What do you do when you’ve been rejected yet again from a musical production and all hope of an acting career seems lost simply because your voice is more bass than beauty? Go undercover in an all male a cappella choir of course! Such is the conceit of Noteworthy, described by most as ‘Pitch Perfect meets She’s the Man’, which is a pretty decent summation of the novel.

‘In this particular show, even the so-called alto ensemble parts sang up to a high F-sharp, which seemed like some sort of sadistic joke. For those unfamiliar with vocal ranges: Find a dog whistle and blow it, try to sing that note, and the resulting gurgling shriek will probably sound like my attempt to sing a high F-sharp’

I laughed out loud at how utterly accurate this is, and there are many moments just like it that my fellow contraltos will find relatable beyond belief. In fact, if there’s one word I’d use to describe this book, at least for me, it’s relatable. Anyone who’s studied drama, attended a music school, has any experience of the cut-throat world of musical theatre, will understand exactly what Jordan’s life is like, and as a former musical theatre student and founder of my university’s a capella choir it felt like this book was meant for me.

I liked the way the experience of singing, especially a cappella, is portrayed in the novel – the emotional intensity, the passion and freedom and joy, as well as misery and frustration, is all conveyed beautifully in text, and honestly I would have liked even more of it on the page. As a bonus though you can listen to Riley’s own a cappella arrangements with the Noteworthy OST on soundcloud.

I also found Jordan’s confusion about her own bisexuality immensely relatable – at one point she’s asked ‘isn’t that something you just know’, and the fact she doesn’t was actually such a relief to me. Of course some people do ‘just know’, and that’s real and valid, but so is questioning and being unsure.

‘Where was the line, though? Did I want to be around her, did I want to be her, or did I want to be with her?’

I’m 38 and still have difficulty trying to understand my feelings if there’s a girl I like, and usually never manage to find an answer. If I had read this as a teen I would been reassured by Jordan’s uncertainty, and I hope other readers can view it that way as well.

Going by the vibrantly illustrated cover I expected this to be a cheerful comedy, and while there’s certainly some humour, there’s an undercurrent of melancholy permeating the book which makes Jordan’s introspection and navel-gazing – about her life at school, her parents, breaking up with her boyfriend – all the more compelling and believable. I thought the way she learns to move on from her ex was quietly powerful, allowing herself to reminisce and compare life before and after, but not letting that loss define her. I didn’t like however the typical high school bullying subplot being perpetrated by a closeted member of a rival choir; we’re meant to be sympathetic because of pressure from his father to act a certain way, but the fact one of the few gay characters was such a stereotype (and needlessly cruel to Jordan’s compassionate friend) was offputting.

‘If girlhood felt frustrating, and boyhood felt freeing, did that say more about girlhood, boyhood, or me?’

This line hit me right in the gut; as someone who is probably cis, but perpetually questioning whether I am or if I’ve just been conditioned to believe so, I think about this a lot. But Jordan knows who she is, and never truly questions her own identity, except in fleeting moments like this one. Which is actually one of the issues I had with the book – there is a singular mention of ‘appropriating trans identity’ while preparing for her role as Julian, but other than a brief wrestle with cis guilt it isn’t really brought up again. There were many passages where I felt uncomfortable, especially towards the end, imagining how the plot would have changed and characters reacted, if Jordan had been trans or genderqueer instead of using a ‘social disguise’ for ‘avant-garde theatre’. Since Jordan is not, and never claims to be trans or non-binary, it should be a moot point, but I would have liked a little more awareness in text as to how these situations would be viewed if she had been.

Noteworthy is not a book without problems, but if you’re a music lover, and especially a frustrated, always-the-sidekick-never-the-lead alto like me, you’ll probably find a lot to enjoy and may want to sing its praises too.

What's better then a contemporary book about musicians? I'll answer that, nothing.
Noteworthy is a book about Jordan Sun, a junior at Kensington, a fine arts school. She's struggling with the musical theater world, due to having an odd vocal range for a female, not quite high enough for the standard female character. When an email goes our looking for a new member for the Sharpshooters, an all male a capella group, she decides to just for it, dressing herself as a guy to audition. The Mulan of the music world.
This book gives a look at what someone will do to succeed. Jordan doesn't let rejection from the musical theater community knock her down, she does what she must. It's always nice to see a character being so motivated.
The characters are so loveable, all of the Sharpshooters have their own distinct personality traits. Yet they somehow still melded together to form a familial group.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley for getting me a digital copy to review.

Noteworthy is like a super fun movie-musical-comedy in book form that completely subverts your expectations.

The book centres on Jordan Sun, a Chinese-American theatre student who is constantly turned down roles because of her uniquely low singing voice. So when her school's all-male a cappella group are searching for an eighth member, she cross-dresses with the hope that she might finally get the recognition she deserves.


Things I liked:

- I love theatre-y things. I'm a low key theatre nerd so all of the music talk really worked for me. Also I LOVED listening to some of the songs that the author wrote for the story. They aren't necessary to enjoy the book, but they're a fun addition and the author is such a good singer (I still have The Clockmaker stuck in my head).

- Jordan has a really distinct voice that was great to read. She's awkward and a bit of a loner, but really relatable, and her sarcastic sense of humour really shaped the story.

- The book deals with a of key issues including discovering your sexuality (over the course of the book Jordan realises she's bisexual), race and stereotyping (Jordan talks about how people presume things about her family being Asian), coming from a working class background (Jordan's family struggle to pay for bills), and how boys are taught to hide their feelings (there are a lot of instances where the boys get really confrontational and fight rather than address the issue, which is something Jordan realises they are taught by adults). And that's just the tip of the iceberg.


Things I didn't like:

- I didn't really buy into the group dynamic for quite a while. I didn't connect to the other characters until halfway into the book and they didn't all stand out on their own to me.

