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Published: May 29, 2011
Words: 63,151 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781458152763
Short description
There are defining moments in life when everything changes. For Dani Mays, it was the day she witnessed her brother's murder. Afterward, she bounced between her alcoholic mother and foster homes until she found a permanent place. And a reason to want to stay: Reece Tyler. He's her best friend, yet Dani wants more from him. Faced with losing Reece, Dani struggles to escape her memories.Extended description
There are defining moments in life when everything changes. For Dani Mays, it was the day she witnessed her father kill her brother. Now seventeen, she still hasn't put it behind her.After Jace's death, she bounced between her alcoholic mother and foster homes until she found a permanent place. And a reason to want to stay: Reece Tyler. He's her best friend, yet Dani wants more from him.
Faced with losing Reece, Dani struggles to define his place in her life and escape the influence the memories of her brother's death have over her choices. Even as she weaves the pieces of her heart back together, the past becomes more than a memory when a former foster brother reappears and Dani begins receiving threatening calls.
Tags
romance, love, memories, young adult, teen, teen romanceAvailable ebook reading formats
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Videos
Songbird by Angela Fristoe Book TrailerReviews
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Review by:
cottontail
on June 18, 2012 :
(no rating)
Songbird is a very compelling book. Dani struggles with the death of her beloved brother who was shot by her father; her mother turns to drinking instead of caring for her only daughter. Dani is moved from foster home to foster home until she at last is placed in a home where she's secure. Her best friend is also her true love, until a boy from her past suddenly appears. Unnusual phone calls start and unveil a disturbing secret Dani had once forgotten. She must make a hard decision about who she truly loves, the boy who's been there all along or the new arrival who's brought up the past.
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
breezywriter
on May 31, 2012 :
I had to keep reminding myself that this is a young adult book and not to be too harsh in my feelings toward it; but to me, the characters weren't always believable. The conversations often just didn't seem like ways in which teenagers (and in flashbacks even younger) would talk. That said, the story flowed fairly well even with numerous flashbacks and I was glad to see it reached a satisfying conclusion
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Heather Wilkinson
on May 19, 2012 :
(no rating)
I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to all my friends. The book was well written and depicts the life of a teenager. I am glad it ended the way it did.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
michele c'melo
on July 14, 2011 :
(no rating)
This was a beautiful story and I was thrilled that there was a happy ending after all the sadness and bitter emotions felt throughout.
i would recommend this book for teens as well as adults and I hope to see more novels from Ms. Fristoe in the future.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Renee Gunnells
on July 11, 2011 :
(no rating)
A hauntingly heartbreaking and beautifully written novel about death, loss, friendship, love and moving on. A great short read that even with its undeniable sadness, in the end, gives every reader what they love...a happy ending.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Ashley Eisen
on July 08, 2011 :
(no rating)
I really enjoyed reading this book. The main character, Dani, must reconcile her feelings about the loss of her brother, and her love of her best friend. Overall, a quick enjoyable book.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Emily Tuley
on July 07, 2011 :
The emotions in this book had me laughing one minute and crying the next, As Dani struggles to forget the past, having watched her father an abusive parent and wife beater kill her older brother and the only stability in her life. Her mother's quick descent into alcoholism as well as defending Dani's father she quickly moves through to the adoption system. Some families were good occasionally getting back to her mother but still her mother refusing to ever fully stop having self pity on the situation her life had dealt her. Dani ends up back in the system and with the family she now knows and loves as her parents the Thompsons. They support her and help her through her life like parents should.
Her best friend from the first time she came to live with her parents is secretly the love of her life and she writes songs filled from her love and pain. Reese is the one thing in life she can't live without or so she feels. But she is to scared to tell him that he's not really like a brother to her but her one love. It takes Collin a guy from her past from a bad foster home to help her realize that somethings aren't always best locked away and people aren't always what you picture or seem. That some emotions are reciprocated and that forgiveness, life, love and death all make us the person we are.
