Play another novel about music! Thanks to excellent recent titles like Greatest Hits by Laura Bennet, Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell, Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton, my shelf of books about the rock industry is getting heavier, and I love every minute of them.

Despite the inevitable comparisons, Songs in Ursa Major doesn't follow the rock journalist format that Daisy Jones and Opal & Nev use. Instead, this is a compulsively readable novel which follows a heroine's journey from small town dreamer to accomplished, world-weary warrior queen. The linear structure feels pleasant - maybe I've just been reading a lot of timeline-jumpers - and I found the pages compulsively turning as the hours passed. Yes, I stayed up way too late to find out what happens, and you will, too.

Apparently this book owes a lot to sixties and seventies folk music icons. I confess I don't know anything about music from this period - my interest in rock begins in the eighties and skews synth pop, not folk - but that definitely didn't slow me down.

Oh, and I have to mention the lyrics! Emma Brodie managed to write haunting, heartfelt lyrics to go along with this novel, and that's almost too much talent. Goodness, Emma. They're gorgeous!

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Ever since I read Daisy Jones and the Six, I’ve been looking for similar books. One of the books I found was The Final Revival of Opal and Nev and now Songs in Ursa Major.. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review:

I have to say that initially, this book drew me in and captivated me. This book is loosely based on the relationship between real-life singer/songwriters James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, but I don’t know enough about it to tell you what’s real and what is the author’s imagination. The early 1970’s music scene on Martha’s Vineyard was well-drawn, but the character development was lacking at times. Jane’s family dynamic isn’t explained well at all and I wondered for a long time who was the mom, the aunt, the Grandma and the cousin. One minute Jane and The Breakers takes the stage, the next they’re on the road with Jesse Reid as an opening act. And just as quickly, Jesse and Jane hook up without much explanation. The sex scenes seemed like they were thrown in. I believe the chance was wasted to make me really invested in these characters.

About halfway through the book is when the plot lost me. Jane learned quickly about the pitfalls of being a woman in the early 1970’s and the misogyny of the music business at that time, and then she just goes off the rails. I found myself not caring about Jane as she doesn’t seem to care much about herself, either. I won’t rehash the plot, there are enough reviews out there that do that, but her choices left me scratching my head a lot. The story seemed to meander a bit before getting back on track. And the big reveal of Jane’s secret wasn’t that big of a deal to me.

When Jane returns to her life on the island, the story picked up for me again. The resolution of Jane’s story is not a surprise at all, based on how the book went. Ultimately, this is a coming-of-age story involving growth as a human being and as an artist, and taking a chance on having your heart broken. It also touches on mental illness and illegal drug use that was prevalent in some circles in the early 1970’s. This book was good, but I feel like it could have been so much more.

What do you get if you take a heaping serving of Daisy Jones and the Six and add a dash of The Happy Ever After Playlist? The answer is this standout debut novel from Emma Brodie inspired by the folk rock music scene of the late 1960s/1970s and the affair between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. The story opens at the Bayleen Island Folk Fest, where the headline act, rising star Jesse Reid is about to go on. But instead, local act The Breakers takes his place when Jesse crashes his motorcycle on the way to the show. The Breakers' performance, specifically their leader singer Jane Quinn, becomes the talk of the island and attracts the attention of reporters and record labels.

The story unfolds as The Breakers sign a contract to record their first album. During this summer, Jane strikes a friendship and bit of mentorship with Jesse as he recovers from his accident. We get a real sense of what the sexism of this era was like as we see the difficulties Jane experiences as she fights for the credit she is due and struggles to maintain creative control of her work. Jesse becomes her biggest advocate, inviting The Breakers to join his tour, where they finally give in to their mutual attraction. What follows is the ups-and-downs of the music industry - fame and excess, sexism/misogyny, corporate control of artistic creativity, mental health, and the heartbreak of falling in and out of love.

I tore through this book from page one - the writing and the characters drew me in. If you loved Daisy Jones and the Six, you'll fall in love with this one too! Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read this wonderful book!

