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The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships
A prison escape, a bear on the loose, botched lyrics. What more could go wrong with Crow Valley’s most anticipated night of the year?
A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson—karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy—the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame.
In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors.
To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson—karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy—the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame.
In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors.
To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 25, 2023
54 people are currently reading
8490 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
July 19, 2023
Canadian author Ali Bryan has a real winner in her newest novel that centers on Karoak e. This book, all of which takes place on the night of the regional Karoake Championships is centered not so much on Karaoke as it is on the lives of those who are involved in this event.
The author uses this event to take us into the lives of some contestants, the judges, the town mayor, employees of the regional correctional facility and a prison break. It allows this skilled writer to examine so many different people. Their lives, and loves, challenges and disappointments, as she does not use a single narrator but rather 5 different persons to give their thoughts, hopes, dreams and problems. We even follow the escaped prisoner, who definitely appears to be bi-polar, as his escape also becomes enmeshed with so many of the people in the book. And then there is Dale, a firefighter who died one year ago, and how he casts such a huge shadow over the lives of those in Crow Valley.
When contestant Molly says to herself, "Motherhood is a con. Motherhood is a thief." You can see the anguish and unfulfilled dreams of this lady. And we get insights from and about so many different characters that we feel their pain, as well as so many dashed hopes and dreams.
Who wins and who loses? Well I am not going to give this away, but suffice it to say that you will be a winner after you finish this wonderful book. This is a 4.5**** for me! Great job, Ali!!
The author uses this event to take us into the lives of some contestants, the judges, the town mayor, employees of the regional correctional facility and a prison break. It allows this skilled writer to examine so many different people. Their lives, and loves, challenges and disappointments, as she does not use a single narrator but rather 5 different persons to give their thoughts, hopes, dreams and problems. We even follow the escaped prisoner, who definitely appears to be bi-polar, as his escape also becomes enmeshed with so many of the people in the book. And then there is Dale, a firefighter who died one year ago, and how he casts such a huge shadow over the lives of those in Crow Valley.
When contestant Molly says to herself, "Motherhood is a con. Motherhood is a thief." You can see the anguish and unfulfilled dreams of this lady. And we get insights from and about so many different characters that we feel their pain, as well as so many dashed hopes and dreams.
Who wins and who loses? Well I am not going to give this away, but suffice it to say that you will be a winner after you finish this wonderful book. This is a 4.5**** for me! Great job, Ali!!
October 24, 2022
A delightful read! It’s been compared aptly to Schitt’s Creek (though I see it more as the animated film Sing) and has the charm and entertainment of both. The story follows five protagonists - who are all connected to a recently deceased town hero - as they attend a karaoke competition in his honor. This gathering quickly spirals out of control in ways both superficially silly and viscerally deep.
At first glance there seems to be a few too many characters, but over time they impressively all feel like distinct people grappling with their own demons. What makes it better is how their interconnected stories become increasingly absurd and convoluted, in all the best ways. Plus, it’s clear that Bryan uses each character to represent various relatable issues, and she does so in such clever ways. The writing style/format is great, too, for it effectively balances the quick-paced tension and banter with some tender, meaningful moments.
Filled with charm and wit, this novel will surely leave some impact on you. I recommend this book to those who like humorous ensembles, witty and almost absurd storytelling, and stories about small town, every day life.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
At first glance there seems to be a few too many characters, but over time they impressively all feel like distinct people grappling with their own demons. What makes it better is how their interconnected stories become increasingly absurd and convoluted, in all the best ways. Plus, it’s clear that Bryan uses each character to represent various relatable issues, and she does so in such clever ways. The writing style/format is great, too, for it effectively balances the quick-paced tension and banter with some tender, meaningful moments.
Filled with charm and wit, this novel will surely leave some impact on you. I recommend this book to those who like humorous ensembles, witty and almost absurd storytelling, and stories about small town, every day life.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 24, 2023
I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaways, so thank you to Goodreads, Henry Holt & Co., and Ali Bryan. I appreciate the opportunity to enjoy a new author, and I would explore other books by Ali Bryan.
