You don’t have to be a fan of 90s grunge music or know who Sinead O’Connor or Kurt Cobain were to enjoy this flashback in time. The Lightning Bottles was the perfect escape I needed right now and came through with precisely what the cover said it would be-a love letter to rock ‘n roll and star-crossed love.

As someone who grew up with Seattle stamping its name on the musical industry map 30 years with its flannel shirted bands and alternative rock singers, I could not stop listening to the voices of my college days while devouring this story.

Elijah and Jane fall in love as teenagers and their mutual desire to create music and seek fame drives their lives toward an unforgiving industry that changes their paths and sends them spiraling into drug and alcohol addition. With his rise in popularity comes an equal surge of hatred and anger towards the misperceived Jane, mirroring famous singers at that time. When he disappears one day without a trace and is presumed drowned, Jane must pick up the pieces of her life with nobody else to support her. This journey takes her to Germany and begins the unraveling of all she knew and believed to be true as she meets a young fan next door who will change her life forever.

I really enjoyed Stapley's book Lucky so I had high hopes for this one, and it didn't disappoint!

Mix in some Lucky, Daisy & The Six, and an artist's flare, and you've got the Lightning Bottles.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest reivew.

4.5 stars

Jane Pyre was one half of The Lightning Bottles, a rock duo that burst out of the Seattle grunge scene and took over the world. But after her bandmate — and soulmate — Elijah disappeared, everything fell apart. Already one of the most vilified figures in music, dismissed as a talentless hanger-on and blamed for Elijah’s wild behavior, Jane faced even more hatred after his disappearance. The world refused to believe she wrote the songs that made The Lightning Bottles legendary and pinned his vanishing squarely on her. Seeking refuge from the noise, she retreats to a remote German village, but peace proves elusive. Her new neighbor, Hen — a moody teenager and hardcore Lightning Bottles fan — claims to have a clue about Elijah’s fate. Their unlikely connection sparks a road trip filled with music, heartbreak, and hard truths about the cost of fame and the people it leaves behind.

Stapley captures the raw, electric charge of the early '90s perfectly. The era was toothy and somber yet full of possibilities, and Stapley nails that energy. With themes spanning gender politics in music (particularly the treatment of women by fans and the media) substance addiction, grief, artistic inspiration, relationships, and fame, there’s a risk of the plot and characters being overwhelmed. But Stapley balances it all with precision, tapping into the chaotic, beautiful energy of the music scene that birthed alternative rock and its synonymous offshoot: grunge.

What kept this from being a full five stars were some minor bumps. There was a slight imbalance between the flashbacks and the present-day timeline, though this evened out as the story progressed. And, if I can be picky (I can—it’s my review), I’m not sure why Hen’s perspective opens the novel only to largely disappear. But those are small quibbles. Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend this one.

I'm a total 90s kid so this book was a perfect read for me. I thought it was a good story, it was executed pretty well. Some of the angst was a bit much for me but overall, I enjoyed the book.

What happens when you are part of a duo in rock n roll, and your partner disappears? That's what Jane will find out with the help of her next door neighbor, teenager Hen.

This is a great story - fellow GenXers will really appreciate the nostalgia of this read that centers around rock music in the grunge era. The Lightning Bottles reads like a memoir (the story of Jane Pyre and the rise and fall of The Lightning Bottles) mixed with a mystery (what really happened to bandmate Elijah Hart)?

Ms. Stapley uses a dual timeline to tell the story - as Jane begins to investigate Elijah's disappearance in the present, the story unfolds in the past. Flipping between the two narratives keeps the story moving at a good pace as we follow Jane's journey from a misunderstood teenager to a rock sensation.

I think this read will appeal to a broad range - those who liked Daisy Jones and the Six, readers who enjoy a good mystery, and people who grew up listening to this genre of music.

I adored the story of Jane Pyre and her missing love and bandmate Elijah. Following Jane from her coming of age years and flashing between present day and the love story of Jane and Elijah, we also get the traditional storyline of the formation and inevitable implosion of a successful music group. I could not put it down and just couldn’t wait to unravel the mystery of Elijah’s disappearance. Fantastic story!!

