Blog Tour: The Kiss Off & Top 10 Man Bands

Hello, hello! It's been a quiet posting week, and I apologize, but I'm making up for it today! I am happy to be hosting not only a review of Sarah Billington's upcoming novel The Kiss Off, but Sarah also graciously agreed to do a Top 10 post and picked the super fun topic "Man bands." And so, without further ado, I'll let you get to know Sarah a little better a`la her taste in music, and then I hope you stick around to read my review. (And, if you leave a comment, there's a blog tour-wide contest going on for book prizes.)

Top 10 Man Bands
I love Man Bands. That’s probably why I wrote about one as they rocket themselves to international superstardom in my May 15 release, young adult comedy novel, The Kiss Off.

Do you know what I mean when I say Man Bands? How do YOU differentiate between bands with dudes that dance, and bands that rock out, playing their own instruments thank-you-very-much?

Me? I say Boy band (epic dancers) and Man bands (rock Gods)

But then you get Man bands that play pop, which some people consider to be BOY band material, and then you get boy bands that play rock…wait…no…do you? I can’t actually think of any.

Without any further rambling – here is Sarah Billington’s Top 10 Man Bands!

(If you don’t feel like reading down, then click below and watch the awesome.)

10 Green Day

Back when Billy Joe had blue hair and I was listening to music on tape (I swear to God I’m not an old lady) I first heard a very different Green Day to what they are now, in the song When I Come Around.

9 Offspring

I play their greatest hits album all the time, but my fave Offspring song is totally You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid.

8 Shinedown

I’m not really into screamo music, but I do love their songs Second Chance and If You Only Knew. I listen to them heaps and am totally NOT sick of them. I don't know how.

7 Son of Dork

Busted 2.0 with more band members and more fun music. Each song is like a YA story. Pretty sure there’s going to be a Westend musical about their one and only album, too. Did that happen? Totally watching out for THAT.

6 Everclear

A favourite from back when I was in year 7 and bought the CD with an MA+ rating (15 and over) which they TOTALLY shouldn’t have sold me. I’ll never NOT love these guys.

5 Busted

Listening to these guys is like watching your brother play the perfect prank on someone. If you have a brother.

4 Hot Chelle Ray

Totally fun band I love right now.

Here we go…the holy trinity of Man Bands for me. My Top 3 Man Bands also happen to be the inspiration behind the band Academy of Lies, in The Kiss Off.

Am I waffling again? WITHOUT FURTHER ADO!

Sarah Billington’s Top 3 Man Bands

3 Simple Plan

Still curse the day when years ago I bought SUPER AWESOME tickets to their show and got so sick that day I thought I was going to die.

2 All Time Low

Until making the playlist above, I’d never seen one of their music videos. But I could tell they would be good fun, from their music. I could just tell.

1 McFly

Britain’s favourite (am I being controversial by saying that?) record-breaking band. To me, these guys are the ultimate larrikins.

With millions of exceptions (this isn’t a definitive list, after all) I pretty much love bands with a sense of humour in their lyrics, and some power pop or rocking tracks.

How about you? Who are your faves that I should scurry throughout the interwebs to listen to THIS VERY MINUTE?

Thanks for having me, Rebecca! This was super-fun.

I, for one, really enjoyed this Top 10 list! Thanks, Sarah! And I love the way you differentiate boy band and man band...

Now that you've gotten to know a little about Sarah's musical side, would you like to know about The Kiss Off and its man band? Thought you might...

The Kiss Off

Sarah Billington

2012

Poppy Douglas is just another high school girl with a guitar and YouTube channel, recording a song every now and then as inspiration strikes. And one night, at a party, watching her newly-minted ex make out with his new girlfriend, inspiration strikes like lightning. The result: The Kiss Off, a song that quickly becomes a YouTube favorite. When a chance encounter on the bus, followed by repeat encounters around town, suddenly Poppy is making connections with the boys of hometown band Academy of Lies. They remix The Kiss Off, and its popularity skyrockets even more. As her song takes over the radio, her new "boyfriend" and buddies start moving in swanky circles, and more attention is turned her way, Poppy starts to realize there's more to show-biz than meets the eye. And when the public eye is on you, nothing - and I do mean nothing - goes unnoticed.

The Kiss Off is a fun read that deals with some pretty serious issues that are timely and relevant. Some of them are not necessarily "general" in nature (paparazzi and hordes of screaming fans are not the typical high schooler's problem), but others are very real. Like sexting, and privacy - online and in person - and what happens when people you love and trust do things that hurt you. Not to mention trying to figure out the whole messy world of high school romance. Poppy and her friends learn some lessons the hard way, and also have some amazing adventures. While I wasn't able to relate to Poppy's situation, I was able to root for her as a character - wanting her to open her eyes and see things, cheering when she seemed to see the light and cringing when she slipped up. Again. It's a real novel, with real teenage characters who could actually be walking the streets of my town. When a fun read makes you think about stuff, I think that's a good thing - and The Kiss Off definitely meets that description.

eBook provided by author for review.