This isn't the kind of book I'd normally read, but it sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a go, It was a window into another world. I'm a music lover but I've never obsessed over the bands I love, so it was fascinating to read what it was like in the early to mid sixties at the height of Beatlemania. The book is mostly in the form of diary entries, with newspaper clippings and photos. As interesting as the content is, what I found most fascinating was watching the narrator go from a shy, naive fifteen year old, to a mature, confident college student, and how her perspective changes. If you're interested in music and pop culture and their history, this is definitely worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For those of us old enough to remember those heady days, this will be a fun trip down memory lane! I was only 7 or 8 when the Beatles appeared on the radar, but i got caught up in it, too. Sad day when they broke up. Patricia Gallo-Stenman's book was sort of fun to read, it's essentially just a diary from the era of her everyday life interspersed with Beatle info. Looking back, I don't understand what all the screaming was about? To what end? You couldn't even hear the music over it! Whatever was the point??? I'm glad that nonsense ended pretty quickly, or I'd have never gone to a live concert! Beatle fans will enjoy this book. Good read!

1964 is a pivotal year in history for many reasons, but for American Beatles fans, that's when the whole party started. This diary is a glimpse into the world of Beatlemania in its original form--a Philadelphia teen hears the music, sees their photos and instantly falls in love.

I like how this book doesn't take bits and pieces from the daily life of the author, but instead includes all of the other details of her life, such as attending Catholic school, going on first dates, and spending time with friends and family. It is also eye-opening that a group of girls had it in them to plan out a way to infiltrate the hotel the Beatles were staying at or to approach Victor Spinetti, not knowing whether he would be interested in talking to a bunch of teens about the Beatles (thankfully, he was). That takes a whole lot of guts that today's teens probably wouldn't even bother to do for their favorite group.

Other than the introduction feeling a little repetitive, this is a must-read for Beatles fans who want to vicariously have that first-hand Beatlemania experience.