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The Lightning Bottles
Win a free print copy of this book!
1 day and 15:25:11
5 copies available
U.S. only
The author of New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick Lucky returns with a love letter to rock ‘n’ roll and star-crossed love, following Jane Pyre’s road trip around Europe as she attempts to find out what really happened to her partner in love and music, who disappeared without a trace years earlier, leaving Jane to pick up the pieces.Jane Pyre was once one half of one of the most famous rock ‘n’ roll duos in the world, The Lightning Bottles. Years later, she’s perhaps the most hated (and least understood) woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate) Elijah—even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted The Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, and then around the world. But then Elijah disappeared and everything came crashing down. Even now, years after Elijah vanished, Jane is universally blamed and reviled by the public. In an attempt to get some peace and quiet, Jane rents a house in a remote part of Germany where she knows she won’t be disturbed. But on the day she arrives, she’s confronted by her new next-door neighbor, a sullen teenaged girl named Hen who just so happens to be a Lightning Bottles superfan—and who claims to have a piece of information that might solve the mystery of what happened to Elijah, and whether he is, in fact, still alive and leaving messages for Jane after all these years. A cross-continent road trip about two misunderstood outsiders brought together by their shared love of music, interwoven with flashbacks to the beginnings of Jane and Elijah’s love story and meteoric rise, The Lightning Bottles is a love story, a celebration of rock ‘n’ roll, and a searing portrait of the cost of fame.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 24, 2024
About the author
Marissa Stapley
9 books888 followersMarissa Stapley is the NYT bestselling author of the novels Lucky (a Reese's Book Club pick), The Last Resort, Things to Do When It's Raining, and Mating for life. Her fiction has been published around the world and her journalism has appeared in magazines and newspapers across North America. She has taught creative writing and editing at the University of Toronto and Centennial College, and lives in Toronto with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 30, 2024
This is another book that I had high expectations going into, as I enjoyed the authors previous book, “Lucky”. However, I didn’t feel very lucky after having read this newest release. This is a story about musicians in the 1990’s, and I thought that I would feel a great sense of nostalgia and longing for what was once a great time in my life. This book didn’t bring me any joy unfortunately, and the pages and chapters seemed to drag on… This book is also labeled as General/Historical Fiction for adults, but I feel that it is more of a YA read.
We have the story of Jane (formerly Janet) Pyre, who runs away from home on her 18th birthday to get away from her very strict, church-going mother. Jane fell in love with a musician she met online, and drove all the way to Seattle, WA from Canada to be with him. Luckily, it was meant to be and they went on to make beautiful music together…
However, things were not always easy for Jane and Elijah. Elijah’s friends hated Jane, as did all their fans. Elijah struggled with substance abuse problems, and Jane always felt like she was the problem. They had to deal with legal issues, all while growing up in the public eye. Then Elijah disappears, and maybe Jane has one friend that can help her find out what really happened…
Unfortunately, I didn’t care for any of the characters in this book and I felt that it was unnecessarily long. As I mentioned above, I didn’t get that nostalgic feeling I was looking for, and I think that those who enjoy reading about young love might enjoy this book more than I did.
(2.5 stars - rounded up)
Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: September 24, 2024.
We have the story of Jane (formerly Janet) Pyre, who runs away from home on her 18th birthday to get away from her very strict, church-going mother. Jane fell in love with a musician she met online, and drove all the way to Seattle, WA from Canada to be with him. Luckily, it was meant to be and they went on to make beautiful music together…
However, things were not always easy for Jane and Elijah. Elijah’s friends hated Jane, as did all their fans. Elijah struggled with substance abuse problems, and Jane always felt like she was the problem. They had to deal with legal issues, all while growing up in the public eye. Then Elijah disappears, and maybe Jane has one friend that can help her find out what really happened…
Unfortunately, I didn’t care for any of the characters in this book and I felt that it was unnecessarily long. As I mentioned above, I didn’t get that nostalgic feeling I was looking for, and I think that those who enjoy reading about young love might enjoy this book more than I did.
(2.5 stars - rounded up)
Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: September 24, 2024.
June 22, 2024
This story is a stimulating, angsty, powerful tearjerker that tugs at your heartstrings and then rips them out. It's the kind of rock 'n' roll love song you get addicted to, listening day and night!
If you enjoyed "Daisy Jones and The Six," and are excited to explore a 90s music-drama-tragedy-heartbreaking love story fueled by themes of misogyny, workplace inequality, and the costly price of fame, then this book is for you. It takes readers on a journey through the highs and lows of a complex, sorrowful love story, a mystery of loss and rediscovery, and the promise of second chances.
For those who were kids in the 90s, like me, you may easily connect with the characters and their whirlwind, wild, heart-wrenching journey that will shake you to the core.
Two women embark on a road trip to bring back a lost man presumed dead. Jane Prye, the highly criticized and reviled partner of rock 'n' roll legend Elijah Hart, the famous singer of the "Lightning Bottles" rock band, and a teenage German fangirl named Hen, who holds an important clue to finding the mysteriously disappeared Elijah. The story takes readers on an unforgettable journey, connecting the past and present through interwoven flashbacks that tell how Jane and Elijah met, their ups and downs, and the prices they paid throughout their meteoric rise to fame and subsequent crash.
Don't miss this sentimental celebration of rock 'n' roll and tearful love story!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this amazing book’s digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
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If you enjoyed "Daisy Jones and The Six," and are excited to explore a 90s music-drama-tragedy-heartbreaking love story fueled by themes of misogyny, workplace inequality, and the costly price of fame, then this book is for you. It takes readers on a journey through the highs and lows of a complex, sorrowful love story, a mystery of loss and rediscovery, and the promise of second chances.
For those who were kids in the 90s, like me, you may easily connect with the characters and their whirlwind, wild, heart-wrenching journey that will shake you to the core.
Two women embark on a road trip to bring back a lost man presumed dead. Jane Prye, the highly criticized and reviled partner of rock 'n' roll legend Elijah Hart, the famous singer of the "Lightning Bottles" rock band, and a teenage German fangirl named Hen, who holds an important clue to finding the mysteriously disappeared Elijah. The story takes readers on an unforgettable journey, connecting the past and present through interwoven flashbacks that tell how Jane and Elijah met, their ups and downs, and the prices they paid throughout their meteoric rise to fame and subsequent crash.
