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Perfect Tunes
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
25 posts | 14 read | 26 to read
For readers of Stephanie Danler and Meg Wolitzer, Perfect Tunes is a breakout novel from Emily Gould about music, ambition, sacrifice, and how compromises and rebellion shape womens destinies. Have you ever wondered what your mother was like before she became your mother, and what she gave up in order to have you? As Perfect Tunes opens we meet Laura, a songwriter with a one-of-a-kind talent. Newly arrived in New York City in the early days of the new millennium, shes left behind her safe life in Ohio for the East Village, where she hopes to record her first album. But just as she begins to book gigs, she falls hard for a rock star on the rise whos as wasted as he is compelling. His accidental death leaves Laura reelingand, she soon learns, pregnant. Obligation, confusion, and romantic delusion conspire to convince her to keep the baby, and with the intermittent help of her friend and former bandmate Callie, she begins to raise her daughter Marie alone. She struggles to keep making music, but despite her best efforts it becomes too difficult. Soon, the only songs she writes are for the infant music classes she teaches, leading drooling infants and their parents in nonsensical sing-alongs. Fourteen years later, Marie finds herself grappling with her fathers legacy as she battles depression and her mother. Laura has tried to keep Marie from asking too many questions about her biological fathers history, but her efforts to protect Marie may only be putting her in greater danger. When Marie runs away to track down Dylans family, it forces both mother and daughter to confront the heartbreak at the root of their relationship. Laura must face what shes lost to motherhood and find out what parts of her former self might still be hers to reclaim.
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Deblovestoread
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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The Interrupters opened for Sum 41 Friday and I liked it! Love being exposed to new to me music which is why I love #TuesdayTunes. Here are a couple songs. The first Take Back the Power for tonight‘s debate and the second Kiss the Ground about gratitude.

https://youtu.be/q7Ol-YDS4Jc?si=6BNGiTyX6oTB2LTK

https://youtu.be/VzGaXoL_h8Y?si=lvo8isgqoLnE_2eP

@TieDyeDude

bthegood loved these - thanks 🙂 2mo
TieDyeDude I noticed it a lot at shows in Philadelphia: the opening band would thank the people who came to the show early to see them. It always seemed weird; if you've bought tickets to see the show, go for the whole show. Sometimes they are just random label-mates, but often the band has chosen them for a reason. Glad you caught a good act 😁 Thanks for sharing, I like those songs. 2mo
47 likes2 comments
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Cuilin
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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#TLT @dabbe

So surprised I knew so many of these (thank you Mum)

Care to play?

@quietjenn @Deblovestoread @Amiable @IndoorDame @julieclair @kspenmoll

kspenmoll Thanks for the tag! I scored 84/100. 3mo
Cuilin @kspenmoll wow, that‘s cool. 👍 3mo
Amiable I got 80/100! I was actually surprised because I don't watch a lot of classic movies. I think I've absorbed some by osmosis because my husband is a big music buff and listens to a wide range of genres. 3mo
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Deblovestoread Thanks for the tag! 💜 3mo
Cuilin @Amiable yes I think most of these songs have entered our collective consciousness. I knew some from my mum, but I‘ve no idea how I knew others. 3mo
dabbe #yayyou! Agree 💯 about the collective unconscious--and the power of music and movies. Thanks for playing and sharing! 🩶❤️🖤 3mo
julieclair Great song choices! Thanks for the tag! 3mo
41 likes7 comments
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Cuilin
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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#TLT @dabbe

I managed to narrow it down to three this week!!

One is one of my all-time favorite songs, In My Life was my wedding song and A Day In The Life is the most genius song ever! IMHO. Lennon/McCartney at their best.

Tagging

 @hannahleejo @RamsFan1963 @Curiouser_and_curiouser @julieclair @AnneCecilie

dabbe I love “One“, too! So heartbreaking. I wanted “I Want You (She's So Heavy)“ to make the list. It's almost as genius as “A Day in the Life.“ Thanks for playing and sharing! 🩵💙🩵 3mo
julieclair Thanks for the tag! 3mo
49 likes2 comments
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Cuilin
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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@dabbe Spot the over thinker, yes it took me 24 hours and I narrowed it down to five. These #TLT are getting harder. I focused so much on picking favorites that I can‘t remember my score. I think it was 50 something. I‘m sure everybody‘s played by now. 🤦‍♀️

