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Melody Burning

by Whitley Strieber (Goodreads Author)

3.1 of 5 stars 3.10 · rating details · 193 ratings · 61 reviews

Beresford doesn’t remember much about his past or how he came to live in the chutes and crawl spaces of the posh high-rise that shares his name. But when rock star and teen sensation Melody McGrath moves to an apartment on the fiftieth floor, he knows he has to be near her. Although she doesn’t realize it, Melody is threatened by more dangerous forces than her manipulative...more

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

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2011 December YA Releases

31st out of 47 books — 91 voters

Dark YA Covers

229th out of 263 books — 244 voters

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Jul 03, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-mt-bookpile

Melody is a teen sensation, a singer and actor in the Miley Cyrus mold. Her mother appears to be the driving force, with public outbursts that often embarrass her daughter - except that these are calculated to gather publicity and get Melody more positive press. They've moved into the Beresford, one of LA's premier addresses, and Melody juggles her sitcom (Swingers), recording her new album and preparing for concert at the Greek Theatre.

At night, however, Melody is convinced that there's someone...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 04, 2011 Whitley rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I am the author of Melody Burning. The book has not yet been published, and yet there are reviews from as early as last March. Last March, it hadn't even been FINISHED! For what it's worth, I think that these people are reviewing a controversial author who they dislike. They cannot have read a book that has not yet been released. So please give Melody a chance. Do not rely on fallacious reviews. (I have dated this review to the actual date I finished the book. It will be published on December 7,...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Beresford has lived hidden away for so long in the high rise building with which he shares his name that he barely remembers his past. He knows something terrible happened a long time ago and there are terrible people he should still be afraid of, but lately, all he can think about is the Beresford’s newest resident, teen pop star Melody McGrath. From the first moment he hears Melody singing from the crawl space behind her room, Beresford is sure that he loves her. On the other hand, the only th...more Beresford has lived hidden away for so long in the high rise building with which he shares his name that he barely remembers his past. He knows something terrible happened a long time ago and there are terrible people he should still be afraid of, but lately, all he can think about is the Beresford’s newest resident, teen pop star Melody McGrath. From the first moment he hears Melody singing from the crawl space behind her room, Beresford is sure that he loves her. On the other hand, the only thing that Melody is sure of is that she may have a stalker. But she isn’t prepared for the surprise of her own feelings when she and Beresford finally meet. Melody and Beresford are from completely different worlds, and though Melody finds herself falling for this mysterious boy, she’s not sure that their relationship could ever have a chance. What she doesn’t know is that it’s not only their love but their lives that are threatened by a deadly secret hidden in the depths of the building they both call home.

The concept of Melody Burning sounded more bizarre than intriguing when I first heard about it, but I was hoping that Strieber could turn the bizarre into a good story. Unfortunately, he was not quite successful, and the story remains more bizarre than anything else. The novel has a couple of interesting points that propel the plot, such as the fact that Beresford has lived secretly within a building for much of his life and the dangerous project for which the building Beresford was created. My main issues, however, were with the points and views and voices from which the story was told. I found Melody’s voice to feel somewhat inauthentic; she came off as neither a wealthy pop star nor a moody teenager, two identities she is supposed to hold. This made it difficult for me to feel sympathy for her romance with Beresford because I couldn’t tell what these feelings were based upon. Beresford’s narrations were similarly a little off base; though I understand he has spent the majority of his life on his own without guidance or education, portraying him as so simple and sweetly innocent seemed a little strange. In addition, the switch in verb tense and first or third person narration for different points of view was pointless and irritating. Unfortunately, my inability to connect with the voices of each main character in this novel really prevented me from appreciating the story and left me feeling rather unsatisfied with the novel overall.

