Everything Is Just Beginning By Erin Bartels / Revell

Wonderful novel. Fun to read with characters to love. Their movement through such a unique and specialized setting makes this book an enjoyable reading experience. Musicians take center stage in this book and the year is 1990. The main characters are musicians who care about lyrics and original melodies. Natalie and Mike combine to create a new sound and are eager to share their music with a larger audience. Between the pages, readers get a glimpse of what it’s like to have a passion for music and the hurdles that must be overcome once a performance date is set. The song lyrics included in the book read like top-shelf poetry.

The plot is enriched by more than one down-on-their-luck character who just can’t seem to get ahead. Once their back story is revealed, you can’t stay angry with the consequences of their poor choices.

Erin Bartels’ plot is multi-layered. The book is beautifully crafted both in word and graphic design. The music theme is pervasive. No chapters here, only tracks. Two sides, A and B make the complete book. QR codes at the end send readers to digital destinations where the music is performed by the author and her musical duo partner.

I’ve read four out of five novels written by Erin Bartels. I have found them all thought provoking and engaging. I’ve given all my copies away for friends to enjoy, but truthfully now I wish I had kept them for my personal library. Each one is a novel of distinction.