- I didn't care for the romance. This is a huge 'it's me, not you' thing because I normally don't care for contemporary romances, and it felt like a lot of it was focused on Jordan trying to get over her ex. I think it's valued - but it just wasn't for me.

- I hated how long the lie went on for. I anticipated it, but I was hoping for a greater discourse on how female altos are treated like the blurb suggested, and to a greater extent, how girls are treated when they don't fit into the mould. But the story didn't really focus on that. So the whole point of Jordan cross-dressing kind of lost it's meaning for me.

- There was a bit of talk on gender, but not much. This links to my previous point of Jordan cross-dressing feeling a trivial. It was a little uncomfortable to be reading about a struggle trans people go through from a cisgendered point of view without even a trans side character to highlight the issue.


It's always weird rating a book 3 stars because the rating means different things to different people. For me, 3 stars is still a positive, and I did really enjoy Noteworthy. It addresses so many things that I think young people need to be reading about, plus the story is a lot of fun.

Having loved Riley Redgate's incredible debut, Seven Ways We Lie, last year, I was so eager to read her second novel, Noteworthy. And it was so good!

The story revolves around the a cappella octet, the Sharpshooters, but this story is less about music and more about friendship and identity. For the past two years of school at Kensington-Blaine, Jordan has been wrapped up in her boyfriend, made him her whole world, and so now they've split up, she realises she doesn't actually have any friends at school. She feels like she's not good enough, musically, because she has never made it into the school musical because her voice, for a girl, is too deep. Desperate to do something, to prove to herself, the school, her parents - who don't really want her there, and what's the point of staying if the school never allows her into anything? - that she is worthy, she disguises herself as a boy, names herself Julian Wang, and auditions for the Sharpshooters. Once she gets in, she's able to show she does have talent, that she does have what it takes. But more than that, she finally feels like she fits somewhere. These boys that she thought of as arrogant and up themselves are actually pretty cool, and they become friends, and she suddenly starts to feel like she belongs.

It's the relationships she builds with the guys in Sharpshooters that are one of the main focuses of the story. Laid back and cool Isaac, president of the a cappella group and class clown. Sensible, intense, focused Trav, the musical director. Excitable and awkward Marcus. Erik, who thinks he's cool. Good looking, rich-kid Jon Cox and warm but teasing Mama, best friends, but chalk and cheese, who's playful musical arguments provide some of the humour. And quiet, calm, steady Nihal. Jordan tries hard to keep her distance, make it just about the music, about aiming for winning the a cappella competition, which will mean going on tour with superstar a cappella group Aural Fixation, but the guys draw her in. She thought these guys thought they were above everyone else, but they don't. They're just normal guys, with their own stories and their own problems, and as she gets to know them, Jordan can't help but warm to them all, to care. It makes lying about who she is really difficult.

Which brings us to the second focus of the story; identity. Noteworthy really looks at gender roles and norms. Jordan isn't trans, but as Julian, she's discovering ways of being that felt closed off to her as Jordan; a confidence and self-assured-ness that isn't quite within reach as Jordan, the right to take up space ad not try and make herself smaller, both literally and personally. As Julian, she feels more like her true self than who she is when she's Jordan, like she's been putting on an act her whole life, but as Julian she finally gets to just be. But she also discovers the limits that masculinity puts on guys; how they're supposed to just take things and "man up", an almost aggressive drive that some feel they should have, to do absolutely everything - anything - to make it. Because how are they men if they don't? It's so interesting!

What I also loved about this book is how aware Jordan is of claiming space that isn't hers, using something to her advantage, when for others, this is their every day lives. There's a moment when Jordan is looking up online how to better hide her small bust, and comes across a website with tips and advice for trans men, and she's filled with guilt. She's not trans, she's cross-dressing, she's acting (almost, considering she feels like like herself as Julian), and there's a part of her that feels that what she is doing is wrong, in regards to trans people and what their everyday life. There's another moment where the group thinks she - Julian - is gay, because of something she says when drunk. And she allows them to think so, as it helps with her disguise, and it's easier than explaining, but again, she knows she's not gay, and by lying by omission, she knows what she's doing isn't right. Even though she's just discovering she's bisexual, and could tell the truth about that and not have it ruin her disguise, she allows them to believe she is a gay man, and again, it's space that's not hers. It gets so much harder for her as time goes on, because she likes these guys, they trust her with their secrets, and she's lying to them.

This book is so diverse! Really, I love how diverse it is. Jordan is Chinese-American, and she's just discovering she's bisexual. Nihal is Sikh, Isaac is Japanese-American, one of the secondary characters is gay, and Jordan's dad is disabled. Class is a huge aspect of this story, too; Jordan is at Kensington-Blaine on a scholarship, and there's absolutely no-way she would be able to attend without it. As it is things are seriously tight, due to the expense of flights to and from the school and paying for textbooks, and so on. Jordan's family have always been poor, with her parents working such awkward hours that she barely saw them before she went to Kensington-Blaine, her father working nights, her mother working long hours - longer as Jordan got older. Her parents have skipped meals in the past, to make sure she got to eat. And not long ago, her father fell seriously ill, and his health insurance couldn't cover it, so they're trying to pay that off, as well as just trying to get by. When her mum loses her job, the family has to go on benefits. They are really, really struggling. So it's understandable that her parents are worried about her never getting any parts - what are they paying the money for the flights and textbooks for if Jordan never gets anything from the school?

Even though her family is poor and it's a huge worry, this is Jordan's normal. She doesn't know any different. And it's contrasted so well, when, during Thanksgiving break, the Sharpshooters go to Jon Cox's house. Jon Cox's family are extremely wealthy, and his house is pretty much a mansion. It's so unlike anything Jordan is accustomed to, the wealth that the house so obviously shows the Cox family has is shocking to her. Jon Cox is embarrassed by Jordan's jaw-dropping shock, but she thinks about how this - the big mansion, the shiny sports car, the designer clothes, the money coming out of his ears - is his normal. Jon Cox is aware that others don't have as much as him, though, and he's always offering to pay for things, like meals; he's generous with his wealth, though not in a charity way. And he's a nice guy, you know? The money doesn't make him feel he's above anyone else, it's just something he has. It's just a startling contrast to Jordan, seeing how different their lives are.