Melody Burning may still be enjoyed by readers willing to take a chance on its unique storyline, but I feel that I’m unable to provide suitable novels for comparison, perhaps because this one is so different.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Apr 17, 2012 Spark740 rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book has a very cool title.
This book has a very cool cover.
However, this book is not cool.
First of all, throw several pounds of swearing in my face in the first chapter and I'm not impressed. Second of all, base half your story on this guy lusting after this girl and this girl who has unbelievable, unfounded mood swings (well, she IS on drugs, but really? the nasty monster-like snarl, the "I HATE YOU" into the dark where she can't even see him?), and you've really got one downer for a firs...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 26, 2011 Anni rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: gave-up

I just couldn't finish it. It made no sense. I mean, there's this teenage boy who lives in the elevator shafts and crawlspaces in a fancy apartment building, and he's been there since he was tiny, so he has no social skills, no education, I don't even know where he gets his clothing, and someone is trying to kill him but apparently they can't seem to do it since this has been going on for a decade at least, and then some teenage pop idol moves in and she falls in love with him? WHY? It doesn't m...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 27, 2011 (Benji) The Non Reluctant Reader rated it 2 of 5 stars

Melody Burning is one of those books that are impossible to get into. The summary sounded exciting but the book wasn't. Let me tell you why.
First things first, Whitney Stieber tried for the "instant love" approach. And it failed. Miserably. The second they meet she's all like "he's so amazing, I love him so much" but guess what, SHE HAD KNOW HIM FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES! Even for insta-love that is fast! She didn't even know his last name, for goodness sake! This is supposed to be realistic fiction,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 23, 2012 Donna rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-sucked-on-so-many-levels, main-characters-i-hate, young-adult, crappy-insta-love, snore, reviewed

Horrible. So horrible. I could barely finish it, in fact once I reached the epilogue, I just gave up.

I did not find the characters very interesting. There is a rock star, Melody, and a boy who lives inside the same apartment building as her. The boy does not own an apartment, he is a squatter. He lives in the spaces between the walls, and has been there every since his dad dies, which was years ago. None of them were very interesting to me. Melody was very plain, even though she was a rock star...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Jade Eby rated it 2 of 5 stars

Originally published at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements

The Good: I love love love the cover! The concept behind this book was SO awesome. The idea of this little boy literally growing up inside of a growing building is crazy. Can you imagine being on the 40th floor of a skyscraper and hearing something in the walls? Not like tiny animal sounds but literally...someone IN the walls.

That being said...

The Bad: Those were pretty much the only good points about the book... Even the cover lost its appe...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA, Romance, Suspense lovers :)

Shelves: favorites

COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN! This book was great. Please don't be discouraged by lesser reviews. This author is extremely talented...his swift writing made every chapter fast paced and fun, never dull or drug out. He did an astounding job switching between first and third person. His characters were well rounded, you could really get a feel for who each one was, and therefore, you will really grow to love them. This story was fascinating, and if you like a good romance, or even a good suspense, this is...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Emily (ObsessedReader) rated it 1 of 5 stars

I would just say don't waste your time. I HATE giving negative reviews on books, but I have to be honest.
I could not get into it whatsoever, the characters were dull, and I was just majorly disappointed. The plot had sounded so interesting, but...I couldn't even finish it. I skipped ahead to the end after 50 pages or so, and still wasn't impressed.
I think for more un-experienced readers, it may be OK, but for me personally, I have just read so many amazing books that have set the bar very high,...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Celine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review

Review originally posted in: http://forget8me8not.blogspot.com.au/...

Cover:
The girl's white dress reflects Melody in the book. I like how she's standing over the edge, represents a scene in the book and I love the background. I love the city's light during the night. I think the girl looks a bit weird but the background helps!

Story:

A Wild Boy and an It Girl...

