@zeffy - just finished the first volume of the novel and halfway done with 2nd volume. Many like to call it bait but there's plenty of subtext in the novel as well. In fact even more descriptive since it's all based on Kumiko's point of view. The first novel covered the reconciliation of Kumiko and Reina as well as their growing bond while the 2nd volume covered more of Kumiko helping out two sempai reconcile their friendship (girl in the crowd that went to see their competition performance in ep 13). So if there is a second season then that's probably what KyoAni will cover. A lot of Kumiko and Reina's subtexty moments carried over to the other volumes but the 4th volume seemed like the only one that was out of place. I've only per used the 4th volume but that was just a bunch of short stories and didn't really flow well with the previous volumes as far as writing style goes. Almost as if they were out of character. Nevertheless, the novel series was loosely based on the author's
own band experience in high school and mostly about the nostalgia of youth and music. There is a bunch of short stories written by the author that are not included in the 4th volume and the latest chapter (chap 10) was a nice chapter regarding Reina's thoughts on Kumiko and their contrast in personality. In this chapter we learn that they've started walking home together a lot more and Reina even took a detour so that she could talk a little longer with Kumiko.