more than himself. The two of them develop a strong bond
that could lead to romance, though it’s never explicitly stated, and by the end
of the book, there’s a strong sense of how much these kids need each other.
(There’s a hint tension between them underneath their strong friendship. You
can’t help but root for them to get together.)
GUITAR NOTES is about doing what makes you happy, about
finding that thing that makes your heart thrum and pursuing it. With Tripp’s
help, Lyla found something she loves; in Lyla, Tripp found someone who
understands him and his music. And though the story felt a little rushed at the
end, the conclusion was satisfying and left me feeling hopeful.
“Maybe it explains the reason why one person likes another. It's because their souls both thrum at the same frequency.” ~ Mary Amato from Guitar Notes
Ella Martin
Bio: Ella Martin is an award-winning young adult
author and self-described “prep school survivor” from Southern California. With
a keen sense for combining relatable teen characters with engrossing stories,
her books blend aspects of romance, angst, and intrigue. Her Westgate Prep
series of books tackles female friendships, quirky characters, and sensitive
topics with equal tact.
Social media links:
Website: http://www.ella-martin.com
Tumblr: http://westgateprep.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEllaMartin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/westgateprep
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westgateprep/
Website: http://www.ella-martin.com
Tumblr: http://westgateprep.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEllaMartin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/westgateprep
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westgateprep/
I Love Him, I Love Him Not blurb:
Talia Nicoletti’s
life has been turned upside down–and that’s probably an
understatement. Her mother goes off on a business trip… and comes back
married! Her estranged father wants to be less estranged. And her best friend
Jake DeSantos suddenly has a new confidante who Talia doesn’t want to like but
kind of does anyway.Talia has to unravel her tangled up emotions to figure out what she really wants. Does she want to accept her father back in her life? Can she trust her new-stepfather? There’s too much hitting Talia at once, and she’s not ready to deal with any of it. The one person she can always turn to is Jake, and he’s being secretive and isn’t exactly available. And that hurts her more than she thought possible.
Talia hates that she’s jealous of the new girl in Jake’s life, especially since she can’t decide if she loves him … or if she loves him not.
Goodreads Contests for Ella's Books:
Buy links for I Love Him, I Love Him Not:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Him-Westgate-Prep-Book-ebook/dp/B015X8QM2S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1443515729&sr=1-1
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-love-him-i-love-him-not-ella-martin/1122726640?ean=2940150866867
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/i-love-him-i-love-him-not
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/581268
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781621354529
Check out the rest of the Tour:
Giveaway: One copy of Guitar Notes available for giveaway to readers in the U.S
a Rafflecopter giveaway
1 comment:
I'm not able to play any instruments, but if I was able to, I would love to be able to play either the guitar or the piano! :)
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