I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the advanced reading copy of Noteworthy by Riley Redgate. I can't wait to start this book.

This was a unique read to me. I haven't read many books on singing, but those I have I thoroughly enjoyed! The structure of this novel delivered important social aspects with the perfect mix of humour. 

This was one of the most diverse novels I've read this year! I was very impressed! There was diversity in the characters cultures, religions, sexuality, physical ability, and mental stability. With all those topics being covered it felt very sincere and realistic. I loved the friendships within this novels pages.

Noteworthy follows the story of Jordan Sun navigating the obstacles and difficulties of Kensington, a boarding school for the Performing Arts. Riley Redgate does an amazing job at creating Jordan’s voice, and making her character feel close to home to, let’s be real, anyone who has had to go through the nightmare that high school can be. Her struggles to find a main role in the theatre plays of her school due to the fact that her voice “is a little bit deeper than the ones needed for female main protagonists in plays” lead her to make the drastic decision to apply for auditions of an a cappella male group, as a boy. There are plenty of instances of discourse where the main character thinks about how she might be appropriating a part of a community that she does not identify herself with, and because of that, being disrespectful to said community. She questions whether what she is doing is wrong when there are so many people out there in the world who ARE trans having to suffer the prejudice and rejection of society, while she does it not because she is transgender, but for the sake of keeping up appearances with the Sharps, the a cappella group.

Besides that, there are several examples of conversations about important social issues that I've never read about in any other YA contemporary book. And I think that is one of the reasons why this book comes like a breath of fresh air to the genre that has been lately lacking so much originality when it comes to plots and tropes. Besides the diversity we find in the Sharps members, in Noteworthy, social issues like sexuality, gender identity and privilege are discussed thoroughly.

While these issues played a major role in me liking this book, it was definitely the characters’ dynamic that did it for me. Each one of the members of the a cappella group were well-developed and important to the plotline, even though certain characters were given more importance than others, Jordan’s interactions as Julian with all of them were the highlight of the story.

All in all, Noteworthy ended up being a funny and light-hearted story that incorporates important conversations of social issues that, in my opinion, need to be developed more within the Young Adult genre. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a diverse YA book with an original plotline, especially if music or a cappella is one of your interests.

I’m sad to say that I was disappointed by this book. The hype is huge but I felt some things about the narrative went unexplored.

The plot was serious. We follow Jordan, a girl who is struggling to find her place in life and in her performing arts school so she decides to cross dress as a boy to audition for an a Capella group. At first, I went into this book thinking it was going to be a light and fluffy contemporary read but it was a lot more intense than I was expecting. There’s a lot of serious themes woven throughout the story and it was kind of hard for me to get into the plot because of it. The way the story ended up being made it hard for me to get lost into it the way I like to. What originally attracted me to this story was the music and a Capella elements though they weren’t as prominent as I was expecting. However, I really liked how they were done! It’s definitely hard to explain music, it’s something you listen to and experience in a different way, so one of the challenges with these kinds of themes in books is to be able to make it tangible for the reader to imagine. I really enjoyed the way the author described the way the group’s dynamic was and how they practiced. I’m glad it wasn’t something that was brushed aside for the rest of the story because some books do that, they say it’ll feature some form of music or dance but won’t really describe the characters being part of that activity so I’m glad this book actually showed them practicing for a big competition. I really liked the different and complex relationships between the characters and the diversity within them. That was probably one of the most important parts of this story. They all interacted with each other in different ways but I kind of wish there would’ve been more time spent on those developments within the friendships and relationships within the narrative. Despite all of this, I feel like some of the most important themes in the book felt underdeveloped. Jordan discovers her bisexuality in this book and I liked how it was just something she realized and accepted about herself when she understood it, though it’s not something that’s discussed a lot within her own internal monologue. Also there’s some talk about gender identity and what it means to be a girl or a boy and I felt like that wasn’t explored as much as it should’ve been. Jordan thinks about what she’s doing and how it could easily be seen as her being trans to the people who might find out what she’s doing, she understands it’s a problem, and yet there’s really no other non-binary or trans characters to really explore that theme and how what she’s doing might make them feel. Here is a twitter thread that describes the issues a little more. There wasn’t enough page time to show this topic the respect and nuanced it deserved in my opinion.

Jordan struggled a lot with the choices she made in this book but I wish she would’ve come clean about what she was doing sooner. She struggled a lot with guilt over her decision and over keeping it a secret but in the end, she didn’t make any moves to fix that for herself. The ending also kind of reiterated the thought that there’s really no consequences to lying to everyone you know, including your school which isn’t something that I can support because I don’t think lying is okay. I wish there would’ve been some personal responsibility involved with the decisions she made and how they might’ve affected people, specially when if I would’ve been in their position, I would’ve felt betrayed. However, I understood her family struggles and the loneliness she dealt with in school. I’ve always felt like I owed my parents everything because all they sacrificed for me and I totally connected with her feeling torn over what to do when it came down to staying at school or not. Also, I struggle a lot with feeling isolated from the people around me and it was actually kind of comforting to see a character dealing with that as well, even in such a big school.

