This book was exactly what I would describe as mediocre. It was by no means bad, nor was it anything special. I would not go out of my way to recommend it, however, I would not tell someone not to read it. I didn't hate or love any of the characters. They were all a little boring to me and some of them lacked personality, but, I think the main character, Darcy, made up for that.

What really got me the most conflicted with this book was the fact it has potential, but things just weren’t in depth. There were many topics that could have been explored very well and I think it was attempted but it just lacked depth. For example, her brother had a drug problem, which we witnessed nothing of. Her brother seemed to have no symptoms whatsoever besides being a ‘disappointment’. It was almost like these things were happening simply to have the plot as opposed to actually feeling like they were causing the plot. I found the relationships, both romantic and platonic, to be quite uninteresting. None of the events in the book itself really had me attached and wanting to read more.

However, this does not mean it was a bad book. I just don't think this book was for me. I wanted to feel things while reading this, and I didn't.

A really unique and different type of YA book to any I think that I’ve read. I really, really enjoyed it. I thought the characters were very engaging and I felt connected to them and their stories. I also like that it dealt with some pretty heavier subjects in really sensitive ways and still kept the book uplifting. A really lovely read!

This angsty love story was just what I needed. Darcy and Grey were perfect for each other and I wish they had seen it sooner.

I loved the music aspect of this book. It's sometimes hard to find books that centers around a band or musician and have the female main character the one that is into music. Bonus points that both of them were! I absolutely loved the friends to lovers trope and thought it was done in such a way where I was rooting for them from page 1. Highly recommend and will be re-reading this in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of this work in exchange for an honest review. I apologise for how late this is as the archive date was so long ago, however, I had trouble trying to submit my feedback.

I absolutely adored this book. The character development was so on point and I loved the style of writing that the author uses. I could not put this book down!

I definitely recommend it to those who love a good YA romance, you will not be disappointed.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

(NOT QUITE) THE SAME OLD SONG has an admirable heroine who struggles through financial difficulties and her relationship with her brother who is addicted to drugs, while navigating a new romance. This book was honest and relatable on some levels, but I didn't enjoy the love interest as much as I would like to which detracted from the story for me.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and Evernight Teen for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This was a great read, hard to put down, I loved the writing and the storyline. The character development was great and you become really enthralled in this sweet YA romance.

3,5 Stars

Not only did the book's cover remind me of "Eleanor & Park", but also several ingredients to the plot: girl from a dirt-poor family that is not exactly skinny but loves music a lot and is bullied at school by the popular kids. The story itself is of course very different from Rowell's famous YA-book, and is toward the end taking a "Pretty in Pink"-turn. Will the guy stand up for his girl against his rich friends who only make fun of her?

Although the story is only a standard Young-Adult plot (as opposed to 'Eleanor & Park', which was rather unique I would say), I did like reading about Darcy and Grey. The book also touches on some serious topics (being poor, being bullied, being a plus size, being ashamed of themselves because of all those things), but it's really only scratching the surface without going in very deep.

Damn. I loved this one, alot! Darcy Clementine has insecurities and faults like any other human being, but she's also awesome and funny and i just connected with her so much! I rooted for her and Grey all the way through. Some characters i wanted to kick where the sun don't shine, but i think that was the authors intensions all along. But i am very glad got to read this one!

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Evernight Teen for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


When Darcy's brother Quinn steals all the money for rent in order to use them on drugs, Darcy is forced to pawn her beloved guitar Darlene to help her mother and no matter how many shifts she takes at her job, the day she will finally bring Darlene home is still far away.
So imagine her shock when she sees her guitar played by Grey Addams, the pawn shop's owner's son. Also one of the most popular and handsome guys at school.
But Darcy won't let that intimidate her and she's not afraid to speak her mind about the way Grey is playing her guitar and the way his band generally sounds.

So, it's totally in the best interests of music she offers to teach him how to fix a couple of issues, right?
There's no ulterior motive - it's not like she has a tiiiiiiiiiny crush on him.


