Review: Chasing Eveline by Leslie Hauser

Chasing Eveline by Leslie Hauser

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sixteen-year-old Ivy Higgins is the only student at Carmel Heights High School who listens to cassettes. And her binder is the only one decorated with album artwork by 80s band Chasing Eveline. Despite being broken-up since 1989, this rock band out of Ireland means everything to Ivy. They’re a reminder of her mom, who abandoned Ivy and her dad two years ago. Now the music of her mom’s favorite band is the only connection she has left.

Even though Ivy wavers between anger and a yearning to reconnect, she’s one-hundred percent certain she’s not ready to lose her mom forever. But the only surefire way to locate her would be at a Chasing Eveline concert. So with help from her lone friend Matt—an equally abandoned soul and indie music enthusiast—Ivy hatches a plan to reunite the band.

The road to Ireland won’t be easy, though. And not just because there is no road. Along the way they’ll have to win over their Lady Gaga-loving peers, tangle with some frisky meerkats, and oh yeah, somehow find and persuade the four members to play a reunion gig. It’s a near-impossible task, but Ivy has to try. If she can’t let go of the past, she’ll never be able to find joy in the present.

I’ve been lucky enough to see this book evolve from first draft to final draft. I got to watch Ivy grow and evolve into something wonderful and magical. This book is so awesome and witty and full of everything I love most about YA.

This book has so many cool and fun things, from cassette tapes to John Hughes references. It has so much heart and character. It’s a book for everyone. And if you’re a music lover, a believer in life, love, and friendship, it’s especially for you.

Ivy is a beautifully written character. She’s realistic, true and refreshing. The relationships between characters are authentic and perfectly blaanced. It’s so nice to read a book that is heartfelt and real. When I finished, I missed Ivy and wanted more, more, more.

Chasing Eveline is a must read. It has something for everyone and is a story that you won’t forget.