Cynthia WeilCritiques

1 Overture
Written-By – Carole King, Toni Stern
2 So Far Away
Written-By – Carole King
3 1650 Broadway Medley
Written-By – Bobby Darin, Greenfield & Sedaka, Jean Murray, Leiber & Stoller
4 It Might As Well Rain Until September
Written-By – Goffin And King
5 Some Kind Of Wonderful
Written-By – Goffin And King
6 Happy Days Are Here Again
Written-By – Jack Yellen, Milton Ager
7 Take Good Care Of My Baby
Written-By – Goffin And King
8 Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Written-By – Goffin And King
9 He's Sure The Boy I Love
Written-By – Mann And Weil
10 Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Written-By – Goffin And King
11 Up On The Roof
Written-By – Goffin And King
12 On Broadway
Written-By – Leiber & Stoller, Mann And Weil
13 The Locomotion
Written-By – Goffin And King
14 You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
Written-By – Mann And Weil, Phil Spector
15 One Fine Day
Written-By – Goffin And King
16 Chains
Written-By – Goffin And King
17 Walking In The Rain
Written-By – Mann And Weil, Phil Spector
18 Pleasant Valley Sunday
Written-By – Goffin And King
19 We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Written-By – Mann And Weil
20 Uptown
Written-By – Mann And Weil
21 It's Too Late
Written-By – Carole King, Toni Stern
22 You've Got A Friend
Written-By – Carole King
23 (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Written-By – Goffin And King, Jerry Wexler
24 Beautiful
Written-By – Carole King
25 I Feel The Earth Move
Written-By – Carole King

JJ dreams of being a songwriter. When she lands a job at Good Music Publishing, she makes a deal with her parents: record a song & she can pursue her dreams. However, a mystery awaits her there. Part coming-of-age and part-mystery, this novel is a peek into 1963.

*I was given a copy by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I loved the premise of sperm donation kids looking for their biological siblings and their biological dad. Family doesn’t have to be who you were raised by, and family doesn’t have to mean DNA. Three great kids begrudgingly go on a road trip to find their bio dad, which is filled with unfortunate events along the way. Their growing familial relationships with each other were so wholesome and heartwarming. This book examines the importance of family and expands the definition of family. The magic of their character growth and the positive spirits of the siblings, especially Jesse, almost makes one believe in fate.

At the 35% mark I just quit. I am not invested in these kids.

Fun young adult book full of music, discovery, and dynamic relationships. Loved taking a road trip with the Savage kids. Thanks #netgalley for the free copy to review.

// Thanks to Tanglewood Publishing for sending me an ARC to review //

“now don’t you go falling in love”

When I saw the cover of this book the first things that came to my mind was adventure. I was disappointed that it was not really about the roadtrip itself but it focused on other topics that I was really happy with.

The tone of the book was really warm which fit the familial relationships that were focused on. It was sweet and I really like the author was able to show a bit of the life after they found their dad and the tiems that they spent with him. How different it is and how it certainly brings change because there a lot of peopl eout there who can relate to stories like this. It also exposed the fact that our parents are not the perfect beings that we believed them to be when we were younger but they certainly try their best and they do what they think is best for their chldren.

I think the YA genre needs more books that have topics like this. Especially because these are very real topics that are prevalent in the real world.

Anyhow, even though I liked the overall tone of the book, the pacing of the plot threw me off and it was not effective enough to really bring enough of a reaction out of me. The topic was good but the execution was lacking, for me.

I also got really annoyed of our female MC in some parts. I mean, she FAINTED when she found out that some strong shampoo removed her hair coloring. First of all, I know this is a form of self expression and I am not saying that's its wrong to have colored hair but. . . did she not notice the color running down when she was washing her hair with water?? You can always have it painted over and I do not understand how she would have fainted. This scene just bothered me a lot.


Still, I am absolute trash for good friendship stories. This was a sweet read and though it was not the best in terms of execution, it contains topics that the YA world needs to be reading more.

I picked this one up because of the cute 1960s vibe, and that's really all it had going for it... at least for me, a twenty-something bibliophile who's read an unhealthy amount of YA fiction. I can see the appeal for someone closer to the protagonist's 16, but the plot and dialogue were just too implausible for me to get hooked.

What a great story. I enjoyed the casual writing style while journeying with the “Super Sperm Club” kids. This book shows that eclectic strangers can come together and connect like they didn’t think they could and at the same time grow to have a better understanding of themselves.

Novel 806 is a life journey for everyone involved. I liked getting to know KT, Gabe and Jesse. Cynthia Weil has create relatable teens who just like any other teenager doesn’t know where they fit in with life. Even as an adult I could relate to the quirky character traits of each kid.

The surprising Bio Dad was a joy to encounter. The journey to find him creative and wacky.
I hope whoever reads this book enjoys it as much as I did.