TheBookHippie 😅♥️ 3mo
dabbe 💚 your choices! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🩶🖤🩶 3mo
39 likes2 comments
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Deblovestoread
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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#TuesdayTunes

Haven‘t listened to Eva in quite a while but this popped up this weekend reminding me how much I love her voice. Gone too soon. 💔

@TieDyeDude

TieDyeDude Geez, what a sad story. Thanks for the recommendation! 9mo
BarbaraBB Lovely post! 9mo
rubyslippersreads ❤️ her. She did a lovely rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” 9mo
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willaful I love her cover of “Fields of Gold.“ 9mo
TheBookHippie Oh I loved her!!! ♥️ 9mo
marleed A sister made a video for my brother‘s memorial. (My father always said he had 5 daughters each of whom had a brother🤣). Each sister requested one song be incorporated. Mine was I Know You By Heart from Eva Cassidy‘s Songbird album. 9mo
Deblovestoread @marleed I love that! 9mo
kspenmoll Her voice is gorgeous. 💜🩷 8mo
53 likes8 comments
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TheEllieMo
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

24 likes1 stack add
review
LauraBeth
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 This was a pleasant surprise. While some of the dialogue sounds very much like it‘s been hashed out with therapists, it also shows Gould‘s keen insight into human nature and life and it helped prop up the stale prose. I also felt everything was underdeveloped: the characters, the plot, even the setting fell flat at times. And yet, despite all of this, there was still a spark to make this compulsively readable. Emma Straub fans will enjoy

Megabooks Very Straub-like. Good point. I‘ve missed you here! 4y
LauraBeth @Megabooks 🥰 I‘ve missed being here! 4y
67 likes1 stack add2 comments
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LauraBeth
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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LeahBergen He‘s pretty much stuck to you like glue, isn‘t he? 🥰 4y
LauraBeth @LeahBergen I think he just likes me because I can sit still reading for long stretches of time 😹 4y
63 likes2 comments
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LauraBeth
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Football, starting a new book, quasi napping with the BFG = Sunday

LeahBergen He looks like such a cuddler! 🥰 4y
Trashcanman Nice to see you. 4y
Leftcoastzen 😻 4y
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LauraBeth @LeahBergen he‘s a cuddle monster 😹 4y
LauraBeth @Trashcanman and you! I hope you‘re doing well! 4y
75 likes6 comments
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Megabooks
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Mehso-so

This novel is definitely #moremehthanyea for me. I agree with a side conversation I had with @JennyM that the plot just feels a bit thin. In general, it wasn‘t particularly satisfying, but on the other hand, it was fun. Almost a pick, but I‘d recommend getting from the library. The #audiobook is well narrated.

JennyM Great review, Meg. I‘m totally with you being a borrow not buy. 4y
Megabooks @JennyM 👍🏻👍🏻 4y
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Soubhiville
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Pickpick

This book surprised me.

I thought there would be more focus on music. While music weaves through the story, tying it together, I felt more like it was about the disappointment of having your life turn out differently than you expected. It‘s about making hard choices and then making the most of the consequences.

I thought it showcased growing up while raising a child well. It left me with a melancholy but in a good way.

Cinfhen This was a pleasant surprise for me too!!! In a sea of similar novels this one stood out ♥️ 4y
AmyG This sounds good! 4y
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review
Purrfectpages
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
Mehso-so

Have you ever read a story expecting it to be different than what it was? That‘s the feeling I got while reading Perfect Tunes. In fact, even after I‘m still not so sure what it‘s about. We meet a young girl, believed to be undiscovered talent. But this isn‘t the focus of the book at all. Suddenly it morphs into a character study that spans a decade. The music is still there- though oddly enough, it only seems to be playing in the background.

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Purrfectpages
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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I‘m a sucker for books about music and look, ma! Last read to make it to my Goodreads Challenge for the year!

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GidgetsTreasures75
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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7-5-20: My 49th finished book of 2020! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #perfecttunes #emilygould 👍🏼📖#️⃣4️⃣9️⃣

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Soubhiville
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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#quarencationswap Thank you @Copwithabook ! What a terrific addition to my library, and my TBR stack! Thank you so much @Chrissyreadit for putting this little swap together. 📚😁

Chrissyreadit 😍😍😍 4y
Chrissyreadit I have The Cerulean Sea on my TBR. I look forward to hear what you think. 4y
Soubhiville @Chrissyreadit isn‘t it a great cover? I‘ll let you know! 4y
Copwithabook I‘m so glad you enjoyed them!! I‘m already having a blast with mine. Thank you so much! 4y
62 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
KarenUK
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Pickpick

