This song will save your life

Leila Sales has quickly become one of my favorite YA authors for her very realistic characters and TSWSYL is no exception. Recommended for fans of contemporary YA, especially those with a musical flair.

Since this was in last Sunday’s New York Times book review, I thought I’d add my two cents.

In this debut novel by Leila Sales, sixteen-year-old Elise Dembowski is invisible most of the time and taunted the other times. A driven teenager, she spent the summer reading teen and fashion magazines,

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listening to gossip, learning how to dress and what to talk about, all in the hopes that come September she’d fit in, have friends. However, on the first day of school, nothing has changed, so she left early, went home and feebly attempted suicide by slitting her wrists. Sitting in the bathroom bleeding through a bandage she put on, she called a girl she wanted to be friends with, Amelia Kindl, who immediately called 911, which started a chain of events including therapy.

Fast forward seven months and Elise (still nothing has changed), who splits her time between her divorced parents’ houses, finds it hard to sleep so she sneaks out at night to walk the neighborhood. One night two girls beckon her over, thinking she was looking for the dance club, Start. Following them inside, Elise is in awe and, getting introduced to the DJ, realizes that’s something she would love to do.

I must say that This Song Will Save Your Life reminded DerbyGirlme a bit of Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, which I really liked (young misfit teen finds something she’s passionate about but is too young to pursue it without parental consent). Readers will immediately like Elise and feel her pain. They’ll also like Vicki (read the book to find out who she is). They’ll understand Elise’s desire for recognition, acceptance, friends and her inability, at times, to recognize who her friends really are. Sales is a talented writer and if this book is any indication, I can’t wait for her next book. It’s a fun story on a serious issue.

And….there’s a bonus; a playlist at the back of the book. So, now I’m off to find some CDs with songs mentioned on the playlist.

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Ok but not earth-shattering. Girl is sad, girl finds secret friends and a new passion, all is right with the world.

i really enjoyed this books. ita about a girl who is quite depressed at the start until she finds her one true passion.Leila Sales did an amazing job at portraying the depression, which i think can be hard thing to do.i loved how the story played and i enjoyed reading this book:) i would recommend

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this book.

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2.5 - 3 Stars

If not for its perfect timing, I would have given This Song Will Save Your Life two stars.

When I first began this popular book, my expectations went from the heavens, down to rock bottom. I absolutely loathed the first few chapters. I was forced to endure a narrator who was not only

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judgmental, but who seemed to be suffering from permanent PMS. High school isn't that bad, I thought. The girl is a damn drama queen.

Of course, after this line of thinking irony decided to make its very welcomed appearance into my life.

Note: Beware of hyperboles galore.

The week I was reading This Song Will Save Your Life, everything that could possibly go wrong during school, naturally, went wrong. All of a sudden my grades began to drop, I did horrible on a couple of my finals, and had to go through unnecessary drama I never thought actually existed outside of Mean Girls. And, to put frosting on the cake, a bird decided that my hand was the perfect target to relieve itself of its warm black-and-white droppings.

I'll be honest here, I'm the kind of person that is over-enthusiastic about everything. I participate way too much in class more like yell out answers, I try to cheer up people when they clearly don’t want to talk, and I’m nerdy as hell when it comes to my choice of jokes. I'm not saying I've never been criticized before because of my optimism in school, but lately, fellow peers have been projecting their hate unto me. Seeing me as the best target, those eye-rolling chicks (and guys) from this particular novel magically came to life and decided to make their way into my school. I cannot count how many times I was insulted, talked down to, and graced with the pleasure of seeing someone roll their eyes at me in the span of one week. I don’t know where these girls came from, but I assure you, I’m not exaggerating.

There were a series of other events that unfolded which I’m too lazy to recount at the moment, but the point of my autobiography story is that, somehow, This Song Will Save Your Life opened my eyes. It proved me wrong, and stomped on my pride while continually laughing at me. To an extent, it helped me through the hell that was last week. Because sometimes, you need an exaggerated story to brighten up your life.

Now to the actual review. I think what I loved most about TSWSYL is the brutally honest writing. The narrator is not exactly a happy camper, but her cynicism is what gave this novel its originality.