Noteworthy is just incredible. It has so much to say on so many different things, while still telling a story that feels true and important. It's such a gorgeous, gorgeous novel! With Noteworthy, Redgate has further secured her place as one of my favourite authors, and she has most definitely become an auto-buy author. Such a wonderful story!

Thank you to Amulet Books via NetGalley for the eProof.

I absolutely loved this book! First, it features one of my favorite tropes; girls disguising themselves as boys to go after something they want. And second, it has a diverse cast of characters that I completely adored. Our protagonist, Jordan Sun, attends this elite boarding school for the arts; but because she doesn't fit any of the roles she auditions for, she never gets casted. That's when Jordan decides to take matters into her own hands, disguising herself as Julian in order to audition for her school's most popular a cappella group, the Sharpshooters. I loved this group of boys, but my absolute favorites were Isaac and Nihal, who grew the closest to J. I loved reading the lyrics of the songs they were performing and it was amazing getting to listen to the songs come to life on Riley Redgate’s website! Overall, this book was fun, inclusive, and aca-mazing!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I was expecting more from Noteworthy given the premise and the adorable cover, but it was still a really cute and enjoyable read. Jordan is in her Junior year at Kensington and just lost out on another role in a school musical due to her low voice and her less than feminine appearance. Jordan is discouraged, but she's not giving up, especially when she sees that the campus all-male a capella group needs a new member with her voice range. Cue the crossdressing!

Noteworthy is pretty slow paced, since it takes us through an entire school semester. Jordan goes from a nobody who can't get a role, to someone with friends and a sense of purpose. I loved that the author addressed that Jordan disguising herself for three months isn't going to be easy. She has to flatten her chest, purchase boy clothes on her tight budget, and cut her hair since a wig can shift or fall off to become Julian. Jordan doesn't just throw on a t-shirt and try to sound like a dude. She puts some effort into her disguise and does research.

Although, I found her extra efforts to be feminine while she was Jordan strange. She puts on extra makeup, gets a long wig, and starts wearing dresses and heels. If she didn't look this way before, wouldn't it draw more attention to her to do it now? I get that she wants to look even less like Julian, but her reasoning didn't make sense. And she interacts with exactly zero characters as Jordan, so it wasn't like there was anyone to notice the changes. It isn't explained until the very end why she's been alone for two years, so it bugged me for much of the book. I did like the reason though, since it's nothing that I've read before.

Noteworthy also talks about sexuality and gender identity a lot. Of course, while dressed as Julian, Jordan gets treated differently than she does as Jordan. She's much more aware of the way she moves in order to blend in. I found it interesting how she says she feels more free and more like herself when she's Julian, but not that she believes she's a boy or even any gender that isn't female. There is a brief discussion of how what Jordan is doing and feeling is different than being transgender, but nothing substantial. Jordan also discovers that she's bisexual, but since this isn't a romance, it isn't focused on too much although there is kissing.

I enjoyed Noteworthy, but it was a lot more serious than I thought it was going to be. Not that that's a bad thing. It just seemed like it was going to be this fast, fun, and funny story about a girl infiltrating a male dominated world and blowing them away. It kind of does that, but it's more about Jordan figuring herself out.

Noteworthy is a really good story with lots of challenging ideas. While the plot is straight forward—girl poses as a boy to successfully audition for an all-boys A Capella group—the issues around this pretense make it complex and smart. It doesn’t hurt that Redgate populates her book with an eclectic group of secondary characters, and describes Jordan’s surroundings in exquisite detail. With all the attention to the buildings of this posh elite school for the Arts, and the weather of the passing seasons, the story is slow paced. But it’s all the better, as readers not only ponder Jordan’s decisions and subsequent consequences (both good and bad), but also appreciate her reasons for doing them as more is revealed about her history, her dreams, and her reality.

Jordan Sun becomes Julian Zhang (her real-life cousin) because her singing voice is difficult to categorise. It’s often (read always) not suitable for the parts being offered the females in the theatre faculty, where Jordan has secured a scholarship. She works so hard to fulfill her academic requirements, but her parents, financially strapped and burdened by medical debts, only see that she doesn’t appear in any of the school performances. Frustrated by this failure, she auditions for the Sharpshooters, truly believing she’ll be able to sing with them, helping them to win an exciting competition (for the opportunity to be backup group on a European tour), and not get involved with the other members at all.

Yeah, right.

If we’ve learnt anything from Glee, [insert country of choice] Idol, or School of Rock even (ha! Love that film), it’s that a group of singers-slash-musicians will always bond, will always become close, (and then get jealous, start fights, break up, get back together for the music, make money, then – but never mind all that), and as she gets to know the other boys, we see her, for the first time, really think through the implications of this charade. It’s serious, and begins to impact on other aspects of her life, but we completely understand why she persists. She now belongs. She feels part of something, and suddenly she’s more confident, standing up tall, and owning her talent. There is a physical change, as well as a positive shift in her mental attitude.

The other Sharps are multi-dimensional, even if we don’t learn as much as some as I would like (Trav, what’s your story, big guy?) We come to know earnest Eric, politically astute Marcus, sensitive, generous Nihal, and best buddies Jon Cox and Mama, and with Jordan, fall a little bit in love with the enigmatic Isaac Nakahara, and slowly, the book morphs into something more than just Jordan’s story. These boys have a lot to share, and it makes perfect sense because they become significant in Jordan’s life. It is increasingly impossible to keep her secret. She doesn’t want to lie to them. Her strong moral code fights with her need to achieve what is now not an impossible dream. It’s delicious drama.

