Wednesday, April 28, 2010

the last child

when was the last time you opened the first page of a book and stepped
onto a roller coaster?

well, it had been too long for me, but john hart's thriller, the last child,
took me for a ride i will not soon forget.

"johnny merrimon was thirteen when his twin sister disappeared.  now,
one year later, she is presumed dead.  his mother is devastated,  his dad
gone, and his life will never be the same.  but johnny has a map, a bike,
and a plan.  he's going to find his sister. . . " (back cover)

this kid is so brave and loyal, he even has the police turning a blind eye
to his underage driving and house breaking.  not only is his story gripping,
with many twists and turns, but it is also laden with raw emotion and
lovely prose.

"when they came . . . into the abandoned fields, the sky opened above
them: high, lonely stars and a trace of moon behind tissue clouds."  i
needed to use those clouds a couple of times to blow my nose.

as a disclaimer, the story is very pg-13 because of strong language and
some gory details.  it seems to support an anti-Christian theme, but things
are not all they appear to be.  unlike many novels that are littered with
unnecessary characters, this one has a purpose for each one.

enjoy the ride,
lea

"be strong and very courageous." (like johnny)  joshua 1:7

25 comments:

Rosie said...

I will definitely, pick this up...
I love edge of your seat reading ...thanks for your words of comfort ..yesterday is done...and today was lovely...sweet dreams...Rosie

KathyB. said...

Now I want to read this book too! Guess I'll check out the library very soon.I like "johnny has a map, a bike, and a plan.." now how can I resist that?

Emily said...

Sounds great! I love books and like a good reccommendation. Have a great day!

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Ohhh thank you for this reading suggestion! A lost twin! Love reading about twins!!!

May I suggest the series called "The Midnight Twins"? I've read two of them now and want to read the third. [At least I hope there is a third.]

To me, they are well written, grab your attention, are not "into kid s_x" which is the only way I can put a lot of Teen Lit. This doesn't bother me. But I don't appreciate that a lot of impressionable young girls may be reading such, as 'we-all-do-it.' -le sigh-

But... "The Midnight Twins" books are wonderful, without "such." Just lovely portrayal of normal young people... Who are farrrr from being totally normal, too. :-)

Gentle hugs...

Joan Elizabeth said...

It's a long time since I had reason to read kids books. You've reminded me of the delicious sense of adventure they have.

jamjar said...

Okay! You hooked me. I'm heading to amazon now. I love a great read!

jamjar said...

Yesterday was awful! I could hardly make it into the Hobby Lobby...but don't worry...I did make it! Today seems to be a little quieter but for crying out loud all my little plants are going to be dried out and beaten down!

Dawn said...

Thank you very much for your kind words on my blog, they mean alot to me!
And thank you, also, for the book recommendation, it sounds like something I would love to read...I am very flattered I would remind you of the book character. :)
Have a lovely day....I look forward to seeing you again around the blogs.
xo Dawn

carissa said...

you definitely gave us a cliff-hanger. i want to read it now! maybe when my kids are in kindergarten i'll start reading again. ; )

Jeannie B. said...

hmmm, does it have a happy ending? I tend to look at the end to see if I want to read the book. It never spoils it for me! Isn't that a wonderful thing about the Bible. We know how it ends and that makes our story easier to live.

Single and Sane said...

Love the review. It sounds like a great book!

Together We Save said...

Sounds like a good one!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

It sounds like a very interesting story. Thank you for the review.

A Tale of Two Cities said...

Lea,
I'm definitely going to look into this book. You did such a great job of teasing us into wanting more. Thanks goodness for being able to request books from the library--it's one of life's free gifts that I truly enjoy.

Debi

Kerry O'Gorman said...

Thanks for the recommendation...it has me intrigued! Go Johnny Go!

Southern Lady said...

I just may have to pick that one up and read it. Carla

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

well said Lea, so well said that now you've got me curious... I think I may have to read this one!

Grammy said...

I will have to check this one out when I have a chance. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for visiting my posts and your sweet comments as well.
Ruby

I Love Pretty Little Things said...

Ooooh, Sounds intriguing! I cannot handle reading about a child's death or anything really bad happening to a child. So, I don't want to ruin this for anyone, but should I, or should I not read this? If you want to let me know on my blog, then hopefully it won't be a plot give away to anyone else.
Did you read "The Deep End Of the Ocean"? Very good!

Joyce
P.S. I love how you described the lady vases in you comment to me.
Ha ha- "the head things" :)

Michael said...

Ooh, it does sound quite gripping for sure. Only problem is I hate to listen or read foul language so I'd probably have to pass on it then but otherwise.... so, do you prefer non fiction or fiction like this or perhaps a bit of both?

More Than Words said...

Wow, sounds like a suspenseful book! I like those kinds!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

this sounds like a really good read, thanks!

TeriGigi/Girl Meets Paris said...

I was looking for a new book to read... I night give this one a try. I just read "Plain Truth" about an unwed Amish girl that gives birth. It was not the kind of book I read usually, but it was really good.

Rosie said...

the weekend is here already... WOW...and YIPPEE...sending a hug to start the day...smile on Rosie

Staci Danford said...

Wow.. sounds like a good book.. I LOVE reading something that I can't put down.. Can't wait for some extra time to give this one a shot.
Staci