Unfortunately, for my older books requested I was unable to review probably. They were never read, not because they weren't great, but because I ended up sick. I am just now getting back into the swing of thinks. Thank you, Netgalley.

Light-hearted and a simple read but with lots of emotion and passion. This book will be sure to excite you and take you to music heaven.

Such a sweet and easy read that encompasses all the nostalgia that it Big right now. At the heart though is a wonderful character you invest in, right from the start.

I was intrigued by this book, but in the end, I don't think I ever got what it was actually about...or maybe it just wasn't about what I thought it was about, or what I wanted it to be about.

Ivy is a girl who has lost her mom. She emotionally connects with a band that her mom really liked and wanted for the band to get back together. But then it never really circled back to her mom. Although the loss of her mother in her life destroyed the family, she didn't seem concerned with finding her mom, just getting the band back together.

There were several efforts to raise money that fell short and then a new character swooped in at the end that made the efforts to fundraise, meaningless. I wasn't sure how this new character fit into the story or how the immediate solving of the problems they struggled through for the majority of the book, helped Ivy grow as a character.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but was left with more questions than answers.

This is a story for teen readers and some adults will also enjoy the story. 16 year old Ivy lives with her dad and has only 1 true friend, Matt. They both love music and Ivy in particular loves a group called Chasing Eveline. This band was her mother's favorite and mom left the family two years ago to find herself. This is a story of how Ivy, with Matt's help gets the band back together for a charity concert hoping her mother will show up. I liked the story but I prefer a more structured ending that completes the story without so many loose ends. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a cute little book with likeable characters and excellent writing. I feel like the story will really resonate with young adults (I am not so young, so I couldn't always relate). Even my middle aged self really enjoyed it.

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the majority of the friendships and relationships. The writing was also beautiful!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars. Overall a cute story. Likeable characters. Ivy was truly focused on getting her goal of earning enough money to Ireland to see Chasing Eveline. Matt and Sean were great side characters. I wish there was a little more interaction with her dad but it was needed for the story. I felt for Ivy on getting a lil lost in life when it came to her mother. That cannot be easy on any child. I also know the pain of being scared about your Dad in that situation. I wish Matt would have grown a bit more or there was more of a story with the Charlotte obsession. I also wish one more chapter at the end of realization with Ivy at the end. Maybe her having a conversation with her Dad about everything. But overall a good read.

It has been a while since I read a book in the young adult section and this was a good example of a well written one. The evocative style of the author's narration is probably the highlight of the entire tale. The words are meant to make you hear your favourite music or at the least see colours. 

The story is of two slightly annoying but sad almost adults ( they are not yet eighteen and still in school but on the brink of making decisions with regards to college) who are bonded by their love of an old Irish rock band and the fact that they are effectively misfits. The most crazed ideas are put forth into action by the two, each with a single goal in mind, to reunite the band. Both are nursing a heartache of different proportions. Each of these plans do not go the way they think it would and sense prevails at some point. I teared up a couple of times towards the end. The emotions of our leading lady Ivy continuously change over the course of her learning curve in this book and I liked the fact that things did not unrealistically just go their way but at the same time, there was a way to make peace with their reality. 

During the reading of the book, I felt engrossed in their life and considered it an almost five-star read. On contemplation after, as I write this, I can see things that should have bothered me then. This I think is a complement to the writing itself!

This book was really sweet. A story of hijinks and adventure as a couple of best friends try to raise money to go see their favourite band live, based on a story of grief and loss as Ivy continues to try to get over her mother leaving. It was mostly a fairly light hearted novel, but it had a depth to it that is always great in this kind of story.

I loved a lot of things about this book. The band felt real and lifelike, especially the nostalgia-like feel of it. Two teenagers obsessed with a band who broke up before they were born and lamenting over the rest of their peers not wanting to listen to anything made before the 1990s is something that is easy to relate too if you've ever had the feeling of liking something that no one else is into. There was also a whole load of Gilmore Girls references, which always makes a book awesome in my opinion.

The thing I loved most though was the friendship between Ivy and Matt. It's so great to see a male and female friendship in a book. One that is completely uncomplicated by love (aside from Matt's incessant whining about his ex). In fact when love does turn up on the horizon for Ivy, Matt is so encouraging and sweet about it all. It's something you rarely see in YA books even though this kind of friendship exists so much in real life.

