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Amplified #2
Encore
I lied my way into a band, humiliated them on stage, and got my heart broken by the bassist. Now…we’re on tour together.
Of course my dad, who I haven’t seen since he kicked me out, makes a surprise visit the day before we leave. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t go well. I have to quit the band and go to college or he’s cutting me out of his life for good.
This tour is the best opportunity we may ever have – and it’s already a disaster. We’re broke. We can't stop fighting. And being in such close quarters to Sean isn't exactly helping me get over him. Even though we're just friends now, every time our fingers brush or our eyes catch, my heart betrays me. He's the kind of distraction I can't afford to have right now…no matter how much I wish things were different.
This is one road trip that will be hard to forget…
Of course my dad, who I haven’t seen since he kicked me out, makes a surprise visit the day before we leave. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t go well. I have to quit the band and go to college or he’s cutting me out of his life for good.
This tour is the best opportunity we may ever have – and it’s already a disaster. We’re broke. We can't stop fighting. And being in such close quarters to Sean isn't exactly helping me get over him. Even though we're just friends now, every time our fingers brush or our eyes catch, my heart betrays me. He's the kind of distraction I can't afford to have right now…no matter how much I wish things were different.
This is one road trip that will be hard to forget…
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2016
4 people are currently reading
1200 people want to read
About the author
Tara Kelly
11 books398 followersTara Kelly adores variety in her life. She’s an author and one-girl-band by night, and a graphic designer, video producer, and photographer by day. She lives in Sin City with her beloved guitars, sound design master husband, and a fluffy cat named Maestro.
Ratings: I give honest ratings, even if I like you. I'm extremely picky with quirky tastes and many books (even well written books) don't connect with me. Anything 3 stars and above means I LIKED it, and it's a compliment. If a book ends up on my 'mythang' shelf, it means I found it especially memorable for one reason or another.
Ratings: I give honest ratings, even if I like you. I'm extremely picky with quirky tastes and many books (even well written books) don't connect with me. Anything 3 stars and above means I LIKED it, and it's a compliment. If a book ends up on my 'mythang' shelf, it means I found it especially memorable for one reason or another.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 10, 2019
I don’t know what to do about this review.
No matter where I try to start and where I want to finish, it all feels way too personal. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been through any of these situations described in the book, but I can relate to most of them at some level, I can understand the struggle, the frustration, just as much as I can have all that fun and as much as I can, off course, fall in love with these guys here over and over again.
Did I just tell you how fun they are?
Oh, I could kiss them right now, their presence in my mind leaves me all giddy and warm and fuzzy! And Jasmine and Sean are so sweet (I did hope for something more when it comes to them – more teasing I guess, but I enjoyed plenty what I did receive anyways).
ENCORE started similar in tone with AMPLIFIED. It had me laughing so much and caring for these characters so much more (I didn’t even know that was possible). I love their bickering, I love how determined they are, I love them for their qualities and their flaws as well. They can fight like their lives depends on it, but they are loyal and caring and at the end of the day they act like true friends, they have each other’s back. I was so excited to join them on the tour, to enjoy more crazy adventures with them. It was a bit heartbreaking, but truly madly deeply entertaining.
Now…
I am struggling to put together a proper review because this book is about so many things, besides the obvious romance – each and all important, and I was happy to see that it had so much depth. I was expecting a lighter read (as AMPLIFIED was funny and cute, a summer read indeed), this one was darker and with a lot more meaning.
As I said before, this book feels personal. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s not about what the characters do (I am not a musician), it’s not about their relationships (they seem to be on and off again, having fun and fighting and getting along fine once again), not about the situations they are put through (some of them were actually quite a bit scary, but strangely I enjoyed them a lot, they kept the adrenaline pumping), but I can understand their feelings on a deep level.
Let’s see… The social media impact, how hard it might still be to be different in this world (in terms of the choices you make, the way you act or dress, the people you love, the amount of money you own or lack), the need to have the private life actually private, the need to have a voice and be listened, the snowball effect of tiny mistakes, dealing with stress and with the outcome of lies.. And then the love, the insecurity, the chemistry (apparent or real), the frustration and hope.. There is so much happening within this book.
To be honest, in terms of content I think that this book might be better than the first one. It’s true that some subjects were barely scratched over the surface (some were thrown in there and then felt like being a bit left hanging, one more books would be needed for them to be explored further *hint hint*), but ENCORE has a lot of depth nonetheless.
This might work as a standalone (it explains what’s needed to be known), but I do recommend you to read AMPLIFIED first.
Happy midnight reading!
Read the full review on the blog.
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Post-reading thoughts:
Arh, damn mobile page, I lost everything I wrote :(
Anyways, it took me by surprise how dark, realistic, raw this book was compared to Amplified. It was a hell of a tour! I am still starving for more moments with the band (and one more chapter with Jasmine and Sean would have been gold). I'll miss them all like crazy! 4.5 stars. Review soon..
