It was hard for me to get into, and I think that had everything to do with the changing POV that was essentially the same person? Objectively, this was a pretty good book, and I can see where people would enjoy it, but subjectively it was not for me! Four stars because I know if that I was really into musical type books, I would have really loved it.

This is very much a character driven story that will tug at your heart strings.

Character driven stories can be great if you like the main character and Cynthia is easy to connect with. You feel like you’re truly there, by her side as she grows throughout this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the published for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I have given Cynthia Starts a Band by Olivia Swindler four out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An incredible debut novel!

Cynthia was a great protagonist and a very likeable character, which made me empathise a lot more with Cynthia because of what she had to deal with when she was Eleanor and in her old band.

This book switched between first and third narratives at times which I found confusing. Although I thought it was interesting splitting the chapters between Eleanor who explains the past and Cynthia who is experiencing her new life in Seattle. As you get to connect more with the main character and empathise with the situations she’s either been in or currently in.

I thought the author did a great job with this book and left you feeling empowered and hopeful for any situation that might arise. It was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of Olivia Swindler’s books in the future.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The beginning wasn't what I was expecting and the change in voice (first to third person) started a touch confusing, but as the story went on you can't help but connect with Eleanor/Cynthia. Her journey to heal after a trauma and discover who she truly is as a person is empowering. A sweet, lovely read!

An empowering and refreshing debut, the story of a young woman's journey to find herself and the things she truly loves.

This was an easy, and classic feel good read. I really enjoyed Swindler's protagonist, Eleanor/Cynthia and the story was easy to follow. By liking the main character I empathised with her for what she had to endure, particularly because no one was in her corner.

This story brings an entirely new definition to being part of a band. You will laugh, you will feel angry with and for Eleanor, you will want friends like Jess and Kristy, and you will not regret reading this debut novel by the talented Olivia Swindler.

In addition to an expansion on Eleanor’s new life as Cynthia, I do wish there was more buildup to the conclusion, or a different conclusion… or maybe even an epilogue? The story’s end came too quickly for my taste. In the end, though, I think this is a solid story about a woman who takes the necessary measures to break herself out of a toxic situation and find herself.

Eleanor is a singer in a famous band who is pressured by into a relationship she doesn't want and decides to disappear. She takes off, changes her name, and moves in with her cousin, not telling anyone where she is. But Cynthia can't keep away from the stage and everyone is looking for Eleanor. This was...good, but I didn't really like reading the abusive relationship stuff. I mean, Art is awful, he is supposed to be, but I still didn't really enjoy reading about him. In the end, it was a decent book, though really I think my favorite thing was the terrific author photo at the end! 3 stars.

I picked this book up because it seemed like it would be a light hearted, quick read (and also because the cover is gorgeous).

The main plot incorporates many interesting subjects, like Eleanor exploring her identity outside of the spotlight in which she grew up in, the complicated music industry and how harsh it is on women, and the way many times people in the industry abuse their power. Eleanor is generally a likeable main character, and I think the concept of the book has a lot of potential.

Ultimately, I do think the book needs to be more fleshed out. The changing POV from third person to first person felt kind of jarring, and overall even if I liked Eleanor I didn't feel any real connection with her. However, it is important to keep in mind that it's a debut, so it's only normal that there is room for improvement.

I had loads of fun reading this.

The writing is easy to consume. Eleanor/Cynthia is a great heroine you root for. But the really selling point for me was the formatting. I really liked how Swindler went about showing the past and present by using different person perspective. I think it really highlight the difference between who she was (Eleanor) and who she was becoming (Cynthia).

Some bits were a bit hammy, but nothing to put me off from my enjoyment.

A sweet, short novel about a woman who realizes she's in an abusive relationship--several of them, in fact--and leaves. That she's a rock superstar makes her leaving dramatic, but in a nice twist on the celebrity runaway trope, she really does want something different, and makes smart decisions along the way. A great vacation read, and also a good book club read, as there is a lot to discuss about selfhood, trauma, and recovery here.

This book sounded so interesting but the plot fell so flat for me that I wasn’t even able to finish it. I wanted to like it so bad but I couldn’t force myself to unfortunately.

This is not a Teen/YA book. It's the story of a domestic abuse survivor rediscovering her passion for music. Told in alternating POV between 1st person "Cynthia," the name the protagonist is claiming for her alias, and 3rd person"Eleanor," the actual character and members of her band in flashback, it's not the most exciting way to build plot and, to be honest, I almost DNF the whole thing.

