Quirky indeed. Taking place over the course of a big day for Crow Valley, this book explores surprisingly dark themes, including child abuse, mistreatment of prisoners by prison guards, alcoholism, and attempted suicide, all while bringing on the oddball behaviors and interactions of small-town characters. I wasn’t completely convinced the author pulled off this balance that well, hence the 3-star rating, and I definitely think the book would benefit from both being taken down a notch or two. Then there is the uncomfortable descriptions and conversations involving the only non-white character, which could very well have been written sardonically, but just ended up leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth. It wasn’t what I expected, which was both a good and a bad thing. I’m glad to be done reading it but I also had a good time reading it overall.

I had to put it down several times, and while I'm glad I finished it because there was definitely a moral to the story (maybe several), it was really tough going for me. The entire town is completely off their rockers, and I'm not sure even a family could survive this kind of dysfunction, much less an entire town of completely dysfunction. The scary part for me is that I know way too many people who fit some of these people's descriptions and personalities AND much of the areas, food, and other things that only Canadians might know. Did it end as I expected? Not even close, but it DID fit the story and the completely quirky characters.

I enjoyed this quirky book, filled with unique characters. The entire book takes place on the day of a karaoke championship, the first one after beloved past winner Dale has tragically passed away. The narrative alternates between members of this small town, including Dale's widow and other people who were close to him. Dale is a huge presence throughout the book and he continues to influence most of the characters.

Some parts of this book made me very anxious, especially the ones with Marcel, an escaped convict. While I hoped he was harmless, it was hard to relax during his chapters and his interactions with people in the community. I also enjoyed the perspective of the visiting judge, Simon, who was a good contrast to the people of the town.

I loved the descriptions of the karaoke songs and performances, and how meaningful each song was to the people who performed them. The descriptions were so vivid, I could definitely see and hear each performance.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Back in high school I became hooked on manga and my favorite genre was called Slice of Life, tales of everyday lives being lived, no giant robots, no race against time to save the world. Just peeks behind the neighbors’ closed doors and a quiet introspective into the inner workings of a community.

While on the surface CROW VALLEY might seem like an edge-of-your-seat page turner (a prison escape! a bear on the loose!), I feel like readers going in expecting nonstop action aren’t going to be the audience for this one. Instead, it’s the readers like high school Leah who will feel right at home.

One year ago forest fires devastated the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson, a prison guard who was a karaoke legend and known throughout the community as a Good Guy. Now Crow Valley is hosting this year’s karaoke championship in Dale’s honor and it’s at the town hall where the majority of the book is set. On the other side of town is Crow Valley Correctional Centre where one inmate sees a chance at escape and takes it.

Told over the course of an evening, this novel is more about grief, forgiveness, learning to let go and live again. Roxanne never thought she would become a widow so soon and is struggling to come to terms with Dale’s absence. There was a time in Molly’s life when she was more than Mom and she desperately wants to get back to that woman. Val and Brett’s marriage has been on the rocks after an affair five years ago — Brett wants to put it all behind them while Val just wants to make it to the next day of sobriety. Marcel knows he can be the father his wasn’t and he’s eager to get back to his little girl, no longer the baby she was when he last saw her.

Yes there’s a prison lockdown and a town still picking up the pieces after being ravaged by fires. But there are also growth charts lining the walls of these homes, post-it note reminders to order signs for when the bridge’s construction project begins. It’s these mundane details that I live for and what made THE CROW VALLEY KARAOKE CHAMPIONSHIPS an absolute hit for me. This one is all about the characters rather than an action-packed plot and it’s easily a top read of the year for me.

It’s been a year since the fire that ended Dale Jepson’s death ended his chance to go to the karaoke Nationals. Crow Valley and its citizens are still trying to recover, and tonight, at the Crow Valley Karaoke Championships, they just might find a way out of their grief. Or at least, they can honor his memory by belting out their favorite karaoke song and try to win their own chance at the national competition.