The ending was perfect for me as well. It was a very good blend of realism and a satisfying ending. Some people may have been disappointed, but this was definitely a good book for me.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Ivy is a teenager dealing with the aftermath of life after her mother leaves the family. She does so through becoming absorbed in her mother's favorite band, Chasing Eveline. Though at times Ivy is a little too desperate, even childish in a way, I related to her even as an adult. I get what it's like to be totally taken by a band, and to find truth in the music. The plot was good and steady, if a little juvenile at times, but in the end, it's a story of growth and friendship. It's learning how to live after tragedy, and the healing power of music.

I loved the simplicity of this story. Ivy has been through a lot. Her mum walked out and her dad has health problems. She wants to go to Ireland to see her mums favourite band. This group mean a lot to Ivy and her friend Matt. I really liked the straightforward uncomplicated writing style. I like how Ivy's fears and vulnerabilities come across. This is a book that I did not want to end.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book is really cute. No, all of it isn't very realistic. But sometimes it's nice to have fantasy in life. I appreciate the way that Leslie Hauser manages to show both the tight grasp we can have on the past but the bittersweet release of letting go and finding new passions in the present and future.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked that this didn't go the way I expected. This wasn't what I expected to read when I picked up the book, and even as I was going, the plot seemed to move in a clear direction, but then it went somewhere else. It was unpredictable, and I really enjoyed that about it!

I LOVED the music element in this book! It is very much a completely different style of music than to what I would listen to, but I just love people being passionate about music regardless of what it is. I love how much she loved them, if that makes sense.

I also loved the references to 80s films, many of which I have seen. Whenever Back To The Future was mentioned, I smiled so wide!!

Ivy did a lot of dumb things though. I liked her character, she just didn't have a lot of wisdom or common sense. I just don't know how she thought any of her ridiculous ideas would work, and I was constantly cringing at her optimism. I was still entertained by her antics though.

Matt was a good character, I think that he was the perfect balance of everything, and I have nothing to say about him other than that he is great!

What I wanted more of was Jason & Sean. I feel like if a dog is going to be in a story, they should play a role (I also believe that there should be a dog in every story...) But Jason was still really great!

I LOVED Sean's character, I kept waiting and waiting for him to play a bigger role, but his character role kind of just fizzled out. I loved him, but I needed more.

The ending also felt a bit incomplete. It just kind of ended and I didn't really feel as though it was all resolved, which isn't a style I am a fan of.

Overall though, I really liked this book.

This is an young adult contemporary about a sixteen-year-old girl named Ivy who tries holding onto the memory of her mother, who abandoned her, through the band her mother loved. Ivy is obsessed with 1980s culture - movies, songs, etc. - because they're all things her mother shared with her. Ivy is particularly obsessed with a band called Chasing Eveline, who her mom adored and who have been long broken up. Ivy hopes that with some persistence, she can get them to reunite and play a show for her. The story unfolds as Ivy and her friend Matt try convincing other students at their school to like Chasing Eveline and try travelling to Ireland to meet the broken-up band.

First of all, it may make me shallow but I LOVED the book's cover. The bright colours and gorgeous design made me super excited to read the book. And I really enjoyed the story's premise. I could feel for Ivy's grief over her lost mother and understand her attempts to keep some part of her mother with her. And who doesn't love some 80s nostalgia?

That said, Ivy, beyond her grief and relationship with her father, was not super likeable. She was sometimes mean to her only friend for no reason and despite being sixteen, her narration read as much younger. Sometimes I honestly forgot she was in high school because of how immature she acted and sounded, and the mention of colleges jarred me back. Also, the way she and Matt went about trying to get money to go to Ireland left a really sour taste in my mouth - it seemed so childish and manipulative. How come neither of them ever think of getting a job to raise the money honestly? Matt is also a stalker of his ex-girlfriend, the latter of whom is characterized terribly simply for dumping him and moving onto several other boyfriends since. But Matt knowing exactly where his ex is at any given moment, and staring at her non-stop, is perfectly fine. Yikes. And the story's ending was just underwhelming. I honestly don't believe Ivy's behaviour will suddenly change with the revelation she gains.

Overall, I think it's a fun contemporary if you like some 80s nostalgia, and a story of a girl struggling to let go of the past to live in the present, but it's not without its flaws.

On the surface this is a story about a girl named Ivy and her friends who are obsessed with getting their favorite band to play. However once to start reading you realize theres more to this story. First of all Ivy is amazing, she's strong and determined. Her life is a bit of a mess after her mother leaves but she's desperately trying to keep what's left of her family together. Chasing Eveline is a charming story about family, friendship and having the strength to keep going.