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Update April 10th 2019
I actually loved it even better the second time around, so I raised the rating to 5 (I think that on the first time I was expecting more romance, so it left me with a bit of longing and a bitter-sweet taste, but now I know what to actually expect and I could enjoy everything else more thoroughly).
I also think that we need more books about cyber-bullying & stalking and assault (no matter what triggers it), and those parts were nicely done. I loved how those bits impacted on each character in a different way, even though not at all times did they get actual closure. It felt row and real and bitter-sweet indeed, but in a good way still.
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Pre-reading thoughts:
This story. This sequel. Oh, that cover!..
5th of December...
So close, so far away...
Breathe, Ari, breathe...
So, I had to kill the time with a bit of photo editing in this quick fan-made work. Yup, I usually love way too much a story when it haunts me this way.
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Damn it, when will it come out, I am dying here to read it!!!
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'Encore'... this is what i though (in another language) when I finished Amplified.
But now.. A series? Really?!
Oh, this is the moment when I get scared.
I loved the first book, will I love this one too?
Did we need it to be a series?
Do I know that I won't be able to stay away from it and that I'll devour it the very moment I get it? :D
Again... will I love it?
Oh, please make all these answers "YES!"
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Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Booklikes | Blog (RO)
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contemp-to-read
July 4, 2017Thank you Miss Tara Kelly for giving us more C-Side adventures.
Want to read
August 8, 2012OHMYGOSHHHH.
AMPLIFIED #2!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I KNEW IT SHOULDN'T END THAT WAY. ;D
MS. TARA KELLY, WE NEED TO DO A GUEST POST!!
AMPLIFIED #2!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I KNEW IT SHOULDN'T END THAT WAY. ;D
MS. TARA KELLY, WE NEED TO DO A GUEST POST!!
December 13, 2016
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
This is a tough book to review, not only because it could be painful to read, but also because of the depth and darkness that hides behind the usual contemporary fare. On the surface, this book does seem a tad like a cutesy road trip book, and while I was expecting it to be realistic, the way Amplified was, I wasn't prepared for how dark this book would be. I was rattled and shaken by a lot of the stuff that happened, and it was almost like a trainwreck, where you're compelled and can't look away.
I enjoyed Amplified, and liked how realistic it was, the way it didn't sugarcoat the problems or swoop everything up in a nice little bow and end it in a candy gloss happy way. So when I found out there was a sequel, of course I was excited. I admit this book is hard to swallow at many points, it tackles a lot of issues, and it hurts because everything was raw and intense. I do want to be slightly vague when mentioning specific elements, since I don't want to have previous conceptions cloud a reader's feelings towards characters, but identity, mental health, victim blaming and other issues were integral parts of the plot and the character arcs. I will note that I thought Tara Kelly did a great job with relaying the reality of misogyny in the music world and one that I can certainly confirm exists, even through the lens of being an outsider.
The truth is...they're calling you fat because you're not skinny. And that's all we can be—too fat or skinny. They're calling you a bitch because that's what you call a girl who isn't behaving. They're calling you a whore because that's just what most girls are. In their eyes, we will never be right.
The character relationships in this book are quite well-done, from the romantic one between Jasmine and Sean to the friendships that Jasmine has with the other band members and the intertwining different levels of trust they entail. Out of all the relationships, for me personally, the one between Jasmine and Veta was the one that was the most searing. Veta goes through a heavy character arc in this book, and Encore doesn't make the friendship between her and Jasmine easy. The romance in this book is understated, and while Sean is a pivotal character in the book, the central bond of music and the band is front and center.
The plot could be a little rocky at times, but it doesn't lose the hard work and tarnished hope that Jasmine and the rest of C-Side holds for their musical dreams. It takes off the glamour and glitz of the music world and grounds it in the ugly reality that I'm sure many musicians face. It makes this book that much more memorable in the face of all the rock star books that must exist in the new adult genre.
I mentioned above that Tara Kelly tackles misogyny in the music world, that exists in any professional stage. There are some dark moments in this book where Jasmine is harassed online, and it is ugly. I wish that this wasn't a reality but anyone who has ventured online knows the reality of how online anonymous (or not) comments and users can be vicious and relentless.
And, more importantly, I'm not going to watch another girl get burned at the stake over some guy's world. A fucking rumor. How many times have we heard this story? How many decades have we said we're going to do something about it? And yet, here we are...
I would say that the ending of this book is quite open-ended, but it leaves the reader with hope. Dreams, especially ones that are big as this band's, aren't going to magically come true, and though it would be nice to maybe see something happen in the future for them, I like where the book leaves them. For the scrappy crew who makes up this band, I wish them nothing but happiness and success.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for the review copy.
