Chasing Harmony by Melanie Bell | Book Review ~ $20 B&N Gift Card ~ Author Guest Post | #YoungAdult #LGBTQ+ @GoddessFish @InspireEnvision @readfuriously
A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.
Book Details
Chasing Harmony by Melanie Bell Published by Read Furiously on 07/19/2022
Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ, Young Adult
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 304
Source: Goddess Fish PromotionsSince she was a child, piano prodigy Anna Stern has always stood out. As she becomes a teenager, Anna struggles to find her identity without the soundtrack of sonatas and concertos. There's also the worry that comes with the crushing expectations of her musical gift and her parents' imploding marriage.
Anna finds refuge in her best friend Liss, who is full of magic and escape plans, and the mysterious new boy at school... which is becoming more complicated as she develops feelings for both of them. Most importantly, Anna has concerts to perform that will determine the course of her future as the haunting specter of burnout lurks close by. As everything builds to a crescendo, what follows is an authentic life in the making.
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Excerpt from Chasing Harmony
She blows out the flame, crushes the poster into a ball as bits of ash flake off. She can’t let them catch this.
Another voice: “I swear I didn’t burn anything!”
She grabs the stack of old band posters from the file shelf and stuffs them in her bag. No one else working at The Green Staircase cares about these posters. It was Anna’s idea to keep them.
“Maybe it’s the radiator.”
All those bands, her pride and joy. Who was she kidding?
“I think it’s coming from over there—”
Quick! Into the alley, garbage bins reeking. What bin should burnt paper go in—recycling? Compost? She tosses and runs wildly down the street. Her shift is over. She’s done her job.
Out of habit, she stops at the community center on the corner. It’s late Friday evening, still open, no floor hockey games or beading club for underprivileged youth. No one at the pool tables or arcade.
She rushes to the piano.
No one is there to clap as she launches into the band’s last number, a tender little piece sung by Mustache Man whose burnt face now graces a compost bin. She hasn’t played it before, but that isn’t a problem. Her fingers relish the slick feel of keys, the quick acrobatics of motion. She riffs on the melody, improvises, and adds a solo section. For those lyrics she remembers, she sings along, not powerfully but perfectly in key.
Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.
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Purchase Links for Chasing Harmony
Amazon – OneLink for every country
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My thoughts on Chasing Harmony
“Chasing Harmony” by Melanie Bell explores identity, music, and the complexities of growing up. In this young adult novel, Bell skillfully weaves a narrative that touches on the poignant aspects of adolescence while also delving into the LGBTQ+ experience.
The story revolves around Anna Stern, a piano prodigy whose life has been set against the backdrop of classical music since childhood. As she enters her teenage years, she grapples with the challenge of finding her own identity outside the realm of sonatas and concertos. Bell captures Anna’s internal struggle as she tries to define herself beyond her musical talents while navigating the tumultuous waters of her parents’ crumbling marriage.
One of the book’s strengths lies in its portrayal of the crushing expectations placed upon Anna’s shoulders. The weight of her musical gift and the pressure to perform at an elite level is depicted with striking realism. Readers will empathize with Anna’s internal battle to live up to these expectations and the toll it takes on her well-being.
The novel introduces readers to a cast of well-drawn characters, including Anna’s best friend, Liss, who provides a bit of escapism in Anna’s life. The addition of a mysterious new boy at school adds an intriguing layer of complexity as Anna grapples with her growing feelings for both Liss and this enigmatic newcomer. The resulting love triangle is emotionally charged, exploring desire, friendship, and self-discovery themes.
Bell employs a dual timeline narrative, with the voices of 5-year-old Anna and 16-year-old Anna, which, while remarkably similar, serve as a useful tool for readers to navigate the shifts in time. The different settings help distinguish between the two Annas and make the transitions between their perspectives a little smoother.
It’s essential to note a content warning for detailed mentions of pornography and sexual visualization in the book. This element may be unsettling for some readers and should be considered before delving into the story.
In Conclusion
“Chasing Harmony” offers a genuine and relatable coming-of-age experience, blending themes of music, identity, and LGBTQ+ representation. Melanie Bell’s storytelling is both poignant and heartfelt, creating a story that resonates with its readers. While there are minor issues with character voice consistency, the book remains a worthwhile read for those who appreciate young adult fiction with a focus on the pressures of talent, the quest for self-discovery, and the intricacies of relationships.
