For the Record

by Charlotte Huang

Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like... until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything
 
Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen heartthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.
 
Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule... Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Music, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2015

About the author

YA writer, music fan, wanderlust sufferer. My debut novel, FOR THE RECORD, is out NOW from Delacorte/Random House!

Reviews

[Marla Mei · Rating 3 out of 5]

HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO THIS BOOK!!!

Also posted at Her Book Thoughts!

For the Record is a fangirl’s dream come true. This book is a story about a girl who’s suddenly thrust into the spotlight when one phone call changed her life and made her the lead singer of a famous rock band. Getting away from her small town? Yeah, that’s a good thing since they never seemed to care about her anyway. But how is living in close quarters with three guys who could barely tolerate her any different?

I flew through this book from the very first page and if it weren't for school taking up my priorities, I'm sure I would've devoured this in one sitting. Through Chelsea’s eyes we see behind the scenes of what life is for a rock band, the dynamics of it, and how life is on tour. True, I was a bit wary at first that the author wouldn’t pull off giving us authentic rock star feels but then thank God I always read the acknowledgments first and found out that she knows someone who has experience in the music industry so I knew right then that this book and I are in safe hands.

What I loved most about this is that this book is just brimming with personality. Each and every one of the characters have their own characteristics that sets them apart from the others. I appreciated how the author made them so unique that I couldn’t help but want to know them more. There’s Pem who is the band’s resident grouch, completely anal about everything and all about the artistic merit – the yin to Beckett’s yang. Beckett is the one who you would just want to hang out with for hours, talk about life and music and never get bored. And then there’s Malcolm – the fun-loving, charming laid-back drummer of the band who’s all about the good time. All of them served their purpose in the story and in no way were they resorted to the background but instead they helped us in getting to know all the layers of Chelsea’s character.

Chelsea is a flawed person and yet I found it easy in me to understand her. Yes, I got frustrated with her and the decisions she made but I get where she was coming from. I love flawed characters who eventually grow up and learn from their mistakes. There were times – especially near the end – that I felt like there’s more in her that still needs some growing up to do. I don’t know why but even though that is the case I’m much more forgiving with Chelsea as opposed to other YA characters that I’ve encountered before. She’s complicated but I kept telling myself to give the girl a break. Not only is she still adjusting to being famous, she’s also juggling the task of making her band mates love her. Who says the life of a rock star is ever easy?

I guess the only major quibble I have is the lack of solid friendship. I get why Chelsea’s band mates may be aloof towards her at first and I didn’t expect them to suddenly be BFFs with her. But Mandy, who's supposedly her best friend didn't really seem capable to that task. She was shallow, insensitive and ungrateful. I know she was the only one who stuck with Chelsea when everyone in their school seemed to hate her but a true friend wouldn't hold it in your head just to guilt you in doing something you have no control over. She made bad decisions and she just expected Chelsea to fix the consequences for her. And when Chelsea couldn’t deliver, she betrayed her. If it were me in Chelsea’s place, I would certainly not find it easy in me to be that forgiving.

For the Record's ending is open-ended and I’m still hoping against hope that a sequel – or even just a novella – about what happens next to the characters is a possibility. All in all this is a great book filled with great characters who feel incredibly real, you won’t want to let go. Time flies so fast when you’re reading a good book, that’s for sure.

[Charlotte Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I did write it! Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beyond fun. I devoured it in a single day - I just couldn't stop turning the pages (or scrolling through the PDF, as it were...).

There's so much to love about For the Record: the drama, the cute boys, the MC Chelsea who's spreading her wings for the first time. You can also really tell that Charlotte Huang knows her stuff. Everything rings true and feels accurate about living life on the road. I loved that!

I'd also like to say that I fell hard for the boys of Melbourne. Beckett, Malcolm, and Pem are all amazing characters with their unique personality traits. Also, side note, but I *seriously* need a companion novel about Pem. Pretty please??? I loved him and his control freak tendencies.

Chelsea is a great MC to carry the story. I loved getting to experience tour life for the first time alongside her. I also loved how she really takes charge of her own life. I think she's a strong character who really grows throughout the course of the novel. I was really rooting for her by the end.

This is definitely a book to check out if you like YA contemporaries, music, or just a good book. The characters are endearing, the plot exciting, and all in all, it's amazingly readable. But make sure you have some time, because you're not going to want to put this one down until you've finished it.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life)]

DNF @ 30%

This book is just not working for me. I really don't care what happens to any of the characters and the story doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I have absolutely no desire to read any further.

I received an advanced reader edition of this book from Random House Children's Delacorte for the purpose of providing an honest review.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Istyria book blog ~ A World of Enchanted Books

3.5 stars

The only thing worse than hating a book is when you feel indifferent about it. When all you can say upon finishing it is "meh". And that's how I felt about this one. It's okay. Not bad. Not Great. Just... okay.

For the Record is about Chelsea. After she lost a talent show in TV, she went back home to lead a normal boring life. But then her whole life changed. Now she's the lead singer of the band Melbourne, touring and performing with a band that barely tolerates her. When teen heartthrob Lucas Rivers takes an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, putting a spotlight on Melbourne that not everyone in the band likes.

I don't really know where to start with this one. My thoughts are all over the place. Let's start with the positives, alright? I liked the story and it had a lot of potential. I think the author perfectly captured the drama that comes with show business and touring around the country in a tour bus. I liked having that behind the scenes look and it felt realistic for the most part.

But that's also where the negative starts. Some of the drama was too much and it wasn't really necessary. And if there's anything I hate in contemporary novels these days, it's unnecessary drama. Next to that I also didn't really connect with any of the characters. I liked some of them, like Malcolm and Pem, but didn't get to know them enough to be able to love them. The main character, Chelsea, was the one I struggled the most with. She kind of felt all over the place and I didn't really get a good grip on who she was as a character. Does that make any sense? Probably not. The romances were... meh. Most of that is probably because of my inability to connect to the characters, though.

I recommend For the Record to fans of Emery Lord's Open Road Summer or Ali Novak's The Heartbreakers and people that like books about road trips and music. I honestly hope you'll give this one a go and fall in love with it, cause I'm most likely just a black sheep here judging from the other reviews I've seen floating around. So give it a try, please.

[Paige (Illegal in 3 Countries) · Rating 2 out of 5]

See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I got from the publisher via NetGalley.