This debut novel takes place in 1969-71, starting at a fictitious folk festival in Massachusetts. This was the year a lot of the soft rock singers were just getting recognized- James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell and CS&N. In fact, this book is a takeoff on the Joni Mitchell/James Taylor relationship. And I don’t mean takeoff in the sense of caricature or parody, but more in the sense of a stepping off point.
This book will appeal to those that loved Daisy Jones and the Six. It covers some of the same material - the sexism, the hardships for a female singer to stand her ground and maintain her creative integrity. It also covers how hard it is to keep the tour lifestyle going - the sheer exhaustion, the constant pressure to be “on”, both leading to a reliance on drugs to power through.
While I adored Jane and Jesse and found them well formed, I was even more pleased to see the detail allocated to secondary characters, especially Willy. His comparison to his stars as horses, just really rang true. Brodie really made me feel the work involved in putting together a record, especially one as intricate as Songs in Ursa Major (of course, the entire time, I’m overlaying Blue in my mind).
I devoured this story. I wanted to fly through the pages, but also to savor it. I will admit to being a sucker for books about the music industry, especially from this period, but this is one of the better ones. As the ending of the book states, “a time of myth, a time of beauty, a time of rock and roll.”
My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday for an advance copy of this book.

This story starts in 1969 on a small island where a folk music fest is held yearly.
Janie Quinn is a life long resident and has her own band, The Breakers. The Breakers get to fill in last moment for the main attraction after he is injured in a motorcycle accident. Jane meets the famous Jesse Reid and nothing is ever the same.
A great story of the music industry in the late 60's and early 70's from a woman's perspective.

Songs in Ursa Major was a mixed bag of emotions for me. At the heart of the story, is such a sad love story - and I found myself rooting for Jane and Jesse throughout the book. However, even when I was rooting for her, Jane was sometimes very likeable and sometimes I couldn't stand her. The best part of this book was reading about the creating and recording of all the music. I wanted to look up the songs and listen to them, oh how I wish there was an album for this book! Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for a digital arc of this title.

This was a pretty good story but had too many details about the recording of songs. I did enjoy it though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

This could be my favorite book of 2021! The story grabs you right away! Set in 1969 this book is nostalgic but relevant and makes you wish you could have experienced the world at this simpler time. A small town band, The Breakers, gets a chance to take the place of the headliner, Jesse Reid, at a local music festival. The lead singer, a beautiful blonde named Jane knows exactly what to do to win over this disappointed crowd. Not only does she make them stay, with her incredible vocals, she catches the attention of Jesse Reid's manager.
From there the band is caught in a whirlwind of making and album and going on tour as the opening act for Jesse Reid. Jane and Jesse start spending more time together and she opens up about her unconventional family. She’s lived with her grandmother, aunt and cousin Maggie since her own mother disappeared 10 years earlier. Jesse advises her on how to navigate in the interworking of the music industry.
As Jesse and Jane spend more time together they start a romance that seems to be written in the stars. While on tour Jesse starts acting suspicious until Jane finds out his shocking secret. The end of the relationship is also the end of The Breakers. They each go their separate ways but the friendship they have had for over a decade will endure.
As Jane tries to find her way on her own she finds herself once again looking to the past to find her future. She realizes her only way to move forward is to make peace with the family secret that she has always protected..

Such a fun way to start my summer reading! Set in the late '60s, early '70s the story follows a young folk rock singer's rise to stardom, complete with a complicated romance with another, more famous star on the scene, and a healthy dose of strong women and family dynamics. In the vein of Daisy Jones or Utopia Avenue, Brodie draws you in to the world of folk singer/songwriter, Janie Quinn, as she rises from her local garage band to a national tour and high profile romance. Brodie brings depth to the character, really drawing you in to her family of strong women, complicated relationship with her mother, and her own growth as an artist, particularly as she navigates being taken seriously as a woman in the industry and holding true to herself. Although there's plenty of depth to the narrative, I found this to be a fast and enjoyable read, the perfect start to summer! Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book in advance. #SongsinUrsaMajor #NetGalley

I loved this book. I sank into the story and wanted to walk along the journey with the characters. Something here for most everyone. If you love music, you'll get even another layer of depth to the story. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

I had read Daisy Jones and the Six and really liked it and hoped this would not be too similar. While it does deal with the music scene in the 1970's - it is definitely a different story and just as good. While it is a love story, it also delves into the lives of these young adults striving for fame and dealing with fame, drugs, and unsavory people in the business.

