A Thousand Perfect Notes

Description

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.

C.G. Drews lives in Australia with her dog, a piano, and the goal of reading every book in existence. Consequently, her brain has overflowed with words and she spends her days writing novel after novel. She blogs at paperfury.com, never sleeps, and believes in cake for breakfast.

...shocking, but ultimately hopeful, tale. * EVENT (Mail on Sunday) * What an incredible book, truly magnificent - and it's fantastic to see YA discussing issues it seems to have shied away from in recent years. * No Safer Place * Viscerally violent from the opening sentence, authentically raw, and painful to read at times, this is a superbly told, emotionally charged story of obsession, abuse and the wonderful, terrible power of music both to destroy and, ultimately, to redeem. * Teach Secondary (online) * Moving and hopeful and completely brilliant - this is a fantastic debut and I can't wait to see more from C. G. Drews. * Rachel Meier - Canterbury Waterstones * Music and its transformative power. First love and its intense sweetness. Domestic violence and its pernicious enforcing of secrets. How does one create a magical and powerful story from such disparate ingredients? Well, read on. A Thousand Perfect Notes is a read of great intensity on multiple levels. * The Book Bag * ...it's heartbreaking and everything I never knew I needed. * Ilsa - Whisper of Ink * A Thousand Perfect Notes can only be described as utterly disheartening and powerful. [...] I can't wait to read more of what C.G. Drews has up her sleeve. -- Bex Clare * Autumn Frost * This is a gripping story [...] Please go out and buy this if you can. It is so heartbreakingly wonderful. -- Steph Elliott * A Little But a Lot * ...it is hard-hitting at times,but it is also full of hope, possibility and determination and it will have you flinching, crying, holding your breath and rushing to turn the page. * Rachael at Waterstones Altrincham * I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who wants a hard-hitting contemporary read... * Book Browsing Blog * ...this was just flawless. It really outlined so many issues; physical and mental abuse, but the themes of hope balanced it perfectly. * Sammy's Shelf (blog) * A quick YA with plenty of punch. * Read by Jess (blog) * ...a read that will make you think and leave you wanting more. * Fabulous Book Fiend * A Thousand Perfect Notes takes a searingly powerful look at the theme of parental obsession... The book's final notes will linger in the air long after the last page has been turned. * Crime Review *