This Disc Has Two Sides

by Cole Dulas

“That universe has always been make-believe, and I left it behind on top of a parking garage in Minneapolis…”

Noah and Jet’s friendship started with an honest-to-god, physical Jackson Pollock & The Big Sneeze’s debut album, Oceancake. It’s at one of their concerts that he first feels it—the pull of another world, one where he and Jet could be a couple. All it takes to cross over is a single kiss, but Noah hesitates, and the better, braver world escapes him.

Now stuck in this teen romance gone wrong, Noah Baxter’s life unravels to the backdrop of a carefully curated playlist, and before the last track plays, he’ll hit every wrong note, give up, paint some robots, steal a fish from the local Chinese restaurant, take a punch, and stage the performance of the century—all so someone else might have a shot at everything he passed up.

Brimming with fictional bands and musical gestures, THIS DISC HAS TWO SIDES reads like your favorite playlist with its resonant story of love, loss, and coming up for air. By the end, you’ll be singing along with Oceancake’s opening

I can't dance, can't dance, can't dance

Oh, I can't dance, can't dance, can't dance

Can't dance with my foot in my mouth

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2024

Reviews

[Kat Garino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute cozy story overall and I enjoyed getting to know the diverse characters. It is fairly slow paced so be ready for that if you aren’t into slow paced books. I struggled a little with how emotionally intelligent and poignant the characters were at times given their age—not always as believable as I’d like it. But they were all very sweet and quite a few lines spoke to me and I made sure to highlight them to look back on in the future. Overall this book was a well written cozy story about high school romance and friendship and I’m excited to see what the author comes up with next.

[Cole Dulas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the author and I think I did a real bang-up job.

[Elizabeth Motes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun, sweet, cozy story. I think it's a true feat to manage to spark nostalgia for high school, but it's accomplished here. There's so much detail put into the world / setting / characters that it's impossible not to get pulled in. There's lots of great humor, too, though it never detracts from the massive heart in this story.

If you're a big music lover, you should absolutely pick up this book. Each chapter gets an original song title, which is fun, but also music is a huge driving force of the story. I was impressed that the fake band names and songs sound like they could be completely real.

Sometimes you come across a YA book that makes you go, "Oh, that's why I don't read YA anymore." Other times you come across one that makes you go, "Oh, that's what a YA book is supposed to do," and you wish you could've enjoyed it in high school, too.

[Megan Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book just came out and I've already read it twice! It's so good- it's everything I love in a YA novel and I LOVE YA novels. Though I expected this to be entertaining and relatable, I never anticipated how funny and brutally honest it is. Despite how frustrating these characters can be, you never stop hoping for their success. Such supremely real, annoying, beautiful, and teenage antics. This is one of my top ten favorite books ever and I can't wait to read this more and more. Please release more books, Cole!

[Sharron Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kudos to the author! Brilliant cover design, engaging characters! Wonderful book! This story works its way through adolescent love and the misadventures of a completely likeable group of characters! And it is all connected by music! The author uses a wonderfully unique love of music as a focal point to move the reader from chapter to chapter. The author moved this reader, a couple times to tears, with beautifully poetic insights into the realities of love. Can't wait to read another book by Cole Dulas!

[Matthew Dulas]

This Disc Has Two Sides is a delightfully well-crafted novel. I found myself deeply invested in the lives of these characters who work through friendships, romances, life changes, and the responsibilities that come with making mistakes. This book is fun and light-hearted while at the same time serious and grounded. Cole Dulas does an amazing job portraying the lives of these characters in a realistic and relatable way. A truly engaging read from cover to cover!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really refreshing. A lot of YA books these days rely on cliches and tropes. The characters in TDHTS feel real and larger than life all at once. I found my self just enjoying being present with the characters because they felt like my friends. Not to mention I don’t think I have ever seen a more creative use of music in a book, the book needs a playlist!!!

[Caite Grosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully sweet story about finding the right path and friendship. It shows how music can impact our lives, connect us to others, and even communicate things that you can't find words for.