I enjoyed the breath of fresh air that was the romance. No, the romance the protagonist shared wasn’t transcendent or magical in any way; it was just a normal love affair, and didn't pretend to be anything more.

Initially, I did not like Elise’s attitude, as you can probably tell. She looked down upon everyone (and when I say everyone, I mean EVERY SINGLE DAMN PERSON). She was a full-fledged snob, and one of the most judgmental jerks I've met, fictionally or otherwise. She did not exactly improve as the story wore on, and while I’m not sure how or when this transformation occurred, I began to not mind her that much. Regardless, I know for a fact that she will never be a favored protagonist of mine.

That being said, there are some aspects of the novel that are not easily overlooked. During the first few chapters, she tries to commit suicide, but makes sure to distinguish her attempt from others as being more justified. The ease with which she dismissed teenage suicide was disgusting and insensitive. She generalized all suicide attempts as being petty, and portrays herself as an angel from heaven in her attempt.
”But I wouldn't ask, because that made everything seem so clichéd. Another teenage suicide attempt, another cry for attention. It’s all been done before.
Speaking of clichéd, despite my above story, I still do believe high school was stereotyped a bit extremely. Not everyone in high school is that shallow, or mindless, or immature. So far, I've met my share of some awesome people, and none of them are by any means like the characters in TSWSYL. Sure, there a few unlikable people here and there, but the whole school? Isn't that a bit too unrealistic?

Moreover, I’m still not sold on the fact that everyone in the entire school knows who Elise is and hates her with a fiery passion. People may display indifference towards her (and that’s only because of her attitude), but hate is a pretty strong word reserved for people who have actually done something noteworthy (and not in a positive way).

TSWSYL definitely is a unique contemporary, but I only think people with the utmost amount of patience and are able to swallow down Elise’s snobiness would enjoy this. If you are like me, you’ll probably find yourself banging your head on a wall from the protagonist’s narrow-mindedness.

As for any life lessons I would have gained from this book, it’s nothing much, even though I am pretty much the target audience for this book.

ALSO: Am I the only one who thought the girl on the cover was sporting a Leia hair-do?

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Elise Dembowski doesn't fit in, she isn't 'popular', she isn't 'cool' and her social life is none existent. But all that is all going to change. She decides the summer before freshman year to become someone entirely different.

But it's not that easy. Changing yourself is, if not impossible, pretty

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near impossible. A new hair cut, some nail polish, a cute top and some lipgloss, sure you may look like a new person but look just a little closer, just under the surface and you see the same girl that was there all along. A shy, socially awkward, overachieving teenager who just doesn't fit in.

After realizing that her summer was a complete bust and that no matter how hard she tries she will always be Elise Dembowski she decides she can't take it anymore. She goes home after the first day of school and tries to kill herself.

Months later she is still under the watchful eyes of her divorced parents. However neither one seems to notice when she leaves the house late at night to walk. Just walk, no destination in mind. She walks and walks until she gets tired and then she turns around and goes home to sleep.

Until one night when she stumbles across an underground club. Vicki, the lead singer of her own band and Pippa a snarky British girl both befriend Elise and instantly Elise has a purpose, a place to be, even if it's only for one night a week. She longs for those nights and life is so much better being able to look forward to spending her time there.

When Char the clubs DJ offers to let her guest DJ she throws herself into her new hobby, not only does she love it she's good at it. The crowd loves her and the music she plays.

Each time she plays a Cure song or a song by The Smiths or Bruce Springsteen she comes one step closer to realizing that the Elise Dembowski she is is just the one she is meant to be.

Not only does the music heal her it brings her new friends, a new found confidence and the self esteem she had in her all along.

Change is inevitable, you meet new people, your discover new music, you get new scars. All of that changes you, but you're still you. You're still the person you were all along. And Elise discovers that maybe, just maybe, that's enough.

I can't recommend this book enough, from the very first chapter I was hooked. To be truthful the title alone drew me in and I knew this would become an instant favorite of mine.

I have never found the words to express how much music means to me, how one song, one strum of a guitar can instantly make my day better.

There are certain bands I know will never let me down, bands that have been with me for most of my life, some people roll their eyes and just can't seem to understand why someone who is no longer a teenager still jumps up and down screaming when these bands release new songs or announce a tour. But I feel as though Leila Sales understands.

