Book Review for Songs in Ursa Major
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A very impressive and enjoyable debut. Songs in Ursa Major tells the story of Jane Quinn, an up-and-coming musician during the late 60s and early 70s. There's a large cast of characters here, notably Jesse Reid, who fills the role of "James Taylor" to Jane's "Joni Mitchell".

Jane is complex character and it's easy to see that the author was inspired by Mitchell while writing this book. If you look at articles written about Joni Mitchell during the beginning of her career (Rolling Stone called her "Old Lady of the Year" in 1971, the same year her groundbreaking album Blue was released), you'll see the struggles that female musicians had to overcome in order to be taken seriously. Emma Brodie has written a well researched and very readable book that realistically portrays the music scene of the iconic 60s and 70s.

An emotional coming of age read about a musician and her band in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The main character Jane was likeable and relatable. I really enjoyed the story. I think fans of Daisy Jones & The Six will also enjoy this book.

Songs in Ursa Major was an enjoyable read harkening back to the 60s and 70s where great music, hippies, drugs, and the hope for opportunity was alive. Set in a small East Coast island town, where everyone knows each other and tourism temporarily expands the population each year, the book takes the reader on a journey through music and the lives of those who helped us enjoy life just a little more during that turbulent time. Although other reviewers have pointed out that this novel is loosely based on the affair of James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, I for one wasn’t familiar with the affair to begin with so it had no bearing on where I stood as a reader.
I love the passion of Jane Quinn and the torment within her. The novel take us through her journey and ultimately describes how music helped lead her toward healing. We see strength as well as weakness and a determination to achieve what she wants out of life. The book touches on mental health issues, which is always a positive for me as an educator since I see students each year who struggle with issues and the stigma that surrounds them. There were a couple of times in the book that I felt it lagged just a little, but this did not become a detriment to its enjoyment.
Thank you Net Galley for the arc. I predict that this book and the author will become an enjoyable read for many. I look forward to seeing what else Emma Brodie will have for us in the future.

It's believable. Anything can happen in the music industry when one is reaching for the stars.

The talented Jane is introduced to a crowd at the annual Island Folk Festival in the late 60s when the one everyone is waiting for, Jesse Reid, doesn't show up. The person that they are eager to see has been replaced by an unknown folk singer. She gets on stage, opens her mouth to sing and then there's an unexpected "wow" response all around. It's so powerful that this day starts Jane's career with her band, The Breakers, going on tour.

The story has an expected order of how things work: girl meets handsome star - Jesse - who makes her a success, brings her love and then there's a mix of complications. Jesse says, "Just making an album doesn't guarantee it will be a success."

From the beginning, the story had my full attention. Then with the addition of characters - musicians, producers, family members, fans, press and other lovers - I had to concentrate more. The author inserted lyrics for parts of the songs which was an added plus. Then mental health and addiction issues gave it an extra twist. "Reality isn't always reality."

My thanks to Emma Brodie, Knopf Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy to be released on June 22, 2021.

I had heard such complementary things about this book among booksellers, so was excited when Netgalley offered me the opportunity to read it early! This book is rich in music, with characters that are as complex and delicately nuanced as any you might find in historical fiction. Here's a cheer for an authentic portrayal of romance, and an obviously well researched look at an important period in American history. This book is incredibly propulsive, and as the characters are so relatable, I blew through this in a day because I just couldn't bear to put it down. Songs in Ursa Major is a surprisingly insightful look at just what we hold most dear, and what we are willing to sacrifice for love, money or fame. This book also shines a fierce light on how the answers to those questions are different for women, most always through no fault of their own. This is a great read for summer, a perfect choice for the beach or for any time you just want to escape back to the 60's when the rules were different, living seemed easy and it was all about the music.

Wow! I’m not sure where to begin! I was engrossed from the first page. I was swept along by the story, yes, but more so by the wonderful, rich characters! These are by far some of the strongest, most well-developed female characters that I’ve read in a long time. The struggles, early success, failure and redemption. Themes of mental illness and addiction are handled masterfully, tenderly and with unflinching honesty. A wonderful novel! A must read for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six or Cake. I highly recommend Songs in Ursa Major, by Emma Brodie.

