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Recommend this book:
Leaving Montana
Thomas Whaley
2015 Gold Medal
210 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite
It is hard to remember that Leaving Montana by Thomas Whaley is a work of fiction. The family problems and secrets that Whaley writes about are very common, but very rarely are they spoken about. Whaley writes about Benjamin Sean Quinn’s life and how he grew up in a household filled with drama and secrets. Leaving Montana is a book that captures the reader’s interest right away just because Whaley’s main character, Benjamin Sean Quinn, is so lovable from the start. Benjamin is a 40-year-old gay male who has two adopted children with his partner. Benjamin travels to Billings, Montana, to face secrets from the past. During his journey he reflects on his parents' marriage and how everything came to be.
My favorite thing about this book was the way Whaley explained how Benjamin’s parents, Carmella and Sean, came to be. He gave each character in his book a different personality. I honestly was not sure how to feel about Carmella and Sean. I went from rooting for each of them to hating them, then back to rooting for them. Towards the end of the book, I was sure of only one thing, and that was that I wanted to give Benjamin a huge hug and adopt him. The issues that occurred in Benjamin’s family are common, but they are not often written about or explained through each character’s own perspective. Whaley writing the story this way makes the reader understand the situations more. You may not agree with the situation that is occurring in the book, but you understand why it happened.
I was able to figure out the secrets before the book ended, but I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of Whaley’s work. I recommend this book to anyone who does not have enough drama in their own family.
It is hard to remember that Leaving Montana by Thomas Whaley is a work of fiction. The family problems and secrets that Whaley writes about are very common, but very rarely are they spoken about. Whaley writes about Benjamin Sean Quinn’s life and how he grew up in a household filled with drama and secrets. Leaving Montana is a book that captures the reader’s interest right away just because Whaley’s main character, Benjamin Sean Quinn, is so lovable from the start. Benjamin is a 40-year-old gay male who has two adopted children with his partner. Benjamin travels to Billings, Montana, to face secrets from the past. During his journey he reflects on his parents' marriage and how everything came to be.
My favorite thing about this book was the way Whaley explained how Benjamin’s parents, Carmella and Sean, came to be. He gave each character in his book a different personality. I honestly was not sure how to feel about Carmella and Sean. I went from rooting for each of them to hating them, then back to rooting for them. Towards the end of the book, I was sure of only one thing, and that was that I wanted to give Benjamin a huge hug and adopt him. The issues that occurred in Benjamin’s family are common, but they are not often written about or explained through each character’s own perspective. Whaley writing the story this way makes the reader understand the situations more. You may not agree with the situation that is occurring in the book, but you understand why it happened.
I was able to figure out the secrets before the book ended, but I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of Whaley’s work. I recommend this book to anyone who does not have enough drama in their own family.
Recommend this book:
Lenin Lives Next Door
Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow
Jennifer Eremeeva
2014 Finalist
298 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite
Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow by Jennifer Eremeeva is an intimate look at the life of an American woman living in Moscow. After reading a book on the last Russian royals, Nicholas and Alexandra, thirteen-year-old Jennifer falls madly in love with the country. She studies the Russian language, goes on a ten-day student trip to Leningrad, Pskov, Tver, and Moscow, and the romance continues. She finds herself in Russia in 1993 again, and this time she is managing back-to-back tours and hosting trade show delegations. As predicted by a Georgian sightseeing guide, Jennifer marries a Russian whom she dubs as HRH, meaning Handsome Russian Husband and occasionally, Horrible Russian Husband. The couple settles down in Moscow, has a daughter, and lives in an apartment not far away from where the embalmed corpse of Lenin gets regularly freshened up. Deciding to quit her job to write a book, Jennifer takes a look at her life, her adopted country, and her other expatriate friends in a funny way.
Witty, humorous, and informative are the three words that came to mind after I finished reading Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow. This book is obviously based on the life of the author, Jennifer Eremeeva, who has been living in Moscow for twenty years with her Russian husband and their daughter. The author’s voice is matter of fact, slightly ironic, and she writes in the conversational first person perspective, making the reading experience quite intimate. In going through the funny and sometimes hilarious events in the life of an American woman living in Russia, readers should be able to get a lot of information about the Russian people, as shaped by the country’s long and tumultuous history. Straddling two cultures, the author uses a special blend of sarcasm and humor, mixed with a certain amount of fondness in her writing style. The result is a book that is not only funny - it is absolutely charming!
Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow by Jennifer Eremeeva is an intimate look at the life of an American woman living in Moscow. After reading a book on the last Russian royals, Nicholas and Alexandra, thirteen-year-old Jennifer falls madly in love with the country. She studies the Russian language, goes on a ten-day student trip to Leningrad, Pskov, Tver, and Moscow, and the romance continues. She finds herself in Russia in 1993 again, and this time she is managing back-to-back tours and hosting trade show delegations. As predicted by a Georgian sightseeing guide, Jennifer marries a Russian whom she dubs as HRH, meaning Handsome Russian Husband and occasionally, Horrible Russian Husband. The couple settles down in Moscow, has a daughter, and lives in an apartment not far away from where the embalmed corpse of Lenin gets regularly freshened up. Deciding to quit her job to write a book, Jennifer takes a look at her life, her adopted country, and her other expatriate friends in a funny way.
Witty, humorous, and informative are the three words that came to mind after I finished reading Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow. This book is obviously based on the life of the author, Jennifer Eremeeva, who has been living in Moscow for twenty years with her Russian husband and their daughter. The author’s voice is matter of fact, slightly ironic, and she writes in the conversational first person perspective, making the reading experience quite intimate. In going through the funny and sometimes hilarious events in the life of an American woman living in Russia, readers should be able to get a lot of information about the Russian people, as shaped by the country’s long and tumultuous history. Straddling two cultures, the author uses a special blend of sarcasm and humor, mixed with a certain amount of fondness in her writing style. The result is a book that is not only funny - it is absolutely charming!
Recommend this book:
The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky
David Litwack
2014 Finalist
290 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite
Two major life changing events had taken place in Helena Brewster's life in the recent past; her father had passed away and she had seen Jason again after four years. However, neither of these compared to the effects of the sudden appearance of an angelic 9-year-old girl from the Forbidden Sea. When Helena and Jason rescued Kailani from the ocean, they did not anticipate her extraordinary nature and the effect it would have on them and everyone else around her. Kailani's nature was a mixture of the innocence of a 9-year-old and the wisdom of a mythmaker beyond her years. As Helena and Jason got to know her better, their lives changed in ways they had never imagined before. They promised to protect this child from the Blessed Lands from the ruthless laws of the Republic. However, no one really knew what this daughter of the sea and the sky was; was she just another zealot here to cause trouble in the land of the soulless? A prophet as some had come to believe? Or just a troubled innocent child?
The Daughter Of The Sea And The Sky by David Litwack is an intriguing tale of faith versus reason as each of the two lands separated by a horrible war fought to stay true to what they believed. David Litwack's writing style draws a very vivid picture of the setting of the story and the different characters that form part of this extraordinary tale. His description of Kailani's innocent and yet dazzling beauty and her personality gives you a real image of the little girl whose strange character and innocent wisdom touched so many lives. The story keeps you on the edge from one page to the next as you wait to discover the reason behind her sudden appearance in the land of the soulless and, in the end, the truth is very awe-inspiring and most deserving.
Two major life changing events had taken place in Helena Brewster's life in the recent past; her father had passed away and she had seen Jason again after four years. However, neither of these compared to the effects of the sudden appearance of an angelic 9-year-old girl from the Forbidden Sea. When Helena and Jason rescued Kailani from the ocean, they did not anticipate her extraordinary nature and the effect it would have on them and everyone else around her. Kailani's nature was a mixture of the innocence of a 9-year-old and the wisdom of a mythmaker beyond her years. As Helena and Jason got to know her better, their lives changed in ways they had never imagined before. They promised to protect this child from the Blessed Lands from the ruthless laws of the Republic. However, no one really knew what this daughter of the sea and the sky was; was she just another zealot here to cause trouble in the land of the soulless? A prophet as some had come to believe? Or just a troubled innocent child?