As for the side characters, I really loved the Sharpshooters dynamics. They felt like a real group of guys who’d be into singing and rehearsing together. I was also really pleased that there wasn’t blatant misogyny within the group and they didn’t spend the whole time objectifying women. Their relationships were really genuine. There was a great atmosphere within the group, but also down the relationships between two individuals within the story. Jordan and Nihal had a really nice friendship though I kind of wish there would’ve been more page time to see it develop. The friendship between John and Mama was also really sweet, I love how they took care of each other while still teasing each other mercilessly. (Though I wish everyone would’ve just listened to him and called him by his name, specially since he asked them too.) I liked Isaac, though he was a little bit too impulsive for me. He was really charming and charismatic and I was really interested to see more interactions between him and Travis and to know more of their history. Something that I didn’t really like about this book is the high amount of bullying and violence, it was really intense and overpowering.

Overall, I’m beginning to think that the author’s writing style isn’t really for me. I liked the story overall but nothing really wowed me or made me fall in love with it. The plot was a lot more serious than I expected and while I liked some of the themes the author explored, some of them felt underdeveloped. I loved the music and a Capella part of the book, honestly it was my favorite part. I liked the characters but I also wanted to see more of their relationships and friendships develop on page. I’m not sure I’ll read more of this author’s work since I felt the first two books I read were kind of okay for me but it all depends on what it’s about.

It's charming. The whole pretend to be something you're not always leads to misadventure and that can be really funny. Of course it seldom ends well and that can be uncomfortable. So charming, just not overly believable. The whole base concept of scholarship kid at a performing arts boarding school is already so far beyond relatable, a significant strain on the willing suspension of disbelief. Then to add in this scenario of a girl joining a boy's group, fitting in, fooling everyone. And to top it off when her secret is inevitably revealed pretty much everyone is cool with it. No one feels betrayed or gets particularly angry. Even the administration takes up for her and not only maintians her place in the group but finds a way for her to stay in school when her funding falls through.

Easily one of the funniest read of 2017. Such a lovely  coming of age books out there. I had so much fun reading Noteworthy. Its a book about friendship, music, be comfortable with who you are and enjoying life. A great read that I would highly recommend to everyone. 

It's Pitch Perfect meets He's the Man. You know that hilarious Amanda Bynes movie. Just read this book now!

https://bibliophilefeminist.wordpress.com/2017/05/08/noteworthy-by-riley-redgate-review/

Guh! I freakin' love this book! First, I have to say upfront that I know less than nothing about acapella group and I have no musical talent or real interest. None of that affected my enjoyment of Noteworthy in the least.

I loved whole Sharpshooter gang sensible Mama, quirky Issac, focused Trav and sensitive Nihal being my personal favourites. And of course, there's Jordan (or her alias Julian). Jordan's a wonderful, relatable and likeable protagonist. She's trying her best, against stacked odds, and it's not that she's not good, it's just that her fellow students are better. So, she comes up with a scheme that sounds ridiculous but makes more sense the more she thinks about it. And why not? I completely followed the character's logic and it didn't seem at all unbelievable that she pulled the deception off for as long as she did. As I said, I'm not musically/ theatrically talented and theatre school would be my nightmare, but I definitely saw myself in parts of Jordon, and I think most readers will in one way or another.

The plot itself if pretty simple, but there were some lovely moments along the way. I loved the Sharpshooters secret hideout and the not-quite initiation. I loved the group's holiday retreat and the bitching over each other's driving, political interest or awful flirting techniques. I loved the escalating prank war with the rival all-male group. My only issue was that the sing competition itself and the outcome is a bit of a given, and the very last few chapters lacked a bit of punch. Otherwise, the plot moves quickly, providing a framework for the characters to shine upon.

Sweet without being saccharine, and relatable even when I had no idea what musical technique they were taking about.

Review goes up on my blog Foxes & Fairy Tales on 11 May 2017
https://foxesfairytale.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/review-noteworthy