Roxanne hasn’t been the same since she lost her husband. Everyone had loved Dale for his easy charm and friendliness, but since she lost him, Roxanne has been lost. She’s been carrying his ashes around in a thermos and wearing a miner’s helmet on her head. She’s been forgetful and neglectful in her job for the mayor, so she forgot to order the chairs for his daughter’s upcoming wedding, she forgot the signs to close the bridge so they can start work on it next week, and she forgot to put up a sign about the possibility of a bear in the area. And she’s here, at the karaoke competition for Dale, as one of the two judges to pick a winner. But her trouble focusing has been so bad that she forgot to bring the man himself, Dale, to the karaoke contest that’s in memoriam to him. Will she ever be able to concentrate again, or will she lose her job and possibly her mind?

Val is a prison guard at the same place Dale worked. And she’s struggling. She and her husband Brett are having problems. He slept with someone else, and she was medicating her pain with alcohol. Now she’s 40 days sober and trying desperately to make it to 41. But it’s tough. And the way the French prisoner has been flirting with her is starting to tempt her. He’s a murderer, he’s crass, and he’s all she has going for her aside from checking all the spots she once hid alcohol to see if she can find anything. And with Brett distracted by the karaoke contest, trying to honor the man who had been his best friend, she needs something to help her out.

Molly is a woman with a secret. She had four sons and runs the town’s daycare, but she is completely exhausted by motherhood. She was the reason Dale had stopped a year ago, to help her out. She’d told him her car had run out of gas as she’d tried to get around a big tree that had fallen across Main Street, so he grabbed her gas can and headed for the gas station. What happened next certainly wasn’t her fault, but the lies she told that night were. And the secret of what she’d been doing there is something she still carries with her. Tonight, at the karaoke competition, she’s ready to give her song her all. She has a beautiful, expensive, sparkly dress, and she’s been practicing. But when she forgets the lyrics, right before someone in the audience announces that there is an escaped prisoner, she wonders if it’s possible to get a second chance.

This year’s Crow Valley Karaoke Championships is a chance for everyone in the town to come together and celebrate the life of beloved citizen Dale, to let loose and sing, and to try to make it to the national championships. But when the competition gets sidelined by an escaped prisoner, a stolen truck, a bear, a child with a broken leg, a man impersonating a police officer, an angry porcupine, and a karaoke miracle or two, the people of Crow Valley have the chance to stand together and find the meaning they’ve been missing in the dark days since the last competition.

Ali Bryan’s charming story of small town people all dealing with their own emotional damage is a little bit hilarious, a little bit heartbreaking, and completely life-affirming. These characters come through for each other in sweet and surprising ways, even while they struggle to deal with their own pain. The Crow Valley Karaoke Competition tells the story of the small town we all want to live in, where everyone knows everyone else, the kids are a little out-of-control, and the adults are just doing the best they can with what they have. It’s the story of how small steps can turn out to be giant leaps toward healing, which is the kind of encouragement we all need in our lives.

Egalleys for The Crow Valley Karaoke Competition were provided by Henry Holt & Company through NetGalley, with many thanks.

The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships follows five protagonists over the course of one evening as they prepare for and attend the town of Crow Valley's annual karaoke competition. This year's competition is being held in honor of Dale Jepson, local father, husband, prison guard, and all-around good guy, who died during last year's wildfires and to whom all five characters are intimately connected. As the competition unfolds, these five protagonists grapple with issues large and small -- including a prison escape, a very important missing thermos, a dog full of porcupine quills, more than a few rambunctious children, and a bear on the loose -- as they acknowledge their brokenness and try to heal themselves and each other.

The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships is a madcap romp that quickly spirals out of control through a series of increasingly absurd and hilarious scenarios, while also providing heartfelt, poignant musings on life, death, parenthood, love, and everything in between. Ali Bryan uses her five central characters to explore several different relatable issues, life experiences, viewpoints, and responses to trauma. Her writing is alternately laugh-out-loud funny and touching -- sometimes within the same sentence -- and evokes a strong sense of place as she transports readers to one of "those" small towns, where everyone knows everyone else and all of their private business, too.

