Review: Thanks a Lot, John LeClair by Johanna Parkhurst

A Companion to Here's to You, Zeb Pike

Sixteen-year-old Emmitt LaPoint has secretly been writing letters to his hockey idol, John LeClair, for years. So it’s probably only fitting that Emmitt’s small Vermont town seems desperate to make him the next LeClair. After all, Emmitt is about to lead his high school hockey team to the state championship, he has a near-perfect GPA, and he’s liked by almost everyone.

But even golden boys have problems, and Emmitt has more than his share. His father’s back in town to breathe down his neck. He’s happily dating his coach’s nephew, Dusty, but almost nobody knows he’s gay—and that secret is getting harder and harder to keep.

When Emmitt discovers Dusty is keeping secrets of his own, he’s forced to decide exactly what kind of golden boy he wants to be.

This is the book I never knew I wanted until I read it! 

Johanna Parkhurst is one of those authors who I love. Her YA/NA stories are so well written, her characterisation and storytelling suits me perfectly. I pick up a book by this author and can't put it down - yet I feel she gets a bit overlooked by the plethora of more well-known names in the M/M genre. Maybe because she does write more YA/NA rather than older MC's, I don't know but I would absolutely recommend her to everyone.

Here's to You, Zeb Pike, was one of my favourite reads a couple of years ago and I am so excited to revisit those characters in this follow up story. It was great seeing things form Emmitt's point of view. How seeing the 'golden boy' from his own eyes and how things are never as simple as they seem to the rest of the world. It's a good lesson for us all, we can't really know what anyone's life is like other than or own. 

With thoughtful and insightful writing, Parkhurst captures these characters perfectly; not just the MCs, but the extended families and friends of them. Growing up is hard. Growing up gay is harder for many, many people - even those lucky enough to have understanding family and friends. Thanks a Lot, John LeClair, shows us this perfectly. 

I really would recommend people read this author. She should be far better known than she is - in my humble opinion anyway!

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
 

For more information, see on Goodreads or Harmony Ink Press

If it wasn't for the blog, I wouldn't have read...by Lorix ....also GIVEAWAY!

Back in the Autumn of 2013 one of the unicorns - and I'd be hard pushed to say who - came up with the idea of starting a blog to let the world know which books we loved. I don't know about the others, but it certainly hadn't occurred to me that we would be getting authors contacting us with arcs, but this is definitely one of my favourite blogging 'side-effects'. The joy of reading, and loving, authors I would otherwise perhaps not have is wonderful. As part of our one year celebrations some of us are writing about just those books. Here are mine.

Firstly I would have to go with Here's To You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst. This review was posted virtually a year ago, which surprised me when I looked, and I remember just falling for Johanna's writing style immediately. As well as Zeb Pike, I also read and reviewed Every Inferno by the same author. Johanna writes fantastic characters - some of the best I've read. I do love me a  fully rounded character, something I often find I get more in YA books which is certainly the case with this author. I love how the focus of these books, though quite angsty, is not just the MC's sexuality. It is always a part of the story, but not the whole of the story and, just as in real life, these teens have other issues to deal with. I always feel so invested in this author's stories, so in love with the characters that I can really lose myself in the book. I would absolutely highly recommend this author to anyone looking for some good YA to read. Or even just a good book to read, don't be pigeon-holed, try something new! I dare you!

My second choice is, maybe not surprisingly, another YA book, Arrival by Chris O'Guinn. Though I do like YA, this is sci-fi-ish and it is certainly not a book I would have read without the blog. Chris O'Guinn contacted us with this book for review after I'd reviewed Fearless, a book I loved, but I remember the contact came with the caveat that it wasn't a love story (though I beg to differ) so it may not be what we are looking for on the blog. The thing is, we really don't have boundaries, if we love the book or story, we'll review it. We've reviewed fan fic from unknown authors, to full length novels by highly popular authors and, as I knew I already liked Chris O'Guinn's writing, I was more than a little intrigued. I think the reply was something like I'll give it a go and see how I get on with it. And how I got on with it was like a house on fire. Refreshingly different with a great story and again, so important to me, fabulous characters. Characters who won my heart. Between disappointment, betrayal and heartbreak the MC's in this story fought for what they believed was right, even if it wasn't the easy option. The love story stemmed into loyalty and belief in others. It really was a fab story. It is again a book and author I would highly recommend, especially if you're tired of the same old, same old!

