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Between the Notes: A Poignant YA Coming-of-Age Story About Loss, Piano, and Discovering Your True Self
When Ivy Emerson’s family loses their house—complete with her beloved piano—the fear of what’s to come seizes her like a bad case of stage fright. Only this isn’t one of her single, terrifying performances. It’s her life.
And it isn’t pretty.
Ivy is forced to move with her family out of their affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, also known as “the wrong side of the tracks.” Hiding the truth from her friends—and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own—seems like a good idea at first. But when a bad boy next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy’s carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them.
As things get to the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some unlikely new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. She may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.
Debut author Sharon Huss Roat crafts a charming and timely story of what happens when life as you know it flips completely upside down.
And it isn’t pretty.
Ivy is forced to move with her family out of their affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, also known as “the wrong side of the tracks.” Hiding the truth from her friends—and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own—seems like a good idea at first. But when a bad boy next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy’s carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them.
As things get to the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some unlikely new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. She may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.
Debut author Sharon Huss Roat crafts a charming and timely story of what happens when life as you know it flips completely upside down.
382 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2015
33 people are currently reading
9520 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Huss Roat
3 books334 followersSharon Huss Roat grew up in Lancaster County, Pa., and now divides her time between Delaware, USA, and Malmesbury, UK. She is the author of HarperTeen novels BETWEEN THE NOTES (June 2015) and HOW TO DISAPPEAR (August 2017). Visit her online at www.sharonroat.com or Instagram @sharonhussroat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 366 reviews
October 17, 2015
I may be biased ;-)
August 31, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
“We were moving to Lakeside.”
This was a YA contemporary romance, about a girl from a rich family, who suddenly found herself not so rich anymore.
I liked Ivy, and I was pleased that while she was upset about having to move house, and losing her piano, she didn’t throw a total tantrum or think only of herself. She actually tried to think of ways to make things better for her whole family, and was prepared to give things up to achieve that.
“I’ll get a job,” I said. “I just put an application in at Save-a-Cent.”
The storyline in this was about Ivy adapting to her new life, but we also got a bit of romance. I wasn’t sure whether Ivy would end up with James or Lennie, and we were kept guessing right up ‘til the end! I did find the pace in this a little slow though, and the book felt long because of it.
“We both laughed, and he took one of my braids in his fingers and tugged it until my lips were close enough to kiss. And then he did, he kissed me,”
The ending to this was a happy one which was good, and it seemed that Ivy was really learning to see what was really important to her, and what wasn’t so important.
6.25 out of 10
“We were moving to Lakeside.”
This was a YA contemporary romance, about a girl from a rich family, who suddenly found herself not so rich anymore.
I liked Ivy, and I was pleased that while she was upset about having to move house, and losing her piano, she didn’t throw a total tantrum or think only of herself. She actually tried to think of ways to make things better for her whole family, and was prepared to give things up to achieve that.
“I’ll get a job,” I said. “I just put an application in at Save-a-Cent.”
The storyline in this was about Ivy adapting to her new life, but we also got a bit of romance. I wasn’t sure whether Ivy would end up with James or Lennie, and we were kept guessing right up ‘til the end! I did find the pace in this a little slow though, and the book felt long because of it.
“We both laughed, and he took one of my braids in his fingers and tugged it until my lips were close enough to kiss. And then he did, he kissed me,”
The ending to this was a happy one which was good, and it seemed that Ivy was really learning to see what was really important to her, and what wasn’t so important.
6.25 out of 10
June 23, 2015
What a pleasant surprise Between the Notes was! At first I wanted to give it 4 stars but I changed my mind just because I read 80% of the book in one siting and the rest next morning. It was unputdownable.
Full review to come.
More than 6 months later I remember not writing the full review. I am such a liar. Now I can barely remember the book.
I still remember Ivy having to say goodbye to her old house, wearing flats (during winter) on her way to school, her new neighbourhood, her hot new neighbour and the way he was around Ivy's disabled brother.
It's truly a lovely book and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a sweet contemporary all while learning how to be grateful about what you have and how not to bitch when your parents don't buy you a new phone, tablet or a car.
Full review to come.
More than 6 months later I remember not writing the full review. I am such a liar. Now I can barely remember the book.
I still remember Ivy having to say goodbye to her old house, wearing flats (during winter) on her way to school, her new neighbourhood, her hot new neighbour and the way he was around Ivy's disabled brother.
It's truly a lovely book and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a sweet contemporary all while learning how to be grateful about what you have and how not to bitch when your parents don't buy you a new phone, tablet or a car.
July 9, 2015
Reading Between The Notes was like being sucker punched in the stomach with a glob full of feels.
Ivy Emerson has to give up her rich girl ways to move into a smaller place with not even half the luxuries of her previous house. Between The Notes is the story of how she adjusts (and sometimes doesn’t) and how she falls in love (and times when she only felt like it was over but it really wasn’t) and of how she learns who her true friends are.
It’s funny; there was nothing that was feels-inducing or cute or mushy about the story. It was really sad to see Ivy struggle and push her way through living in a completely different environment. Her only crutch was her music, and even that seemed to be taken away from her (with her piano being too big for their new “apartment."
I won’t lie—I found Ivy to be a bit shallow at first. Thousands and thousands of people live in slums all over the world…and not because their millionaire fathers go broke. They were born with less money and most will likely die that way. And for Ivy to go and on about being embarrassed about her new living arrangements? For her to be ashamed of the new friends she was making? For her to ignore real friends in order to keep in the good books of people she admitted to not liking?
I hated it. I hated her and I struggled with continuing to read the book. But somewhere along her pity party, I started to feel for her. It’s not like she was a monster and looked down on anyone, it was just that she didn’t know better. She didn’t know the struggles that people have to face and she didn’t know how to adjust to a completely new environment out of the blue. Unfortunately, she was not eased into the idea that her father was heading towards bankruptcy and so, the change was quite literally all of a sudden.
Nonetheless, I managed to fall in love with Ivy. She wasn’t quite heroine material, she wasn’t a Mary Sue and she wasn’t perfect. She merely was a really, really inspiring character who managed to salvage all shitty situations from turning shittier and deal with life as it came to her.
And then there were the two love interests.
Let’s start with James :) God, this guy <3 I mean this is the ideal guy. The knight on the white horse. Prince Charming. James was all kind so adorable and cute and right for Ivy. Like I said, he was ideal. Sure he had some secrets and there were a butt load of misunderstanding and drama that could have been avoided had he just communicated. But all in all, I had no qualms against James.
And then there was Lennie. The bad boy. The trouble-maker. All wrong for prim, proper Ivy. And my absolute favourite character in the whole book. I do believe I loved this guy more than even Ivy because dayum. Not only did the guy sound and look bad boy, he also spoke bad boy. And he did it well, dammit!
I’ll admit to hating love triangles now and forever. And this book keeps you waiting right until the end—right until Ivy gets hit by her own version of feels and realises who she wants. Ultimately, the choice was hers and she chose well, IMO. But there was no push and pull, no drama, (mostly) no waterworks and that suited me just fine.
Between The Notes merges the value of family with the importance of self-discovery. Not only was it a book that showed the coming-of-age of Ivy and her friends, it showed how first impressions should never become last impressions, and how sometimes love is found in the most unexpected of people. Sharon Huss Roat goes on to make a spectacular debut with Between The Notes, and I for one cannot wait to know what more she has up her sleeve :)
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
Ivy Emerson has to give up her rich girl ways to move into a smaller place with not even half the luxuries of her previous house. Between The Notes is the story of how she adjusts (and sometimes doesn’t) and how she falls in love (and times when she only felt like it was over but it really wasn’t) and of how she learns who her true friends are.
It’s funny; there was nothing that was feels-inducing or cute or mushy about the story. It was really sad to see Ivy struggle and push her way through living in a completely different environment. Her only crutch was her music, and even that seemed to be taken away from her (with her piano being too big for their new “apartment."
