Liz Moore's debut novel is a magical creation, an interwoven collection of 14 characters, all of them a part of the music industry, their lives and stories intertwined.

This is one of those books I didn't want to end. The Words of Every Song, Liz Moore's debut novel, is a magical creation, an interwoven collection of 14 characters, all of them a part of the music industry, their lives and stories intertwined.

There's Theo, Titan Records A&R rep, who's young and hungry and needs to prove himself. There's Siobhan, lead singer of the newly signed the Burn, and friend of Lenore Lamont, the so-called next big thing. There's Jax, A&R president at Titan Records and feared by all-except for young rapper Che, who hands her a demo on a stalled subway train and with whom she reconnects at a party for her parents. There's Tia, 11-year-old overweight member of an all girl singing and dancing group managed by her dad. There's Cynthia, former Titan Records secretary and ex-lover of Lenore Lamont. There's Tommy Mays, quite possibly the hottest artist out there today, who takes his wife and small children on tour. There's Mike-stage name Mike R.-also of the Burn, who finds himself paralyzed by the news that his first girlfriend has taken her life.

Moore presents a careful study of each of her characters, weaving voices and points of view into the chapters. Her storytelling is matter-of-fact and no-nonsense; the voice is third-person omniscient, yet detached. She also drops in summaries of their futures: "In a year, Luz will get pregnant by a man she meets at a party in Williamsburg and she will have an abortion. She will notice the coldness of the waiting room seats and will buy an ice cream cone the next day-her first in years. Later in life, she will discover photographer. She will have three girls after marrying a man named Fabian. She will die at 102, having outlived her husband and all but one of her children."

This book held my interest on many levels. Obviously, there's the music industry aspect, and Moore's own experience as a musician allows her to give us a behind-the-scenes peek into the workings and personalities involved. Most importantly, though, there's the writing. Moore's a gifted and seemingly effortless storyteller with a knack for building three-dimensional characters and opening up their thoughts and insecurities without judgment or remorse. As a reader, you may not always like the characters, but through Moore's talents, you care what happens to them, keep turning the pages to see what comes next.

Honestly, the only drawback to this book is that it's a first novel, meaning there is no back catalog to submerse yourself into once this one's done. I feel almost guilty writing this, but here's hoping Moore's music career goes nowhere, so she can spend more time writing books like this one. | Laura Hamlett