The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

 The Woman in Me by Britney Spears-287 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Britney Spears tells all in this memoir of her life so far. It is both fascinating and heartbreaking to read her account of the events in her past. I found the section about her relationship and falling out with Justin Timberlake to be one of the most fascinating sections. She's right that women are held to a different standard than men. It seems Justin Timberlake (and so many others) could sleep around and be wild and have fun with no consequences. However, Britney Spears didn't do these things nearly to the same extent and was labeled wild. Some of these events led to her conservatorship by her father. The most harrowing section is her recounting her time in the conservatorship. She details many of the events during these 13 years and I can see why she is upset at her parents. I'm glad she finally was able to get out of that situation. 

It does at times read a bit like a teenager's journal, but it is still a pretty good read. There are definitely some interesting revelations. 

Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks

 Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks, 367 pages

This one seemed confusing at first.  Separate story lines that didn't seem to ever be able to converge.  But leave it to Nicholas Sparks.  He wrapped it all up very neatly in the end.  I enjoyed it very much.

Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton

 Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton, 439 pages

A young musician running from her past is just trying to make it in Nashville.  Gratefully she meets a few wonderful people along the way who not only protect her but also give her a chance to make it big as a musician.  I found myself rooting for her and had a hard time putting it down! I recommend it.

Billie Eilish by Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish by Billie Eilish-336 pages

 

I am not a fan of Billie Eilish's music, but this seemed like an interesting read for this month's biography challenge. It is mostly filled with photos with commentary by Eilish. I learned that she is a car enthusiast and loves photography, even if she's not a great photographer. She views photos as a way of remembering moments in life and reliving those moments (which I would tend to agree). The book contains some cute and cool photos of Eilish and her family. I also learned that she is close with her brother, Finneas. It was cool to learn a few things about her even though I'm not a fan of her music. It's a pretty good read. 

In the Unlikely Event by L.J. Shen

 In the Unlikely Event by L.J. Shen -- 338 Pages

Sometimes you meet people who are out of this world, so you make them a part of yours.

A one-night stand born from vengeance in a foreign land. An explosive chemistry neither of us could deny. We signed a contract on the back of a Boar’s Head Pub napkin that said if we ever met again, we would drop everything and be together.

Eight years and thousands of miles later, he’s here. In New York. And he’s America’s music obsession. The intangible Irish poet who brings record executives to their knees. The blizzard in my perfect, unshaken snow globe.

Last time we spoke, he was a beggar with no intention of becoming a king. But a king he became, and now I’m his servant. I’m not the same broken princess Malachy Doherty put back together with his callused hands. I have a career I love. A boyfriend I adore. An apartment, a roommate, a life. I changed. He changed, too. But Mal kept the napkin. Question is, will I keep my word?

Well Played by Jen DeLuca

Well Played by Jen DeLuca -- 336 pages

Another laugh-out-loud romantic comedy featuring kilted musicians, Renaissance Faire tavern wenches, and an unlikely love story.

Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother, but it's been years now, and even though Stacey loves spending her summers pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more out of life. Stacey vows to have her life figured out by the time her friends get hitched at Faire next summer. Maybe she'll even find The One.

When Stacey imagined "The One," it never occurred to her that her summertime Faire fling, Dex MacLean, might fit the bill. While Dex is easy on the eyes onstage with his band The Dueling Kilts, Stacey has never felt an emotional connection with him. So when she receives a tender email from the typically monosyllabic hunk, she's not sure what to make of it.

Faire returns to Willow Creek, and Stacey comes face-to-face with the man with whom she’s exchanged hundreds of online messages over the past nine months. To Stacey's shock, it isn't Dex—she's been falling in love with a man she barely knows.