Jordan’s commitment to the part of Julian is evident when she cuts off her long hair, hides away even more from her classmates, and blends in with the other Sharps. It’s a realistic integration, and when one of the other groups, the Minuets, start a pranking war, Jordan is all in. There’s a nice bit of tension here, with serious Trav ordering the boys to not engage, and Isaac, bold and righteous, refusing to bend. I found some of the actions really questionable, and I wanted justice for the Sharps--why not go to their faculty sponsor? Some other adult? But of course, as in these matters, it’s up to the teens to sort out the mess. But it does get very messy by the end. Very.

The issues that plague Jordan include obvious ones, such as betraying the Sharps—will they forgive her? And the school’s reaction—will they expel her? Trough to more complicated—by dressing as a boy, is she dishonouring genuine trans kids, who experience discrimination just trying to be their true selves? This interior dilemma is articulated well, and although it doesn’t dissuade Jordan from continuing, it weighs heavily on her mind. When a girl kisses Julian, what does it mean that she’s turned on? Could she be bi-sexual? Another illuminating moment after which she isn’t any clearer on her sexuality, especially when she follows the kiss by drunkenly flirting and making a pass at Isaac, which he immediately spills to the other Sharps, after which they conclude Julian is gay. It’s so confusing and complicated, but Redgate keeps us following along. We are never confused or put off by events or actions, because we believe Jordan’s frustration, and we accept her self-questioning, and actually, we applaud her for it, and believe she will find answers (they take a long time to come).

By the last section (all beautifully named by musical tempos), I was delirious with worry about Jordan’s discovery. I couldn’t see how Redgate could pull it all together, but of course she does. The resolution is even better than I imagined, and I believed every minute of it. I haven’t spent any time talking about Jordan’s Asian ethnicity (#ownvoice), or her family’s real struggle with poverty. Set against a background of white privilege and wealth, Jordan’s awareness of social strata is another welcoming consideration. It’s excellent to see a different sort of kid being portrayed—one with artistic ideals and talents, and who fights tooth and nail, despite overwhelming odds. I also didn’t go into detail about the flashbacks to Jordan’s life before, with a boyfriend, who on leaving school dumped her unceremoniously. Michael was someone who she gave herself over to completely, and is now left solitary. It’s part of the reason the deception works, which is a poignant thread running through the novel.

Look, I loved this book a lot. I hope it reaches many hands. And I will keep an eye out for more books by Riley Redgate. Highly recommended for readers who love their main characters intelligent and stubborn, who like their romance on the back burner, and their friendships at the forefront. It’s basically a school story, but one that will have readers running off to YouTube to watch back-to-back A Capella performances by groups with terrifically punned names. It’s also an ensemble piece, much like the Sharpshooters themselves—a perfect blend of voices, coiling around each other lifting, rejoicing, and complementing so that all the elements of story—voice, setting, plot and emotion—work in harmony (too much here? Probably).

Copy provided by publisher via Netgalley and read with glee (squee). Released on 2nd May.

A+ diversity, which is one of the most important deciding facts when recommending books to my students.

Loved this. Think Pitch Perfect meets She's The Man.

But this book is way more than just a fluffy story about a girl with a contralto voice who attends a performing arts boarding school. A girl whose voice shuts her out of the typical female musical theater parts. A girl who decides to cross-dress as a guy and audition for an all-male acapella group so she can have her chance on stage.

Noteworthy doesn't just use crossdressing as a plot device, it uses Jordan's stunt to take a hard look at gender roles, stereotypes, and expectations, the spectrum of gender and sexual identity, and also class issues.

Highly recommend this one!

OMG Y'ALL. THIS WAS SO GOOD. LIKE ONE-OF-THE-BEST-CONTEMPORARIES-I'VE-EVER-READ GOOD.

Noteworthy starts with this line:

“Monday Morning was the worst possible time to have an existential crisis, I decided on a Monday morning, while having an existential crisis.”

Ok but how can you not be 10000% SOLD on a book that starts like this???

Noteworthy just managed to get so much so right: character voices, character development, character dynamics, representation, writing style—THE WHOLE SHEBANG. I will get to all that shortly, but I think by far the most standout feature of this book is Jordan's voice. It just blew me away, and as much of a platitude as that is, I truly mean it. It's at once hilarious and somber, brazen and insecure, grounded and emotional. The word that keeps coming back to me to describe it is AUTHENTIC. Frankly, I'm not really sure that I can tell you exactly what I mean by "authentic." It's a hazy word that's very much subjectively used and understood. For me, it's more of a I'll know it when I see it kinda thing. And what I saw when I read this book was authenticity, plain and simple. There is no other word I can think of that encapsulates Jordan's voice as much as "authentic."

While we're on the subject of Jordan's voice, I think another thing that will (hopefully) strike many readers when they read this book is just how relatable Jordan feels. Again, a very subjective word. I'm always wary when people throw around a word like "relatable" because what's relatable to you might not necessarily be relatable to me, or anyone else. However, I think many—if not every—readers will be able to see at least a small part of themselves in Jordan. Personally, it's been so long since I've connected so strongly to a main character.

So many passages from Noteworthy had me internally screaming YES YES YEEEEESSSSS. Here are some passages that personally resonated with me:

“Femininity had always felt inaccessible to me—my best attempt at it had always been putting on makeup and pretending to be more patient and graceful than I actually was, mostly for my mom's sake. Sometimes in middle school, feeling awkward had become my default. Because I wasn't patient. I wasn't graceful. I was prematurely tall, I wasn't skinny, I wasn't pretty, and I didn't care about any of it as much as I was supposed to. Square peg, meet round hole.”

“Kensington, probably because it was an arts school, was such an overwhelmingly liberal place when it came to social issues—I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have that sort of opinion around campus. Or anywhere, really. It was a strange thing to have an opinion on somebody else's existence.”