One of my favorite quotes is by Alex Gaskarth, member of All Time Low, if, like me, this song rings true in your heart then I can guarantee you that this book is for you.

“Never underestimate a girl’s love for her favorite band. Never think even for a minute, that she won’t defend them to her death. Because it’s not just the music that makes that band her favorite. It’s the guys, the gals. It’s the fans. People whom of which she has interacted with thanks to the band. That band might of saved her life, or just made her smile everyday. That band has never broke her heart and has yet to leave her. No wonder she finds such joy in her music.”

Just like the bands I keep in my heart this book now has a special place there that is all it's own.

"This Song Will Save Your Life" is for fans of music, heartbreak and rediscovering who you really are.

Until next time,
Ginge

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"I had always thought that if i did something extraordinary enough, then people would like me. But that wasn't true. You will drive away everyone by being extraordinary."

Uhh, how do I write a review about this one? I have conflicting feelings about this book. I had glimpse the MCs dark and hopeful

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thoughts at the same time. Some things was just too morbid for me but I seriously didn't regret reading about Elise.

"I didn't need to be the most exciting, beautiful, beloved girl in the world. I just needed to stop being me anymore."

Oh gawd. So this book started with Elise spending her summer vacation knowing what popular people wear, knowing what popular people like to talk about, knowing what popular people like to eat, you get the picture. In other words, she spent her summer knowing how to stop being herself. Her freshman year in high school was so crappy that she decided to make a move. She doesn't liked to be treated like that anymore so she decided to change herself. But is a change like that could really make the opinions about you change? Really, why is it important for us to make people like us?

"Because you were swept away by someone liking you."

I guess, when people like you, you became confident about yourself. But really, what do you get besides those? You just let these people control you and smother your own shine.

I learned this one because I also went through high school. I mean everybody experienced trying to fit in. How can you not relate to this?

Elise's plan for this year to be different didn't work so after the first day of school, as she walked home, she decided to kill herself thinking that this will be her revenge to those people who mistreated her.

Well, after some time, it sank in to her that she did not really want to die. All she wanted was attention so she called a girl from school and told her that she cut herself. It was really sad.

I remember my friend told me once: "Love yourself. Because if you don't love yourself enough, no one else will." I wished Elise had someone to talk to like that then maybe she would not think these things.

"Sometimes I did that, thought about suicide, though not in an active way--it was more like pulling a lucky stone out of your backpocket. It was a comforting thing to have with you, so you could rub your fingers over it, reassure yourself that it was there if you needed it."

This quote made me raised my eyebrows. I thought, wow. It is kind of sad that some people think like this. I do not consider myself a very optimistic person but just nooo this quote just gave me the chills.

What I liked about this book is that the author captured perfectly what I think is in the thoughts of many young people nowadays. The book was raw and painfully honest. A voice wanted to be heard and I heard her very well.

So, my only problem is that I know that people like this won't just go out one night and then BAM! found something life-changing to happen. People won't just suddenly found something to do like DJing and then be different. I want something real.

What I mean is I wished Elise discovered herself's worth in a much more ideal way. I don't know if what I say made sense but yeah I would like that.

The story wrapped up in a very good way in the end though and I liked that Elise has learned something valuable.

Overall, this was a very relatable book even if you had experienced this or not. Definitely worth my reading time!

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"I had always thought that if i did something extraordinary enough, then people would like me. But that wasn't true. You will drive away everyone by being extraordinary."

Uhh, how do I write a review about this one? I have conflicting feelings about this book. I had glimpse the MCs dark and hopeful

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thoughts at the same time. Some things was just too morbid for me but I seriously didn't regret reading about Elise.

"I didn't need to be the most exciting, beautiful, beloved girl in the world. I just needed to stop being me anymore."

Oh gawd. So this book started with Elise spending her summer vacation knowing what popular people wear, knowing what popular people like to talk about, knowing what popular people like to eat, you get the picture. In other words, she spent her summer knowing how to stop being herself. Her freshman year in high school was so crappy that she decided to make a move. She doesn't liked to be treated like that anymore so she decided to change herself. But is a change like that could really make the opinions about you change? Really, why is it important for us to make people like us?

