I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone

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Did I finish it? To see if she actually went there she did. To motivate myself to write better! Did I almost fall for it again with the same author? Or at least to remember the names of authors who trick me and do me wrong. Mar 07, Sarah Kathleen rated it did not like it Shelves: It is so bad. This is one of the worst books I've ever read. It's probably second only to this book I read in ninth grade about the alleged Pope Joan.

That one I stopped reading when a character set a table with forks, which hadn't been invented when the book took place. It reads like a fifteen year old's fan fiction. I kept expecting the main character to have sex with Draco Malfoy, which would have at least been a little bit m Oh my god. I kept expecting the main character to have sex with Draco Malfoy, which would have at least been a little bit more interesting. The story is one that I could totally get behind, and I thought it was awesome that it was a real book by a local author. I wanted to like it. I really, really wanted to like it.

The story is poorly thought out, the dialogue is stilted, the situations verge on the absurd, and the main character's band has the worst name ever. Maybe because I didn't know any better then, but I mean, the post riot grrrl setting is one that I know well, understand, and was fully immersed in during the late 90s.

So I probably would have really liked this book ten years ago. Sadly, though, I'm not ten years ago. Feb 04, Roger rated it really liked it. At the heart of any novel about music and musicians is the question, Can music save your mortal soul? Or, is it a maybe? Emily follows her heart and her music, hoping it will lead her to the mother who abandoned her for punk music when Emily was four months old.

Her actions almost destroy her friendships with her two band mates and alienate the only family she has left--but her twin passions, finding the transcendent power of music and reuniting with her mother, drive her to the end. And who can resist a story about a girl with a guitar? Jul 17, Corinne Horne rated it it was amazing. I read this book in 24 hours. Not because it was easy, or so I could get it over with, but because it was one of the best books I've read to-date.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the book. I associated with Emily, the way she loved music and the person she was. The book itself is so well-written that after digesting the whole thing, I felt my jaw go slack in awe of the beauty of it. Stephanie's talent, love of music, and experience exude from this book with such ease that you'd think it wa I read this book in 24 hours. Stephanie's talent, love of music, and experience exude from this book with such ease that you'd think it was an autobiography.

I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction; I had to stop myself from looking up the band She Laughs to hear what made everyone love them so much. I felt every emotion the characters felt. If I wasn't in college, I know I'd be just like Emily. To have read this book in less than 24 hours - with morning classes and heaps of homework - is a miracle.

Even 'Please Kill Me' took longer for me to read than this book, even with my being engrossed with it as I was, and at the time I wasn't in college yet. I wonder how I hadn't found this book before, I wonder if Stephanie is going to write more. If she does, I'll be there to shell out the bucks to buy it. This book, to sum it up, is worth every last penny I paid for it. Nov 24, Becky rated it liked it.

I braved my fear of spiders, dust plumes as thick as L. I liked this one. It was well written. Stephanie Kuehnert has a way with words, and she can spin a good story. No doubt about it. For those that love music--particularly punk--and angst will find much to delight them in I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone. Emily, our heroine, is a girl rocker with a band. Emily's choices aren't always wise. Often they're just the opposite. And she has to learn things the hard way.

But through it all, I found myself liking her Emily has abandonment issues and justly so. Her mother abandoned her and her dad when she was just a few months old. Her parents had notoriously left Carlisle, Wisconsin, in But after she left, he decides to return--much to the dismay and delight of some of the residents.

Emily's best friend is the daughter of her mother's best friend.

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Regan and Emily are inseparable. Regan's part of the band as well. We get Emily's story, but we also get snippets of her mother's story. Both share certain similarities. Emily's story is sad and bittersweet in a way. As Emily chooses time and time again not to respect herself and her body. Her choices when it come to what men she lets in I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is an ambitious novel covering a great span of years--some of her childhood, all of her teen years, and even a little beyond when she's an adult.

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The plot revolves around her growing up and growing wise. Of course before she can do that, she has to hit rock bottom. She has to make all the wrong choices before she can start making the right ones. But even when Emily is down on her luck and spiraling out of control, you can't help but like her and want her to find happiness. Aug 02, Brooke rated it it was ok. With a star review from one of my all-time faves, Mr. Irvine Welsh himself, I expected waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more from this one. My two biggest complaints: I would've liked more direct references to actual punk rock instead of, say, Nirvana , and I wish home-girl would've figured out when enough was enough and just ended the damn book.