“There is no world where 'you're wrong' is an acceptable answer to 'this hurts.'”

“It was downright depressing, the lengths it took to feel special when you wrote yourself out on paper. All As? Who cared? That was the standard here. Some shows, some activities? Big deal. How were you changing the world?
Sometimes, when I wasn't too busy, I wondered why we had to change the world so early.”

Honestly, I could just go on and on and on. The words speak for themselves.

I think Jordan's brilliance as a character is indicative of not only how well Redgate has written her, but of her writing abilities more broadly. Redgate just gets it; I don't know how else to put it. She writes characters that feel so damn real, not to mention SO GLORIOUSLY TEENAGE-RY (that may or may not be a word I made up for my convenience). There are a lot of gems in the YA genre—Noteworthy being one of them—but there are also some YA books that get teenage voices horribly wrong, like cringe-worthy levels of wrong. But the tight-knit, ridiculously lovable squad that Redgate introduces us to in this book is just perfect. (Some might even say Pitch perfect...ha get it because it's a book about a capella and singing and...I'll just escort myself out.) By the end of the book this group of characters just felt like family.

When I say I loved all the characters, I mean I loved all the characters. There is not an undeveloped or flat character in sight in this book. All of them have their quirks and mannerisms and distinct personalities and experiences and it was all just wONDERFUL. The Sharpshooter guys reminded me so much of my own squad of friends and how comfortable and dumb and happy we are around each other. And don't get me started with the group texts. There were a lot of laughs uttered by yours truly while reading those texts.

Speaking of laughing, this book is sorta funny. And by "sorta funny" I mean VERY FUNNY. Redgate really knows how to achieve that delicate balance between being serious and light-hearted. Noteworthy is not serious enough to be a Sad Book, but it's also not fluffy enough to be a Happy-Go-Lucky Book either. Like I said, it strikes a perfect balance between the two.

Onto the representation. Lemme give you The Rep Rundown for Noteworthy:
- Jordan is Chinese-American and bi, and the representation for both of those is ownvoices (YES!). Her family is also poor and her dad is paraplegic, and those are experiences that Jordan reflects on a lot throughout the book.
- There is a Japanese-American character, a black character, a Sikh character, a dyslexic character, and a character with anxiety. (I think I've covered them all but I might've missed some.) One thing I'll mention is that while a lot of the representation was explicit, some of it was kinda vague. I didn't even know some characters were POCs until I read others' reviews.
- Since Jordan cross-dresses in order to get into the Sharpshooters, an all-male a capella group, there's also a lot of talk about trans experiences and how they differ from Jordan's experiences.
- Plus so much amazing discussion about gender roles and fitting in and not fitting in and how all of that takes its toll on a person.
- Basically, there's A LOT OF REP IN THIS BOOK, and it made me really happy to see that. Redgate obviously put a lot of effort into respectfully representing these identities, and I think all of that really comes through in her book.
(- okay this isn't representation but I just had to mention that one of the characters has a man bun!!!! man buns are very rare to find in a book ok!!)

Okay, bear with me here. Last point I promise. I wanna talk about one more thing: the writing style. I don't think it's ethereal or beautiful or stunning, and I don't think it's a fault that it isn't, because those kinds of styles are not what this book needed. Instead, Redgate's style is stripped down, but never plain, emotive, but never saccharine. Like most things in this book, it strikes a perfect balance between being straightforward, comedic, reflective, and heart-warming.

Oohhh and also all the songs featured in this book are actual songs that Riley Redgate wrote!!! How cool is that?? As if we needed more proof that Redgate poured her heart and soul into this book. You can find the songs here (https://rioghnach.bandcamp.com/album/noteworthy-ost). They're really good.

I know I've said this before but I'll say it again: Riley Redgate gets it. And I think Noteworthy is the biggest testament to that. I wholeheartedly loved this book in all its endearing warmth and camaraderie. I can tell you now that you will want to read Noteworthy when it comes out (ON MAY 2ND!! VERY SOON!!). Give it a chance, because I really don't think you'll be disappointed.

4.5/5 Stars

After hearing mention of Noteworthy by Riley Redgate a couple of time from trusted author recs, I took a shot and requested the title. Thank goodness I did! Noteworthy is a wonderful contemporary full of heart, soul, and singing. Set at a performing arts high school and featuring a diverse group of students, Redgate definitely hits all the right notes with Jordan's story.

Jordan is a Chinese-American teen with a low female vocal register that keeps preventing her from getting roles in plays. She's the perfect fit for an unique all male a cappella group called the Sharpshooters. There's Trav, intense and anxious and Isaac, outgoing, always the center of attention. The bickering best friends Jon Cox and Mama and Nihal, the artiste. It's rounded out by two freshman finding their way in Marcus and Eric. Seeing their insecurities and concerns made them all the more real and complex.

Plus there's the singing! A capella has always been fascinating to me and I'm glad to see a story on the page about it. Yeah there's been shows and films like Glee and Pitch Perfect but books always translate better for me. It brings an added element of competition and highlights the originality of combining voices to create one full sound. There's a certain dynamic needed for this music and imagining eight unique voices coming together is absolutely amazing.

As an own voices novel for both the Chinese American MC and bisexuality I was happy to see such open, honest dialogue. Jordan's experience with bisexuality is one of questions and uncertainty but that's never the sole focus of the narrative. Redgate also highlights the difficulties of being poor and how one event can throw even working families into upheaval. It was authentic, raw, and really hit at the heart.

Overall Riley Redgate's Noteworthy was a surprisingly delightful contemporary full of depth, emotion, and voice. The characters especially Jordan feel so authentic and I was entirely too invested in all of their stories. Even the a cappella was done well and didn't overshadow the narrative. I absolutely recommend this one to everyone regardless of your feelings on music.