*Malcolm is of unspecified Asian descent; Beckett's ex Lauren is Japanese

It hurts me when I can tell an author clearly knows what they're talking about/writing about and I still don't like their book. C'mon, Huang namechecks Fall Out Boy in her acknowledgements as one of her husband's clients! She knows stuff! So why isn't For the Record fun? Shallow characterization, music snobbery, and thoughtless word choice.

Huang's knowledge of the intricacies of how bands on tour go about their days and what kinds of issues they deal with are clear. There's no questioning experiences like a drunk bodyguard waking up in the middle of the night and peeing in someone's shoe. You just know that happened. Melbourne's tour is mildly-organized chaos and just plain fun. I may have issues with the characters that are fighting their way through the tour, but the tour itself will keep readers entertained and make them wonder how things can get any worse--and something always goes wrong or gets worse. Murphy's Law is the only law!

If only the characters were as entertaining. Chelsea is characterized mainly by her desire to escape her suburban-Detroit hometown and her naivete about band life. If she does yoga or plays video games for fun in her free time, readers never see it. She and the other central characters--her boy-crazy best friend Mandy, tortured artist Pem, skirt-chasing drummer Malcolm, designated love interest Beckett, and empty-headed actor Lucas--are flatter than a piece of notebook paper.

Opportunities to give these characters depth and develop their relationships with one another are passed over almost without fail. For instance, Lucas is initially portrayed as constantly theatrical and unfailingly kind to his fans. If it had turned out he was genuinely that kind of person and we got scenes that gave his character depth, that would have been really cool. Instead, it turns out he's just a jerk putting on an act. How boring is that? It seems more like an easy way to break him and Chelsea up so she can go back to pining over Beckett, whom she has no chemistry with anyway. Similarly, we're told Chelsea and Mandy are best friends but barely see that even in the beginning of the book.

The heavy, barely-challenged vein of music snobbery that runs throughout the novel is grating too. I'm of the opinion that the only difference between One Direction and The Beatles is that the latter wrote their own songs/played their own instruments--and I say this as someone who dislikes both groups. Compare One Directioners to Beatles fans from the band's heyday in the 60s and you're not going to see a lot of difference. Pen and Beckett are music snobs who believe good music began in the 60s and died at the dawn of the 90s, good musicians do their own stuff, and Chelsea is lesser for not being a songwriter or having heard much from their Golden Age of music.

So what? Some singers have legendary voices but little to no songwriting ability. It happens. That kind of situation allows gifted songwriters who may not be able to sing to sell their songs to such artists and make good money. If one music fan will fight you on Kesha's music and the other will stan for Elvis Presley until their final breath, neither has better taste in music than the other. They have different tastes. Chelsea never seems to get into their musical tastes but still comes to conform to their narrow definition of a "good" musician.

Speaking of troubling things, Huang uses quite a few questionable words and phrases. Call me nitpicky if you want, but I'm an English major and I'm used to macro/microanalysis of literature. It's what English majors do. Then again, you don't need to be an English major to see the sentence "[Mandy and I] both had PTSD from [our boss Dave's] yelling" and take issue with how it trivializes PTSD. Then Chelsea calls herself a spaz, which is an ableist term, and this sexist piece of something:

"I think girls like you because you don't try too hard. You have your own style, and it's different from all the other girl singers."

I know quite a few singing women who will beg to differ. Saying a girl is Not Like Other Girls is never a compliment. Ever.

Look, a teen character won't be decried as unrealistic for not using the r-word and avoiding jokes about PTSD or mental illness. What I'm asking for is respectful language unless there's a solid, justifiable reason for these characters to use language that affects marginalized groups.

But For the Record isn't all bad. Just remember that. I had fun overall and rotated between humming Carly Rae Jepsen's "LA Hallucinations" and Fall Out Boy's "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race." Not a bad mix of songs! If only the novel weren't about a band would surely judge me for my aforementioned mental soundtrack and wants to be Nirvana but is more akin to Paramore. They want to be groundbreakers, but they're really just hitmakers.

[Dahlia]

A very authoritative look at life on the road, lighter on romance than expected and heavier on logistics and the touring experience, which I think will pleasantly surprise readers looking for something different from celeb YA. Particularly unique is that Chelsea isn't the cool frontwoman everyone adores; they basically all treat her like crap and the newbie she is, even as they recognize she's talented. Definitely a different take than others of its subgenre.

[carolina ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd have enjoyed it way more without the Lucas Rivers plot.

[Lisa (lifeinlit) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Oh man, this book was so painful for me. As most of you probably know, my husband is a drummer, and therefore I am always drawn to books involving music, especially rock bands. The idea of a story based around a rock band on tour struck me as something I would definitely like. And honestly, there was a lot about this story that I did enjoy. But the characters just had me pulling my hair out.

Chelsea, the new lead singer of Melbourne, is loving the type of life others only dream about. After losing a singing competition on TV, Melbourne's manger contacts her after the loss of their female lead singer. They offer Chelsea the job, giving her the tour period to prove herself as part of the band. Touring across the country in a bus with the band members and her best friend, who is offered an assistant position to help with the behind-the-scenes on tour, sounds pretty incredible. Amirite?

This story had so much potential to me. SO MUCH! It's basically the book description of my dreams. The one problem I had, and guys, it's a HUGE one, was the characters. All of them. There was zero personality. All of the band members had very similar voices and very little to separate them, as far as dialog, personality, and even actions at times. But my biggest issue was their voice... they literally ALL sounded the same!! We'd read a sentence along the lines of "He was always so funny", but where was the humor? Where was the guy saying the funny things that we're being told he says? Each and every band member all said and did and acted exactly the same. I often was completely confused on who was talking and which guy was which. Though we were TOLD they were different, they didn't ACT differently. It was such a big turnoff for me that I struggled through the entire story. I couldn't get over the lack of personality to these characters. They were all extremely monotone, redundant and way too similar for my liking.



The girls, however, had more personality. I did like Chelsea and thought a lot of her actions, etc were a lot of fun. She took a bit to grow on me, but by the second half of the book I was really routing for her to find herself and become the person she really wanted to be.

Also, the romance fell completely flat for me. A puddle on the floor. It's hard for me to even call it a romance, honestly. It just didn't work for me. AT ALL.