So I'm just going to start this review directly instead of giving a small synopsis of the book like what I usually do in my reviews. What...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Tiffany Mahaffy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, paperback, arc

With this one I was surprised. Very surprised to say the least! I picked this one up thinking I was getting myself into a paranormal type of read and yet it wasn't. However I ended up really enjoying this dark and at times tragic read. There was a very quick start that kind of pulled you in and got you interested. Murder can do that though and the fact that it left a little boy so very alone kept me glued because lets face it you need to know what happens to him. This doesn't happen right away...more With this one I was surprised. Very surprised to say the least! I picked this one up thinking I was getting myself into a paranormal type of read and yet it wasn't. However I ended up really enjoying this dark and at times tragic read. There was a very quick start that kind of pulled you in and got you interested. Murder can do that though and the fact that it left a little boy so very alone kept me glued because lets face it you need to know what happens to him. This doesn't happen right away but gives way into another story completely and then manages to intertwine the two.

The main character Melody was confusing at times and to be honest I didn't really ever connect with her but that isn't to say I didn't like her. I did because much of her still felt real and believable and even the bits that had me questioning her still weren't that outrageous. Melody is a rising start and has a mother that pushes her beyond the limit and seems to only care about the money. Maybe this is where Melody's sadness comes from, I really don't know. She seems to have a grip on things and then **BAM** we have lost our grip. I had this feeling like I missed something and maybe I did but once I seen how tortured she really felt a lot of things became much more clear to me.

Beresford is a lost soul it seems. Remembering nothing of who he was or where he came from. Although it is painfully clear who he really is no one else knows. This poor boy knows nothing of friends or family yet still manages to have a gentle and beautiful soul that you can see ever so clearly through his amazing eyes. He fell for Melody watching her on t.v. and I know that sounds cheesy but his affections seem genuine. The problem is he is not only people shy but crawls around in the shafts, crawl spaces and chutes. The time he spends listening to Melody though her wall... Well lets just say as endearing as he feels it is it kind of has a creepy feel to it, even knowing his sweet reasons.

Once Melody gets over how creepy the entire behind your walls thing she is comforted by Beresford. I mean when she first sees him she freaks, looses it but when confronted with him in her room she is oddly intrigued by him. Ya, you heard me she finds him in her room uninvited and instead of screaming she gives him a chance. This is the start of something and not just something small. She falls for him and I mean really falls but their dream seems to be ripped away from them before they really have a chance. So basically I am saying the love is instant but in another way it isn't. Hard to explain but their attraction and feelings really pulled at me. Parts of this book with their romance just pulled me right apart and at one point my eyes even watered!! Ya, I was that worked up over what they were going through.

Now to be honest I finished this book really fast. I didn't want to put it down because I was so involved in finding out how things worked out. Problem is I felt that this novel could have been a little bit longer than what it was. With a little more depth this book could have gone from good to amazing! The action came later in the book but that left the start open for character development but looking back there really wasn't much depth to the characters. It feels like I know them but I don't. This wasn't something I noticed right away but more upon reflection of the novel.

Overall this was a quick and easy read. I found myself pulled right in and reading from start to finish faster than I expected!! Despite the lack of depth this book kicks it with emotion and intrigue. I just can't focus on anything horribly negative when overall I felt that this was a worthy read. Pick this up if you are in the mood for something that is an easy yet interesting read(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books

After reading some of the review on this book, I really wasn't sure if I even wanted to give it a chance, I mean really, I don't have time for a bad book but something about this book just drew me in and I thought, what the heck and gave it a chance anyways.

I will say, the whole scenario is a little far fetched, I will give the other reviewers that have complained about that a firm agreement. But honestly? I read books sometimes to get that way out there theory. To be a part of a world that mayb...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 1 of 5 stars