I found it very interesting and vested in the characters lives. Well written and kept my interest throughout the story.

What an amazing roller coaster ride of emotions! The story of Jane Quinn and the journey that she makes trying to find her own voice is one every person needs to read. This book addresses so many issues from mental illness to addiction that it truly speaks to all. You don’t need to be a musician to understand this book. Emma Brodie does an awesome job of explaining the details of writing and singing in a way that teaches so much to the reader. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

I though this was a terrific book. Even though it was set it the 60s, many timeless themes are woven thru: family relationships, romance, sexism, addiction & mental health. The characters were fully developed and mostly likable. I think anyone who liked the book Daisy Jones and the Six or who enjoys movies like That Thing You Do, A Star Is Born or Almost Famous will love this story.

If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six you will enjoy this book a lot. It's not quite as well written but as a debut I see great things in Ms. Brodie's future. The plot is terrific but maybe the characters could have been drawn a bit deeper for this reader. A female in the music industry back in the 60s is a wonderful concept. The opening scene of this book was one of the best I've read this year - music festival, star missing, our lead, Jane gets her chance to be seen. She is but it gets complicated. Themes of female empowerment are throughout. She does it her way, suffers because of it, but ultimately grows as a woman and a musician. If you like music you'll probably "get" this book more than I did. Some of the incredibly detailed descriptions of the songs were a bit much for me but the message that writing a song and then realizing why and what it tells you about yourself was definitely heard. (Same could be said for journaling, I guess) There's a love story and some fun travel, but also themes of mental illness and addiction. Why struggle? Because you GET to! I actually dreamed about this book and was glad to find that my ending was NOT the actual resolution. The last chapter is incredibly satisfying and not at all cheesy. I will be on the look out for the next book from this author. 4 and a half stars from me. - Mary Silva

I enjoyed this story about Jane Quinn and her experiences in the music industry of the late 1960's. I found Jane to be an interesting character and especially appreciated her sense of self and her dealing with the sexism that she encountered. Her romance with Jesse is one you find yourself rooting for and I enjoyed the post-script sharing updates for all the characters. The subplot about her mother didn't resonate for me as much but I enjoyed spending time with Jane, Jesse, the band, and the various characters as they worked to build a life that would fulfill their needs.

Reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, this gives off strong 70’s rock’n’roll vibes. Some parts move a bit slowly, but there is nice character development. It’s an escape to another time and place.

I really wanted to like this book - based on rock bands in the 60’s/70’s! Love reading about that but this one was different - I just wasn’t connecting to the characters. The main character, Janie Q, was beautiful, talented and I think she was meant to be a strong female character - but she wasn’t and felt very wishy-washy to me. I’d definitely try this author again but this one wasn’t compelling me to keep picking it back up. Even after the “twist” I’d hoped it would pick up but unfortunately it didn’t happen for me.

Having read (and loved) Daisy Jones and the Six, I was instantly drawn to the premise of Songs in Ursa Major. And while this book didn’t resonate with me as much as Daisy did, I really liked being once again transported to a life and time so far from my own. This book takes you back to the summer of 69 at the Bayleen Island Folk Fest, where local singer Jane Quinn’s chance encounter as a performer on the main stage launches her into stardom. You’ll meet Jane’s strong family of females, her band members who feel like family, and her love interest, singer Jesse Reid. It’s clear author Emma Brodie has fleshed out enough lyrics to write an album herself and I can’t help but feel like some of the songs really would be hits! As we watch Jane chase her dreams, she learns that life in the spotlight isn’t exactly how she imagined it. How far will Jane go to get all she ever wanted? And what will she do when she finds that fame won’t change her past?

This is an awesome debut by Brodie and I look forward to seeing more from her. Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

Coming of age read about a musician and her band in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Main character Jane was likeable and relatable. She's funny & fun and there are scenes that stay with you, like the photo shoot. There are some sex scenes and drug related scenes too. I think fans of Daisy Jones & The Six will also enjoy this book.