There's so much I had in common with Darcy.
She's not tall, she's not thin, she has insecurities and she feels more comfortable when she can cover herself up with a cardigan even on the hottest summer day - I did that so many times I lost count.
But she has a better relationship with her body than I have with my own - she's not a girl that needs to be "saved" by the perfect guy, no. She knows some boys find her attractive, she hooks up with someone every now and then and she's not searching a serious relationship because she has more important things on her plate to deal with.
Still, she doesn't always like who's staring at her and she hates those who comment on her body shape.

And she thinks Grey is out of her league because guys like him don't date girls like her.
Even if on some occasions I thought Darcy repeated a little too much how hot Grey was, I could understand her completely at the same time.
I liked her wit, I liked the respect she had towards herself and her dignity shown in a specific moment in the last part of the novel. I liked how there were days she accepted herself and days when her insecurities got the best of her.

Grey was less developed - the end also felt a little bit rushed and I would've liked to know if his issues with his dad came with a resolution and if a confront with his old friends really took place.
He's a bit of a cliché but in a good way: popular but dorky, oblivious to the cruel words his friends spoke about others but hanging out with the "losers". "Summer" Grey seems to lose part of his confidence shown down the high school hallways and he becomes someone who blushes and who's intimidated by a girl.

Because I found myself having something in common with Darcy, I liked the way Grey got slowly close to her - my heartbeat went crazy, I'll admit it.
And because there was a crescendo in their relationship, I didn't like how he hadn't stood for her with his friends - but I liked the self-respect she instead shown.
Something like the thing Grey did should't have been overlooked or ignored.

I also liked Darcy's relationship with her brother - it felt absolutely realistic.
The way she was angry and frustrated towards him at having been forced to pawn her guitar didn't prevent her from feeling worried about him and his well-being and I liked all their moments together.

I liked how her best friend Maddie was always there to raise her self-esteem when Darcy really couldn't or was skeptical about something Grey related.
The guys in the band were adorable - I especially laughed every time Ian said something and I was in hysterics whenever Cam was behind the wheel of his car. Reilly was a sweetheart.

So, if you're searching a book where the main character isn't the usual beauty who doesn't know how beautiful she is and you want something realistic and music related, "(Not Quite) The Same Old Song" is what you need.

(Not Quite) The Same Old Song by Lindsey Ouimet is a young adult romance, mixed with a lot of family issues. Darcy Andrews family is poor, and she pawns her prized possession, her guitar, to help her mother pay bills. Darcy older brother stole money from their mom for drugs, Which he has done in the past. Darcy works hard to get her guitar back, but she never seems to have enough money. One night when Darcy goes to see some bands, she sees Grey, son of the pawnshop owner playing her guitar. I enjoyed this novel, and recommend it to people who like young adult romances with a twist.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

Thanks to @netgalley and @evernightteen for a Kindle copy of recently published (Not Quite)The Same Old Song by Lindsey Oimet.

Darcy’s life is anything but easy. She and her mom are barely scraping by when her brother steals their rent money for drugs. Darcy is forced to pawn her most prized possession, a guitar named Darlene that had belonged to her dad. A few days later, Darcy is shocked to discover the pawn shop owner’s son Grey playing it at an American Legion gig with his band. Darcy hatches a plan to reunite with Darlene, while also getting closer to Grey. Fans of Eleanor and Park will love this YA romance.

“People are allowed to change for the better, you know. But it’s kind of hard when you won’t let them.”

This book was just so everything! I was hooked from the first sentence and it had me craving to know more about Darcy and her struggles (and about Grey, duh). In fact, I’d have a hard time if someone asked me to name one negative thing about it.

To being with, I found the plot original in itself, but what I really loved about the story was the fact that it kept moving forward in a refreshing (and unexpected) manner. Thanks to Darlene, Darcy and Grey become great friends over the course of the summer and come to develope deep feelings for each other, something hard to picture since they couldn’t be more different.

Nonetheless, their love for music is stronger than their differences, and Darcy will soon find herself falling for him. In the process, she’ll make great friends with Grey’s band’s members (a.k.a., school losers) and wind up having an eventful (and heartbreaking) summer. The highlight of which is, of course, the possibility of finding out just how good she can be when it comes to playing.