Just loved the beautiful book.However, I was really disappointed in the ending. Chasing Eveline performing live turns out to be not as great as Ivy imagines after all. It's kind of similar to the scene where Hazel meets Peter Van Houten and he crushes her dreams. I felt so sorry for Ivy. She travels all the way to Ireland just to watch a performance she doesn't really enjoy. She totally does not deserve that :(

Maybe I've just read too many contemporary books lately or maybe I just didn't connect with this book as much as I thought I would. I feel like I have read more enjoyable similar books to this recently so this left me underwhelmed. This can be enjoyable and if it sounds interesting to you give it a go.

Chasing Eveline by Leslie Hauser is a young adult contemporary read that is full of emotion and heart. Sixteen year old Ivy Higgins wasn’t even born in the 80s but she holds onto so much from that decade to remind her of her mother who left Ivy and her father a couple of years before. Ivy is especially obsessed with her mother’s favorite 80s band Chasing Eveline.

After Ivy’s mother left Ivy withdrew from her friends and she and her father both struggle to cope with her departure. One night however Ivy hears some loud music outside her home in their quiet neighborhood. Curiosity gets the better of Ivy so she goes to investigate and finds Matt serenading Ivy’s neighbor in a scene right out of Say Anything…. the problem, it’s the wrong song!! To save this strange boy from embarrassment Ivy stops his serenade and explains the problem and the two become instant friends from their love of the 80s and both battling loss in their lives.

Even with Matt in her life and a father that adores her Ivy still is not ready to give up the memory of her mother and struggles between anger and regret. One day Ivy comes up with the idea that if she can just get her mother’s favorite band back together then she might run into her mom at one of their shows. Ivy enlists Matt’s help in doing anything and everything the two can to raise money and recruit the band in Ivy’s grand plan.

Seeing the synopsis of Chasing Eveline I really couldn’t resist picking up this wonderful little gem. From the cover to the plot this one just screams read me to someone who is a fan of the 80s references and music in general and imagine my surprise when beginning to read that the cherry on top of it all was this is set in my state. Ivy was such a fun and likable character too, a bit of an outsider with her friend Matt she’s naive but oh so hopeful, a born dreamer. The story is full of ups and downs for Ivy as she tries to execute her crazy schemes that you can’t help but feel for her and root her on. Great little story that I’d recommend to all the YA contemporary readers.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Quick Cut: A teen girl attempts to hold onto the memory of her mother through a long broken up band named Chasing Eveline. She attempts to get the band's fanbase going again in an attempt to get a reunion tour going. Chaos ensues when things do not go as planned.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Pen Name Publishing for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I picked this book up, the story I thought it would be definitely turned out to be something else entirely. While it seems like everyone else who has read this book loves the story and all of its characters, I had the opposite reaction. In fact, the farther in I read the more horrified I became.

Ivy Higgins has a quirky way of life. She isn't into the typical pop music that everyone else listens to and her references are firmly placed in the 80s culture. All of this is very much influenced by her mom, who up and left her family two years ago - leaving Ivy and her father behind. Their family hasn't been the same since with shells of holidays and awkward dinners when accidental memories of her mother get brought up. Ivy can't move on until she's dealt with the past tragedy of her mother disappearing. She decides to hatch a plan where she gets their favorite band Chasing Eveline back together for a reunion tour, in the hopes of locating her once again.

This isn't done alone though. Ivy does most of the reunion plotting work with her friend Matt - who is hopelessly obsessed with his ex-girlfriend Charlotte. The two of them continue to do one thing after the next to try and bring the band back into style and absolutely faceplant until one of Ivy's letters to the band brings her success. The band agrees to play one more show if she's ever in Ireland.

The story itself is cute, but the problem I have is the behaviors throughout this book from both Ivy and Matt. Its disturbing just how obsessive, manipulative, and destructive they can be not only for their own mental health - but also for healthy relationships. Ivy makes it crystal clear that she's willing to do anything and sacrifice anyone to get that band back together and see them. The only exception to the rule is her father here, which provides the opportunity for a wakeup call but is never properly utilized. Matt is a low level stalker for his ex Charlotte by knowing where she is and when to the point where even Ivy points out that she doesn't want to know how he knows Charlotte's whereabouts. Its creepy, frightening, and absolutely not the type of behavior that should be outlined in the book. By the end the whole story, Ivy and Matt's behavior ends up being justified as a way of moving on with their lives when it should have been pointed out as an inappropriate way to deal with a personal tragedy.

With too many mental health issues to count, you should skip this book and its very questionable behaviors - no matter how cute the core story itself is.