I finally settled on rounding up to 4 stars after contemplating exactly how I felt about this book because it was so different. Not bad different, just different. At times it was a bit dark and more vulgar than I expected, but I did appreciate the humor (especially Kabir) and storyline as well. I can honestly say I have never read about a karaoke competition intertwined with a prison escape. However, it was one of those books that I wanted to keep reading just to see what was going to happen next. I may just not be used to such a contemporary read.
At first I was a little confused with so many characters introduced quickly, but the more I read, the more I got a better picture of each character. I probably would have benefited at the beginning by jotting down a little character list. I did love all the short chapters, which were told from different points of view of the main characters.
*I received this book as a free giveaway, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
I finally settled on rounding up to 4 stars after contemplating exactly how I felt about this book because it was so different. Not bad different, just different. At times it was a bit dark and more vulgar than I expected, but I did appreciate the humor (especially Kabir) and storyline as well. I can honestly say I have never read about a karaoke competition intertwined with a prison escape. However, it was one of those books that I wanted to keep reading just to see what was going to happen next. I may just not be used to such a contemporary read.
At first I was a little confused with so many characters introduced quickly, but the more I read, the more I got a better picture of each character. I probably would have benefited at the beginning by jotting down a little character list. I did love all the short chapters, which were told from different points of view of the main characters.
*I received this book as a free giveaway, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
January 10, 2024
That happened. Maybe my resolution for 2024 should be to try DNF once instead of forcing myself to finish god awful books lol
February 15, 2024
I received this from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
A year has passed since a forest fire devastated much of Crow Valley and led to the death of Dale Jepson. Dale loved karaoke and was the previous year's champion. This year's contest is dedicated to Dale, and all those who have entered are hoping to win. Midway through the competition, news of an escaped prisoner from the local correctional facility puts everyone on edge.
Told over the course of a day and through multiple voices, each share pieces of their lives; their hopes and dreams, regrets and sorrows, and desire to just get through another day.
The characters are quirky, flawed, and relatable. I became invested in each of their stories, making it a throughly enjoyable novel.
A year has passed since a forest fire devastated much of Crow Valley and led to the death of Dale Jepson. Dale loved karaoke and was the previous year's champion. This year's contest is dedicated to Dale, and all those who have entered are hoping to win. Midway through the competition, news of an escaped prisoner from the local correctional facility puts everyone on edge.
Told over the course of a day and through multiple voices, each share pieces of their lives; their hopes and dreams, regrets and sorrows, and desire to just get through another day.
The characters are quirky, flawed, and relatable. I became invested in each of their stories, making it a throughly enjoyable novel.
July 25, 2023
Like a closeted American Republican who fought against gay marriage while secretly blowing every gay man in his state, she fought her own identity; she fought motherhood with more motherhood.
The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships follows five protagonists over the course of one evening as they prepare for and attend the town of Crow Valley's annual karaoke competition. This year's competition is being held in honor of Dale Jepson, local father, husband, prison guard, and all-around good guy, who died during last year's wildfires and to whom all five characters are intimately connected. As the competition unfolds, these five protagonists grapple with issues large and small -- including a prison escape, a very important missing thermos, a dog full of porcupine quills, more than a few rambunctious children, and a bear on the loose -- as they acknowledge their brokenness and try to heal themselves and each other.
The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships is a madcap romp that quickly spirals out of control through a series of increasingly absurd and hilarious scenarios, while also providing heartfelt, poignant musings on life, death, parenthood, love, and everything in between. Ali Bryan uses her five central characters to explore several different relatable issues, life experiences, viewpoints, and responses to trauma. Her writing is alternately laugh-out-loud funny and touching -- sometimes within the same sentence -- and evokes a strong sense of place as she transports readers to one of "those" small towns, where everyone knows everyone else and all of their private business, too.
The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships is a charming, quirky novel that deals with serious topics in a heartfelt way that, despite the sometimes zany circumstances, feels relatable and real. Recommended for fans of Schitt's Creek, books by J. Ryan Stradal, and readers who enjoy ensemble storytelling and books about everyday, small town life with all its joys and dramas. Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.
June 19, 2023
I received The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Based on the publisher's blurb, I expected a "rip-roaring romp about a small town and the fires we all fight in life" (quoted from back cover). If there was comedy in the book it was lost on me.
