Between the Notes: A Poignant YA Coming-of-Age Story About Loss, Piano, and Discovering Your True Self - Hardcover

Roat, Sharon Huss

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062291726 ISBN 13: 9780062291721

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2015

Synopsis

After Ivy is forced to move to "the wrong side of the tracks" due to economic hard times, she discovers that not everything—or everyone—is what they seem, even herself. Fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen will love this funny, poignant, and relatable story.

When Ivy Emerson's family loses their house—complete with her beloved piano—the fear of what's to come seizes her like a bad case of stage fright. Forced to give up her allowance, her cell phone, and the window seat in her lilac-colored bedroom, Ivy moves with her family from her affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, aka "the wrong side of the tracks." Hiding the truth from her friends—and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own—seems like a good idea at first. But when the bad-boy-next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy's carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them.

Once things get to the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some surprising new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. And she may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.

A poignant story of losing everything, finding yourself, and discovering that the last thing you expected might be the one thing you need most.

• Wrong Side of the Tracks: When Ivy’s family loses their fortune, she trades her lilac bedroom for a life in Lakeside, where keeping her past a secret is the only way to survive.
• Bad Boy Romance: Lennie Lazarski lives next door, and he knows her secret. He’s the one person who could ruin everything for Ivy—or be the only one who truly understands her.
• Finding Your Voice: After losing her beloved piano, Ivy must find a new way to express herself through music and learn to speak the truth about her new life.
• Heartfelt Family Drama: With a disabled younger brother to protect and parents struggling to hold it all together, Ivy learns that family is more than the house you live in.

About this title

About the Author

Sharon Huss Roat grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Delaware with her family. Between the Notes, her debut novel, was followed by How to Disappear. When she's not writing (or reading) books for young adults, you might find her planting vegetables in her backyard garden or sewing costumes for a school musical. Sharon loves hearing from readers, so visit her online at www.sharonroat.com or on Twitter @sharonwrote.

From the Back Cover

When Ivy Emerson's family loses their house—complete with her beloved piano—the fear of what's to come seizes her like a bad case of stage fright. Only this isn't one of her single, terrifying performances. It's her life.

And it isn't pretty.

Ivy is forced to move with her family out of their affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, also known as "the wrong side of the tracks." Hiding the truth from her friends—and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own—seems like a good idea at first. But when a bad boy next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy's carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them.

As things reach the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some unlikely new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. And she may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.

Debut author Sharon Huss Roat crafts a charming and timely story of what happens when life as you know it flips completely upside down.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up—Ivy Emerson, 16, moves from affluent Westside to undesirable Lakeside after her parents declare bankruptcy after getting behind on her brother's medical bills. Leaving her baby grand piano, bedroom with a window seat, and cell phone behind, she fears she'll lose her friends if they ever find out. But keeping up appearances proves difficult when her best friend still lives in Westside, her bad-boy next-door neighbor isn't keen on keeping their interactions a secret, and the mysterious new boy at school seems far more Westside than Lakeside. To make matters worse, Ivy's best friend is crushing on the new guy who, in turn, is mutually crushing on Ivy. Worst of all, she can't even save face with a "respectable" job playing piano at the country club due to her stage fright and fear of being found out. Short on cash and without the perspective that money isn't everything, Ivy navigates the waters of learning what she's worth in a very material world. Although distastefully shallow at first, trying to save face at every turn, Ivy eventually learns that things aren't always what they seem, and that it is not what you have but who you are that matters. A constant barrage of "ums," ellipses, and disjointed plot devices tarnish the reading experience. VERDICT The lesson Ivy learns is important and oh-so-sweet; the journey there is cumbersome and slightly sour.—Brittany Staszak, St. Charles Public Library, IL

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062291726
• ISBN 13: 9780062291721
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 400