WARNING: This book does not contain The Beatles. This is more like "The Girl Who Became a Pop Diva". She gets wish fulfillment for no real reason, has typical band problems, wants to be a leader and no one likes her for it. She starts getting bossy, but experiences no consequences. She starts out liking a boy, but then life becomes too perfect. In her alternate universe, she has a boyfriend from "The O.C.", creative control, a $12 million mansion, a life in L.A. instead of podunk midwest, Grammys, sellout crowds, and fame & fortune. Nothing goes wrong for her.

I wanted this to be about The Beatles. I thought it would be about a teen experiencing their history, growing up in the fifties, struggling from dive bars to the Ed Sullivan show to Beatlemania and drugs and Yoko and the break-up. Like John or Paul's POV but transformed into current day YA form.

Instead, she just takes their songs, which makes no sense. Songs written in the fifties have no place in today's context. Can you imagine "I Want to Hold Your Hand" going up against Ke$ha and Lady Gaga? The way it's written, The Beatles are just placeholders. It could have been any band -- Nirvana, Green Day, Metallica.

And the ending is not earned. She spends 90% of her time living an awesome rock star life, and there's no evidence that she wants a change back, or that a change back would be good for her. And of course, she does. Because its expected of her. Gotta have that Disney ending. ( )

Excerpt from Linus's Blanket - This is a fast paced and charming read using a fairy godmother figure and wish fulfillment to explore the greener grass of stardom. Regina discovers that being the golden goose is problematic in that she is mostly at odds with the band and her family, and she has figure out who she is and how she can use her own agency to have the life that she wants. Fun references to The Beatles and pop culture abound, and Regina is an easy character to identify with and root for as she tries to figure out the best way to make the most of her unique situation. ( )

Entertaining, light-hearted fun. ( )

At some point, we've all probably made an off hand wish or two (or fifty) that, if it actually came true, would drastically change our lives.

For Regina Bloomsbury, that wish is : “I wish I could be as famous as the Beatles.”

Lead singer of The Caverns and absolutely all about music, Regina's world is falling apart when she makes her wish--or really, her remark; two of the band's other three members are threatening to leave the Caverns for a rival band. Not knowing what to do to save her band, Beatles lover Regina, goes to sleep in her Beatles memorabilia filled bedroom depressed and disheartened . . .

. . . Only to wake up the next morning to a completely different world.

A world where Regina is not only as popular as the Beatles, her band has replaced the Beatles in history.

Can Regina deal with this new world where everyone but her seems at home and no one else knows that she doesn't belong? Or is Regina going to need to find a way back to her world--the one where the Caverns are falling apart and the Beatles reign supreme?

Who would have thought that becoming the world's mot famous rock band might not be everything she ever wanted . . .

I really, really love the concept of this book. You don't have to love the Beatles, have your own band, or be obsessed with music like Regina to understand her 'wish' or to understand how she could like her new glamorous lifestyle--and find it challenging.

You also don't have to like the Beatles to enjoy this book. There's quite a bit of reference to the Beatles, their songs, and even some of their performances, but none of it's obscure enough or lacking in explanation enough that you need to already know those things to get them. It's likely that if you do already know a ton about the Beatles or you're a fan that you'll enjoy the book more, but not won't take anything away from the book for readers.

In the first few chapters, Regina read like an adults idea of a teenager, but that quickly changed and I started to enjoy her and her music and Beatles love . . . and her struggles.

The plot was a lot more complex than I had expected and very well imagined. I don't know that I would have read this book if I'd just seen it at the library or bookstore so I'm really glad I won a copy of the galley from the publisher because I very, very much enjoyed it. ( )

I love the Beatles! I mean I really do LOVE the Beatles! This book gave me pause to think about what if they had never existed. Heavy thoughts. I could imagine there music just hitting the scene now. I think it would have changed the shape of music over the years, without a doubt.

This book was good. I found the premise interesting. I liked Regina as a character. She came off as real. I can see her struggles and the whole seduction with fame.

I had to stop and think about what I would do in that situation. I like to think I would have done the same, but I can see where quite a few teens wouldn't. I think it's a nice little read and I liked the love story that went along with it too. I'm giving this one 4 magical mystery kisses! ( )