I have been a follower of Cait's for a while on Goodreads so I was really excited to see she was coming out with her debut novel! It's always so exciting when fellow book lovers and reviewers get book deals. I wasn't sure what to expect as she is so funny online so the storyline was quite the shock.

I thought the story was truly innovative and was a very different take on the standard child abuse storylines. I loved Beck and August and thought their interactions were so funny and realistic. Beck's sister was also the cutest little thing ever and really did add something to book, unlike a lot of side characters.

The reason for my rating is not that this is a bad book - I just expected more. The book was just so short and it ended so suddenly. I really wish I'd had chance to get to know them better. I can't wait for Cait's next book and I hope it is slightly longer so I can live in the world she's created longer!

Beck has a tough life - his once famous pianist mother forces him to play the piano for hours on end, and if Beck isn't good enough she punishes him by using her fists. Since her stroke, his mother can't play, so she pushes Beck, determined to carry on the Keverich line.
When he's not playing the piano, Beck tries to look after his little sister, Joey, and to hide that he composes his own music.
Then a girl called August enters Beck's life, bringing light and possibilities with her.
Can Beck stand up to his mother?
Is he stuck in a life he can't escape?

I was drawn to A Thousand Perfect Notes by the author and the blurb. There's a lot of hype about this book in the blogosphere and, unfortunately, this was one of the occasions where, for me, the hype led to the book disappointing me.
Beck and August were both interesting characters, but Joey was my favourite character overall.
The plot was interesting and held my attention but nothing happened that surprised or shocked me (apart from the physical abuse!).
The romance was quite sweet and it didn't overshadow other aspects of the story.
There are some tough subjects tackled in this book and I thought they were handled well.
While I did enjoy this book, I do feel slightly disappointed that I didn't enjoy it more.

Overall this was a solid debut and an enjoyable read.

Oh my heart!
This book was wonderful but painful.
I felt like there were times of unnecessary cruelty, but it’s meant for the story.
It was a quick read and I enjoyed it!

It took me a while to get into this book, the second half was definitely much better than the first for me, and the unusual formatting of certain parts of the text could be a bit offputting. I loved the main character Beck though, he was very easy to root for and you could really feel both his pain and his passion for music. The Maestro was a truly evil character and it was horrifying what she did to both her son and her daughter (I love Joey, she is a vicious little child who must be protected at all costs) and I could definitely recognise Cait's signature voice having read her blog for the past couple of years. I wasn't sure about August at first, but her friendship with Beck was heartwarming and I grew to love her through the book. The ending was sad but kind of hopeful at the same time, but I feel like that basically describes this whole book!

I saw A Thousand Perfect Notes plastered everywhere on Bookstagram. Everyone was excited about this book and it seemed to be the book to read. Luckily I was accepted for an eBook copy on NetGalley.

Unfortunately, this book didn't meet my expectations.

It's quite hard to pinpoint what exactly I didn't like. Okay, I definitely did not like the child abuse. It made my heart break into a million pieces as well as give me a horrible feeling in my stomach.

So let me try and discuss the few things that I did not like.

I had no idea where the story was set. Not a clue. At first, I thought it was in England. About halfway through the book $ was mentioned so I assumed we were in America. It turns out, after reading some reviews on Goodreads, the story was set in Australia!? I really had no idea and it massively annoyed me that I didn't have a clue where the story was set.

There felt like there was a massive lack of worldbuilding which is what I really needed.

I didn't like the character August. AT ALL. Her entrance into the story felt so forced it made my head hurt. I get what her purpose was for but it didn't feel right and was way too obvious.

The abuse that took place with Beck and his little sister, Joey was hard to read. But it felt over dramatic. The book went straight into the abuse. I'm not saying that there should have been build up for "dramatic effect" but at least to develop the story further instead of diving straight into it.

I'm not sure whether I liked the writing, I needed more development in the story and

not

sentences

like

this.


So another unpopular opinion on a very popular book, but sorry guys I just couldn't get into it. I would definitely read the next book by C. G. Drews to see if her writing style develops. For now, it was a massive NO from me.

