okay, maybe it’s my own fault for going into this book with expectations - but sadly those expectations were not met.

i just did not connect with a single character, and i felt like the book really dragged in a lot of places. i was really expecting to be swept away into another world full of parties and celebrities and musicians.
the title and the cover drew me in, and once i read the synopsis i was sold.
i tend to really enjoy coming of age novels - especially centered around something like this but idk. it just wasn’t doing it for me.
i definitely say give it a chance if you like daisy jones and the six, or similar novels but it just fell short for me!

Thank you so much to the publisher for giving me the chance to read the ARC of this debut novel, Groupies.

I LOVE stories about famous people, even more so if it's set in a different time period, so this book was right up my alley. The author writes very crisply, so it was a breezy read and easy reading is definitely hard writing, so props to her. The premise of this novel -- following the "groupies" of famous fictional rock band -- was really cool. I didn't end up loving it as much as I hoped, mostly due to the characters. I'm a SUPER character driven reader and so if I don't connect to or believe the characters, books can fall flat to me and I'm sad that kind of happened here to me. The characters in this book felt like "characters" to me, not "people," if that makes sense? I found they seemed juvenile, as though they were all teenagers, or even at times caricatures of what famous people are. I never understood anyone's motivations, especially Faun's.

Some of the things they'd say, including even tertiary characters in scenes, just didn't feel realistic. It was most noticeable with the main character, Faun, who I get was supposed to be someone lost in the shadow of her best friend, but I don't think her characterization was very complex or subtle, Just "she did everything Jose (her best friend" did, said, felt whatever Josie felt" and that wasn't enough for me. I finished the book and I still couldn't describe her personality. The book almost felt like it could've been told from a 3rd person omni. narrator focusing on the band and groupies, rather than in Josie's head, and have a similar effect.

But even the band didn't seem real. One of the crucial things in these stories is me believing in the famous people, feeling their "presence." I felt like Daisy Jones & the Six were real, same for the famous pair in MARY JANE. Here, I didn't. Even one of the groupies, Kitty, felt very shallow and though I understood the author was trying to highlight her immaturity since she's so young (16), she read as WAY younger than 16 to me.

The "twist" at the last third of the book was interesting, but again I wasn't super invested since I couldn't get on board with the characters. Despite my criticisms, I didn't have a bad reading experience and I look forward to seeing what the author puts out next.

I was pretty nervous going into this one due to all of the mixed reviews. Being such a huge fan of Daisy Jones and The Six, I knew that I would regret it if I didn't take the chance. Well, let me just say this is NOTHING like Daisy Jones, but it does have similar vibes to Almost Famous. This book was extremely sad and too long. It really dragged for the first half and became agonizingly repetitive. I almost DNFed it multiple times. If I had to read about one more stupid thing that one of these stupid, insecure girls decided to do, I was going to scream. With that being said, I came to the realization that this is how "groupies" act. Doing anything for the band members that they worship just to feel appreciated and loved and wanted. Add in drugs and alcohol and they have themselves a surreal cult-like existence. I'm happy to say that around the 58% mark, the drama came alive and I greedily devoured the pages until the end. Even though I had my ups and downs reading this novel, I do have to say that it was beautifully written and Sarah Priscus did an amazing job portraying the raw mental anguish that one would experience as a groupie. I definitely recommend this if you can stomach the monotony of stupid decisions and the hard truth that women were expendable during this era of the 70s.

Thank you to the author, William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me free access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, how amazing is this cover? Totally caught my eye right away. When I skimmed through the synopsis, it gave me Almost Famous vibes (one of my favorite movies) and I knew I had to read it. While the premise was fantastic, the end product, for me at least, left a bit to be desired. If we’re comparing books set in the same era: Whereas Daisy Jones and The Six was all about strong female characters, this was the complete opposite. Every single character in this book was completely unlikable, and no one more unlikable than the protagonist, Faun. It just made it really hard to root for anyone or care. There’s a serious turn of events in the last third of the book that was a welcome surprise but even that couldn’t redeem the book for me. The writing felt a bit inauthentic and too implausible. I also felt the dialogue didn’t flow very naturally. Great concept, but overall not for me. I’ve seen a lot of raving reviews on goodreads for this so I might be in the minority.