This book reminded me a bit of Daisy Jones and the Six, so if you liked that book, then you should give this one a try! This story is about a famous 90s rock duo called The Lightening Bottles and all the trials and tribulations that come with sudden fame. I enjoyed the dual timelines and especially liked reading about Elijah and Jane's back story. The present timeline dragged a bit at times for me, but it was important to the plot, so it didn't bother me too much. I have some mixed feelings about the end, but overall, I enjoyed this one!
3.5 stars

I loved this book. Well written and beautifully paced it is a travelogue through a generation of music, sexual and pharmaceutical experimentation.

A not to be missed story.

I received arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

The Lighting Bottles is everything I wanted it to be. Music is a big part of my life and the premise drew me in.
I adored this book, even through all the teenage angst. I’m an 80’s baby and was a teenager in the 90’s - I LIVED this era of music. The author did a fantastic job of getting this history right, even down to the excessive amount of drug use turned addiction.

The two main characters met on AOL and started chatting as complete strangers just like we did! Their love for music and eventually each other led to forming a band in the Seattle grunge scene, an era of music counterculture that can’t be matched. The descriptive writing really transported me back into time, giving that heavy dose of nostalgia every 90s’ grunge kid wants.
I related and felt for Jane(t) the most. It is slightly reminiscent of the hatred for Courtney Love after Kurt Cobain committed suicide. Just like Jane, the entire music scene blamed his downfall and death on Courtney. This was not a simple time for musicians and that shined through this story.
Throughout reading, all I wanted to do was find Elijah, get the real story of his disappearance, since sadly we will never know the truth about so many real tortured musicians that spawned from Seattle. The book is told in duel timelines; past and current being the search for Elijah. The secret messages!! I’ll tell you what, I was not expecting the ending!
The Lighting Bottles is a fantastic piece of work about the era of good music, teenage angst; a tumultuous love story, the premature rise and fall of an infamous band and its members, gritty drug use and addiction, and the misfit fans who loved it all. To the misfits who bonded through music like this and finally felt like they were a part of something!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster!

4 stars*

I really liked this book! It is the story of teenagers Elijah and Janet, who meet in an AOL chatroom in 1991 and begin sharing music, lyrics, and friendship.

Janet is from a very conservative, religious community in Canada and when her mother discovers the communication she puts up every block she can. To no avail. Ultimately, Janet runs away and shows up on Seattle-based Elijah's porch and becomes a part of his life.

Janet drops the "t" en route to Seattle and newly minted Jane & Elijah's origin story is the basis of the beginning of this Grunge Era Star-Crossed lovers tale.

90s drug scene, legan battles over lyric rights, world travel, addiction, co-dependence, and fun 90s nostalgia are the backdrop to what ends up being a mystery.

Did Elijah really die when he went out in the rowboat in Iceland when they were hiding out?

All around a winner. I'll look for more by Marissa Shipley.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster for my copy of THE LIGHTNING BOTTLES.

I’m obsessed with this book. These characters, the story, the music history it’s all perfect. If you liked DAISY JONES AND THE SIX but also love the 90s music era, go snag yourself a copy of this one. The journey this book takes you on is intense and full of love, addiction, fame, grief and hope. I already want to reread this one.

Spoilers ahead possibly!***
This was a really moving, beautiful story. I felt like I lived a life with these characters. So much heartbreak but I was not expecting such a happy ending! I actually was really happy about that even though I’m not sure how plausible it was. I do feel like it maybe dragged a little bit at parts. That would be my only critique. And I’m not really sure Hen needed to be a part of the story. I’m sure that will not be a popular opinion but I don’t know. I understand why she was there but she didn’t do much for me to be honest. Overall I enjoyed this a lot. I would recommend.

"Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock n roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she's perhaps the most hated— and least understood— woman in music.”
And now her husband and band mate, the heart of the music whom everyone loved as much as they despised Jane, has disappeared. Sentenced dead in a boating accident, until one day a German teenager finds evidence he might still be alive. Unable to find the courage to tell anyone, and struggling to help her mother with her agoraphobia, one day Jane moves in next door to Hen. So begins their journey to find Elijah's string of messages and whether or not he is still alive.