KT (Katie) never knew her dad. She’s not very close to her mom. She’s a very angsty teenager and after her mom gets on her nerves once again, she somehow talks her mom into telling her more about her father. KT has always thought that her father abandoned her mom when she was pregnant.
When KT’s mom hands her a slip with a man’s name on it, KT meets the man and learns the actual truth. KT’s father is actually an anonymous sperm donor. KT’s dad didn’t leave. This changes the picture KT has of her father, she’s always seen him as someone who left the family. And she’s got some major issues with her mom and with friends as a result of feeling abandoned.

So, she’s not super pleased to realize this was all a lie.

Full disclosure, KT majorly got on my nerves at the beginning of this book. She was really rude to her mom and not very nice to her friends/classmates/bandmates. She was bordering on rude to pretty much everyone.
If you’re reading this, and this is bugging you, stick with it. No spoilers here but KT’s overall vibe majorly improves throughout the course of the book.

Back to the storyline, KT connects with her two biological half brothers and they set off to find the donor.

The brothers are great characters. Artistic KT connects with geeky Gabe and athletic Jesse. They know each other online in passing from school.

The three set off on a really epic road trip where they all redefine what family means to them.

I enjoyed it. It was a light, quick read with entertaining stories and characters.
I read an early excerpt of this book on BookishFirst and finished reading it through an early edition e book from NetGalley. Thanks to both sites for introducing me to a book I might have overlooked otherwise.

806 by Cynthia Weil is a predictable book but surprisingly very satisfying read. One of the reasons is, the book is a very quick read and does not tease or test you at any moment.

806 is about a girl Katie who is `struggling with her image, her relationship with her mother who she loves and wants to find out about her biological father. She begins her search only to find she has two more siblings, with whom she then begins a journey to on the road to look for him.

The book follows through very simple lives and road trips of the three siblings, Katie, who prefers to be called as KT, Jesses who wants to be known as more than a jock and Gabe who wishes his future will set him free from his allergies.

By the end of the book everything ties up beautifully, all three siblings evolve as well as their relationship with their family changes for the better. The least involved character I saw was Gade, even Dylan who I loved the most, by the way, has more presence than him. Dylan is the friend who loves KT but she pushes him away and he follows her through the journey just to be with her. (It could have come off and creepy but Cynthia, makes it look like the cutest thing ever)

The story is about having a family within friends and to trust what happens, happens for the best.

At times the dialogues did feel shallow and the story did seem to stay in one place for too long without twists and turns but that's what the book is, it is a light read about life that can be hard and easy at the same time.

I would recommend this book if you like to read something fun and sweet. It will stay with you but not disturb you.

What a great story. I enjoyed the casual writing style while journeying with the “Super Sperm Club” kids. This book shows that eclectic strangers can come together and connect like they didn’t think they could and at the same time grow to become better understanding of themselves.

Novel 806 is a life journey for everyone involved. I liked getting to know KT, Gabe, and Jesse. Cynthia Weil has created relatable teens who just like any other teenager doesn’t know where they fit in with life. Even as an adult I could relate to the quirky chapter traits of each kid.

The surprising Bio Dad was a joy to encounter. The journey to find him creative and wacky.
I hope whoever reads this book enjoys it as much as I did.

This was a delightful story of the search for a Dad that was present only at the sperm bank approximately eighteen years ago. Unique notion of an on line site attempting to join offspring conceived with the help of artificial insemination. Ky, Jesse, and Gabe find themselves half siblings on a road trip across the country on a mission to find their biological father. Puzzling This reminded me of the 2013 movie "Delivery Man" where a sperm donor was on the run from the many children he had created. Very impressed that author Cynthia Weil was also a song writer in the sixties of many farmiliar tunes. Great teen read that will appeal to adults. A copy of this book was provided by Tanglewood Publishing via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

Katie, or KT as she wants to be called, has always wanted to meet her real father, so when she is told she is the product of sperm donor 806 she sets out to find him. After connecting online with Gabe and Jesse, the two other children of St. Louis Sperm donor 806, both seeking their real father for different reasons, they are led across country seeking answers.

This book held some excruciating cheesy parts, like page 131 when KT’s “eyes locked, and when I looked at him it was as if I was seeing him, really seeing him, for the first time. I knew exactly who he was, and I knew he knew exactly who I was. That scared me a little, but it felt kind of good at the same time,” as she discusses her connection with her half-sibling. But, this book also gripped the emotion surrounding the need to understand yourself, understand both individuals that created you. Author, Cynthia Weil, covered some heavy topics, heavy on humor with no shortage of extravagant storytelling an all in all decent young adult story surrounding the need to find yourself and the lengths one will go to do so.

For the full review, please visit: https://fortheloveofthepageblog.wordpress.com/

*Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It’s the summer of 1963, and 16-year-old JJ Greene wants to buck her Jewish family’s insistence on raising lawyers. Her parents let her take a summer gig at the famous Brill Building, but they’ll only let her stay in the biz if she can write a hit song by September. Weil is the legendary co-writer of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Blame It on the Bossa Nova,” and “We Got To Get Out of This Place,” among other hits, and I bet a lot of teenage girls would love to follow in her footsteps. (Age 12-16.)