Beck is a talented classical pianist and his entire life is filled with practice and competitions and piano music. The other thing that Beck's life is filled with is pain. Pain inflicted by his mother, who beats him when he doesn't play, and beats him even worse when he makes a mistake while playing. Beck's life revolves around the piano and he hates it. He hates the practice and the competitions and his mother's bitter anger, the way that she forces him to be the great pianist she once was. The only time Beck doesn't hate the piano is when he is composing his own music, something his mother won't allow.

The only thing about his life that Beck doesn't hate is his little sister, Joey, a ball of light, snark, and glittery rain boots, who above all else he has to protect from the piano. Then he meets August. August is full of life and energy and, unlike Beck, she doesn't seem to hate anything. Strangest of all she wants to be Beck's friend. Beck tries his hardest to persuade August that they can't be friends but she won't give up, and, despite Beck's best efforts, she starts to persuade him not to give up either. That makes one more person Beck doesn't hate.

The root of the story lies in the conflicts of Beck's life. Beck hates playing the piano but at times, especially when he is composing his own music, that hatred blurs into passion. Beck knows that to stand up to his mother will only result in stricter punishment, but he wants to be able to stand up to her anyway. Beck doesn't want August to know the truth about his home life but, against his better judgement, he does want to be her friend. In the end Beck has many decisions to make, and none of them are easy. Despite his dark humour and stubborn will to push August away, Beck is an easy character to warm to, and that just makes his story all the more heartbreaking to read.

A Thousand Perfect Notes is a story of love, pain, and perseverance, about a boy trapped in a horrible situation, who doesn't want to be saved. Beck's story is painful and hard but, thanks to Joey and August, it also has laughter and hope. Using her own unique voice, C.G. Drews fills these characters with humour and light, a necessary balance from the darker subject matter. The passages describing the frantic fury of Beck's piano playing are particularly absorbing and viscerally emotive and the descriptions of Beck's Australian home give the book a grounding sense of place. This story will make you cry, it will make you smile, and above all it will make you feel. That may be a cheesy thing to say but this is anything but a cheesy book.

I'm not crying, you're crying! This book absolutely blew me away; it is unbelievably intense, heart-breaking, and yet provides this warms at certain times which just makes you want to hug the thing. I was really excited to be granted the opportunity to read and review this book having seen a lot about it on Instagram (I was already following the author), and I'm so happy that this book lived up to the hype I built for me in my mind.
I felt like I really connected with this main character, which is something hugely important for me in any fictional read as it not only engages me with the story as a whole, but also helps me to empathise and really transport myself into the pages of the book.
Beck is a main character who clearly wants to break out of his shell and follow his dreams - it isn't that he doesn't like music at all, but he wants to play his own pieces. His mother is adamant she will live her dream through him and forces him to play for hours, with strict rules about friendships as well as basically not caring in the slightest how he performs in school. I love that August comes along and begins to lure him out of his cage because the few breakthrough moments she has with him, really give his character depth.
This story primarily focuses on Beck, his younger sister Joey - whom he appears to care for almost completely, and August and I loved the way different voices had been conveyed through the narration.
I wouldn't say this book has a particularly fast paced to keep the reader engaged, but rather it took an approach of just being so intense you didn't want to put it down. The whole time routing for Beck to make some kind of breakthrough. I'm just glad the book ended how it did - not how it came to that ending - that was the pinnacle of heart-break, but the outcome... t'was good.
Overall I'm awarding this book the full five stars - I absolutely loved this. I've been reading a lot of contemporary fiction recently so my standards have become pretty high and this was just flawless. It really outlined so many issues; physical and mental abuse, but the themes of hope balanced it perfectly. It was undoubtedly a very intense book, and in some places really quite upsetting but the message of this book is so important. Definite recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction and even if you're slightly intrigued - pick the book up!