Don't miss this sentimental celebration of rock 'n' roll and tearful love story!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this amazing book’s digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
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July 28, 2024
A kind of based on Kurt Cobain-Courtney Love what-if story. If you have no idea who these folks are, then this is a nice Nick Hornby-esque YA mystery in which a teen girl joins forces with a retired, fairly hated, half of a famous 90's rock duo. The book shifts back and forth between 1999, when the girl and the hated rock star are on the case, and several years earlier filling in the blanks of who the Lightning Bottles were and how they met.
If you do know who Kurt and Courtney are then it will be a much different book, one that is rife with nostalgia and references to the 90's Seattle Grunge scene. With all the mentions of real and made up musicians, some of the fun is trying to figure out if the made up characters are based on real people. Is Kim in the book based on Krist Novoselic? Is Mikey Churl based on Johnny Depp? And Fiadh Connelly is surely based on Sinéad O’Connor...
Regardless of familiarity and knowledge of the Grunge Era, this is a fun and interesting read. Interesting in how it puts a spotlight on certain inappropriate and hateful behaviors mainstream press engaged in that are surely no longer tolerated today but were seen as totally normal and accepted at that time.
One observation, at the back of the book are lyrics from the fictional band at the heart of the story. This is the second time where I have seen this recently, the other book being Lucky by Jane Smiley, which is the same title of this author's first novel. Strange coincidence.
Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
If you do know who Kurt and Courtney are then it will be a much different book, one that is rife with nostalgia and references to the 90's Seattle Grunge scene. With all the mentions of real and made up musicians, some of the fun is trying to figure out if the made up characters are based on real people. Is Kim in the book based on Krist Novoselic? Is Mikey Churl based on Johnny Depp? And Fiadh Connelly is surely based on Sinéad O’Connor...
Regardless of familiarity and knowledge of the Grunge Era, this is a fun and interesting read. Interesting in how it puts a spotlight on certain inappropriate and hateful behaviors mainstream press engaged in that are surely no longer tolerated today but were seen as totally normal and accepted at that time.
One observation, at the back of the book are lyrics from the fictional band at the heart of the story. This is the second time where I have seen this recently, the other book being Lucky by Jane Smiley, which is the same title of this author's first novel. Strange coincidence.
Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2024
Marissa Stapley has laid me out flat with her latest, THE LIGHTNING BOTTLES, which decisively showcases her craft. I was blown away by Stapley's tight storytelling, sympathetic yet complex characters, and her ability to capture the atmosphere of the 90s alt rock culture within a story that is at once an epic romance and a cautionary tale.
Millennials and Gen Xers who came of age in this era will be transported back in a literary tidal wave of nostalgia. This story left me pining for radio call-in shows and countdowns, Walkmans, maps, teen love, and candles burned in beer bottles. It's also a reminder of music's enduring ability to serve as our tether to each other, and to specific eras of our individual and collective lives.
Emotional, thrilling, thought-provoking and engrossing, THE LIGHTNING BOTTLES is unlike anything I have read before. It will stand as one of my top reads of 2024 and my favourite among Stapley's oeuvre.
Millennials and Gen Xers who came of age in this era will be transported back in a literary tidal wave of nostalgia. This story left me pining for radio call-in shows and countdowns, Walkmans, maps, teen love, and candles burned in beer bottles. It's also a reminder of music's enduring ability to serve as our tether to each other, and to specific eras of our individual and collective lives.
Emotional, thrilling, thought-provoking and engrossing, THE LIGHTNING BOTTLES is unlike anything I have read before. It will stand as one of my top reads of 2024 and my favourite among Stapley's oeuvre.
June 9, 2024
4.5 stars. Loved it.
June 21, 2024
I loved Stapley's last book, LUCKY, and TLB does not disappoint. An immersive story of rock and roll and first love that will have readers flipping pages.
Jane and Elijah have a rare kind of love, only rivaled by their musical talent. But when success and betrayal become too much, the pair meet a devastating end.
Hen is the young girl who befriends Jane and leads her on a hunt to mend her broken heart. Brilliantly written and executed, the pair follow clues/artwork to find what might be the missing, presumed dead, Elijah. Told in dual timelines--Jane and Elijah's early years in the business to Jane and Hen's search--the novel sings of the power of music and aches with the bitter sting of fortune and fame.
Music. An all-encompassing love. An unsolved mystery. Stapley writes a compelling, pitch-perfect tale, one where a song captures your heart and doesn't let go.
Jane and Elijah have a rare kind of love, only rivaled by their musical talent. But when success and betrayal become too much, the pair meet a devastating end.
Hen is the young girl who befriends Jane and leads her on a hunt to mend her broken heart. Brilliantly written and executed, the pair follow clues/artwork to find what might be the missing, presumed dead, Elijah. Told in dual timelines--Jane and Elijah's early years in the business to Jane and Hen's search--the novel sings of the power of music and aches with the bitter sting of fortune and fame.
Music. An all-encompassing love. An unsolved mystery. Stapley writes a compelling, pitch-perfect tale, one where a song captures your heart and doesn't let go.
June 26, 2024
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
When i saw this book was centered around music in the 90s I was so excited and let me tell you-it did not disappoint. I loved everything about this book (except Kim, he can kick rocks). The music, the lyrics, the teenage angst, the rockstar life, getting too famous too fast....ALL of it! I was a teenager in the 90s and so many of the music references hit close to home. I even loved the reminder of how we all thought the world was going to end on y2k lol
Go read this book! Just do it!
When i saw this book was centered around music in the 90s I was so excited and let me tell you-it did not disappoint. I loved everything about this book (except Kim, he can kick rocks). The music, the lyrics, the teenage angst, the rockstar life, getting too famous too fast....ALL of it! I was a teenager in the 90s and so many of the music references hit close to home. I even loved the reminder of how we all thought the world was going to end on y2k lol
Go read this book! Just do it!
July 22, 2024
3.5 stars
If 'Daisy Jones and the six' and a John Green novel and maybe 'The Notebook' got together and had a baby, this book would be it. The misunderstood teen who escapes her boring life to become something bigger. The rise and fall of a rock band. It's all in there folks.
I liked the book, and didn't mind the jumping back and forth in time. (Sometimes it can get confusing!) And I liked the characters ok enough, but my problem comes with the ending.
