Monkey Review (& Int'l Giveaway): That's Why I Wrote This Song, by Susanne Gervay

(Lyrics by Tory Gervay)

Summary (from sgervay.com):

Rock bands, concerts, festivals.

Rebel without a cause.
Except there is always a cause.

And the questions:

WHY AM I HERE?
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?
GUYS? GIRLS? HOPE?
and
FATHERS?

And it's there throughout the book, the songs, the video.

'That's Why I Wrote This Song' is the journey of four sixteen-seventeen year old girls and their relationships with their fathers - the good, the bad and the PSYCHO - and how that impacts on their relationships with boys, each other and their lives.

Something for Kate concert'That's Why I Wrote This Song' is about dependence-independence, guys, friendship, sexuality, mothers and daughters and the music:

* Rock concerts
* Big Day Out
* Weekend music festivals
* The rock band with the four girls and
* Eddie and their band called NOT PERFECT

NOT PERFECT - Hey, that's life, isn't it?


My Opinion:

When Susanne asked me if I'd be willing to read and review her book, I said yes right away. I had no idea I'd love her book so much.

"Hope you love this book."
I certainly did :)
(Damn rain!!!)

This story's told from Pip's POV, guitar player, singer, songwriter, and daughter of a Psycho Dad.
Gervay does a great job introducing the girls, and I fell in love with all of them straight away.

Pip, Karen, Irina and Angie go to an all-girls school, and together form a band (later called Not Perfect, which is a perfect name for them. Pun not intended.) They all have a solid backstory, and Pip's take on these things makes it completely believable. Plus for Gervay.

Pip comes from a home where her dad's absent (his job often takes him away). When this happens, the sun shines in Pip's home. But it goes away the minute her father walks into the house.
Constant yelling, arguments and fear invade the house, and all everyone wants is for their dad to go back to work. Not her mother, though. She goes into an automat state, making sure everything is spick and span, and perfect for her husband's arrival. Which, of course, puts them all into a cleaning frenzy. Dad gets home, and hell breaks loose. Nothing Pip's mum does is right. There's always something wrong.

Karen comes from an even more broken family. With no real home, her mum has chosen her new boyfriend over her, and her dad his new wife. Karen's dad is the real Psycho Dad, angry and violent toward her all the time.

Irina's from a Russian family who moved to Australia to escape Russia's coldness, in every sense of the word. Her family's Jewish, and living in a country where you can't express your religion openly can be tough. More so if you're six years old, with no clue as to why that other kid just threw a rock at you, and is calling you names that make you cry.

Angie is the only daughter of her parents and lives a happy life. Happy until she discovers a secrer her father's been keeping from her, a secret that shatters her perfect life.

In Gervay's words: Life isn't perfect.

What brings them all together is their love for MUSIC.

After being asked by their Music teacher to perform at the school's Music Concert, Not Perfect is born. The band was always there, but naming it brings the girls closer together.
Music is their escape from the dramas of life. Sometimes the only escape they have.

Gervay does a wonderful job describing every girl's emotions through Pip's eyes.

Why do I love this book? Because I can relate to these girls. I feel them as if they were real. Another plus for Susanne.

A whirlwind of real emotions with real foundations, and great story-telling make this book amazing. If I get to choose between a Coming-Of-Age book and a Paranormal book, I choose the Paranormal, so it's a big deal that I'm saying this.

I'd love to see this turned into a movie!

Monkey Rating: 4 & 1/2 Monkeys :D

Visit Susanne's website.

"Psycho Dad"'s Lyrics and Video Clip
You do NOT want to miss this!

Kudos to Tory for writing such a beautiful and heartfelt song! Listening to it makes me love the book even more!


Verse 1 -

All of the times I cried
I wish you'd just die
Shouting and all the rest
But now I have learned best
What you did was wrong
That's why I wrote this song
So maybe you would see
Just what you have done to me

Chorus -

Cause I don't want you
And I don't need you
You were so bad
You are my psycho dad

Verse 2 -

You call me all the time
You won't give us a dime
I can't believe this is real
The way you made me feel
You have your new wife
And your new life
My eyes are getting sore
So just walk out that door

Chorus -

Cause I don't want you
And I don't need you
Your life is so sad
You are a psycho dad

Cause I don't want you
And I don't need you
Your life is so sad
You are a psycho dad

Middle 8 -

I (I) really (really) don't know how (don't know how)
But I (But I) know I (know I)
Hate you so much now

I (I) really (really) don't know how (don't know how)
But I (But I) know I (know I)
Hate you so much now

Verse 3 -

You made me feel always scared
I knew you never cared
You left me all broken and scarred
And made our life so hard
I've got my family
And I hope you can see
That I don't want you around
I've got my feet on the ground

Chorus -

Cause I don't want you
And I don't need you
You are so mad
You are no one's psycho dad

Cause I don't want you
And I don't need you
You are so mad
You are no one's psycho dad

Outro -

No one's psycho dad
No one's psycho dad
No one's psycho dad
No one's psycho dad

Lyrics by Tory Gervay

Click here to watch the Video Clip for "I Wanna Be Found".

***

Giveaway Time!

Susanne has agreed to let me host a Giveaway for That's Why I Wrote This Song, and it's open Internationally!

To Enter:
Just leave a comment with your name and e-mail. -> 1 Entry.

Extra Entries:
Tell us how you'd name your band, and why. For this you get 5 Entries!
1 Entry for Tweeting (leave link).
1 Entry for Linking on Sidebar (leave link).

The Giveaway will end on March 14th. That's 3 weeks from today. Spread the word, and good luck!