The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships is a charming, quirky novel that deals with serious topics in a heartfelt way that, despite the sometimes zany circumstances, feels relatable and real. Recommended for fans of Schitt's Creek, books by J. Ryan Stradal, and readers who enjoy ensemble storytelling and books about everyday, small town life with all its joys and dramas. Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

3.5 stars. A study in grief through karaoke. Wildfires claimed the life of Dale Jepson, all-around favorite citizen of Crow Valley. The competition is set & dedicated to Dale and the stakes are high. During the championships, where the whole town is either attending or participating, a prisoner escapes nearby Crow Valley Correctional. There's more at stake than karaoke.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Henry Colt & Co for this e-arc.*

I absolutely loved this dark comedy with its eclectic group of characters! It gave me Christopher Moore vibes—if you are a fan of his books you'll love this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

Thanks to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for this free ARC in return for my honest review.

Canadian author Ali Bryan has a real winner in her newest novel that centers on Karoak e. This book, all of which takes place on the night of the regional Karoake Championships is centered not so much on Karaoke as it is on the lives of those who are involved in this event.
The author uses this event to take us into the lives of some contestants, the judges, the town mayor, employees of the regional correctional facility and a prison break. It allows this skilled writer to examine so many different people. Their lives, and loves, challenges and disappointments, as she does not use a single narrator but rather 5 different persons to give their thoughts, hopes, dreams and problems. We even follow the escaped prisoner, who definitely appears to be bi-polar, as his escape also becomes enmeshed with so many of the people in the book. And then there is Dale, a firefighter who died one year ago, and how he casts such a huge shadow over the lives of those in Crow Valley.
When contestant Molly says to herself, "Motherhood is a con. Motherhood is a thief." You can see the anguish and unfulfilled dreams of this lady. And we get insights from and about so many different characters that we feel their pain, as well as so many dashed hopes and dreams.
Who wins and who loses? Well I am not going to give this away, but suffice it to say that you will be a winner after you finish this wonderful book. This is a 4.5**** for me! Great job, Ali!!

The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships by Ali Bryan was such a fun read! With multiple POVs, we follow five individuals that all have their own unique connections to the town of Crow Valley and each other. It is very character based as each protagonist's story unfolds during the course of one day... one very important day...the Crow Valley Karaoke Championships! This story has all the small town drama you would expect and then takes it even further. I really liked this one!

The town of Crow Valley is hosting its karaoke championship in honor of its former winner, Dale. Dale has died in a town tragedy and his wife, best friend, and co-worker are all involved in the karaoke night and still mourn him. When a prisoner escapes, kids are left unsupervised, and karaoke brings up many memories for these citizens.

This is a character-based book with a storyline (it is possible!)
The town of Crow Valley and the event are both the main characters of this book. This reminded me of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls but with less humor, more drama, less sassy dialogue, and set in Canada. I really liked this book, although at times it was a little slow and had a lot of characters to keep straight. I found that I really enjoyed it, and it was a unique premise with interesting characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review, on the suggestion from author J. Ryan Strandal.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

A great story that takes place over the course of one evening. All of the loose ends are tied up by the end- though not so tidily that they can’t be believed.