Cynthia Starts a Band tells the story of country band star Eleanor, as she flees her seemingly perfect life to break out on her own.

I enjoyed the detailing of celebrity life, however Eleanor/Cynthia's escape from her famous life did require a lot of suspension of belief. However, it was still an exciting road to go down and explore, as we root for Eleanor/Cynthia to find herself and regain her power.

This book has a lot of potential -- I think it could have benefited from a little more time in edits. Some transitions are abrupt and an overall flow is sometimes lacking. However, Swindler has a lot of potential as an author and this is a book I still encourage readers to check out, especially if you have an interest in celebrity culture.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an early release copy of this book.

Such a fun story for anyone who enjoys the "behind the scenes" of the music world! It is reminiscent of all our favorite stars doing "wild and crazy" things when fame gets to be too much, the good news is Eleanor just changes her name, leaves her band, basically in the middle for a concert, trashes her phone to go live with her cousin.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to share it with my patrons!

An engaging story about breaking free, finding yourself and taking back control. I only wished the characters besides Eleanor were a bit more fleshed out.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book but it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

Still, the book has a good message and I liked the characters. My favorite thing though was the general idea of the book. While I felt that the execution was lacking, the original idea is both fun and interesting.

The part that made me a little disappointed was the writing style. While the wording was fine, I felt like I was being told a story - not like I was actually there. This made it difficult to become emotionally invested with the story and the characters.

I wish the story was told chronologically too, instead of the alternating timeline. The characters, as I said, were actually quite interesting but unfortunately I felt like I didn’t see their full potential sun CD I was being told about them - not actually listening and seeing what they were doing or saying.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and I always like to encourage you to read books regardless of my reviews. It’ll be published soon which is super exciting!

Review on Instagram @kitsbookcorner

This is a really well written book. The depiction of the abuse Elanor faces may be triggering to some readers but is handled in thoughtful way that feels honest to the character. Her character is also really well written and it was cool seeing her try to settle into a more normal life away from the stage. The characters are all well written and it was chilling to read the passages from the perspective of her abuser. All around this is a compelling book that is hard to put down.

The message of the book is an important one to share. But I feel as though it could have been done in a better way.

I found the change between the current action and the "before" action a bit jarring. In the book, the present time is told in the first person, whereas the history is told in the third person with multiple points of view. This switch in pronouns and POV makes the story feel a bit cluttered.

Cynthia Starts a Band was an unexpected treat. It definitely wasn't the book I was expecting, but I can't say that I was disappointed. Instead, this book delivers a heartfelt, emotional story about Eleanor Quinn's escape from her life and how she discovers who she truly is.

On the surface, Eleanor Quinn appears to have it all. She's the lead singer for a world famous band, dating a fellow band member and living what appears to be "the dream." However, looks can definitely be deceiving and Eleanor's life isn't at all what she hoped for. She feels trapped in a life that isn't her own with no way to escape. When she makes the decision to walk away...or rather run away from it all, Eleanor finally has the chance to see who she is and what will make her happy.

I would have liked to see a bit more detail and character building. However, it was still a well done book that I found quite enjoyable. The storyline toggles between present and past events leading up to Eleanor's "escape." I liked the mechanism of using the multiple time lines. It was a good way to demonstrate how everything continued to build on itself when Eleanor was feeling smothered. It was easier to see how everything culminated in the events that followed.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I had fairly low expectations for Cynthia Starts a Band knowing that it’s a debut. I did think some of the writing, particularly dialogue, was stilted—does no one use contractions when they speak? There were also a few continuity errors that I’m sure will be fixed with a final edit. The concept itself was a little bit farfetched to me in a way. How famous was Eleanor supposed to be if she was People’s best-dressed celebrity but she could walk around Seattle for a month and not be recognized? I also didn’t love that a white member of the band put on a trucker hat and hoodie to rap a verse of “Gold Digger” or the J.K. Rowling shout out. Finally, I feel like the emotional abuse and gaslighting should he alluded to in the marketing. It was a very different book than what I was expecting. Overall, I liked it and I think I would recommend it. Content warning: emotional abuse, gaslighting, mention of J.K. Rowling & H*rry P*tter

My thanks to NetGalley and Morgan James Fiction for an advance reader’s copy.