This is a tough book to review, not only because it could be painful to read, but also because of the depth and darkness that hides behind the usual contemporary fare. On the surface, this book does seem a tad like a cutesy road trip book, and while I was expecting it to be realistic, the way Amplified was, I wasn't prepared for how dark this book would be. I was rattled and shaken by a lot of the stuff that happened, and it was almost like a trainwreck, where you're compelled and can't look away.
I enjoyed Amplified, and liked how realistic it was, the way it didn't sugarcoat the problems or swoop everything up in a nice little bow and end it in a candy gloss happy way. So when I found out there was a sequel, of course I was excited. I admit this book is hard to swallow at many points, it tackles a lot of issues, and it hurts because everything was raw and intense. I do want to be slightly vague when mentioning specific elements, since I don't want to have previous conceptions cloud a reader's feelings towards characters, but identity, mental health, victim blaming and other issues were integral parts of the plot and the character arcs. I will note that I thought Tara Kelly did a great job with relaying the reality of misogyny in the music world and one that I can certainly confirm exists, even through the lens of being an outsider.
The truth is...they're calling you fat because you're not skinny. And that's all we can be—too fat or skinny. They're calling you a bitch because that's what you call a girl who isn't behaving. They're calling you a whore because that's just what most girls are. In their eyes, we will never be right.
The character relationships in this book are quite well-done, from the romantic one between Jasmine and Sean to the friendships that Jasmine has with the other band members and the intertwining different levels of trust they entail. Out of all the relationships, for me personally, the one between Jasmine and Veta was the one that was the most searing. Veta goes through a heavy character arc in this book, and Encore doesn't make the friendship between her and Jasmine easy. The romance in this book is understated, and while Sean is a pivotal character in the book, the central bond of music and the band is front and center.
The plot could be a little rocky at times, but it doesn't lose the hard work and tarnished hope that Jasmine and the rest of C-Side holds for their musical dreams. It takes off the glamour and glitz of the music world and grounds it in the ugly reality that I'm sure many musicians face. It makes this book that much more memorable in the face of all the rock star books that must exist in the new adult genre.
I mentioned above that Tara Kelly tackles misogyny in the music world, that exists in any professional stage. There are some dark moments in this book where Jasmine is harassed online, and it is ugly. I wish that this wasn't a reality but anyone who has ventured online knows the reality of how online anonymous (or not) comments and users can be vicious and relentless.
And, more importantly, I'm not going to watch another girl get burned at the stake over some guy's world. A fucking rumor. How many times have we heard this story? How many decades have we said we're going to do something about it? And yet, here we are...
I would say that the ending of this book is quite open-ended, but it leaves the reader with hope. Dreams, especially ones that are big as this band's, aren't going to magically come true, and though it would be nice to maybe see something happen in the future for them, I like where the book leaves them. For the scrappy crew who makes up this band, I wish them nothing but happiness and success.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for the review copy.
Want to read
September 1, 2012OH SWEET JESUS YES!
I can't wait till this comes out!
I can't wait till this comes out!
December 14, 2016
4 Stars - 2.5 Flames
I didn't read the first installment to this series. In fact, I haven't even looked to see which characters it was about. I didn't need to. This one pretty much read like a standalone and I wonder if reading the first one would have made a difference in my opinion. Probably not. Because I found that I was completely engaged the entire time. However, I have ONE pet peeve that I need to get off my chest. See that cover? The one with the guy playing the guitar? It's deceiving. This story is written from the "female" guitarists POV. In fact, there isn't even a male guitarist in the band. This deception probably lead to my confusion for the first chapter when I assuming the lead character was a dude, when in fact, it was a chick. So....just letting you know....
Jasmine is seventeen. She was thrown out of her dad's home and is now living with her male band mates. She's known as a liar, but mainly because she's too busy trying to liked by everyone. Anything to avoid conflict, right? Too bad the lies generate conflict. In fact it appears that there is a little bit of "crying wolf" in this story. But it's never addressed. Maybe I'm the only one who picked up on it. Hmmm. Anyway.
Jasmine is given an ultimatum by her father right before her band embarks on road trip tour, headlining for a band that her drummer knows. As the trip begins, it appears that the band is coming along. Apparently being seventeen and naive go hand in hand, because Jasmine's trust is pushed to it's limits when she has an encounter with a "fan". This seems to put this story in motion, where we slowly start to see the band unravel, turning against each other. Finding they're way back and focusing on what the real goal is seems like a distant dream. But in the end, everything seems to work out the way isn't supposed to.
All in all, this was a good read. I enjoyed watching the train wrecks (yes, there are more than a few), but I also enjoyed witnessing not only the innocence of all band members being ripped apart, but the cohesive way in which it was put back together. Will there be another one? Not sure. Will I most likely read that one too? Of course, duh.
