A mid century folk rock feminist icon story and throw in a bit of love story. Was just the slump buster I needed! A great read ❤️💙
A mid century folk rock feminist icon story and throw in a bit of love story. Was just the slump buster I needed! A great read ❤️💙
Another February #roll100 title finished in March.
In anticipation of watching Amazon Prime‘s Daisy Jones & the Six series when it released, I wanted something to get me in the mood without expressly rereading Daisy. This was just the ticket! Some similar themes here of rock ‘n roll, dealing with fame and music and art. There‘s also drugs and addiction, along with mental health all rolled into various ways these things influence people. ⬇️
First things first, this was *not* Daisy Jones, as on the blurb. In fact, I nearly bailed a couple of times in the first half and would have probably done so if it wasn‘t for #pop22 #abookwithaconstellationinthetitle.
The first 20 pages introduced nearly 30 characters, as well as scattering around well-known names.
However, at almost exactly 50% I suddenly became more invested and interested and the second half was *much* better.
This was a lovely read, set in 1969, it has rock and roll, bands, romance, music, and tradegy. I guess it has Daisy Jones vibes.
Loved this book that is set in 1969 and the music setting of the Laurel Canyon music scene. I just wish that Jane Quinn and Daisy Jones were real woman musicians from that decade! Love music or sports in my reading like this so This was a winner for me!✌🏼
Sunny weekend reading bliss. A folk music festival in 1969, the start of a music career for Janie Q and The Breakers under the shining star of established musician Jesse Reid, this is fiction loosely based on Joni Mitchell. Think Daisy Jones & The Six/A Star is Born/Greatest Hits. Loved it. Might have cried.
Emma Brodie's debut novel Songs in Ursa Major immerses readers into a story of family, love, drugs, mental illness and music. It is a delightfully engaging story, the author really captures the essence of the music world. Songs in Ursa Major will be a treat to pack into your beach bag.
I really enjoyed this one! It did remind me a lot of Daisy Jones and the Six; the music scene of the late 60‘s/early 70‘s, but tamer, quieter. I thought the characters were great, the choices they made, their experiences and overall growth. #pop22 ~ book about a band or music group #JumpStart2022 @Clwojick @Lizpixie
#July had so many good reads, it was very hard to choose one to highlight for #12BooksOf2021 !
I thought of this one as a more mellow Daisy Jones and the Six. Similar premise, in that a rising rock star of the 1960s learns quickly about the record industry and its pitfalls. But, this also shows the issues a woman faces in a male dominated industry and how Jane, the MC, fights the establishment.
I listened to this one - good narration!
Enjoyed the flow & writing. Didn‘t know it was somewhat based on Joni Mitchell, & I personally don‘t enjoy reading about people doing drugs, addiction, etc ~~ okay book, just not to my liking💜
Uummmm alittle disappointed with this one , from all the blurb I was expecting it to be as good as the brilliant 🤩 Daisy Jones and the six but sadly the characters are very very flat .
If you're a fan of Daisy Jones or Opal & Nev, you NEED to read this book. Taking the same trope and breathing in new life, Songs in Ursa Major is a fantastic & atmospheric debut with a protagonist to root for. Jane is strong & brave, but realistic & flawed. The pace is fast and the narrative draws you right in for a ride you won't want to walk away from. Ursa is a powerhouse. I am wholly impressed & anxiously awaiting Emma Brodie's next release.
This is a story of a troubled woman, haunted by her history of her mother and her relationship with Jessie that seems to be ever evolving. I absolutely loved this book so much. The story flowed beautifully and Jane gave me all the feels, and I wanted to see her conquer her past. This is a beautiful story of a woman trying to overcome her past so she can be in the present. Just read this one, you won‘t regret it.
I can‘t seem to say no to fiction about the music scene of the 60s-70s, so of course I loved this one. A perfect summer read for me (I finished it in August lol).
Full review on my much-neglected blog: http://sprainedbrain.blog/2021/10/09/a-very-late-review-songs-in-ursa-major-by-e...
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Have you read, Songs of Ursa Major yet?
Emma Brodie writes a compelling, true-as-life music fictional biography that will fill you with the desire to go out to your own festival and gaze at the stage wondering what each performer‘s story is and loving the music every second of your attendance.
📖Review is up! https://bookingitwithsandra.wordpress.com/2021/09/13/songs-in-ursa-major/
I've seen reviews that compare this debut to Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones and the Six; to me, this is a much mellower and reflective Daisy Jones. Jane Quinn makes headlines in 1969 with an unforgettable performance with her band. What follows is her experience with the record industry. At times the narrative was a tad plodding, but I did enjoy this - an interesting insiders' look at females in the record industry and their struggles...
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for fans of Daisy jones and books about music
Bk27 of June & Bk1 of #20in4 #readathon is done! At first this seemed like a Daisy Jones knockoff,but it turned into a beautiful book in its own right.Set very much in the folk/rock scene of the early 70s, it has a softer side than Daisy coz Jane has her family in this which makes all the difference. Looking back now, you can see that control & drugs were the music industry then, I wonder if much has changed at all? Loved this.✌️#BookspinBingo👇
Stumbled over this while looking at ebooks tonight, has anyone else read this? I‘d never heard of it before so I picked it up & am now in Chapter 16 already. It starts of like a cross between Daisy Jones & The Six & Practical Magic without the magic. So far it really good but I haven‘t seen it anywhere on Bookstagram, BookTube or on here.🤔
Penguin Random House giveaway:
https://sweeps.penguinrandomhouse.com/enter/songs-in-ursa-major-bookshoporg-swee...
Loosely based on James Taylor and Joni Mitchell's love affair, plenty of people will want to compare this to Daisy Jones & The Six but there is no comparison. I see what Brodie intended here but character development, actions, and setting all failed to deliver what was necessary to make this a compelling Behind the Music story.
An acceptable beach read but a lukewarm reception from me.
If you love the music of the late 60s and 70s, the folky rock stars of Laurel Canyon, and the Newport Folk Festival, this is for you. A well-told story, clearly inspired by Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, that shows that often the most damaged people make the most beautiful art and how those people find their voices.