I *almost* didn't read this. I wasn't sure if it would be too cutesy for me, or focus more on musical technicalities than I have the attention span for. But it was SO GOOD. I had so much fun reading this book! For me, it's another Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Humour is extremely subjective, but this is exactly the kind that speaks to me. I was tentatively reading a few chapters of my arc to get a sense of whether this book was for me or not, and I just couldn't stop laughing. Normally, books that people describe as "laugh-out-loud funny", I don't take literally. It's not like the reader is sat chuckling like a moron as they turn the pages. But, as it turns out, that's exactly what I was doing here.

The story is about Chinese-American Jordan, a scholarship student at her fancy east coast boarding school for the arts. After facing rejection after rejection for musical parts because of her Alto 2 range, she makes an impulsive decision: disguise herself as a boy and become the newest Tenor for an a capella group - the Sharpshooters.

Noteworthy is the perfect mix of important social commentary AND absolute hilarity. The author's writing is strong as she explores privilege, race, wealth, sexuality and gender identity. Jordan discovers her own bisexuality over the course of the novel, and also considers the parallels between her crossdressing and being transgender - then proceeds to dispel the myth that the two are the same, and acknowledge her own privilege. Jordan is not trans; she is a cisgender girl who struggles to fit into the narrow confines of femininity.

The book also considers the ugly truths of healthcare and insurance, when it comes to Jordan's paraplegic father - the many ways the U.S. system fails its poorer citizens.

The thing is, though, the serious issues pair so well with the humour. This is not a depressing book. At all. It's a lovely warm novel about the kind of friendship that feels like family. The Sharpshooter characters are so realistic and lovable; so memorable. And did I mention that I found it really funny?

I laughed, desperately tried to keep the sound deep, and it came out as a strangled sort of hurr-harr, horf! noise. The sort of laugh a cartoon dog would have.
"Um," he said. "Are you okay?"
"Yep absolutely. Yes. Just something. Caught in my throat."

***

A slight pressure worried at the back of my head, and the blindfold fell from my eyes. I blinked rapidly, praying my eyebrows hadn't smudged. Thank God I'd used enough setting spray to freeze a ferret in place.


Just... great writing, great characters, important issues and lots of fun. I'm so so glad I read it. Noteworthy is an absolute pleasure to read.

It’s the start of Jordan Sun’s junior year at the Kensington-Blaine Boarding School for the Performing Arts. Unfortunately, she’s an Alto 2, which—in the musical theatre world—is sort of like being a vulture in the wild: She has a spot in the ecosystem, but nobody’s falling over themselves to express their appreciation. So it’s no surprise when she gets shut out of the fall musical for the third year straight.

Then the school gets a mass email: A spot has opened up in the Sharpshooters, Kensington’s elite a cappella octet. Worshipped... revered... all male. Desperate to prove herself, Jordan auditions in her most convincing drag, and it turns out that Julian Zhang, Tenor 1, is exactly what the Sharps are looking for. (via Goodreads)
I received an eARC from Netgalley and the publisher, Amulet Books, in exchange for an honest review.

This book is Pitch Perfect meets She's The Man, with Jordan Sun's hilarious voice and sincere voice, and a hefty dose of reality. The main character, Jordan/Julian, is Chinese, bisexual and poor.

I saw several people note that they thought that the main character of this book was nonbinary, and I want to be very clear that she is not, and it's discussed on the page. She does, however, crossdress and live half of her life as a man.

She also does some sincere soul searching about how she feels about crossdressing as a cisgender person, and about what her sexuality means to her. I thought all of this, and her growth, was done very naturally and well.

I really loved the way Noteworthy dealt with the Sun family's struggle with money, because it felt entirely realistic to me. Money is something my family has always struggled with, and until recently, we hadn't even had to worry about disability requirements and how to make that work with actually working. I know how it feels to be told that you can't do something because there's no way we could afford it. My parents did literally everything in their power to make it possible for me to do the things I wanted, like marching band, but there was also a point where if they felt something wasn't worth it and we weren't enjoying it, it became not worth it. I didn't eat meals out unless someone else paid until college when I was working jobs of my own, and even then it was rare.

Most of all, I love how much each of the characters loved music in their own way. You have Jon Cox, the Handel lover, Trav the arranger, Isaac the acoustic guitar player, and then you have Jordan, the musical theater major. In light of that, I made a playlist for those of you who want to do some a capella listening while you read! I made sure to add a variety of things to the playlist.



One complaint I did have with this is that we basically never saw Jordan actually do any of her classwork, or focus on the plays she needed to do for class. However, It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.

I rated this book five stars, with no question. I highly recommend it for people that want to read it. You can pick up a copy on Amazon, Indiebound or your other favorite booksellers!

Five stars

Disclaimer: All links to Indiebound and Amazon are affiliate links, which means that if you buy through those links, I will make a small amount of money off of it.

