Blog Elements – Welcome to IanAcheson.com

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Book Review: ‘The All-American’ by Susie Finkbeiner

July 24, 2023/0 Comments/in Fiction, My Library, New Releases, Reviews /by Ian Acheson

This is an absorbing story of 2 sisters, Bertha and Florence (or Flossie) growing up in 1952 small town America. Bertha, the 16 year old, is level headed but from an early age has a dream of one day playing professional baseball in the all girls American league that has been operating for almost a […]

Book Review: “The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee

May 10, 2023/0 Comments/in Fiction, Reviews, Tosca Lee /by Ian Acheson

I hope the authors receive interest from producers to make this powerful story into either a movie or 8-part drama series. It’s simply riveting and the authors bring this extraordinary story alive in its visual intensity which makes it simply breathtaking. I didn’t know about the Bataan Death March in the Philippines and how the […]

Book Review: ‘The All-American’ by Susie Finkbeiner

July 24, 2023/0 Comments/in Fiction, My Library, New Releases, Reviews /by Ian Acheson

Book Review: “The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee

May 10, 2023/0 Comments/in Fiction, Reviews, Tosca Lee /by Ian Acheson

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Book Review: ‘The All-American’ by Susie Finkbeiner

July 24, 2023/0 Comments/in Fiction, My Library, New Releases, Reviews /by Ian Acheson

Flossie is a precocious 11 year old. At times, she acts a little younger than her age, but she is blunt and in your face in such a charming way that she’s hard not to fall in love. Flossie has a lovely relationship with her dad, William Harding. Dad happens to be a very well known author with a number of bestselling books under his name. He spends most of his time writing in the shack in the backyard, inspired each day by a bust of Shakespeare watching over him. Dad is very restrained, mild-mannered and devoted to his daughters and their mother, Mam.

The Harding family’s stable life is uprooted as a vengeful neighbour publicly accuses William of being a Communist. This makes the news and the family are effectively run out of their Bonaventure Park home. Fortunately, for them William’s brother, Matthew lives alone in a big house about an hour’s drive away and is happy to accommodate them.

Finkbeiner has a wonderful way of writing an engrossing story when not a lot happens. It’s very much character-driven and the manner in which the various characters interact with each other keeps you turning pages. These are tremendously drawn characters, all very realistic in their portrayals.

I enjoyed the baseball scenes, not just the games, but pre-and post-game interactions between the various players. Once again, very realistic and absorbing.

But it’s Flossie who will linger long in the memory. She’s such a character, playful, loves hard and has a fun sense of humour. Her willingness to learn, to sit with her Dad and listen to his restrained wisdom and insight is beautiful to behold. I especially enjoyed how Flossie closed the story with a snippet of her in the future.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy of the story from Revell via NetGalley. This had no bearing on my review.

Book Review: “The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee

May 10, 2023/0 Comments/in Fiction, Reviews, Tosca Lee /by Ian Acheson

I didn’t know about the Bataan Death March in the Philippines and how the Japanese invaded the country immediately after bombing Pearl Harbour. But now I feel sufficiently informed having read Jimmy, Hank and Billy’s firsthand account of the sheer horror of the war. The three men, all still teens, enlist and are immediately sent to the Philippines where they train and wait for the war to reach them, having no appreciation of what they’ve signed up for. They’re mates, great mates, and they are committed to staying together, surviving the unimaginable atrocities, and returning to Mobile Alabama which they call home.

The story for the most part has a dual timeline as Jimmy, whose eyes the story is told, takes us back to life before the war in Mobile as well as being in the trenches with them in the Philippines. Three boys who’ve known each other pretty much all of their lives as well as Billy’s sister, Claire. Jimmy, Billy and Claire spend much of their early years together as best buddies while Hank, the eldest, comes and goes. He’s Jimmy’s hero and mate. We’re given an insight into Jimmy’s character, his struggles with his faith and his preacher dad who sounds like a ‘fire and brimstone’ man behind the pulpit as well as at home. His father wants him to follow in his footsteps as a preacher and is dumbfounded when Jimmy enlists.

I loved the friendship between Jimmy and Claire. It’s rare and very special. And even though there’s a lot of heartache between them, it’s their friendship that Jimmy holds onto so tightly when he’s in his worst moments as a POW.

This story isn’t for everyone. It’s at times very grim reading as the authors show us the brutality of war. I was often brought to tears by both the horror but also the incredible bravery of these 3 young men who loved each other dearly. But they’re also young men who don’t know how to communicate with each other the hurts that they have inflicted on one another from time to time through life. Until it’s almost too late.

Jimmy’s a complex character. The authors reveal a young man learning how to be an adult, how to express himself, to be confused with what he wants to do with his life, and how to be friends with the girl of his dreams. And then there’s the bond he shares with Claire that undergirds the entire story. It’s so rare to read of such a deep love that began when playing as kiddies in their respective backyards. It’s beautiful and often heartbreaking for them both and we the reader.

Bravo Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee.

I was very fortunate to receive an early ebook copy as part of the Revell Readers Program via NetGalley. This has had no bearing on my review. I expect I will purchase my own copy so I can treasure it on my bookshelves.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Book Review: ‘The All-American’ by Susie Finkbeiner

Book Review: “The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee

Book Review: ‘The All-American’ by Susie Finkbeiner

Book Review: “The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Book Review: ‘The All-American’ by Susie Finkbeiner

Book Review: “The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee

Navigate

Connect