Grenade Bouquets

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own. Book: Grenade Bouquets Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg Book Series: Runaway Train Book 2 Rating: 4/5 Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary Genre: YA Contemporary Publication Date: August 5, 2021 Publisher: Wise Wolf Books Pages: 286 Recommended Age: 16+ (slight sexual content, slight language, drugs/drug usage mentioned, alcohol/alcohol usage/underage alcohol usage mentioned, grief) Explanation of CWs: Grief is a big part of the novel, as is the progression of the character from childhood to adulthood. There is some cursing, some sexual content, and then drugs and alcohol are mentioned. Synopsis: I had stars in my eyes and I couldn't see around them... The year is 1995 and my parents have finally allowed me to take the summer to tour in a VW van across the country with my boyfriend Evan and our band. Yes, my dream to be a singer became reality. Even with Clarissa, Evan's jealous ex-girlfriend, as the lead singer, it's my presence on stage that led us to a major record deal. There are moments you'll always remember in life, but I can't imagine anything more cool than hearing your song on the radio for the first time. But being a Rockstar isn't as easy as it sounds. Using alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms, nothing but tension surrounded me, hurting my still blossoming relationship, and continued grieving over my sister's death. A love letter to the nineties and a journey of a girl becoming a woman, Grenade Bouquets charts the rollercoaster ride of a band primed to explode on the scene, as long as they keep from actually exploding. Review: Overall, this was a pretty good book. The character development was amazingly well done as was the world building. The story was well plotted and the writing was good. I also loved all of the 90s references. However, I did think the book was too fast in pacing and I just didn't really connect with this book. Verdict: It's good, just wasn't for me.