"Because you were swept away by someone liking you."

I guess, when people like you, you became confident about yourself. But really, what do you get besides those? You just let these people control you and smother your own shine.

I learned this one because I also went through high school. I mean everybody experienced trying to fit in. How can you not relate to this?

Elise's plan for this year to be different didn't work so after the first day of school, as she walked home, she decided to kill herself thinking that this will be her revenge to those people who mistreated her.

Well, after some time, it sank in to her that she did not really want to die. All she wanted was attention so she called a girl from school and told her that she cut herself. It was really sad.

I remember my friend told me once: "Love yourself. Because if you don't love yourself enough, no one else will." I wished Elise had someone to talk to like that then maybe she would not think these things.

"Sometimes I did that, thought about suicide, though not in an active way--it was more like pulling a lucky stone out of your backpocket. It was a comforting thing to have with you, so you could rub your fingers over it, reassure yourself that it was there if you needed it."

This quote made me raised my eyebrows. I thought, wow. It is kind of sad that some people think like this. I do not consider myself a very optimistic person but just nooo this quote just gave me the chills.

What I liked about this book is that the author captured perfectly what I think is in the thoughts of many young people nowadays. The book was raw and painfully honest. A voice wanted to be heard and I heard her very well.

So, my only problem is that I know that people like this won't just go out one night and then BAM! found something life-changing to happen. People won't just suddenly found something to do like DJing and then be different. I want something real.

What I mean is I wished Elise discovered herself's worth in a much more ideal way. I don't know if what I say made sense but yeah I would like that.

The story wrapped up in a very good way in the end though and I liked that Elise has learned something valuable.

Overall, this was a very relatable book even if you had experienced this or not. Definitely worth my reading time!

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I'm really impressed with this story. it dealt with bullying and loneliness and trying to fit in, but it was also about hope and love. I thought it was great that the MC had a good family and good parents, even if they were more clueless than they believed themselves to be. Plus as a bonus I

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learned about djing.

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It's hard for me to talk about this book without going all out fangirl, because this book was just that good in my eyes. I personally found the main character to be so relatable, but can understand why not everyone would. For me, its the pure fact that I saw so much of my self as a teenager in

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Elise. From a young age I was always trying to make friends any way I could, and then when I got to high school I even tried reinventing myself to better suit those around me. Needless to say that never worked how I hoped it would, instead after a year I finally accepted that I wasn't like everyone else, I dressed how I wanted (on the days we didn't have to wear uniform), I listened to whatever type of music I wanted to and I never tried to change myself for others again. But more than that, when I found music it just became my life. I had friends, don't get me wrong. But music is what I turned to before I found books, I would sit at lunch time listening to it, I would read music magazines in class, I would talk about it constantly. It kept me sane.

Elise was such an endearing character for me, she was just this poor girl who despite what how she tried she never had friends, people hated her from the start. And the most upsetting thing is she really did try hard and if she didn't meet Pippa and Vicky on one of her middle of the night walks, she wouldn't have found something that not only gave her so much joy but acceptance of who she was. (and a bit of a backbone haha). Since Elise was younger she hasn't been content with just being good at something, she's wanted to be #1 , so when Char offerers to teach her how to DJ, she jumps at the opportunity to spend time with him if not anything else. DJing for her is not something else she just wants to the the best at, its something she actually want's to do for now on, and she's good at it. Not everyone is happy for her though, and she has to lie to those she loves in order to achieve what she wants, but she finally know's who she is and that makes up for it, right?

If falling in love with the main character wasn't enough how about the secondary characters, of which this book has plenty. Too often do you find that with very strong character, the author seems to slack when it comes to the others, thankfully that was not the case in this book. Everyone, even down to Elise's stepsister, are well developed and thought out. You have Vicky, she's in a band and turns out to be more like Elise than we thought. She's fiercely loyal , even when best friend Pippa is making herself look like an idiot pining over Char, someone who would never love her back. And of course we have Char, what can I say about him that hasn't already been said?. He's arrogant, envious and at times nothing but rude, but that's what makes him such a great character. It would have been so easy for Leila Sales to create this love interest that was god's gift, flawless and just seemingly perfect. But she chose to take the risk and it paid off.