I wanted to read this book because the author’s blog, Paper Fury is one of my favourites. I absolutely adored A Thousand Perfect Notes. As the blurb states this book deals with abuse but in a very different, subtle way that other books that use this subject. There is a threat of menace every time Beck’s mother, Maestro is in a scene, a dark undertone to everything she says and does, a sense that she is close to exploding. She’s a great villain, not just black and white, complicated and made of different colours. As much as I hated her, the author created great sympathy because of what she lost when she had a stroke. The characters are amazingly written though I wanted to see more of August’s family. August is a great character and I love how she refuses to give up no matter how moody and snappy Beck is. A Thousand Perfect Notes knocks the socks off me at the end. It’s so awful but great as well. My heart aches a little.

Picture this: You walk into a bookstore. You buy a book. You love the book. That book, my friends, is A Thousand Perfect Notes. What is there to love, you may ask? Well here's a list for all you doubters out there:

"Other people are born for nonexistence."


1. This book is so honest. Beck's mother is abusive--and I mean abusive. She does horrible things, just because she wants her son to live out the dreams she herself can no longer push through with them. This book shows the ugly side of abuse--and how sometimes you just can't fight for yourself even when you need to. It shows that there are always choices to be made, all with their own ups and downs.

"Life would be unbalanced without sharp words to stick in your ribs like a thousand little knives. Beck's here to fill the quota."


2. Beck is the cuddliest human teddy bear ever! Our hero is the opposite of every single brooding douchebag we've met in YA. He's sweet, caring, and he doesn't fight back. But that doesn't mean he's weak!!! He just knows when a battle shouldn't be fought, and I think that's incredibly brave.

3. Beck's little sister is such a gem! See, little Joey's sweet... sometimes. I love how realistic her character is--she doesn't have the best personality, being raised by an abusive mom. But she and Beck always look out for each other. They have the best dynamics, and I love how bubbly she was around him. See here, little kids can be 3-dimensional characters, too! Huzzah!

"Some people are born for sunlight and orange peel smiles and running on the beach and wild flowers in their hair."


4. I love August. Beck's love interest, August, does have that I-need-to-fix-you vibe going on, but for the first time in for-freaking-ever, I didn't find it annoying at all! I thought she was so authentic, and the cute kind of quirky. She loves cake (!!!), battered-up shoes (or, well, no shoes at all), and still gets fabulous grades that she works hard for. A true inspiration, this little lady!

"If you do not say hello, you do not need to say goodbye."


5. The romance was a hurricane, y'all. Beck and August's relationship wasn't always smooth-sailing. But it was genuine and delightful to read about! They became friends first, too, which gave them a good foundation. I just loved them so much together!

6. THE ENDING--you'll understand once you've read it. *spoiler free* The ending was just so beautiful and made me bawl my eyes out at 2:45 in the morning.

*Note: I'm giving this book only four stars since it was a bit tough to get into, and there was just a bit too much purple prose for me. Overall, though, I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone!

"You are worth more than a thousand perfect notes"
Yess!! I agree with this and I have to say that this is is one of the beautifully written book with so much depth. This YA fiction deals with some serious issues that of i.e Child Abuse. I love how the author has taken such a series issue yet maintained the innocence and vulnerability of the protagonist Beck. Even though he suffered abuse from his Maestro (Mother ), he still is loving towards his sister and his passion of composing music. Beck is a composer and pours all his suffering in his music but his mother wants to practice some songs day and night until his hands break. At 15 years ,he shows a lot of maturity and will power.
Beck is a character that I feel for so much , his pain and hatred for his mother .I at times got emotional as well as his mother is a real tyrant. He deserves happiness like all of us but his world turns out upside down when he meets August . 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. I totally loved their chemistry as it was sooo deep and so much happened without much talking. August helps Beck see the world from a new perspective and that what makes the difference. Well not to mention Beck has a beautiful name (you will have to read the book to find out.) I loved to say that the book has happy ending and Beck finally lives his dreams of Being a composer and that made my day.
I love the author's in-depth knowledge of characters ,as there is a wonderful character development and plot development. I happy to see such great books in this YA genre which are realistic as well.
This books 20% heart breaking ,20 % heart rendering,and 50 % heart warming. I loved every page of it and it has found its place in one of my Favorite YA reads of 2018.

Today, since this is a "let's flail" review, we're going to just discuss the reasons I loved this, because when you're flailing, there are probably not any negatives, right? Right. So, here are some of the reasons that if you haven't already obtained this book (and why haven't you?) you really, really should.