Each chapter is told from a different point of view, which is an intriguing style of writing. However, there are either too many characters or the characters are too similar to keep track of them easily. The characters are defined by their sadness and how they cope with their disappointments in life. It is difficult label one character as the protagonist. Instead, each character is immersed in their own story until the last chapter(s) when some resolution is brought to their stories.
The book does a good job at showing how interconnected people's lives can be in a small town and how those people do care about each other, to some extent.
It may be that the book is trying to be like Winesburg Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, but it lacks the charm and purpose that Anderson's work has.
Each chapter is told from a different point of view, which is an intriguing style of writing. However, there are either too many characters or the characters are too similar to keep track of them easily. The characters are defined by their sadness and how they cope with their disappointments in life. It is difficult label one character as the protagonist. Instead, each character is immersed in their own story until the last chapter(s) when some resolution is brought to their stories.
The book does a good job at showing how interconnected people's lives can be in a small town and how those people do care about each other, to some extent.
It may be that the book is trying to be like Winesburg Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, but it lacks the charm and purpose that Anderson's work has.
July 17, 2023
The town of Crow Valley is hosting its karaoke championship in honor of its former winner, Dale. Dale has died in a town tragedy and his wife, best friend, and co-worker are all involved in the karaoke night and still mourn him. When a prisoner escapes, kids are left unsupervised, and karaoke brings up many memories for these citizens.
This is a character-based book with a storyline (it is possible!)
The town of Crow Valley and the event are both the main characters of this book. This reminded me of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls but with less humor, more drama, less sassy dialogue, and set in Canada. I really liked this book, although at times it was a little slow and had a lot of characters to keep straight. I found that I really enjoyed it, and it was a unique premise with interesting characters.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review, on the suggestion from author J. Ryan Strandal.
This is a character-based book with a storyline (it is possible!)
The town of Crow Valley and the event are both the main characters of this book. This reminded me of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls but with less humor, more drama, less sassy dialogue, and set in Canada. I really liked this book, although at times it was a little slow and had a lot of characters to keep straight. I found that I really enjoyed it, and it was a unique premise with interesting characters.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review, on the suggestion from author J. Ryan Strandal.
December 22, 2022
*received an ARC of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Incredibly fun read! I would love to spend a day at the Crow Valley Karaoke Championships.
The characters are wacky (not just the ones we get a POV of) and the story seemed very realistic discussing people in a small town who have known each other all their lives. The writing style is very fun, with multiple unreliable narrators who all feel very strongly about the karaoke contest (well, with one notable exception). Would've liked a bit more worldbuilding instead of being thrown into the middle of things but that might be a personal preference.
Overall - very much enjoyed this story & very excited to read more from this author!
Incredibly fun read! I would love to spend a day at the Crow Valley Karaoke Championships.
The characters are wacky (not just the ones we get a POV of) and the story seemed very realistic discussing people in a small town who have known each other all their lives. The writing style is very fun, with multiple unreliable narrators who all feel very strongly about the karaoke contest (well, with one notable exception). Would've liked a bit more worldbuilding instead of being thrown into the middle of things but that might be a personal preference.
Overall - very much enjoyed this story & very excited to read more from this author!
August 27, 2023
ARC received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaways
I really liked the first half of this book; by the second half, I didn't like it as much. One year prior to the story, Crow Valley had suffered a major wild fire. Much was lost during the fire and one person who knew each person in the story was killed when the gas station exploded. Dale was a guard at the Crow Valley prison, a champion karaoke singer, a beloved husband, father and friend. He was loved by almost everyone in the valley. The story takes place one night while the karaoke championship is happening. Dale's widow is a judge, his friend competes to honor his memory, the woman whose life he saved during the fire sings to try to relieve her guilt. The reader gets a fuller picture of who Dale was by knowing each character's experience of him. Each person who knew Dale is thinking of him and his impact on their life during the competition. Even a convict who escapes during the competition was affected by knowing Dale.
We are all known in different ways by different people. The novel is really about how we present different versions of ourselves to different people in our lives.
