Picking up where The Scar Boys (2014) left off, this sequel uses an interview format to reintroduce the four members of the band: lead guitarist Harry Jones, whose burned face continues to affect the way he relates to his bandmates and the world; Johnny McKenna, the charismatic leader and boyfriend to bass player Cheyenne Belle; and Richie McGill, the drummer and band anchor. When we last saw them, Johnny was dealing with the loss of his leg after a car accident, but now it's Cheyenne's turn to wrestle with life-changing issues. The interviews are a good vehicle for giving the characters their own voices. But while the title suggests this is Cheyenne's story, the overlapping narratives give readers a look at how all four deal with various unfortunate events while still producing music that stands audiences on their heads. The many included lyrics didactically explain motivations rather than seeming like words that could be set to music, but the sometimes melodramatic story will offer satisfying closure to the first book's many fans who want to know what happened next.

A collection of interviews with members of the band Scar Boys conducted "while the band was in the studio recording the follow-up to the debut album, Minus One," Scar Girl picks up where The Scar Boys (Lerner, 2014) left off. Cheyenne, Harry, and Richie tell their stories of the band's journey to its first recording, beginning with their return after Johnny McKenna, the band's first singer, lost his leg in a car accident. Initially, Richie is the only band member visiting Johnny, as Johnny will not let Chey visit, and Harry is grappling with his unrequited love for Chey and his guilt over Johnny's accident. After Harry runs into Chey and sees how torn up she is about not being able to see Johnny, he patches up his friendship with Johnny, making it possible for Johnny and Chey to get back together. As Harry and Johnny take their "tattered friendship to the only place where it would have a chance to heal: music," Chey finds she and Johnny are not quite the same: "we were the same people, the same couple, but we were no longer we" and she does not know how to tell him she is pregnant.With plenty of human drama, strong character development, and more than its fair share of tough topics (amputation, pregnancy, abortion, suicide), Scar Girl will appeal to mature readers of realistic fiction, whether or not they read The Scar Boys.Kim Carter.The sequel to The Scar Boys, Scar Girl is extremely well written. Readers will connect with the characters even if they have not experienced the same issues and situations. Cheyenne is going through an extremely rough time since Johnny, her boyfriend, just got into a car accident and lost his leg, and she finds out something that could potentially change her life forever. People who love reading about music, love, and problems that exist everyday in our generation will absolutely love this book. Readers will absolutely not be able to put it down. 4Q, 4P.Riley Carter, Teen Reviewer.