The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

[Eternal_Teen]

This book was recommended to me by a musician friend who worked at Amoeba records in the Haight/Ashbury for many years. The author is the co-owner (with her husband) of Amoeba. The Vinyl Princess is based on a fictional teen-aged employee of Bob and Bob's Records on Telegraph in Berkeley who starts her own blog about old vinyl recordings (see www.thevinylprincess.com).

Allie is a self-sufficient, level-headed teenager with a passion for all types of music (but not of the downloaded sort). She is an old-soul in the body of a 16 year old, so parents and teens alike can relate to her.  San Francisco Bay Area natives will fall in love with the descriptions of all the cool, old hangouts Allie and her quirky bff peruse together.

As a girl who came of age in the Bay Area in the late 80s, it is refreshing to have a book to read along with my daughter that is in line with the things I did when I grew up.

This book has a  little bit of everything - mystery, humor, relationships (Allie deals pretty well with her Dad and Mom's previous divorce and new living arrangements), crushes, break-ups and love, even plastic surgery, all while a steady soundtrack of classic songs "plays" in the background.  You and your teen will fall in love with Allie and her take on the neighborhood.  Allie is cool-headed, in touch with reality and driven, and as such, makes a pretty cool role model.

At times, her voice is unbelievably grown-up, but not so much you won't buy the story.  I am sure more books will follow for this character soon and I am looking forward to Allie growing up. 

[AlliD]

Sounds like this book would be perfectly paired with Audrey Wait by Robin Benway.  

[CharlieG31]

Sounds like an interesting story with an interesting plotline, thanks for the recommendation.

[Eternal_Teen]

The website thevinylprincess.com is pretty interesting as well.  After I posted this comment, Yvonne Prinz actually wrote me back to personally thank me. I had copied allie@thevinylprincess.com on the post and within an hour she had written me   Thanks for your comment.

[Eternal_Teen]

Thanks for the tip. Read the reviews here and it looks like a great read for my daughter and me. 

[Morigami]

hmm... Looks very interesting I'll go check it out. Thanks for the recommendation. O and yeah that website looks amazing.

[Eternal_Teen]

I am glad you like the website.  This character, Allie, has a really cool personality, and the real-life blog (and her facebook page too) shows you can be hip and indie yet still do more in life than anyone would give you credit for. In my experience, mainstream America wrongfully lumps teenagers who are individuals and don't fit into molds in with lazy, rebellious thugs who will never amount to anything. Allie proves without a doubt that just because you look cool doesn't mean you are going to do drugs and alcohol and that you have no direction.   Allie's independence is refreshing and I love the idea of proving to the naysayers that COOL people RULE.

[bookrooted]

it looks very interesting(;

thanks for the recommendation too

[Eternal_Teen]

Try Vinyl Princess's facebook page. Really cool. Updates with musings and music everyday, and she responds.  I hear there's a movie in the works. Hope you like the book.