It pains me to write this review. I despise reviewing books that I wasn't a fan of. Firstly, I feel terrible about hurting the author's feelings. I mean, authors put their lives into writing these books... and to see someone pick it apart must be very difficult. So I'm sorry if I have hurt any feelings with this review. This is in no way a criticism regarding the author, herself. I do plan to read her next book, Going Greek . But I have to be honest, since that's what I always promise to do on this blog. That's what we're here for, right? Maybe the story hit a little too close to home for me as well, being in the band scene for so many years with my husband, and maybe that's why I was tougher on this one. I'm not sure what exactly went wrong, honestly. I've seen quite a few glowing reviews for this book, so there are definitely a lot of fans. Don't take my review as gospel. Check out the other reviews and give this book a chance if you're interested in it. I think there is definitely a group of people that will thoroughly enjoy it. Sadly, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

(Thanks to Delacorte Press for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by the music scene and I think there are possibilities for so many amazing stories to be told in the setting. That was my main reason for wanting to pick up For the Record. It was a book full of potential and while it wasn't a book without its faults, it was enjoyable and by the end, I knew I would be checking more out by Charlotte Huang in the future.

My favorite part about For the Record was the music setting. I loved how Charlotte Huang was able to transport readers on stage together with her protagonist, Chelsea. While she's having fun on stage, you feel like you too are right beside her. It takes talent to write such vivid scenes and it's certainly one of Huang's strongest points. She not only portrays the glamorous side of being a famous musician - the fame, the celebrities you meet - but she also explored the tougher, more grim side of it. Constantly being in the limelight isn't always as alluring as it seems on TV or in between magazine covers. I'm no expert when it comes to the topic, but it seemed like a very realistic take on how while touring on a bus, visiting all these cities can be fun at times, it can also be incredibly difficult, especially considering how you barely have any privacy. It went to lengths to show the uglier side of the show business and I really appreciated that.

I thought the author also did a good job with Chelsea, the main character. She was this enthusiastic girl, very eager and excited for the opportunity to be the lead singer on one of her favorite bands. She easily fell into the role of a superstar. That's not to say that things were easy for Chelsea though. She faced numerous obstacles, mainly in the from resistance and judgement from some of her band mates, but she handled everything that came in her path with her head held high. There were times when I honestly questioned her decisions and her choices, but at the same, it was easy to see where she was coming from.

Chelsea's band mates were also an interesting bunch, but it's also where the story faltered for me. While they all seemed to have distinct personalities, I will admit that I wasn't entirely keen on all of them. I think I needed to feel a deeper bond with them. Perhaps it was the way they were written or perhaps it was their treatment of Chelsea, but something about them made it difficult for me to connect to. I felt very similarly about Chelsea's best friend, who I would honestly have loved to see a much larger role in the book to bring focus to the friendship theme in the book. I didn't care for the romance(s) in For the Record either. They were a little complicated and messy, which was understandable given the position that Chelsea was in, but I found myself being very disengaged from them, which was sad because I was looking forward to the romance in this one.

Ultimately, while I had some minor complaints about For the Record, for the most part, it was an interesting take on the whole concept of a teen superstar. I found it to be realistic, well-written and full of charm. If you're a reader who likes the music scene, I would definitely recommend this one.

Here's a collage I made for the book:

All images courtesy of Pinterest

[Olivia-Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the Record is Charlotte Huang’s debut novel that I was very much interested in reading. I am someone who really does love my music and of course, I love reading. If you combine the two then there was no way I wasn’t going to be reading this book! As I was reading it kind of reminded me of the books Absolutely True Lies or Airhead by Meg Cabot. If you liked those books, then I am sure you will like this one as well.

This book throws you right in the moment we get started. It’s best to read the synopsis before diving in otherwise you might feel stranded for a little because the begin right away with Chelsea kissing a famous movie star while her band waits for her on stage.

I am going to be completely honest and say that at the beginning, me and this book didn’t get off to a good start. I didn’t like Chelsea’s character at first. I felt like she sort of threw herself at Lucas Rivers? She hadn’t even known the guy for more than 30 minutes and they were already making out in a bathroom. While her band was waiting for her on stage! I mean, if that wasn’t disrespectful and reckless than I don’t know what was. And then there was this small thing when they finally got on tour where she got distracted and threw her food in the bin before she even started reading. It’s only one sentence in the novel and not a big deal but I couldn’t help internally screaming at that because don’t waste food. Ever.

But after that, things started to improve and from then on out I was hitched into this story and reading like there was no tomorrow. I thought the idea of being on tour with a band was really cool! It was basically like a road trip book where they got to see all these wonderful cities and meet a bunch of different people everywhere they went. I’ve never been in a band and touring so I don’t know how accurate this was, but it really did give me a feel for what it could be like to be in a band and preforming every other night and everywhere. It seems chaotic, but like it does have its golden moments as well.

Chelsea is a member of the band who is jumping in only this year to replace a member who has left so she is really struggling to fit in. I felt like at the beginning she was kind of distancing herself, but the guys of the band weren’t being too friendly either. But in time you get to see how the gang really is a dysfunctional kind of family and it was just so heart-warming. In the end, I really liked the whole atmosphere and everything.

There is a massive love triangle and some romance drama but don’t get me wrong – this is a contemporary book so I was all prepared and expecting it! I think the way the love triangle played out was fairly predictable and I sort of didn’t really care about it that much. However, Mandy’s (Chelsea’s best friend) romance? Now that was something I wasn’t expecting.

I liked all the characters well enough but none of them really stood out as special to me, which was a first. I do think we can all relate to Chelsea’s wants of fitting in, wanting to be loved for who she is and just trying to get by. I can admire that girl’s willing and ambition as well.

The ending of this book was something I was completely not expecting! If anything it was a massive twist thrown at the end, in terms of contemporary speaking. I enjoyed being thrown off like that and think the ending was done incredibly well.

End result? I am going to have to read Charlotte Huang’s next book as well!

This review and others can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

When For the Record recently went on kindle sale for $1.99, I immediately jumped at the chance to get the book since it had been on my list of books to read for awhile. I was surprised though, that I started reading the book that very same night! That rarely happens. But I was in the mood for a music biz story and all of the drama that comes with it. And boy is there drama when you are the replacement singer in a band that everyone loved.