*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
I didn't read the first installment to this series. In fact, I haven't even looked to see which characters it was about. I didn't need to. This one pretty much read like a standalone and I wonder if reading the first one would have made a difference in my opinion. Probably not. Because I found that I was completely engaged the entire time. However, I have ONE pet peeve that I need to get off my chest. See that cover? The one with the guy playing the guitar? It's deceiving. This story is written from the "female" guitarists POV. In fact, there isn't even a male guitarist in the band. This deception probably lead to my confusion for the first chapter when I assuming the lead character was a dude, when in fact, it was a chick. So....just letting you know....
Jasmine is seventeen. She was thrown out of her dad's home and is now living with her male band mates. She's known as a liar, but mainly because she's too busy trying to liked by everyone. Anything to avoid conflict, right? Too bad the lies generate conflict. In fact it appears that there is a little bit of "crying wolf" in this story. But it's never addressed. Maybe I'm the only one who picked up on it. Hmmm. Anyway.
Jasmine is given an ultimatum by her father right before her band embarks on road trip tour, headlining for a band that her drummer knows. As the trip begins, it appears that the band is coming along. Apparently being seventeen and naive go hand in hand, because Jasmine's trust is pushed to it's limits when she has an encounter with a "fan". This seems to put this story in motion, where we slowly start to see the band unravel, turning against each other. Finding they're way back and focusing on what the real goal is seems like a distant dream. But in the end, everything seems to work out the way isn't supposed to.
All in all, this was a good read. I enjoyed watching the train wrecks (yes, there are more than a few), but I also enjoyed witnessing not only the innocence of all band members being ripped apart, but the cohesive way in which it was put back together. Will there be another one? Not sure. Will I most likely read that one too? Of course, duh.
*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 17, 2016
I'm already a Tara Kelly fan-girl because of Harmonic Feedback ("touch of Aspergers" sound technician YA book-- pretty much should be required reading for any YA fan or person who works with youth I think).
So I went into Encore, the sequel to Amplified's story of a girl from a privileged, vanilla, straight background chucking her safety net to follow her dream of joining a band in Santa Cruz, California, already in love with Jasmine and the band.
Little did I know that Kelly not only had all the gritty, realistic, not-so-glamorous details of a small-time band on the road, multiple layers of family issues, amazing descriptions of music-playing and playlists that Amplified had: she was also going to make Jasmine, cross-dressing keyboard player Felix, and even leadsinger Veta take stands on the intersection of media, abuse, and prejudice.
What is harrassment? Is harrassment just "locker room talk" when girl band members are criticized in music reviews for their weight? The color of their shoes? When is it okay for a girl/woman to start speaking up about behavior that makes them uncomfortable (such as a boy following them uninvited into a ladies' room and not letting them leave) and how will that damage the boy's reputation? How do you stop cyber-stalking or people's comments who don't want to believe a boy would do such a thing?
Meanwhile, Jasmine's band, C-side, is dealing with a tour going downhill fast. This was not an easy book to read. I wanted it to be about how following your dream is worthwhile, and gutsy risk-taking that doesn't involve consequences. Or blaming unwise risk-taking for physical attacks.
But Kelly doesn't take the easy way out. She makes it complicated because all of it is complicated. And even with all the band's craziness, you're still rooting for them. You are still outraged about the cyberstalking and the harrassment. And Kelly doesn't give you simple closure. Kind of like life.
I went into this thinking it would just be another emotionally-dense, fascinating peek into California band-life, and came out with a whole bunch of thoughts on victim-blaming and the ways media allow expression of ugliness. Kudos to Kelly.
So I went into Encore, the sequel to Amplified's story of a girl from a privileged, vanilla, straight background chucking her safety net to follow her dream of joining a band in Santa Cruz, California, already in love with Jasmine and the band.
Little did I know that Kelly not only had all the gritty, realistic, not-so-glamorous details of a small-time band on the road, multiple layers of family issues, amazing descriptions of music-playing and playlists that Amplified had: she was also going to make Jasmine, cross-dressing keyboard player Felix, and even leadsinger Veta take stands on the intersection of media, abuse, and prejudice.
What is harrassment? Is harrassment just "locker room talk" when girl band members are criticized in music reviews for their weight? The color of their shoes? When is it okay for a girl/woman to start speaking up about behavior that makes them uncomfortable (such as a boy following them uninvited into a ladies' room and not letting them leave) and how will that damage the boy's reputation? How do you stop cyber-stalking or people's comments who don't want to believe a boy would do such a thing?
Meanwhile, Jasmine's band, C-side, is dealing with a tour going downhill fast. This was not an easy book to read. I wanted it to be about how following your dream is worthwhile, and gutsy risk-taking that doesn't involve consequences. Or blaming unwise risk-taking for physical attacks.