The Daughter Of The Sea And The Sky by David Litwack is an intriguing tale of faith versus reason as each of the two lands separated by a horrible war fought to stay true to what they believed. David Litwack's writing style draws a very vivid picture of the setting of the story and the different characters that form part of this extraordinary tale. His description of Kailani's innocent and yet dazzling beauty and her personality gives you a real image of the little girl whose strange character and innocent wisdom touched so many lives. The story keeps you on the edge from one page to the next as you wait to discover the reason behind her sudden appearance in the land of the soulless and, in the end, the truth is very awe-inspiring and most deserving.
Recommend this book:
A Silent Prayer
A Prayer Series I
Samreen Ahsan
2014 Honorable Mention
330 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite
I think A Silent Prayer by Samreen Ahsan is destined to become a classic in the romance genre. I rarely read pure romance novels. I like my romance blended into an action or adventure story, otherwise it gets a little boring for me. This story is pure romance. It is all about the relationship between Rania, a Canadian woman of Lebanese descent, and Adam, a powerful and influential construction magnate in Toronto. Both of these characters are emotionally damaged. Neither has really loved before and, until they meet each other, are sure they will never love. This is nothing new or fresh in the annals of romance. What is new is that Samreen Ahsan chooses to tell the story from both characters' point of view. One chapter from the man's perspective and one chapter from the woman's.
There are a lot of good male writers who just can't capture the essence of a female character and there are a lot of good women writers who can't quite get the male voice right. To be honest, I don't know if Samreen is a male name or a female name. I really don't care and it really doesn't matter because the writing is great. Both the male and female perspective sound and feel genuinely authentic. This is what makes the story work for me. This is why I give it five stars. The writing is great and I cared about the characters. You could even say that I prayed for a successful conclusion to their romantic journey.
I think A Silent Prayer by Samreen Ahsan is destined to become a classic in the romance genre. I rarely read pure romance novels. I like my romance blended into an action or adventure story, otherwise it gets a little boring for me. This story is pure romance. It is all about the relationship between Rania, a Canadian woman of Lebanese descent, and Adam, a powerful and influential construction magnate in Toronto. Both of these characters are emotionally damaged. Neither has really loved before and, until they meet each other, are sure they will never love. This is nothing new or fresh in the annals of romance. What is new is that Samreen Ahsan chooses to tell the story from both characters' point of view. One chapter from the man's perspective and one chapter from the woman's.
There are a lot of good male writers who just can't capture the essence of a female character and there are a lot of good women writers who can't quite get the male voice right. To be honest, I don't know if Samreen is a male name or a female name. I really don't care and it really doesn't matter because the writing is great. Both the male and female perspective sound and feel genuinely authentic. This is what makes the story work for me. This is why I give it five stars. The writing is great and I cared about the characters. You could even say that I prayed for a successful conclusion to their romantic journey.
Recommend this book:
Eating Through the Earth
Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot
2014 Honorable Mention
394 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Bernadette Ventrillos for Readers' Favorite
“Eating through the Earth” by Karen Pirnot is a book for all women. She has taken the attributes of several of her precious friends and combined them to create some of the most memorable characters you will ever meet. Every reader will catch a glimpse of their self somewhere in these characters. Stelby’s life had revolved around her husband and children; after he passed away life went on in much the same fashion until one of her daughters gave her a gift certificate to a spa. That was a life changing day. Stelby returned home with a renewed spirit; after all those years she had discovered her niche. She and several other women turn her basement into a meeting place. They discovered there was little they could not do, from finishing dry wall to patching concrete. They found something that had been hidden in the basement; it was never meant to be found. The women bloomed as their friendship strengthened.
“Eating through the Earth” by Dr. Karen Pirnot will touch the hearts of many. This is a book on the importance of knowing your own self-worth; it is a book about friendship. Stelby was my favorite character; she was awakened by a trip to the spa, such a simple event and yet an important one. Once Stelby got something in her mind, there was no stopping her. No project was too big. Cheryl wanted someone to love her and someone to love. Clarice felt guilt and went through life trying to be perfect. The other characters too have equally important attributes. When they worked together they were unstoppable.
