Love Songs and Other Lies

After Virginia’s first year at college, her childhood friend Logan, an up-and-coming musician, invites her to join his new band on a nationally televised battle-of-the-bands tour. What could be more fun than spending the summer as a part of the action? Almost anything, Virginia realizes, after she discovers that one of the band members is Cam, the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart during senior year. In this tale of love lost and found again, Pennington depicts the thrill of being part of a band’s rise to stardom, while also focusing on the equally dramatic history of Virginia and Cam’s relationship. Pennington capably develops the protagonists through their alternating perspectives: readers learn, for example, that Virginia’s parents are separated and that she’s anxious about her future, and that Cam has been harboring a tragic secret. Set on beaches, stages, and tour buses, Pennington’s debut is a light road-tripping romance about redemption and the love of music. Ages 13–18. [em](Apr.) [/em]