On the surface, Riley Redgate's second novel is a delightfully sweet comedy about a capella. Like all people of sound mind, I have a sizeable obsession with the Pitch Perfect movies, and Noteworthy shares those films' irreverent but affectionate attitude towards their subject matter. Something else they have in common is giving me an insatiable urge to start an a capella group. Any takers?
Monday morning was the worst possible time to have an existential crisis, I decided on a Monday morning, while having an existential crisis.
Noteworthy takes its lead from Shakespeare's comedies (you know the bard loved a capella, right?), with protagonist Jordan forced to create and sustain an entirely different identity when she successfully auditions for an all-male a capella group as her last chance to make an impact at her performing arts school. Some of the ensuing plot dilemmas are predictable, but they're never hackneyed, and Redgate gleans both humor and pathos from Jordan's self-imposed identity crisis. There's plenty about the story that's relatable even to anyone who hasn't ever disguised themselves as a different gender for an extended period of time: Jordan is something of a social misfit, having invested all her time in a now-defunct relationship; she's under tremendous pressure from her parents, whose financial problems take on added importance as Jordan comes closer to finally achieving her performance aims, and her discomfort in her own skin will resonate with anyone who's ever been or met a teenager. Or, in fairness, anyone who'e ever been in the thirties, if my own tragic existence is anything to go by.
Redgate's previous novel, Seven Ways We Lie, ambitiously took on the tricky task of sustaining seven different, alternating narrative voices; where that novel suffered in some ways by spreading itself a little too thin, Noteworthy presents its reader with a fully-formed and developed voice - one that is relatable, sympathetic and entertaining. Noteworthy's more conventional structure allows Redgate's witty, realistic style to shine through, and this is nowhere more evident than in Jordan's self-deprecating narrative.
My parents tracked my school performance like baseball nuts tracked the World Series. I never told people about it. A fun side effect of being Chinese is that people assume this about you already. It felt weirdly diminishing to admit it about myself, as if it simplified me to just another over-achieving Asian kid with one of those moms, even if I was in fact Asian and did have one of those moms.
At the start of this review, I suggested that Noteworthy's surface is all harmonies and bickering about whether to turn left or right during a chorus, but there's plenty more bubbling under that perky exterior. As Jordan spends more time posing as Julian than actually being herself, she begins to question her very identity, in terms of gender but also sexuality. Surrounded by privilege at her fancy performing arts boarding school, Jordan's happiness is also threatened by her parents' financial troubles; this isn't something that's widely covered in YA, where every other character seems to have a personalised number-plate and their own lodge in Aspen, so Redgate's inclusion of this very common issue is admirable. I was impressed by Jordan's attitude too; I can think of a large number of YA characters and, indeed, real-life teenagers who wouldn't respond to well to threats of being removed from their dream school, but Jordan's maturity and accountability make Noteworthy a really interesting addition to the YA canon.
Another unique feature of Noteworthy which is worth mentioning: compelled to write the lyrics for the Sharpshooters' performances due to copyright constraints concerning well-known songs, Redgate has offered her readers a charming accompanying soundtrack, recording the songs featured in the novel. These are available at bandcamp.com and are a quite splendid way of immersing yourself more deeply in Noteworthy's musical landscape. If all authors could provide a custom-built soundtrack to their works from this point onwards, that would be super.
Combining harmonious banter with social commentary is no easy task, and Riley Redgate should be commended on her ability to write a fun, smart novel that manages to cover race, gender, sexuality and poverty in amongst more obvious teenage fare. I found Noteworthy to be a really intelligent, entertaining and thought-provoking read, and I am always right about these things.

Review to be published at Fourth and Sycamore in June.

An enjoyable, fun and entertaining book that is sure to appeal to my readers. It is on my purchase list.

DNF 

Mini review: 

I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Last year I had read and loved The Seven Ways We Lie. Naturally when I heard about this book I had to read it and immediately requested from Netgalley! Unfortunately this was not for me. 

In the beginning I was really enjoying it! I related so much to what Jordan was saying. But then she set her plan into action and it went downhill for me. I found that there were some technicalities to her plan that wasn't cleared up and didn't make sense. And I just lost interest. 

I do still recommend it.

Jordan Sun is a Junior at the Kensington-Blaine Boarding School for the Performing Arts. However, she's just been rejected from the fall musical - for the third year running. Apparently, it's something to do with her voice, she's Alto 2 and it's just not a good fit for the roles. The school then get's a mass email about auditions for the Sharpshooters, Kensington's elite acapella group. However, there is a problem. The Sharpshooters is an all male group steeped in tradition that is hard to change. Desperate to prove herself in the competitive world, Jordan dresses up as a boy and auditions, and it turns out, Jordan's voice is exactly what they were looking for. 

Noteworthy is an original, fun, and compelling read. I've seen it pitched as She's the Man meets Pitch Perfect, which is a perfect comparison. Yet it had more nuanced discussions regarding femininity and masculinity, sexuality, social class and poverty, etc. However, I'd like to point out that other reviews have pointed out the lack of trans rep and lack of gender discourse, such as this review here. 

Jordan Sun is a poor and underprivileged Chinese-American student at Kensington on a scholarship. She's talented but doesn't feel appreciated and doesn't feel entirely comfortable. I liked that there was a lot of social commentary regarding Jordan and her poor background, especially when it was in comparison to the privileged environment she was in, as she was surrounded by a lot of rich kids. I liked that we got to see that background because having poor characters is something we very rarely see in YA, and I'd love to see more of it. I loved the discussions of welfare because that's even rarer in YA and I loved it (even though it is different to UK benefits so I didn't fully understand it).

