The Lightning Bottles by Marisa Stapley

 

Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock ‘n’ roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she’s perhaps the most hated—and least understood—woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart—even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted the Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, then around the world.

But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band’s meteoric rise to fame came crashing down, the public hatred of Jane has taken on new levels, and all she wants to do is retreat. What she doesn’t anticipate is the bombshell that awaits her at her new home in the German countryside: the sullen teenaged girl next door—a Lightning Bottles superfan—who claims to have proof that not only is Elijah alive, he’s also been leaving secret messages for Jane. And they need to find him right away. Simon & Schuster

I heard about The Lightning Bottles from one of my favorite booktokers, Lovie, and immediately went to go check it out of the library and I am so happy I did.  I know “I couldn’t put it down” is a cliché but it was so true for The Lightning Bottles.  I love books that are focused on the music industry and creating music.  While I don’t play any instruments like my many talented family members, I do love to sing and had the time of my life singing on stage with my cousin’s band this past summer.  It was incredible to just put all our creative energy together and create moments of pure joy.  The Lightning Bottles immerses you in this creative joy and shows the epic highs and lows of the music industry as well as examining the constant extra scrutiny put upon successful women.  Like the protagonist Jayne, I have been misunderstood and labeled the “b-word” just by standing up for myself.   I also loved the 90s grunge music setting, it was the sound of my high school years and immediately filled me with nostalgia.  The Lightning Bottles isn’t just a love letter to music but a love letter to true love and found family.  It was so many things contained in 294 pages of perfection.