One thing I loved about this book, and will always love about books that are the same, is the relationship's in the book didn't completely over power everything else. Elise done what she needed to do and moved on after. she got what she wanted from it and instead of moping around she decided to focus purely on her set's, and it was the best choice for her.

I know that no everyone likes this book, I personally though loved it from start to finish and I'm so glad because I was really worried that I wouldn't. It's one of those books that, no matter how many people review it or how much you think you know, you will not understand what everyone is talking until you pick it up yourself :)

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3.5 stars, it had many moments of brilliance, an important message, but I think the start was better than the end. I don't know. For me, there needed to be more plots, development etc.

Stayed up until midnight finishing this!

I had a terrible experience in High School. I was lonely because I didn't have friends, I never fit in, I suffered from anxiety and the only thing I really connected to was music. I also really loved reading and I was always picking up books with blurbs that promised they'd make me feel less alone

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and touch me on a really emotional level but those books never did much for me. They were always about kids who usually didn't fit in, yes, but then they'd find friends or a boyfriend/girlfriend and everything would be all cheery by the end.

This Song Will Save Your Life is honest and incredibly real. There are not quick fixes and all of the emotions and experiences Elise has were almost too real and familiar for me to keep reading at some points. THIS was the book that touched me on a really emotional level. It took me to the age of 21 but I've finally found that near perfect YA book to help me feel a little better about my experiences growing up and like someone finally didn't just try to write a book about those experiences but really GETS it and put those feelings into words in a beautiful way.

I don't know how else to praise this book. There are a lot more in depth and deeply personal reviews of this book on goodreads but all I'll say is this instantly became one of my favorite books and I know it is a story that will stick with me. If you didn't have a good high school experience, if you've felt unlikable and like you don't fit in this story is truly worth your time.

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Fans of contemporary YA fiction are seriously missing out if they haven't read any of Leila Sales' novels. This Song Will Save Your Life is the third book I've read from Sales, who is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for smart, heartfelt realistic fiction and witty, engaging main

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characters.

This Song Will Save Your Life follows Elise Dembowski, a passionate girl who flings herself wholeheartedly into life and pursues her diverse interests with a reckless abandon. Well, at least she did, until she realized that being passionate and interesting just made her an easier target - for judgement, for laughter, for bullying. Elise decides to blend by embracing anything and everything that's "in" in an effort to discourage the teasing and bullying, but, much to her disappointment, she finds even this carefully planned effort to escape loneliness isn't enough. And then, unexpectedly, everything changes. One night Elise stumbles across a secret party, where she meets people who don't know that she's the unpopular, constantly mocked Elise Dembowski. Instead, she's an interesting girl with good taste in music and a natural skill for DJing. Elise loses - and finds - herself during her clandestine nights at the secret warehouse parties, but the double life she's carefully cultivated can't last forever.

Though it's alluded to in the novel's description, I really didn't realize how much of This Song Will Save Your Life would focus on bullying and suicide, nor did I realize how much it would affect me. This book reminded me how powerful a bully can be and how senseless bullying is. I was ridiculously angry at the kids in the book that picked on Elise over the years for absolutely no reason. Not that there is ever a situation that warrants bullying, but Elise, with her passion and interesting hobbies, is awesome! And I couldn't understand how her peers couldn't see how awesome she is.

When Elise finally gives up on winning the approval of her peers, I cheered for her. It was difficult to see her try to win over people who so clearly didn't appreciate what she had to offer (friendship with an interesting, unique person!) and see the resulting low self-esteem take hold and inevitable, self-questioning of what was wrong with her (rather than what was wrong with them). I think that this aspect of the book really shone: Elise taking charge of her life, in spite of the haters, and reaffirming what she believed in and cared about, to hell with all of them!

There is a small amount of romance in This Song Will Save Your Life, but it's definitely not the focus of the story. The romance elements seemed to be included to illustrate Elise's growth and the changes in her self-worth. The true romance in this book is between Elise, the music, and the sense of pride it allows her.

I highly recommend all of Leila Sales' novels, This Song Will Save Your Life included. Not only is this a great story about overcoming bullying and finding yourself, music lovers will appreciate the mentions of fantastic bands and songs!