I also loved Jordan as a character as she was funny, sarcastic, and witty, and sometimes had trouble thinking before she spoke. I loved that, and she was a really refreshing character. Jordan is also bisexual which wasn't explored much and it still felt slightly heteronormative considering the romance wasn't present until Isaac found out she was actually a girl. 

Even though there was a lot of male characters, Riley Redgate actually managed to make you care for them and made them fully fleshed characters. I loved Isaac, the fun loving bad-boy, and Trav, the serious musical director. I also loved both Mama and Nihal. The group really were a fantastically developed set of friends, supportive and fun who actually had meaningful relationships.

Overall, a hilarious and banter filled book that is a refreshing and fun read but also deals with some serious topics. Highly recommend.

Some of the things I loved about this book:
- diverse cast
- great friendship dynamics
- secret society vibe with the a capella groups having initiation rituals and rehearsing in dilapidated old buildings
- a protagonist who explores her gender identity and sexuality
- snarky tone of the narrator

Noteworthy was definitely one of my favorite contemporaries I've read this year!

Find my full review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-0xnq-IL4c

After really enjoying Seven Ways We Lie, we were excited to see what the super talented Riley Redgate had up her sleeve next! Noteworthy is the perfect mix of fun and series and it should 110% be on your radar.

Jordan Sun is trying to get parts in her school’s musical theatre productions, but her range isn’t what anyone is looking for. Then Jordan sees an ‘member’s needed’ sign for The Sharpshooters, an all-male a cappella band, and knows that this is her change. So, she cuts her hair, adjusts her regular speaking voice and slips into the audition with no one suspecting a thing!

I really wasn’t sure how music was going to translate to the page. I’m not a very musical person, so even the most basic of music theory references is going to alienate me, and my experience of a cappella is limited to – as I’m sure most people’s is –  the Pitch Perfect movies. However, I love a good music school setting – ‘Camp Rock’, ‘Raise Your Voice’ basically, whatever Disney churns out, I’ll probably be watching – so I was still excited to see what happened.

What I wasn’t expecting was the depth of these characters. Redgate takes everything to a more realistic level. Jordan’s family is struggling from some severe financial issues and everything could be taken away her at any moment. Jordan has also recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend, kissed a girl and liked it (🎶) so now she’s working out her sexuality.

IF THAT WASN’T ENOUGH then Redgate uses Jordan’s cross-dressing to talk about the different standards for boys and girls concerning behaviour and expectations. It’s subtle though, which only makes it more powerful. Oftentimes, if you get the feeling the author is just ranting at you, it feels completely inauthentic to the story, but Noteworthy handles everything with care, and it’s only brought up because it’s what Jordan is thinking about.

There are a lot of boys in Noteworthy, and yet each of them managed to keep hold of their originality. EVEN BETTER they each have their own issues to do with sexuality, hospitalised parents, struggling with their faith. Seriously, not one of these characters fell flat. The group was diverse on so many levels and it made their conversations so fun to read.

Obviously, there’s also great banter and pranks which make things silly and fun in an otherwise heavy narrative. Basically, each character really held their own while also bouncing off of everyone else, and I loved it.

As I said, Jordan is coming to terms with her bisexuality, and things are only complicated more when she’s cross-dressing. It’s a very subtle exploration though, unlike Our Own Private Universe which was a mess, Noteworthy isn’t trying to educate readers about being bi, because for some people, like for Jordan, being bi doesn’t have to be a big deal. She’s not really up in arms about it, and I thought it was also really great to see a non-angsty LGBTQ+ story, much in the style of Simon Vs.

There is also a little romance towards the end of the story which was very cute, but I liked most of all how it wasn’t the focus!

Also, I’m not sure where to put this, but it needs to be said. I thought it was so important for Redgate to acknowledge trans issues in this book. Jordan is not trans, though she realises that secretly buying boys clothes and becoming someone else (for trans people they’re becoming their true selves) is something that the trans community deals with everyday. I don’t think you can have a light-hearted cross-dressing story anymore without properly acknowledging that some people don’t do it for fun, for some people, it’s their lives. I was wondering if it was going to come up and thank goodness it did! *round of applause*

Noteworthy exceeded all expectations and really solidified Riley Redgate as an auto-read author for us! The way she captures character is absolutely incredible, everyone feels so real and complex. If you like music, or if you just like really good contemporaries, then Noteworthy needs to be on your TBR. A well deserved 4 stars!

What do you do when you’ve been rejected yet again from a musical production and all hope of an acting career seems lost simply because your voice is more bass than beauty? Go undercover in an all male a cappella choir of course! Such is the conceit of Noteworthy, described by most as ‘Pitch Perfect meets She’s the Man’, which is a pretty decent summation of the novel.