But Kelly doesn't take the easy way out. She makes it complicated because all of it is complicated. And even with all the band's craziness, you're still rooting for them. You are still outraged about the cyberstalking and the harrassment. And Kelly doesn't give you simple closure. Kind of like life.
I went into this thinking it would just be another emotionally-dense, fascinating peek into California band-life, and came out with a whole bunch of thoughts on victim-blaming and the ways media allow expression of ugliness. Kudos to Kelly.
August 2, 2018
Good. I was hoping there'd be a sequel. I was SURE there'd be a sequel. The first book ended on a question mark. For me, anyway. Besides as soon as I saw the cover for amplified I thought, "How cool would it be if this were a series and the covers were all kind of the same but with different colours?" Maybe that's stupid, but... I'm hoping this one'll be purple. Or red.
December 6, 2016
Thanks to Entangled and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review.
Whew where do I start, I opened this expecting one hell of a romance, and well I got that and so much more. Most romances are heavy on the romance and short on the storyline. This was heavy on the story and short on the romance, but I didn't mind it one bit. I will say that I was/had planned to finish reading and post the review yesterday, however, something bad happened and that didn't happen. So I am sorry this was not posted yesterday.
Jasmine like where do I start, I have no clue but I heart Jasmine she is everything a main character should be flawed, not skinny enough, talented, yet fearful, a liar, and truthful and so much more.
Jasmine has lied her way into C-side and is getting ready to embark on a tour with her band. When her dad shows up and more of her lies are uncovered it creates a friction with Jasmine and V3ta. The other members aren't as bothered by it. Basically, she told her father Felix was gay, Veta runs a gift shop, and well Flex is a cross dresser but not necessarily gay, and Vita reads tarot cards. She also has a huge crush and bit of a past with Sean the bassist. Long story short they hooked up some after Sean broke up with his long-time girlfriend who had cheated on him. Their budding hook up was cut short when Sean made out with said ex-girlfriend.
At their first show, Jasmine meets a fan named Jeremy and thinks he is great. She sort of plans to take his tour of Seattle when they get there. Once they get to Seattle she tries to get one of her bandmates to stay with her while she hangs out with Jeremy, but they bail on her and ends up having a great time. Until later in the day when points out the mixed signals that he thinks she is sending to him. Jasmine makes it pretty clear she isn't interested and things get weird. Feeling uncomfortable Jasmine flees and calls her bandmates to rescue her.
Jeremy then begins spreading his version of what happened and hoping it will all go away Jasmine doesn't really make much effort to address. As things continue on the tour, they are faced with bad things one after another. Felix is jumped and beaten by skinheads, Veta has a breakdown on stage, and soon Jasmine and the others must come to terms with how important is the music, and how they can take back the mess that has been made.
Jasmine must also face her feelings for Sean and force him to be honest about his feelings for her. Swoon...
As you can see I have so much to say about this book, I will admit I haven't read the first book Amplified so you can either start with that one or read them out of order. I didn't feel like I missing much, but since I loved this so much I really plan to go and read the first one and any others that come out. This book deals with so many real and raw issues, from shaming, manipulation, intimidation, abuse, hate crimes, bi-polar, and so much more. But it also feels like a real coming of age story. Jasmine is only 17, Sean is 18 and the others are young 20s. So they really have to grow in this book and Tara Kelly delivers that in spades!
February 4, 2017
I had been anticipating this sequel for a while now and it did not disappoint. I read it in one sitting, and I've been in a reading slump for a while now, so that's saying something. I really love how realistic Tara Kelly has been throughout this whole Amplified series. It's one of the things I appreciated the most in the first book, and it stays true here. Every problem and every situation is treated with the amount of seriousness it deserves. Nothing is glossed over, nothing is resolved in two seconds.
I love that every character has depth. In Encore we get to know everyone's motives a little better, it's a book filled with characters that are in the "grey area". Nobody is black or white, they all have moments of doubt, moments of fears, they make mistakes, sometimes they are there for each other and sometimes they are hurtful. It all happens, and it just feels so real.
That's the best thing I take away from this novel, how real it is. Not to mention, it deals with important matters, it's not just a book about a band, it's a book about people growing up, those years after high school, when you are in your early 20s, when you are figuring yourself out... Some of the hardest years there are, and not many authors write about them, let alone do it well. I think it's beautiful that Tara Kelly had the courage to do so, and in my opinion she nailed it.
Highly recommend both Amplified and Encore, for anyone looking for mature YA books, that deal with real issues without shying away from anything.
(.....)
YES, I really feel like Amplified can benefit from a sequel! Not a series, just another book to further develop the characters and their relationships! I have high hopes for this, please let it be good :)
I love that every character has depth. In Encore we get to know everyone's motives a little better, it's a book filled with characters that are in the "grey area". Nobody is black or white, they all have moments of doubt, moments of fears, they make mistakes, sometimes they are there for each other and sometimes they are hurtful. It all happens, and it just feels so real.