I won’t lie—I found Ivy to be a bit shallow at first. Thousands and thousands of people live in slums all over the world…and not because their millionaire fathers go broke. They were born with less money and most will likely die that way. And for Ivy to go and on about being embarrassed about her new living arrangements? For her to be ashamed of the new friends she was making? For her to ignore real friends in order to keep in the good books of people she admitted to not liking?
I hated it. I hated her and I struggled with continuing to read the book. But somewhere along her pity party, I started to feel for her. It’s not like she was a monster and looked down on anyone, it was just that she didn’t know better. She didn’t know the struggles that people have to face and she didn’t know how to adjust to a completely new environment out of the blue. Unfortunately, she was not eased into the idea that her father was heading towards bankruptcy and so, the change was quite literally all of a sudden.
Nonetheless, I managed to fall in love with Ivy. She wasn’t quite heroine material, she wasn’t a Mary Sue and she wasn’t perfect. She merely was a really, really inspiring character who managed to salvage all shitty situations from turning shittier and deal with life as it came to her.
And then there were the two love interests.
Let’s start with James :) God, this guy <3 I mean this is the ideal guy. The knight on the white horse. Prince Charming. James was all kind so adorable and cute and right for Ivy. Like I said, he was ideal. Sure he had some secrets and there were a butt load of misunderstanding and drama that could have been avoided had he just communicated. But all in all, I had no qualms against James.
And then there was Lennie. The bad boy. The trouble-maker. All wrong for prim, proper Ivy. And my absolute favourite character in the whole book. I do believe I loved this guy more than even Ivy because dayum. Not only did the guy sound and look bad boy, he also spoke bad boy. And he did it well, dammit!
I’ll admit to hating love triangles now and forever. And this book keeps you waiting right until the end—right until Ivy gets hit by her own version of feels and realises who she wants. Ultimately, the choice was hers and she chose well, IMO. But there was no push and pull, no drama, (mostly) no waterworks and that suited me just fine.
Between The Notes merges the value of family with the importance of self-discovery. Not only was it a book that showed the coming-of-age of Ivy and her friends, it showed how first impressions should never become last impressions, and how sometimes love is found in the most unexpected of people. Sharon Huss Roat goes on to make a spectacular debut with Between The Notes, and I for one cannot wait to know what more she has up her sleeve :)
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
January 24, 2016
The worst thing about this book is Ivy's friends. I am so tired of YA heroines that are "friends" with the popular mean girls but who secretly hate them. It just makes me hate the MC. I have never had a friend that I hated - seriously, what's the point? Is this something that actually happens?
Ivy spends most of the book terrified that her "friends" will find out that her family is *gasp* poor. Oh the horror! She does grow throughout the book to realize that living in Lakeside isn't all that awful and that there are worse things than not being rich.
Besides the awful friendships, this book was mostly enjoyable. Nothing really remarkable, but a solidly enjoyable YA contemporary. There's a bit of a love triangle, but it's not too drawn out.
Ivy spends most of the book terrified that her "friends" will find out that her family is *gasp* poor. Oh the horror! She does grow throughout the book to realize that living in Lakeside isn't all that awful and that there are worse things than not being rich.
Besides the awful friendships, this book was mostly enjoyable. Nothing really remarkable, but a solidly enjoyable YA contemporary. There's a bit of a love triangle, but it's not too drawn out.
May 5, 2015
Ivy Emerson used to live in a big house, but when her father's investment went wrong, she was forced to give up everything - including her beloved piano - and move to Lakeside, the wrong side of town, with her family. She was ashamed of this fact, so she made up lies, but as time goes on, her lies begin to unravel. Here, Ivy learned to embrace what has happened to her family and live with it.
Between the Notes is a book that I had second thoughts about going into at first, but I'm really glad that I finally decided to request and read it because it's an amazing book! Despite its many pages, I read it in one sitting and I was able to finish it in a flash. The story is gripping and very much relatable, and the way it was written was just great!
I loved how this book was about not just romance, but also about family, friendship, and learning more about oneself. At first Ivy was bitter and created lies, but she still took care of her family, especially her special-needs brother. Later on, Ivy learned to embrace her situation and had the courage to tell the truth to those who were judgemental of her. I also loved Ivy and Reesa's friendship because it showed how in every friendship, there are fights, but if you're really friends, it will all work out in the end.
I really, really loved reading this book. My only complain is that I felt like there was not enough "Lennie time" because I still know so little about him. His character was not explored much, and I really wanted to know more about him! Also, the ending was not rushed, but I wanted more. Even though this book has 400 pages already, I wanted the story to be prolonged because it just wasn't enough for me!
With all those said, I can't believe that this book has the rating of only 3.80 on Goodreads because I really loved it! 4.5 stars for this amazing debut novel by Sharon Huss Roat!
Between the Notes is a book that I had second thoughts about going into at first, but I'm really glad that I finally decided to request and read it because it's an amazing book! Despite its many pages, I read it in one sitting and I was able to finish it in a flash. The story is gripping and very much relatable, and the way it was written was just great!
I loved how this book was about not just romance, but also about family, friendship, and learning more about oneself. At first Ivy was bitter and created lies, but she still took care of her family, especially her special-needs brother. Later on, Ivy learned to embrace her situation and had the courage to tell the truth to those who were judgemental of her. I also loved Ivy and Reesa's friendship because it showed how in every friendship, there are fights, but if you're really friends, it will all work out in the end.
I really, really loved reading this book. My only complain is that I felt like there was not enough "Lennie time" because I still know so little about him. His character was not explored much, and I really wanted to know more about him! Also, the ending was not rushed, but I wanted more. Even though this book has 400 pages already, I wanted the story to be prolonged because it just wasn't enough for me!
With all those said, I can't believe that this book has the rating of only 3.80 on Goodreads because I really loved it! 4.5 stars for this amazing debut novel by Sharon Huss Roat!
February 20, 2016
This book was soooo so close to five stars for me. I loved everything about this book from the plot, the characters, the music... everything!! (well, almost everything) Because... I just really dislike love triangles, and I honestly think a love triangle really took away from this book in many ways. If those pages were used more on relationship-building and focusing on character arcs, rather than on a confusing love triangle, this book seriously would've been a 5 star. No joke. But still, this book is so great in so many other ways that I can't help but just love it. I loved it so so much, and I wish I could read more about these characters and their lives forever. #help
Also...
This book needed a whole lot more Lenny in it. Actually, I could read a whole book just on him. *swoons
Also...
This book needed a whole lot more Lenny in it. Actually, I could read a whole book just on him. *swoons
February 3, 2020
Ivy seemed like the girl, who had it all. Fancy house, fancy clothes, fancy cars - she was a girl from the "right side" of the tracks, but all of that was an illusion.
I bought this book, because I adored every last thing about Roat's followup, How to Disappear, and like that book, Between the Notes was filled with fantastic characters and endless feels.
I think it would have been easy to be put off by Ivy in the beginning of this book. There were some really spoiled brat moments in there, but then she began to see things in a different way. By "walking a mile" in other people's shoes, her ideas of what was important and what made you "rich" began to change. This was one message I fully embraced. I have always felt like society was a bit too materially driven, and I love the idea of "simplifying". Though Ivy's family didn't do this by choice, I admired their effort, and I appreciated that they emphasized holding onto to one another a little tighter as they weathered the storm, adjusting to their new normal.
But, as I said, the star of this book for me were the characters. I thought Ivy was very real. She was 16, and her world view was in an amorphous state. She didn't always do the right thing, but the tremendous growth she experienced over the course of this story was beautiful to watch. I had a special affection for the interactions between her and her little brother. He had special needs, which presented some challenges, but seeing his sisters and him together was almost always smile inducing, as he often appeared as the embodiment of joy.