The characters are precious and adorable and believably quirky. Okay, maybe I should say most of the characters, because I don't want to accidentally lump Beck's mom in with anyone precious. But let's talk about Beck, while we're at it: He is such a broken human, but also really good at his core, even though he doesn't really believe it. The only thing that I loved more than his adorable feels for August was his fierce protectiveness for his sister Joey. August, in her own right, is delightful. And she seems to bring out the best in people, which frankly is refreshing. Oh, and even though they're kind of minor characters, her family is fabulous and maybe we have a spinoff about them or something, eh?

Beck's plight was eerily relatable. I mean, okay, perhaps not to the extent, but certainly the context? Beck and I can't have been the only ones who felt a ton of parental pressure to do certain things in certain ways. My dad was so tough on us, and a lot of times I felt like he maybe was trying to live vicariously- exactly as Beck's mom is. Thankfully, I didn't face abuse like Beck, but of course there are kids who do. Still, I related to him so much- when you wonder how much of your life is just living someone else's plans.

And I did worry about not being able to relate to Beck because of music. Music scares me sometimes because I don't understand it? But it's fine- it's written in a way that you don't have to have a masters degree in piano to understand exactly what is happening.

The writing, as you'd expect, is fabulous. We know Cait can write, yes? If you didn't before, trust me, you will after you read this. I highlighted so many passages on my Kindle that the whole damn thing was practically turning colors. So many witty lines, so many thoughtful and emotive parts. If you appreciate quality writing, you're in the right place.

Let's talk about the feels! Ohhh my emotions! I admit that I foolishly didn't realize that this book would be so emotionally powerful, but it was. I cried, and a book hasn't made me cry in a long time (because I might be turning into some kind of cyborg, idk?), but it wasn't all emotionally heavy. I laughed, and I felt a ton of empathy for Beck, and I was pissed as hell at his damn mom. See, emotions galore!

I actually lost track of time while reading and that seriously does not ever happen. Like I looked up at the Kindle and somehow I'd gotten to 85% and two hours had passed and oops? It really drew me in immediately, and I was apparently very invested in finding out what became of these characters, so there you have it.

There's cake. Because this is a Cait book, I feel like I'd be disappointed if there wasn't cake? But there is so you don't need to worry.

Bottom Line: It is as awesome as you think it will be. That's all you need to know.

I can't say I enjoyed this book.
Enjoyable is not a word I would use to describe this book, but not because it was a terrible book. The subject matter is not pleasant but I think it is something that needs to be discussed. Our main character, Beck, is subjected to some truly disgusting abuse from his mother frequently throughout the book, which made for a very difficult read.

This book is heartbreaking.
Beck's mother's treatment of her children is so horrendous that I really struggled to read this book. It broke my heart to read about Beck's home life and everything he has to deal with. The situation felt so real, at times I had to remind myself that these were fictional characters. Despite these characters being fictional, it was an important reminder that this kind of thing does happen more often than I would like to think about. It is a very important topic.

Interesting take on child abuse.
I found it particularly interesting that the abuse Beck is subjected to is regarding his music. Beck is forced to obsessively play piano and is subjected to horrendous violence should he not play for the required time or make mistakes. I have never read anything like that before. I found it especially poignant as music is commonly considered something that brings joy and comfort, which was definitely not the case in this situation.

The characters felt real.
The characters were the best thing about this book. Both Beck and August felt well developed and almost felt like real people. I loved how different they were, August was the complete opposite of both Beck as a person and his life in general. She was a ray of sunshine and it was lovely to see her bring some light to Beck's life.

The plot was lacking.
This was the let down for me; there wasn't much plot to this book at all. I was always waiting for something big to happen, some big plot twist that would make the story more exciting. However, other than the development of the relationship between Beck and August, and August's deteriorating home life, not a lot happened. It definitely wasn't a plot driven book but, for me, it just needed a bit more to happen.

Overall, this was a difficult read due to the subject matter but I enjoyed it as much as a person can enjoy such a topic. The characters were well-developed and felt like real people standing in front of me. However, the lack of plot resulted in me becoming bored at times. I needed a little something more to keep me fully engaged.