“Eating through the Earth” by Karen Pirnot is a book for all women. She has taken the attributes of several of her precious friends and combined them to create some of the most memorable characters you will ever meet. Every reader will catch a glimpse of their self somewhere in these characters. Stelby’s life had revolved around her husband and children; after he passed away life went on in much the same fashion until one of her daughters gave her a gift certificate to a spa. That was a life changing day. Stelby returned home with a renewed spirit; after all those years she had discovered her niche. She and several other women turn her basement into a meeting place. They discovered there was little they could not do, from finishing dry wall to patching concrete. They found something that had been hidden in the basement; it was never meant to be found. The women bloomed as their friendship strengthened.
“Eating through the Earth” by Dr. Karen Pirnot will touch the hearts of many. This is a book on the importance of knowing your own self-worth; it is a book about friendship. Stelby was my favorite character; she was awakened by a trip to the spa, such a simple event and yet an important one. Once Stelby got something in her mind, there was no stopping her. No project was too big. Cheryl wanted someone to love her and someone to love. Clarice felt guilt and went through life trying to be perfect. The other characters too have equally important attributes. When they worked together they were unstoppable.
Recommend this book:
Wild Nights
Mary Ellen Courtney
2014 Silver Medal
360 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
When we first meet Hannah, she is fighting traffic on her way to her grandmother's funeral. She is bringing her grandmother's embalmed canary, which, according to family legend, alerted her grandfather to toxic fumes in the coal mine her grandmother owned. Hannah is dreading the family gathering and thinks her mother sees the funeral as a kind of bonding experience. Hannah adored her funny, adventurous father and used to fly with him in the family plane. She was crushed when he died in a plane accident, leaving her, her brother and sister in the care of their alcoholic mother. Now that they are all grown, visits with the family tend to turn into dramas leading to subsequent texts, phone calls and emails, but Hannah hasn't figured out how to distance herself from it all. Her love life is also not terribly exciting. After a disastrous marriage, she is now in a rather dull and predictable relationship with a man who doesn't have what it takes to make her pulses sing. When Hannah's car breaks down on the way to the funeral, everything gets turned upside down, but in what could be the best possible way.
I was probably about 20 or 30 pages into "Wild Nights" when I realized that this could turn out to be a really outstanding book - and it just got better from there. Hannah is brash, funny and wise all at once, and her relationships with her friends are a hoot. The family scenes also play true to life, both the tragic and the comic, which are not always kept separate. While the timeline of "Wild Nights' is about a year, Hannah's life is eventful, and the reader is brought along when she travels to Hawaii on Christmas vacation and then to India where she works with her mentor and friend, Margaret. The descriptions of both places will have any reader lazily drifting on warm, Hawaiian waves, and walking the crowded, dusty streets of India. I spent all day yesterday wrapped up in "Wild Nights" and reluctantly finished the last page late last night, Hannah and Jon and the rest of the characters peopling this work still alive and fresh in my mind. This is an extraordinary work.
When we first meet Hannah, she is fighting traffic on her way to her grandmother's funeral. She is bringing her grandmother's embalmed canary, which, according to family legend, alerted her grandfather to toxic fumes in the coal mine her grandmother owned. Hannah is dreading the family gathering and thinks her mother sees the funeral as a kind of bonding experience. Hannah adored her funny, adventurous father and used to fly with him in the family plane. She was crushed when he died in a plane accident, leaving her, her brother and sister in the care of their alcoholic mother. Now that they are all grown, visits with the family tend to turn into dramas leading to subsequent texts, phone calls and emails, but Hannah hasn't figured out how to distance herself from it all. Her love life is also not terribly exciting. After a disastrous marriage, she is now in a rather dull and predictable relationship with a man who doesn't have what it takes to make her pulses sing. When Hannah's car breaks down on the way to the funeral, everything gets turned upside down, but in what could be the best possible way.