Roxanne is the assistant to the mayor of Crow Valley she is also grieving the loss of her beloved Dale who died when the gas station blew up during a wildfire the year before. She loved Dale, along with everyone else and Crow Valley the only difference is she cannot let go she still wears his headlamp, carries around the TikTacss he had when he died and keeps his ashes in the coffee canister he used to bring to work. Oh yes and she talks to it. Val is a prison guard at Crow Valley penitentiary and a recovering alcoholic who is separated from her husband Brett because he cheated on her. Her coworkers name is Norman Blanchard he’s a very kind man and an ex Olympian and when he can he tries to teach the prisoners field and track techniques to keep their mind off of the current situation. This is what he was doing with Marcel win two-year-old Malcolm decided to takeoff across the prison yard and while everyone is distracted Marcel decides to use his high jumping techniques to jump over the fence and escape prison. Molly is Malcolm‘s mom and she’s over at the crow Valley karaoke championships it is the regionals and all the locals are there along with out of towners hoping to get a spot in the national competition. It will be more sales escape that creates the chaos that ensues. Everyone at the contest will be put on lockdown but not everyone will listen Roxanne‘s beloved truck will get stolen and Kabir and Brett Will run from the police, Val will have a little dalliance With Marcel and also help him escape and so much more and while all this is happening the karaoke championships go on. I know this sounds like this may not be a great story but trust me when I say it totally is it’s funny, poignant, heartbreaking and even eye-opening a truly great read I wish I could’ve given this book a better summary because this is truly a funny book I loved it I totally connected with Molly and could feel her pain. They have so many lovable characters in this book I have never read a book by this author before but I will definitely be looking for their books in the future. I received this book from NetGalley and Henry Holtz and Company but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes I am blind and dictate my review.

The town of Crow Valley is just bonkers. Each character is quirkier than the next and they are all headed to either watch, judge, or participate in the karaoke championship. This is like the Super Bowl for Crow Valley.

I did like that the plot stayed linear despite being told multiple perspectives. There was so much going on all at the same time and this was a great way to organize the narrative.

*Thank you for the advance reader copy of this book from Henry Holt and Co and Netgalley. I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

Thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC!

I DNFed about 20% in. I just couldn’t get into the premise or connect with any of the characters. Some of the plot was confusing because the POVs switched so quickly, and some of the POVs were a bit crude.

This is story of a karaoke championship told from 5 points of view. It’s also the story of 5 grieving damaged people coming to accept their reality. This was much darker than the cover and synopsis let on. I frequently struggled to keep up with the characters so that made it harder to enjoy.

Numerous point of views in this story.
All the drama and singing occurs over the course of one day. One small town, a previous death and an escaped convict.
A lot going on, but enjoyable. 3.75 stars for me.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I read several chapters of The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships before I gave up.

I tried pushing through but the story was very confusing with too many characters. It felt disjointed to me and nothing grabbed my attention enough to want to continue.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description from Publisher:
A prison escape, a bear on the loose, botched lyrics. What more could go wrong with Crow Valley’s most anticipated night of the year?

A year after forest fires ravaged the town of Crow Valley and claimed the life of Dale Jepson—karaoke legend, local prison guard, and all-around good guy—the community hosts a high-stakes karaoke competition. But when a convicted murderer escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, residents discover there’s more on the line than local, perhaps even national, karaoke fame. 

In this darkly comedic, fast-paced ride through an unforgettable small town, five residents with intimate connections to Dale and drastically different goals for the night will collide into, conspire with, and aid one another as they scramble to make it successfully through the evening under the scrutinizing watch of neighbors. 

To the soundtrack of classics belted out with abandon, voices will crack, cars will be stolen, marriages will falter, and kids will slip away in search of trouble. And maybe, just maybe, lives will be transformed for the better.
************************
My review:
First impression? Way too many characters to keep track of. And too many things dangling and dropped for the reader to remember for later.
It came together about half way through and I stayed interested in unhappy Molly, grieving Roxanne, angry Val, stupid Brett, running Marcel, and "perfect" Kabir. The novel is touted as being humorous but really only Kabir made me laugh with his perfect everything.
In small towns everyone knows everyone and everything and Crow Valley is like that. Everyone has mistakes to make up for, dreams to chase, or promises to keep (or break). It seems like each character has all of those though, and the book doesn't have a clear purpose except to be a snapshot of this dysfunctional town.
None of the many characters were really all that likable, but they were interesting. Roxanne was the most interesting and the one who made me most sad in her constant grief over the loss of her husband Dale who was the town EVERYTHING. But also, she needed help and that was no where to be found in this dysfunctional town. Overall, I think the author was going for quirky humor but I found a lot of the novel very sad.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and He ry Holt and Co. for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.