Overall, it was a good read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
If 'Daisy Jones and the six' and a John Green novel and maybe 'The Notebook' got together and had a baby, this book would be it. The misunderstood teen who escapes her boring life to become something bigger. The rise and fall of a rock band. It's all in there folks.
I liked the book, and didn't mind the jumping back and forth in time. (Sometimes it can get confusing!) And I liked the characters ok enough, but my problem comes with the ending.
Overall, it was a good read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
August 1, 2024
I wish I could give this book 10 stars! From the very start of Elijah and Jane's relationship, I was absolutely hooked. Maybe it's because I was at the age where I remember chat rooms and talking to the same people online, wishing to one day meet them in person, but I absolutely devoured this book and didn't want it to end. The characters are so well developed, I feel like I know each and every one of them, and the description of the songs, along with the lyrics in the back has me searching for them on all my music streaming apps.
Strongly recommend to anyone who group up with chat rooms and loved Daisy Six!
Strongly recommend to anyone who group up with chat rooms and loved Daisy Six!
July 8, 2024
“I never wanted perfection. I’ve only ever wanted you.”
The Lightning Bottles is a love story about rockstars Jane Pyre and Elijah Hart, depicting their meteoric rise to fame and their role in ushering in a new era of music in the 90s. This book is gritty, nostalgic, angsty, and perfectly captures the culture surrounding Seattle sound and grunge music.
This reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones & The Six with its glimpses into the music industry and how artists pour themselves into the songwriting process. I appreciate how it showcases musicians’ struggles with substance abuse, fame, and especially in Jane's case, misogyny.
I also liked how the chapters went back and forth in time to reveal more of their past before focusing on Jane and Hen decoding Elijah’s messages in the present day. However, I couldn't really get into this book, and I think it may be due to Hen's character. While I understand the importance of Hen as a an outsider to ground the story and provide a different perspective, I couldn't really connect with her and see past her motivation to unravel and get close to rockstars she has worshipped for years.
I’m not musically inclined and I haven’t felt such adoration towards artists before, so perhaps this book wasn't the right fit for me, but I wanted to see more of Jane and Elijah. Regardless, I’m glad they .
Thank you Simon & Schuster for the ARC!
July 9, 2024
Rounded up from 2.5 stars
The first part of "The Lightning Bottles," describing how teenagers Jane and Elijah connected, was delightful. But not delightful enough to make up for the layers of improbabilities and coincidences that ultimately make the book, for me, impossible to take seriously.
Maybe I'd have overlooked or waved off the overall preposterousness of the scavenger hunt that drives the plot if the supporting details had been more truthful. But detox and rehab, for instance, do not happen the way they do here. World-famous, chart-topping rock bands do not go on tour without roadies et al. Apparent nuisance lawsuits with no tangible evidence do not make it to court simply because one of the parties at the pre-trial conference gets emotional. (Okay, maybe they do—the justice system certainly seems screwed up enough for that to be true.)
And Jane and Elijah just seem to skim across the crests of the guilt, love, and redemption they natter on about. Author Marissa Stapley wants to delve deep into topics such as addiction, betrayal, and feminism, but she never approaches the troughs—unforgivable to me when discussing addiction in particular.
Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for providing me with an advanced copy is exchange for an honest review.
The first part of "The Lightning Bottles," describing how teenagers Jane and Elijah connected, was delightful. But not delightful enough to make up for the layers of improbabilities and coincidences that ultimately make the book, for me, impossible to take seriously.
Maybe I'd have overlooked or waved off the overall preposterousness of the scavenger hunt that drives the plot if the supporting details had been more truthful. But detox and rehab, for instance, do not happen the way they do here. World-famous, chart-topping rock bands do not go on tour without roadies et al. Apparent nuisance lawsuits with no tangible evidence do not make it to court simply because one of the parties at the pre-trial conference gets emotional. (Okay, maybe they do—the justice system certainly seems screwed up enough for that to be true.)
And Jane and Elijah just seem to skim across the crests of the guilt, love, and redemption they natter on about. Author Marissa Stapley wants to delve deep into topics such as addiction, betrayal, and feminism, but she never approaches the troughs—unforgivable to me when discussing addiction in particular.
Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for providing me with an advanced copy is exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2024
“The Lightning Bottles,” by Marissa Stapley is a homage to misunderstood, strong, ambitious female rock stars from the eighties and nineties, in particular Sinead O’Connor. It features a fictitious husband and wife rock duo, Elijah and Jane, called “the Lightning Bottles,” who met in their teens through an online user forum created by Jane to find fellow music fans. After Jane comes to live with Elijah and his parents, Jane writes music for Elijah to sing and perform. Soon they are discovered by record managers and promoters, quickly becoming a rock sensation in the 1990s, with platinum records, Grammy awards and sold out concerts worldwide. The book chronicles their subsequent descent into alcoholism and drug addiction, until Elijah is pronounced dead in Iceland from drowning in the stormy waters off Iceland’s south coast.
Five years later, Jane moves to a farmhouse on the outskirts of Berlin, where she meets Hen, a teenage girl who is an ardent fan of the Lightning Bottles. Hen believes that she has found clues that Elijah is still alive and trying to communicate with Jane through posters and graffitti on the walls of buildings in Berlin, the site of the Lightning Bottles last public appearance. Jane reluctantly agrees to accompany Hen on a journey across Europe to find these clues, ultimately returning alone to Iceland to find the last pieces of the puzzle.
The book contains lyrical language, and well-drawn characters whose anguish and sense of loss are palpable. This book will resonate for those who spent their youth idolizing musicians and compulsively listening to emotionally moving music.
Five years later, Jane moves to a farmhouse on the outskirts of Berlin, where she meets Hen, a teenage girl who is an ardent fan of the Lightning Bottles. Hen believes that she has found clues that Elijah is still alive and trying to communicate with Jane through posters and graffitti on the walls of buildings in Berlin, the site of the Lightning Bottles last public appearance. Jane reluctantly agrees to accompany Hen on a journey across Europe to find these clues, ultimately returning alone to Iceland to find the last pieces of the puzzle.
The book contains lyrical language, and well-drawn characters whose anguish and sense of loss are palpable. This book will resonate for those who spent their youth idolizing musicians and compulsively listening to emotionally moving music.
June 21, 2024
Wow, what a story! Everything from the realistic love between Jane and Elijah and the honest look at Fame and the Music Industry made this story phenomenal for me.