I was probably about 20 or 30 pages into "Wild Nights" when I realized that this could turn out to be a really outstanding book - and it just got better from there. Hannah is brash, funny and wise all at once, and her relationships with her friends are a hoot. The family scenes also play true to life, both the tragic and the comic, which are not always kept separate. While the timeline of "Wild Nights' is about a year, Hannah's life is eventful, and the reader is brought along when she travels to Hawaii on Christmas vacation and then to India where she works with her mentor and friend, Margaret. The descriptions of both places will have any reader lazily drifting on warm, Hawaiian waves, and walking the crowded, dusty streets of India. I spent all day yesterday wrapped up in "Wild Nights" and reluctantly finished the last page late last night, Hannah and Jon and the rest of the characters peopling this work still alive and fresh in my mind. This is an extraordinary work.
Recommend this book:
An Absent Mind
Eric Rill
2014 Gold Medal
276 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Lisa Jones for Readers' Favorite
An Absent Mind by Eric Rill is a moving story about a man diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Saul was in his early seventies when this terrible illness struck. It was obvious that throughout his life he had been a larger than life kind of character and suddenly that would all change. His struggle through the middle stages to the end are written in this very moving novel. The story also examines the family and their relationships with each other.
Eric Rill has delivered a very powerful yet touching novel. It centers on Alzheimer's and the way in which the disease progresses. Having had some personal experience with this, the author then felt the need to write about it and I am so glad he did. He told his story in a unique way. Throughout the story, the point of view changes between people. Sometimes it was the patient Saul's point of view, then it would be from his wife's perspective. Other times it was from the son or daughter's point of view. There were a couple of references to the doctor's view, which I found important as it gave a more clinical outlook. The whole story from start to finish touched my heart and at the same time I found out a great deal about the disease that I did not know. I learned how the body begins to shut down completely and in the end something as simple as swallowing would not be possible.
Eric Rill explains at the end of his novel how he worked closely with a clinical doctor so that he could give the most honest opinion of the different stages of the disease. This was very helpful to me as a reader and I am sure it will be helpful to other readers. My eyes have truly been opened as I never fully comprehended what actually happens. I have the utmost respect for the author for writing this beautiful book and I am glad he did. What a moving story that has truly touched my heart.
An Absent Mind by Eric Rill is a moving story about a man diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Saul was in his early seventies when this terrible illness struck. It was obvious that throughout his life he had been a larger than life kind of character and suddenly that would all change. His struggle through the middle stages to the end are written in this very moving novel. The story also examines the family and their relationships with each other.
Eric Rill has delivered a very powerful yet touching novel. It centers on Alzheimer's and the way in which the disease progresses. Having had some personal experience with this, the author then felt the need to write about it and I am so glad he did. He told his story in a unique way. Throughout the story, the point of view changes between people. Sometimes it was the patient Saul's point of view, then it would be from his wife's perspective. Other times it was from the son or daughter's point of view. There were a couple of references to the doctor's view, which I found important as it gave a more clinical outlook. The whole story from start to finish touched my heart and at the same time I found out a great deal about the disease that I did not know. I learned how the body begins to shut down completely and in the end something as simple as swallowing would not be possible.
Eric Rill explains at the end of his novel how he worked closely with a clinical doctor so that he could give the most honest opinion of the different stages of the disease. This was very helpful to me as a reader and I am sure it will be helpful to other readers. My eyes have truly been opened as I never fully comprehended what actually happens. I have the utmost respect for the author for writing this beautiful book and I am glad he did. What a moving story that has truly touched my heart.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/promised-valley-conspiracy&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51j4YKV-FQL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=In "Promised Valley Conspiracy", the third in the innovative series, Ron Fritsch continues to chronicle the social and political turmoil of the unique prehistoric world he has created. Tensions remain high between the agrarian Valley People and the hunting-class Hill People, and whatever truces were put in place in the earlier books teeter precario...){kind=link}
Promised Valley Conspiracy
Ron Fritsch
2013 Honorable Mention
268 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Johnny Masiulewicz for Readers' Favorite
In "Promised Valley Conspiracy", the third in the innovative series, Ron Fritsch continues to chronicle the social and political turmoil of the unique prehistoric world he has created. Tensions remain high between the agrarian Valley People and the hunting-class Hill People, and whatever truces were put in place in the earlier books teeter precariously on the brink of failure as each side looks to gain an edge on the other. Dissension among the Hill People forces a detente on the part of the valley society, and they concede the upper valley to those refugees who want to work toward peace. This act leads to the rise of a threat to both peoples, a threat that can only be defeated by both sides joining together against the common enemy.