The book starts off with a prologue of little Robbie and his Dad being held at gunpoint on a work elevator in an apartment building that's under construction. Dad ends up dying and having his body dumped down the elevator shaft, while Robbie has to hide from the psycho named Luther, who has the gun. Flash forward about ten or eleven years, where everything is all suddenly about teen pop star Melody McGrath, who has moved into the Beresford apartment complex. She is almost certain that someone is...more The book starts off with a prologue of little Robbie and his Dad being held at gunpoint on a work elevator in an apartment building that's under construction. Dad ends up dying and having his body dumped down the elevator shaft, while Robbie has to hide from the psycho named Luther, who has the gun. Flash forward about ten or eleven years, where everything is all suddenly about teen pop star Melody McGrath, who has moved into the Beresford apartment complex. She is almost certain that someone is inside the walls, spying on her. Her Mom thinks she's having a psychotic break, but Melody is right. Robbie is still in the walls, living in the vent/duct system and sneaking things necessary to his survival from people's apartments. Only, he doesn't remember his name (so he calls himself Beresford) or how old he is, but he's figured out how to DVR the T.V. show Melody is on and is obsessed with her. The owner of the complex wants a hit man to find and get rid of the boy, because he plans to burn down the place for the insurance money. He even built it with code-breaking constructions so the fire would spread faster! Melody discovers Beresford, but he gets taken away. Without him there to protect her, will Melody survive? This book had a promising prologue and I got interested at first. Then it developed a split personality, unable to figure out who was the main character and what the plot was trying to accomplish. I get sick inside when I think about how good this book could've been and wasn't, because Mr. Strieber unsuccessfully tried to write romance between a wild child, with the mind of a preschooler and a mature teenage girl. It sickened me and I wished for the answers to the mystery to be fleshed out - I got crumbs instead of cornbread. Don't read this unless you want to read something that NEVER should have made it past the press, onto the shelves. Waste of ink, sadly enough.

VERDICT: 1/5 Stars and my true revulsion at it's lack of realistic decency (this from someone who used to LOVE Flowers In The Attic as a teenager, which I think says a lot!)

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*(less)

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Nov 24, 2011 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

This book would make a great addition under the Christmas tree. The author begins with a prologue that will help explain the next events in the book. A small boy and his father are exploring a building in Los Angeles when they are interrupted by a man clearly trying to do them harm. What happens next is slightly unsettling and leaves the small boy with no recourse but to stay where he is-for years.

Melody is a bit of a rock star on the rise. She moves to Los Angeles to further her career, though...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terrible Terri...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, romance-y, realistic-fiction

First Impression:
Before opening this book, I really had no clue what it was going to be about. I just knew it had a nice shiny cover that made me think maybe paranormal, maybe not. You never know nowadays.

While Reading:
The beginning of the book sucked me right in. A murder, a boy hiding and then back to modern times. Then the book took off from Melody's point of view, a girl who is becoming a singing sensation and can't seem to handle the pressure. Then, she meets the phantom in her wall - Beres...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Laurie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

(Actual rating 3.5) What do you do when those night time sounds we hear in our bedrooms are actually made by a living being? Pop star Melody McGrath has to grapple with this very strange issue. A young boy, witness to his father's murder, grows up all alone in the world inside a ritzy LA building where his closest neighbors are ceilings, walls and pipes. In secret, he learns to traverse through this maze of steel and metal, to live. Learning to sneak into residences when unoccupied, he watches t...more

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Jan 21, 2012 T. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-work, ya-lit, 2012

After I took the book as an almost complete rip from Phantom of the Opera (remember Eric who lives in the opera house and sneaks in for the girl?) and decided this book would be fun to make snarky comments about, I enjoyed it. The characters are a bit bipolar, the plot moves around a little too quickly, and I just found some things utterly unbelievable, but overall nice, mindless fluff. I can see how some readers would enjoy this, but not me. I hate stalker guys, not matter HOW romantic it is. I...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Nara rated it 1 of 5 stars

I MAY REREAD TO SEE IF I LIKE IT BETTER NOW! BUT READ ON TO THE REVIEW.
The writing and the characters were so bland and stupid. Seriously Beresford can't love Melody. He can't. No just no. I couldn't finish this book. He can't love her from seeing her on tv. I get a simple crush (I mean come one I know I've crushed on famous people) but he can't LOVE her. And Melody she had little to no depth. I dunno I might reread with a different mindset. But I didn't like it.