I am intensely flapping my arms and squawking like a poor abandoned pterodactyl baby at the excitement of actually having been able to read a review copy of A Thousand Perfect Notes! (Thanks for staying with my review after that sentence.) My emotions towards Cait's book can be described roughly as such, starting from when I found out she was publishing a book at all:

oh wow! Cait is finally publishing one of her books, something I've been asking her about for ages (...WHEN, WHEN, WHEN)
THAT IS JUST SO COOL THO
I know someone who's publishing a real, actual book, and I was there when it happened
...wait. What if... What if I could read it?
But... but what if I don't like it?!
I mean... wow, that would be awkward.
But Cait's blog is like so awesome, so she clearly CAN write, right?
But it YA. You don't like YA that much. You dread YA love stories. What if there's one??
What if it's a cheesy one. What if it's sugary sweet and my eyes will roll back and stay there. WHAT IF.
*hides in bushes*
And I've been hiding in the bushes ever since. Till it was like a month till the book comes out. And then I had an unexpected opportunity to grab at it, and I did, and... And, welp, I LOVED IT. I loved it so much, I'm giving it 5 stars, and guess what? I had nothing to worry about!! [spoiler]So there is *some* love. Maybe I didn't expect that. But the way it was done actually didn't scare me off towards the bushes either![/spoiler]

I have now been converted. I am looking at you, Cait. I want to read every single book you write. I don't even normally like contemporaries, so you've really got something going on here.

5 Reasons To Read A Thousand Perfect Notes
Beck is a talented pianist, but he's also a teenager in a pretty unhappy home, so he doesn't really know he's any good. All he is ever told is that he's not good enough. Forced to live in the shadow of his mother's brilliant past as a pianist and her grim present of losing her ability to play, Beck struggles to keep up his own emotional stability, and the physical safety of his younger sister. Trying to save any childhood his sister might still have, Beck sacrifices anything he might want in life himself, and focuses on just making the precarious lifestyle they lead somehow hold out as long as it can. It's hard to sum up this story without giving too much away, but if I had to be broad, I could say that this is both a story of how friendship and human affection can open a person up to himself, as well as one of survival in domestic abuse situations, and how much even a little bit of empathy and acceptance can do for a person who is struggling to see himself despite of what his abusers have been trying to get him to believe.
Reason 1.

Incredibly Important Topic That's Very Well Written As Well
It's funny how this always happens to me, but it seems I always read books that are connected, without even trying to. I started A Thousand Perfect Notes just as I was reading No Fourth River, an actual real-life account of domestic abuse, both growing up and in a relationship. I didn't even read the blurb for A Thousand Perfect Notes, cause it's always more fun not to know – imagine my surprise when I found out it's about the same topic. This gave me even more perspective when reading this – an account of the reality of domestic abuse, side by side with the fictional take. These books were amazing companions. Needless to say, A Thousand Perfect Notes brings a very important topic to the table, and it also brings it up in the YA genre, which might allow it to reach a very vulnerable age group more easily – people who might not even be aware of some things that might be off in their own households, or those of their friends.

Another thing that I MUST mention is that... well, I don't want to talk about it much, but I am no stranger to abuse. I grew up in a single parent household – because my mother was brave enough to leave when faced with domestic abuse. My first memory is me hiding behind a door, while my mother is being beat up by my dad. That is literally THE FIRST MEMORY I have. So while I wasn't hurt myself (he had this much decency), I know I was often a human shield for my mother's safety. My life is still grounded in fear because of this. Later in life, I was bullied, fiercely, for many years – in school. So I know my share of abuse. But since this post is not about me – where I'm going with this is that the victim mentality is VERY well known for me. I still struggle with the fallout decades later. And what surprised me the most is that Cait managed to write this mentality so well! (Cait herself mentions that she had a wonderful family, so it's not from personal experience – which is stunning at how she managed to write this so accurately.) The way Beck thinks about himself is literally the way a bullied, abused person will think of themselves. I know it all too well. Cait has done a stunning job writing this character. I applaud it.
If you are a teen who lives in an abusive household, remember this: You ARE good enough. Stay strong. You are probably even much better than you think you are.
Reason 2.
Currency = Pure Emotion
I mean, it's hardly any surprise, if you've ever read Cait's blog, but she deals in PURE FEELS. And this is wonderful! If what you're expecting from A Thousand Perfect Notes is to have your heart dragged out of your chest, stomped on a few times, wrought out and then also thrown out the window? It's pretty much what will happen. And you'll like it, and you'll thank Cait for it. What are you waiting for?
Reason 3.