That's the best thing I take away from this novel, how real it is. Not to mention, it deals with important matters, it's not just a book about a band, it's a book about people growing up, those years after high school, when you are in your early 20s, when you are figuring yourself out... Some of the hardest years there are, and not many authors write about them, let alone do it well. I think it's beautiful that Tara Kelly had the courage to do so, and in my opinion she nailed it.
Highly recommend both Amplified and Encore, for anyone looking for mature YA books, that deal with real issues without shying away from anything.
(.....)
YES, I really feel like Amplified can benefit from a sequel! Not a series, just another book to further develop the characters and their relationships! I have high hopes for this, please let it be good :)
December 6, 2016
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of Encore by Tara Kelly courtesy of Entangled Publishing and the author! You guys are amazing <3
I embrace "diversity" in a book and Encore is the perfect representation of why books continue to surprise me in the most pleasant ways. I've never read the first book of the series but that did not stop me from getting to know the characters on an emotional level. I love the line up because they are so diverse and unique, their personality shines through their voice. To each their own!
C-side is an amateur band on their path of gaining success and recognition. Touring beside Luna Temptation as an opening act, the readers get to witness about the band's journey and struggle through the eyes of the band members and primarily through the voice of Jasmine, the guitarist.
I personally enjoyed this book because I always loved a rockstar romance, but what I get in return surpasses my expectation. The writing was realistic and engaging, I hardly could tear myself away from their story. The bashing and criticism, in my opinion, was the worst part of the book, but that just amplified the beauty of the plot. I just couldn't get enough of it.
Tara Kelly has quickly rise up as one of my favorite author for 2016, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
I embrace "diversity" in a book and Encore is the perfect representation of why books continue to surprise me in the most pleasant ways. I've never read the first book of the series but that did not stop me from getting to know the characters on an emotional level. I love the line up because they are so diverse and unique, their personality shines through their voice. To each their own!
C-side is an amateur band on their path of gaining success and recognition. Touring beside Luna Temptation as an opening act, the readers get to witness about the band's journey and struggle through the eyes of the band members and primarily through the voice of Jasmine, the guitarist.
I personally enjoyed this book because I always loved a rockstar romance, but what I get in return surpasses my expectation. The writing was realistic and engaging, I hardly could tear myself away from their story. The bashing and criticism, in my opinion, was the worst part of the book, but that just amplified the beauty of the plot. I just couldn't get enough of it.
Tara Kelly has quickly rise up as one of my favorite author for 2016, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
December 14, 2016
This is a rock romance that takes a band on the road for their very first time and it is wrought with so many things that it will keep you enthralled from the beginning until the very end. Ms. Kelly sure isn’t afraid to touch on a lot of social issues from mental health issues, to stalking, to cyber bulling and hate crimes. Yep, this book has everything packed into it and still gives you a great look inside what is like for a group of musicians who want nothing more to get signed and start the careers in the music business. It really made me stop to think of some of the newer bands that you are hearing on the radio stations now and realize that these people have probably been playing music together for so long that they should almost be offended to be labeled as “new” because of the amount of years that they have actually been playing trying to get heard.
All five of the people in the band C-Slide bring a lot to Encore and the character development was done in a way that made you feel that you have vested interest in each of them and leaves you hoping that Ms. Kelly has more stories for you revolving around all of them.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for a freely given honest review.
All five of the people in the band C-Slide bring a lot to Encore and the character development was done in a way that made you feel that you have vested interest in each of them and leaves you hoping that Ms. Kelly has more stories for you revolving around all of them.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for a freely given honest review.
Want to read
October 31, 2013Finally!
This book will be published by Entangled Embrace, summer 2014.:D
I can not wait! Now I just have to wait for my mail from Heather or Anjana.:D
This book will be published by Entangled Embrace, summer 2014.:D
I can not wait! Now I just have to wait for my mail from Heather or Anjana.:D
April 1, 2025
I feel privileged to have tracked down a copy of this book. I really thought I was going to have to end this series with Amplified—which would have been fine, it is a solid standalone—but I’m so glad I didn’t! At the end of the first book, all characters seem to be taking a step in the right direction and have crossed some milestones, but everything is far from perfect. So it is not shocking that this book opens up with a power struggle between Jasmine and her dad. I really enjoyed watching their relationship delve and evolve in both books, and, being someone who has never been able to come to a satisfying conclusion with her own parent issues, I’ll admit to being a little jealous where they both end up (And, no, they don’t resolve everything and live happily ever after, because this series is realistic.).
