The Music of Unexpected Things takes place over a few weeks, where our characters are at an invite only summer school at a prestigious music academy. Over the weeks they're there to show their musical talent and eventually one will get a scholarship to return to the school after the holidays. But really, that's the backdrop. This book is very much about the characters and their relationships - platonic and romantic - with the musical aspect bringing them together.

The book is told from two perspectives, Georgie and Mina. Georgie is very much an introvert, she's shy and reserved because of past experiences as a blind girl with a guide dog. Peers and adults alike have treated her as a burden rather than a person. On the other side we have Mina, who is a lot more open and confident, but due to her religious upbringing, she's scared to be open about her feelings - as someone who wants to pursue music as a proper career, and as a girl who likes girls.

Both characters are great, and both have distinct voices. I never once got confused as to who's perspective I was in, and I enjoyed seeing the thoughts and feelings of each character, and how their pasts, family and friendships had shaped them up to this point. The wider cast were great too, with their own personalities and storylines going on. Gareth, Zephan and Art again, were all distinct and had their own things going on, away from the two main protagonists. Although he got the least page time and least background, I was very fond of Zephan, the moody cynic who spends his time reading and scoffing at the others drama, whilst also being a great friend and knowing when to talk or listen to the others.

One thing I do think should have been addressed though, in some sort of way, was the fact that guide dogs are working. They're doing a job, and shouldn't be distracted from that. Several times throughout the book - basically any time anyone met Georgie and Star (her dog) - they initially went to Star and started petting her and giving her attention. I can totally understand why Georgie as the shy, socially awkward person she is didn't say anything out loud, but I would have loved to see either an inner thought recognising that this isn't the thing to do to working dogs. Or at least some sort of conversation at a later date with a friend after they had got to know each other. I just thought that conversation was lacking in here. Even a simple throw away line while taking with friends like 'yeah, everyone who meets us fusses Star, but no one really realises that she's not a pet, she's working as an extension of me' and the friend to be like 'damn, yeah I didn't think of that, sorry if that's the way I approached you when we met'.

The romantic relationships in here were everything you'd expect from a YA book, both sweet and dramatic, pretty and petty. There were ups and downs but they felt pretty realistic.

All in all I very much enjoyed this book

ARC copy.