Actual rating: 3.5

Reviewed by: Cassey


Noteworthy by Riley Redgate is an original sophomore novel about Jordan Sun, an Asian scholarship student attending Kensington-Blaine Boarding School for the Performing Arts in New York. Unfortunately for Jordan she struggles to perform in any musicals in her prestigious school, due to her unique and unusual voice. Alas, an opportunity arises in form of an audition for an all-male a capella group. Of course the most obvious way to handle this situation is to cross-dress and infiltrate the club!
While Noteworthy’s plot seems ridiculous, it works. This novel is comedic, but doesn’t lack depth. It is full of reflections on society, identity, sexism, love, and prejudices. It deals with wealthy vs. poor, boy vs. girl, identity and sexuality. Jordan struggles with living in a place of luxury and privilege in New York’s exclusive boarding school, but not knowing if she can deal with the financial struggles of her parents thousands of miles away in California.
Jordan learns about herself, and the freedom she is awarded while cross-dressing as a boy and the insecurity she leaves behind as a girl. One of the best things is that Jordan is aware and concerned that she is “playing a role” but the trans community isn’t something to “play” with. She is aware of the implications of her cross-dressing and how that might have consequences on the people around her. It was really refreshing to read about a character that actually thinks and worries about her actions. Jordan mainly discovers freedom: in sexuality, identity, how she can act and be a better, more understanding person. In fact, this book’s most profound advice was “Kindness had no gender, had no race or age or category.” It really breaks ground on how society views “boys” and “girls” and how it’s all about perception. The depth that this book subtly accomplishes is really inspiring.
The only criticism that I had with this book was Jordan’s lack of fight towards the end of the book. Now every character has a flaw, if they didn’t it wouldn’t be relatable, but this was unbelievable.Jordan accepted her fate and was about to leave her dreams and goals behind without even fighting for them. Even though there was someone willing to work with her and fight with her to make changes, she was just going to give up.
In conclusion, I liked this novel a lot. The writing and plot was witty and funny and modern, without being silly, irrelevant, or hard to believe. I reread quite a few passages for the humor alone. If you are looking for a funny and interesting read, this novel is for you.

I discovered Riley Redgate's debut, Seven Ways We Lie, a little while ago and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Guys, this was a book with SEVEN different point of views, it was a bit crazy. But it was diverse, relatable, and overall really a great contemporary. I'm not here to talk about that one, though, but I needed to mention that first to be able to say this: Noteworthy takes the author to a whole other level, and easily and very quickly on my 'authors-to-always-look-out-for' list.

Noteworthy is Jordan's story, a Chinese-American, tall, a bit insecure and she's an Alto 2, preventing her from playing in her elite school's plays so.many.times. When the all-boys a cappella group has one place that opens up, she's desperate to prove herself worthy and talented and auditions. As a boy. And she gets in. That's when the story starts, basically, but this book is so much more than just this. As a lot of contemporaries are, it's a very character-driven story and every single character in this was realistic, relatable, which made this book so, so good.

Right from the beginning, the main character's voice shines through the pages. It's witty, relatable and mirrors perfectly some of the teenagers' confusion about the world, their self-doubts, their goals and what reality is actually like. Jordan is a character I wanted to root for from page one – if she had her own doubts, the story never got clouded by them, making this a heavy read, on the contrary. Her voice was unique, witty and filled with everything you want your characters in a contemporary to be – at least, for me. There was stunning character development in this story and so many important questions tackled as the story goes on – but more on that later on.
All of the cast surrounding Jordan is vividly shaped, making you visualize the little a cappella group so well, each with their own quirks and own issues, which I loved so much. Everything, from the beginning of friendships to the struggles it encounters, was well shaped and felt very realistic, because such as insta love, insta friendship does not happen. It takes time to grow, just as it takes Jordan some time to accustom to her new universe....And this new identity she creates herself.

Because yes, in that synopsis, you can guess that Jordan, in order to get into that all-boys a cappella group, cross dresses and pretends to be a boy. More than just trivia, the author gives out this as an argument to explore so many important issues in teenagers', and everyone's lives, really: what it means to be a boy and a girl, discovering your true identity and overall questions the whole gender identity, which is not a light subject, told here with patience and as a teenager's point of view: with lots of questions, Google searches and overall realistically just as well.
Another little something that should be noted here, is how deliciously diverse the cast of this book is. Jordan comes from a Chinese-American family, and it's deeply rooted into her identity. Her parents are poor and struggles about being able to afford her dreams and her elite school and everything are of importance in the story just as well. More than the questions of identity and gender, Noteworthy also tackles the issues of sexual identity, which Jordan questions a lot through the story. Also, we got bi characters, we got a super-cute and sweet say Sikh boy, a Japanese one, some people are small, the main character is tall, there are big, small, there is just a little bit of everything and that book clearly celebrates it as it fits naturally into the story.

Riley Redgate's writing style is easy to get into and it's simply beautiful. It's funny at times – that book got me smiling and laughing more than once, it's achingly real when it depicts Jordan's feelings about life, love, friendship and that crazy school experience she got going on in that school. Because there is romance, her way of writing these passages and of making the feelings seem so utterly both conflicted and real made my heart ache with happiness. If there's one thing I'd have to say, is that it was a bit of a slow starter, but still got me hooked.

I would clearly recommend this book to everyone – contemporary fans or not. Noteworthy is a super easy read, one that'll make you want to join an a cappella group and sing until your heart ache with happiness.

I have to admit, I kind of feel stupid now. Because when this author's debut was released, it had a lot of positive buzz, and it still does, but I never picked it up. For some reason. Which right now completely escapes me. Because honestly, I should have read it already. No doubt, upon finishing Noteworthy, I am certain I will push it up on my endless TBR and try to actually fix that mistake by the end of the year. Because Noteworthy was an extremely enjoyable and wonderfully diverse read that left me with a big, satisfied smile on my face. I hear that's a positive reaction to a book.

Noteworthy is about Jordan Sun, who's at the start of her junior year at Kensington Blain Boarding School for Performing Arts. As an Alto 2, she struggles to get parts in plays. Voices like hers aren't very popular in the musical theatre world so she's not very surprised when she's not chosen for the fall musical for the third year in a row. Then a spot opens up in the school's most worshiped, revered... and all-male a cappella group the Sharpshooters. Desperate to prove herself, Jordan transforms herself into a boy and auditions for them, not really imagining how much her life will change once she actually gets in.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. Not just because of the music theme and the a cappella stuff, but also because of the diversity. Jordan's self-discovery and the exploration of gender are handled with such care and respect in this book and it's executed beautifully. I feel like I should mention that right off the bat because it's one of the best things in this book and it's worth reading just for that. But obviously there's a lot more to enjoy than just that. I just wanted to get that out of the way first.

