A special congrats to Candace Robinson, one of my favorite authors, on her new release!! Today is the big day, and let me just tell you how amazing this book is!! I actually read it a couple months ago, but I’ll share my review again today since it’s release day, and I want to share the bookish details with you all over again. It’s set in the 80s which lets face it, is one of the coolest times in history!! The dynamics of the plot are unique and mesmerizing, you don’t want to pass over this book, I promis you that!
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FRQKV5G/
Blurb
Lark Espinoza could get lost in her music—and she’s not so sure anyone in her family would even care to find her. Her trendy, party-loving twin sister and her mother-come-lately Beth, who’s suddenly sworn off men and onto homemaking, don’t understand her love of cassette tapes, her loathing of the pop scene, or her standoffish personality. For outcast Lark, nothing feels as much like a real home as working at Bubble’s Oddities store and trying to attract the attention of the cute guy who works at the Vinyl shop next door—the same one she traded lyrical notes with in class.
Auden Ellis silences the incessant questions in his own head with a steady stream of beats. Despite the unconditional love of his aunt-turned-mother, he can’t quit thinking about the loss of his parents—or the possibility he might end up afflicted with his father’s issues. Despite his connection with lyric-loving Lark, Auden keeps her at arm’s length because letting her in might mean giving her a peek into something dangerous.
When two strangers arrive in town, one carrying a mysterious, dark object and the other playing an eerie flute tune, Lark and Auden find that their painful pasts have enmeshed them in a cursed future. Now, they must come to terms with their budding attraction while helping each other challenge the reflection they see in the mirror. If they fail, they’ll be trapped for eternity in a place beyond reality.
*Set in 1985 and full of nostalgia! Perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Pretty in Pink.
MY REVIEW 5 STARS:
I’m a big fan of Candace Robinson’s writing. If you’ve read any of my other reviews of her work you’ll know that all of her books that I’ve picked up so far is unique, smoothly engaging, and so far out of the box that it probably couldn’t even see said box if it was in an open space with binoculars. When I picked up Lyrics & Curses I expected something strong, but this blew my expectations completely out of the water. I love everything about it. From the snarky comments, to the 80s setting (which she nailed BTW. Took me back to my childhood with the music, clothing, and home phones on a cord lol!).
Lark and Auden are fantastic characters who are developed perfectly. They’re compatible teens with a love of all the same music, and find themselves attracted to one another in every way. They’re teens though, so naturally they’re stuck in an unspoken game of criss-cross when it comes to their not-so-dating, yet seek-one-another-out and connect in random ways. What’s odd tho, is that the book starts out with them each seeing this being of sorts who disappears at will. No one else sees this man with an object, nor do they hear the unmistakable tune of a flute as it plays when he shows up… no one else but Lark and Auden. When they wind up working together after Auden loses his job, things really kick up a notch. You see, this strange being is more than just strange, and there’s more than just him out there.
Lark and Auden wind up cursed. This curse is unique, it’s powerful, and it feels very very real! Imagine waking up one day as a ghost. No one can see you, even your loved ones, and as you navigate the world trying to be seen you find yourself as a double. Someone else is in your body, living your life in evil little ways. Together, Lark and Auden must find a way to break their curse for a short amount of time, before they’re stuck in this alternate existence forever.
If I tell you any more than this it’ll give too much away. I probably already have actually, and I hate spoilers so I’m just going to shut up now. There’s love, there’s immense loss, and so very much more. This is up there with the best few books I’ve read so far this year. A big fat thanks to the author for giving me a free copy of this book before it’s release in exchange for an honest review. NOW GO PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK!!
Didi Oviatt -Author 