I loved all that was explored in this book, including but certainly not limited to... being the replacement in a band and having to accumulate to the dynamics of the guys in the band, dealing with the press asking the same empty questions as the replacement, having a crush on a bandmate but not being able to mix business with pleasure, realizing that rule was put into place after a bad experience before you joined the band, your parents and loved ones and ex friends inserting themselves into your lives more, knowing you're talented but also being reminded in many different ways that you just don't have the star power, oh, and did I mention, being a former reality singing competition contestant who is now a part of a legit band and has to prove herself when she's only a singer and not a singer-songwriter-musician.

Yeah, there's plenty to enjoy here. All of the above I was most interested in but if you think for one second that there's only one guy in the picture for Chelsea, nope. A teen heartthrob has his eyes set on Chelsea and she notices. And she does something about it. So, bandmate crush and teen heartthrob love triangle, here you come. The guys aren't fighting over each other for her and it's not a love triangle that's full of angst, not a love triangle I would roll my eyes at, not a love triangle that even really gets much attention. It was pretty simple and in this setting, I'd even say quite a natural progression, plus the romance isn't the focus of the book, it's really moreso in the background, so it worked here just fine. Romance aside, I really liked the dynamic between Chelsea and her best friend, Mandy, who she gave a job to and brought on the road with her... that is until the situation towards the end happened. That felt unnecessary to me. Realistic, sure. But it just didn't flow for me here.

Overall, though For the Record was a solid read and just what I needed to read today. It's a great summer read given the romance and the band touring - and if you're in it for the music, you'll love the song lyrics at the end of the book. I don't want to say that Chelsea was necessarily a memorable main character. She was pretty standard for this kind of story and that's okay because it worked, no bells and whistles required. This definitely reads as Quiet YA (and it would probably be a solid indie film with an unknown as the lead) so if you're in the mood for a quick read, in the mood for drama in the music world (but drama that's grounded and the stakes don't stress you out like when you read, say, a dystopian), check this one out.

[Alice Reeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review can (also) be found on my Blog: Bettgeschichten

* I recieved an eARC of For the Record from Random House in exchance for a honest review *


I have so much love for this book and I am beyond happy I got the chance to read it five months prior to its publication. This book just truly has it all: a rock band composed on fun and different characters, a cute Hollywood movie star, the love for music and an outstandingly fun main character, Chelsea, who spreads her wings as lead singer of Melbourne.
Charlotte Huang did an amazing job at capturing the different emotions that go through Chelsea as she experiences her first concerts and everything that belongs to being the new kid in town, or rather the new girl in the band. And I love the fact that she didn't just do that in the first twenty pages and then forgot about it, but rather that it took her the entirety of the book to develop confidence in what she does and finding her place in this entirely new world she finds herself in.


Chelsea is a great main character and story narrator. Her thoughts and descriptions of her emotions are very clear and seem real, like they would belong to someone who went through all that she went through. She is fun and she has a personality. She isn't just a bleak character who just seems to exist and do whatever the author wants her to do, but rather like a layered character with flaws and traits which make her the person she is. All her decisions fit her personality and way of thinking.
The other guys in the band, Pam, Malcom and Beckett are a lot of fun and they are all unique and different. Pam is more of a grumpy cat, Malcom like one who likes groupies and Beckett the guy you'd like to hang out with and talk about music for hours. I enjoyed them as characters a lot and it was really hard to say goodbye to them once the book was over.


Another thing that makes this book great and stands out is the degree of insight we get to see into the life of a rock band, of the life on tour and how it feels to be the one on stage and not in the crowd. It perfectly captured the dynamics of the band and how crazy life can get when you are in the spotlight, when you are the one with thousands of fans who watch every step you take and gossip knows your secrets before you know them.


All in all I think this book was amazing, fun and felt incredibly real, which is always a big plus. For the Record is exciting, fun and filled with endearing characters which will make saying goodbye to the book surprisingly hard.
I think this book is definitely something for those who always dreamed of being a rock star themselves or wondered how life on tour must feel like. I recommend it to, basically, everybody because it's great and something like a fan girls dream come true.

[Erin Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read and review an ebook copy of For the Record by Charlotte Huang.

For the Record is about a girl named Chelsea who lost a TV singing competition show (think American Idol, X-Factor) and then she got the opportunity to be the lead singer for a band named Melbourne. Only she has to prove herself worthy during their summer tour. The book is about her summer with the band playing sold out shows in clubs, dating famous actors, falling for the band's bassist, and dealing with the rest of the band.

I really enjoyed this book. I was captivated by page one. If there is anything I like as much as books, it would be music. I've seen For the Record described on Goodreads as, "If Almost Famous were a YA novel." I can see that as far as the story following a rock band on tour. That's really where the similarities stop for me though. I was pleasantly surprised that For the Record was not a book all about drugs, sex, and drinking. While there was some light alcohol drinking, there wasn't any drug use. Which is a shocker!!! Also, even though there was sex it wasn't anything too crazy and it wasn't the main focus of the book. Of course there was some rock 'n' roll though!!



I thought the characters were all interesting, but there were a couple that fell a little flat to me. Pem and Lucas for example felt a little lifeless and dull. I couldn't connect with them at all or even imagine them as real people. I hope that makes sense LOL! :P Luckily it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. Another thing I didn't like was pretty much all of Chelsea's background story. All the stuff from her hometown and with her ex-boyfriend seemed pretty weird to me. I did not like how it was written because it all seemed false and too much like a story. Also, even though I love the ending it seemed to be a pretty abrupt one. I would read a sequel if the author wrote one.

Overall, For the Record is a great debut novel by Charlotte Huang. There were a few things that I didn't care for, but mostly it was a fantastic novel. I look forward to seeing what she will write in the future. I recommend this for fans of Almost Famous (if you don't mind a toned down YA version), music lovers, and for YA contemporary fans.

http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2015/10...

[Eri]

DNF at 5%

Maybe I'm feeling a bit under the weather with college stress, besides the exams and such, but this book is making me utterly bored. I could care less about the characters right now and the last straw: please don't mention, even as a joke, having PTSD from working with an annoying boss. I'm fairly certain any other time I picked this up I wouldn't be so inflamed by this detail, but one of my friends is currently struggling with this, and to see it trivialized in this way grates on my rather short nerves. So sorry, but I don't think I'm finishing this one.