Even though I loved Darcy’s voice, her wits, her friendship to Maddie, her maturity to step up and help support her family in any way she can, I mostly loved the fact that she also has a great self-esteem. Sure, she’s insecure when it comes to her body and she doesn’t want everyone to know who her brother is or where she lives, but when it comes to her music? She's all: "Bitch, please".

In my opinion, it’s that kind of confidence what makes her a bad-ass female protagonist and what had me rooting for her all the way to the end. She’s flawed, somewhat stubborn and she hurts, but she’s always able to forgive. Grey, on the other hand, is this cute boy that can make you fall for him with just one smile. He can be so good that he’s oblivious to the evil around him, which is the main obstacle he’ll have to overcome if he’s to keep Darcy’s afection.

Lastly, I really appreciated the fact that Quinn’s story never takes over the main plot or steps in the way (there’s no need to add all that drama). If anything, the scenes when Darcy visited her brother in prision reveal a lot about her character and her ability to love unconditionally and forgive.

To sum up, I wasn’t expecting to love this book this much, but I know that I won’t think twice before I read something else by Lindsey Ouimet.

This book was like a satisfying piece of cake, there was plenty of sweet frosting found in the attraction and relationship between the main characters as well as some really great friendships and it was well balanced with a solid cake of complex family, financial, and self-image issues. It was hearty enough to make the story relatable and feel satisfying while reminding the reader of sweet first love, how great kissing can be, and how sometimes just being called Darlin’ by the right boy can say everything!

A fun read, perfect for the summer or a quick pick me up.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book was sweet and short, I liked the way the author handled Darcy's body storyline and I also liked her relationship with her brother Quinn which was complicated but sweet and supportive the problem with this book was that it was simply unmemorable there was nothing that made it especial and/or standout I also hated how the whole problem with grey not standing up for Darcy in front of his friend went, the issue was never resolved it, just simply forgotten about. overall this was a decent book but it didn't offer anything new

Book: (Not Quite) The Same Old Love Song
Author: Lindsey Ouimet
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Evernight Teen, for sending me this ARC.

So, once again, this was a book that I went into knowing nothing about. The only reason I picked this one up was because the title sounded cool and I was in the mood for a contemporary. You know what I’m talking about: a new guilty pleasure book. While this one wasn’t as strong as the most recent music book I’ve read, it was still very well done and very well written.

I really enjoyed Darcy’s character. She comes from a poor family from the rougher side of town, is being raised by a single mom, and has a brother who is a drug addict. Her family barely gets by and it takes everything that they have just to make it. Plus, Darcy also struggles with body image and her own confidence. The only thing that she thinks she is good at is music and her prized belonging is her dad’s guitar, which she is forced to pawn to help her family out. Darcy is the kind of lead that we need in contemporary. Sure, she is mature, but still acts her age. What I admire the most about her is that she will do anything for the people she cares about, even if it means giving up everything. We also get to see just how much she struggles with having a positive outlook on herself. It really isn’t until we met Grey that we get to see this change.

Grey is our led guy. He’s popular, rich, and pretty much your high school superstar. He has jerks for friends and has a history with the queen bee. Oh yeah, he wants to break into music and his dad just happens to own the pawn shop where Darcy pawns her guitar. So, he ends up playing it and this is how he and Darcy met. Like with Darcy, we get to see just how much Grey struggles. On the outside, it looks like he has it all, but once we get to know him, we see that everything is not a prefect as it seems.

Lindsey’s writing was also very engaging. Like with so many authors, she has this gift with being able to pull you in and make it next to impossible to get out. I found myself reading huge sections of this book in one sitting. The only problem that I really had with this book was the ending. It felt so rushed and left me with so many questions. I really do wish that we could have had a just a little bit more to bring it home. I don’t know if there is a second book coming out or not, but I really think there is enough here to do it.

Anway, not a bad fast read. If you like music books and want a guilty pleasure, pick this one up.