I really liked the first half of this book; by the second half, I didn't like it as much. One year prior to the story, Crow Valley had suffered a major wild fire. Much was lost during the fire and one person who knew each person in the story was killed when the gas station exploded. Dale was a guard at the Crow Valley prison, a champion karaoke singer, a beloved husband, father and friend. He was loved by almost everyone in the valley. The story takes place one night while the karaoke championship is happening. Dale's widow is a judge, his friend competes to honor his memory, the woman whose life he saved during the fire sings to try to relieve her guilt. The reader gets a fuller picture of who Dale was by knowing each character's experience of him. Each person who knew Dale is thinking of him and his impact on their life during the competition. Even a convict who escapes during the competition was affected by knowing Dale.
We are all known in different ways by different people. The novel is really about how we present different versions of ourselves to different people in our lives.
Read
July 24, 2023Did not finish. This style of prose isn't for me!
June 13, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description from Publisher:
A prison escape, a bear on the loose, botched lyrics. What more could go wrong with Crow Valley’s most anticipated night of the year? A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson—karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy—the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame. In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors. To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
************************
My review:
First impression? Way too many characters to keep track of. And too many things dangling and dropped for the reader to remember for later.
It came together about half way through and I stayed interested in unhappy Molly, grieving Roxanne, angry Val, stupid Brett, running Marcel, and "perfect" Kabir. The novel is touted as being humorous but really only Kabir made me laugh with his perfect everything.
In small towns everyone knows everyone and everything and Crow Valley is like that. Everyone has mistakes to make up for, dreams to chase, or promises to keep (or break). It seems like each character has all of those though, and the book doesn't have a clear purpose except to be a snapshot of this dysfunctional town.
None of the many characters were really all that likable, but they were interesting. Roxanne was the most interesting and the one who made me most sad in her constant grief over the loss of her husband Dale who was the town EVERYTHING. But also, she needed help and that was no where to be found in this dysfunctional town. Overall, I think the author was going for quirky humor but I found a lot of the novel very sad.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and He ry Holt and Co. for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Description from Publisher:
A prison escape, a bear on the loose, botched lyrics. What more could go wrong with Crow Valley’s most anticipated night of the year? A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson—karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy—the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame. In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors. To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
************************
My review:
First impression? Way too many characters to keep track of. And too many things dangling and dropped for the reader to remember for later.
It came together about half way through and I stayed interested in unhappy Molly, grieving Roxanne, angry Val, stupid Brett, running Marcel, and "perfect" Kabir. The novel is touted as being humorous but really only Kabir made me laugh with his perfect everything.
In small towns everyone knows everyone and everything and Crow Valley is like that. Everyone has mistakes to make up for, dreams to chase, or promises to keep (or break). It seems like each character has all of those though, and the book doesn't have a clear purpose except to be a snapshot of this dysfunctional town.
None of the many characters were really all that likable, but they were interesting. Roxanne was the most interesting and the one who made me most sad in her constant grief over the loss of her husband Dale who was the town EVERYTHING. But also, she needed help and that was no where to be found in this dysfunctional town. Overall, I think the author was going for quirky humor but I found a lot of the novel very sad.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and He ry Holt and Co. for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
July 31, 2023
Quirky indeed. Taking place over the course of a big day for Crow Valley, this book explores surprisingly dark themes, including child abuse, mistreatment of prisoners by prison guards, alcoholism, and attempted suicide, all while bringing on the oddball behaviors and interactions of small-town characters. I wasn’t completely convinced the author pulled off this balance that well, hence the 3-star rating, and I definitely think the book would benefit from both being taken down a notch or two. Then there is the uncomfortable descriptions and conversations involving the only non-white character, which could very well have been written sardonically, but just ended up leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth. It wasn’t what I expected, which was both a good and a bad thing. I’m glad to be done reading it but I also had a good time reading it overall.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with this ARC ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with this ARC ❤️
May 24, 2023
I won this book from Goodreads.com in exchange for an honest review. Quirky. That is the best way to describe this book. I loved the title. Each chapter was a narrated by a different character in the story. There were just too many weird, disjointed things for me to love this book. A woman mourning her dead husband, an escaped convict, a couple trying to live through his affair, a woman hating her life with uncontrollable children, a secondary karaoke judge.
October 21, 2023
3.5
Dark comedy with heart. Enjoyed that the characters were flawed, human.
Dark comedy with heart. Enjoyed that the characters were flawed, human.
November 27, 2023
"Everyone out there is putting everything they got into being someone else."
