Well, just in time for the end of Rocktober, I finished Jessica Topper’s Louder Than Love.

Have you? What are your thoughts on it? You can read mine here, but here’s a preview: A West of Mars Recommended Read. You’ll have to click through to read exactly why, though.

Edited to add from Elizabeth at HEAS are us:

Jessica Topper is giving me an exclusive interview with Adrian from Louder Than Love on my blog on 11/8! I am collecting interview questions from any and all fans who want to know more about the British rocker that stole our hearts! If you have any burning questions for Adrian, please email them to heasrus at yahoo dot com by Friday, November 1!

Everyone’s talking about Jessica Topper’s Louder than Love, and she was kind enough to send a copy my way. I’m around page 50, so it seems like the perfect time to ask you guys if you are reading it, if you have read it, or if you’ll consider hopping over to your favorite bookstore (indies are always the best) and picking up a copy of your own.

Join me in the story of Katrina the widow and her adventures… Fifty pages in, it’s darn good stuff!

I did this last time I had a readalong — I absolutely devoured the book.

On the one hand, this is good. I’m picking good stuff right now (although the streak’s got to end at some point. Hopefully not soon, though).

On the other, are you guys able to get the book? Are you really reading along? Or am I totally outpacing you?

Go here for my review.

I have more than enough to read. I really do.

So what was I doing in the library, letting my eye get caught by a book called Heavy Metal and You?

Well, trying to avoid exactly that problem, to be honest. I’ve still got books other authors have sent me, I started a book when I was between reviews for The World’s Toughest Book Critics that I’ve yet to finish, and TWTBC must like me enough that I got this current assignment an entire week before the last one was due. In other words: they’re filling my reading time, all by themselves, and all the other books around here continue to lie in wait for me.

But… how do you walk away from a book called Heavy Metal and You? Especially when a line in the acknowledgements reads: Special thanks to Tom, Jeff, Dave, and Paul, for being Slayer. (However, we won’t stop to ask why founding member Kerry King didn’t get a thanks but Paul Bostaph, who tends to play with them when Dave isn’t, did.)

The author is Christopher Krovatin, and he’s written some other things since Heavy Metal and You, settling into the horror genre after this stint in YA. The publication date is 2005, which feels old by today’s standard of immediacy. And the publisher? Push, a division of Scholastic.

So… go pick up a copy and read along! Leave your comments here or on the West of Mars Fans page over at Facebook.

So?

Okay, maybe you missed my initial post about the Rock Fiction Readalongs I’ll be doing, but it’s never too late to talk Rock Fiction.

I have to confess that I read David Hiltbrand’s Dying to be Famous in a few days, certainly much faster than I’d expected. Always a good thing — unless you were going to read along! I doubt some of you even had the book before I’d closed the back cover, only reasonably satisfied by the experience.

Here’s the link to my review of Dying to be Famous. Read it, and be sure to come back here and tell me what your own thoughts were.

What’s the point of loving Rock Fiction if I don’t get to share that passion?

So. Here’s the deal. Whenever I start reading some Rock Fiction (unless it’s for the review people, who prefer I remain anonymous about what I’m reading), I’m going to let you know. I encourage you guys to pick up a copy for yourself, and read along. Since my comments are always open, leave some. Leave ’em on the West of Mars Fans page at Facebook.

Spread the love. Spread the Rock Fiction.

Ready? Here we go. David Hiltbrand’s Dying to be Famous. That link’ll take you to B&N (where I am NOT an affiliate), and it looks like the book is out of print. It may require some sleuthing, but if it’s as good as its predecessor, Deader than Disco, it’ll be worth the hunt.

Happy reading!

(and no, I’m not sure what happened to my review of Killer Solo. It might have been an unfortunate victim of the hack I suffered last spring)