Side note: I apologize for how rude I sound, but this is one thing that I cannot tolerate at the moment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for proving me with a review copy.

[Fictional World Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the Record was an adorable and fun read. Once I started reading it, I was immediately engaged and couldn’t put it down! If you ever wonder what it would be like to be a part of a music band. This book will give you that chance, it will give you an insider look at the music business and what it would be like to be part of a tour with a rock band full of cute boys.

The characters in this story we’re pretty delightful and entertaining. They each had their story to tell and it was a very captivating one.

Chelsea is a female lead singer for Melbourne. She had a pretty crappy High School years and all she want to do is make it as a lead singer and never return to her home town again. Chelsea tries to make it work with her new band mates, but that seems more difficult than she thought it would be. She tries to fit in but only gets a lot of things wrong (What teen doesn’t) but manages to grow up and learn from her mistakes. I love how her character grows thru out the story but my favorite was the way she was able to stand up for herself in the end.

Mandy, Chelsea’s best friend was amusing and entertaining. She was able to go along on tour with Chelsea and be a merchandize seller for the band. Which was great for Chelsea since none of the band member wanted to accept her into the band. She had her BF to make it fun and interesting. Which let me tell you, she did!!! Which made me a bit disappointed with Mandy. The conflict between them should have never happened and could’ve been avoided if both Chelsea and Mandy supported their friendship more.

Lucas Rivers the movie star! He was everything a girl wanted him to be! The heartthrob with a big ego. That only cared for the way he looked and how many fans screamed his name. He was a ok character. I saw what kind of person he was from the minute he came into play. Everything he did seem to look like he was helping Chelsea. But to me it seem more to his benefit then one else.

The boy band (Melbourne) are pretty hilarious at times and I really felt their love for each other. I fell in love with a 3 boys they each had their own trades. You had the stubborn, friendly and the partyer.

Pem was the stubborn and difficult one of the group. I didn’t understand him or liked him. He give Chelsea such a difficult time and aggravation. But in the end I found out why he was the way he was. Everything started to make sense. But it still doesn’t give him the right to treat people bad but I understood and I did felt bad for him in the end.

Malcom was definitely the partyer and amusing one of the band. He made the story fun. But even so, he felt flat for me. I wanted more from him. I wanted to get to know him and his deal. In the end I really didn’t know anything Malcom which was a bit of a letdown.

Beckett was the friendliest of the group and the sweeties. He helped out Chelsea and made her understand how the group worked and filled her in on how to fit into the band! He had a rough past with the band that caused a lot of grief and let down. He was my favorite of the group and was rooting for him. But his past comes back to haute him which had him make difficult decisions. Which made me root for him even more.

In the end I understand why they we’re the way they we’re. The band had a rough past and they were only trying to move on. It made the story interesting and engaging.
I enjoyed following Chelsea and the other Melbourne band members and how each member grow up and dealt with each situation.
One thing that I was surprised at was the ending and I'd really love to see Huang write a sequel. Because hello I still have questions that need answers…lol. Don’t get me wrong I still, liked the ending. It was a brilliant twist and left me wanting more.

Overall, For the Record was a great debut novel by Charlotte Huang. There were a few things that I didn't care for, (Lucas Rivers, ha-ha) but in the end it was a great novel. I look forward to seeing what Charlotte Huang will write in the future. It was a light read, perfect for those who are looking for a fun and exciting novel to read! I recommend this for fans of music and YA contemporary lovers.

[Trista · Rating 3 out of 5]

After losing a reality singing competition, Chelsea was expecting to face into small town obscurity as she went back for her senior year. One phone call changed all that. She's offered the chance to become the new lead singer of the band Melbourne, traveling with three hot guys and performing at sold-out shows. But with the band barely tolerating her and only having the summer to make the guys and the fans love her, Chelsea begins to feel in over her head. When heartthrob teen actor Lucas Rivers begins to show an interest, things get even more complicated as she's suddenly making a name for herself for all the reasons she never wanted. Throw in confusing feelings for Melbourne's bassist, Beckett, and this will definitely be a summer Chelsea won't forget.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2015. I admit, for a while I was pretty addicted to all the singing competitions that were always on TV and I loved the show Instant Star when it was on. Books with a music focus have been pretty hit or miss so far so I was hoping this one would end up rising to the expectations that were surrounding it. And for the most part, it did.

Chelsea was both an interesting and frustrating character. She was insecure about her position within the band, which made sense since she was replacing a previous lead singer and the others had all been together for a while. She was the trespasser, even though they needed her. She was a pretty passive person, especially when it came to making decisions for herself. It was frustrating to watch her continue to be miserable in situations when she did nothing to try to change things. I liked that it was easy to tell how much she loved music and performing but maybe I would have felt more 'this is the only life I want' from her if the book had started right after her loss instead of at the offer of lead singer.

One thing I definitely would have liked to have seen more of was friendship. Chelsea's three bandmates are very aloof toward her, with Beckett being the most open and friendly. It did make me question why Chelsea would even want to stay in a band where she was constantly made to feel like an outsider. Their aloofness from her also meant it made it hard for me as a reader to feel connected to them. There were many times they easily floated around as background characters to Chelsea's drama instead of being important to the story. The one thing I definitely did feel about them was that they really cared for each other. Chelsea's best friend Mandy was great at first but she also fell to being more of a background character once the romance with Lucas took over the plot.

The romance was another things that was a little disappointing. At least the Lucas Rivers side of it. I really enjoyed the eventually flirting between Chelsea and Beckett and thought they would be really cute together. Lucas just seemed to be that guy who was too good to be true and there was something about him that I just never trusted. Maybe it was because once he came into the picture, all the other characters seemed to fade into the background and Chelsea was more about him than with connecting with her band. Once he came into the picture, he was always there.

The touring and music plot were my favourite part. The way Chelsea would lose herself in performing, the fear of the audience turning on her, needing to set herself apart from the band's previous lead singer, all of it was so well written. It would have been nice though, to see Chelsea or someone speak up against Pen or Beckett about them being such huge music snobs. If Chelsea didn't like the same singer or bands they did, she was allowed to without being judged, and I really wanted her to say that without being told she just didn't understand or couldn't comment until she'd listened to the CD ten times.