‘In this particular show, even the so-called alto ensemble parts sang up to a high F-sharp, which seemed like some sort of sadistic joke. For those unfamiliar with vocal ranges: Find a dog whistle and blow it, try to sing that note, and the resulting gurgling shriek will probably sound like my attempt to sing a high F-sharp’

I laughed out loud at how utterly accurate this is,  and there are many moments just like it that my fellow contraltos will find relatable beyond belief. In fact, if there’s one word I’d use to describe this book, at least for me, it’s relatable. Anyone who’s studied drama, attended a music school, has any experience of the cut-throat world of musical theatre, will understand exactly what Jordan’s life is like, and as a former musical theatre student and founder of my university’s a capella choir it felt like this book was meant for me.

I liked the way the experience of singing, especially a cappella, is portrayed in the novel – the emotional intensity, the passion and freedom and joy, as well as misery and frustration, is all conveyed beautifully in text, and honestly I would have liked even more of it on the page. As a bonus though you can listen to Riley’s own a cappella arrangements with the Noteworthy OST on soundcloud.

I also found Jordan’s confusion about her own bisexuality immensely relatable – at one point she’s asked ‘isn’t that something you just know’, and the fact she doesn’t was actually such a relief to me. Of course some people do ‘just know’, and that’s real and valid, but so is questioning and being unsure.

‘Where was the line, though? Did I want to be around her, did I want to be her, or did I want to be with her?’

I’m 38 and still have difficulty trying to understand my feelings if there’s a girl I like, and usually never manage to find an answer. If I had read this as a teen I would been reassured by Jordan’s uncertainty, and I hope other readers can view it that way as well.

Going by the vibrantly illustrated cover I expected this to be a cheerful comedy, and while there’s certainly some humour, there’s an undercurrent of melancholy permeating the book which makes Jordan’s introspection and navel-gazing – about her life at school, her parents, breaking up with her boyfriend – all the more compelling and believable. I thought the way she learns to move on from her ex was quietly powerful, allowing herself to reminisce and compare life before and after, but not letting that loss define her.  I didn’t like however the typical high school bullying subplot being perpetrated by a closeted member of a rival choir; we’re meant to be sympathetic because of pressure from his father to act a certain way, but the fact one of the few gay characters was such a stereotype (and needlessly cruel to Jordan’s compassionate friend) was offputting.

‘If girlhood felt frustrating, and boyhood felt freeing, did that say more about girlhood, boyhood, or me?’

This line hit me right in the gut; as someone who is probably cis, but perpetually questioning whether I am or if I’ve just been conditioned to believe so, I think about this a lot. But Jordan knows who she is, and never truly questions her own identity, except in fleeting moments like this one. Which is actually one of the issues I had with the book – there is a singular mention of ‘appropriating trans identity’ while preparing for her role as Julian, but other than a brief wrestle with cis guilt it isn’t really brought up again. There were many passages where I felt uncomfortable, especially towards the end, imagining how the plot would have changed and characters reacted, if Jordan had been trans or genderqueer instead of using a ‘social disguise’ for ‘avant-garde theatre’. Since Jordan is not, and never claims to be trans or non-binary, it should be a moot point, but I would have liked a little more awareness in text as to how these situations would be viewed if she had been.

Noteworthy is not a book without problems, but if you’re a music lover, and especially a frustrated, always-the-sidekick-never-the-lead alto like me, you’ll probably find a lot to enjoy and may want to sing its praises too.

What's better then a contemporary book about musicians? I'll answer that, nothing.
Noteworthy is a book about Jordan Sun, a junior at Kensington, a fine arts school. She's struggling with the musical theater world, due to having an odd vocal range for a female, not quite high enough for the standard female character. When an email goes our looking for a new member for the Sharpshooters, an all male a capella group, she decides to just for it, dressing herself as a guy to audition. The Mulan of the music world.
This book gives a look at what someone will do to succeed. Jordan doesn't let rejection from the musical theater community knock her down, she does what she must. It's always nice to see a character being so motivated.
The characters are so loveable, all of the Sharpshooters have their own distinct personality traits. Yet they somehow still melded together to form a familial group.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley for getting me a digital copy to review.

Noteworthy is like a super fun movie-musical-comedy in book form that completely subverts your expectations.

The book centres on Jordan Sun, a Chinese-American theatre student who is constantly turned down roles because of her uniquely low singing voice. So when her school's all-male a cappella group are searching for an eighth member, she cross-dresses with the hope that she might finally get the recognition she deserves.


Things I liked:

- I love theatre-y things. I'm a low key theatre nerd so all of the music talk really worked for me. Also I LOVED listening to some of the songs that the author wrote for the story. They aren't necessary to enjoy the book, but they're a fun addition and the author is such a good singer (I still have The Clockmaker stuck in my head).