In that she gets the courage to tell Reese how she feels, To find out that he feels the same and that Colin is one of the best friends she never thought she would have. It's a captivating and heartwrenching tale with a surprise twist at the end and the happiness that everyone longs for eventually as well as the strength to not dwell in the past but live for your future.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Emily Tuley
on July 07, 2011 :
The emotions in this book had me laughing one minute and crying the next, As Dani struggles to forget the past, having watched her father an abusive parent and wife beater kill her older brother and the only stability in her life. Her mother's quick descent into alcoholism as well as defending Dani's father she quickly moves through to the adoption system. Some families were good occasionally getting back to her mother but still her mother refusing to ever fully stop having self pity on the situation her life had dealt her. Dani ends up back in the system and with the family she now knows and loves as her parents the Thompsons. They support her and help her through her life like parents should.
Her best friend from the first time she came to live with her parents is secretly the love of her life and she writes songs filled from her love and pain. Reese is the one thing in life she can't live without or so she feels. But she is to scared to tell him that he's not really like a brother to her but her one love. It takes Collin a guy from her past from a bad foster home to help her realize that somethings aren't always best locked away and people aren't always what you picture or seem. That some emotions are reciprocated and that forgiveness, life, love and death all make us the person we are.
In that she gets the courage to tell Reese how she feels, To find out that he feels the same and that Colin is one of the best friends she never thought she would have. It's a captivating and heartwrenching tale with a surprise twist at the end and the happiness that everyone longs for eventually as well as the strength to not dwell in the past but live for your future.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
njmom3
on July 06, 2011 :
I really enjoyed this young adult story. It is a very quick read. The book pulls you in with characters and the way it tells the story weaving through the present and the past. You feel for the main character and everything she has had to face in her young life - abuse, death of her brother, loss of her family, life through the foster care system, and yet more abuse. The impact her past has on her current relationships is evident, and how she works through that to overcome it comes through. The story deals with some very serious issues and yet is at the same time a love story. I look forward to reading more from this author.
*** Reviewed for Library Thing member giveaway ***
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Cathy T.
on June 27, 2011 :
This is a Reading Good Books Review.
Songbird is about 17-yer-old Dani Mays and her struggles with her past and present. She had a turbulent childhood; going from one foster home to the next, dealing (or trying not to) with an alcoholic mother and a convict father. It all started when she witnessed her own father murder Jace, her beloved brother. She was six years old. Eventually, Dani settled in with the Thompsons and led a somewhat normal life. But it was her best friend, Reece Tyler who made it all better. Reece was good-looking, popular, but he chose to be Dani’s friend nonetheless. He had been there with her always. Sort of like, another brother to take the place of the one she lost. Her future was looking bright until her past comes back to haunt her.
This is my second Young Adult book in a row. I must admit, I am still a reluctant reader. Let me tell you what I liked about it. It is well written. Easy to read, easy to understand. It is also very plot driven. Everything, from Jace’s death to Dani’s struggles with her friends melded together nicely in the end. I must say, the funeral for Jace, as told in a flashback, was very good. I teared up a little bit. It dealt with heavy emotions and situations – abuse, murder, family dysfunction – but it is balanced by happy thoughts such as love and friendship.
The thing between Reece and Dani was so cute in the beginning. I was rooting for them. Even when Colin, the new kid in school, came around, I was still hoping they would end up together. But it became old so fast. Nothing happened for the first few chapters other than Dani pining for Reece, thinking he’s cute and he’ll never go after a girl like her, all that jazz. Colin comes into the picture and Reece goes all possessive. Then it becomes this constant “will they or won’t they” among the three characters. When one gives in, the other shies away… and vice versa. It eventually got so tedious that I found myself rolling my eyes, thinking, “not again”. I felt that the book could have used less of that and still would be an effective story.
Then came the weird phone calls. That plot line, to me had so much potential. If developed earlier/better, it would have been a good B-story. But it was lost in the sea of the Reece-Dani-Colin drama that you could take that whole part out and it would not affect the ending very much.
I could see the author’s struggle between keeping the mood light and fun (with all the teen romance aspects) and inserting a bit of a suspense/thriller aspect. I just wish she took the risk of developing the darker plot point further. I could have used more of that and less filler.
Rating: 3/5.
Recommendation: Teens would like this and find that they can somewhat relate to what Dani is experiencing in high school.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Kati Lear
on June 18, 2011 :
This book is.. Ah-mazing. It kept me wondering and on the edge of my seat. The characters were amazing and I kind of hope for more of this. Its really a touching and growing tale. I wish I could think of more to say. It was quite a quick read. I loved it. And I just don't do the book justice.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)