Overall, it was entertaining to read but if there had been more interactions between Chelsea and the band, I think I would have connected more with it.

[Siiri (Little Pieces of Imagination) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't aware of this novel before Sue pointed it out to me and since it sounded extra cool, I downloaded an ARC from Netgalley. I can tell you that it was an enjoyable read, but definitely not among my favorites of the year.

I applaud for the music industry parts, especially the way the author described the feeling of being on stage and growing into being a live artist for masses. However, there was so much of it that by 50% I really didn't know what the moral or point of this story was going to be or where we were heading?

I liked the crew for the most part, especially the band, but I would have liked to have gotten to know them more. I feel as though we don't know them enough as individuals? I would have liked to have seen more background, more character building etc. They each had their defining characteristics in personality and looks, but I was hoping for a bit more depth to them.

I liked how Lauren was a nice girl and that Chelsea wasn't mean to her either. I'm still not over Mandy though; WHAT EVEN WAS THAT? Sigh. She got on my nerves a lot, because it was always about her. Always. Plus the thing she did.. double sigh. Ooh! I also liked the ending scene though it was very, very predicatble lol.

It's a pretty decent debut and I'm eager to see what else Huang has in store!

*psst I forgot to mention that the writing was very simple and there were two things I didn't like: a. slutshaming (there was quite a bit of this); b. Lauren was described as "Asian" and it felt like she was being blanketed under the Asian term but it would have been nice to know what Asian descent she is. (I doubt I missed this defining aspect, but I could have. In that case, my apologies.)

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for an ARC. In no way did this affect my thoughts.

[Brittany Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though out this whole book I shipped Chelsea with the inter band. I just couldn't decide who's personality went the best with hers. This was a little frustrating, but I really loved that aspect of the book because it kept me guessing.

I really liked the bands dynamic; they felt like a family (until Chelsea started riding a different bus). The romantic relationships were a bit . . . much especially Malcolm's & there was a little bit to much drama put into them; most of which centered around Mandy. Specking of Mandy everything that she did with Malcolm made since to a point but everything after that until she left to go home was over the line & felt like it was there solely to give Lucas an out with Chelsea. And after seeing Lucas as a thoughtful caring guy throughout most of the book it seemed weird for him to go into the downward spiral he went into.

The ending made me very depressed because even though it ended on a high note for Chelsea & Beckett it was the end for the band & in a sense a family.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where was this book when I was in high school? An addictive look at the behind-the-scenes of a girl thrust into the spotlight with a major band on tour. Fantastic details and complicated, believable characters.

Full review to come!

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Random House Children's via Netgalley for the free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a lot of fun, and while not perfect, I really enjoyed reading it. I was expecting "For the Record" to be heavy on the cheese, but it actually kept that factor to a minimum. The writing was solid, and I had a couple laughs sprinkled throughout. I liked the added dimension of the whole rock band trope, too. Not only is Chelsea thrown into the public eye (again) but she is expected to fit in with a group who aren't exactly welcoming her with open arms. The guys in Melbourne did not have much say in whether or not Chelsea would join the band, so not only has she not been with them from the beginning, she also hasn't written any of their songs and she hasn't struggled to climb the charts with them. She hasn't earned her stripes, so to speak. This would be a tough gig for anyone, let alone a girl with as low self esteem as Chelsea has.

Even though the closest I've come to being a rock star is making up a name for my (fictional) band, I still found that Chelsea was a girl I could relate to, and I can fully understand why high school was so rough for her. She was severely let down by her first and only hookup, so no wonder her confidence is shattered. The rumours from that disaster left her with only one friend in the whole world, so she's just a wee bit skeptical when movie star Lucas starts paying attention to her. This also leads to a small love triangle (or square, come to think of it!) so all those triangle haters out there, heads up! I call it small because it's pretty evident which boy will come out the winner, but still... Anyway, the triangle here did not bother me at all because it was essential to show Chelsea's growth. Aaaaand, that's all I am going to say about that.

This book reminded me a bit of Emery Lord's "Open Road Summer", but not enough that I would say read one over the other. "For the Record" is perhaps a bit lighter and fluffier, but definitely not in a bad way. Recommended to those wanting to live out their dreams of rock super stardom from the comfort of their own home (or those with no actual musical talent)!

[Michelle Krys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of my favorites of 2015. It's just that good.

[Carlene Inspired · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find more of my reviews at Carlene Inspired.
I recieved an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Chelsea has the chance of a lifetime, not only does she get to meet one of her favorite bands, she gets to be their new lead singer. Melbourne is an up and coming rock group with a female front, with a full length tour ahead of them Chelsea is the final part of their puzzle. With newly found fame though comes publicity, other famous stars, and emotions that Chelsea doesn't know what to do with. As a social outcast at her old high school, fame is something entirely new to Chelsea and when it comes down to the schedule, the guys, and even her best friend she doesn't know if she can make it through the year to hold onto her new position as lead singer.

Chelsea is a fun character, she's not "perfect" looking, she has a whole lot of spunk, and she's never quite figured out the whole friendship and relationship thing. She's also got a set of pipes on her that lands her not only one a pop music competition, but now as the lead singer of one of her favorite bands. Tell me that's not a dream come true? Except, that's what it is, to good to be true. If you've ever seen a band go through a public breakup, you have to know the behind the scenes isn't as easy as it looks. Chelsea has to go through some crappy situations, major emotions, and a lot of publicity as she tries to figure out her role in Melbourne. We see the rock star life through Chelsea's eyes, we also see her growing up from teenager to young adult, and all the mistakes she makes along the way. I really liked Chelsea because of those mistakes though, because honestly no one knows how we'd act when thrust into fame. Would I say no to the hot actor I've always wanted to kiss me? Probably not. Then there's her friends, her family, and her band mates. The secondary characters in this book are a lot stronger than I expected them to be, they have unique voices, their interactions separate them out as individuals, and they were distinctly different in how they acted and how they treated Chelsea. I genuinely enjoy a book that makes me feel like I've met everyone and actually know them, rather just pass them by. Charlotte Huang does a great job of giving the characters pasts and showing how history shaped the band into who it was at the time of Chelsea's joining.

