Toot's Book Reviews: Spotlight, Review, Guest Post & Giveaway: Grenade Bouquets (Runaway Train #2) by Lee Matthew Goldberg

Book Blurb & Info

I had stars in my eyes and I couldn’t see around them…

The year is 1995 and my parents have finally allowed me to take the summer to tour in a VW van across the country with my boyfriend Evan and our band. Yes, my dream to be a singer became reality. Even with Clarissa, Evan’s jealous ex-girlfriend, as the lead singer, it’s my presence on stage that led us to a major record deal. There are moments you’ll always remember in life, but I can’t imagine anything more cool than hearing your song on the radio for the first time.

But being a Rockstar isn’t as easy as it sounds. Using alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms, nothing but tension surrounded me, hurting my still blossoming relationship, and continued grieving over my sister’s death.

A love letter to the nineties and a journey of a girl becoming a woman, Grenade Bouquets charts the rollercoaster ride of a band primed to explode on the scene, as long as they keep from actually exploding.

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Toot's Review by Betty Bee

“During the band’s first few songs, I’ve got my Sports Walkman on with the mixtape I’d left in the van’s cassette player. Instead of listening to “Violet”, which I’m about to tear the crap out of on stage, I’m playing Veruca Salt’s “Seether” over and over to amp me up. I’m a fireball of pure and beautiful rage with Clarissa as my bullseye. She doesn’t even know what she’s in for.”

A story that is both magnetic and enthralling, Lee Matthew Goldberg's second book in his 'Runaway Train' series is called 'Grenade Bouquets,' and the story is just as explosive as the title.

As with the first book in the series, 'Bouquets' follows the character Nico, who is now seventeen and still emotionally recovering from the death of her sister a year earlier. Of course, being seventeen, she is dealing with a lot of emotional issues as well. Not only is her best friend, Winter, hanging out with a new girl who seems to be taking up more of her time, but Nico's romantic relationship is facing difficulties as well.

All of this would be fairly normal for a teenager, except for the fact that it is taking place in a very abnormal environment. See, Nico is the back up singer in a band, the Grenade Bouquets, and Clarissa, the lead singer is the former girlfriend of Nico's current boyfriend, Evan. Forced proximity to Clarissa on a multi-state tour obviously causes problems for the couple, particularly when Nico begins to attract the attention of record producers. As Nico starts to take center stage in the band, Clarissa's jealously burns even brighter and she attempts to sabotage not only the younger girl's romance, but her place in the band, too.

A stunner of a Young Adult story and a nostalgic call back to the 90's, 'Grenade Bouquets' is a five-star book!

Author Guest Post

NICO’S TOP TEN GRUNGE SONGS

I’m Nico Sullivan, and as the lead singer of the band Grenade Bouquets, I’ve earned the right to create my own top ten list of the best grunge songs. So, here we go.

1) Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana

This is everyone’s favorite but for a good reason. It was really the birth of the grunge movement. We had all been listening to boring pop songs for too long and then Nirvana came out of nowhere to shake up our world. A classic and always will be.

2) Violet – Hole

If Kurt Cobain is the king of grunge, then Courtney Love and her band Hole is the queen. This song is angry, and loud, and shredding. It’s perfect. And special to me because it was the first song I covered at a show that got attention from record executives. So, thanks Courtney Love.

3) Today – Smashing Pumpkins

“Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known.” What a powerful message. If you’re feeling down and had a shitty time, today could be the greatest day you’ve ever known and uplift your spirits. This song reminds me of Pismo Beach and surfing.

4) Silent All These Years – Tori Amos

I got a soft spot for Tori Amos because this was the first song I actually sang at an Open Mic in front of a crowd. Before that it had only been my shower, but it made me realize I didn’t have to be silent anymore.

5) Runaway Train – Soul Asylum

I ran away from home and felt like a runaway train after my sister Kristen died. So, I really relate to this show and anyone who feels like they need to escape where they are from.

6) Fade Into You – Mazzy Star

Just a beautifully haunting song. Hope Sandoval has such an amazing, soft and moody voice. I could play this one on repeat for ever and ever.

7) Hunger Strike – Temple of the Dog

Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder both on one track. Sign me up please. This one builds slowly before the chorus just kills. “I don’t mind stealing bread from the mouths of decadence.” So true!

8) Daughter – Pearl Jam

I love Pearl Jam and this track from their second album Vs. is probably my favorite. Also, I have a pretty rocky relationship with my own parents, so I don’t always feel like the ideal daughter. This lets me know I’m not alone.

9) Stargazer – Mother Love Bone

Mother Love Bone isn’t as well-known as some of these other tracks, so you can wear your cool card if you know this song.

10) The Sign – Ace of Base

Okay, not a grunge song, but my band and I do a grungy cover and you’d never know it was sung by a Swedish Pop band. “I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes.” This song was dedicated to my sister Kristen and for that I will always love it.

Author Info

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of seven novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR, currently in development as a film off his original script, and the YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, Hypertext, If My Book, Past Ten, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others.

His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.

Website: http://www.leematthewgoldberg.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeeMatthewG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leemgol
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leematthewgoldberg/

~Giveaway~

This giveaway is for 3 print or eBook copies, 1 each per winner. Print is open to the U.S. only, eBook is open worldwide. This giveaway ends on September 25, 2021,midnight pacific time.

~To Enter~

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