You’re just like all the other girls.” “Maybe I am,” I said, thinking of Darlene’s fearlessness and Kitty’s brashness and Yvonne’s confidence and Josie’s shine, and continued, “And if I’m not, I want to be. I know you think that’s a crime.”

“Groupies” is the story of a group of girls that turn into Holiday Sun’s groupies narrated by the photography loving Faun.

This story had so much potential (Daisy Jones mixed with Coyote Ugly was what I was hoping for) but it just fell short. Parts of it dragged on and frankly Faun was the worst.

Love the cover and the concept and would love to read a version of this that’s executed differently.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc.

GROUPIES has the perfect vibe for this tale of a friendship between Faun and Josie as they make their messy way though coming of age in the 70’s rock music heyday. Heavy with nostalgia for that era but also carefully excavating its underbelly, Priscus beautifully captures the era's dualities of sex and drug-fueled devotion with dreamy untetheredness.

I loved how this book turns the spotlight away from the band and puts it on the women who threw themselves into this chaotic, gritty/glam life. I also loved how Faun, while one of the groupies, is also an emerging artist documenting the band through her photography. She is a wholly drawn character who is struggling with dark emotions and needs, and her dynamics with Josie, equally well realized on the page, as believable as they are provocative and page-turning--with a solid plot and an ending that nails it. An amazing debut that people will be talking about for a long time!

Faun Novak's mother has died, she drops out of college, packs her bags, and runs off to LA to stay with her former high school best friend Josie. Josie is not a cool California girl, with a small-time modeling career and a boyfriend in a popular band called Holiday Sun. Faun becomes involved with the band and the groupies that hang with them as she pursues trying to be a Rock Photographer.

There is so much to love about Groupies ( the book, not the girls, however, they are not bad either ). I loved the feeling of the sun-washed 70s vibe, the living in California with perpetual summer. This book has been compared to Daisy Jane and The Six, but don't expect it to be, it is different, this centers around the people around a band, not the band itself as Daisy does.

Sarah Priscus has written a gripping ad fun debut novel that proves she is well on her way to becoming a writer that can keep the reader entertained with her beautiful prose.

There were a lot of characters in this book, and that is the only thing I had a problem with. It was hard for me to keep some of them straight, however, someone else may not have that problem and enjoy each of their places in the story.

This is the book you will want to grab when it hits the shelves on July 12, shove it in your beach bag and head out to catch some sun. It is dreamy, has the most perfect ending, and will have you wishing for a time when you could have been part of the glittery music scene of LA.

Whiskey a-go-go anyone?

Faun never set out to be a groupie. She’s more interested in becoming a serious photographer. But when she moves in with her high school best friend Josie, she’s sucked into the music scene and her life is forever changed.

I enjoyed how fast-paced this book was. I was pretty intrigued to see the lives of the groupies and I found myself rooting for them.

Groupies by Sarah Priscus is Daisy Jones & The Six meets Almost Famous wish it’s own dark twists. Groupies shows not just the glamorous side to hanging out with your favorite rock stars in the 70s, but also the the dark side that wasn’t always portrayed in the media. I really enjoyed this book, and I found that the story felt very authentic. Sometimes books about fictional musicians and books with this kind of premise feel very forced, but I did not get that at all out of this book. I think the author did a great job at telling the story and developing each of the characters that were introduced in the novel. Overall, I would recommend this book, and I would be interested in reading other work from this author in the future.

Groupies follows Fawn Novak as she joins her friend Josie out in LA in the late 70s. Josie is dating the lead member of the band Holiday Sun and so Josie brings Fawn into the life of a groupie. I wanted to read this one because I loved The Final Revival of Opal and Nev and Daisy Jones and the Six but I just did not connect to this book in the same way. I loved that the book focused on the friendship between Josie and Fawn and it was a great depiction of the 1970s music scene. It did pick up for me towards the end with the twist.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Let's be real, are there ever enough books about sex, drugs, and rock n roll? This area of pop culture seems to have a grip on us and it's not going away any time soon. Groupies takes a unique angle on the subject, focusing on, well...groupies! The girls that are band-adjacent. Not-quite-famous, but always there in the background, hyping up the band and accompanying them to shows, parties, and all kinds of trouble.