All The Musical Insiders
I do sort of play piano, but I haven't played for a long time, and I'm also self taught. But reading this book basically made me want to pick it up again! And even if I'm not very good at playing, it reminded me how much I loved it. If you miss the days you played music in school, you'll be able to relate to this so much! It really spoke to me.

Reason 4.


How Does She Make It So Relatable?
Okay, so maybe it was more relatable for me since I struggled with some of the things Beck had to go through, but I still believe that ANYONE could relate to this book, if not to Beck – then some of the other characters. They're quirky, sincere and fun. Their problems are often painful and something you might have gone through when you were a teen (or are going through right now). I believe everyone will find at least a little bit in A Thousand Perfect Notes they can nod their head YES to.

Reason 5.


A Very Honest Tone
Okay, I'll be frank with you. The reason I dislike most YA? Is because it's got this weird tone that I just can't pinpoint... Often so very self-important, bantery and just... Just not for me. I struggle to relate to it. My generation, at least where I come from, has been much less self-important, self-centered. I just can't enjoy reading that kind of tone. And that's often a thing I worry about, when starting a YA book. But A Thousand Perfect Notes? No such problem! It's so remarkably honestly written – the tone is no-nonsense, there isn't the typical privilege tinge that is dripping from a lot of other YA books that I dislike. That's possibly why it's so easy to relate to it. It's simple. It's honest. It's even got so much humor, despite talking about such a grim, painful topic. It captures the whimsicality of how we sometimes talk to each other, even in the book community. I can always appreciate whimsical!

Triggers Though
You have obviously already figured out that this book contains domestic violence. The violence is also graphic in places (sufficiently graphic for me, at least...) I'll also go out of my way to mention verbal abuse as well. If you are going through a tough mental period, and you've been bullied or abused in the past, maybe you should be careful with this. It really, really might trigger you. So do consider this carefully, please.

Overall...

No book is perfect – but A Thousand Perfect Notes comes close. [spoiler]Although I kind of didn't expect the romance! I would have loved a 'just friends' story just as much, if not more, but this is purely a 'me' thing, so I won't judge a book based on that.[/spoiler] The characters are amazing, the sibling relationship is inspiring, the message is important. The writing is fluent and very enjoyable, and the book itself it impossible to put down. You will not regret picking A Thousand Perfect Notes up! It really IS all it's cracked up to be, and there's a reason why we all keep giving it five stars.

I thank Hachette Children's Group for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.

When I found out the wonderful PaperFury over on instagram was writing a book, I just knew I had to get my hands on it. I've followed her for a while, and love her humour and writing, and the premise intrigued me.

Beck is trying his best to make it through, playing the role of protective older brother, failing student, and musician, and for all his efforts, nothing seems like it's working out. His mother's failed career makes her harsh on him, and as a result, Beck has never really had the chance to prove himself and escape the role she's forced upon him, so when he meets August, suddenly things begin to change. Beck begins to hope.



Before I go any further I'd like to point out that there is a trigger warning for domestic abuse in this story. Beck's relationship with his mother is extremely poignant to the overall plot, and there were times where the abuse seemed very realistic, but this is something that could affect a lot of people, and it should be taken into consideration before picking the book up.

We are immediately thrown into a story full of turmoil. There's not pussy-footing around the abuse Beck receives from his mother, and the opening scene shows us just how much it has affected him mentally. Forced to practice for hours at a time, day and night, and refused meals until he plays perfectly, Beck's used to the ways in which he's tortured and abused. But there's a small glimmer in him that yearns to write his own music instead, making the story slightly more heart-wrenching.

