LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Singing loud, proud positive messages about sisterhood and treading your own path, this collaboration between songwriters Becky Jerams and Ellie Wyatt totally rocks. Driven by a duo of inspiring characters, and wrapped up in the glamour and sobering realities of fame, The Songs You've Never Heard is an authentic, stirring story about finding your true voice and not being afraid to use it.
“Songs are funny like that. Sometimes they come into your life at the perfect moment. Just when you need to hear them the most.” The same can be true of people, as Meg discovers when she starts working in a Brighton yoghurt shop - glad to escape her pop-star brother’s tantrums and the pressures of being a family brand on social media - and meets big, confident songwriter Alana.
Secretly a talented musician in her own right, Meg is initially suspicious of Alana – she reckons she’s just another fake using her to get close to her brother. But it turns out that they share a talent for singing and crafting songs, and Alana inspires Meg to share her work for the very first time.
A rollercoaster of possibilities, inhibiting fears, set-backs and conflicts unfold, but through it all the young women, who name their musical collaboration The Lost Girls, find the strength of sisterhood and discover that real life is “about knowing that sometimes you’re not going to get validation from other people, even when you deserve it. And that’s OK. You don’t need anyone’s approval to keep doing what you love.”
If that wasn’t enough, through Alana readers go on a journey about body positivity, and there’s also thrilling love story involving secret identities.
Joanne Owen
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The Songs You've Never Heard Synopsis
Dual-written by a BAFTA-winning children's composer and a K-pop hit writer, The Songs You've Never Heard is a debut YA novel that champions sisterhood, musical talent and body positivity. Perfect for fans of Estelle Maskame, Chris Russell and Taylor Swift.
How can two lost girls find their voices in a world that's determined to keep them silent? Meg McCarthy seems to be everything Alana Howard is not: rich, glamorous and - thanks to Caspar, her world-famous pop star brother - a social media influencer that every brand wants to sponsor. But while Meg is feeling trapped by the squeaky-clean McCarthy brand, plagued by online haters and too terrified to share her own talent with the world, songwriter Alana doesn't seem to be scared of standing out. When Meg and Alana's worlds collide, they quickly learn that appearances can be deceiving.
Becky Jerams, author of The Songs You’ve Never Heard, said: “We are so excited for our ‘booksical’ to be launched by Clock Tower Publishing and we can’t wait to introduce our characters. This story is influenced by our own experience of being women in the music industry and we hope readers will connect with our message of finding your inner voice.”
Her co-author and award-winning children’s composer, Ellie Wyatt, said: “This project has brought together our shared passion for words and music. Not only have we been able to write about the feelings and stories that go into song-writing, but we have had the opportunity to then bring our story to life with real songs!”
In addition to the book, the authors have written and are recording a music album of the same name. The album features songs mentioned in the novel, sang in the voices of main characters Caspar, Meg and Alana, and will be available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify and more platforms.
About This Edition
Press Reviews
Becky Jerams and Ellie Wyatt Press Reviews
'An inspiring tale of how art provides both solace and purpose.' - Kirkus Reviews
'both a love letter to and a critique of the music industry' - Reader review
'music, female friendship, a secret crush and a strong emphasis on being who you are' - Reader review
'a shining example of a perfect contemporary novel for teens' - Reader review
'What it really meant for me was that no matter what people say or do, remain authentically you.' - Reader review
'These two lost girls were meant to find each other in music and life.' - Reader review
'Female friendship and body positivity are portrayed brilliantly' - Reader review
'a brilliantly heart-warming story about friendship and finding yourself' - Reader review
'A sweet read (...) all about finding a way to be true to yourself and forget the haters!' - Reader review
