JennaB

Burning Down Rome is a 5-Star coming-of-age, rock'n'roll drama.

Kid, Joey, Cecily, and Tash are the band called "Cry Baby Jake". They're four determined, naive kids who take off on their own, recklessly chasing down a dream - one that the world tells them they can't reach. Certainly not on their own terms, and definitely not with their souls left intact. Yet they make it to the top by the strengths of their commitment to their music, their loyalty to their fans, and their love for each other.

The problem is, it's too much, too soon.

BURNING DOWN ROME is a gritty, realistic look into the world of the corporate music industry, contrasted with a backstory of a lifelong friendship and the redemptive power of a love that endures all things.

But more than anything else, this story is simply astounding. I read it straight through. Readers who think that they know Melodie Ramone are in for a massive, soul-searching surprise. Ramone retains her lyrical, almost poetic style of prose, yet incorporates it into a novel that redefines the word 'edgy'.