(Review) All the Wrong Chords

All the Wrong Chords by Christine Hurley Deriso

Publication Date: December 12, 2017

Pages: 280 (ebook)

Genre: Young Adult

My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Scarlett Stiles is desperate for a change of scenery after her older brother, Liam, dies of a drug overdose. But spending the summer with her grandfather wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Luckily, Scarlett finds something to keep her busy--a local rock band looking for a guitarist. Even though playing guitar has been hard since Liam died, Scarlett can't pass on an opportunity like this, and she can't take her eyes off the band's hot lead singer either. Is real happiness just around the corner? Or will she always be haunted by her brother's death?

My Review: 

I kind of requested this one on a whim, not sure what to expect. The premise sounds great and it's totally something I'm into, but I was a little worried about it being pulled off. I get super picky with my heartache-to-love stories. 

Scarlett is a great character. She's young and ambitious and maybe a little naive about things. She falls hard for Declan, the lead singer of the Beastings even though there are warning signs all around her. It's been six months since her brother died of a drug overdose and it's also been that long since she's really "felt" anything but sadness. 

Declan is a jerk, honestly. He's irresponsible and rude. And he's a huge player. You get about halfway through the book before Scarlett finally realizes it. It's not hard for you, as a reader, to see it but it takes Scarlett a little while. 

What you do notice, is Zach. Sweet, kind of sad, Zach who helps Scarlett learn music, listens to her talk about her brother, and invites her to join the band in the first place. 

You'll love Zach. *swoon*

This is a great little story about overcoming grief and finding your way again. It's also good to see a strong female character take charge and ignore the boy who treats her like crap. I really enjoyed this one and I hope that a little editing will go a long way. Some of the transitions were abrupt and there were some spelling issues, but all in all a good read. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for the ARC.