Encore to an Empty Room

February 15, 2015
Summer and the band she manages, Dangerheart, are still searching for the lost songs of Eli White in this sequel to Exile (2014). The world now knows that Dangerheart's lead singer Caleb (also Summer's boyfriend) is the son of the late, talented but troubled rocker Eli White. Prior to his death, Eli hid three songs for Caleb to find one day, and so far the group has found one. Though the band is in-sync musically, escalating personal tensions threaten to rip them apart, as individual members struggle with family problems, alcohol abuse, relationship drama and mounting resentment toward one another. The pressure increases when record-deal options begin to appear. Summer feels pulled apart as well, wanting to continue managing the band after high school but also beginning to think that pursuing college as her parents want might not be such a bad idea. When new information arises about the lost songs, the bandmates find themselves in a race to uncover the others before the record executives at Candy Shell steal them. This mission takes Dangerheart on a cross-country tour and an adventure that might just turn out to be a wild ghost chase. Emerson's talents for creating cool characters, writing effortless dialogue and maintaining a quick pace continue to shine. A solid follow-up to Exile that will leave readers clamoring for the final installment. (Fiction. 14-17)

March 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-At the end of Exile (HarperCollins, 2014), Dangerheart became the hot new band once it was revealed that lead singer Caleb is the son of famous artist Eli White-and that Eli has left clues to find his lost songs. In this sequel, the band follows the clues to find Eli's songs, all while Caleb is trying to emerge from his father's shadow. Dangerheart's manager, Catherine Summer Carlson, continues to narrate in this entry. Readers feel connected to the issues that the protagonist faces, and the story line flows easily through her wit and intellect. The narratives presents both sides of the teen's life: as Summer, she navigates rock concerts, friends, dating Caleb, and the big mystery surrounding Caleb and Eli, while as Catherine, she copes with family, homework, and possibly law school. Which path will she choose? Teens will identify with the feeling of being caught between two worlds and will recognize the difficulty of following one's passions. VERDICT For fans of mysteries and rock and roll, this installment of Emerson's music-themed series hits all the right notes.-Caitlin Wilson, Brooklyn Public Library

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