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5.0 out of 5 stars
Review From Gypsy Book Reviews, February 10, 2012
This review is from: Amplified (Hardcover)
Amplified is Tara Kelly's sophomore novel, and the first one I've read of hers, and let me tell you: it's brilliant and wonderful and now I'm going to be her fan forever and ever. And I'm already looking for money in the couches to buy her debut novel, Harmonic Feedback! From what I knew about Amplified, there was a girl with stage fright, but plays a killer guitar, and she's a little bit rich, and she's also kicked out. What I didn't know is said girl is just like me, and by that I mean, same attitudes. Hiiiii, rudeness... I loved Jasmine. I loved her snarky attitude, her quick remarks, and how she wouldn't put up with Sean and Bryn. (If you've read the book, you know the scene I'm talking about with Bryn. When she defends her position. I was cheering for her the entire time! And with Sean, it's well, every time he's being a jerk and she says something back to him.) And guys? Said boy Sean? Oh, he's so hot. So, SO hot. And I wants him. For starters, he's the bassist. And when they have a gig, he wears a fedora and a button down shirt. !!!!!! Now you understand why I wants him. Mwahaha. All mine. I call dibs. There is so much more to this book than what the summary says. I mean, obviously, right? But what it doesn't tell you is all the emotions in this book. It's not as intense as VIRTUOSITY by Jessica Martinez, but there is anxiety and I was nervous when Jasmine was. I was angry as she was at her father at times, and ahh, so many emotions. It is a brilliant, gorgeous, wonderful book with a dash of romance and a whole lot of music and snappiness. If this book sounds like one you'd read, definitely get it. :)
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4.0 out of 5 stars
So...I have to live with you guys?, February 6, 2012
This review is from: Amplified (Hardcover)
What about if you got sort of kick out of your house because you didn't want to go to college? And not any college -- Stanford. That's what happened to Jasmine Kiss. She said "no, thanks." and packed her bags and left her house with her dad behind fuming. She's seventeen, has a car (kind of), and has a dream of being in a band and someday making it big. What can go wrong? Turns out now she's homeless, without a job; only counting with some savings. When she finds the perfect ad for a house, she goes for it. When she gets there, she has to prove herself musically and see if she's willing to live with three guys who are in a band. Jasmine plays the guitar and she wants to take a break and then go to college. I think she was a cool character. I didn't have major problems with her. She was a little funny, she fought for what she wanted and yes, she let her walls down even though she's a "tough girl". Her dad was left alone to raise her since her mom walked out when she was a kid. But they don't have a great relationship. Her dad thinks he knows what's best for her and Jasmine doesn't agree with him. She wants to get out of her father's shadow and his perfect standards for her and that took guts from her because she had it all. So, she's this strong girl that doesn't let herself cry over things.They had money and she threw it all away because of her dream. You go girl! So, now she moves in with these guys who are part of a band called C- Side. And let me tell you, those guys are a weird crazy interesting mess. I liked them! There's Bryn, who's like the leader of the band and plays the drums; there's Felix with his blue hair that plays sounds on the computer and the keyboards; then the only girl, Veta, who's the lead singer and befriends Jasmine and then there's Sean, who plays bass and the love interest. Sean and Jasmine don't get along. Especially at the beginning. I liked that he was written so realistically -- I don't even know how to explain. But there's a problem: his ex. And he's not over her. It sure makes the book super interesting. I kind of wanted to hit the dude! GET. OVER. HER. But there's tension between them and their first kiss! Loved it! Was Sean swoon worthy? Yes! What I didn't like about the book was all the musical terms. I was so lost. You can get the idea of what is going on while they're practicing/performing and you get the "feeling" but still. I was expecting to feel more excited while reading it but it was alright. It wasn't bad -- not at all but I don't know, it needed more but then again, I know zero about music, maybe that's why. But if there's a sequel, I'll so read it! I had fun reading it and I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it. But it didn't stick with me. What I do remember is that there's music, live shows, mean people and embarrassing moments. But I still liked it because I used a lot of Post-Its! Read it if you have the chance!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome!, January 20, 2012
This review is from: Amplified (Hardcover)
Recent high school graduate Jasmine Kiss (yes, that is her real name) has just left home for good after an argument with her father. He wants her to go straight to college. She wants to take a year off, join a band, and find out if she has what it takes for a career in music. Now she's stuck with no place to sleep, no job, and a beat up Jetta belching smoke. After perusing Craigslist she finds the perfect situation advertised: "Looking for a live-in lead guitarist (industrial rock)." The catches are "guys preferred" and must "be comfortable on stage." Jasmine is very much female, even if she does dress like a guy, and she's never played outside her dad's garage. Still, she gives it a shot and manages to get the room and a spot in the band. Now she just has to learn to trust her bandmates, and herself, before their big, career-changing gig in less than a month. I absolutely loved this book. Jasmine is a very believable character and I identified with her fears and doubts, even if some of the music lingo went over my head. The realistic plot moved quickly but evenly, carrying me through the book at a rapid pace. I devoured this one, and recommend it to teens who love alternative music, quirky characters, and realistic fiction.
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