For years, he's managed to keep the abuse secret, with the usual excuses to cover anything  visual, but when paired up with a girl called August for a school project, things become more difficult to hide, as she tries her hardest to befriend him. I actually really liked August. She didn't let Beck's attitude phase her, and continued to be there as some form of support whilst he coped with the abuse at home, never pushing him to open up to her if he didn't want to. Free-spirited, and determined to help him in some way, August implements herself into his life in subtle ways, without realizing just how big of an impact she's having on him mentally, and this really helps Beck's character develop. (The only complaint I had in regards to their relationship was the slight romance, as I didn't feel like it added to the story, and could have very easily been missed out, but I do understand why it was implemented.)

At the start of the story, Beck is broken, mentally and physically, and is trying to not only protect himself, but also be the big brother he feels his half-sister Joey deserves. Neither him, or his sister were planned, nor apparently wanted, and  he worries that Joey will be forced into the life he's been given if he doesn't do as his mother wishes. It was interesting to see the ways in which the abuse had influenced  Joey, with her being violent towards other children, as well as not truly understanding the impact her actions had on other people. This could be attributed to the sheer naivety of children (after all Joey was only around 5 years old), but it seemed to derive from the ways in which she'd observed her mother treating others.

Generally speaking, the story was incredibly touching. Beck was a difficult narrative to read from on occasion, and there were several scenes that were hard to read purely for the amount of abuse and violence within them, but for the most part, I felt like I had taken something from the plot. The writing was captivating and fast-paced, and I honestly wouldn't have thought this to be a debut with the way in which it handled the topics within. As strange as it sounds, I also like the fact the abuse was done by a woman, as it breaks down the stereotypes we see in all forms of media. You never hear about mothers abusing their children, and whenever it's covered in media it's often men doing the abuse, so this felt like a huge step forward in the world of young adult.

Overall C. G. Drews did a fantastic job at combining the world of music and such a difficult topic, and I'd be more than willing to give anything she writes in the future a go, given the way in which this was so brilliantly handled.

Wow! What can I say about this beautifully written book apart from the fact that it truly did get me right in the feels. This was a tear inducing, heart wrenching, powerful read.

Yes, it does hit on some hard issues that some readers could be triggered by. Some of the scenes are very harrowing to read and even for me I found one in particular pretty hard to digest. However, stuff like this happens every day and in my opinion domestic abuse isn't touched on enough in YA and I applaud the author for bringing this topic to the forefront of our attention.

I loved Beck's character development and how he grew with each chapter. His character felt so raw and real and that resonated with me. His struggles to please his mother but also wanting to find his own path could really connect with some readers. Also, his relationship with his little sister Joey was just heartwarming to read. Proper brotherly/sisterly love.

A Thousand Perfect Notes was such a harrowing, captivating read that had me sobbing uncontrollably throughout most of it. This is a book that I still haven't recovered from and one I'll still be thinking about in months to come.

All I can say is wow, just wow. I am speechless in the perfectness of this book. It is like an emotional rollercoaster where you wonder what will happen, and will leave you in tears by the end. I don't think any other ending would have been better, though it did break my heart a little bit. Definitely a book to read.

Warning: This book contains scenes of violent domestic abuse.



Beck meets August at school and they become friends though Beck plays the piano, forced by his mother whom can no longer play and is now a bitter abusive woman towards her son. He also has a brother and sister too but Beck is the one pushed at only fifteen to become a famous pianist and not have the family name die from the world of piano playing.



only as the abuse worsens and Beck feels more and more pushed into a fake life, a life he hates he tries to take charge only for it to end up with him in a worse state than ever before...



Overall, it was a good book. Personally for me if rammed home the domestic abuse point about his mother's obsession with having their family name live on in the world of music. Other than that, the story between August and Beck was a very sweet teen romance and totally believable, they seem a normal couple. Just like an abuse sufferer, Beck hates his life and says it often but shows that good things can come from bad situations when you least expect it like August showing up in his life.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

A fab read! It was really interesting to read from a male point of view and although sad, this book is wonderful. Very artistic and will make you cry and cheer for the characters throughout the story.