- Jordan has a really distinct voice that was great to read. She's awkward and a bit of a loner, but really relatable, and her sarcastic sense of humour really shaped the story.

- The book deals with a of key issues including discovering your sexuality (over the course of the book Jordan realises she's bisexual), race and stereotyping (Jordan talks about how people presume things about her family being Asian), coming from a working class background (Jordan's family struggle to pay for bills), and how boys are taught to hide their feelings (there are a lot of instances where the boys get really confrontational and fight rather than address the issue, which is something Jordan realises they are taught by adults). And that's just the tip of the iceberg.


Things I didn't like:

- I didn't really buy into the group dynamic for quite a while. I didn't connect to the other characters until halfway into the book and they didn't all stand out on their own to me.

- I didn't care for the romance. This is a huge 'it's me, not you' thing because I normally don't care for contemporary romances, and it felt like a lot of it was focused on Jordan trying to get over her ex. I think it's valued - but it just wasn't for me.

- I hated how long the lie went on for. I anticipated it, but I was hoping for a greater discourse on how female altos are treated like the blurb suggested, and to a greater extent, how girls are treated when they don't fit into the mould. But the story didn't really focus on that. So the whole point of Jordan cross-dressing kind of lost it's meaning for me.

- There was a bit of talk on gender, but not much. This links to my previous point of Jordan cross-dressing feeling a trivial. It was a little uncomfortable to be reading about a struggle trans people go through from a cisgendered point of view without even a trans side character to highlight the issue. 


It's always weird rating a book 3 stars because the rating means different things to different people. For me, 3 stars is still a positive, and I did really enjoy Noteworthy. It addresses so many things that I think young people need to be reading about, plus the story is a lot of fun.

Having loved Riley Redgate's incredible debut, Seven Ways We Lie, last year, I was so eager to read her second novel, Noteworthy. And it was so good!

The story revolves around the a cappella octet, the Sharpshooters, but this story is less about music and more about friendship and identity. For the past two years of school at Kensington-Blaine, Jordan has been wrapped up in her boyfriend, made him her whole world, and so now they've split up, she realises she doesn't actually have any friends at school. She feels like she's not good enough, musically, because she has never made it into the school musical because her voice, for a girl, is too deep. Desperate to do something, to prove to herself, the school, her parents - who don't really want her there, and what's the point of staying if the school never allows her into anything? - that she is worthy, she disguises herself as a boy, names herself Julian Wang, and auditions for the Sharpshooters. Once she gets in, she's able to show she does have talent, that she does have what it takes. But more than that, she finally feels like she fits somewhere. These boys that she thought of as arrogant and up themselves are actually pretty cool, and they become friends, and she suddenly starts to feel like she belongs.

It's the relationships she builds with the guys in Sharpshooters that are one of the main focuses of the story. Laid back and cool Isaac, president of the a cappella group and class clown. Sensible, intense, focused Trav, the musical director. Excitable and awkward Marcus. Erik, who thinks he's cool. Good looking, rich-kid Jon Cox and warm but teasing Mama, best friends, but chalk and cheese, who's playful musical arguments provide some of the humour. And quiet, calm, steady Nihal. Jordan tries hard to keep her distance, make it just about the music, about aiming for winning the a cappella competition, which will mean going on tour with superstar a cappella group Aural Fixation, but the guys draw her in. She thought these guys thought they were above everyone else, but they don't. They're just normal guys, with their own stories and their own problems, and as she gets to know them, Jordan can't help but warm to them all, to care. It makes lying about who she is really difficult.

Which brings us to the second focus of the story; identity. Noteworthy really looks at gender roles and norms. Jordan isn't trans, but as Julian, she's discovering ways of being that felt closed off to her as Jordan; a confidence and self-assured-ness that isn't quite within reach as Jordan, the right to take up space ad not try and make herself smaller, both literally and personally. As Julian, she feels more like her true self than who she is when she's Jordan, like she's been putting on an act her whole life, but as Julian she finally gets to just be. But she also discovers the limits that masculinity puts on guys; how they're supposed to just take things and "man up", an almost aggressive drive that some feel they should have, to do absolutely everything - anything - to make it. Because how are they men if they don't? It's so interesting!

What I also loved about this book is how aware Jordan is of claiming space that isn't hers, using something to her advantage, when for others, this is their every day lives. There's a moment when Jordan is looking up online how to better hide her small bust, and comes across a website with tips and advice for trans men, and she's filled with guilt. She's not trans, she's cross-dressing, she's acting (almost, considering she feels like like herself as Julian), and there's a part of her that feels that what she is doing is wrong, in regards to trans people and what their everyday life. There's another moment where the group thinks she - Julian - is gay, because of something she says when drunk. And she allows them to think so, as it helps with her disguise, and it's easier than explaining, but again, she knows she's not gay, and by lying by omission, she knows what she's doing isn't right. Even though she's just discovering she's bisexual, and could tell the truth about that and not have it ruin her disguise, she allows them to believe she is a gay man, and again, it's space that's not hers. It gets so much harder for her as time goes on, because she likes these guys, they trust her with their secrets, and she's lying to them.

