Author: Ron C Nieto
Self-Published 2012
Synopsis:
The princess of the school, Alice, is keeping a secret that could strip her of her high school fame. She is obsessed with the school’s outcast, Keith, but not just him – his music.
Since the inspiration for the song hit, Keith can’t get it out of his mind. The song must be played; it demands to be played. He knows the music is changing him, but he is unable to stop it.
Music has the ability to move you, enlighten you, and take you to places you have never dreamed of. And this particular piece? It has a life of its own and makes you forget who you really are.
As Keith and Alice learn of one another to the notes of that one perfect tune, they can overlook their roles and discover who they could be together. But they also discover someone else is listening and intends on keeping Keith to herself, possibly for an eternity.
I'm not going to lie, when asked by a friend to review a book, I get a little nervous. What if I hate the entire book? Or worse, their writing style? What if I can't connect to the characters (a must for me)? I mean, it would be kind of obvious if I said, "Hey! How 'bout we do a guest post or interview instead of a review?" They would immediately think I hated the book. And I don't enjoy hurting anyone's feelings, especially not my friends. All I'm saying is ... thank goodness I adored everything about Silent Song.
Ron has a unique writing style that it took me a bit to get used to, but as soon as I did, I fell in love. And, what started out as a type of love story quickly took some much unexpected twists and turns transforming the novel into something completely different. A thriller, maybe? A ghost story? Definitely. A mutual friend wrote something about reading the book and her many OMGs and WTFs. She did not lie. Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, Ron added something completely off the beaten path.
While I was never the "popular" or "princess" girl in high school, I had tons of friends from all walks of life. I think this is why I was able to connect with Alice so well. She was a strong female protagonist who began the story attempting to keep her group of petty and self-absorbed friends. However, it did not take her long to decide the ones who were worth it would stick by her no matter what. Luckily for her, she had a couple of them.
Keith, the misunderstood guitar playing emo guy, captivated Alice's attention for more than one reason. She loved his music and often found herself hiding under his window just to hear him play his guitar. When one of her frenemies decided to ask him to join the school play, Alice couldn't fathom what was up because most of the school treated him like a leper. Once she discovered the reason, she became more determined than ever to stand by Keith's side and protect him the best she could. Thing is, Keith really didn't need her protection from the students but he did need her for a completely different reasons. Reasons I can't tell.
I really enjoyed the interaction between Keith and Alice and loved the way Ron integrated their relationship into the story, never giving too much away. There is a paranormal aspect to the story but I don't want to go into much detail so nothing gets spoiled because in all honesty, this book is a suspense. Everything circles around Lady Windermere's Fan, an Oscar Wilde story. This is the play the school theater troop will be performing with antique props donated by a mysterious family.
Ron's story is very unique and intriguing. Each page will leave you wondering and guessing. I loved the overall feeling of the story, even when it became a tad bit creepy. After I finished, I kind of wondered what possessed me to read it so late into the night, but I loved it that much. I couldn't put it down. When you are looking for something mysterious and different, don't hesitate to pick up Silent Song. Oh, and did I mention, the cover is phenomenal and very foretelling.
Hey Kristin! Thanks so much for that wonderful review... I know it's super difficult to face a friend's book! I'm really glad you liked it for its own merits and decided to talk about it. :)
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