It was fine, but I'm certainly not recommending it to any o' MY teen readers Aug 15, Rachel Adams rated it did not like it. Jun 23, Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it it was amazing Shelves: I know that I'm probably getting old with the way I do reviews on here.. This book deserves a soundtrack too: Moms that are reading this don't play that with your little ones in the room lolz.

Good grief my lovely girlies!! I can't tell you how long I have searched for this book. A couple years back I was talking to my best bud, and I told her that I wanted to write a book. I told her that I know that I'm probably getting old with the way I do reviews on here.. I told her that I wanted to tell our generation's story. Where was the sex, drugs, and rock and roll? Where were the mosh pits, the struggling bands, the teenage girls dropping acid, the Chuck mingled with Vans, and the boys in leather jackets with their heroin eyes?

I searched for this book. I hungered for that tale. I was determined to write it if I couldn't find it. I knew it had to be out there. I'm almost 32 years old. I am a child of the 90s. I was born in the late 70s, watched Saturday Morning cartoons in the 80s, and dreamed of getting out my hell hole town and become a big rock star when the 90s approached. I lived in Art Class, sang a Smashing Pumpkins song at my High School talent show, and saw my first concert with my Dad as I dreamed of stage diving and throwing myself into the pit.

I was too far from bright lights and busy streets. I know I don't have as much experience as someone who was near a bigger city, but I did the best I could with as little as I did Music was our lives back then. It was our reason for living: This book is freaking fabulous!! It's based in the 80s - 90s during the rise of American Punk and Grunge. It's all about a girl named Emily and her mother Lucinda and their journey in life. Lucinda ran from her family back when Emily was a baby Michael raised their daughter to see the music, to live, eat, and breathe the music.

Emily did just that. Told in 2 different POVS you get to hear Emily's side of starting a punk band, wanting to use boys, watching her best friend leave her behind for love, and looking for her Mom when she thought she needed her the most. In Lucinda's story you hear how and why she left her family and why she can't stop to take in the view that is behind her. I can't wait to read more from this author!! I'm so happy that my generation is finally sharing our stories: View all 8 comments.

Nov 29, Kate. I found this book in the Young Adult section, but I think I'll tell the librarian it should go in the Fantasy section -- as in, it is the author's own fantasy about the ideal punk upbringing. In punk culture, "ideal" involves lots of drug use, boring sex, abandonment issues, a plethora of faded band shirts, and an apparent total lack of self-consciousness or awkwardness in one's adolescence. The characters of this book are an odd bunch, with oddly-colored hair ex: Here's how it goes: Emily Black's mom walked out on the family when she was an infant, and Emily's love of music and serendipitous luck in the record industry might just reunite the family.

Here are some new plot elements I would recommend to this author if she and I were friends: So what is punk, anyways? The ripped jeans aesthetic? The DIY "Undermine the rockstar" attitude? I think it has to be something more authentic. It has to be something more than this book.

TK's Sleater-Kinney pages

Jul 16, Laurel rated it it was ok Shelves: I was interested in reading this novel as the author lives nearby and is getting some good local publicity so when I found it at the library I grabbed it. I'm not sure if this is considered an adult novel or a young adult novel what in the world is a young adult novel anyway But now, since I'm OL I was interested in reading this novel as the author lives nearby and is getting some good local publicity so when I found it at the library I grabbed it.

But now, since I'm OLD and lived through the heady days of grunge as a music loving young adult The characters were really one dimensional, too many chunks of time were just glossed over, too many adjectives describing people's looks, no actual feeling of place outside River's Edge could not stop the mental comparison to the movie of the same title , etc.

But it did bring back those girlhood memories of reading books like "Forever" and "Sooner or Later" So that was kinda fun. Aug 20, Marci rated it it was ok. I think I would have LOVED this book in High School, but something happened to me when I either turned 40 or had a baby because they happened at the same time, so I dont know which one is the cause. When Emily began having sexual conquests at such a young age, I was about to stop reading the book, but then she realized how it made her look and she stopped. Then when she went off in search of her mother and became a drug user, I was ready to stop again, but once again she realized how stupid she I think I would have LOVED this book in High School, but something happened to me when I either turned 40 or had a baby because they happened at the same time, so I dont know which one is the cause.

