Interesting idea. Underwhelmed by the execution and evolution. None of the characters were developed enough to connect to them.

Here goes Nothing by Eamon McGrath is a credible if slightly disjointed account of life in a band on tour and how difficult / impossible that intense experience can be. I felt the story did not quite fulfill its potential and could have been expanded upon in some areas. I loved the Lisbon experiences with the surfers - but I guess this reflects the good to bad ratio when being on the road with a band.

This is a hard one to review because it's so.....unfocused, I wanted to like it- it's an interesting subject- but I found the time lines confusing and the plot somewhat lacking. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A pass from me.

This book interweaves tales of musicians on the road and a band later (oh and some surfing). Two different time lines intertwine and bring forth a magical tale.

REALLY enjoyed this book. I know musicians who have had the van life, I have always secretly wanted to go out on the road with some band. But one: I have no musical talent and two: ew stinky boys in a van... so it's never actually never worked out for me.

This was a peak behind the curtain further in a tour beyond going to a green room and drinking band's PBRs out of the band beer bucket (just one... since the merch gal really needs to respect the bands beers).

There is a bit of the story that takes you inside a perfect wave that is magnificent to read. I never was that great of a surfer to be in a curl. It's obvious the author has and put me in that wave. It was incredible.

The story moves back and forth between a couple of narratives that sometimes is a little confusing but then again, time stops and starts when you are on tour. So that fits this design of how the book is written.

I really don't want to give anything away about the intertwine but it was worth it.

Its complex for sure.

A quick easy and enjoyable read. It was a great follow up to the previous book that was less than enjoyable.

I was able to read a chapter or so each night before bed and honestly... it was a really nice escape before going to bed.

McGrath’s Here Goes Nothing, about the pitfalls of musicians on the road, had wonderful passages in it that were beautifully written, thought provoking, and vivid. However, the story itself seemed almost nonexistent and very confusing. The sections jumped through time back and forth in very jarring manner. It was hard to garner emotions for any of the characters whatsoever. I really think with such wonderful writing that this would be better either chopped down as a short story or flushed out as big epic novel spanning the two different rock tours portrayed.
Thank you to NetGalley for opportunity to review!

Great writing but I'm afraid it's not eligible for the contest I'm judging as it's not published in the U.S.

Not sure what I just read, but it wasn’t for me. Eamon McGrath’s Here Goes Nothing is promoted as a book about how the music industry changes touring and strips it of its soul. The problem is, McGrath’s depiction of the protagonist’s early touring days are already soulless—filled with fighting band mates, gleefully stealing gas, driving recklessly (and drunkenly), and so. many. drugs. The characters weren’t compelling or even sympathetic—they honestly just read as selfish, petulant teenagers without regard for how their actions could hurt others, and the plot never really went anywhere. The whole thing just felt like following a shitty band around, watching them do shitty things. 🤷🏻‍♀️ You can’t win ‘em all I guess.

Synopsis: Told in interwoven narratives that blur the lines between past and present, Here Goes Nothing explores the complex relationships that are both created and destroyed by the perpetual-motion engine that is the touring van. From confessional tales of saving friends and oneself from drowning in polluted lakes in Michigan to legendary liver-wrecking nights of excess and debauchery in Lisbon, McGrath comments on the corrupt and selfish music industry and the toll it takes on musicians as they blindly chase success. Here Goes Nothing is a gutsy story of how life on the road can bring a band together -- or tear them wildly apart. (Courtesy: ECW Press)

First things first: I love the cover. I'm one of those readers who judges a book by its cover and this one sure sucked me in. Additionally, this book is obviously written for potentially a very niche audience. I come from a background of music and my closest friends are touring musicians. I am extremely familiar with the touring life and the toll it can take on oneself.

I really loved how descriptive McGrath was. The story was so descriptive that I could mentally put myself in the scene described. Only a good book can do that. I read this book during the COVID-19 lockdown and for some moments while reading this book I was able to close my eyes and envision myself at the beach or lake, smelling the salty air and feeling the sand between my toes. It was beautiful to escape in my mind temporarily even if i was sitting bra-less in my lounge room, not having showered for three days.

Unfortunately the beautiful escape from reality is where the positive review ends. The book in a nutshell is in the first line of the synopsis. Blurred lines indeed! I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I thought it may have just been temporary and kept the faith that the book would eventually turn normal. Much to my dismay it did not and I became so frustrated to just get the book finished that it really did get me worked up. Another positive- the book is short, so you don't have to suffer for too long.

Aside from the complexity and "What the fuck is going on?" of the interwoven storylines, the most frustrating part of this book is that the character doesn't have a name. And there was plenty of opportunity for it to come up! What kind of Mum only says "Welcome Home!" instead of "Eamon!" or "Eamon!, You're Home!". C'mon. Just call him Eamon, I don't care. THEN, on top of that we go from talking to a band mate in the car in Germany to a random bar in Prague MID-CONVERSATION with a Czech man! A perfect example of the interwoven shenanigans previously mentioned.

This book had so much potential for me. I know the narrative and the background going into this unique situation and would have LOVED to read it had it been written properly. Honestly, I wouldn't be mad if it was re-written with a chronological narrative, a name for the main character (!!!), maybe touch a little more about the relationship with the girlfriend and his family, and give the character an identity that readers can empathize with. Because I know for sure that not a single one of the many many people I know in the music industry read books, so should this book be targeting a more broad audience it has failed miserably. But, like I said, it had a lot of potential. (Side Note: Eamon McGrath's music is good)

My sincerest thanks to ECW Press and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.




This review was also posted to my Instragram (@ShaeRikiReads), Goodreads, Tumblr, Twitter and Wordpress. Thank you for this opportunity.

McGrath delves on the subject of struggling and starving artists, once more in a brutally honest depiction of making ends meet and living out one's ambitions.