“Lying down, shivering on the last seat of school bus 161, pinned by his teensy doggie gaze, which is completely 100% cute—I’m such a girl, I know—I say, ‘You won’t believe the bull I had to endure today.”

From Matthew Quick’s Sorta Like a Rockstar.

On top of her busy school schedule, Amber also works several jobs to make as much money as she can, because she and her mother are homeless.  Amber’s constant enthusiasm and love of music has connected her to many others by sharing haikus with a quiet war veteran, teaching English through music to the Korean Divas for Christ, and even getting a smile out of the crotchety resident, Joan of Old, at the nursing home where she works.  Along with her friends Ricky, Ty, Jared, and Chad, Amber forms a small clique under the supervision of their favorite teacher, Mr. Franks.  Despite the fact that they are sleeping on a school bus, Amber refuses to accept help from anyone or encourage her mom’s interactions with her on-again-off-again boyfriend.  After her mom doesn’t come back to the bus one night, Amber finally confides in Ricky’s mom and they begin looking for the missing woman.  To keep her from going into the foster care system, Ricky’s mom has Amber and her little dog Bobby move in with them.  When Amber’s already tough life is hit with major tragedy, she’s left alone with only Bobby and her closest friends.  Struggling to cope with both her grief and responsibilities, when Amber finds out that Bobby needs a life-saving surgery, she pulls away from everyone and focuses on earning enough to save Bobby.

This dramatic young adult realistic fiction is full of heartbreak and vulnerable emotionally-rich characters. There is a rich array of characters and responses in this story that packs an emotional punch, although Amber’s depression will be too much for some readers. The inspiration for Netflix’s All Together Now, Quick’s Sorta Like a Rockstar is a memorable read that flows quickly for both teen and adult readers.