The writing was also really my style. It was very easy and quick to read but still had lots of depth to it. And banter! So much lovely banter. The characters really make this book so much more wonderful and I loved the friendship between the Sharpshooters. Though I would've loved to get to know some of them better? I feel like we only got to know some of them a bit better and the others just enough to make them somewhat developed. Don't get me wrong, none of them were flat pancakes. I just wanted to get to know them better because all the characters were all so unique and likable that I wanted more of them. I want each of them to have their own book, even. Because I loved Trav, Nihal, Isaac, Mama, Jon Cox, Eric and Marcus. All of them. I also loved our MC Jordan. I found myself relating to her sometimes too. Which is always nice, of course.

So why am I not giving it 5 stars? Well... It's hard to pinpoint an exact reason? Except maybe that towards the end I found it... wrapping up a bit too easily? To say it without spoilers. I just can't get myself to say more than that "I really enjoyed it". I wish I could say I loved the pants off this book, but I just didn't. I just... really enjoyed it a lot. Though I wish I loved it.

All in all, Noteworthy is a beautifully diverse book about friendship, self-discovery and music. I highly recommend it if you're a YA Contemporary fan but also if you like movies like Pitch Perfect. Obviously. You know that comparison was coming. Now go forth and read.

Noteworthy is entirely infectious. Redgate’s writing is humorous, genuine, and hits you right in the feels. Jordan’s character comes alive, whether it be dealing with her family problems, or exploring her bisexuality. Noteworthy is full of delirious high notes and a smattering of lows, all giving the entire book a crescendo of a finish.
We have Jordan, who is a fantastic character in her own rights: striking a perfect balance between depth, humor, and wit, who is also surrounded by a cast of really detailed characters. Speaking of her peers, all the members of the Sharps have their own distinct personality. No matter how many lines they get, each voice and personality has its own timbre (but my favorite has to be Nihail).

Finally, one of my favorite parts of Jordan’s character was her awareness about her own race, questions of sexuality, and gender constructions. This has got to be influenced by Redgate’s own interest in feminist theory and the careful consideration is apparent.

I cannot sing my praises of Noteworthy loud enough. Being somewhat of a singing goof myself, and acapella lover, this book hit all the right spots.

You know how sometimes you go into a book expecting a lot of fun, heart eyes and fluff but you're surprised, completely swiped off your feet because in addition to that, you get a story of self-growth that has a settle way of dealing with important social issues, creating discussion around important topics through conversations, thoughts and reflections. I buddy-read this one with one of dearest blogging friends, Puput @ Sparkling Letters and we expected to love it but I think I can speak for the both of us when I say that Noteworthy exceeded our expectations and it is safe to say now that will be one of my favorite reads of the year.
The writing is gorgeous while still being easy to follow. I absolutely loved Riley Redgate's style which takes turns being serious and funny depending on what the scene at hand demanded which can seem simple but is delicate when you want the book to flow nicely without any glitches or weird changes in the pace. The narration is from Jordan's point of view and she has such a genuine, witty voice that I couldn't help falling in love with her.
The story is one of a girl who finds herself by loosing it in a character that she makes up named Julian. In order to join the A-cappella group, Jordan had to cross-dress as a boy named Julian and to be completely honest I was very apprehensive going in because when not in the context of trans (which in this case can't be called crossdressing -correct me if I'm wrong) or drag, crossdressing can be handled either very badly or be handled well. And I think that the author did a great job in addressing the fact that it isn't something that should be taken lightly, dedicating a small section of the book to Jordan doing research about the implications of what she was doing.
Back to the self-discovery. I felt like this book at its heart is a beautiful coming of age story. Jordan, who never felt very comfortable in her own skin, how she dressed and presented herself found a happy middle when after being Julian for the majority of her time, she discovered that in him she set free parts of her that were vital and that she kept repressed because she thought they clashed with who she needed to be. And that is such an important story to tell.
As I said, I loved Jordan's character. She's a Chinese-America, bisexual girl and was in more ways than one relatable to me, to the lost teenager I once was and I'm sure a lot of people will relate even more to her and realize that it's okay to not know who you are. She's very sarcastic and quick-witted which spoke to my soul, her humor was right up my alley and I found myself laughing in multiple occasions. She also grew up poor, her parents always struggling to meet ends each month which is something so important to acknowledge in books, especially YA, because not every kid has the means to have a car, go to fancy schools or have fancy clothes but it also showed how she wasn't miserable and she managed to make it work. I'm grateful for that.
When she joined the Sharpshooters, Jordan found herself in a little family, an amazing group of boys who were there for each other, stood up for each other even while having their own disagreements. Seeing the competition and rivalry with the other groups made my life, because it kept me on my toes and made the book read like a movie. Which makes me think: Can someone make a *good* movie adaptation of this? Please, and thank you!
The boys' friendships were ADORABLE. The group is friendship goals. An other thing I loved about them is how amazingly and deeply diverse they were, there was so much work put into the side-characters to make them whole and not just stereotypes of what they're identities are perceived to be. Isaac who is the second most important character is a Japanese-American boy with whom she creates an amazing tight bond that is so genuine and endearing, it gave me ALL the feels. There's also Nihal who is a Sikh gay kid and through him she discussed how it can be tricky for religious kids to find a happy balance between their religion and their sexuality. Jordan finds a bestfriend in him, he confides in her and she in him. There are other characters, but these two stood out the most to me.
In addition to the topics mentioned above, the author discusses through her characters' experiences a hip of other subjects like equality, feminism and what it means to be an ally. Which makes this book such an incredibly important read that I think everyone -whether you like A-capella or not- should read because at the end of the day it's about the things that really matter.

I really enjoyed this book - I am a singer myself (with the same voice as the protagonist) and really loved the detail with which the author described the show/a capella choir circuit - choirs can be VERY competitive! The characters were really well-developed and I thought the relationships were believable and beautifully written. A wonderful book that I'm definitely going to recommend!