Chelsea's life lacks true parental involvement and friendship, something I struggled with a lot at first. High school doesn't seem that long ago, but I never saw anyone become a true social outcast. Chelsea was like a pariah to her entire school and that was hard to connect with. Then she has family who want her to succeed, but seem to be disconnected from her rise in fame. At times they seem proud of her to their friends, but they lacked real parental guidance and emotions. While I can see how this is reality for some people, I couldn't connect with Chelsea on those two things because it seems crazy to me that you'd be this newly famous person, yet you have no friends and your parents are more interested in impressing their friends. There's a lot of betrayal in this book and at times I really didn't like some of the characters, Chelsea included, but all the character's personalities and actions totally make sense by the end and I was genuinely pleased with how this book finished off.

This should come as no surprise to my readers, or just anyone who knows me at all, but I loved this book. I knew I had to read this when I saw the mention of Almost Famous. My readers know I gravitate to music books and if you've ever visited my blog before you know I once wanted to work in music, I even interned with a music PR company during the summer once, so books like this just speak to me. Plus, once you start reading this book you find yourself hooked, because Charlotte Huang knows how to write and it's easy to visualize the entire novel like a movie. The best part though, is how realistic everything in this book is. From the backstage antics to the tour bus visitors, as well as the band mate drama and exhaustion from traveling, everything is pretty darn accurate. There's even a sneaky little tour booklet in the back that I will admit I read in great detail, what band fan girl hasn't done this? This is definitely a book I recommend, both to my YA and NA readers, and all my music lovers.

[Victoria (thepetitebookblogger) · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the Record is one of my top ten books of 2015, it’s such an incredibly written contemporary novel.

I’ve always been fascinated by musicians and the music industry so, when I heard about For The Record I knew that I needed to get my hands on it. I ended up flying through this book and read the entire novel within five hours. It’s so entertaining and you are immediately immersed in this story. There were so many aspects of this book that I really enjoyed and made this book one of my favorite books of the year.

Any music lover will appreciate how we were able to get a glimpse into what it’s like to be a rock stars. I know that there are a lot of YA books that primarily focus on music but what made For the Record such a unique book was how it deviated from the normal insta-famous cliche story. Its about a band, a group of artist learning to adapt to the recent departure of their lead singer and having to learn to accept someone new. Since the band, Melbourne, prides it self on being not being like “those superficial popstars” they dont accept Chealsea as an artist. Her past experience on a televised singing competition is something that they hold against her. We get to experience with Chelsea what it’s like to go from small town Michigan to now touring with an already established band all over the country. Chelsea has an incredible amount of pressure on her all the time, she is unaccepted by the band because they don’t feel like she’s a true artist, she has to deal with always being compared to their former lead singer. I really enjoyed reading about Chelsea as a character, while she did make a lot of mistakes and there were times were she was frustrating to read, it didn’t bother me that much because you could see that she was trying to find herself. That is just a tiny example of just well written the characters are in For the Record. All of the characters had very distinct characteristics and personalities. Pem was this bossy, anal, song writer who is obsessed with retaining artistic credibility. Beckett was the friendly guitarist who takes Chealsea under his wing and is the guy we all hope she ends up with. Malcom is the party boy of the band.

My favorite aspect of the book how we were able to see how these very different people come together to create art with their music and seeing the bond that they had with each other. Because the author is so familiar with how the music industry is ( she thanks in the acknowledgements Fall Out Boy!) there is a real authenticity to the book that make this a really refreshing read. We see all the people that make a band what it is the publicists, roadies, stage managers, agents, producers ect. We see how while it may be glamorous to tour the country and be one of the hottest indie bands ever there is absolutely no glamour in sharing a tour bus with three guys. I mean there were some scenes that take place on that bus that are gross!

The way For the Record is written it feel like we were right there in the tour bus with the band, in the audience the first time Chelsea performs with the band. There were some elements of romance which I enjoyed reading about but, I’m glad that it wasn’t the focal point of the story. While I really enjoyed For the Record I did have a few problems with the characters. For instance, I thought that Mandy’s behavior, while I did understand the motivation behind it, towards the end felt abrupt and uncharacteristic. I also didn’t understand the rift between Chelsea and her parents, I wished that it had been explained. Overall, this book is perfect for any contemporary fan and any music lover will really enjoy reading the lyrics to the songs mention in the book. There are some shocking revelations towards the end that will keep you immersed in the story as well as wanting for the book to be longer. I would highly recommend For the Record to anyone.





This review was brought to in part of the Sunday Street Team. In compliance with FTC guidelines, I must state that I received this book for free and was in no way compensated for my review.

[Brooke's Epic Emporium · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to thank Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of this book to review and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I really enjoyed the movie Almost Famous. So give me a book that totes the same thing but in YA form and I'm hooked. Plus, I have been reading some rock star YA books lately that I have really enjoyed. So when I got this I was ready to jump right in.

I love the idea that we get to follow around a young band and see all the ins and outs of their workings. It was also interesting to watch the dynamics between the different band members. As you would expect, there is also a pecking order within the band. So, for Chelsea as the newest member, you can imagine she had to earn the respect of the members as well as her plus. Throw in the fact that she's replacing a girl the band members knew for long before and she's got some tough shoes to fill.

My favorite aspect of Chelsea was her ability to stand up for herself. She really didn't take any nonsense from the band members. That's not to say she wasn't worried about gaining their trust and respect, but she really wanted to do it on her own terms, and not as someone filling the shoes of the previous lead singer. She didn't have an easy go at it. She was constantly being judged and placed under the microscope. When she altered how the band normally chose to do things, that put a bit of a rift between her and the other members. I liked how she was able to form relationships with each band member and they were distinct. But when her sudden rise to stardom threatens what the band members consider sacred, she has to prove to them she's more than the selfish girl they are making her out to be.

I will say that parts of this book dragged just a bit for me while other parts I flew through. I liked that Chelsea had a confidant in Beckett, one of the band members. It was nice to watch that relationship blossom into something and not have it based in some romantic fairy tale thoughts in Chelsea's head. You could see them growing closer and watch their dynamic change but I could also tell Becket often held things back from Chelsea as if those things would some how hurt her.

It's hard for me to imagine living on a bus for two months with all the people from the band. I am sure your privacy is null and sometimes you just feel the need to break free. I suppose you would get cabin fever. Plus every day running from one town to the next, without being able to put your feet down and relax would be taxing. I was surprised by some of the things Chelsea had to do, like her laundry. I can't imagine on a tour with buses and crews there wouldn't be someone around to do that for you. So some parts of this story stood out as unrealistic to me.

