A hardscrabble Yorkshire coming of age story.  A good one.
354042
About midnight, with forty pages yet to go, I decided I couldn't turn out the light.  I needed to know how this was going to end.  More than I needed sleep.  For that...which very few authors elicit from me...five stars.

Mozley earned her spot on the Man Booker short list.  This is a fine first novel.  Her writing is fresh and beautifully literary, even when the subject matter is a dark and painful coming of age.  The story is narrated from the point of view of her younger brother, and that adds interest as well.
2226487
Loveday, a twenty-something introvert, has worked for several years in a second-hand bookshop in York. She loves books  they are non-judgemental  and indeed, has the first lines of her favourites tattooed on her body. Emotionally damaged by a tragic family event that leads her being taken into care at the age of ten, Loveday believes in keeping herself to herself. Shes brilliant with the shops stock. But the customers? Not so much. Nevertheless, there are people around her who care about her. She may try and block them all out of her life. But life  as she well knows  rarely goes according to plan.

This is a booky-book. I was a little worried about it at first. Was it going to be chick-lit with a literary edge? Well, it is a bit. Was it predictable? On occasion, yes. Was the unfolding of the family tragedy convincing? Im afraid not. But I liked the spiky narrators voice and found myself increasingly pulled into her story. The characters are, on the whole, well drawn and one in particular  the owner of the bookshop, Lovedays irresistible boss Archie  raised this books rating for me. I even quite liked some of the poetry that is dotted about. Stephanie Butland has produced a sympathetic portrait of a young woman with a mind of her own.
2569661
This is an excellent and fascinating coming-of-age story,with some surprises. The setting in Nigeria, during a time of political unrest, adds richness to the story. In the early chapters, I dreaded reading further because I was afraid of what the father character would do, but my book club friends encouraged me to read to the end and I was so glad I did. It was a fast read.
2335729
This was a really good coming of age book. The characters were authentic. I really enjoyed it.
2734730
A wonderful coming of age short story set during a hunting trip. Simply told by a boy surrounded by his greater family of uncles, great uncles and his grandad.

Honest men, who have experienced wars overseas and despise killing for the fun of it. They only shoot to eat, treat their weapons with due care and respect and duly pass this on to this man in the making.

Hunting from another prospective, that carefully opens your eyes!
4175872
This is a story of youth. A time when you come of age and discover life, love, and loss.  Teen age senior who has always been a model student goes on an exchange program for two weeks.  Over her trip she learns to live life and love. She learns how to take chances.  This is a great story that will find those emotions we keep tucked away and draw them out as we experience the joys of carefree youth again.  Would recommend reading this one.
1080658
This story encompasses much of life in the south in the 1960s.  While there is some strife and conflict, most of the story is positive and upbeat which makes for an enjoyable read.

Missing Isaac is billed as a coming of age story, which I do believe it is, not only for Pete but for his love interest, Dovey.  The story follows Petes life from about 11 to 17 and how he reacts to the passing of his father; his friend Isaac that goes missing; and meeting the love of his life by chance while searching for his friend Isaac.  For Dovey, it is finding love; singing in public (church) and realizing that perhaps there is more to life than what she experienced growing up on the Picketts farm.  I found it interesting that since the book was set in the 1960s and in the south, that there not much mentioned about segregation in the town of Glory.  There is mention of visiting Tandys for ribs and Pete experiencing the blues for the first time, but any other mention was fleeting.

The book is also billed as Christian and there are many hymn lyrics quoted and of course there are events held at the Baptist church.  This seemed very appropriate because I associate Baptist and the South together.  There are some gentle pokes at the Methodists during an event, but nothing out of line.  In fact, most of it is treated as a joke from the pastors comments and it felt like it was in fun and not meant to be derogatory.

In small towns you can expect most of the families to be related in one respect or another  if not by blood then by friendship which is as strong as a blood relationship, if not stronger.  This is the sort of town I wouldnt mind residing because people look out for each other and it isn't because they feel obligated, but because it is taking care of family (blood or otherwise).  Ned Ballard is a strong patriarch and his kindness shines throughout the book.

This book also has a little bit of a mystery  what happened to Isaac?  I won't spoil it, but it is revealed what happened the night he went missing.  And I was surprised, but not surprised at the turn of events and those involved.  Seems like those that feel entitled do so no matter the decade.

Overall we enjoyed the slower pace of this book, the love stories and the mystery and give it 4 paws up.
1795731
I know the young man that wrote this story. I'm a classmate of his sister. It is very well written. I'm not used to reading these type stories but once I got into it I enjoyed it.
944469
I listen to audio books on my way to work and back, which leaves me only 20 minutes of intense audio one way.  It thus took me a while to finish this book.

The story starts out slow, and the change from present to past and back is confusing at first, but it does start settling down by the end of disc 3.  Without revealing too much, this is the late coming-of-age of four scullers who reunite 15 years after graduation because one of the team members committed suicide by jumping off a bridge.  This person was a vital member years ago.

The narrator does a great job giving different tones to each character, but one has to listen closely as he uses intonation to get his emotions across.  It is his peppy dialogue that helps with character development.  His voice gets gentle when playing a female role, but gets rough and aggressive when he reverts to the males on the team and their constant obscenities.