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!
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About Melanie Bell
Melanie Bell is a Canadian multi-genre writer living in the UK. Her books include a short story collection,Dream Signs, a nonfiction title, The Modern Enneagram, and the YA novel Chasing Harmony. She has written for several publications including Contrary, Cicada, The Fiddlehead, and Huffington Post. She loves music, art, and nature, and aspires to see as much of the world as she can.
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Guest Post from Melanie Bell, author of Chasing Harmony
The research that goes into a novel can look informal or obsessive. Many types of research informed my writing of Chasing Harmony.
I was captivated by the idea of musical prodigies and their stories. I didn’t interview any prodigies specifically once I set out to write Chasing Harmony, but I drew inspiration from the stories of people I’d met who had shown prodigious musical talent when they were young.
What happens when you were perceived as “a genius” and then found yourself unable to perform at the level of people putting in more hours? When something comes easily, what effect does that have on your work ethic?
Do you enjoy the thing that your good at? And do you even want to do this same thing forever? Maybe… or maybe not. Maybe you leave, then take a winding path back in.
I interviewed an instructor at a music school to learn more about how they work and what the experience of attending one is like.
I also read a lot of coming-of-age novels about music and prodigies. Two that come to mind are Willa Cather’s The Song of the Lark and Virginia Euwer Wolff’s The Mozart Season.
Carson McCullers’ story “Wunderkind” was an early influence on my book. It focuses on a teenage musician who feels like her talent has left her.
I read some coming-of-age novels that were not music-specific, and I delved into the specialized genre of the künstlerroman – the German term for coming-of-age novels about artists. What does it take to become an artist, and how does an artistic focus influence the process of growing up?
I researched stories of prodigies and geniuses and what happened to them when they grew up. I was especially intrigued by Korean prodigy Kim Ung-yong, who worked for NASA as a child, and is now working as a university professor.
Despite having an extraordinarily high IQ – and extraordinarily high media expectations as a youngster – Ung-yong grew up to lead a life that looks relatively ordinary. He’s been branded a “failed genius” by certain media coverage – but he’s happy with his life.
Does happiness look like conventional definitions of success, or is it a matter of living with integrity? We all owe it to ourselves to chase our own version of harmony!
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Purchase Chasing Harmony online from a local bookstore.
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Easy Amazon Info Link
Amazon – OneLink for every country
If the above link does not take you to your country, here are a few more:
Please send me a note if your country isn’t listed and you would like to purchase using my links. Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount out of their share.
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Giveaway!
Melanie Bell will award a randomly drawn winner a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card.
Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for Chasing Harmony
Full Tour Schedule:
August 28: Sandra’s Book Club
August 29: Kenyan Poet
August 30: The Avid Reader
August 31: Andi’s Young Adult Books
September 1: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
September 4: Never Hollowed By The Stare
September 4: elementarymydear
September 5: Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
September 6: Long and Short Reviews
September 7: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile – spotlight
September 8: Westveil Publishing – review only
September 11: elementarymydear – review only
September 12: Books in the Hall
September 13: Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews
September 14: Gina Rae Mitchell – review
September 15: Straight From the Library
September 18: A Wonderful World of Words
September 19: Fabulous and Brunette
September 20: The Faerie Review – review only
September 21: It’s Raining Books
September 22: travel the ages
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Additional Info:
Where to purchase Chasing Harmony (print)
https://readfuriously.com/products/chasing-harmon
https://www.target.com/p/chasing-harmony-by-melanie-bell-paperback/-/A-87380558
https://www.waterstones.com/book/chasing-harmony/melanie-bell/9781737175896
Where to purchase Chasing Harmony (digital)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-harmony-melanie-bell/1141640134?ean=9781960869999
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/chasing-harmony
https://www.scribd.com/book/631773896/Chasing-Harmony
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Sounds like a great read.
Thank you!
Thank you for hosting today and for the lovely review of my book! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Readers – do you relate to the pressure to excel? What do you like to research?
Thank you for hosting this interesting post from the author as well as for reviewing the book.