Do you know someone who was in band camp or is a musician? Or have a friend who loves to sing? These book recommendations are for those music lovers. We’ve gathered seven books that have different kinds of musically inclined protagonists. From pianists and guitarists to vocalists, these diverse recommendations are for those with a good ear for music.
Hear the melody through the pages of these stories!
1. DJ Rising by Love Maia
First, Marley is a junior high school student with a dream of being a DJ. Named after Bob Marley due to his parents’ love of reggae, music is the only way he could feel close to his late father. Marley aims to get his first professional gig when a catastrophe happens and he has to make a hard decision. Should he follow his dreams or be obligated to put his family first?
2. Solo by Kwame Alexander
Then there is Blade, who loves his guitar and making music but does not want to end up like his father. His father, a washed-up rockstar with an addiction, makes Blade’s life harder. For example, making it difficult for him to be with his girlfriend, Chapel. Blade would give anything not to be a part of the Morrisson family, but then finds a letter that could change everything.
3. Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar by Jessamyn Violet
Next is the story of Kylla Bell. She dreams of being a famous rockstar, but no one in her family supports her. Not until Ruby Sky from Kylla’s favorite band, Glitter Tears, hears her perform. She asks Kylla to join her band, but she has to drop out of high school and move to Los Angeles. It only gets harder for our protagonist as she goes through rigorous training at this “rockstar boot camp” and deals with growing feelings for Ruby.
4. Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey
Eden Sands hits a plateau in her career. She is newly divorced with a flopped album, and even her tour is not sold out. Her PR team recommends a collaboration to give her career a boost. Eden Moss has always looked up to Eden, so to perform by her side at the Grammy’s is a dream come true. These two stars begin to burn with their feelings for each other as they share a stage.
5. The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman
A child prodigy by age three, Prudence Childs realizes she was exploited for her talents. She survived and made a living writing commercial jingles, but the work drained her of her creativity. Now, bored to death at forty-eight, she takes on a piano contest. Her ex-husband uses this opportunity to blackmail her. Alexei, another child prodigy forced into the music world with no life outside of it, is her rival. But as they face off, they realize they have a lot in common and so work on re-writing their ending together.
6. Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Byrant
Delilah is an aloof and introverted protagonist who ends up singing for her friend’s punk band as a favor. Her love interest is this nerdy, Dungeons and Dragons D&D Master who writes passionately about the game. They have nothing in common, but when they keep meeting again and again, they slowly discover that they are falling for one another.
7. It Sounds Like This by Anna Meriano
Lastly, we have Yasmin Trevino, a sophomore in high school. She outshines her BFF Sofia by mastering marching band and making it to the first chair in the flute section. But when she reports a gossip on Instagram that was harassing band members, she accidentally ends up with the entire brass section having to sit on the sidelines. Yasmin has to step up to the plate in order to save the marching band and pick up the tuba. She has to lead a bunch of newbie freshmen. As the gossip on Instagram starts to destroy her friendship with Sofia, Yasmin gets help from section leader Bloom. A sweet and introverted ace and aro-spectrum guy who might turn things around.
There are so many books out there with a song in their hearts, ready to be read and heard. Let these great reads inspire you or your friends to audition for that solo, apply to Julliard, or even make your Sound Cloud. Stories like these remind us that when we work hard, our dreams can come true.
For more music-related reads, check these articles out!