I suggest to people who find this narrative too slow to give this some time.  The storyline does pick up at the 4th disc as the team members' flaws all come to light, which explain the ending of this story.  While this is a story about a rowing team, the real focus is how the people react to each other and win.  And lose.  And come to accept their losses in the end.
2688827
A good coming of age story set in a small California town in the 1970s. Fun and witty story based on the authors childhood, mainly freshman year of high school. Story had relatable and real characters. I loved all the pop culture references as I recognized almost all from my own childhood (puff paint, Archie comic books, Shaun Cassidy, baby blue station wagon, just to name a few). I did find myself skimming through some parts and sometimes the transition from the 14-year-old to the current day adult was confusing and had to be reread. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
I was provided a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
2535958
The scene is the future and all fossil fuels are gone. A few reserves remain left over from old gas stations and hidden caches, but the miserably surviving human race in Vancouver, Canada is on its own. There is some supposed law, but it's ineffective, and quarreling gangs roam, pillage, kill, and steal.
Richard Hampton is a university professor teaching agriculture. HIs brother disappears, and so begins a quest for the lost brother. There is little help other than an old uncle in is fifties with lots of smarts and an old behemoth car. Hint: it's not an Eldorado. There is Zonk the dog who makes all the difference. The irony is that Richard is supposed to be a key player in an upcoming seminar on the triumph of man over nature. As he soon learns, man has not triumphed at all. In his quest for his brother, he learns new respect for nature. It's a story well told.
This indie YA novel serves duel purposes. As well as telling a good story, it demonstrates much needed respect for natural resources all too absent in today's society. There are a few typos typical of indie novels, but these are cropping up in mainstream novels as well. There is also some early problems with transitioning, but once Storey get into his story, all is good.
3957116
The quiet town of Eastvale in Yorkshire is rocked by an anti-nuclear demonstration that turns violent.  A police constable named Edwin Gill is stabbed to death during the demonstration and Inspector Alan Banks is on the case.  Unfortunately, his superior is not the supportive and sensible Superintendent Gristhorpe but "Dirty Dick" Burgess, a sadistic, chauvanistic, hard-drinking CID Superintendent who has a hatred for "commies" and hippie-types.  Burgess roars into town and immediately starts threatening the locals, using his bullying style of interrogation to get results.
With Sandra and the kids out of town for a few weeks, Banks has plenty of time to follow a few leads of his own.  Most of his suspicions are centered around a commune known as "Maggie's Farm," where some sixties-type people live together.  One of the residents, Paul Boyd, is a particularly suspicious character, since he has a lengthy police record.  Banks wants to find out if Officer Gill was murdered deliberately or if his killing was merely a random act of violence.
"A Necessary End" is not notable for being a scintillating mystery.  The resolution of the story is a bit anti-climactic.  What Robinson does well is develop character.  From the brutal Dick Burgess to the gentle and loving Mara (who lives in the commune), each character comes alive as a result of Robinson's vivid descriptive writing and realistic dialogue.  I recommend "A Necessary End".  It is a well-paced novel that is also filled with colorful and authentic Yorkshire atmosphere.
2881405
Cleeves takes you to the Shetland world, and the life there. the characters are well-drawn and keep you connected. And it is good story telling.
1128506
A clever story of how three quick witted kids helped an elderly woman overcome a bad situation.  Having spent nearly 4 years in Great Britain made the story even more interesting for me.  The book does a good job of characterizing how life works in a typical Welsh countryside.  It was a thoroughly fun read.
3152749
I liked this book.  It is not an epic, in the usual sense.  Rather, it is simply a good story.  The main characters travel the land and sea, meet good guys and bad guys, kick a little butt, and come out okay in the end.  The writing style is straightforward, the characters are simple but well-defined.  No profanity, sex, blood and guts all over.  This would be a good story for a teen/young adult without worrying about questionable content, as well as older folks looking for an entertaining tale.  You won't be on the edge of your seat the whole time, but you will be interested about what happens next, and looking forward to finding out how the heroes fare.

Recommend for a good, fun read.  Four stars.
2981654
a great story -- particularly for a teenager growing up in Brooklyn.  I thought the author straddled nicely between the immigrant experience and the bourgeois existence of the typical educated elite of Brooklyn.  The line where the two intersect was well described.
2298876
Strong Heart is an enjoyable coming of age story about family, culture, and finding oneself.

13-year-old Sarah has just been dropped off with her unsuspecting grandfather on the eve of an important backpacking trip. Tom contemplated postponing this trip to his grandfather Bob-Bobs grave, but his friends, William and Myra, think Sarah should just go with them. After begrudgingly agreeing to bring Sarah along for this backpacking trip, Tom sets out with the group for what becomes a life changing adventure.

This story within a story discusses interesting cultural legends and the contrasting scientific data. The characters are fleshed out, and the reader can enjoy watching each one grow in his or her own way.

The transition between stories starts out a bit vague, but I got back on track soon enough. Errors are minor, and didn't really effect my enjoyment of the book.

I recommend this book to fans of outdoor adventure, native legends, and coming of age stories.