This book is so diverse! Really, I love how diverse it is. Jordan is Chinese-American, and she's just discovering she's bisexual. Nihal is Sikh, Isaac is Japanese-American, one of the secondary characters is gay, and Jordan's dad is disabled. Class is a huge aspect of this story, too; Jordan is at Kensington-Blaine on a scholarship, and there's absolutely no-way she would be able to attend without it. As it is things are seriously tight, due to the expense of flights to and from the school and paying for textbooks, and so on. Jordan's family have always been poor, with her parents working such awkward hours that she barely saw them before she went to Kensington-Blaine, her father working nights, her mother working long hours - longer as Jordan got older. Her parents have skipped meals in the past, to make sure she got to eat. And not long ago, her father fell seriously ill, and his health insurance couldn't cover it, so they're trying to pay that off, as well as just trying to get by. When her mum loses her job, the family has to go on benefits. They are really, really struggling. So it's understandable that her parents are worried about her never getting any parts - what are they paying the money for the flights and textbooks for if Jordan never gets anything from the school?

Even though her family is poor and it's a huge worry, this is Jordan's normal. She doesn't know any different. And it's contrasted so well, when, during Thanksgiving break, the Sharpshooters go to Jon Cox's house. Jon Cox's family are extremely wealthy, and his house is pretty much a mansion. It's so unlike anything Jordan is accustomed to, the wealth that the house so obviously shows the Cox family has is shocking to her. Jon Cox is embarrassed by Jordan's jaw-dropping shock, but she thinks about how this - the big mansion, the shiny sports car, the designer clothes, the money coming out of his ears - is his normal. Jon Cox is aware that others don't have as much as him, though, and he's always offering to pay for things, like meals; he's generous with his wealth, though not in a charity way. And he's a nice guy, you know? The money doesn't make him feel he's above anyone else, it's just something he has. It's just a startling contrast to Jordan, seeing how different their lives are.

Noteworthy is just incredible. It has so much to say on so many different things, while still telling a story that feels true and important. It's such a gorgeous, gorgeous novel! With Noteworthy, Redgate has further secured her place as one of my favourite authors, and she has most definitely become an auto-buy author. Such a wonderful story!

Thank you to Amulet Books via NetGalley for the eProof.

I absolutely loved this book! First, it features one of my favorite tropes; girls disguising themselves as boys to go after something they want. And second, it has a diverse cast of characters that I completely adored. Our protagonist, Jordan Sun, attends this elite boarding school for the arts; but because she doesn't fit any of the roles she auditions for, she never gets casted. That's when Jordan decides to take matters into her own hands, disguising herself as Julian in order to audition for her school's most popular a cappella group, the Sharpshooters. I loved this group of boys, but my absolute favorites were Isaac and Nihal, who grew the closest to J. I loved reading the lyrics of the songs they were performing and it was amazing getting to listen to the songs come to life on Riley Redgate’s website! Overall, this book was fun, inclusive, and aca-mazing! 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this one. I was drawn in by the a cappella – I’m a massive Pentatonix fan, and used to sing in choirs – and not only were my expectations fully met, but I found so much more. Noteworthy is that rare gem that manages to be wonderfully diverse, self aware, and hilarious, bringing up important issues in a way that never drags down the light, fun narrative.


We follow Jordan Sun, a junior at an elite performing arts boarding school, who always gets passed over for casting opportunities because of her height and uniquely low voice. It’s not surprising that at such a school the a cappella scene would be thriving, and when a spot opens up in one of the biggest groups – the Sharpshooters – Jordan decides to utilise her attributes more creatively, and thus, Julian Zhang is born.

Jordan is a great character – the depth of her self-awareness means she doesn’t fall into the irritating, self-centred trap that some contemporary protagonists are prone to, and you’re not shaking your head as she does stupid things. Sure, she does stupid things, but she reasons them out. You can follow her decisions easily, and they make sense. She decides to cross-dress to gain entrance to an elite a cappella group – because it sucks never getting casted, and her mother’s struggling to see the point in her being at Kensington, the expenses of which only become more apparent when they’re trying to meet the medical bills her paraplegic father brings home. She’s desperate, and she has nothing to lose, and my God, if you don’t feel triumphant on her behalf when it pays off. Seeing her find her place and learn to feel comfortable in her own skin by pretending to wear someone else’s is a lovely experience.

Redgate doesn’t ignore the social implications that cross-dressing has – Jordan does wonder how her being Julian plays into the fights transgender people have no choice but to wage. She looks at how her own identity is affected, what makes her feel at ease, how her new friends and relationships make her feel as both Jordan and Julian. Is he a separate character she’s playing any more?