From the very beginning when Jane and Elijah meet on a chat room, they were connected for life. They just click and it made me want everything they wanted, but like most people who want to be famous they had no idea what was going to happen to them or that the music world would be so harsh and unforgiving and just mean. But in the end, their love was stronger than lies, drugs and the music industry, but in order to get to the other side they would need to go through a soul searching journey that made them look at where they ended up and coming clean with all the stuff that was destroying their relationship.
Another aspect of the story I found important, the realistic view of the Music Industry which is refreshing because so many young and talented people make the mistake that fame and money solves everything but instead it messes with their head and if they have any self doubt fame will enhance it. In the story, Jane believes if she sells her song and becomes famous her life would be better but instead she found barriers for being a woman and jealousies because friends of Elijah couldn't handle the love he had for Jane, and they took every opportunity to tear her down and just lie about her. And when she try to tell the truth the industry just enhance the lies about her and made her into a monster she never was, and told the world that Elijah really didn't love her. I also liked that the story dealt with the drug addictions and alcohol abuse that is entrenched in the industry and it show how easy it is to obtain in.
One last important topic about Fame especially in the story is that sometimes the artists that lived the lifestyle just couldn't handle it and would kill themselves, which shows how any self doubt or lack of confidence can be dire and sad. It made me think of all the artist that didn't make it who were stars in the music industry.
One good point of the story that I liked is that the story gave Jane and Elijah an honest manager that stood by them and was honest with them, because even that, some artist don't get and in the end it actually saved their lives, because she cared.
I LOVED THIS STORY!
I want to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this fabulous story about love, music and destiny.
From the very beginning when Jane and Elijah meet on a chat room, they were connected for life. They just click and it made me want everything they wanted, but like most people who want to be famous they had no idea what was going to happen to them or that the music world would be so harsh and unforgiving and just mean. But in the end, their love was stronger than lies, drugs and the music industry, but in order to get to the other side they would need to go through a soul searching journey that made them look at where they ended up and coming clean with all the stuff that was destroying their relationship.
Another aspect of the story I found important, the realistic view of the Music Industry which is refreshing because so many young and talented people make the mistake that fame and money solves everything but instead it messes with their head and if they have any self doubt fame will enhance it. In the story, Jane believes if she sells her song and becomes famous her life would be better but instead she found barriers for being a woman and jealousies because friends of Elijah couldn't handle the love he had for Jane, and they took every opportunity to tear her down and just lie about her. And when she try to tell the truth the industry just enhance the lies about her and made her into a monster she never was, and told the world that Elijah really didn't love her. I also liked that the story dealt with the drug addictions and alcohol abuse that is entrenched in the industry and it show how easy it is to obtain in.
One last important topic about Fame especially in the story is that sometimes the artists that lived the lifestyle just couldn't handle it and would kill themselves, which shows how any self doubt or lack of confidence can be dire and sad. It made me think of all the artist that didn't make it who were stars in the music industry.
One good point of the story that I liked is that the story gave Jane and Elijah an honest manager that stood by them and was honest with them, because even that, some artist don't get and in the end it actually saved their lives, because she cared.
I LOVED THIS STORY!
I want to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this fabulous story about love, music and destiny.
July 5, 2024
Before I get too deep into this review, this is NOT, I repeat NOT like Diasy Jones. That is fluff, that is a beach read. Someone also said this is more YA. 100% disagree, there is heavy drug use and references that any teen/YA would very likely not understand.
What Marissa Stapley has written with The Lightning Bottles is a love letter to the 90s. The nostalgia that poured through this book was thick. Jane Pyre and Elliot Hart were the golden couple in the early 90s. Their story was one of legend, they met as teens, during the early days of the internet. These two sensitive and talented teens fall in love through hand-written letters, recorded cassette tapes, and phone calls from two different areas of North America. After Jane leaves Canada for Seattle, the two are attached and will be until 1994, when Elliot took a rowboat to the sea in Iceland, never to return.
Now, it's the verge of the Millennium, and Jane move to Germany. She wants to be alone. She's sober and trying to at least attempt to move on with her life. She buys a remote farmhouse, and is disappointed to find her neighbor is much closer than she would like. That neighbor is a 17 year old fan of The Lightening Bottles and she holds a special secret that she MUST tell Jane.
The two women go on a quest, following graffiti in Germany, Denmark and France, until Jane knows she has to finish the trip on her own.
-------
I wanted to stretch out reading this book because it brought me back to a certain time and place. The story of Jane and Elliot could easily have been Kurt and Courtney. Elliot could be Jeff Buckley. Jane could be Shirley Manson/PJ Harvey/Liz Phair. It's people that I'm familiar with because this was my teenage years. I remember where I was when I heard Kurt was dead. This book wants to test what would happen if someone of the talent of Buckey/Cobain just...disappeared, rather than their actual fate.
Stapley has captured that part of time, pre-mass internet boom, pre-Y2K. The sweaty clubs, the power of a handwritten letter, the lyrics of songs that cut deep. This is a story of what if? It's a music story, a historical fiction (ugh...I'm old), a love story.
I loved this. I loved every single word. Love live The Lightning Bottles!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.
What Marissa Stapley has written with The Lightning Bottles is a love letter to the 90s. The nostalgia that poured through this book was thick. Jane Pyre and Elliot Hart were the golden couple in the early 90s. Their story was one of legend, they met as teens, during the early days of the internet. These two sensitive and talented teens fall in love through hand-written letters, recorded cassette tapes, and phone calls from two different areas of North America. After Jane leaves Canada for Seattle, the two are attached and will be until 1994, when Elliot took a rowboat to the sea in Iceland, never to return.
Now, it's the verge of the Millennium, and Jane move to Germany. She wants to be alone. She's sober and trying to at least attempt to move on with her life. She buys a remote farmhouse, and is disappointed to find her neighbor is much closer than she would like. That neighbor is a 17 year old fan of The Lightening Bottles and she holds a special secret that she MUST tell Jane.
The two women go on a quest, following graffiti in Germany, Denmark and France, until Jane knows she has to finish the trip on her own.
-------
I wanted to stretch out reading this book because it brought me back to a certain time and place. The story of Jane and Elliot could easily have been Kurt and Courtney. Elliot could be Jeff Buckley. Jane could be Shirley Manson/PJ Harvey/Liz Phair. It's people that I'm familiar with because this was my teenage years. I remember where I was when I heard Kurt was dead. This book wants to test what would happen if someone of the talent of Buckey/Cobain just...disappeared, rather than their actual fate.
