Jason CunninghamCritiques

I received this book as a member giveaway through LibraryThing for an honest review.

I was amazed by the characters in this series. They were so real but also had a uniqueness to them. [Jason Cunningham] did a magnificent job of taking you into the struggle between good and evil and showing you the shades of grey most of us get caught up in. [The Lamp Series Omnibus] as the name suggests is four complete novels that follow Violet, Levi, Jenny and Micah as they try to come to terms with what is right and wrong. Also they must decide how best to protect those they love.

As a comic book fan and someone who loves to read about struggles of conscience this series kept me coming back for more. I was vaguely reminded of [The Stand] except this was focused on one city.It is never made clear if it goes beyond. They mystery involved also keeps you on your seat.

[Cunningham] has written a must read for fans of many types of genres.

The Island of Ted is a story about a man who became fed up with life, and decided to live on a private island. As I made my way through the book I found the characters enjoyable and the story interesting. Then the author changed point of view halfway through the book. He went from first person point of view to third person, then back to first person. It was jarring and took me right out of the story. I feel like I should give this book a lower score because of that, but seeing as I did enjoy the story and the characters three stars will suffice.

This is a candid story exposing the world of William as his life goes from relatively easy-going to an out of control upend. William is a great character, and I felt like Cunningham flawlessly built him as the story progressed. There are parts that are too rushed or drag out, but the story keeps you interested enough to drag you along on William's journey. I'd recommend this book without hesitation.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author and/or publisher.

It is a stunning coming-of-age novel. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. In his ever changing world, the protagonist, William, is thrown into worlds that he could never imagine. I struggled a bit at first as we were shown glimpses into the lives of his parents and friends, but, once I finished the book, I realized how stunningly everything came together and fit so perfectly despite the many tears I shed throughout the book. I definitely recommend this book for everyone.

I am a little surprised at how good this book is and yet it took a book giveaway for me to hear about it. I was intrigued from the first line although the story was a bit unbelievable at first. Then there is a pivotal moment when the story came alive for me and I was hooked. William's character was so real at times that I was amazed at how well the author captured the complexity of the emotional struggles he faced. I found a great deal of wisdom in the author's words and probably smiled over half the time I was reading. There were also moments so tender and moving that I cried. Overall, it was probably more of a 4.5 star read and really deserves more exposure. Honestly, the writing is just that good.

All American Addict by Jason Cunningham is a story about William.

First Paragraph:

"The girl lay lifeless in his arms, nineteen and full of innocence. He wept, brushing strands of brown hair away from her once-sparkling eyes; eyes that had offered him hope when he was feeling down, eyes that narrowed with sarcasm whenever his ego was getting the better of him. It wasn't her time. She'd done nothing to deserve this. A heavy sadness rippled through his body, and only desperate pleas escaped his trembling lips."

PLOT

The prologue puts us near the end of the book, before pulling us back a few months to seventeen-year-old William Plum, on his daily commute through New York City on his way to school. This morning is a little different as a beautiful girl catches his eye on the train. The trip is over all too quickly for William, but Westmore Academy (and his best friend Philip) await.

William takes great pride in his grades, and Westmore is the place to get them. A school for the exceptionally wealthy or intelligent, William hopes to use them as a stepping stone on his way to his dream college- Oxford. In the two categories who frequent the school, William is a part of the former (though he has the grades to be the latter), and Philip the latter. William's mother is a celebrity chef working for HGTV, while his father was recently given the title "American Surgeon". Both parents excel at their work, but life at home is far from perfect.

His mother, Grace, is on the verge of being an alcoholic, and struggles to deal with the fact that her husband is never home, and that he rarely ever speaks. Mike (William's father) on the other hand, is haunted by the souls he couldn't save, and the family members left behind to grieve for them. He's aware his own family is slipping out of his grasp, but his duty to his patients is too strong to deny.
Both parents are so involved in their own problems that William's are often unseen too. They know very little about their son at all. In fact, William is the youngest person ever to win the Hemingway Award, and his father hasn't even read the essay which one him the prize.

William is positive the award will land him a place in Oxford however, and couldn't be happier. His current life is nothing special. In fact, he and Philip are each other's only friends. Outcast and bullied at school- Philip for being poor and black, and William for being an insufferable smart-ass, William's only joy is when he and Philip are together.

With all that in mind, William can't believe his luck when Heidi (an attractive cheerleader) asks him out on a date. His first date ever. He bends over backwards to meet her requests, but unfortunately- after possibly one of the worst first dates in the history of the world- William finds himself in court with drug charges. It doesn't matter that he had no part in it, or that the drugs in his system were literally force-fed him by Heidi, the judge is unmoved, and sentences him to ninety days community service at Gateway Community Centre.

For William, this is the end to his dream. He will be living on the premises, and for those three months will have no schooling. Which means no graduation. No Oxford. Even if he managed to graduate, the black mark on his record would be enough to keep him out. And just like that William goes from a life of monetary privilege, to working in one of the poorest areas of the city.

There is one star left in his black sky, however. By sheer coincidence, the girl from the train works in the kitchen. And she is everything he needs. While the rest of his life crumbles from beneath him, Noe is the only constant, and the only one who listens.

REVIEW

I want to start with William. He is without a doubt the most interesting aspect of this entire book. He has (in his own words), "dry wit, biting candour and word mastery", and that is certainly an apt description of the teen. However, there is a lot more to him than that. He is sarcastically snarky, quite pretentious, but still very likeable and funny (through his wit). It's hard to have a good combination of irritating arrogance, and undeniable endearment. He delivers a lot of his lines with dead-pan snark, which is aided by the strong writing itself. It is clever, all delivered straight and plays a little on social satire. I am a big fan of this style of writing- with its terrifyingly blunt descriptions of the world, delivered with humour and intelligence- which don't exactly soften the truths, but make them a little more palatable. It's not sugar-coating exactly, it's more like it shows you your bleak existence and then gives you a hug to make you feel less lonely and depressed.