Inside all this tumult was a sweet little romance too. Our Ivy was torn between two young men - James, who represented the world she once lived in, and Lennie, who represented her new normal. James was terribly sweet, but just like Ivy, he was hiding his true circumstances. Then there was Lennie, a rumored drug dealer with tattoos. He was the school bad boy, or was he? I think I loved getting to know Lennie more than any other character in this book. Roat did a great job fleshing him out, and by the time she was done, he owned my heart.
It's difficult to fully express everything I loved about this book, but I just found myself so carried away by this story, and it came right when I needed that break from reality. I was so engrossed in Ivy's story, and found that her and her family's happiness was really important to me. I felt so many things as I read this book, and in the end, it filled my heart with much needed warmth and joy.
Overall: This was a story about change and dealing with change, seeing beyond the surface, the importance of family, and the value of non-material things, and it was beautifully told.
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I bought this book, because I adored every last thing about Roat's followup, How to Disappear, and like that book, Between the Notes was filled with fantastic characters and endless feels.
I think it would have been easy to be put off by Ivy in the beginning of this book. There were some really spoiled brat moments in there, but then she began to see things in a different way. By "walking a mile" in other people's shoes, her ideas of what was important and what made you "rich" began to change. This was one message I fully embraced. I have always felt like society was a bit too materially driven, and I love the idea of "simplifying". Though Ivy's family didn't do this by choice, I admired their effort, and I appreciated that they emphasized holding onto to one another a little tighter as they weathered the storm, adjusting to their new normal.
But, as I said, the star of this book for me were the characters. I thought Ivy was very real. She was 16, and her world view was in an amorphous state. She didn't always do the right thing, but the tremendous growth she experienced over the course of this story was beautiful to watch. I had a special affection for the interactions between her and her little brother. He had special needs, which presented some challenges, but seeing his sisters and him together was almost always smile inducing, as he often appeared as the embodiment of joy.
Inside all this tumult was a sweet little romance too. Our Ivy was torn between two young men - James, who represented the world she once lived in, and Lennie, who represented her new normal. James was terribly sweet, but just like Ivy, he was hiding his true circumstances. Then there was Lennie, a rumored drug dealer with tattoos. He was the school bad boy, or was he? I think I loved getting to know Lennie more than any other character in this book. Roat did a great job fleshing him out, and by the time she was done, he owned my heart.
It's difficult to fully express everything I loved about this book, but I just found myself so carried away by this story, and it came right when I needed that break from reality. I was so engrossed in Ivy's story, and found that her and her family's happiness was really important to me. I felt so many things as I read this book, and in the end, it filled my heart with much needed warmth and joy.
Overall: This was a story about change and dealing with change, seeing beyond the surface, the importance of family, and the value of non-material things, and it was beautifully told.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 15, 2018
Ohohohohohohoh this is some good stuff!!
I LOVED this book! It is friking amazing!
I didn't really like Ivy at first because of how she treated Reesa but her character development amazed me. I also preferred Lennie over James. I mean James didn't really do anything wrong but his character was just bland .
All in all it was quite a cute and fast paced book.
I LOVED this book! It is friking amazing!
I didn't really like Ivy at first because of how she treated Reesa but her character development amazed me. I also preferred Lennie over James. I mean James didn't really do anything wrong but his character was just bland .
All in all it was quite a cute and fast paced book.
March 23, 2017
This review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
This might sound wrong but Between the Notes is the best kind of cliché that I’ve been dying to read for years.
Seriously, I love this book so much my friends (especially those aware of my literary tastes) are flummoxed. They know that the first person to nope their way out of a book because of clichés and tropes, is me, but with this book? This is the one of the few books I will read and reread until I get sick of it, and the only other similar book that I still adore is Robyn Sisman’s A Hollywood Ending.
Now, why is this book so good to me despite how obviously clichéd it is? First of all, the characters. Ivy Emerson is the most relatable YA main character that I’ve read in a long while. I love how she’s so ordinary and how she’s struggling to adjust to her new life. Even though she’s desperately trying to cling onto her rich girl image in school, she’s not spoilt. She doesn’t throw a tantrum or selfishly think of only herself despite having to give up her beloved piano, her phone number/service and her comfortable life. As a fellow pianist, I would’ve freaked at the thought of my piano being sold or taken away from me because like Ivy, it’s my therapist. I’m sure some of you would hate her for being shallow, but really, haven’t we been shallow at some points of our lives as well? I think it’s a flaw that fits her personality and the way she has been brought up—girl practically had her whole world pulled out from underneath her feet in a brief amount of time. Most importantly, she eventually realises that she’s been shallow as well and does try to become a better person too.
Moreover, the love interests—oh heavens, I hate love triangles with a burning passion, but the one in this book isn’t the kind that makes me want to tear my hair out. There are no cat-and-mouse games, no silly drama and melodramatic waterworks, and that’s truly the best kind of love triangle ever. What makes it better is that Ivy actually takes time to learn about her feelings, her desires and wants. She doesn’t blindly choose a boy because he’s the ‘better-choice’ by her peers’ standards, but she chooses someone who she knows well and who she knows will care for her and her family as much as she does.
So yeah, love interests James Wickerton and Lennie Lazarski. The ideal knight in shining armor on a white horse, and troublemaker of a bad boy. On the surface, they’re cliché love interests but when you learn more about their characters, you won’t be able to help loving them because they’re actually more complex than that. I can’t write much because I don’t want to spoil this book too much but I’ll repeat this: James and Lennie aren’t your typical love interests. Also, I enjoyed reading about Ivy’s family. There is no absent parent(s)/guardian(s) trope here—which is a huge relief—and Ivy’s siblings are so sweet.
As for the plot…well, it’s pretty obvious that Between the Notes has a clichéd plot line by now, but it works because of the characters, the writing, and the themes/messages. My heartstrings were pulled and you bet I cried at some parts. Though, I admit that I’m not particularly fond of Ivy being a spectacular singer since I feel that a lot of characters who are musically inclined seem to be brilliant vocalists. But eh, I guess I’ll just have to find a musically-inclined-but-not-awesome-vocalist character elsewhere.
All in all, Between the Notes is a brilliant debut novel about the value of family and friends, the importance of self-discovery, and realising that one should always learn about others before judging—and to not blindly believe in rumours and gossip. Sharon Huss Roat did a spectacular job with this, for sure.
This might sound wrong but Between the Notes is the best kind of cliché that I’ve been dying to read for years.
Seriously, I love this book so much my friends (especially those aware of my literary tastes) are flummoxed. They know that the first person to nope their way out of a book because of clichés and tropes, is me, but with this book? This is the one of the few books I will read and reread until I get sick of it, and the only other similar book that I still adore is Robyn Sisman’s A Hollywood Ending.
Now, why is this book so good to me despite how obviously clichéd it is? First of all, the characters. Ivy Emerson is the most relatable YA main character that I’ve read in a long while. I love how she’s so ordinary and how she’s struggling to adjust to her new life. Even though she’s desperately trying to cling onto her rich girl image in school, she’s not spoilt. She doesn’t throw a tantrum or selfishly think of only herself despite having to give up her beloved piano, her phone number/service and her comfortable life. As a fellow pianist, I would’ve freaked at the thought of my piano being sold or taken away from me because like Ivy, it’s my therapist. I’m sure some of you would hate her for being shallow, but really, haven’t we been shallow at some points of our lives as well? I think it’s a flaw that fits her personality and the way she has been brought up—girl practically had her whole world pulled out from underneath her feet in a brief amount of time. Most importantly, she eventually realises that she’s been shallow as well and does try to become a better person too.
Moreover, the love interests—oh heavens, I hate love triangles with a burning passion, but the one in this book isn’t the kind that makes me want to tear my hair out. There are no cat-and-mouse games, no silly drama and melodramatic waterworks, and that’s truly the best kind of love triangle ever. What makes it better is that Ivy actually takes time to learn about her feelings, her desires and wants. She doesn’t blindly choose a boy because he’s the ‘better-choice’ by her peers’ standards, but she chooses someone who she knows well and who she knows will care for her and her family as much as she does.