(Not Quite) The Same Old Song was an overall a quick and enjoyable read. It followed the main character, Darcy, as she balanced living a normal teenage life (i.e. crushes, the stress of applying to college, and friends) with a not so normal teenage life (i.e. a brother in jail, working insane hours to help her mom pay the bills, having to sell her stuff to make enough money). After pawning off her most beloved guitar, Darcy sees her longtime crush, who happens to be the most popular guy at school, playing it at a local showcase. She offers to give this boy, Grey, guitar lessons telling herself it was so that she could keep tabs on her old guitar, but we all know that the cute boy had something to do with it. The two quickly became best friends, which obviously turns into more. Darcy fears, however, that when they return to school, she will become nothing but a summer fling to him.
I Absolutely loved Grey's character. Even though his friends from school were actually terrible, he was so sweet and innocent. It was obvious that he cared deeply for Darcy from the very beginning. I don't think that Lindsey Ouimet could have done a better job painting the perfect boy. Don't even get me started on the rest of the band, they were all adorable. I especially loved the fact that Cam and Rielly were dating. They came from a town where their sexuality was probably questioned, so the fact that they never once hid their love for each other was beautiful.
The only real issue I had with this novel was the ending. I felt that it was rushed. The singing competition, which half of the book had been building up for, barely lasted a chapter. Then, during the epilogue, Ian and Maddie's budding flirtation was never confirmed to be anything real, we never really found out what happened to Quinn, or even the rest of the band mates. I would have really liked to see how everyone turned out since this was not just a love story between Grey and Darcy. Regardless, I still enjoyed just about every second of this book.

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
Darcy sure has a lot going on in her life. She is responsible for so much that is beyond her years. Her dad is an ass, her brother is an addict, and her mom relies on her way too much.
Grey is a typical YA boy in a band. Sweet but a little dorky. His father is a pain.
I understood Darcy’s insecurity. She is well written and realistic. I could see who she was and how she thought. She was tired of being teased about her weight and she wants her family to be alright.
The characters were all relatable and the story was a sweet one.

I found (Not Quite) The Same Old Song impossible to put down. I was captivated by the story from the beginning, it's both genre-wise and trope-wise right up my alley. I really enjoyed reading about Darcy, I thought her development as a character throughout the book was executed very well, and her connection with Grey felt natural from the start.
The writing was really good, it flowed very well. The entire story was just so sweet, and it was well paced for the most part, it picked up a bit at the end but it didn't take away too much from the overall impression I had of the book.
The only thing in this book I got beef with was how rushed the ending felt. I wished there was more, hoping it would answer more of the questions I had. I wished I had the chance to find out what the relationship between Grey and his dad was really like, what happened with Quinn in the end, the aftermath of all the performances, and so on.
But at the same time, this was a really quick read, enjoyable and despite the seriousness of some subjects, it's was so fun for me. It's YA romance pulled off really well, and it's a time well spent.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I wanted to love this book but couldn't quite get there. The first and last quarters of were the strongest, but I had to slog through the middle. I think Darcy is fairly well-developed as a protagonist, but I wanted much more from the tertiary characters (particularly Maddie and Darcy's mother). Grey is your classic YA hero: sweet, a little doofy, incredibly appealing at 17 and far less so at 27. While I felt the conflict between Grey and Darcy at the end was believable, I would have liked to see more of them figuring out their relationship back at school before it all fell apart.

I appreciated the realistic portrayal of a lower-income family, and of an average-bodied protagonist who is not consumed by self-loathing of her body. The music aspect was fun and the summer setting worked for me. Overall, while not for me, I can think of several students who would love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Evernight Teen for providing me an advanced digital copy in exchange for this review.

This book was beautiful! I loved the story and I loved the characters. Every character was super relatable, you could find a piece of yourself in each character or you could find yourself relating wholeheartedly with one character. In this book you follow Darcy, she is a badass but she finds trouble seeing that in herself. You watch her character grow through the book with her self confidence and he confidence in other people. I really enjoy this story, it was a quick read but you didn’t lose anything with that. It was whole and amazing.