This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Elise has talent and issues.  She must decide which she’ll allow to come to the forefront as her school life and her night life start to merge.  Should she stay invisible?  Or be who she’s meant to be? 

I laughed out loud reading this book, earning myself funny looks from the freshman walking by my desk.*  It’s for anyone who ever felt like a misfit, an outsider, or someone who is waiting for their “real life” to start.  Ms. Sales, the author, clearly remembers high school, its various players, and the rumor mill.  The parents are a bit clueless, but sympathetic characters who clearly love their daughter.  Yea. 

Several of my students read this last year and liked it.  We’ll look for more from this author. 

      *p.76  "Then I went in to get scoliosis-tested, and it turns out I don’t have scoliosis, so that was one success.  But also I wasn’t wearing a bra today, which Lizzie Reardon noticed as I was putting my shirt back on after the scoliosis test, so by the end of the day, everyone at school had heard that I was probably a lesbian.  Because if there’s one thing we know about lesbians, it’s that none of them wear bras."  

Goodreads summary

     Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

    Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.