A split time novel about the dangers of drugs and celebrity, about loving music, about a quest for answers, about a jealous ex band mate, and about a rock star duos's rise and fall.
Could be triggering for those bothered by excessive drug use and drinking, but sobriety is lauded and becomes one way some characters save themselves.
This book is ideal for fans of 90s rock/grunge music and the rock and roll world of celebrity, drugs, alcohol, jealousies, and unfolding past drama with a modern day graffiti art scavenger hunt.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I devoured this book. Female rock starts and females in general are held to a much higher standard than men. They must be perfect at all times and even if they are, something is wrong with them. Unfortunately, this is how the world is. This was a wonderful novel showcasing the tribulations of fame and being a woman in rock while also not glamorizing or letting Jane off the hook for who she is. It was well-paced, the flashbacks made sense, and everything came together in the end. I highly recommend this book. 4.5 stars.

Can I give this book six stars? What a fantastic story! Seamlessly moving back and forth from present to past, this story is captivating, moving, and poignant. The 90’s music scene, Seattle, the meeting of Jane and Elijah, their band, success and the ensuing drug, alcohol, and legal problems. So much is happening in the story of The Lightning Bottles that it is heart-wrenching at moments, but I was always rooting for the couple to overcome their issues and reunite. Stapley brings to life the characters in this book through their real dreams and problems. Super great story and writing from beginning to the end. I could have read this in one sitting. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

This was love story mystery.About two young people who starte Rock and roll band Called the lightning Bottles.t Jean was a young girl living up in canada with his mother who was a very strict christian. E l r j a h Was a young man living in seattle. He was in Band. JA NE started communicating with him. Dial up computer system. She started to write letters back and forth to him. He also wrapped to her as well. Her mother did not approve this. So once she was 18, she took off. To go to seattle to be with I H I m. The band members did no Like. J a n e. They felt she was an outsider. You spelled it really liked her. Things got crazy when his parents were killed. E l I j a H Lift the band. And started new 14 her. They had a song and the other bad members.We're Suing them. They became really famous but things just didn't work out. When he disappeared she F e l l apart Or five years And developed an alcohol Problem. She went To Germany. AND. I met a young girl. This was pretty interesting because it was like a clue fest This book was really good.

The Lighting Bottles is a story that takes place over the 1990’s following the rise and fall of a couple who is also a rock duo. The story is written in dual timelines, with one in the present, and one spanning the decade until it meets the present. Marissa Stapley is a master of dual timelines building on one another then coming together to meet.

The love story will have you swooning, and aching, while the female main character’s thread will have you angry. The rock era of the 90’s will be in full force, either leaving you reminiscent, and/or learning about the era in a new way.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced reader copy.

4.25 stars

The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley is one of the latest books that reimagines what life must be like for rock stars behind closed doors, but this time, instead of 70s rock and roll, it's 90s grunge rock. What makes this story unique, as Stapley puts it in the letter to the reader, is how it analyzes the complicated narrative of the adored male rockstar and his hated female counterpart.

The story's premise makes it addictive: two ordinary and broken kids find comfort in each other and in music, then become overnight sensations, only to have a mysterious downfall that leads to one of the duo's disappearance.

The writing is good, and has the potential to be great. There are a lot of beautiful lines. However, there are times where it feels like there is too much telling of how characters feel, and not enough showing. And sometimes, the language can be trite or a bit predictable.

But with that being said, the depth of the two main characters, as well as the story itself, keeps you invested in The Lightning Bottles, and it makes you hope things turn out well for them, even when things might not seem to head in that direction.

If you are a sucker for deep dives into the lives of fictional celebrities, and for "living for the hope of it all" (in the words of T. Swift), then pick this book up.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley is available now wherever books are sold.

This book chronicles the love affair of 2 musicians, one of whom wrote the songs and played the guitar while the other played the drums. She fell for him online, and left home and travelled to meet up with him when he was in another band. She convinced him that they could make beautiful music together.