Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Rock Angel by Jeanne Bogino ARC Review

Review Copy via Netgalley + Publisher
Goodreads 
September 16, 2014

Synopsis 

Shan is young, beautiful, talented, and addicted to heroin in Rock Angel, a novel that follows her meteoric rise to guitar goddess stardom in the 90’s. She is discovered in New York by a handsome, arrogant musical genius named Quinn, and sparks fly between them when he hires her as lead guitarist of his band. Although Quinn is accustomed to bedding a different groupie every night, he can’t ignore his deepening feelings for his new band mate. From gritty Greenwich Village clubs to L.A.’s Troubadour; gigging and touring the country to the cover of Rolling Stone, Rock Angel is infused with the passionate music and intense sexual chemistry of Shan and Quinn. Shan must work out her personal demons and learn to trust Quinn enough to love him, but still remain true to the music that has always been her salvation. A hot, hard-driving story set in an intoxicating world of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll, Rock Angel is the first novel by author, Jeanne Bogino.



Let’s go back to the 90’s. Let’s go back to the land of sex, drugs and rock & roll. Nirvana, anyone?

The writing in Rock Angel was good- really, really good. So were the music choices and their song lyrics. Okay, the music in this book was perfect. I freaking adore the song lyrics- especially for “The Only Perfect One.” I would totally love if there was an artist (like Colleen Hoover is doing) so that I could hear the songs as well. It would be oh so very totally epic. Any ways, that was the good. The not so wonderful? *shakes head* There’s quite a bit.

Let’s talk about the two main characters: Quinn “Q” and Shan “Angel.” The short story is I don’t really like either of them. The long story. . .

We’ll chat about Shan first. Shan’s mother passed on her love of music to her but died of cancer when Shan was 12. Her dad blamed her for her mother’s dead and her battle scars are in the form of cigarette burns that cover her legs. She ran away from home and sold her soul + body to the devil in exchange for smack, H, heroine. Her need controlled her. As a matter of fact, being needy is her most defining trait as a character. Her only redeeming factor really is her skills of the musical variety.

Now Quinn. . .this boy. As beautiful as his may be and as perfect as his talent is, he’s toxic. I mean yes, he was her best friend and all but Jesus Christ, he was toxic. I really don’t know what to say about Q. I mean he was the leader, but not the face of the band. I think he wanted to be good-ish. But, I just, I can’t really explain it without ruining the entire book for those who want to read it.


Overall, this book is what some people would call raw, but I found the characters too needy and flimsy to really be able to connect to them.


This book wasn't what I expected. At all. When has that happened to you?


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