Stapley has captured that part of time, pre-mass internet boom, pre-Y2K. The sweaty clubs, the power of a handwritten letter, the lyrics of songs that cut deep. This is a story of what if? It's a music story, a historical fiction (ugh...I'm old), a love story.
I loved this. I loved every single word. Love live The Lightning Bottles!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.
July 31, 2024
4.5 brilliant shining stars. Ever since I read Bright Side by Kim Holden so many years ago I’ve been wanting more books about music and what music can mean to you. I know many will relate this book to Daisy Jones (which I also loved) but this one was different for me. The need for music in your heart and soul. This novel is another such book about music - but it’s so much more. It’s about the music you hear in your head and the music in your heart. It’s about a love of another human being who hears the same music as you and has the same need to make it. What happens when you achieve that goal?
The book opens with a young German girl, Hen, listening to a DJ talking about the disappearance 5 years earlier of a rock star who allegedly died in the cold Icelandic water - body never found. Hen loves this band wholeheartedly and is a huge fan. She lives a rather sad life with a mom who won’t leave the house.
A young woman, Jane, meets a man, Elijah, in an online chat room dedicated to music. They speak the same language of music and this develops into a great love.
These two women’s lives intersect and the book takes begins on a mysterious journey to try and discover if Elijah is really dead. I absolutely loved the way two stories were weaved in this book.
I love all the references to Seattle and the music scene in the early 90’s and the music being created there. Courtney Love’s band Hole is thrown in the book too.
This book is filled with so much emotion and angst. What happens when you realize the one person you love more than anything cannot be saved by love alone?
"Sometimes the best part of a dream is dreaming it."
Thank you to NetGalley, Marissa Stapley and Simon & Schuster for several great hours spent reliving a bit of my grunge era in Seattle.
The book opens with a young German girl, Hen, listening to a DJ talking about the disappearance 5 years earlier of a rock star who allegedly died in the cold Icelandic water - body never found. Hen loves this band wholeheartedly and is a huge fan. She lives a rather sad life with a mom who won’t leave the house.
A young woman, Jane, meets a man, Elijah, in an online chat room dedicated to music. They speak the same language of music and this develops into a great love.
These two women’s lives intersect and the book takes begins on a mysterious journey to try and discover if Elijah is really dead. I absolutely loved the way two stories were weaved in this book.
I love all the references to Seattle and the music scene in the early 90’s and the music being created there. Courtney Love’s band Hole is thrown in the book too.
This book is filled with so much emotion and angst. What happens when you realize the one person you love more than anything cannot be saved by love alone?
"Sometimes the best part of a dream is dreaming it."
Thank you to NetGalley, Marissa Stapley and Simon & Schuster for several great hours spent reliving a bit of my grunge era in Seattle.
June 16, 2024
A big tasty bite of 90s grunge nostalgia. Jane and Eli met in a music chat room in the earliest days of the internet and attached to each other in a way that they never would have found one another in real life. After they form a band and rise to fame, Eli disappears and Jane is cast in media as the villain. Five years later she decides to hide out in the German countryside where she encounters a teenager named Hen who claims to know that Eli is alive and leaving Jane clues to find him. As Jane chooses to trust Hen and hunt for Eli with her, she begins to recognize herself in the young woman, and has to choose how much of her past she will let Hen see.
I enjoyed the nostalgia of the early internet, the 90's music scene, the songs and bands that we loved, and the themes of the time are present throughout. I appreciated the telling of a woman's side of this story, but even as a riot grrrl, alt rock, grunge fan I didn't particularly find Jane relatable. The only person she seems to care about is Eli, and she cares about his dreams and what he says and thinks, but not that he loses every other relationship in his life except for hers. Gender swapping is not required to see how dysfunctional their relationship is, and it is hard to see Jane as the victim of public opinion that runs along the same lines. I wanted a little more independence, fire, and a modicum of female solidarity for her. In spite of my ambivalence towards Jane, I could not stop reading to see how things would turn out for Jane and Eli and Hen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed here are my own. Looking forward to recommend it to the patrons of my PNW library.
I enjoyed the nostalgia of the early internet, the 90's music scene, the songs and bands that we loved, and the themes of the time are present throughout. I appreciated the telling of a woman's side of this story, but even as a riot grrrl, alt rock, grunge fan I didn't particularly find Jane relatable. The only person she seems to care about is Eli, and she cares about his dreams and what he says and thinks, but not that he loses every other relationship in his life except for hers. Gender swapping is not required to see how dysfunctional their relationship is, and it is hard to see Jane as the victim of public opinion that runs along the same lines. I wanted a little more independence, fire, and a modicum of female solidarity for her. In spite of my ambivalence towards Jane, I could not stop reading to see how things would turn out for Jane and Eli and Hen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed here are my own. Looking forward to recommend it to the patrons of my PNW library.
June 28, 2024
Wow, this is easily going to be one of my favorite books of the year, and it’s only June. As a younger Gen X’er, I am *super* picky about 90s nostalgia and 90’s music-related fiction, and she carefully built a world in The Lightning Bottles that mixed real 90s musicians and cultural moments with fictional composites and original characters. Marissa clearly knew her stuff or knew where to do her research to accurately reference music venues of the time period (hello, Re-Bar callout!), and it adds to the richness of the setting and story.
But this isn’t just a nostalgia tale. I loved and related to Jane, the main protagonist, who just can’t seem to do anything right or have anything she does perceived correctly in the male-dominated music scene. (A lot of Jane’s struggles with perception still apply to being a woman working in the tech world 25+ years later.) On a personal level, she struggles with the frustration and guilt related to trying to save someone who can’t save himself.
The mystery surrounding what really happened Elijah’s disappearance drives the plot and is handled in a way that keeps you turning pages while you fall more and more in love with the characters. (Side note: I adored Maxime, a minor character who appears in a few pivotal scenes.) To put in perspective how bingeable this book is, I finished it in under 2 days while suffering from Covid Brain Fog and could barely concentrate on anything for more than 3 minutes. If you were ever a fan of or at least fascinated by the Pixies or Jeff Buckley or Courtney Love or Sinead O’Conner, I highly recommend checking this book out when you get the chance.