Here's what Chris O'Guinn had to say:
Thanks so much to Lori and BoyMeetsBoy Reviews for the awesome support of Hybrids: Arrival. Part sci-fi adventure, part superhero origin, part growing-up drama, Arrival sets the stage for my humans vs. aliens saga. I'm really proud of this one. It's a fun action story that just happens to star Mexican American teens, two of whom are gay. And yes, there is some interstellar romance happening. Hope people come and check it out.

My final choice is KC, at Bat by Tom Medicino. This one caught my attention because it doesn't wrap everything up in a HEA bubble - it shows a slice of the MC's life, warts and all. It reminded me of an Indy film in amongst Hollywood blockbusters and I thoroughly enjoyed that. This book covered the events of a summer, with a little bit afterwards. The events were hard to read sometimes and fun others - it was just a real slice of life caught in the pages of a book. I appreciated the different style, the risk it takes not to write a formulaic ABC novel. It is still the only book I've read by this author, though I feel the urge to check out his other stuff since I've reminded myself of the enjoyment I got when reading this. Again, I'd recommend it to those looking for something a little bit off the beaten path.

Here's what Tom Medicino had to say:
The most satisfying words a writer can hear are “What happens next?” and "I hope there will be a sequel!”   On behalf of KC and Charlie, thanks to all of you who asked.   And, yes, two more novellas in the KC, AT BAT trilogy, “Travelin’ Man” and “Lonesome Town,” will be released by eKensington in Summer 2015.  And look for my next full-length  novel THE BOYS FROM EIGHTH AND CARPENTER (Kensington) next September! 

And now to the giveaway - I would like to offer one lucky blog reader the chance to win one of each of these books (ebook format only), kindly gifted by each of the authors. Comment below, telling me about an unexpected treasure you've found, reading wise that is. What book took you by surprise and became a favourite? Don't forget to leave a way to contact you (email, social media etc) and one winner will be chosen at random. You have one week to enter and all winners will be contacted by Dec 6th at the latest. Thanks for stopping by - here's to the next twelve months. :)

Review: Every Inferno by Johanna Parkhurst

Depressed. Defiant. Possible alcoholic. These are just a few of the terms used to describe fifteen-year-old Jacob Jasper Jones. Lately, though, JJ has a new one to add to the list: detective. He’s been having strange dreams about the fire that killed his parents ten years ago, and he thinks he finally has the clue to catching the arsonist who destroyed his family.

A murder investigation isn’t the only thing the dreams trigger for JJ. They also lead to secret meetings with his estranged sister, an unlikely connection with a doctor who lost his daughter in the fire, and a confusing friendship with McKinley, a classmate of JJ’s who seems determined to help him solve the mystery.

All JJ wants is to shake the problems that have followed him since that fire, and he’s convinced he must catch the arsonist to do it. But as JJ struggles to find the culprit, he sees there’s more than one mystery in his life he needs to solve.

Earlier in the year I read Here's to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst and I really enjoyed it, so when a request came in to the blog for her new novel, Every Inferno, I jumped at the chance to read and review it. I was not disappointed.

Every Inferno is a YA novel and it is YA, not NA with younger characters. It follows the character of JJ in his fifteenth year. As a five year old JJ was involved in a fire that killed his parents, a fire of which the arsonist has never been found. The fire has defined JJ's life so far - he has been separated from his sister because of it, he drinks to block out memories of it, he feels he is always failing the parents he never really got to know - and he blames himself for their deaths.

His English writing class at school is the one place he feels happy, though he refuses to share his stuff with the class. McKinley is the popular , out, high school student who is hired to coach JJ's sister, the sister her adoptive mother has banned him from seeing. Events work out so that McKinley and JJ end up spending time together.

Through his friendship with McKinley and Dr Ben (the man who pulled him from the fire many years before) JJ starts to pull his life together. Through the course of the story we follow JJ as he investigates the fire and tries to find the arsonist who took his family for him. We watch him realise his growing feelings for McKinley are more than those of just a friend. And we see his journey through the years.

This book is so good. If you like YA then Johanna Parkhurst is a great - no FABULOUS - author to read. It's the kind of book (and I've said this before) that shouldn't be stuck away in the MM genre, it should be on YA shelves alongside Judy Blume, John Green, Stephen Chobsky and the such like. I love her characters, the hurt and defiance of JJ is so real. All the characters are real, even Dr Ben and Aunt Maggie 'the good guys', they are fully rounded people not carbon copy good.

The mystery storyline was capturing and I loved how the various relationships in JJ's life were dealt with - particularly the developing friends to more relationship with McKinley. I just loved this book, I couldn't put it down and know that Johanna Parkhurst is most definitely an author I'm keeping my eye on. I can't wait to read her next release.