Then when she went off in search of her mother and became a drug user, I was ready to stop again, but once again she realized how stupid she was being and changed. All through the book I looked for the fairy tale ending.. I found myself a little irritated at the reasons Emily's mom gave for leaving and for not returning. They didnt seem valid to me. Apr 04, Adele rated it it was amazing.

I have been wanting to read this novel for what seems like forever. Thanks goodness for Alexa. Emily Black is "dark and twisty" to quote a show I have long given up on. I was expecting something fast paced, brutally honest and kinda warped all which I got but I didn't expect a sweeping family saga. I am not someone who lives through a character, I usual I have been wanting to read this novel for what seems like forever.

I am not someone who lives through a character, I usually empathise but never walk in their footsteps.

Emily and I are night and day. In fact, I am pretty sure that Emily would make fun of me and that I would have been scared of her. Yet, I travelled as her through the twists and turns, months and years, successes and monumental failures. I understand her better than I understand myself. I love that she adores her father, smokes like a chimney, plays like a pro and wails like a banshee. I love her, flaws and all and believe me that there are plenty of flaws.

Emily has a through line that she never deviates from, it's all about the music, which in turn is all about her mother. Even when she convinces herself it's not about the music I loved this and even more, Kuehnert has made a music genre that I have never "gotten" much more accessible. I have even been downloading some essentials. Every character is amazingly stretched out through the novel. I say stretch because they each have their stories as well. Reagan, Michael, Louisa, Tom, even the noxious Johnny, and the book is richer because of it.

Not because we got to know the characters but because we got to know these character through the Emily lens - grimy, loud and with ugly precision. Everything written in this book, even when written with a light touch has a savagery about it that is compelling, entertaining and very different to what I normally read. I lapped it up. This is an unbelievably affecting debut effort and I feel lucky to have read Kuehnert's words. She's got a long career ahead of her and I know I will be ordering her sophomore effort as soon as amazon will let me Mar 07, David Agranoff rated it it was amazing Shelves: I found this book in a really interesting way.

At my school a couple of my students have a volunteer job at the San Diego book project. Down in this sketchy basement there is pallets and dumpsters filled with used books that are destined to for libraries in smaller communities and various non-profits. The people who run the book project are clear they want people to take books and enjoy them if they find ones they like.

I have found several cool retro science fiction books, including Ace doubles I found this book in a really interesting way. I have found several cool retro science fiction books, including Ace doubles. One day I was sifting through the pile and I saw this book. I was never a big Ramones fan so I almost chucked it but I read the back.

It was a coming of age punk rock novel set in the midwest. As the author of a published coming of age novel about punk rock in the midwest myself I was intrigued. Granted my novel has skinheads and werewolves but they are both about small town punks moving to Chicago. I had to read it. I am glad I did. I know now this is a debut novel and I can say it has all the benefits of a first novel in terms of passion and story dedication. It has none of the negatives of a first novel, it is confidently written in fact.

The story is strongly plotted and the characters are vivid. The setting from the small town punk scene to the large scale tours are fully realized worlds. You often hear the term world building being used in large scale fantasy and science fiction novel but the author did a wonderful job building this world.

The story of Emily Black a young small town punk rocker who was raised by her father after her mother left them to chase punk rock dreams. While Emily works to realize those dreams her mother lives a nightmare. The question becomes will they ever find each other. I enjoyed every page of this book. It was the punk rock coming of age promised on the cover. One of the reasons I started writing punk fiction myself was it is rare to find fiction set in this world that is authentic.

This is a case where I closed the book feeling like the author and I went to alot of the same shows, watched the same bands and felt much the same ways about the scene. This is punk fiction done very well.

"I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone" lyrics

Jan 12, Isamlq rated it it was ok. It had me thinking punk girl, maybe strong, maybe independent.

One going her own way. Off stage was another matter completely: She had most things going for her after all. It was one questionable decision after another that mucked things up. You really don't notice but it fills up the sound.

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When you listen closely you have to say, "What is that? Then, what I'd call a backward chorus, starts with "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" in the first two bars when I'd expect it in the last two bars. The first "Yeah's" act as a pre-chorus but it's actually the part of the chorus. When the verse come back in, it's a little unexpected. Finally there is another wonderful S-K bridge. Maybe not the very best but the worst S-K bridge is way above average and a S-K trademark.

I'm still a little mystified by who's playing which guitar. Particulary in the Guitar 2 part of the 3rd bar of the verse and the Guitar 2 part of the 2nd and 4th bar of the bridge. Those parts are also S-K trademarks.

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