Reviews: Daisy Jones & The Six + The Art of Losing

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

pub 3/5/19 by Ballantine Books
Adult - Fiction
Received from pub for review

Daisy Jones & The Six is about a fictional band from the seventies who broke up at the height of their career and no one knows why, until now. We learn of Daisy Jones’ beginnings as a 20 year-old woman who had been caught up in the LA party scene at a young age while having this incredible voice and talent that was hard to ignore. At the same time, The Six, fronted by Billy Dunne, was also making a name for themselves while dealing with the pressures of fame and family.  Both Daisy and Billy are wild and passionate individuals, so when a producer puts them together, it embarks them all on a path they didn’t expect. Their story is written as an oral history / interview style and I was initially wary of the format but it 100% worked. It told the story in such an interesting way without losing character depth or development. The writing, the music setting and especially these flawed but heartbreaking characters just reeled me in. One comparison I couldn't help making constantly was that I felt like I was reading the book version of one of my favorite movies, Almost Famous. In fact, even though I knew that Daisy Jones and The Six weren't real, I still googled them anyway in the hopes they might be (or at the very least inspired by an existing band)! It’s a testament to Reid’s writing that they felt so real to me that I wanted to hear their music for myself. And if the upcoming Amazon adaption of this book really does happen, then I'll get my wish!

Do I recommend? I do! Like I said, I went in totally apprehensive and now it’s one of my 5 stars reads for 2019.

The Art of Losing by Lizzy Mason

pub 2/19/19 by Soho Teen
Young Adult - Contemporary Fiction
Borrowed ARC from Kristin

Thanks to blogging I’ve gotten to work with and befriend some wonderful people in publishing and Lizzy Mason is one of them. I’m so happy to her living out this dream! I remember her telling Alexa, DJ and I about the origins of this story a year ago and I had that in one when I began reading (see her author’s note!). The Art of Losing touches on a variety of issues not often portrayed in YA and Lizzy tackles those themes head-on with honesty and heart. It’s clear that a lot of what you see in the book comes from a very personal place. Harley Langston’s life is a mess. On the same night she storms out of a party after catching her younger sister Audrey hooking up when her boyfriend Mike, they get into a car accident that leaves Audrey in a coma and Mike able to walk free, after he drunkenly attempts to drive them home. Harley struggles with a storm of emotions in the aftermath in a way that felt so, so real. She’s angry, devastated and guilty. At the same time, she reconnects with her next door neighbor and childhood friend, Raf, who’s fresh out of rehab himself. Through their renewed friendship, she learns about addiction, forgiveness and a person’s capability to change for the better. I enjoyed being along for Harley’s emotional honest and my heart went out to her many times. The relationship with her family was another aspect I enjoyed, particular the one with her father. I did want a little more about Audrey and even Mike to a certain extent to better understand the individuals and their complicated history but in the end it was rightfully Harley’s story and I was content to see everything unfold through her eyes.

Do I recommend?: I do. It’s a solid debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading her next book!