Category: Books

‘Love Stories (The Taylors Version #1)’ by Elizabeth Eulberg: Book Review

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn Books, Music, Pop CultureLeave a comment

This book is a must for Taylor Swift fans. I compulsively read Love Stories (The Taylors Version #1) because I was so consumed with the characters, the drama, and the Taylor Swift Easter eggs. There’s even a nod to one of my favorite (non-Taylor) singers! Elizabeth Eulberg does an excellent job with the characters’ individual voices. I’ve been using Love Stories as a benchmark for other young adult novels with multiple narrators. The recommended age for ‘Love Stories’ is 12-18, and the content does skew young (they’re high school freshmen), so one should feel comfortable sharing with mature middle grade readers who have read Jen Calonita’s companion book The Taylors.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘It Rhymes with Takei’ by George Takei, Harmony Becker, and Steven Scott – Book Review

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn BooksLeave a comment

An inspiring, thought-provoking autobiography from the talented pioneer George Takei. Recommended for fans of his first graphic novel memoir, They Called Us Enemy, this new graphic novel utilizes the same creative team. Published by Top Shelf Productions, It Rhymes with Takei has a broad appeal for those interested in American civil and LGBTQ rights.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Fahrenheit-182: A Memoir’ by Mark Hoppus with Dan Ozzi – Audiobook Review

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn BooksLeave a comment

I found myself thoroughly in love with Fahrenheit-182 and listened to the eAudiobook very quickly. I was surprised by how much I liked this book, given that I’m resoundingly not a blink-182 fan*! I did work in the music industry in the late nineties/early aughts and had met Mark Hoppus’s bandmates a few times (Box Car Racer opened for my friends’ band), but never met Hoppus himself. His tales of being a child of divorce, MTV’s TRL, raucous and depressing tours, and more were utterly compelling. Hoppus was transparent about his depression, OCD, and cancer. As a narrator, it took a few minutes to get used to Hoppus’s staccato, monotone delivery, but overall I think it lent a greater sense of authenticity to his nearly unbelievable life. I’m feeling this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*For some reason, I do love the self-titled blink album. Maybe that has something to do with a certain Mr. Robert Smith or the gothy “I Miss You.”