Every Inferno is available to buy from July 24th 2014

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Here's To You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst

Fact: When Zebulon Pike attempted to climb what is now known as Pikes Peak, he got stuck in waist-deep snow and had to turn back.

That's the last thing Dusty Porter learns in his Colorado history class before appendicitis ruins his life. It isn't long before social services figures out that Dusty's parents are more myth than reality, and he and his siblings are shipped off to live in Vermont with an uncle and aunt they've never met.

Dusty's new life is a struggle. His brother and sister don't seem to need him anymore, and he can't stand his aunt and uncle. At school, one hockey player develops a personal vendetta against him, while Emmitt, another hockey player, is making it hard for Dusty to keep pretending he's straight. Problem is, he's pretty sure Emmitt’s not gay. Then, just when Dusty thinks things can't get any worse, his mother reappears, looking for a second chance to be a part of his life.

Somehow Zebulon Pike still got the mountain named after him, so Dusty's determined to persevere—but at what point in life do you keep climbing, and when do you give up and turn back?

I have to state right away that I loved this book and read it straight off, in one sitting, I also have to say that it is more YA than M/M. It is a YA story whose main character happens to be gay rather than an M/M book that happens to be YA - and I would recommend it to everyone but most specially those readers that are actually Young Adults.

This story was both sad and hopeful, and right from the beginning I was on Dusty's side. Life has been hard for Dusty, his parents are more absent than there and Dusty steps into the role of mum and dad to his two younger siblings. It is obvious from the start that Dusty adores his siblings and he thinks nothing of looking after them. Never sure whether his mum will be at home when he gets in at the end of the day, Dusty manages to feed them all as well as ensuring the laundry is done, homework is done, housework is done, that Matt and Julia get to go out to the park, that they get a bedtime story each night - the list is endless, parents could take lessons from Dusty - all the while managing to keep adults, particularly authority figures, in the dark.

It is near the beginning of the book that things start to unravel, yet we see Dusty holding on so tightly to the world he has created, the world he is in charge of. While part of me longed for him to forgo the responsibility, part of me could completely understand him not wanting to give any of it up. He knew he could look after the three of them, he knew his brother and sister were safe in his care and it doesn't matter how kind the adults were who took over that care, he could feel control slipping from his grasp. I really, really felt for him.

I like the fact that this book offered a glimpse into the life of a teenager whose world didn't revolve around his social life. He had real problems and was coping admirably with them. The interactions between Dusty and the other characters felt so real. His brother and sister adored him and this didn't go away when they were put into a stable home background, but it was so easy to feel the jealousy that Dusty experienced when someone else was doing what he thought of as his job. With his friends, first with Race his childhood friend, then with Casey and Emmitt was easy to see the teenage boy inside. In fact, one of the lines that gives most insight into Dusty's mind is about Race. Dusty says,

'Race keeps my secrets well. He's the kind of friend you can make farting noises with during lunch and still trust to never tell anyone that you almost set his mother's couch on fire in the fourth grade. I'm never sure which quality I appreciate more.'

I think this is so telling  - most 14 year olds would definitely appreciate the farting the most. Casey and Emmitt were great friends for him to find when he moved, even though it was his uncle who set that ball rolling. They let Dusty be, they didn't pry, and, as we found out, they had some understanding of how he felt - particularly Emmitt and his relationship with younger brother Casey.

I also really loved the tentative starting of his relationship. The fact that he'd accepted he was gay, but really it was so far down on his list of priorities he didn't really have time to wonder or worry about it. I personally would love another story about Dusty, one that did focus on his burgeoning relationship, especially as some of his other responsibilities have diminished. I would also like the chance to read more about his mum and how she ended up being the person she was. It's touched on, but it isn't her story so not extensively written.

The only thing that I was a bleurgh about with this book was the flashbacks to times when Dusty was let down by his parents. Personally I think it was unnecessary. I can see why these moments were added, to give us flavours of the times he coped when his parents weren't around, but honestly I think this came across well enough in the story anyway. Johanna Parkhurst had such a good way of writing that Dusty's situation was perfectly well explained without the flashbacks. Though, while I felt they didn't add to the story, they didn't take away from it either.

One last thing - the title. Zeb Pike was the mountaineer/explorer who Dusty was learning about when his world got turned on its head. I loved the comparisons all the way through to this, how Dusty related his experiences to that of Pike's and especially the question how do you know when to turn back? It was a great analogy for his life and the mountain he was trying to climb.

I really hope that lots of people read this book - especially young adults. It is a great story, beautifully written and I for one would love to hear more about Dusty and his life.