If the writer of such hit songs as Walking in the Rain sung by the Ronettes or On Broadway sung by the Drifters was to write a book, I’m Glad I Did would be the book. She did and this is the book.

Taking place in the mid-1960s, I’m Glad I Did is a combination of historical fiction, romance and mystery. Named Justice because her parents are lawyers and their children were expected to follow suit, JJ Green wants to break ranks and become a song writer. Having just graduated high school at age 16, she gets a summer internship in the famous song writing emporium, the Brill Building (home to Neil Diamond, Carole King and more). The catch is, because she is under age, she needs her parents’ consent. Unhappy with this turn of events, they strike a deal. If JJ doesn’t get a song published during her 3 month internship, she’ll give up her song writing dream. The Green family has had experience in the industry: her mother’s estranged brother, the noted Bernie Green, is a song publisher and producer (in the era of payola).ImGladIDid

Three things happen in the book:
1.JJ strikes up a relationship with Bernie–to her mother’s chagrin.
2.JJ meets Luke, the son of Bernie’s former partner–of course, the love interest.
3.JJ meets Dulcie Brown, a former famous singer whose short lived career ended in drug abuse–the mystery.

Weil sprinkles the book with the names of famous singers and songs of the era. (As you read, you can hear Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, the Shirelles and the Crystals playing in your head.) She mentions the payola scandals of the times, the space shots, Martin Luther King and the March on Washington. She points out segregation. In essence, she hits all the right notes (pun intended).

I’m Glad I Did is an upbeat, light-hearted romp through the 60s. For those of us old enough to remember the 1960s, it brings back memories. (For me, it was lying in bed, late at night, listening to the radio very low because my parents weren’t Rock ‘n Roll fans and hearing the house painters blasting the radio and hearing Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison–that was a treat.)

Of course, there’s a book quote from Carole King, the singer/song writer, praising the book, but I’d expect nothing less.

If you’re in the mood to go back in time, try I’m Glad I Did.

P.S. If you’re interested, Cynthia Weil also wrote We Gotta Get Out of This Place (the Animals), You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (the Righteous Brothers), Only in America (Jay and the Americans), Kicks (Paul Revere and the Raiders) and Just a Little Lovin’ Early in the Morning (Dusty Springfield).

JJ Greene, a 16-year-old songwriter, gets a job at the infamous Brill Building. JJ finds out that the music industry is worse than anything her parents told her, as she is now caught up in hidden identities, theft, and even murder.

A murder mystery set in a recording studio in New York in the early 60's? Pitched towards a YA audience?
This hit several sweet spots for me- fiction set in and around the music industry, a murder mystery, historical fiction.
I stayed up late reading it, and I think I have to go back and reread the last third, because it was definitely a case of being up far too late, and not savoring parts of the plot and characterization properly.

Set in the pre-hippie summer of 1963 when Kennedy was president, the Civil Rights movement was in full swing, and the Beatles had not yet made it to America, I’m Glad I Did is an uptempo coming of age story complete with an entertaining slice of history that doesn’t avoid the serious issues of the day. Teenage JJ Green is determined to become a Carole King-like songwriter by getting a job at the famous Brill Building, but her father and Jackie Kennedy look-alike mother want her to follow in their footsteps and become a lawyer instead.

When JJ is offered a position as a music producer’s assistant, with payment being feedback on her songs, JJ’s parents reluctantly agree to a trial, but she will only be allowed to continue in the music field if one of the songs she’s written is recorded by the end of the summer. (No pressure!) Race relations, the early 60’s music scene, the payola scandal, murder and--of course--teenage romance all play a part in the story.

This is Cynthia Weil’s first novel, but she’s been writing songs long enough for Bob Dylan to consider her a master in the field. (Dylan mentioned her in his memoir Chronicles, and songs co-written by Weil with her husband Barry Mann include “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”, “Blame it on the Bossa Nova”, “Somewhere Out There”, and “We Got to Get Out of This Place” among many others.) While the tone is lively and humorous, one of the predominant themes is justice--which when capitalized as Justice is actually JJ’s first name. (Did I mention her parents are lawyers?). Weil’s real life experiences and inside knowledge give her story the ring of authenticity. A fun time trip.

Growing up in a family of lawyers, Justice (known as J.J.) Green has long wished to be a songwriter, not a lawyer. After finding a summer job as directed, J.J. cuts a deal with her mom--if one of the songs she writes over the summer is picked up at Good Music (a record company), she will be able to study as she pleases, instead of heading toward a law career in the fall. The book took off in a direction I didn't expect. J.J.'s new world at the Brill Building brings a lot of secrets, revelations and a mystery to solve as the summer moves forward. I thought it would be more of an historical coming of age story. The historical touches about the summer of '63 seemed like an aside, added in for reference. J.J. is a great character, and she really kept this book going at a good pace, whether standing up to her parents, discovering a boyfriend or even a bit of Holmes/Watson like sleuthing. Some of the side stories got a little long or coincidental, but I liked it overall.½