‘What he wants most in the whole world is to cut off his own hands.’

Some books break you; make you feel so much it hurts, make you cry, and rage. And then they restore you, not with perfect endings or happily ever afters, but with a little bit of hope and a few good people. A Thousand Perfect Notes is exactly that kind of book for me, the kind that hurts, that heals, and stays with you long after you’ve finished reading. If you struggle with stories about child abuse, however, proceed with caution.

Beck’s situation is tragic; his mother is psychotic and abusive, trying to live vicariously through him after a stroke leaves her unable to play the piano as she once did. She has broken him completely and destroyed every ounce of his self-worth – insulting his abilities, refusing to ever tell him he’s good enough, withholding food if he doesn’t meet her standards, beating him when he messes up. He lives in constant terror, isolated from everyone except his five-year-old sister, Joey, who he loves and protects from his mother – the Maestro. Until August. A free-spirited girl he’s partnered with for an essay, whose sunshine soul manages to slowly break down the barriers Beck has put in place.

I absolutely adored Beck, Joey, and August. I wanted so badly to wrap Beck and Joey up in cotton wool and look after them; nobody should have to live in a home where beatings seem normal and there’s never enough food. The very rare moments of kindness (if they can be called that) that the Maestro showed made her all the more terrifying, leaving Beck spiralling into thoughts wondering if she could ever love him – my heart went out to him, I can’t even imagine what it must be like to have to live like that and still desperately want approval from the person hurting you.

August and her family remined me so much of mine – intense with love, with food, with taking in waifs and strays of all varieties. August refuses to let Beck shy away from her, no matter how rude and disinterested he seems, because she likes him, she finds him interesting, and she knows that not everything is as it seems on some level. Yes, she’s drawn to the abused, the broken, but, ultimately, she’s just a good person with a good heart, and a lot of love to give. And I love that Beck and August’s story didn’t culminate in some kind of ‘loves heals all’ narrative because it doesn’t – it can help, having someone who loves you, who cares, but it’s never going to undo years of abuse and degradation, and make everything immediately better.

This is such a wonderful, heart-breaking, and important book full of music, obsession, and abuse. Beck and Joey’s story is tragic, more so because it is a reality for so many people in this world. It’s not an easy read, but it is so worth it.

‘You are worth more than a thousand perfect notes.’

A book filled with Chopin, emotions and pain, A Thousand Perfect Notes is the perfect debut that I'm quite sure will put C.G. Drews on your watchlist.

It's rare when a book makes me feel so strongly for the characters that I just want to reach inside the pages, take their hand and whisk them away to somewhere safe. Most of the times I read about adults, and somewhere deep inside I know they are going to be fine eventually. But Beck is 15 years old, and as a teenager has less opportunities to help himself, and that uncertainty I felt the whole time was quite overwhelming.

The friendship that turned into love between Beck and August was so cute and so precious! August, the girl with sunshine in her eyes is everything Beck isn't. Outgoing, confident, chatty, and most importantly has the sort of family I hope I will have one day. Loving parents who embrace their daughter's quirky personality and open their arms to Beck, no questions asked.

Beck's quiet rebellion against his abusive and German-insult-shouting mother - a.k.a. The Maestro as he refers to her - begins after he gets a taste of freedom August just knows as normal daily life and he realizes that what happens to him can happen to his little sister, Joey any day. But can he win? Can a fifteen year old boy really do anything?

So, what can you expect to find in this book?

Absolutely beautiful writing. Prose that flows like classical music.
An adorable child. In spite of her young age Beck's little sister Joey has a lot to say, and she says it in a way you want to listen to her. I'm always wary of child characters as they tend to get annoying sometimes, but five year old Joey is pure cuteness.
A wonderful family, the Freys. Their house is filled with rescue animals, they love each other and their daughter. Serious life & parenting goals there for me!
Music. At one point I actually started playing some classical music in the background while I was reading. It was awesome.
A deep exploration into abusive child-parent relationship, written with so much compassion and care.
Beck & August: two wonderful kids whom I'd love to meet in the future again.