So yeah, love interests James Wickerton and Lennie Lazarski. The ideal knight in shining armor on a white horse, and troublemaker of a bad boy. On the surface, they’re cliché love interests but when you learn more about their characters, you won’t be able to help loving them because they’re actually more complex than that. I can’t write much because I don’t want to spoil this book too much but I’ll repeat this: James and Lennie aren’t your typical love interests. Also, I enjoyed reading about Ivy’s family. There is no absent parent(s)/guardian(s) trope here—which is a huge relief—and Ivy’s siblings are so sweet.
As for the plot…well, it’s pretty obvious that Between the Notes has a clichéd plot line by now, but it works because of the characters, the writing, and the themes/messages. My heartstrings were pulled and you bet I cried at some parts. Though, I admit that I’m not particularly fond of Ivy being a spectacular singer since I feel that a lot of characters who are musically inclined seem to be brilliant vocalists. But eh, I guess I’ll just have to find a musically-inclined-but-not-awesome-vocalist character elsewhere.
All in all, Between the Notes is a brilliant debut novel about the value of family and friends, the importance of self-discovery, and realising that one should always learn about others before judging—and to not blindly believe in rumours and gossip. Sharon Huss Roat did a spectacular job with this, for sure.
March 15, 2015
Between The Notes was a great book. It really made me think about my life and how I had it all and lost it in a blink of an eye and now I am trying to recover from the losses I have suffered.
Ivy has it all. She is rich and lives in a nice neighborhood and has a nice house and a great life in general until one day she loses it all and goes from riches to rags. Her father has lost his good job and they have to move out of the only home Ivy has known and move to what she considers is the wrong side of the tracks.
She has to go to a new school and make new friends so she lies to everyone about where she is from. But her lies are coming to an end soon because her next door neighbor is ready to rat her out and tell everyone she is poor and lives in a poor neighborhood and has been lying to everyone.
What will Ivy do if she is outed........
Ivy has it all. She is rich and lives in a nice neighborhood and has a nice house and a great life in general until one day she loses it all and goes from riches to rags. Her father has lost his good job and they have to move out of the only home Ivy has known and move to what she considers is the wrong side of the tracks.
She has to go to a new school and make new friends so she lies to everyone about where she is from. But her lies are coming to an end soon because her next door neighbor is ready to rat her out and tell everyone she is poor and lives in a poor neighborhood and has been lying to everyone.
What will Ivy do if she is outed........
June 11, 2015
Check out this and other reviews on my blog at http://herestohappyendings.wordpress.com
Yes, I'm giving this one five stars!
I loved every single thing about this book, from the characters, the settings, the story...just everything about this book was utterly fantastic.
We start off with Ivy, a teenage girl who lives in the wealthy part of town next door to her very best friend, Reesa. Ivy has a sister and a brother (who has a disability and needs various different types of therapy), and lives with both of her parents, who pretty much give them everything they could possibly want. Ivy has her own piano, and playing that piano is her favorite thing in the world. She loves to play piano and sing for her younger siblings, as well as for herself. She is part of the "popular clique" at school, and her friends are very judgmental of those who are not.
Well, with Ivy's brother's therapy costs and other bills, they can no longer afford to keep their big house, cell phones, and they have to cut down on all of their expenses...which means Ivy's parents move the family to the more run down and (as Ivy's judgmental friends refer to it) the poor part of town. Ivy is absolutely mortified at the thought of anyone from her school (including her crush, the new boy, James) finding out that she lives there, so she tries her hardest to keep it a secret (such as riding a bike several miles to school instead of taking the bus). She also tries her hardest to avoid Lennie, the boy next door, because she worries about what will happen to her social status if anyone sees them together.
Eventually, Ivy starts to really fall for James, who she believes is rich, but at the same time, are the feelings she has for Lennie really just feelings of friendship, or are they something more?
I really can't even begin to explain how amazing this book was. I couldn't put it down. It was such a great story (I even loved the romance in the story, and that usually isn't my thing). Also, yes, this book is one of those books that have a message (such as don't be afraid to be yourself and let everyone know who you really are), and while sometimes these can end up feeling like a bad after school special, the author really does a great job making this message meaningful and thoroughly enjoyable. This book is definitely going on my favorites shelf!
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Yes, I'm giving this one five stars!
I loved every single thing about this book, from the characters, the settings, the story...just everything about this book was utterly fantastic.
We start off with Ivy, a teenage girl who lives in the wealthy part of town next door to her very best friend, Reesa. Ivy has a sister and a brother (who has a disability and needs various different types of therapy), and lives with both of her parents, who pretty much give them everything they could possibly want. Ivy has her own piano, and playing that piano is her favorite thing in the world. She loves to play piano and sing for her younger siblings, as well as for herself. She is part of the "popular clique" at school, and her friends are very judgmental of those who are not.
Well, with Ivy's brother's therapy costs and other bills, they can no longer afford to keep their big house, cell phones, and they have to cut down on all of their expenses...which means Ivy's parents move the family to the more run down and (as Ivy's judgmental friends refer to it) the poor part of town. Ivy is absolutely mortified at the thought of anyone from her school (including her crush, the new boy, James) finding out that she lives there, so she tries her hardest to keep it a secret (such as riding a bike several miles to school instead of taking the bus). She also tries her hardest to avoid Lennie, the boy next door, because she worries about what will happen to her social status if anyone sees them together.
Eventually, Ivy starts to really fall for James, who she believes is rich, but at the same time, are the feelings she has for Lennie really just feelings of friendship, or are they something more?
I really can't even begin to explain how amazing this book was. I couldn't put it down. It was such a great story (I even loved the romance in the story, and that usually isn't my thing). Also, yes, this book is one of those books that have a message (such as don't be afraid to be yourself and let everyone know who you really are), and while sometimes these can end up feeling like a bad after school special, the author really does a great job making this message meaningful and thoroughly enjoyable. This book is definitely going on my favorites shelf!
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Between the Notes is a beautiful contemporary novel that will leave readers with a greater understanding about the world in which we live. It contains a phenomenal message and centres around family. Throw in its musical element and you have the ingredients for a whirlwind of emotions!
Between the Notes is the kind of book that makes you grateful for what you have. Ivy, the main character, has to move from her fancy house in an affluent neighbourhood to what is considered “the slums”. Her family learns to live more simply and be thankful for what they have. I think that this message is so important, because there is so much greed in the world.
I really enjoyed the main theme of Between the Notes. The importance of family resonates throughout Sharon Huss Roat’s beautiful writing. Ivy’s brother has special needs and requires certain care. Part of the reason why the family lost their house was because they recognize that the importance of paying for this boy’s therapy is a priority. It is so sweet how the whole family tries their best to make sure that he receives the best care.
In Between the Notes, Ivy uses music as a coping method for her sadness. When she loses her piano room after the move, she is forced to practise at school. The way her piano playing is described is so extraordinary. Ivy really plays her feelings out. As a pianist myself, I really related to this use of music as a form of therapy and love the way it is depicted in the novel.
Between the Notes is a quick contemporary, so I would recommend it to fans of the genre. It is very well-written and truly unforgettable. Be prepared for all sorts of feels with this book!
Between the Notes is a beautiful contemporary novel that will leave readers with a greater understanding about the world in which we live. It contains a phenomenal message and centres around family. Throw in its musical element and you have the ingredients for a whirlwind of emotions!
Between the Notes is the kind of book that makes you grateful for what you have. Ivy, the main character, has to move from her fancy house in an affluent neighbourhood to what is considered “the slums”. Her family learns to live more simply and be thankful for what they have. I think that this message is so important, because there is so much greed in the world.
