A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews

A Thousand Perfect Notes

by C.G. Drews

An emotionally charged story about the power of dreams, and how passion can turn to obsession.

Beck hates his life. He hates his violent mother. He hates his home. Most of all, he hates the piano that his mother forces him to play hour after hour, day after day. He will never play as she did before illness ended her career and left her bitter and broken. But Beck is too scared to stand up to his mother, and tell her his true passion, which is composing his own music - because the least suggestion of rebellion on his part ends in violence.

When Beck meets August, a girl full of life, energy and laughter, love begins to awaken within him and he glimpses a way to escape his painful existence. But dare he reach for it?

Thrilling and powerfully written, this is an explosive debut for YA readers which tackles the dark topic of domestic abuse in an ultimately hopeful tale.

Reviewed by nitzan_schwarz on

5 of 5 stars

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Well, excuse me while I continue sobbing over here.

-/-/-/

Warning: This is not going to be eloquent. I'll try to at least someone stylize it tomorrow but for now a raw stream of consciousness (aka me bubbling for hours)

Honestly, I came into this book FULL OF EXPECTATIONS. I try not to do that because that's a surefire way to get disappointed, but I also couldn't help it?? Cait wrote this book. Cait who makes me laugh and cry in a #relatable kind of way at the drop of a hat. How could I NOT expect greatness out of it?

So I was kind of nervous reading this because good god if I didn't like it I would have been DEVASTATED. But I also knew I would because all of the snippets she let us see on instagram told me I was going to love Beck, August, and the small terror.

And I did. Beck is a burnt marshmallow and I love love love him. He's a cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs but also he is so bad at letting people protect him that he keeps getting hurt over and over and over again. I wanted to go into the book, adopt his ass and keep him in bubble wrap for the rest of his sweet existence. Granted, I can't do that.

Because who would take care of Joey then? the 5 year old is a constant joy in this novel and I swear to god if anyone lays a hand on her I'm defying all laws of physic and transporting myself into this book just to bite their hands off. So then I figured, I could just adopt BOTH of them! Sure, there is no way Joey would let me bubble wrap her, but I could probably bride her into (relative to Joey) tranquility with crayons and unlimited access to the kitchen and my stocked refrigerator. But I couldn't do that, either, because with the two Keverichs gone who would August entertain endlessly?? Shut up, we do not talk about the ending of this book. There is an epilogue we never got to read where everything is SUNSHINE and RAINBOWS and they are all TOGETHER and there are HUGS and KISSES, Okay?!

August is like stevia cakes. You're really confused by them, you don't quite understand how they exist, and you're immensely shocked they taste good because they are made of Steve and just??? you're eating human cake??? (this joke will make sense once you read the book, I swear. Or maybe it won't. who knows, my brain is 100% gone). Anyways, I really liked this girl. I want to be as confused about the shoes as everyone else but I have a friend that will take off her shoes whenever and wherever and considering in Israel its heat wave after heat wave that also means literally scorched feet but somehow walking barefoot is worth it and idk why but honestly I don't ask too much. Anyways, August is funny and cheerful and in Beck's eyes she is basically sunshine and rainbows and dandelions and everything that is good and pure in this world. I'm not sure that's 100% true because she also knows to spot abuse when she sees it (and knows not to be TOO pushy about it) and she also values violence and practices in it on occasions. But to Beck she is absolutely perfect and it's like looking directly at the sun and GAH THEY MAKE ME EMOTIONAL.

And I know what you're thinking---just adopt all THREE of them, what's the problem? Well, August actually has parents who love her, so I can't just plunk her out of this fictional world and abscond with her, you dummy!

So I'm left with no choice but to leave Beck and Joey with their BITCH of a mother and let August warm their brittle souls a little bit.

And yes, I am using strong language her. That woman--the "Maestro"--is a waste of space. You know how everyone kind of loves to hate Voldermort but NO ONE loved to hate Umbridge because with just detest her with the passion of a thousand sons? Beck's sorry excuse for a mother is Umbridge. She is a miserable, jealous bitch who deserves to be hit back for the things she does to her children. Every time she called Beck "lazy"--the nerve of her!--I wanted to scratch her eyes out. Every time she dares lay a hand of him or threaten sweet Joey, I wanted to stab her in the heart. This CREATURE made me rage so freakin' hard. She is a monster, and I hate hate hate hate hate her. Thank god Jan is pressing charges against this sorry excuse of a human being because god knows Beck is too sweet to do so because he still loves his mother even though she has done nothing to deserve it .

Seriously, I am a ball of FURY and ANGER and TEARS. so many tears. I cried for about the last 50 pages of this straight. My children. Cait, think of the children! And give me my epilogue pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 17 June, 2018: Finished reading
  • 17 June, 2018: Reviewed