Thank you Simon&Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
But this isn’t just a nostalgia tale. I loved and related to Jane, the main protagonist, who just can’t seem to do anything right or have anything she does perceived correctly in the male-dominated music scene. (A lot of Jane’s struggles with perception still apply to being a woman working in the tech world 25+ years later.) On a personal level, she struggles with the frustration and guilt related to trying to save someone who can’t save himself.
The mystery surrounding what really happened Elijah’s disappearance drives the plot and is handled in a way that keeps you turning pages while you fall more and more in love with the characters. (Side note: I adored Maxime, a minor character who appears in a few pivotal scenes.) To put in perspective how bingeable this book is, I finished it in under 2 days while suffering from Covid Brain Fog and could barely concentrate on anything for more than 3 minutes. If you were ever a fan of or at least fascinated by the Pixies or Jeff Buckley or Courtney Love or Sinead O’Conner, I highly recommend checking this book out when you get the chance.
Thank you Simon&Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
July 7, 2024
The Lightning Bottles follows the courtship and rise to superstardom of Elijah and Jane. Everyone loves Elijah and his voice. His powerful voice and Jane’s lyrics propel their debut album. Even though they are married, that doesn’t rub off on Jane. She is socially awkward and has trouble dealing with fame. From the beginning, she is hated by Elijah’s friends and bandmates. When he leaves them to form the Lightning Bottles with Jane, it sets off a rivalry that weaves throughout the book.
The action follows two timelines—one following the couple's rise and the other five years after Elijah goes missing off the coast of Iceland. His disappearance completely isolates Jane. Officials declare him dead after some of his things wash up on shore.
Five years later, Jane buys a house in Germany next door to Henrietta or Hen. Ironically, Hen is a Lightning Bottles mega-fan who was at their final concert. She also believes that Elijah didn’t die and is sending messages through public art. Now, the hunt is on to figure out if it is possible that Elijah is still alive.
I thought the characters were diverse and interesting, although there really weren’t many to root for. Most of the musicians needed a good kick in their grungy pants. I liked Hen, she really had a ‘never give up’ attitude.
The story was moving, and the mystery intriguing. I enjoy character development in a book, and after a long, toxic ride, each one seemed to grow. The resolve and ending were satisfying also.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
The action follows two timelines—one following the couple's rise and the other five years after Elijah goes missing off the coast of Iceland. His disappearance completely isolates Jane. Officials declare him dead after some of his things wash up on shore.
Five years later, Jane buys a house in Germany next door to Henrietta or Hen. Ironically, Hen is a Lightning Bottles mega-fan who was at their final concert. She also believes that Elijah didn’t die and is sending messages through public art. Now, the hunt is on to figure out if it is possible that Elijah is still alive.
I thought the characters were diverse and interesting, although there really weren’t many to root for. Most of the musicians needed a good kick in their grungy pants. I liked Hen, she really had a ‘never give up’ attitude.
The story was moving, and the mystery intriguing. I enjoy character development in a book, and after a long, toxic ride, each one seemed to grow. The resolve and ending were satisfying also.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
July 21, 2024
Thank you @Simon&Schuster and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #TheLightningBottles. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Fictional band/music/origin stories have been popular for a few years now (Thank you TJR & Daisy Jones) and I tend to like them, especially when it's set during a time I've lived through with music and/or bands I appreciate. The Lightning Bottles is a great addition to this sub-genre.
The book centers on Jane, a music loving teen with a religiously strict mom who thinks her music is sinful. She finds connection with Elijah, a like-minded musician, in an on-line chat room. Jane decides to pursue her dream and escapes to Seattle where she moves in with Elijah's family. They eventually start their own band, get a record deal and become famous. But Jane and Elijah struggle with fame and their relationship starts crumbling. When Elijah disappears and is presumed dead, the fans dislike of Jane intensifies and she retreats from the spotlight, renting a house in the German countryside where her new neighbor is a Lightning Bottles fan with an interesting theory that Jane has to pursue.
Set in the 90's during the emergence of the Seattle music scene, this is a story about the impact and importance of music; about the relationships that define us; and about fame - it's glory and it's destructive power. As always with these books, it's fun to speculate on what real life artists the characters are based on (loosely or otherwise).
Fictional band/music/origin stories have been popular for a few years now (Thank you TJR & Daisy Jones) and I tend to like them, especially when it's set during a time I've lived through with music and/or bands I appreciate. The Lightning Bottles is a great addition to this sub-genre.
The book centers on Jane, a music loving teen with a religiously strict mom who thinks her music is sinful. She finds connection with Elijah, a like-minded musician, in an on-line chat room. Jane decides to pursue her dream and escapes to Seattle where she moves in with Elijah's family. They eventually start their own band, get a record deal and become famous. But Jane and Elijah struggle with fame and their relationship starts crumbling. When Elijah disappears and is presumed dead, the fans dislike of Jane intensifies and she retreats from the spotlight, renting a house in the German countryside where her new neighbor is a Lightning Bottles fan with an interesting theory that Jane has to pursue.
Set in the 90's during the emergence of the Seattle music scene, this is a story about the impact and importance of music; about the relationships that define us; and about fame - it's glory and it's destructive power. As always with these books, it's fun to speculate on what real life artists the characters are based on (loosely or otherwise).
June 13, 2024
This book was definitely a very emotional read, one that I was not quite prepared for. The two storylines contained such raw feelings of grief, anxiety, angst, joy, and love that it was hard to tear away from. Jane's story is so complex and full of passion that I couldn't help but fall in love with her character. I also liked how Hen's personality was slightly strained, as if she didn't quite know who she was herself. Hen was slightly unlikable in the beginning mostly because of her attitude. Filled with teenage angst and the idea that she knew all the answers Hen was almost annoying to read about.
However, that is what I loved about this novel. Each and every character in this book had flaws and something to dislike about them. This made the book feel real which caused me to like the characters even more when they started to grow and change throughout. Hen's perspective was unreliable, Jane's was troubled but they fit so well together. There was a nice flow between perspectives and well-executed transitions between scenes and interactions.
Overall this was an emotional rollercoaster that I couldn't seem to get enough of. The passion, grief, romance, and coming-of-age themes added the overall raw nature of The Lightning Bottles. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone a fan of music, commentations on the industry, and literary fiction.
However, that is what I loved about this novel. Each and every character in this book had flaws and something to dislike about them. This made the book feel real which caused me to like the characters even more when they started to grow and change throughout. Hen's perspective was unreliable, Jane's was troubled but they fit so well together. There was a nice flow between perspectives and well-executed transitions between scenes and interactions.
