The Line [Paperback]

Courtney Brandt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 2007

"You and me could write a band romance..."

Like any normal sixteen year old, Lucy Karate longs for the perfect junior year.  She imagines herself having fun hanging out with friends, getting good grades, finally finding a boyfriend, and, above all, marching on The Battery.  For Lucy, a member of the highly competitive Forrest Hills Flyers Marching Band, the Battery is a chance to actually march on the field and show everyone that girls really can be outstanding percussionists.

Rewarded with second bass after intense tryouts, Lucy immediately finds herself in trouble when she begins secretly dating the rival school's drumline Captain, Sam Powell.  At the same time, she finds it difficult to turn down the attentions of cymbal playing redheaded hottie, Nevada Petersen, from her own section.  What's a girl to do?

Woodwind or brass, color guard or majorette, you will want to follow Lucy's misadventures through marching band.  Her struggles with chaotic band camp, cute rival drummers, intense indoor competitions, and a crazy love triangle will speak to the band geek in everyone.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I'm going to treasure this book forever.  I know I'm going to enjoy it once I'm out of high school too!  Thank you so much for writing this!  I needed something to 'bring me back' to high school band when I'm finished with it. I have now found the perfect thing."

"I loved the book!  And I really do hate to read now a days, so that's saying a lot in itself.  I could relate to pretty much everything in the book - I just bought the second novel in the series, and I'm so excited to start!"

From the Author

Hello, Courtney here, and before you purchase any of my books - I encourage you to download or read a sample first.  Even though my novels are priced on the lower end of the spectrum, I know your money (and time!) are precious things, so please try before you buy.  If you prefer not to, no worries - there are lots of wonderful YA books in circulation!

I hope you do enjoy the adventures of Lucy Karate and will want to follow her senior season in A Fine Line, or the continuing adventures of the Forrest Hills drumline in Keeping in Line and the exciting conclusion of the series, The Line Up. 

If you want to see a cameo from Lucy, check out my independent YA marching novel Confessions of a Teenage Band Geek.

As a side note, The Line may hit the right notes for some, but for others in search of a book filled with more specific details about the day to day minutiae of a season in marching band, I encourage you to write your own!  My book has always been intended as a love story with the inner workings of a competitive marching band and drumline as the backdrop for that narrative.  Furthermore, I definitely appreciate your feedback.  While I am busy working on  original adult novels at the moment, I do like to update the entire Line series from time to time - your notes help. 

Keep marching!  ~CB

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (February 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595422810
• ISBN-13: 978-0595422814
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #720,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ms. Brandt is proud to present The Line, and the additional novels in the complete series, A Fine Line, Keeping in Line, and The Line Up. Each of the novels was created for high school students and alumni in marching band. As a former drumline member, Courtney enjoys bringing a fictional voice to band geeks all over the world and is patiently waiting for Hollywood to wake up and realize her books would make great (and financially successful) films!

Courtney was proud to announce the release of her next book, Confessions of A Teenage Band Geek in Fall 2011 and is happy with the steady success of all her novels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and Charming Characters, March 7, 2007

By 

Amy S. Twieg (Middleton, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Line (Paperback)

The main character, Lucy Karate, has more depth than one would expect out of a YA novel. This remarkable first effort from a former band geek is funny and angsty in all the right places. I couldn't help but smile as I read, remembering my own band days. While it's easy to understand for people who were not immersed in that pseudo-cult in high school, this book is a blast of nostalgia for those who were. It's a fun, breezy read that left me wanting another Lucy adventure from the author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and energetic!, February 26, 2007

By 

Jessica K. Prater - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Line (Paperback)

This book is excellent! Not being someone who knows a lot about marching band, this book completely sucked me into the "band geek" world. Courtney does a great job of balancing the typical high school life of character Lucy Karate with the high competitions of drum line. I would reccommend this book to anyone, no matter if they have had past or present experience or interests in marching band. It will appeal to any audience looking for a great read!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read - a must for those in band!, May 9, 2007

By 

Robert T. Izzo - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Line (Paperback)

Courtney Brandt is quite the up and coming author, writing an entertaining and engaging story that highlights the band world as well as much of the drama during teenage years.

A good read - it'll leave you either reminiscing about band days long ago or psyching you up for the next season.