From the Publisher
"Elijah and Kristen’s personal evolutions through the novel, along with their chemistry, feel as authentic as the conflicts they face. A genuine plot filled with steady tension that will keep readers hooked." — RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
School Library Journal - Audio
10/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—Elijah's band needs to make it big. If it does, then his family won't need to put his sister, who has special needs, into a home. Once Elijah sees Kristen perform, he knows she is exactly what his band needs to be discovered. Unfortunately, an out-of-context social media comment is posted and the band is being recognized, not for its music, but for this controversy. Blount tells the story in the alternating voices of Kristen and Elijah, so listeners will feel as if they are getting the entire story. Nicholas Mondelli's and Elizabeth Cottle's narration gives listeners an easy way to know when the characters are shifting so that they may sit back and enjoy the drama. The tension gets high, yet the story pulls through with a strong finish. VERDICT This will make a strong addition to a middle school, high school, or public library collection.—Elizabeth L. Kenyon, Merrillville High School, IN
School Library Journal
06/01/2017
Gr 8 Up–Music is everything. This is one thing that Elijah and Kristen can agree on. Beyond that, they could not be more different. Elijah is part of the band Ride Out, known for its head-banging, heavy metal, hard rock sound. He dreams of hitting it big and using the money to help his sister Anna, who has special needs. Kristen, on the other hand, yearns to become a star on the Broadway stage. The teens' worlds collide when Elijah and his friends attend Kristen's high school musical production of Cats and Elijah cannot take his eyes off Kristen. One tweet about Elijah changes their lives forever as their social media war takes center stage. Amid their Twitter battle, and with her grandmother Etta's guidance, Kristen decides to join Ride Out. Will it give her the edge she needs to get into a competitive theater program? Or will the teens' lives spiral out of control as the backlash from their social media war becomes very real? Blount writes authentically; both protagonists' voices are distinct. The author explores the rapidly consuming world of social media and how it affects relationships online and in real life. VERDICT A relevant read and must-have for all YA collections.—Elizabeth Blake, Brooklyn Public Library
Kirkus Reviews
2017-05-24
The romance between musicians Eli and Kristen is plagued with discordant notes. Eli's image as a rock god is all about his hard-rock band, but readers are supposed to believe he's really a nice guy whose priority is his severely autistic sister, Anna. When he hears Kristen and their high school production of Cats, Eli is so attracted to her voice—and her body—that he takes a photo of her and posts it to the band's Twitter account: "This cat's HAWT!" (Irritatingly, this conflicts with the back-cover summary that implies that he's an innocent victim of an out-of-context post.) With the narrative clumsily integrating "screenshots" of social media into the transitions between their two perspectives, Kristen starts singing with the band. But the staged online battle that becomes #KrisVsEli quickly gets out of control, with Kristen facing misogynistic comments and physical threats. Eli brushes aside her concerns and keeps focusing on the band's success and his desire for Kristen. Even when Kristen is assaulted by a fan, Eli doesn't seem particularly concerned. But when fan behavior harms Anna, too, Eli finally wakes up. Although Eli clearly cares about his sister, it's not enough to overcome his sexist persona and his too-late epiphany. Like Eli, his family, and Kristen, the supporting cast is a white one. Not only does Kristen deserve better, so do readers. (Romance. 14-18)