I received this ARC with the promise of a review. I loved this book! The author, Emma Brodie, in this debut novel, has created an historical gem revolving around the amazing pop music culture of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. The characters are reminiscent of true legends during that time. I simply could not put down this book - I became obsessed with the next great part of this unforgettable story! I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys a relationship of a lifetime - tempered by an everlasting friendship.

I loved this novel - it's the perfect book to escape in. The book is set in the late 60's, and inspired by the relationship between Joni Mitchell and James Taylor.
I was lucky enough to receive a free advance copy of this novel (thank you!) and I can't wait for this to be out so I can recommend it to everybody!

I didn’t love it and didn’t hate it. I enjoyed it while reading but nothing stood out to me as a memorable book. I recommend for a quick easy read!

I was interested in the plot but, unfortunately, the story wasn't supported by the writing. There were far too many characters thrown out at the exact same time, and none of them had a voice distinctive enough for me to keep any of them straight. Jane's personality seemed to be "You know Joni Mitchell, so just imagine that." Three stars because it was fine enough if you breezed through it quickly enough, but there's nothing to indicate I'll remember this book in a week.

This book was sent to me by Metgalley on Kindle for review. Other than the language it is a fun read. Not sure all of it is historically correct about that time period. I grew up during that time, and I hesitate referring to the period as historical fiction. Try it.

I had high hopes for this book - I thought the title was great and the cover pleasing. Unfortunately, , it really didn’t
appeal to me. Not every book is a good fit for every reader, and I found this to be not a good fit for me.

I loved this book! I read it in a single Sunday as the story swept me up into the world of 70s music and so much more. The writing was beautiful and kept me turning pages, the characters feel like friends I want to spend more time with, and (as other reviewers have mentioned) I wish there was a soundtrack in which these lyrics became actual songs. SONGS IN URSA MAJOR is a triumph, and I will be telling everyone I can that this is a book they don’t want to miss. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a debut! I devoured it in a day! This was the story of Jane Quinn, a musician in the late 60s/early 70s. It is the story of the ups and downs of her relationships with her family, band and fellow musicians. All of these relationships were so well written and beautifully complex. I really felt I was immersed in Jane’s world. It even ended with an update of how the characters lives years later. I cannot recommend this book enough! Looking forward to the next books from this author!

Ngl I couldn't stop reading this book!

Jane, the main character, was for me a mix between Joni Mitchell and Taylor Swift and just had so many layers, I wanted to be her friend.

The plot gave me everything I wanted out of a 70s Rock 'n' Roll love story, the "big twist" just was a bit foreseeable. Tbh I was in way too deep to let that bother me.

I dare say, I liked this more than Daisy Jones and The Six and I want a soundtrack for this book, PLEASE!

The diversity rep in this one included mental health and lgbtq and was done well I thought. Especially mental health issues still have a huge stigma and I loved to see this as a theme in here.

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie is a great historical fiction novel that takes the reader back into the heart of the late 60s/early 70s music scene and kept me interested from beginning to end.

My favorite genre of music is undeniably the decades of 1960s and 1970s, specifically rock, classic rock, and folk music. I love the art, the depth, the talent, the rawness, the lyrics, the passion, the earnest, and the aura surrounding its conception and delivery. This book took me to these loves and wrapped wholeheartedly.

I loved this fascinating and smooth journey, and felt as if I was right there hearing it all live and for the first time. Loosely based on the relationship between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, this book was just wonderful and truly enthralling.

This hit a home run for me. If you like the folk music scene, and 60-70s era historical fiction, then this book is for you.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Knopf Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon. Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

I found this to be an entertaining novel, but was distracted by historical inaccuracies (City Winery in Chicago (or anywhere) did not exist until 2008 - not during the late '60s folk era; bath salts became a designer drug at about the same time, again, not the late '60s, and more). TAhe story line was engaging, but somewhat predictable. I enjoyed the wrap up news article which closed the plot points and jumped forward 50 or so years.