I really enjoyed the main theme of Between the Notes. The importance of family resonates throughout Sharon Huss Roat’s beautiful writing. Ivy’s brother has special needs and requires certain care. Part of the reason why the family lost their house was because they recognize that the importance of paying for this boy’s therapy is a priority. It is so sweet how the whole family tries their best to make sure that he receives the best care.
In Between the Notes, Ivy uses music as a coping method for her sadness. When she loses her piano room after the move, she is forced to practise at school. The way her piano playing is described is so extraordinary. Ivy really plays her feelings out. As a pianist myself, I really related to this use of music as a form of therapy and love the way it is depicted in the novel.
Between the Notes is a quick contemporary, so I would recommend it to fans of the genre. It is very well-written and truly unforgettable. Be prepared for all sorts of feels with this book!
July 4, 2015
More like a 3.5.
Between the Notes was a simple story that dealt with every day types of conflict that can happen to anyone. Whose family hasn't, at some point gone through some financial troubles? We can all relate to that. Her family's financial problems are a lot more severe, however, forcing them to pretty much sell most of what they own including a beautiful house, furniture, and Ivy's piano. This is a big loss considering the fact that she's something of a prodigy, kind of.
All of the sudden, she and her mother are having to make trips to food banks in order for their family to have enough to eat since most of what money they do have must go to caring for her needy younger brother. With this in mind, there were times that I got so irritated with Ivy because of her attitude. She was bitter about the changes to her life, had some bitter thoughts about her brother, etc... but I had to keep reminding myself that this is a teenage girl... teenage girls aren't always going to handle things the right way. I think this experience was part of her character growth, and if you look at it in that way, you can appreciate the changes that take place in Ivy as the story progresses.
I liked the guy next door. I thought he was a great guy, and there were times I wanted to shake her for being so judgmental towards him at first, but things do change between them and it was gradual. I liked that. It wasn't instalove. I like how he opened her up and made her more comfortable in her new skin. When the big moment comes, it was gratifying.
The writing in this book was simple and engaging. It was a cute story with some depth, and I enjoyed it..especially the character arcs and journeys. Those definitely made the story worth reading.
Between the Notes was a simple story that dealt with every day types of conflict that can happen to anyone. Whose family hasn't, at some point gone through some financial troubles? We can all relate to that. Her family's financial problems are a lot more severe, however, forcing them to pretty much sell most of what they own including a beautiful house, furniture, and Ivy's piano. This is a big loss considering the fact that she's something of a prodigy, kind of.
All of the sudden, she and her mother are having to make trips to food banks in order for their family to have enough to eat since most of what money they do have must go to caring for her needy younger brother. With this in mind, there were times that I got so irritated with Ivy because of her attitude. She was bitter about the changes to her life, had some bitter thoughts about her brother, etc... but I had to keep reminding myself that this is a teenage girl... teenage girls aren't always going to handle things the right way. I think this experience was part of her character growth, and if you look at it in that way, you can appreciate the changes that take place in Ivy as the story progresses.
I liked the guy next door. I thought he was a great guy, and there were times I wanted to shake her for being so judgmental towards him at first, but things do change between them and it was gradual. I liked that. It wasn't instalove. I like how he opened her up and made her more comfortable in her new skin. When the big moment comes, it was gratifying.
The writing in this book was simple and engaging. It was a cute story with some depth, and I enjoyed it..especially the character arcs and journeys. Those definitely made the story worth reading.
May 26, 2015
3.5 stars
I was a bit hesitant to request this book because the "rich, privileged girl who loses everything" plot doesn't really do it for me. I was sucked into the piano aspect and was curious to see how it all worked out.
I liked Ivy well enough. I can empathize with her struggle at first, but she was so adamant to ignore those who were helping her. I didn't see the growth that I was hoping for, instead it was like a light bulb turned on around 90%.
There are a few decent secondary characters and honestly, they were what kept me reading. The plot was predictable, but enjoyable. I did like the story, but I definitely could have done with just a bit more at the ending.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I was a bit hesitant to request this book because the "rich, privileged girl who loses everything" plot doesn't really do it for me. I was sucked into the piano aspect and was curious to see how it all worked out.
I liked Ivy well enough. I can empathize with her struggle at first, but she was so adamant to ignore those who were helping her. I didn't see the growth that I was hoping for, instead it was like a light bulb turned on around 90%.
There are a few decent secondary characters and honestly, they were what kept me reading. The plot was predictable, but enjoyable. I did like the story, but I definitely could have done with just a bit more at the ending.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
October 4, 2017
A high three. I hate a love triangle, even if this was pretty muted, but I loved the whole bad boy next door falls for the former-rich girl plot line. Lenny was such a good guy, and I wish there'd been more of him in the story. I think it would have bumped the book up to more of a four.
September 10, 2018
See, usually, this would be a four stars book for me.
However, I kinda grew really close to those characters. I loved Ivy, loved her transition and loved how she grew to be a better person throughout the book. Brady, her little brother? To die for. I love him. Lennie? The best. Oh, and for the first time in forever I actually liked both guys the protagonist talked to and it wasn't predictable with whom she'd end up with. I loved that, even though I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles. The writing was great, especially considering that this was the authors first published novel. Even though this didn't blow me away as the books I usually give five stars do, it felt wrong to give it any less. I know I'll pick this up again when I feel a little lost.
However, I kinda grew really close to those characters. I loved Ivy, loved her transition and loved how she grew to be a better person throughout the book. Brady, her little brother? To die for. I love him. Lennie? The best. Oh, and for the first time in forever I actually liked both guys the protagonist talked to and it wasn't predictable with whom she'd end up with. I loved that, even though I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles. The writing was great, especially considering that this was the authors first published novel. Even though this didn't blow me away as the books I usually give five stars do, it felt wrong to give it any less. I know I'll pick this up again when I feel a little lost.
July 11, 2015
Huge thank you to Harper Teen for sending me an ARC of this!
ALL. THE. FEELS.
Wow this book snuck up on me. The first 100 pages or so were okay (around 3-star territory) but then about halfway I was REALLY in love with this book and didn't want to put it down! You know you're hooked on an unputdownable book when you're halfway through the workday and all you want to do is go home and read! That's how I felt about this book.
Ivy Emerson's family is rich. Her dad has a large company, she lives in a gated mansion on the "right" side of town and is part of the elite crowd at school. Then one day it all falls down around here when she finds out that her dad's company is NOT doing well and that they're losing their house and most of their possessions. Ivy's family needs to use what money they have left to keep surviving and to pay for her little brother's therapy. So the family of five moves to the "wrong" side of town, into an apartment that is roughly the size of her parent's old master bedroom.
Ivy's new home is next door to Lennie, the school's resident bad boy who apparently sells drugs. Ivy hates him from the start and she refuses to believe that the situation they're in will be permanent. She forces her best friend to keep quiet about the fact that Ivy's family is now poor and she goes to great lengths to hide her now home and situation. Only she can't hie from Lennie because they go to school together.
Enter James, the new boy at school. He's got the looks, a BMW and apparently a good taste in literature. Ivy and James spend a lot of time getting to know each other while Ivy tries to hid what her family is going through. At the same time Lennie is trying to befriend her, and she does her best to avoid him. When James finally does find out about Ivy's family he doesn't care, but later she friends out that James is actually very wealthy and due to some miscommunication he bails on her and goes back to his family (who he was running away from because he was sick of people only seeing him for his money).
Ivy's secret does eventually get out and the way that she handles it just seems to real. She's embarrassed and scared and sad. She doesn't know who to turn to when people start to turn their backs on her. But she makes new friends, get close to an old friend, and starts to warm up to Lennie.
I loved all of Ivy's interactions with Lennie, and I wish there had been more. I also loved how he tied back to a very important part of her stage fright and even helps her get over it when she finally plays the piano and sings in front of a crowd. I really loved the way that she misjudged him and admitted that she was wrong. I also loved the themes of friendship, how sometimes you're just suck with the friends you have based on circumstance and how like cling to like. I was so happy when Ivy broke away from her group and did what she wanted, spent time with who she wanted, and stopped judging. And the family was so sweet. I can't imagine what it must have been like for her parents to struggle the way there were. And it shed such a sad picture on what the American lower-middle and lower class looks like.