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Aug 12, 2012 Christina D rated it 1 of 5 stars

I only finished reading this book because I am impossibly hard on myself if I start a book and don't finish it, even if it is crap. And that is exactly what this book is, crap! The writing is absolutely terrible! You can barely keep up with the author and the word structure he uses. Honestly I think I've read better written stories by school children. I had a massive Migraine by the end. Save yourself the trouble and pass this book up.

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Apr 20, 2012 Callie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book and don't understand why it got so many bad reviews. The story was interesting, and I haven't read anything like it before. The characters were likable, and even the 'bad guy' Frank you couldn't help but feel bad for. It could get a little confusing, but overall I thought it was a really great, well-written book. Don't miss out on this because of the other reviews, I would defiantly recommend it.

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Jan 05, 2013 Mary Gilmore rated it 4 of 5 stars

My friend gave me this book for my sixteenth birthday. She picked it up because it has 'Melody' on it. It made us both think of 'Melody Pond' or 'River Song' (you might only get this if you're a Doctor Who fan). I thought that it would be awful because it was so short. But it's really good. It IS kinda sad, so don't read it if you want something happy to read about.

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Apr 26, 2012 Lora rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Loved it! Is the plot hackneyed and predictable? Yes? Are the characters cliched? Yes? Do you care? No. I sometimes don't have enough fun reading and this book made for a fun afternoon. Yes, all the professional reviews hated it but, hey, sometimes it's fun to just read something soapy and trashy where you know the ending will be happy. And my students will LOVE it too!

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Feb 21, 2012 Brigid rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved the concept behind this book. Very modern day Phantom of the Opera. I thought this book was YA, which is why I bought it, but when I read it, I wasn't sure. It seems to fall somewhere between contemporary YA and adult crime fiction. It was definitely a fast, entertaining read. My only disappointment was the limited interaction between Melody and Beresford.

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Mar 07, 2012 Shelby rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-library-challenge-books

This book just did nothing for me. I read it in a hour and a half, and the story just went no where. Usually I would be tempted to put this kind of book down, but it was just so short that I decided to finish.

The plot was actually quite good. Or at least it could have been. Everything just happened so fast that I was left feeling like, what?!?!?! Especially with the romance. I mean, she doesn't even know Beresford's name until the very end, and she'a already desperately in love with him (and he...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars

i actually cried when i read this book. it was so good and so moving that i actually went to my mom and gave her the cliffnotes version but i was still teary when i told her. it was a remarkable book and totally worth my time. a must read and i must re-read again. u will not be disapointed with this book at all

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Jan 28, 2012 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

It had a strong ending. But i think the romance between Mel and Beresford just didnt have enough time to become anything memorable to the reader. As for the high octane plot, it too needed some more time to build up suspense. I felt we explored Melodys stardom more than other key areas. This book just needed to be longer and include more key points in the differents areas of the plot, to give it more of an impact on the reader.

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Feb 16, 2012 P.E. rated it 2 of 5 stars

I just couldn't believe what was happening. It didn't feel real, and so I had no connection with the characters, the plot was simple and felt a bit forced (insta-love) and the world building didn't make sense (a guy lives in an apartment for years without anyone noticing?). It just wasn't my piece of cake.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Snarsha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good, quick and easy read. The characters were quite well developed and it was easy to dive straight into the book. My only problem was, even though the plot is quite original, how some parts were obviously cliché. Other than that and a tad of boredom, it was pretty good!

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About Whitley Strieber

American writer best known for his horror novels The Wolfen and The Hunger and for Communion, a non-fiction description of his experiences with apparent alien contact. He has recently made significant advances in understanding this phenomenon, and has published his new discoveries in Solving the Communion Enigma.

Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired t...more

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