As in the other books of the series this plot line is built upon the backdrop of the unique world at the time of the dawn of mankind. Sustaining this world is Fritsch’s particular forte, and he practices it so seamlessly as to make almost necessary occasional references to period topics such as the first domestication of the horse, the invention of the wheel, and the first use of permanent housing, to remind the reader that it is indeed a period piece. These topics also add an intelligence and insight to the narrative and serve as a perfect framework on which to structure the main plot elements. Woven through these elements are themes that possess a universality that has resonated through the entire span of human existence on the planet. There is war and peace, racism and class unrest, scientific and educational developments, social cooperation and the effects on the social order when that cooperation breaks down. These themes not only subscribe to the classic literary aspects of conflict and resolution, but, through Fritsch’s deft craftsmanship, do so in a way that is pertinent even when read in the context of today’s world.
In "Promised Valley Conspiracy", the third in the innovative series, Ron Fritsch continues to chronicle the social and political turmoil of the unique prehistoric world he has created. Tensions remain high between the agrarian Valley People and the hunting-class Hill People, and whatever truces were put in place in the earlier books teeter precariously on the brink of failure as each side looks to gain an edge on the other. Dissension among the Hill People forces a detente on the part of the valley society, and they concede the upper valley to those refugees who want to work toward peace. This act leads to the rise of a threat to both peoples, a threat that can only be defeated by both sides joining together against the common enemy.
As in the other books of the series this plot line is built upon the backdrop of the unique world at the time of the dawn of mankind. Sustaining this world is Fritsch’s particular forte, and he practices it so seamlessly as to make almost necessary occasional references to period topics such as the first domestication of the horse, the invention of the wheel, and the first use of permanent housing, to remind the reader that it is indeed a period piece. These topics also add an intelligence and insight to the narrative and serve as a perfect framework on which to structure the main plot elements. Woven through these elements are themes that possess a universality that has resonated through the entire span of human existence on the planet. There is war and peace, racism and class unrest, scientific and educational developments, social cooperation and the effects on the social order when that cooperation breaks down. These themes not only subscribe to the classic literary aspects of conflict and resolution, but, through Fritsch’s deft craftsmanship, do so in a way that is pertinent even when read in the context of today’s world.
Recommend this book:
Puck
Kevin White
2013 Bronze Medal
118 Pages
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite
“Puck” by Kevin White is the beautiful, heart-warming and heart-wrenching story of Kathy and Jason and their autistic young son Luke. Ice hockey becomes the thread that connects Luke to the outside world. Luke’s story is told to us through the eyes and heart of his father. Luke at two years old was diagnosed as being an autistic child while at four he started therapy. Luke did not speak but had a fascination in catching flies in his little hands as they flew by. He could also build towers with tin cans and blocks. He watched TV but never showed any interest or understanding of what he was seeing unless it was a hockey game. Jason took Luke for a daily walk around the neighborhood and one day they stopped in at the local ice skating rink. Luke immediately became absorbed in watching the young boys playing hockey and when a puck came out of the rink and landed at his feet, it became his prized possession. When Luke surprised his parents, speaking his first word, it was 'puck'. Because of his strong interest in following the movement of the puck, they decided to teach him to skate and signed him up to play for a local home rink hockey league. This was the beginning of a new life for Luke and it changed his life forever.
“Puck” is a great story that Kevin White wrote with feeling, understanding and a lot of love. I felt all of the pain and joy along with Jason and Kathy. I cheered for Luke and became emotionally attached to him. The final chapters tore at my heart and made me proud too at the same time. I was really sad to leave my new friends behind when I got to the last page. Kevin White has written a winner that can easily hold its own as the top best seller for many weeks. It would make a fantastic movie as well. My hope is that there is a follow-up so that we can see where life takes Luke next. Kevin White is a five star writer who has left me wanting more.