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This was a fast read but not as light and funny as I was expecting. Elise is someone I would have been friends with in high school.

This was a satisfying, fun YA read, about a teenage girl, lonely and on the fringes of high school life, who becomes a DJ at a local underground dance club. I think it does a good job of talking about what it's like to see oneself as an outsider.

It has some of the usual YA plot movers - some

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unrealistic things happen exactly when they need to occur in order to shift the focus in the direction the book needs to go, but nothing too major and it's easy enough to move on. ALL of the students but NONE of the administrators know about the blog? Elise doesn't get caught sneaking out until it's really important that she doesn't get caught sneaking out? Elise worries about a lot of things, but not about what will happen if she doesn't show up when she's committed to DJing at the new club night? And, she takes to things AWFULLY quickly.

My biggest issue with this, for me, is to wonder if there is really a critical mass of teenagers and young people out there NOW who are listening to the same music I listened to in high school. Because that sounds neat, but at the same time, sort of like a desperate fantasy wish-fulfillment sort of thing. It definitely makes me want to go to a good dance club, though.

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I thoroughly enjoyed the message of this book :)

I thoroughly enjoyed the message of this book :)

Elise has always felt and been treated like an outsider. Even after a summer project of working to fit in, she knows it is a sham. She contemplates suicide and cuts herself, but clearly it is a half hearted attempt. She's committed to changing herself, until she realizes that she has value the way

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she it.
Elise is a little restless and takes to sneaking out at night to go on long walks. One night she comes across an underground dance party at a pop-up club which changes everything. She meets a cool community of people. She discovers a passion for DJing. And for the first time she feels like she fits and gets to understand what friendship is.
She starts to realize how much she has going for her, even if someone is impersonating her in a fake blog that details her suicidal thoughts.
"True, things don't save the same forever...And with each of these moments you change and change again, your true self spinning, shifting position - but always at last it returns to you, like a dancer on the floor. Because throughout it all, you are still, always, you: beautiful and bruised, known and unknowable. And isn't that - just you - enough?" (274)

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Elise is 16. She is struggling. She has hurt herself in the past. She feels no one really understands her. How can she fit in? She has started to take walks at night, sneaking out of the house after her parents have fallen asleep. She just needs time to think and clear her head. One night she comes

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upon two girls and they call her over. They get her into START, a dance club in a warehouse area. Elise loves music and checks it out. This gets her into another world where she feels more comfortable and like she actually fits. She begins to guest DJ and her confidence slowly rises as she is accepted by this new crowd of people. Great story of finding who you are and what's really important. Recommend it to any youngster that is searching for themself.

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I was in a complete reading slump before I read this. I asked the hubby what to read next out of a selection of books. He told me to read This Song Will Save Your Life because of my love for music, and that it would hopefully get me back on track with reading. He was so right. This book was exactly

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what I needed.

Elise is a very realistic character. She wants to be popular, but things aren’t going the way she wants them to. She takes a drastic step to get get her noticed, except it’s not in the way she wanted. She manages to deal with the scrutiny from that decision, and although I don’t agree with the fact that she picks up lying easily, she picks up the pieces of her life. I love Vicky, she’s an amazing person, and so incredibly accepting, with no questions asked. Char is witty, but also very self-centered.

I loved everything about this book. It’s fun, witty, and deals with some serious topics. I also love how the family dynamic. Both parents are in her life, and I love that Elise has a close relationship with her siblings. The song quotes above each chapter fit with what happens within. It’s always fun to find characters that are music enthusiasts, it helps me to find “new to me” music.

All in all, I think everyone should read this.

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Elise is forced to reveal who she is and who she wants to be as she discovers her inner talent. The characters are compelling and well-developed, realistic and believable. Into music and playlists? You'll enjoy learning about becoming a DJ. An enjoyable quick read, or listen to it as an eBook from

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Axis360. YALSA Best Fiction for YA 2014.

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Stayed up late to finish this one. It reminds me of all of the many reasons I was so happy to leave high school behind. I also love that the main character was able to fall into her tribe and discover how she could make her passion something profitable that she could share with the world. It's a

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short read and is in some ways a little bit underdeveloped, but I still really liked it.

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I had a mental breakdown last week and this book was exactly what I needed to read after that