Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and songwriting legend Cynthia Weil’s extraordinary YA debut opens the secretive doors of the Brill Building-the hit factory that changed history. Part Mad Men, part Grace of my Heart, part murder mystery, I’m Glad I Did is a coming-of-age story at an unforgettable cultural tipping point: the summer of 1963.
JJ Greene, a gifted 16-year-old songwriter, defies her lawyer parents by secretly applying for a job in the famed Brill Building-the epicenter of songwriting for a new genre called rock-n-roll. But their warnings about the evils of the music industry prove far darker than she imagined when she finds herself at the heart of a cover-up that involves hidden identity, theft, and possibly murder.
I bought this book from BookOutlet a while ago and never really got around to reading it. I had it on my january TBR and started it in that month but I didn’t really read much of it until last week.
JJ (Justice) Green was born into a family of lawyers and thats it. No one even tries to go into another profession and both her and her brother are set to go to Columbia and Barnard. But when she lands an internship at a music record company, breaking her family’s cardinal rule all hell breaks lose in the music world.
This story takes place during the racial tension of the 1960’s, giving us a look into what the music industry was like.
The characters were fun to get to know. JJ is fierce, she knows what she wants and she knows what is right. She is smart and quick, she makes friends even if those people dont want to talk to her at first.
Dulcie Brown, wow oh wow. She is like a music angel, she is a fun and friendly and loving woman who helps JJ make a break in the music business.
Luke Silver is just as smart, quick and passionate as JJ. But unlike JJ, Luke is about to discover that his whole life has been a lie.
The two build a strong bond that helps them go through everything the summer has to throw at them.
Cynthia Wiel is an amazing author. She writes a story that captures your attention and makes you wanting more. The story starts out as your typical contemporary romance novel, but then shortly changes into a murder mystery. The writing is strong and its fast paced, you won’t want to put it down. It touches upon race, drug use and the secrets in the music industry. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast paced read.