“Puck” by Kevin White is the beautiful, heart-warming and heart-wrenching story of Kathy and Jason and their autistic young son Luke. Ice hockey becomes the thread that connects Luke to the outside world. Luke’s story is told to us through the eyes and heart of his father. Luke at two years old was diagnosed as being an autistic child while at four he started therapy. Luke did not speak but had a fascination in catching flies in his little hands as they flew by. He could also build towers with tin cans and blocks. He watched TV but never showed any interest or understanding of what he was seeing unless it was a hockey game. Jason took Luke for a daily walk around the neighborhood and one day they stopped in at the local ice skating rink. Luke immediately became absorbed in watching the young boys playing hockey and when a puck came out of the rink and landed at his feet, it became his prized possession. When Luke surprised his parents, speaking his first word, it was 'puck'. Because of his strong interest in following the movement of the puck, they decided to teach him to skate and signed him up to play for a local home rink hockey league. This was the beginning of a new life for Luke and it changed his life forever.
“Puck” is a great story that Kevin White wrote with feeling, understanding and a lot of love. I felt all of the pain and joy along with Jason and Kathy. I cheered for Luke and became emotionally attached to him. The final chapters tore at my heart and made me proud too at the same time. I was really sad to leave my new friends behind when I got to the last page. Kevin White has written a winner that can easily hold its own as the top best seller for many weeks. It would make a fantastic movie as well. My hope is that there is a follow-up so that we can see where life takes Luke next. Kevin White is a five star writer who has left me wanting more.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/the-second-chances-of-priam-wood&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51YwsMyUCeL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=Alexander Rigby tells the story about a man’s redemption from his own regrets in "The Second Chances of Priam Wood". Seventy year old Priam Wood had died, but the afterlife wasn't something he had expected at all. Chloe, his Golden Retriever that died several days before him, appeared and greeted him as his guide. The old artist was told that he ...){kind=link}
The Second Chances of Priam Wood
Alexander Rigby
2013 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - General
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
Alexander Rigby tells the story about a man’s redemption from his own regrets in "The Second Chances of Priam Wood". Seventy year old Priam Wood had died, but the afterlife wasn't something he had expected at all. Chloe, his Golden Retriever that died several days before him, appeared and greeted him as his guide. The old artist was told that he had second chances to change the seven days of his past life. It was a revelation that was double-edged, for he could easily fail and things might become worse. But with his beloved dog’s support, Priam Wood decided to make everything right and those seven days given to him were about to be a priceless life lesson that he overlooked when he was still alive.
The very first chapter started slowly for me but I was glad the pace picked up when Priam died and was greeted by Chloe in the world between the living and the dead. The writing is flawless; the seven days that the character had to re-live is told in details and isn't rushed. The concept of the story isn't new, nevertheless it is beautifully and genuinely written. Moreover, the lessons and inspiration that one could take from this book are plenty: live life to the fullest, nothing lasts forever and you don’t know what you have got until it is gone. The depth of this story was astonishing. This is a kind of book that you will want to read while you are relaxing no matter where or when.
Alexander Rigby tells the story about a man’s redemption from his own regrets in "The Second Chances of Priam Wood". Seventy year old Priam Wood had died, but the afterlife wasn't something he had expected at all. Chloe, his Golden Retriever that died several days before him, appeared and greeted him as his guide. The old artist was told that he had second chances to change the seven days of his past life. It was a revelation that was double-edged, for he could easily fail and things might become worse. But with his beloved dog’s support, Priam Wood decided to make everything right and those seven days given to him were about to be a priceless life lesson that he overlooked when he was still alive.
The very first chapter started slowly for me but I was glad the pace picked up when Priam died and was greeted by Chloe in the world between the living and the dead. The writing is flawless; the seven days that the character had to re-live is told in details and isn't rushed. The concept of the story isn't new, nevertheless it is beautifully and genuinely written. Moreover, the lessons and inspiration that one could take from this book are plenty: live life to the fullest, nothing lasts forever and you don’t know what you have got until it is gone. The depth of this story was astonishing. This is a kind of book that you will want to read while you are relaxing no matter where or when.
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