Welcome to Crow Valley, a drive-by Canadian town where the townsfolk really, really, love to sing. Crow Valley might be small, but it's packed full of colorful, creative chanteuses looking for a chance to go to Nationals, including a recovering prison guard, a guilty husband, a frustrated mother, a dashingly different fireman, and way too many folks wanting to sing Adele and Pat Benatar for their family and friends. The competition is hot on the heels of a devastating town fire. And tonight, as the townspeople prepare to sing for their lives, a dangerous prisoner has escaped. It's about to get crazy in here!
This novel flies by at breakneck speed thanks to multiple POVs and short chapters. Ali Bryan's newest novel is a wildly fun journey into small-town life, told with a heaping scoop of sass and zingy one-liners. The same humor/heart blend that powers recent Canadian cultural phenomena like Schitt's Creek and Kim's Convenience are on display here, and one can definitely see how THE CROW VALLEY KARAOKE CHAMPIONSHIPS could make a great screen adaptation. The novel is powerful because it really does get into the nooks and crannies of so many lives - those in recovery, those grieving, the more fabulous and the most frustrated. If its strength is its ability to paint vibrant portraits, I'd have liked to see the stories wrap up more cleanly. The ending is abrupt and while the character stories connected in so many hilarious ways (The thermos! The tic tacs! The piano!), I wanted more resolution for each of them. The town of Crow Valley (for me, especially Silas, Marcel, Molly, Roxanne) will absolutely grab your heart and make you laugh, all the same.
Thanks to Henry Holt for my gifted copy!
Welcome to Crow Valley, a drive-by Canadian town where the townsfolk really, really, love to sing. Crow Valley might be small, but it's packed full of colorful, creative chanteuses looking for a chance to go to Nationals, including a recovering prison guard, a guilty husband, a frustrated mother, a dashingly different fireman, and way too many folks wanting to sing Adele and Pat Benatar for their family and friends. The competition is hot on the heels of a devastating town fire. And tonight, as the townspeople prepare to sing for their lives, a dangerous prisoner has escaped. It's about to get crazy in here!
This novel flies by at breakneck speed thanks to multiple POVs and short chapters. Ali Bryan's newest novel is a wildly fun journey into small-town life, told with a heaping scoop of sass and zingy one-liners. The same humor/heart blend that powers recent Canadian cultural phenomena like Schitt's Creek and Kim's Convenience are on display here, and one can definitely see how THE CROW VALLEY KARAOKE CHAMPIONSHIPS could make a great screen adaptation. The novel is powerful because it really does get into the nooks and crannies of so many lives - those in recovery, those grieving, the more fabulous and the most frustrated. If its strength is its ability to paint vibrant portraits, I'd have liked to see the stories wrap up more cleanly. The ending is abrupt and while the character stories connected in so many hilarious ways (The thermos! The tic tacs! The piano!), I wanted more resolution for each of them. The town of Crow Valley (for me, especially Silas, Marcel, Molly, Roxanne) will absolutely grab your heart and make you laugh, all the same.
Thanks to Henry Holt for my gifted copy!
October 25, 2023
Title: The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships
Author: Ali Bryan
Genre: Literary Fiction
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 stars
A prison escape, a bear on the loose, botched lyrics. What more could go wrong with Crow Valley’s most anticipated night of the year?
A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson―karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy―the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame.
In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors.
To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
My thoughts:
This was a fast-paced, character-driven story of the residents of a small Canadian town revolving around a Karaoke competition. The quirkiness of the characters gave it a Northern Exposure vibe. Short chapters make the book easier to delve into the minds of the residents. Themes of grief and forgiveness resonate throughout the book. Made me laugh out loud more than once.
Author: Ali Bryan
Genre: Literary Fiction
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 stars
A prison escape, a bear on the loose, botched lyrics. What more could go wrong with Crow Valley’s most anticipated night of the year?
A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson―karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy―the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame.
In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors.
To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
My thoughts:
This was a fast-paced, character-driven story of the residents of a small Canadian town revolving around a Karaoke competition. The quirkiness of the characters gave it a Northern Exposure vibe. Short chapters make the book easier to delve into the minds of the residents. Themes of grief and forgiveness resonate throughout the book. Made me laugh out loud more than once.
August 2, 2023
#FirstLine - Dale?
