An absolutely mesmerizing, gorgeously written, heartbreakingly beautiful story set in the world of 90s-00s pop music and told through the eyes of pop star hopeful, Amber Young. From the discovery to the auditions, from the scandal to the triumph, the novel shows all sides of Amber's journey and is frank about the early and oversexualization that these girls face. Everything they do is scrutinized, they're judged for their music, their clothes, their existence! Yet Amber can't imagine being anywhere else - singing is what she loves.

In a book where the Amber's hypersexuality is never far from her mind (or the reader's), the true female friendship made me want to cry. Gwen and Amber are there for one another, ready with encouragement, advice, and love, even in a world where they're in direct competition for survival. Having that support, surviving its tests, gave Amber the confidence to grow and progress from a - not necessarily naive, but definitely young - girl, to a more surefooted artist who knows what she wants from her music and has the determination to go after it.

I devoured this debut novel and truly cannot wait to see what Isabel Banta does next!

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.