Speaking of realistic, what happens when a group of financially struggling kids/young adults go on their first band tour? Everything wonderful and horrific, naturally. Maybe not as much wonderful as everyone would want either. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’m not going to give specifics, but if I thought my anxiety was high during the first book . . . The characters continue to grow through these experiences, so I didn’t feel like I needed to reach through the pages of the book to yell at or help them, but I certainly did expend a large amount of empathy. The ending is a perfect culmination of all of this that gave me chills.
I do like that the author takes the time to explore what it means to be a female musician from multiple character perspectives to the extent that we even learn their coping mechanisms. I also love that some of the horrific events provide a solid ground and bonding experience evidenced by a beautiful and unexpected (for me at least) character arc.
I probably also don’t need to mention that we once again get a front stage view of song writing, producing, and performance. Between the musical references and the snippets of lyrics and technique within this (these) book(s), I would love to see some of these songs out in the real world.
Speaking of realistic, what happens when a group of financially struggling kids/young adults go on their first band tour? Everything wonderful and horrific, naturally. Maybe not as much wonderful as everyone would want either. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’m not going to give specifics, but if I thought my anxiety was high during the first book . . . The characters continue to grow through these experiences, so I didn’t feel like I needed to reach through the pages of the book to yell at or help them, but I certainly did expend a large amount of empathy. The ending is a perfect culmination of all of this that gave me chills.
I do like that the author takes the time to explore what it means to be a female musician from multiple character perspectives to the extent that we even learn their coping mechanisms. I also love that some of the horrific events provide a solid ground and bonding experience evidenced by a beautiful and unexpected (for me at least) character arc.
I probably also don’t need to mention that we once again get a front stage view of song writing, producing, and performance. Between the musical references and the snippets of lyrics and technique within this (these) book(s), I would love to see some of these songs out in the real world.
December 28, 2016
I'm glad Tara Kelly wrote this sequel and in some ways it gave us the closing Amplified lacked.
But I have to say Jasmine is still as spoiled and frustrating as in the first book. She's still too immature and that is clear.
I liked the change in the story with the band on tour and the more serious topics it approached, but the story left some to be achieved, undortunately.
But I have to say Jasmine is still as spoiled and frustrating as in the first book. She's still too immature and that is clear.
I liked the change in the story with the band on tour and the more serious topics it approached, but the story left some to be achieved, undortunately.
December 20, 2016
Encore was the first time I read anything by author. I didn’t know it was the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
I was excited with the premise, I thought it fresh, and it had a great start but there was a lot going on, too much for only one book. I liked that the author chose to approach the struggle young bands go through in a real way. The main twist was very predictable, it was so repetitive that started to bother me. Even though all of the band members are over 18, except for the heroine, it feels more YA than NA. They were very immature.
The interactions between the main couple were my favorite parts, the chemistry between them was great. Sean was a great hero but I wanted to read more about him. Of course that I always want the romance to be the focus of the story, and there was little romance here.
I feel like reading the first installment now and try to get to know Sean a little better.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
December 1, 2016
4 stars
Let me start with this is the second book in the Amplified series. I did not read book one so I believe I left myself a little short changed at times not really knowing these characters. I read this so I review it based on what I read. I went in with an open mind not knowing anything about the first book. I wish I had.
This is a young band starting out. The opening is the girl getting ready for her father’s visit. There were so many things going on. There was a rollercoaster of emotions, discord.
They are on the road thrown into a tour playing, for next to nothing, but notoriety, to be seen. To me the feel of this book is dark and I wasn’t expecting it at all. I thought band members, some attracted to one another, that sort of thing. The issues that were dealt with were deep, raw and real. My heart hurt at roughly 50%, then at 80%, my heart hurt for Jasmine. I could go on and on with the real life things in this book, and sadly they happen. I was sucked in wondering what would happen next and how they would cope with the outcome.
This was a good book, but I still stand firm, you should read book one first. I was left with a book hangover and I don’t know if I can read anytime soon.
Let me start with this is the second book in the Amplified series. I did not read book one so I believe I left myself a little short changed at times not really knowing these characters. I read this so I review it based on what I read. I went in with an open mind not knowing anything about the first book. I wish I had.
This is a young band starting out. The opening is the girl getting ready for her father’s visit. There were so many things going on. There was a rollercoaster of emotions, discord.
They are on the road thrown into a tour playing, for next to nothing, but notoriety, to be seen. To me the feel of this book is dark and I wasn’t expecting it at all. I thought band members, some attracted to one another, that sort of thing. The issues that were dealt with were deep, raw and real. My heart hurt at roughly 50%, then at 80%, my heart hurt for Jasmine. I could go on and on with the real life things in this book, and sadly they happen. I was sucked in wondering what would happen next and how they would cope with the outcome.
This was a good book, but I still stand firm, you should read book one first. I was left with a book hangover and I don’t know if I can read anytime soon.