(NB: Jordan is not transgender. At no point does Redgate imply she might be. There is no transgender storyline here, and Riley clarifies this on her personal blog. I just think it’s a good thing that she doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the possibility.) 

There’s no shortage of diversity in general: there are LGBT characters, different body shapes, different religions, acknowledgement of mental health issues, and Jordan’s dad has a wheelchair. The discussions around things like transgender issues and sexual orientation are respectful and well-done (much like in Becky Albertalli’s books), and it’s so good seeing these conversations and thoughts being had. Modern contemporary books just seem to get better and better at diversity, and I don’t know if it correlates to society as a whole getting better, but Noteworthy is one of the best books I’ve read in terms of people being represented purely because these people exist. I would’ve loved to read a character like Jordan’s questioning of her sexuality when I was younger.

The Sharpshooters were my favourite of the diverse cast – the a cappella group Jordan joins is made up of fleshed-out, funny, endearing guys who took my heart. I never would’ve done what Jordan did, but if the Sharpshooters were who I’d get out of it, my high school self might need to reconsider. The dynamics between them all are so entertaining: from Nihal  (the level-headed quiet one) calling Julian his best friend that one time (my heart), to Isaac (the enthusiastic loud-mouthed one) looking out for Trav (the intense, somewhat terrifying one) no matter what. Sweet Marcus, with his anxiety and desperation to please. Mama, with his open-mindedness and love for classical music. Seeing Jordan struggle to realise that she could allow herself to love them, that she could allow herself to have friends, was hard, because they’re so obviously good, accepting people.

I didn’t expect the romance. I don’t know why. Maybe if I read it back now (which I definitely plan to do) I’d see the early signs, but I thought I read too much into it because the boy in question was my absolute favourite character. (I’m not going to name names, in case people don’t see it coming the way I didn’t.) When I realised it wasn’t just me making up subtext, I was so pleasantly surprised. This isn’t to say that it isn’t believable, that it’s thrown in for the sake of it with no context – it’s the exact opposite. It’s one of the most believable relationships I’ve read in contemporary YA. The slow, slow burn is perfectly done, and there’s no drama. Just some realistic expectations. I loved them. I loved him. I desperately want one. (When he said he’d wanted to call her. My heart. It hurt.)

Noteworthy tackles some really serious issues, and definitely makes a stand where it wants to, but it’s also lovely and funny and full of friendship and good music. Nothing detracts from the fun of it, the good naturedness of everything. All the a cappella had the music nerd in me smiling, and all the uncertainty and gravity of everything had the contemporary cynic in me silenced. I miss the Sharpshooters and Jordan already.

For fans of: a cappella, banter, diverse casts, slow-burn romance, terrible puns, strong friendship groups, performing arts in general.

I was expecting more from Noteworthy given the premise and the adorable cover, but it was still a really cute and enjoyable read. Jordan is in her Junior year at Kensington and just lost out on another role in a school musical due to her low voice and her less than feminine appearance. Jordan is discouraged, but she's not giving up, especially when she sees that the campus all-male a capella group needs a new member with her voice range. Cue the crossdressing!

Noteworthy is pretty slow paced, since it takes us through an entire school semester. Jordan goes from a nobody who can't get a role, to someone with friends and a sense of purpose. I loved that the author addressed that Jordan disguising herself for three months isn't going to be easy. She has to flatten her chest, purchase boy clothes on her tight budget, and cut her hair since a wig can shift or fall off to become Julian. Jordan doesn't just throw on a t-shirt and try to sound like a dude. She puts some effort into her disguise and does research.

Although, I found her extra efforts to be feminine while she was Jordan strange. She puts on extra makeup, gets a long wig, and starts wearing dresses and heels. If she didn't look this way before, wouldn't it draw more attention to her to do it now? I get that she wants to look even less like Julian, but her reasoning didn't make sense. And she interacts with exactly zero characters as Jordan, so it wasn't like there was anyone to notice the changes. It isn't explained until the very end why she's been alone for two years, so it bugged me for much of the book. I did like the reason though, since it's nothing that I've read before.

Noteworthy also talks about sexuality and gender identity a lot. Of course, while dressed as Julian, Jordan gets treated differently than she does as Jordan. She's much more aware of the way she moves in order to blend in. I found it interesting how she says she feels more free and more like herself when she's Julian, but not that she believes she's a boy or even any gender that isn't female. There is a brief discussion of how what Jordan is doing and feeling is different than being transgender, but nothing substantial. Jordan also discovers that she's bisexual, but since this isn't a romance, it isn't focused on too much although there is kissing.

I enjoyed Noteworthy, but it was a lot more serious than I thought it was going to be. Not that that's a bad thing. It just seemed like it was going to be this fast, fun, and funny story about a girl infiltrating a male dominated world and blowing them away. It kind of does that, but it's more about Jordan figuring herself out.