A poignant and warm-hearted story of motherhood, of deferred dreams that forever seem out of reach, and of trying to live a creative life when ‘real‘ life gets in the way.
I enjoyed reading this story, full of lovely nostalgia for me, reminding me of a specific time in my life, living with my best friend, trying to make a go of things in the big city, working in a bar, dating boys in bands, and getting into all kinds of trouble.....good times 😊💕

Cathythoughts Great review! This sounds so good. I have it stacked already 👍🏻❤️ 4y
55 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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KarenUK
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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#bookreport @Cinfhen

-read both my #bookspin books this week.... ‘I‘m Fine‘ was just ok, but I really enjoyed Perfect Tunes....
- listened to ‘My Friend Anna‘ for my bookclub.... thought I‘d like it more than I did... it gave me really bad anxiety! But it was a fascinating story for sure...

- Listening to ‘Lolita‘ for #booked2020 for my banned booked. The writing is really great, and Jeremy Irons narrating is too perfect! Soooo creepy.

Centique Ooh. Lolita on audio sounds like a good one. I‘ve been meaning to read that for years 😊 4y
Cinfhen I had no idea about the Anna story prior to my reading but it seemed like an article in Vanity Fair magazine would have been sufficient/ I was sucked into the story, though!!! I REALLY LIKED 4y
46 likes2 comments
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KarenUK
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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#nextup My #doublespin book..... hoping for good things.... 🤞
(Also my 14 yr old birthday boy chilling at my feet! 🐶🎂💕)

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
Cathythoughts Sounds great. 👍🏻❤️stacked 4y
48 likes1 stack add2 comments
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KarenUK
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Thank you @TheAromaofBooks !
Very happy with my #bookspin and #doublespin picks for June..... 😊📚💕👍

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
34 likes1 comment
review
Cinfhen
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book much more than I originally thought I would.
All those stereotypical tropes are present; motherhood,friendship, second chances, missed opportunities but surprisingly the novel was fresh and enjoyable. Spent a very sunny afternoon listening to the delightful audio. Recommend #Scribd 🎧

Crazeedi 90??? Please send that temperature to PA!!!😉 5y
Cinfhen It‘s been gorgeous @Crazeedi 💜💜💜💜💜although today was hot 🥵 5y
95 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Cinfhen
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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What are the odds that the book that reminds you of Daisy Jones has a character named Daisy??? I‘m enjoying this book wayyyy more than I thought I would & it‘s actually more compelling (for me) than Daisy Jones.#Scribd #RoofTopReading 🌞

81 likes2 stack adds
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Cinfhen
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Thank you #Scribd 🎧♥️Brand new audio released yesterday 🥳Im getting Daisy Jones for the East Coast vibes and swap out 1970‘s for the 2000‘s 🙌🏻

TrishB Will await your review- I was less than impressed with Daisy. 5y
Cinfhen So far I‘m enjoying this more than Daisy Jones @TrishB 5y
JennyM I‘m hoping the #netgalley fairies will grant me this. Scribd says it‘s not available for me in Oz. Glad you‘re enjoying 👍 5y
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Cinfhen I hope so too @JennyM I think you‘ll like it....and you too @KarenUK I‘m thinking this is TOTALLY your jam 🎵✌🏾 5y
KarenUK @cinfhen I‘m glad to hear! I pre-ordered this at work a while back, but our new book deliveries are running a bit behind.... so no sign of it yet..... (edited) 5y
TrishB Cool 👍🏻 5y
71 likes6 comments
review
nomadreader
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Pickpick

This novel has it all: music, friendship, fame, youth, motherhood, and love. I adored it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

17 likes1 stack add
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Lauren.Archer
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Pickpick

Perfect Tunes is almost a perfect story about a very imperfect woman. Over 15 years you will meet and get to know Laura. When she was younger she writes what she thinks is the perfect song and she spends the next years never quite living up to that and that really has an effect on her life.

For my full review, please visit my blog at: http://obsessedbookaholic.com/2020/04/07/perfect-tunes-book-review/

77 likes3 stack adds
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nomadreader
Perfect Tunes | Emily Gould
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Excited for this one, which comes out April 14. Trying to do my part to celebrate April releases. It's a hard time for books to come out, y'all.

LiteraryinPA Great point. Celebrating releases that come out during this crazy time is important. 5y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment