A review by motherhorror
A Voice So Soft by Patrick Lacey
4.0
There has *always* been this suggestion that pop music is a bad influence on "today's youth". I remember something about TV networks not showing Elvis from the waist down because of his provocative hip gyrating. Madonna was responsible for girls losing their virginity and Tipper Gore took on "porn rock" like Prince's song, Darling Nikki and required parental advisory warning labels on albums with suggestive lyrics.
But what if there actually was some truth to the accusations? What if subliminal messages really were hidden in pop anthems that get stuck in your head? Bottom line: Could pop music be of the devil?
A VOICE SO SOFT by Patrick Lacey is about a young woman named Angie Everstein who wins an American TV singing talent show and becomes an instant icon.
On Halloween night, Angie is coming home (Salem, Massachusetts) to perform a concert. But there are a few people who want to prevent this from happening, Angie's twin sister and police officer Mallory, who believes that Angie is somehow tied to a series of murders.
This read is straight-up binge-worthy. Once you finish the shocking prologue, readers can expect a perfectly paced plotline with memorable characters you can invest in.
Shawna, Angie's twin sister, is a delight. There's one line she says towards the end, but it's a little revealing of some reading discovery, so I'm not going to quote it here but the whole story was peppered with great one-liners like that one.
I think the trick to enjoying this book is to have fun. Clearly, Pat Lacey had a great time writing it and it's evident in all the colorful details and cultural references like video games, music, and movies.
I especially liked the character, Esmeralda and her transformation through the book.
As far as stories with a music/horror mash-up, this one would make my top 10 list because it checks all the boxes. Falls a little short of a five-star rating simply because it flies under the adult horror genre into YA for me, even though it's not marketed as such.
But what if there actually was some truth to the accusations? What if subliminal messages really were hidden in pop anthems that get stuck in your head? Bottom line: Could pop music be of the devil?
A VOICE SO SOFT by Patrick Lacey is about a young woman named Angie Everstein who wins an American TV singing talent show and becomes an instant icon.
On Halloween night, Angie is coming home (Salem, Massachusetts) to perform a concert. But there are a few people who want to prevent this from happening, Angie's twin sister and police officer Mallory, who believes that Angie is somehow tied to a series of murders.
This read is straight-up binge-worthy. Once you finish the shocking prologue, readers can expect a perfectly paced plotline with memorable characters you can invest in.
Shawna, Angie's twin sister, is a delight. There's one line she says towards the end, but it's a little revealing of some reading discovery, so I'm not going to quote it here but the whole story was peppered with great one-liners like that one.
I think the trick to enjoying this book is to have fun. Clearly, Pat Lacey had a great time writing it and it's evident in all the colorful details and cultural references like video games, music, and movies.
I especially liked the character, Esmeralda and her transformation through the book.
As far as stories with a music/horror mash-up, this one would make my top 10 list because it checks all the boxes. Falls a little short of a five-star rating simply because it flies under the adult horror genre into YA for me, even though it's not marketed as such.