Ivy's piano playing and musical ability was woven so seamlessly into this. I loved how she used music to help herself understand her situation and how as she grew, her music grew, and what she allowed herself to do with the music also grew.
And finally the end. THE END! That's what bumped it up to a full five stars. Because it gave me ALL. THE. FEELS. I love it when two characters come together and are just so right and the moment is perfect and then there's swooning and yes. It was perfection.
Make sure to check this book out guys. It's a hidden gem.
ALL. THE. FEELS.
Wow this book snuck up on me. The first 100 pages or so were okay (around 3-star territory) but then about halfway I was REALLY in love with this book and didn't want to put it down! You know you're hooked on an unputdownable book when you're halfway through the workday and all you want to do is go home and read! That's how I felt about this book.
Ivy Emerson's family is rich. Her dad has a large company, she lives in a gated mansion on the "right" side of town and is part of the elite crowd at school. Then one day it all falls down around here when she finds out that her dad's company is NOT doing well and that they're losing their house and most of their possessions. Ivy's family needs to use what money they have left to keep surviving and to pay for her little brother's therapy. So the family of five moves to the "wrong" side of town, into an apartment that is roughly the size of her parent's old master bedroom.
Ivy's new home is next door to Lennie, the school's resident bad boy who apparently sells drugs. Ivy hates him from the start and she refuses to believe that the situation they're in will be permanent. She forces her best friend to keep quiet about the fact that Ivy's family is now poor and she goes to great lengths to hide her now home and situation. Only she can't hie from Lennie because they go to school together.
Enter James, the new boy at school. He's got the looks, a BMW and apparently a good taste in literature. Ivy and James spend a lot of time getting to know each other while Ivy tries to hid what her family is going through. At the same time Lennie is trying to befriend her, and she does her best to avoid him. When James finally does find out about Ivy's family he doesn't care, but later she friends out that James is actually very wealthy and due to some miscommunication he bails on her and goes back to his family (who he was running away from because he was sick of people only seeing him for his money).
Ivy's secret does eventually get out and the way that she handles it just seems to real. She's embarrassed and scared and sad. She doesn't know who to turn to when people start to turn their backs on her. But she makes new friends, get close to an old friend, and starts to warm up to Lennie.
I loved all of Ivy's interactions with Lennie, and I wish there had been more. I also loved how he tied back to a very important part of her stage fright and even helps her get over it when she finally plays the piano and sings in front of a crowd. I really loved the way that she misjudged him and admitted that she was wrong. I also loved the themes of friendship, how sometimes you're just suck with the friends you have based on circumstance and how like cling to like. I was so happy when Ivy broke away from her group and did what she wanted, spent time with who she wanted, and stopped judging. And the family was so sweet. I can't imagine what it must have been like for her parents to struggle the way there were. And it shed such a sad picture on what the American lower-middle and lower class looks like.
Ivy's piano playing and musical ability was woven so seamlessly into this. I loved how she used music to help herself understand her situation and how as she grew, her music grew, and what she allowed herself to do with the music also grew.
And finally the end. THE END! That's what bumped it up to a full five stars. Because it gave me ALL. THE. FEELS. I love it when two characters come together and are just so right and the moment is perfect and then there's swooning and yes. It was perfection.
Make sure to check this book out guys. It's a hidden gem.
February 20, 2016
2.5 stars
So uh. This is sad. I figured this would be a wonderful and magical tale about playing the piano and how it heals the soul or something of that matter. But nope. This was absolutely nothing like I expected it to be.
Between The Notes centers around the main character, Ivy, who ends up moving to this poor neighborhood because her parents can no longer support their well off lifestyle while paying for her brother's therapy. She's afraid that everyone will make fun of her and her social life WILL BE RUINED, so she goes through great lengths to hide the fact that she now lives in a turd-like house in the "slums", also known as Lakeside.
There are a number of reasons why this book did not work for me. Such as...
The fact that this book revolves around social status.
Like why. WHY. I do not care! At a young age, I did not care at all what I wore or what people thought I did or where I lived or anything. Maybe it's just my town, but I don't even think there was a sole popular group! People were just in their own cliques! Basically, in the novel, Ivy is friends with these two girls, and she's only in it for the social status. Even her best friend, Reesa, sometimes ditched her because of the move. THIS IS HORRIBLE. Her best friend doesn't even support her at all. And she makes it seem like this situation, one that Ivy can't even control, is the worst thing to ever happen. Ugh.
There's a sort of love triangle
And....well I wasn't sold. There's these two guys. One lives in the same neighborhood, the other is rich. She hangs out with both of them. And she doesn't want to be seen with "bad boy" because he lives next door in the same "shitty" neighborhood, and she treats him coldly one day and nice the other (only when she needs him of course). AND SHE TOTALLY DOESN'T DESERVE HIM, he is way too nice for her.
Sending the message that living in a bad area makes you a bad person.
This pissed me off the most, especially since even the parents were not happy with living in a supposedly bad area, from what I've read, isn't bad at all? It's just POOR. SEE THAT'S THE THING. Apparently being poor means you're sad and unhappy and sure maybe you don't have everything in the world, that doesn't mean you should be ostracized at school! What has the world come to.
Man. I am done. To sum it up, yes there was piano playing, but no, not as much as I wanted there to be. This was a book that mainly focused on where you lived, how rich you were, and how that played in your social status at school. Even though the main character came to her senses in the end, I was still so infuriated with the beginning that I couldn't rate it higher.
So uh. This is sad. I figured this would be a wonderful and magical tale about playing the piano and how it heals the soul or something of that matter. But nope. This was absolutely nothing like I expected it to be.
Between The Notes centers around the main character, Ivy, who ends up moving to this poor neighborhood because her parents can no longer support their well off lifestyle while paying for her brother's therapy. She's afraid that everyone will make fun of her and her social life WILL BE RUINED, so she goes through great lengths to hide the fact that she now lives in a turd-like house in the "slums", also known as Lakeside.
There are a number of reasons why this book did not work for me. Such as...
The fact that this book revolves around social status.
Like why. WHY. I do not care! At a young age, I did not care at all what I wore or what people thought I did or where I lived or anything. Maybe it's just my town, but I don't even think there was a sole popular group! People were just in their own cliques! Basically, in the novel, Ivy is friends with these two girls, and she's only in it for the social status. Even her best friend, Reesa, sometimes ditched her because of the move. THIS IS HORRIBLE. Her best friend doesn't even support her at all. And she makes it seem like this situation, one that Ivy can't even control, is the worst thing to ever happen. Ugh.
There's a sort of love triangle
And....well I wasn't sold. There's these two guys. One lives in the same neighborhood, the other is rich. She hangs out with both of them. And she doesn't want to be seen with "bad boy" because he lives next door in the same "shitty" neighborhood, and she treats him coldly one day and nice the other (only when she needs him of course). AND SHE TOTALLY DOESN'T DESERVE HIM, he is way too nice for her.
Sending the message that living in a bad area makes you a bad person.
This pissed me off the most, especially since even the parents were not happy with living in a supposedly bad area, from what I've read, isn't bad at all? It's just POOR. SEE THAT'S THE THING. Apparently being poor means you're sad and unhappy and sure maybe you don't have everything in the world, that doesn't mean you should be ostracized at school! What has the world come to.
Man. I am done. To sum it up, yes there was piano playing, but no, not as much as I wanted there to be. This was a book that mainly focused on where you lived, how rich you were, and how that played in your social status at school. Even though the main character came to her senses in the end, I was still so infuriated with the beginning that I couldn't rate it higher.