Overall this was an emotional rollercoaster that I couldn't seem to get enough of. The passion, grief, romance, and coming-of-age themes added the overall raw nature of The Lightning Bottles. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone a fan of music, commentations on the industry, and literary fiction.
July 8, 2024
5 stars out of 5!
Wow, this was such a great book! I loved both Jane and Elijah and thought their love story was inspiring. This book really portrays the early 90s music scene and we get to see the highs and the lows. The plot takes us from the present back to the past which makes the book come together in the end. This is my first book by Marissa Stapley and I cannot wait to read more by her. I would highly recommend this book!
In The Lightning Bottles, we meet both Jane and Elijah. Jane meets Elijah on a chat room she created. They bond over music and continue to talk by writing letters to each other. Elijah is in Seattle and Jane in Ontario. One day, Jane leaves Canada and drives to Elijahs. Their relationship takes off and so does their music. They move to LA where they are discovered and quickly thrown into the spotlight. Their fame is instant but along the way they loose each other. Elijah goes missing in Iceland and is declared dead and Jane spirals until she finally gets help. She moves to Germany and mets her neighbor, Hen. She is a Lightning Bottles super fan and tells Jane she thinks Elijah is alive and leaving messages for Jane. The 2 explore these messages and try to figure out if Elijah is still alive.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wow, this was such a great book! I loved both Jane and Elijah and thought their love story was inspiring. This book really portrays the early 90s music scene and we get to see the highs and the lows. The plot takes us from the present back to the past which makes the book come together in the end. This is my first book by Marissa Stapley and I cannot wait to read more by her. I would highly recommend this book!
In The Lightning Bottles, we meet both Jane and Elijah. Jane meets Elijah on a chat room she created. They bond over music and continue to talk by writing letters to each other. Elijah is in Seattle and Jane in Ontario. One day, Jane leaves Canada and drives to Elijahs. Their relationship takes off and so does their music. They move to LA where they are discovered and quickly thrown into the spotlight. Their fame is instant but along the way they loose each other. Elijah goes missing in Iceland and is declared dead and Jane spirals until she finally gets help. She moves to Germany and mets her neighbor, Hen. She is a Lightning Bottles super fan and tells Jane she thinks Elijah is alive and leaving messages for Jane. The 2 explore these messages and try to figure out if Elijah is still alive.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 6, 2024
This is the story of Jane and Elijah, their dreams of being famous musicians during the 90’s Seattle grunge band era. It’s a heart wrenching romantic journey to fame and the consequences of getting what you want. The settings are everywhere from Seattle, LA, Berlin, Paris, Iceland, and Canada. The timeline also alternated between chapters. Music lovers and romantics alike will fall in love with the novel. It will bring back personal memories of your own first concert, the first time you heard that favorite song or fell in love with the guitarist. It’s raw, gritty, gloriously exciting and depressingly sorrowful. You will love and hate the path Jane and Elijah take towards their inevitable end. I thought it was deeply moving and unfortunately too accurate describing the music industry. For me some of the scenarios were unlikely or implausible, thus the four star rating. I expect this to be top of the charts for a generation younger than me.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of “The Lightening Bottles’ by Marissa Stapley, published by Simon & Schuster, publication 09/24/2024, via NetGalley. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of “The Lightening Bottles’ by Marissa Stapley, published by Simon & Schuster, publication 09/24/2024, via NetGalley. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.
May 17, 2024
A compelling look at the price of fame and the power of love. Elijah and Jane are in love and on the cusp of stardom. They make wonderful music together as the Lightning Bottles, with Jane writing the lyrics (though no ones seems to believe it) and Elijah singing them. While Elijah is beloved by fans and others alike, Jane has been reviled by music executives, the media, and the masses. Fans think Jane is bringing Elijah down and things certainly don’t improve when Elijah tragically disappears and everyone blames Jane. Five years later, mysterious public art pops up that can only be from Elijah. Is this a cruel trick or is it really Elijah trying to find Jane?
This was great - there is so much tension, mystery, and, heartbreak. I kept turning the pages, wondering how Jane’s and Elijah’s story would unfold. Jane is awesome and it was easy to sympathize with and root for her. The exploration of misogyny and sexism in the music industry was just as entertaining as Jane’s and Elijah’s love story.
Thank you very much to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
This was great - there is so much tension, mystery, and, heartbreak. I kept turning the pages, wondering how Jane’s and Elijah’s story would unfold. Jane is awesome and it was easy to sympathize with and root for her. The exploration of misogyny and sexism in the music industry was just as entertaining as Jane’s and Elijah’s love story.
Thank you very much to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
June 25, 2024
I was provided an advance e-book copy by NetGalley and the publisher.
Other reviewers have provided fairly detailed synopses, and I will not repeat their efforts here.
The writing is excellent, and in fact I read the entire book in basically one sitting (with a few snack and bathroom breaks). I will definitely be reading other books by this author in the near future.
I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 simply out of my own musical tastes. I have never been a fan of the music (or musicians) depicted in this book, and I readily admit that I don't "get" the grunge scene. My preferences are found in the 60s and 70s.
Having said that, though, I appreciated the author's depiction of the raw realities and pitfalls of the music business, both personal and professional. Having read far too many sad tales of artists signing really bad contracts and being cheated out of millions of dollars of royalties, I was glad that this book's fictional band acquired good representation from the beginning of their professional career.
Other reviewers have provided fairly detailed synopses, and I will not repeat their efforts here.
The writing is excellent, and in fact I read the entire book in basically one sitting (with a few snack and bathroom breaks). I will definitely be reading other books by this author in the near future.
I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 simply out of my own musical tastes. I have never been a fan of the music (or musicians) depicted in this book, and I readily admit that I don't "get" the grunge scene. My preferences are found in the 60s and 70s.
Having said that, though, I appreciated the author's depiction of the raw realities and pitfalls of the music business, both personal and professional. Having read far too many sad tales of artists signing really bad contracts and being cheated out of millions of dollars of royalties, I was glad that this book's fictional band acquired good representation from the beginning of their professional career.