Overall I enjoyed the story. I would say things really didn't get going for me until about 3/4 of the way through the book, with all the world building and relationship building kind of a necessary evil to get you from point A to point B. I think those who have always wanted to know what's it like to tour with a band will enjoy this coming of age story.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was on the more positive side of okay. There were parts that were really good, and parts that I wish I never had to read. It started out a little rocky; I don't know if it was the writing style, or that I felt I had too much to take in at once, or that it kind of started in the middle of something, but whatever it was, it sorted itself out fairly quickly. Another issue I had was trying to keep track of the guys in the band. Sure, they all had their distinct singular-trait personalities, but it was hard to remember who was who at first. Again, that sorted itself out as the book went on. (Though, yeah, their personalities were pretty much limited to revolving around a singular trait.) The whole Lucas thing got old very fast. I would have been much happier if that whole plot hadn't even existed. Lucas had zero personality, I feel like he was only in the book to be "the villain". and I would have been happy if the book was only about Chelsea fitting into the already-established band and the whole insanity of touring. I mean, romance is fine and all, but the Lucas thing was soooooo drawn-out. Over it. One last little thing that I want to mention is that I felt like the only reason I knew Chelsea and Mandy were best friends was because I was told (many times) that they were. It could have used a dose of show, don't tell, because it made Mandy seem like a useless character. I would have liked to see the two girls taking on the different cities.

Despite the fact that it looks like I'm tearing this book apart, I really did enjoy it. I liked the whole touring atmosphere, I feel like it showed that Charlotte Huang knows her shit, because everything seemed as chaotic as I would expect from a fairly popular band. She captured how I'd feel living on a tour bus would be, from the long drives with the same people, to the soundchecks, to the frenzy of meeting fans. I love books that thrust regular girls into the spotlight, and this was right up my alley. Chelsea was a pretty-okay main character, I liked watching her come into her own in the band (though she did annoy me at times.)

I liked the open-ended ending (lol), and if there was a sequel, I'd read it.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is basically no upside to this book. It was surprisingly depressing. Chelsea replaces the lead singer of a popular alternative band. The problem is that most of the band can't stand her- save for Beckett.

This book is a ton of tour minutiae with a couple of annoying sub plots thrown in. I LOVE tour minutiae. I briefly toured with a local band in high school. I did merch and we did regional shows- the highlight being Cornerstone. I guess a lot of my love for books about bands on tour comes from that. The nostalgia of it all. So yes, I liked that part.

The rest of this is full of spoilers. So enter at your own risk:

I didn't like the weird love triangle with Beckett and Lucas. Lucas was supposed to be this Ryan Gosling/Zac Efron hybrid, heartthrob guy who has a million fans. Chelsea dates him and he's a huge douche. Beckett and Chelsea obviously like each other for the entire book, but don't act on it. Pretty much ever. You'll notice I didn't even put this on my romance shelf... Because the romance in this is basically nonexistent.

The most disappointing part of this book was how much I disliked every single character in the book. The blurb of the book talks about how Chelsea only has a summer to win over the band. Well guess what? She never does and they pretty much treat her like garbage the entire time. Her best friend sleeps with her celebrity boyfriend after sleeping with another member of the crew and getting kicked off the tour. At the end of the book, the band breaks up. No one ever treats Chelsea any better. There's no big come around where everyone realizes they respect each other and can be a great band. They break up. The label decides Chelsea will make a solo album and the book ends with Beckett auditioning to be in her back up band. It was a non-ending. It was horrible.

This book was overall just super disappointing and god, such a downer. There was never any pay off.

Carol, if you're reading this... You were totally right to DNF.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it’s no secret that YA readers love books with a strong music theme. There’s been so many great ones. One of my absolute favorites is Audrey, Wait by Robin Benway. I devoured it in one sitting and I’ve never found a book that’s came even kind of close to it. Until now…

For the Record was so very fun! I was in love from the very first chapter. It’s about Chelsea, the main character, landing the lead vocals job with a already established rock band and her adventures and hardships on tour. It’s so easy for a book to come off as silly when it’s about a bunch of famous people but For the Record feels so authentic. Charlotte Huang has some insider knowledge in the music business and it shows.

Chelsea was a fabulous MC. She’s down to earth and so easy to relate to, even though she’s in this unfathomable situation (for most of us). She just really wants to escape her home town and her unfair high school experiences. Escape she does! With a rock band! I feel like Chelsea made some pretty dumb decisions throughout the book but that just made her more real.

The touring and band aspects of the story were so well done. I loved that they had days with off performances and days with excellent ones and that I could really feel that in the tone of the story. The other band members and crew were all well written. I loved that each member had such a fleshed out personality.

I was pretty surprised by something that happens between Chelsea and her best friend toward the end of the book. I almost think the story would’ve been fine without that situation. It felt a little out of place to me. I took away one star because of that, but it was still a fantastic book.

For the Record was pretty unputdownable. It’s going to get a lot of love from the Audrey, Wait fans. I adored it and highly recommend it!

[Lori Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

But for the fact that I can't even hum on key, I'd have been a great rock star. This book let me vicariously live out my fantasies via the main character, Chelsea Ford, who gets drawn into the band Melbourne to replace their lead singer. The author's knowledge of the behind-the-scenes of a touring band makes this a fascinating insider look at what this world is like (and I'd totally fall out of those tour bus bunks). But this is about much more than just a touring band. The complex relationships between all parties sheds light on what it means to be an artist, to be a friend, and to experience first love and heartbreak. This is one of my favorite 2015 reads. I was sad to get to the end and can't wait for her next book in 2016!

[Mon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this for free through NetGalley

3.5 stars

Usually I would be able to read this in one sitting and maybe I just wasn't in the mood but I struggled with this one a little.

The story itself is actually read good. It has some of your typical contemporary tropes which we all know and love and whilst some of the characters got on my nerves, for the most part I found them relatable in small ways. I did enjoy how vibrant some of the personalities were and they really added to the dynamic of the story.

I can see from the other reviews that people are loving this book so definitely pick it up - don't let my reading mood at the time sway you :)