May 31, 2015
My thanks to HarperTeen
--------------------------------------------------------------
Point of View: Single (Ivy)
Writing: First Person | Past Tense
Setting: Belleview, Delaware
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary Romance
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The truth is at first I thought of dropping this book. It wasn't that the book was bad or anything. It was just a little slow and the main character was a tad annoying. I'm glad I read the whole thing, though, because the ending did make up for all that.
As I said, the pace wasn't that good. Still, things moved a lot fast for that last 10 chapters or so. For which I was grateful.
What I didn't like much about the book was that it was very predictable and that made me lose all the excitement because it was clear that what was going to happen.
Nonetheless, there were some nicely develop characters. Ivy might not have been a great character right from the start, but I loved the changes in her when she finally embraced the new situation she had to live with. Lennie was a wonderful character as well. Still, I would have been so much happier if there had been more scenes featuring him.
Now back to the ending. It was really sweet and there were a lot of touchy feely moments. And I have always been a sucker from emotional scenes, so this book left a good impression after I finished reading it.
All in all, pace-wise it is a tad on the slow side, but it is worth it in the end.
October 27, 2015
I've seen dozens of books filed under Realistic Fiction before but only few truly capture the moment of being in the real world. They'll give you real-life situations but never real-life reactions. But this gem of a book surprised me with its honesty and reality.
Where have I read a book, especially in YA, that tackles the issue of poverty? None. It's just passed around like a ball with no one ever really shooting it. And I am so glad that I read this book because it gave me a real hard time for a self-check. I should be thankful for what I have because in a blink of an eye, everything might just disappear. Just like what happened to Ivy Emerson.
I thought Ivy was a well-fleshed out character. She was real and her reaction to everything - from the time her father said they were going bankrupt or they had to move to the poorer area of the neighbourhood - was real. Sometimes being real can turn you into a bitch but that's part of her development and I loved how she grew in the end.
The other characters were also very real. I thought the Lakeside people were chill especially Lennie. I thought he embodied and disproved the true definition of being a bad boy. I also really liked Molly - Ivy's fellow musician friend. Wished there was more screen time with her though.
The story does end in a hopeful note though rather abrupt for me. (I NEED A NEXT BOOK PLEASE) Don't miss out on the opportunity to read one of the many worthwhile YA debuts this year. Cannot recommend this enough.
Where have I read a book, especially in YA, that tackles the issue of poverty? None. It's just passed around like a ball with no one ever really shooting it. And I am so glad that I read this book because it gave me a real hard time for a self-check. I should be thankful for what I have because in a blink of an eye, everything might just disappear. Just like what happened to Ivy Emerson.
I thought Ivy was a well-fleshed out character. She was real and her reaction to everything - from the time her father said they were going bankrupt or they had to move to the poorer area of the neighbourhood - was real. Sometimes being real can turn you into a bitch but that's part of her development and I loved how she grew in the end.
The other characters were also very real. I thought the Lakeside people were chill especially Lennie. I thought he embodied and disproved the true definition of being a bad boy. I also really liked Molly - Ivy's fellow musician friend. Wished there was more screen time with her though.
The story does end in a hopeful note though rather abrupt for me. (I NEED A NEXT BOOK PLEASE) Don't miss out on the opportunity to read one of the many worthwhile YA debuts this year. Cannot recommend this enough.
December 8, 2016
WOW, simply quite brilliant.
At first I was afraid it was too much of a young adult kind of romance story, which it is in some way.
But everything, every topic, was described so well an on point that it simply didn't matter.
The metaphors were stunning and really blasted everything to life, which is quite a gift for a writer to be able to do that. The story was mainly about being yourself and taking people as they are, opposed to pretending to be somebody else and it's consequences. The Characters felt real, and I as a reader connected to them.
During the whole story I wanted to know what was gonna happen next and kept reading on, which is quite an achievement for a mainly psychological / romance kind of story.
The use of Brady (the mentally disabled brother of Ivy) was adequate, very powerful and explaining for the story. I liked him so much, OMG! He and Lennie brought me to tears a few times.
At first I was afraid it was too much of a young adult kind of romance story, which it is in some way.
But everything, every topic, was described so well an on point that it simply didn't matter.
The metaphors were stunning and really blasted everything to life, which is quite a gift for a writer to be able to do that. The story was mainly about being yourself and taking people as they are, opposed to pretending to be somebody else and it's consequences. The Characters felt real, and I as a reader connected to them.
During the whole story I wanted to know what was gonna happen next and kept reading on, which is quite an achievement for a mainly psychological / romance kind of story.
The use of Brady (the mentally disabled brother of Ivy) was adequate, very powerful and explaining for the story. I liked him so much, OMG! He and Lennie brought me to tears a few times.
June 14, 2015
It could've been AWESOME...annnnd it wasn't. *grumpy face*
July 17, 2015
THIS WAS REALLY CUTE.
January 15, 2022
My rating system:
5✩ - Well, there went my day. Couldn't put it down. I think it destroyed any hope of reading other books...
4✩ - This book was fantastic! I really enjoyed it. It may be missing something, or there is one major issue in it, but overall I would highly recommend it!
3✩ - This book was average. Neither good nor bad. Certainly not the worst book I've read, but not the best either.
2✩ - This book really just wasn't for me.
1✩ - Well, I finished it. How? I don't know. Definitely do not recommend it.
5✩ - Well, there went my day. Couldn't put it down. I think it destroyed any hope of reading other books...
4✩ - This book was fantastic! I really enjoyed it. It may be missing something, or there is one major issue in it, but overall I would highly recommend it!
3✩ - This book was average. Neither good nor bad. Certainly not the worst book I've read, but not the best either.
2✩ - This book really just wasn't for me.
1✩ - Well, I finished it. How? I don't know. Definitely do not recommend it.
August 22, 2015
First of all, I would like to thank the Goodreads First Reads Program and the author of Between the Notes, Sharon Huss Roat, for sending me a finished copy of this book, signed with my name, a short inspirational message, and a bookmark. The author outdid herself and I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart for that. She made my day.
This book was addictive from beginning to end. I just couldn't put it down and literally read it all in two sittings. Every time I put it down, I ended picking it back up because I felt the urge to keep reading. The story starts off basically in the middle of the action, with no stale parts nor buildups, just the cold hard truth: Ivy Everson's family has turned "poor". Everything she was accustomed to, her big house, her unnecessary luxuries, and living next door to her best friend Reesa in the rich side of town was going to be stripped away from her grasp until further notice. Her family left it all behind, including Ivy's piano, and moved to the infamous, "slum-like" side of town, where a tiny, rented apartment awaited.
From there, the story picks up and she meets James, the shy, mysterious boy, and Lennie, the bad boy next door. Obviously, a love triangle takes place, but compared to other YA love triangles, this one didn't seem to infuriate me because Ivy never seemed to toy with one or the other: she was simply oblivious to her situation until the very end. Throughout the story, we see Ivy's personality grow until she shines on her own, leaving behind her so called "friends", and changing them for those who really deserve her, like Molly, an old friend that was simply banished from her circle years ago, Reesa, her true best friend that demonstrated that she would always be present through the good and bad, and Lennie and his group of friends. Ivy also learned to value her family, understand the struggle her parents were going through, and appreciate her twin brothers, Kaya and Brady, with the latter having mental disabilities. It was through music that Ivy found herself and who she really wanted to be, hence the title Between the Notes. This is the second book I have read that integrates the music theme and I was thoroughly please with it. Everything worked out for better in the end.
This book is filled with every different type of reader emotions and I loved that. I recommend this book to anyone who not only likes contemporaries, but also who wants something a bit more "down to earth" and a little far off the typical YA book. It is an intriguing story that will captivate you from beginning to end from a debut author that will surely go long in this endeavor. Everyone should definitely pick this up: the writing is smooth, the story is compelling, the characters undergo extensive development, and in addition, the author is very thoughtful not only in what she writes, but also in the way she treats her fellow readers. Two thumbs up for this solid book!