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom, 496 pages

Mitch Albom writes mostly inspirational fiction. In his newest book, he writes the life story of gifted guitarist Frankie Presto. Narrated by the voice of music, Frankie Presto is a Spanish war orphan raised by his blind music teacher.  Frankie is sent off to America with his only possession, an old guitar with six magical strings.  The strings turn blue when some one's life is altered. Along life's road, Frankie has some interesting adventures, where he ends up influencing some of the world's most famous musicians. This book will leave you both amazed and in tears. With many twists and turns, this book is a good read for this time of year.

I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like: mostly true tall tales

I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like : Mostly True Tall Tales by Todd Snider -304 pgs.

Todd is a favorite songwriter & musician of mine. This book is in part a compilation of the stories he tells at his concerts, and they are hilarious. His stories are as good as his songs. As he says at most every show before launching into one of these never get tired of hearing well-worn gems: " My name’s Todd Snider, I’ve been drivin' around this country more than 15 years. I make these songs up and I sing 'em for anybody that’ll listen to 'em. I'm going to share them tonight not because I think they're smart, or because you need to know them, but because they rhyme. Some are sad, some are funny, some are short, some will seem like they go on forever, and sometimes I may ramble on for as many as 18 minutes in between a particular song." I got this book at his book & music tour at the Sheldon Concert Hall earlier this year, where he performed songs & read passages, then was gracious enough to sign copies & take pictures. The stories are pretty great on their own, even if you don't know who he is. The book is full of extremely interesting characters (Todd is quite a character himself) & some not so flattering stories about a few well-known main stream musicians. However, reading this book with Todd's voice in your head is the full experience.

Vienna Nocturne by Vivian Shortwell

Vienna Nocturne by Vivian Shortwell - 304 pages

This novel traces the early life of opera singer Anna Storace.  Since little is known about her other than family, acquaintances, and performances, a novel was the perfect way to present her story.  The novel begins with her first lessons and performances in her native England before following her to her big debut in Venice.  From there, her opera company moves to Vienna at the request of the Austrian emperor, Joesph II.  Once there, Anna becomes a "superstar" and meets Amadeus Mozart.  We also see Anna's relationships with her mother, brother, best friend, and lovers, including her costar Francesco Bennuci and Mozart.  Once heart-wrenching point in the story was her ill-fated marriage of necessity with John Fisher and the events directly thereafter.

In all, it was a good story.  I think anyone would be able to follow the storyline.  However, there is a need to know musical terms as they are frequently used and not defined.  The descriptions within the book are reminiscent of an older era.

Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson

Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson - 176 pages

Mozart: A Life is less a biography of Mozart, as the title says, than it is a biography of the works of Mozart.  The book was light on Mozart's personal life, providing only what a reader needed to know to interpret the rest.  The bulk majority of the work discussed Mozart's compositions and their orchestration, requiring the need to know musical terminology. 

Looking at just the biographical material, I have seen older children's book that provided more details (this is written for adults).  If one is looking to understand how Mozart created his compositions, I would recommend this title.

Who I Am by Pete Townshend

Who I Am by Pete Townshend 538 pages

So apparently, Pete Townshend was in this band called the Who...

Yeah, just kidding.  For those of you who are unaware, Pete Townsend is the guitarist, lead songwriter, and one of the founding members of the super famous rock group known as the Who.  "Who am I," Townshend's autobiography is a brilliantly written account of the legend's entire life up to the book's publishing in 2012, so there are now written accounts of the groups performance at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, but whatever.  Generally speaking, the book is very detailed, covering Townshend's entire life, as an autobiography should.  Also, as a plus, the audio version is read by the man himself, so it's almost as if Pete himself is talking in the room with you, or so I imagine as I read the print version.

As a Who fan, I found this book to be quite gripping, especially to find out how different Townshend's onstage and offstage persona's were.  As an admirer of classic rock, I found it very interesting to see how just about all the big bands back in the 60's and into 70's interacted with each other.  If you're a Who fan, read this book (if you haven't already).  If you're a fan of rock 'n roll, read this book.  Otherwise, you probably wouldn't find it too terribly interesting, but then again maybe you would.