December 15, 2016
For me this was one of those times where the first book is really good, and you get really excited about book 2..... but at the end, book 2 was NOT what you where hoping for.
The main problem I have with the book: the plot (or plots), there was a LOT happening, and not in the good way. It was just to much for just one book.
I felt like everything was happening so fast, and it was one thing after another! I wanted.... needed a break.
Getting more positive:
I loved how the romance and friendship was developed. I still can't believe Veta from book 1 is the same Veta from Encore. That was a nice twist right there. We also get to know more about Bryn, since he interacts more with Jasmine.
Sadly I was expecting more and didn't get it, I simply prefer book 1 than book 2 (If there is book 3 I will have to see how that one goes though)
**I reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.**
The main problem I have with the book: the plot (or plots), there was a LOT happening, and not in the good way. It was just to much for just one book.
I felt like everything was happening so fast, and it was one thing after another! I wanted.... needed a break.
Getting more positive:
I loved how the romance and friendship was developed. I still can't believe Veta from book 1 is the same Veta from Encore. That was a nice twist right there. We also get to know more about Bryn, since he interacts more with Jasmine.
Sadly I was expecting more and didn't get it, I simply prefer book 1 than book 2 (If there is book 3 I will have to see how that one goes though)
**I reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.**
December 2, 2016
This book was a roller coaster of emotions. Though it's of the YA/NA genre, it resonated deeply with me since the issues experienced by each character could affect or happen to anyone.
Jasmine and her bandmates experience so much on their short tour, but the book doesn't feel rushed, nor does it seem contrived. It touches and tugs on your heart long after you're done reading. I haven't read any other story in this series, but I'd definitely like to.
I definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley & Entangled Publishing, and voluntarily submitted my review.
Jasmine and her bandmates experience so much on their short tour, but the book doesn't feel rushed, nor does it seem contrived. It touches and tugs on your heart long after you're done reading. I haven't read any other story in this series, but I'd definitely like to.
I definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley & Entangled Publishing, and voluntarily submitted my review.
December 6, 2016
I LOVED IT I LOVED IT I LOVED IT.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK LIKE SERIOUSLY. IT WAS SO GOOD . SUCH AN AMAZING FOLLOW UP AND SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE.
THANK YOU TARA, THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT !!
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK LIKE SERIOUSLY. IT WAS SO GOOD . SUCH AN AMAZING FOLLOW UP AND SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE.
THANK YOU TARA, THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT !!
Want to read
August 20, 2012OMG YAY SEQUEL!!! Cannot wait for this- love Tara's books!
Want to read
September 7, 2012OMG!!! BOOK 2???? F*CKING GOOD NEWS!!! I ADORE THE FIRST ONE!!!!
November 16, 2016
Cover is up!!
December 6, 2016
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. From the blurb it had all of the elements I was looking for in a book, it just didn't come together for me. I love books in the music scene, and I was excited about the going on tour aspect on the book, I also liked how the blurb alluded to the girl having a thing for one of her bandmates.
Ultimately, I wasn't in love with any of the characters in the book. First of all the main character, our heroine, Jasmine, is young, I think for the entirety of the book she is 17, and honestly it really comes off that way. I have a hard time really getting into characters who are that young, and that was a big problem for me. I didn't find Jasmine to be super likable, it wasn't that she wasn't likable, it was more that she was so in her own head that I just didn't enjoy her all that much. And the other characters in the book didn't stand out to me either as being really likable either. It's hard for me to like a book when I don't love at least one of the characters in a book.
Also I really felt like the author was trying to make a lot of points with this book, I mean she touched on a lot of different issues in one book. While I really like when an author brings issues to light, I don't like it when it comes off as like the most important aspect of the book. She touches on issues on mental illness, cyber bullying, rape culture, etc. It was a lot to deal with. Also as part of pointing out what was going on in terms of the cyber bullying, there were parts of the book that included forum posts and such, and honestly the formatting of those pages was kind of difficult, so that threw me off as well.
I think part of the issue for this book was that all of characters seemed to be at odds with each other all the time. They always seemed to be fighting about something or making snarky comments, or just doing something that made it easy to make them likable. At the end of the day this book ended up feeling just a little bit too much like a young adult book for me, I think I was just looking for something a bit more.
April 23, 2020
I think this was a great series. I would have wished for a little more romance between Sean and Jasmine but this book was great and a great twist that didn’t let me put the book down till I finished it!
June 21, 2017
Coming of age band tour. Tough road tour with lots of angst.
June 28, 2017
It was really good. It was a little long but towards the end the book had me in tears.
October 8, 2017
Unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations.
Want to read
March 29, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/29/2020)! 🎁
February 9, 2017
I have some mixed feelings, but I'm mostly just happy it's finally here!
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