SOUL'D OUT - G.E. Butler


Beatrice Ball loves to sing. She loves it more than anything. When she's not singing she feels empty at best and, because it means dealing with her controlling mother, angry at worst. Beatrice begins to sneak out at night in order to sing incognito. But one night something happens and she wakes up in a hospital ER and learns that her good friend has been murdered.

Beatrice has been famous - a household name - practically since the day she was born. With suspicion on her now, her mom hires one of the top attorneys in the country to represent her. This elevates her fame to a whole new level and Beatrice experiences the strange world of the ultra famous Hollywood celebrity. But she can't just live in the circle she's currently in. She either has to keep climbing or suffer a devastating fall from grace.

There really isn't much to say about this book. It's quite poorly written and not worth reading. The characters don't stand out in any way. We never believe Beatrice Ball is worthy of any sort of attention. She never shows us anything, but author G.E.Butler tells us she's talented and famous.

The story itself is pointless. If we don't care about the characters (and we don't) then why should we care what happens to them? Hint: we don't.

The book seems to glorify celebrity while trying to tell the reader that celebrity has its own poison and isn't all its cracked up to be and that there may be other forces at work behind the scenes (yes, we have to get a little conspiratorial here - note some of the symbols on the cover).

I should also point out that the book has an almost excited, infantile attitude toward sex, with the assumption that music celebrity comes with a free pass to perform sex acts on and off the stage.  There is also a pretty vile rape scene included in the book.

I requested this because I'm always on the look out for books that use music in its theme or storytelling, but I'm definitely singing no praises for this one.

Looking for a good book? Skip this and look for another.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

1 star

* * * * * *

SOUL'D OUT

author: G.E. Butler

publisher: El Marko Books

ISBN: 1621419533

paperback, 488 pages
 

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