Rock God by Jason Kondrath

Rock God is a raw, emotional drama about fame, identity, and the scars we hide behind the music. When reclusive guitarist Jayra Jenkins is pulled out of his small Texas town to join Jemini, a rising rock band on a cutthroat reality TV competition, he becomes an instant sensation—the haunted underdog audiences can’t look away from. His genius with a guitar and refusal to play by the rules turn him into both a hero and a threat to the band’s fragile hierarchy. Frontman Leo Reynolds is the voice of Jemini, all charm and chaos, but Jayra’s talent and intensity start stealing the spotlight. Their rivalry burns onstage and off, leaving Tessa Taylor, the band’s newest vocalist, caught between two men who envy and depend on each other in equal measure. As secrets unravel—of old betrayals, hidden parentage, and a past soaked in Sweetwater County blood—Jayra is forced to confront the ghosts he left behind: a murdered mother, a powerful aunt known as The Black Widow, and a legacy tainted by violence and genius. The higher Jemini climbs, the closer Jayra edges toward self-destruction. But in a world built on illusion, his only shot at redemption might come from the very people he’s driven away. Equal parts rock-and-roll mythology and Southern gothic, Rock God peels back the glamour of fame to reveal the cost of survival. It’s a story about broken families, dangerous faith, and the moment when raw talent becomes a curse—and the music’s the only thing left keeping you alive.