Faun never set out to become a groupie. She's more interested in becoming a serious photographer. But when she moves in with her high school best friend Josie, she's sucked into the 70's music scene and her life is changed forever.

I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and the story will suck you right in. You'll find yourself rooting for each groupie, all complex and interesting in their own ways. If you loved Daisy Jones and the Six, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, or Malibu Rising, you'll love this one, too!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I have always enjoyed books set in this era, and Groupies delivers in spades. The writing painted a great picture of what I imagine 1970's Los Angeles would look and feel like. When it comes to the plot, the interpersonal conflict and drama kept me hooked and reading page after page, eager to find out what happens next.. The writing really captures the complexity of human nature where no person is perfect or completely irredeemable. You can completely understand character's actions while still disagreeing with them, which I can be rather difficult to pull off. In essence, my takeaway from reading Groupies was that nothing is ever really as it seems, and people aren't so simple to understand.

Sigh.

This one was just ho-hum. So-so. Fine.

The main character is incredibly unlikeable and, frankly, stupid. She’s an absolute trash friend and all around dumpster fire of a human.

I thought the story was fine, although very far fetched and out of touch. So many scenarios, reactions, and behaviors that just would never happen. They felt inauthentic and disingenuous. I just didn’t believe any of what or to whom it was happening.

Compulsively readable from the very first sentence, GROUPIES is a debut that stings just as much as it sparkles. Priscus is a phenomenal writer, able to balance prose and plot with characters who are heartbreakingly real. I can't wait to read whatever she writes next.

3.5 stars rounded up.
I’m not sure I like the comparison to Daisy Jones. I dont feel like that’s quite right. Groupies is a good story or friendship and what it’s like to be a groupie in the 70’s
However, I’m not a fan of the actual writing. It did not have a smooth flow. It took a bit to get used to. Once I was accustomed to the writing style of the author it wasn’t as difficult to read, but that took time.

4 stars for the story
3 stars for the writing.

I've always been attracted to books in which the characters reinvent themselves (something I've always wanted the courage to do). But we forget that reinvention is not always a good thing. Faun hops on a bus, takes her last remaining inheritance, and decides to get as close as she can to the rock scene in 1970s California.

For fans of the musical aspect of the book, pair with Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Get lost in the world of 1970s rock n’ roll with this debut novel that tells the gritty, raw, and emotional tale of balancing the need to grow up too soon with the desire to remain youthful. Groupies is a love letter to California dreamers and music junkies alike.

Faun and Josie, childhood best friends who embarked on different paths after graduation, reconnect in their early twenties when Faun is desperate for connection following her mother’s sudden death. Falling into old patterns, Josie takes Faun under her wing and introduces her to the chaotic inner circle of backstage music and fame. Desperate to be noticed and make a name for herself as a photographer, Faun becomes Holiday Sun’s newest groupie, where she justifies questionable actions to feel noticed. With no curfew and no rules (except to love the band), Faun begins a downward spiral fueled by jealousy and a sense of belonging.

Reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, Groupies might be an ode to music and band culture, but it is also an exploration of friendship and a reminder of what it feels like to be young and carefree. This book reminds the audience about the consequences that arise from sacrificing personal values to fit others’ expectations. Throughout the book, Faun alludes to an upcoming catastrophic event and just when I thought I had it figured out, Priscus shattered my predictions with a twist. This is a must read for anyone hoping to be enamored by a story that is powerful enough to remind us to dream.

