Book Blast - Consonance by Lisa Malabanan

Consonance By  Lisa Malabanan
Published: August 25, 2012.
Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance
Print Length: 369 pages

Book Description:

Elle Martins is a gifted musician ready to start her first year at College. She is not alone. Elle has the security of her best friends and boyfriend nearby, attending the same University. Everything seems new and exciting, but the moment she joins a rock group, her life changes. The band becomes a favorite among the college crowd. Their performances are a hit thanks to Elle’s musical genius, and the band garners recognition from a major record label.

Throughout the school year, Elle struggles over music, decisions, insecurities, and most of all, love. She is grateful for many amazing opportunities, yet the chance of a lifetime is within her grasp. Can she choose the ultimate dream or leave the people she loves behind?

My Review:

Consonance by Lisa Malabanan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Malabanan and I have to say that Lisa is one fantastic author. Her writing is superb and the plot and characters mostly were very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed Consonance and cannot wait to read more in this series.

We meet Elle who is just starting college, she has a great roommate who happens to be the girlfriend of one of her best friends. Elle loves and lives for her music and when she has a chance at joining a band she jumps at the chance. Of course it helps that her best friends are in it also.

This story is about the Elle and some of the choices she makes. Some of the best parts of this story is the music and I have to say reading about all the men in Elle’s life does lead to some very interesting reading. Some of Elle’s mannerisms did kind of drive me a bit crazy and I found I was annoyed with her at times but in the end I did enjoy reading Consonance.

I have rated this book a 4 star rating and would defiantly recommend it to anyone who is reading my review. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Guest Post:

Inspirations to Writing, Some of My Favorites

I have several favorite muses that have inspired me throughout my lifetime. There are just too many to mention. So I created a short list honoring the ones I was introduced to from the beginning stages of my life.

Classical Composers: I was exposed to classical music at an early age taking piano lessons. Some of the prominent composers of the 18th and 19th century influence a bit of my writing style. Their ability to communicate a mood or a story through music, from waltzes to operas, has a significant impact on my life. The compositions allow me to escape from the chaos of an everyday routine, fostering imagination and creativity, which I use to help my writing.  

            Beethoven

            Chopin

            Mozart 

Musicals: I love reading a good book, but to see a story unfold through music, dialogue, and dance is even more astounding. They address the common issues of life with emotions like love, anger, and humor. I will never tire from singing their songs or playing the popular arrangements on the piano. A lot of my favorite musicals are from Broadway, and most have been adapted into a movie.  

            Annie

            Grease

            The Sound of Music 

Poets: Poetry is another form of literary art I adore. Much like songs, they can suggest feelings though words, speak to a genre or culture, and offer some perspective about life. I remember learning about poetry in grammar school. One of the assignments was writing your own poems using the different styles. I started writing poetry for myself out of pure enjoyment. Sadly, I don’t have my poetry notebook. It would be nice to read about my views on life at that age.  

            Maya Angelou

            Emily Dickinson

            Shel Silverstein 

Authors: Although I have a variety of favorite authors, I chose to highlight a few, mainly because of their incentives for writing. The ideas for the stories stem from their own family life and experiences growing up. I am simply amazed on how they used those inspirations to create with such imagination and cleverness. Most of my writing style is based on personal events and emotions regarding life. I am grateful to have read their books at a young age, and I credit my motivation to write from a variety of well-known authors. 
 

            Jane Austen

            Judy Blume

            Dr. Seuss 

My Family: Need I say more?  

            My husband

            My daughter

            My son 

They brought the characters of my story to life. Their personalities, little quirks about them, characteristics, and talents, along with my personality and encounters, influence the topics I write about.  

My Instruments: If you love music as much as I do, then it’s not surprising on why a musical instrument encourages creativity. I have many in my home minus a drum set. The upright piano and electric piano, acoustic and electric guitar, electric bass guitars, a violin, and a clarinet are waiting patiently for someone to revitalize the neglected ones.  

            Piano

            Guitar

            Drums 

So I created five unique individuals to utilize some of the instruments in a story about a fictional rock band.  

Thank you so much for having me as a guest. I had a great time sharing my experiences with you and your readers. 

Sincerely,
 

Lisa 

Lisa Malabanan

Lileemv@gmail.com
lisamalabanan.wordpress.com

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,

Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

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About the Author:

I am a graduate of Rutgers College of Nursing and work as a Professional Registered Nurse in the field of Perinatology. I currently live in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania with my husband and two children. At the age of six, I discovered piano and classical music. A variety of music genres influenced my life through the years, and I’m passing on a love of the arts to my daughter and son.

Reading fiction is my escape from the chaos and stress of a demanding yet rewarding profession. For me, writing transcends the diversion of a good book. The experience is like commuting on a New York City subway; diverse people enter and exit the scene, sometimes delays and derailment occur during creativity, and a train of thought is missed or passed over on occasion. In the end, an arrival at my destination is what I hope to accomplish, and I invite readers to take that ride with me.

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