Muted

By: Tami Charles

Narrated by: Tami Charles

Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Be bold. Get seen. Be heard.

For 17-year-old Denver, music is everything. Writing, performing, and her ultimate goal: escaping her very small, very White hometown.

So, Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean "Mercury" Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights - plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it.

Until they're not.

Denver begins to realize that she's trapped in Merc's world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken.

Inspired by true events, Muted is a fearless exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl's dreams can be used against her - and what it takes to fight back.

This audio edition features four brand-new original songs all written, composed, and performed by author and narrator Tami Charles!

©2021 Tami Charles (P)2021 Scholastic Inc.

Loved It , Surprised by the ending.

I took grew up in a small town in Pa. In the Delaware Valley.

In the book the high school the characters attended was
Delaware Valley High.

At first I thought it was a book about a girl who made it as a singer.

Than realized it was sounding like a wel known story we all heard of.

A R&B singer abusing young girls.

Than the end had me shock didnt see it coming.

I really enjoyed.

Superb!

Excellent story about a teen's quest for fame, no matter the cost. Had me on the edge of my seat! And that ending? Mind blown!

Must listen! Blew me away.

Oh my gosh, you guys... this book! I listened to the audiobook of this one, which was read by the author. This book was written in verse, and you know I love a book written in verse. The audiobook performance was top freaking notch. It was read like poetry, and even included a few songs, and I was blown away.

Denver is a part of singing trio with her friends Dali and Shak. They have ambition baby, they want to make it big and they have the talent. Soon they are discovered and pulled into the orbit of hit maker Sean Mercury Ellis, aka Merc. They are on the verge of living their dream, but what are they being asked to give up? Their families, their freedom, their lives? Is it worth it?

This book gave me vibes of Elizabeth Acevedo with the lyrical writing, and the story had vibes of Tiffany D Jackson’s book Grown. It’s about starry eyed young girls desperate for opportunity, and predatory men ready to exploit that blind trust with the promise of superstardom. This is inspired by true events and shines a light on the dark side of the music industry.

This book is a whole vibe. An amazing and diverse cast of characters, some dark drama, and incredible writing. And if you listen to the audiobook you get some sweet tunes too!

Fairytale endings don’t exist

Well… that was a lot. I liked the idea of a book soundtrack.

The poetic way in which it was written is sometimes tedious to follow.

I applaud the author on taking a story that has been part of the headlines for years and end it in a way I wasn’t expecting.

I won’t read it again because of the heaviness and triggering aspects of the book but I would definitely recommend it.

Just Wow

Was not expecting that ending but glad it happened that was. Definitely worth the listen.

Perfection

I laughed. I cried. And I screamed at the peaks and valleys of this story!!! The narrator’s voice was beautiful and the singing—-WHAT!!! I wanted more!! Brava!!