I am completely blown away by Sarah Priscus’ debut novel Groupies, a book which follows a wannabe photographer Faun as she joins her best friend Josie, who is now dating the front man of the band Holiday Sun, on one crazy ride through the late 70’s music scene as one of the band’s fan girls. You are likely to hear this book being compared to Daisy Jones and the Six, but whereas Daisy Jones shown a spotlight on a band’s actual members, Groupies, naturally, gives its attention to a band’s female followers in all their sex-crazed, drug-fueled glory. Titillating, exploitative, and nostalgic, Groupies will definitely be on the minds of readers and the tips of their tongues for a long time to come.

Groupies is told from the POV of Faun Novak, a novice Polaroid photographer back when instant film was all the rage. She joins her best friend Josie in California after the death of her mother, and is surprised to learn that Josie is in a relationship with Cal Holiday, the lead singer of the band Holiday Sun. Josie invites Faun backstage after a Holiday Sun show, and before she knows it, Faun is one of the groupies and the band’s unofficial photographer, capturing all of their intoxicatingly exhilarating behind the scenes moments on film. Over one heady, euphoric year, Faun becomes ingrained in the lives of the band and its groupies until she cannot tell where they end and she begins. However, all the glitters is not gold, and like Icarus, a dazed and dazzled Faun soon finds herself flying too close to the sun, sure to be burnt.

At its heart, Groupies is a story of friendship and loyalty with Faun and Josie in the starring roles. Josie is an American sweetheart, a girl that everyone loves and wants to be. Faun, who is used to living in Josie’s shadow, struggles with feelings of jealousy and resentment as she grapples to prove her worth alongside her effervescent best friend. Her envy and feelings of inadequacy often push Faun to behave in ways that are uncouth and traitorous, and readers will find that she is quite an unlikeable character … but a necessary one, as it is she who pushes this story to the shocking limit and spurs an explosive twist that you won’t see coming.

Always in the background of Faun and Josie’s story is Holiday Sun and its groupies. Priscus captures the 70’s music scene perfectly, bringing to life a noxious, glittering world where anything and everything goes. The groupies are a tribe of lost girls, selling their hearts and souls for what feels good in the moment, belonging to everyone and no one all at the same time. Swept up in a world that doesn’t require them to think or care, the groupies flit from one moment to the next, never realizing that when you dance with the devil you are his to claim.

Priscus’ Groupies is chaotic, mesmerizing, and well-worth your time. While you may be led to believe that this novel is all sex, drugs, and rock and roll, rest assured that it is not. My heartstrings were completely wrapped up in this story, and I devoured it with bated breath awaiting its ultimate outcome. It is depraved and glorious all at the same time, but also eye-opening and memorable. Sure to be enjoyed by readers of provocative musical novels or evocative books from the 70s, Groupies comes highly recommend.

I recently read (and loved) Daisy Jones and the Six and Songs in Ursa Major. Groupies tells the story of 70s rock like those books but in a new light. Such a thrill and fun book to read!

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Sarah Priscus for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! Groupies follows Faun Novak as she travels to Los Angeles to live with her best friend. She becomes involved with the rock ‘n’ roll scene, as her friend is dating the lead singer of a popular rock band, and becomes fascinated with the groupies that follow them.

I picked up this novel because of the comparisons to Daisy Jones and the Six and The Girls and, while it is similar, it’s hard for me to review because something about it seemed… off to me. It’s a wonderful debut novel and contained some beautiful prose and gripping stories about LA in the 70’s, but there was something about the story that kept me from connecting to it completely. I think this may be because there are a lot of characters introduced quickly and it was hard to care for them because I easily got them mixed up. I also thought some of the writing was a bit weird or tedious at times, but there were also some stunning quotes I highlighted throughout.

However, despite my small problems with the first 70% or so, the ending was fantastic and helped sell the story for me. I didn’t expect the plot twist, but that made me love it even more.

My favorite movie is Almost Famous and this book definitely reminded me a lot of that, especially with Josie and Cal. I also related a lot to Faun with her insecurities and ambition to prove herself. It’s a good coming-of-age novel that shows that everything isn’t always as perfect as it seems. I feel like my problems with the story could be a complete personal issue and I do recommend this book to fans of the 70’s, Almost Famous, and/or beautiful writing.

3.5 stars