“The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships - A Novel" by Ali Bryan is an entertaining and quirky tale that brings humor and heart to the world of small-town competitions. The story revolves around the annual karaoke championships in Crow Valley, where a cast of eccentric characters compete for glory and redemption. Bryan's writing is witty and full of charm, making the pages come alive with laughter and warmth. The characters are endearing and relatable, and their personal journeys add depth to the narrative. With themes of self-discovery and the importance of community, this novel strikes a perfect balance between humor and heartfelt moments. Whether you're a fan of karaoke or simply enjoy feel-good stories, "The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships" promises an enjoyable and uplifting read.
“The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships - A Novel" by Ali Bryan is an entertaining and quirky tale that brings humor and heart to the world of small-town competitions. The story revolves around the annual karaoke championships in Crow Valley, where a cast of eccentric characters compete for glory and redemption. Bryan's writing is witty and full of charm, making the pages come alive with laughter and warmth. The characters are endearing and relatable, and their personal journeys add depth to the narrative. With themes of self-discovery and the importance of community, this novel strikes a perfect balance between humor and heartfelt moments. Whether you're a fan of karaoke or simply enjoy feel-good stories, "The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships" promises an enjoyable and uplifting read.
November 10, 2023
Absolutely delightful! This story set in a small Canadian town is the love child of Northern Exposure and Schitt's Creek. A cast of colorful characters come together for their most anticipated night of the year - the karaoke championships where singers compete for a chance at Nationals. While this book is funny in all the right ways, it is sprinkled with heavy topics that make every resident of Crow Valley all the more real. I hated to see it end. 4.5 stars overall.
February 16, 2024
Crow Valley takes place during the day of the Karaoke Championships. A big deal for such a tiny Canadian town. With multiple characters, each chapter from a different pov...It took about halfway through to feel familiar enough with the characters to understand who they are.
Each character faces their own challenges and insecurities, and while we were promised some sort of resolution there really wasn't any. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying.
Each character faces their own challenges and insecurities, and while we were promised some sort of resolution there really wasn't any. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying.
October 12, 2024
This read reminded me of math story problems, and word puzzles that give clues on what's missing. . .and that piece is all that Dale Jepson is. . . .
There's work involved, is all I'm sayin'. Still, the outcome is interesting.
*A sincere thank you to Ali Bryan, Henry Holt & Company, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheCrowValleyKaraokeChampionships #NetGalley
There's work involved, is all I'm sayin'. Still, the outcome is interesting.
*A sincere thank you to Ali Bryan, Henry Holt & Company, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheCrowValleyKaraokeChampionships #NetGalley
March 11, 2024
"A year after forest fires claimed the life of a beloved local, Crow Valley hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But there's more on the line when a convicted murderer escapes from a nearby prison."
With that synopsis and title I picked this up and had to read it as soon as possible.
The second novel I've read this year dealing with the sudden loss of a partner, I really loved this book. Great characters, very well paced, and a bear... what's not to enjoy about it.
With that synopsis and title I picked this up and had to read it as soon as possible.
The second novel I've read this year dealing with the sudden loss of a partner, I really loved this book. Great characters, very well paced, and a bear... what's not to enjoy about it.
September 4, 2025
This is a 1.5/2 stars for me, I will give it credit for the originality as I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a storyline even similar. It took me 100 pages to remember who all the narrators were and the ending gave me no closure.
December 5, 2023
It was fine, didn’t care for the cheating and the descriptions of sex didn’t do anything for the story. It was hard to care about the characters and be upset for them.
August 25, 2025
This was wild. I applaud the originality here. There were parts of this book I thought were very funny (I.e I thought the whole Gary and his kid scaling the fence + hospital bit was hilarious) and there were some other parts that were a miss for me. Maybe one too many first person narratives for my liking but overall I enjoyed reading this and had a handful of laughs for sure. Only wish I saw more of the bear.
September 5, 2025
what a silly little fever dream
September 28, 2025
Kind of was about nothing but also very much so about each characters life struggles, didn’t go anywhere really but I didn’t mind?
December 19, 2023
Everything about this story feels so intensely human: imperfect and messy and beautiful
July 28, 2025
I listened to this, which was delightful with the various accents. But the story, the quilt of the characters that make up Crow Valley: so good.
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