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.

I didn't know what to expect and hadn't read any reviews before I started this book, but it was immediately obvious to me that this was based on Joni Mitchell and James Taylor. It was a really fun romp for me, especially trying to figure out who the other characters were. I guessed Carly Simon, but I totally didn't get that Fang was Jagger! I'm not sure if this would appeal to people who aren't interested in the 1970s folk music scene, but I'm definitely going to get it for my dad, who adores Joni Mitchell. He's also a musician, so all the technical details about writing, performing, recording, and producing music will mean a lot more to him than they did to me. I skimmed those parts.

I did quite a bit of delving into historical details as I read. It was fun to compare Rolling Stones' review of Blue to the fictitious review of Ursa Major. And many of the venues Quinn plays are real and still around. The way women were treated by labels was certainly true to life, as was the way labels own and control musicians. Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" comes to mind.

The first thing I did when I finished this book is listen to Blue all the way through. Truly a masterpiece. If you are a fan, or love the 1970s music scene, by all means, pick up this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, who let me read this for free in exchange for an honest review.

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.