This book was addictive from beginning to end. I just couldn't put it down and literally read it all in two sittings. Every time I put it down, I ended picking it back up because I felt the urge to keep reading. The story starts off basically in the middle of the action, with no stale parts nor buildups, just the cold hard truth: Ivy Everson's family has turned "poor". Everything she was accustomed to, her big house, her unnecessary luxuries, and living next door to her best friend Reesa in the rich side of town was going to be stripped away from her grasp until further notice. Her family left it all behind, including Ivy's piano, and moved to the infamous, "slum-like" side of town, where a tiny, rented apartment awaited.
From there, the story picks up and she meets James, the shy, mysterious boy, and Lennie, the bad boy next door. Obviously, a love triangle takes place, but compared to other YA love triangles, this one didn't seem to infuriate me because Ivy never seemed to toy with one or the other: she was simply oblivious to her situation until the very end. Throughout the story, we see Ivy's personality grow until she shines on her own, leaving behind her so called "friends", and changing them for those who really deserve her, like Molly, an old friend that was simply banished from her circle years ago, Reesa, her true best friend that demonstrated that she would always be present through the good and bad, and Lennie and his group of friends. Ivy also learned to value her family, understand the struggle her parents were going through, and appreciate her twin brothers, Kaya and Brady, with the latter having mental disabilities. It was through music that Ivy found herself and who she really wanted to be, hence the title Between the Notes. This is the second book I have read that integrates the music theme and I was thoroughly please with it. Everything worked out for better in the end.
This book is filled with every different type of reader emotions and I loved that. I recommend this book to anyone who not only likes contemporaries, but also who wants something a bit more "down to earth" and a little far off the typical YA book. It is an intriguing story that will captivate you from beginning to end from a debut author that will surely go long in this endeavor. Everyone should definitely pick this up: the writing is smooth, the story is compelling, the characters undergo extensive development, and in addition, the author is very thoughtful not only in what she writes, but also in the way she treats her fellow readers. Two thumbs up for this solid book!
December 27, 2014
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
3.5 stars
I really liked this book! I didn't love it, but I enjoyed it. I think the best way to describe how I felt is underwhelmed. I expected more than I got and while this is not a bad book at all, it wasn't amazing either.
Between the Notes is about Ivy Emerson. Due to financial problems, she and her family have to move to a smaller house in Lakeside, the neihborhood known as "the wrong side of the tracks". She hides the truth from her friends, but then the bad boy next door threatens to ruin everything. When her lies start to unravel, she turns to her music and some unlikely new friends.
This could have been sooo amazing! But I was so underwhelmed. I think my biggest problems with this book are the romance and the main character. I liked Ivy and in the second half of the book, after she finally comes clean about her move and everything, I started liking her better, but the first half of the book I was so annoyed by her! She acted like a snob sometimes. She looked down on everyone in her new neighborhood and I was really irritated by her attitude. But she grew a lot and in the end I did like her.
The romance is weird... At first it seems simple. A cute romance between her and the "bad boy" next door. But it's not. There's another new guy in school. Her best friend Reesa wants him but Ivy ends up liking him and going on a date and I didn't like that romance at all. Friends before boyfriends, right? But then it turns into this double love triangle with the boy next door. I did like that romance, but it was kind of annoying too. I think this was mainly because I didn't like Ivy. I wanted her to make up her mind because I knew right from the start how this was going to end.
I did like the overall story and the message it sends. I liked the other characters. Molly is awesome, Lennie is soooooo sweet and Brady is just the cutest thing ever. I hated Willow and the other one.. Can't remember her name. Reesa was okay but I didn't really like her most of the time.
In the end I wanted more of the Ivy that's a great singer and amazing piano player with stagefright. I liked that girl. A lot. Between the Notes is a cute and kind of sweet story that I did enjoy in the end. I recommend it to fans of contemporary romance.
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog
September 8, 2015
Fantastic!
Review to come :)
___________________________
There's something magical about Between the Notes. Something that transported me back to my teenage years, something every YA is supposed to do but it's actually rare nowadays. Because to be honest, I read YA all the time and I didn't know I've missed this so much until I had it again, the thrill of expecting the unexpected, the twist in the story that will make you go 'woah'.
I loved it. I loved this despite of the love triangle. In fact I think I loved it because of the love triangle.
Ivy's family is going through a difficult financial situation. She is been wealthy all of her life but now she's forced to relocate to a modest setting where she has to learn the real value of money, and truth, and friendship and of course, love.
People, Ivy Emerson is likable. Even if she starts off as a snob, you just can't help to like her. And her internal growth throughout the book is off the charts. I enjoyed every step of the way. And let's not even get started on the rest of the characters, who were all amazing, from Ivy's parents to Kaya and Brady, her little brother and sister, the loyal friends Reesa and Molly, and let's not forget the love interests, James Wickerton with his romantic notes and drawings, and Tim Riggins, I mean Lennie Heart-Of-Gold Lazarski.
I cannot say enough good things about this novel. So I'll settle for: read this! the message behind it alone makes it worth it, but the spectacular way it's written will make you stay for the rest.
Review to come :)
___________________________
There's something magical about Between the Notes. Something that transported me back to my teenage years, something every YA is supposed to do but it's actually rare nowadays. Because to be honest, I read YA all the time and I didn't know I've missed this so much until I had it again, the thrill of expecting the unexpected, the twist in the story that will make you go 'woah'.
I loved it. I loved this despite of the love triangle. In fact I think I loved it because of the love triangle.
Ivy's family is going through a difficult financial situation. She is been wealthy all of her life but now she's forced to relocate to a modest setting where she has to learn the real value of money, and truth, and friendship and of course, love.
People, Ivy Emerson is likable. Even if she starts off as a snob, you just can't help to like her. And her internal growth throughout the book is off the charts. I enjoyed every step of the way. And let's not even get started on the rest of the characters, who were all amazing, from Ivy's parents to Kaya and Brady, her little brother and sister, the loyal friends Reesa and Molly, and let's not forget the love interests, James Wickerton with his romantic notes and drawings, and Tim Riggins, I mean Lennie Heart-Of-Gold Lazarski.
I cannot say enough good things about this novel. So I'll settle for: read this! the message behind it alone makes it worth it, but the spectacular way it's written will make you stay for the rest.
August 28, 2024
August 28, 2015:
It's so hard for me to review adorable books like these because I don't quite have the words for how they make me feel. Suffice it to say, THIS BOOK IS SO SO CUTE AND THE ROMANCE WAS PERFECT AND THE GUY WAS AMAZING AND THE WRITING WAS CAPTIVATING AND I LOVED IT
August 24, 2015:
I just received the package and I was very pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful signed hardcover copy with a cute note from the author and a lovely bookmark!! I can't wait to start reading this!! :D
August 17, 2015:
AHHH I JUST WON A GIVEAWAY FOR THIS OUT OF 1566 WITH 5 COPIES I'M SO PSYCHED OMG
It's so hard for me to review adorable books like these because I don't quite have the words for how they make me feel. Suffice it to say, THIS BOOK IS SO SO CUTE AND THE ROMANCE WAS PERFECT AND THE GUY WAS AMAZING AND THE WRITING WAS CAPTIVATING AND I LOVED IT
August 24, 2015:
I just received the package and I was very pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful signed hardcover copy with a cute note from the author and a lovely bookmark!! I can't wait to start reading this!! :D
August 17, 2015:
AHHH I JUST WON A GIVEAWAY FOR THIS OUT OF 1566 WITH 5 COPIES I'M SO PSYCHED OMG
July 13, 2015
My first thought about this book was: Rich girl becomes middle class crisis. *yawn*
But as the story progressed I kind of liked the characters and found small reasons to smile.
So yeah, this book was not a total loss. It's worth a read.
But as the story progressed I kind of liked the characters and found small reasons to smile.
So yeah, this book was not a total loss. It's worth a read.
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