July 1, 2024
I finished this nearly 3 weeks ago and it's taken me this long to write it up because it made me so mad. This book COULD HAVE been amazing but the author was too caught up in being cute and deferential to her "idols" that it came out trite. "Synopsis: about grunge-era rock star Jane Pyre's road trip around Europe as she attempts to find out what really happened to her partner in love and music, who disappeared years earlier and left Jane to pick up the pieces." Basically, what if Kurt Cobain didn't really die but just went away. NOW...I'm positive that some folks are going to adore this story. I did not probably because it was too close to my lived experience. I would have appreciated an actual character deep dive instead of a caricature of 90's musicians and events. The young fan, Hen, standing in for the author was a bratty kid. Jane was supposed to be "unlikeable" (aka Courtney Love) but there was no foundation for that assertion. Remember kids, kill your idols - not smother them to death.
July 10, 2024
This book is part mystery, part rock-n-roll 90's grunge scene, and part love story. The story takes place in 1999 with flashbacks to the early 90's. It brought back memories of the times before cell phones and instant internet connections. In 1999, Hen is a lonely German girl that dreams of being a musician. She adores The Lightning Bottles and even has a secret piece of memorabilia. In 1989, Janet is a lonely Canadian girl that dreamt of rock n roll fame but runs an internet bulletin board about music. Janet becomes Jane Pyre and falls in love with Elijah from Seattle, because of course if you're going to write about the 90's music scene it has to be Seattle. But the book is not cliche. It takes the reader through the different timelines clearly and with purpose to each move. It's a heartbreaking story that I couldn't put down. I wanted to read about Jane and Elijah's success as The Lightning Bottles as much as I wanted to read about the mystery Hen and Jane try to solve about Elijah's disappearance. Thank you Marissa Stapley, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the ARC.
June 9, 2024
If you long for a 90's era music themed book, this is for you. The story centers on Jane and Elijah who were a popular duo called The Lightning Bottles. A lot of the story involves a lawsuit by Elijah's former band member named Kim over a hit song. Jane and Kim can't stand each other and this is part of the trouble.
When Elijah disappears, Jane sinks into a depression and eventually rents a house in Germany next door to a teenager named Hen who was a huge fan of hers. Despite Jane being nasty to Hen, the two set out on a journey together, which ultimately leads Jane to a place she thought she'd never return to.
This book goes back and forth in time, and more about Elijah and Kim is revealed as the story progresses.
Im not a big fan of romance and I didn't find Jane or Elijah particularly endearing. It was good enough to hold my interest, but I wasn't loving this book as much as other readers.
When Elijah disappears, Jane sinks into a depression and eventually rents a house in Germany next door to a teenager named Hen who was a huge fan of hers. Despite Jane being nasty to Hen, the two set out on a journey together, which ultimately leads Jane to a place she thought she'd never return to.
This book goes back and forth in time, and more about Elijah and Kim is revealed as the story progresses.
Im not a big fan of romance and I didn't find Jane or Elijah particularly endearing. It was good enough to hold my interest, but I wasn't loving this book as much as other readers.
June 24, 2024
I absolutely loved this book and found myself drawn in and unable to put it down from page one! I can see this being a great pic for anyone who loved Daisy Jones and Six, and I especially enjoyed the love letter to the 90's era of grunge and rock.
While at it's heart, this is a romance, I think it still had some great commentary on the music industry, addiction and grief. Stapley has a way of making you immediately at ease and develop a relationship with these characters, I found myself really resonating with Jane and rooting for her, Not to mention seeing how she reacted to fame in real time.
Big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for letting me have access to an eARC in exchange for an honest review! Be sure to check it out when it comes out September 24th, 2024!
While at it's heart, this is a romance, I think it still had some great commentary on the music industry, addiction and grief. Stapley has a way of making you immediately at ease and develop a relationship with these characters, I found myself really resonating with Jane and rooting for her, Not to mention seeing how she reacted to fame in real time.
Big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for letting me have access to an eARC in exchange for an honest review! Be sure to check it out when it comes out September 24th, 2024!
July 30, 2024
I loved how accurate Marissa Stapley got the 90's in the Seattle area! We truly lived in flannel shirts, boxer shorts over long underwear with long sleeve t-shirts under a regular t-shirt and Doc Marten combat boots. The music was amazing and it was so exciting to see local "small" bands become a huge deal.
Her references to how the artists and their music felt like it was ours is so great. It was heartbreaking to lose artists that influenced our life in a time before we knew what an "influencer" was. We just knew we loved their style and their music.
Her description of the chat room is so spot on. We barely had internet and it didn't do a lot. We truly had to call or write letters. It was just such a different time!
I flew through this book! I enjoyed skipping back and forth from present time to the past years to learn the entire story. The final clues and chase to Berlin were great. I liked that this book wrapped up with an ending that I enjoyed.
Her references to how the artists and their music felt like it was ours is so great. It was heartbreaking to lose artists that influenced our life in a time before we knew what an "influencer" was. We just knew we loved their style and their music.
Her description of the chat room is so spot on. We barely had internet and it didn't do a lot. We truly had to call or write letters. It was just such a different time!
I flew through this book! I enjoyed skipping back and forth from present time to the past years to learn the entire story. The final clues and chase to Berlin were great. I liked that this book wrapped up with an ending that I enjoyed.
July 30, 2024
“She had actually believed that Jane Pyre and Elijah Hart were magical, immortal, pure legends. Better than anything. Better than human.”
This backdrop for this book is music in the 1990s, the grunge/punk rock era.
Elijah and Jane are teenagers when they meet and begins the rock ‘n’ roll love story everybody thought they knew, but nobody did
Elijah disappeared years ago he’s presumed dead, when Jean gets pulled into a scavenger hunt with a teenager who swears Elijah is still alive and leaving her clues in all the places that meant something to them.
I so enjoyed this book, it was what I expected and not what I expected, it is my first book by this author, and it definitely will not be my last. I really loved her style of writing, her characters and this book was so well researched, and the back-and-forth in time Was seamlessly written !
This backdrop for this book is music in the 1990s, the grunge/punk rock era.
Elijah and Jane are teenagers when they meet and begins the rock ‘n’ roll love story everybody thought they knew, but nobody did
Elijah disappeared years ago he’s presumed dead, when Jean gets pulled into a scavenger hunt with a teenager who swears Elijah is still alive and leaving her clues in all the places that meant something to them.
I so enjoyed this book, it was what I expected and not what I expected, it is my first book by this author, and it definitely will not be my last. I really loved her style of writing, her characters and this book was so well researched, and the back-and-forth in time Was seamlessly written !
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