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jmertz's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
I picked this one while waiting for Stranger Things season 4 part 2 to drop because I desperately needed vines like Eddie and Chrissy’s meet up in the woods. This book definitely delivered that one the beginning. It didn’t end as I thought but I really enjoyed how real the relationship was, especially with two teens navigating first love. This is definitely YA in the way they acted and spoke. It was a fun read.
brittaniethekid's review
4.0
This book was just as amazing as I expected. It's the story of a boy who listens to heavy metal but still has all the hopes, fears, and dream of any other teenage boy. This kid has heart and uses it to express his love for Slayer, Children of Bodom, Satyricon and any other black metal act you can think of.
This book is great for fan of these bands because you can really relate to the character and what he thinks about his music and his life. It's great to read a book that looks at the normalcy of this type of person's life, where so many books give "metalheads" a negative feel.
This book is great for fan of these bands because you can really relate to the character and what he thinks about his music and his life. It's great to read a book that looks at the normalcy of this type of person's life, where so many books give "metalheads" a negative feel.
williamsdebbied's review
3.0
Sam is a metalhead with a sensitive soul and a passion for heavy metal music. When he starts dating Melissa, a prep, he is not sure that he is good enough for her and tries to change in order to "deserve" her. Sam gets advice from his friends, his older brother, and an ex-girlfriend after he blows up in front of Melissa's friends. Sam then has to decide what is truly best for him--being himself, or being the person Melissa wants him to be.
This unlikely love story contains mature language and sexual situations and will be best suited to high-school readers.
This unlikely love story contains mature language and sexual situations and will be best suited to high-school readers.
caroline_carnivorous's review
5.0
I usually don't review books I haven't recently read, but this books kind of means a lot to me, so I'll make an exception.
I was around 13 or 14, where I found this in a bookstore in the Philippines (I'm actually there now, and I am now almost 19, and I even remember which shelf I found it in in the store!), assuming it was some kind of non-fiction guide book, and I think I bought it right away without even caring.
So it was about a young boy who loves music, who falls in love with a girl. I could relate to him a lot, and I enjoyed the story - And I would read it again and again for years to come.
I like Krovatin's writing style, a little autobiographical, and the little play, stop, rewind buttons to indicate when events occured in Sam's life.
This books also got my young mind into the very music I love today! I was particularly excited to read about the Norwegian bands Sam explained to his girlfriend, the very genre I love the most today.
I'm also going to tattoo something similar to the cover art, maybe even within the next two weeks, while I'm still in the Philippines!
I was around 13 or 14, where I found this in a bookstore in the Philippines (I'm actually there now, and I am now almost 19, and I even remember which shelf I found it in in the store!), assuming it was some kind of non-fiction guide book, and I think I bought it right away without even caring.
So it was about a young boy who loves music, who falls in love with a girl. I could relate to him a lot, and I enjoyed the story - And I would read it again and again for years to come.
I like Krovatin's writing style, a little autobiographical, and the little play, stop, rewind buttons to indicate when events occured in Sam's life.
This books also got my young mind into the very music I love today! I was particularly excited to read about the Norwegian bands Sam explained to his girlfriend, the very genre I love the most today.
I'm also going to tattoo something similar to the cover art, maybe even within the next two weeks, while I'm still in the Philippines!
claystarfire's review
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
ladymcclellan's review
5.0
Although I'm not that much into heavy / death metal like Christopher Krovatin (and with him the protagonist) is, I did enjoy all the musical references in the book and even picked up a couple of songs for my IPod collection.
What I picked up for my life was the essence of this book. Don't let someone change you into something you're not, even if / because you love this person that much. Growing and changing with each other is good, forcing someone to adapt is not. There is and will always be differences between people, which are what make relationships interesting and worthwhile. But it can happen, like it did in the book, that the differences are too big and the expectations of a person don't meet reality. It could have ended really cheesy (Melissa and Sam find a way to unite the two different worlds they love and life happily ever after) but I’m so GLAD it didn’t end that way, because love stories rarely do.
All the characters feel like they indeed could be real, which enabled me to sympathise / suffer / cringe and laugh with Sam and his friends. Luckily I read this book at home because I repeatedly shouted at Sam or Melissa and had to put the book down to cool down a bit. Usually, I don’t really get that involved with a book but because Christopher Krovatin is able to capture the feeling of being a teenager that well, it was impossible not to get all worked up while reading. The fact that he let the book be narrated by a.) a male and b.) a metal head makes it a really unique and interesting love story. It is really refreshing to read the male side to this whole love business for once and is a huge advantage for the author who can relate the most to people like him.
I would give this book a 4.5 but as I can only give full stars it gets half a star more which it does actually already deserve for the rant against hipsters and the very cool play / pause / stop / rewind etc. icons that add to illustrate Sam's huge dependence on music.
What I picked up for my life was the essence of this book. Don't let someone change you into something you're not, even if / because you love this person that much. Growing and changing with each other is good, forcing someone to adapt is not. There is and will always be differences between people, which are what make relationships interesting and worthwhile. But it can happen, like it did in the book, that the differences are too big and the expectations of a person don't meet reality. It could have ended really cheesy (Melissa and Sam find a way to unite the two different worlds they love and life happily ever after) but I’m so GLAD it didn’t end that way, because love stories rarely do.
All the characters feel like they indeed could be real, which enabled me to sympathise / suffer / cringe and laugh with Sam and his friends. Luckily I read this book at home because I repeatedly shouted at Sam or Melissa and had to put the book down to cool down a bit. Usually, I don’t really get that involved with a book but because Christopher Krovatin is able to capture the feeling of being a teenager that well, it was impossible not to get all worked up while reading. The fact that he let the book be narrated by a.) a male and b.) a metal head makes it a really unique and interesting love story. It is really refreshing to read the male side to this whole love business for once and is a huge advantage for the author who can relate the most to people like him.
I would give this book a 4.5 but as I can only give full stars it gets half a star more which it does actually already deserve for the rant against hipsters and the very cool play / pause / stop / rewind etc. icons that add to illustrate Sam's huge dependence on music.
rovertoak's review
4.0
The most authoritative teen-lit book incorporating metal and fiction into one curse-ridden, angst-and-booze-fueled rocky ride through first romance. \\m//
veeforverytired's review
5.0
Aside from all the senseless profanity and illicit activities, this was a very enjoyable read. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Sam was the most relatable character and besides Iriish, he was my favorite. I found myself yelling at him to get a clue and leave Melissa out to dry. Allin all, I recommend Heavy Metal and You tp any metal fans or just high schoolers in general
brightside878's review
3.0
(3.5) Melissa was annoying :P And how they kept on calling eachother "dear" was wierd, I mean I just don't see teen couples saying that to eachother :P I'm not much of a metalhead but I did recognize all the bands so thats cool :)
Loved seeing Green Day mentioned with "One for the razorbacks," in fact, I'm going to listen to it right now :)
Loved seeing Green Day mentioned with "One for the razorbacks," in fact, I'm going to listen to it right now :)