That in a nutshell is basically William. Brutally honest, yet not heartless. His mannerisms and sense of humour struck me as quite British in a way, despite him being a New Yorker. In fact, he reminded me a little of Artemis Fowl. Lonely and isolated by his own intelligence and arrogance. That aside, his personality is a fantastic base for the rest of the story to play off of. Some of it is his own doing, true, but William is now at a stage in his life where it's all coming to a head. As he tries to cope with the whirlwind that is his life and the people in it, more and more gets piled on top of him, and with no one to turn to it's only a matter of time before it overwhelms him- dragging him (and anyone else in the vicinity) down. All the while, he's still struggling to determine his own identity, as this is a coming-of-age story in its purest form, as he chases his image of the "All American Dream", and discovers which dreams are actually worth chasing.

His parents' have their arc too, and each member of the Plum household is given a second chance. It's up to them how they use it. They're not just second chances, they're the last chance. If they get it wrong this time, it's all over.

The plot itself (considering the genre) is quite slow-moving. It's typical of this genre to be more character driven than plot driven, and because of that this is more a story about William and his interactions with the world around him and the people in it. I didn't have a hard time getting through the book, however I did have a hard time getting back to it once I put it down. Because of the plot, there's very little tension, so I didn't feel a desperate need to race to continue reading. Don't get me wrong, once I did pick it up again I flew through the pages, but the story is all about the characters, so I equate my need to read it with them. They're like friends. Some friends you miss the moment they're out of sight, and you can't wait to see them again. The characters in this story didn't quite reach that level, but it is a rare level to reach. To me, they were more like friends that I throughly enjoyed spending time with, but ones I don't see that often, and I'm content with that.

The tension finally builds in the last quarter of the book, as consequences finally take affect. The story draws on the age old theory that everything in the world is somehow connected, as it goes full circle.

There are some corny moments that come from the story of a first love from a teen's POV, but they work well when interlaced and contrasted against the harsh, gritty reality they're surrounded by. Everyone has problems, and money doesn't change that. Regardless of whether you lack it or have an abundance, as the characters show.

The ending is suitable (if played a little safe and unrealistically), and brings everything around full-circle, with no difficulties pulling the relevant emotions from its readers. I do wish the author had been a little more daring with his ending, but I can see why he chose this one.

A story full of charm and "whimsy", though to be honest the main reason I kept reading was William. His personality is entertaining and pleasant- despite his sharp tongue. I found that he was the only character I honestly cared about, but through him I cared for the other characters too. They are so vital to his existence, that you can't help but have some of his intense emotion rub off on you too.

That's what I think I enjoyed most about this book. Everything is so raw. William tells it like it is, no holding back. None of that taking hundreds of pages to explain how he feels, and you have to give him credit for that. He may be a snarky smart-ass, but his emotions are pure and heartfelt, and that was what captured me.

Disclaimer: I received this book through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.½

**I received an ebook copy of this book through Librarything**

For reasons unknown I started this book with rather low expectations, but I ended up pleasantly surprised.
Following William on his roller coaster of a senior year was both entertaining and heartbreaking. Who doesn't remember that feeling of having something carefully planned be thrown to the wind?
The ending felt a little bit rushed, but other than that this was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more from Jason Cunningham.

The reason why I read this book was because it has an interesting abstract. I wasn’t convinced with the cover of this book but I was surprised with the content as they said you don’t have to judge a book by its cover.

The characters:

The main character is a teenager, very brilliant, with an obsession with going to Oxford for college. He and his best friend, a talented graphic novelist, got bitten by every football player at school. His family was never present, his mother is borderline an alcoholic and his father is always absent. By a turn of circumstance he finished facing a downfall of his situation and probably a last year of school in mandatory rehabilitation.

What I think about the book

I like the book. It’s easy to read and make you think on your life and put it in perspective. I recommend this book and hope you like the twist at the end.

I received a copy of this story to review for LibraryThing's early review. It is a coming of age story of were William though socially awkward and isolated has his life planned perfectly, when choices end up teaching him about what matters most in life and what does not. I really enjoyed it and I think you will too.

The story of William, new york rich kid, and his battles with fitting in, getting into trouble, disfunctional family, and his passion is his writing. Through his bad decisions he ends up in treatment where he gets a view of another world. This is a very good book for young adults and teens. The happily ever after ending was typical, with a hint that the story could continue. Overall one of the better young adult books i have read recently.½

"The girl lay lifeless in his arms, nineteen and full of innocence." From those first words the author of All American Addict had my attention. William is thrown into a myriad of situations that turn his world upside down.
He's always had the good life. A prominent surgeon for a father, a television personality for a mother. And though his home life leaves a lot to be desired he is still much better off than the people with whom he finds himself forced (court ordered) to live.
I watched William grow and change. At times, I laughed with him. At times, I cried with him. Other times, I wanted to knock him in the head and tell him to get over himself. But then I would remind myself he's a teenage boy, not yet out of high school.
William learns many great lessons throughout the story. Don't judge a book by it's cover (Marvin), don't think you know someone just because they live in the same world you do (Heidi), and sometimes you just need to stop talking and listen.
I found myself enthralled by all the characters. I formed pictures of each of them. I wanted to know more about them, help them, protect them. When I finished this story, I wanted to go back and read it again immediately so I wouldn't have to leave their world.
I would recommend this book to young adults and to teachers of middle school to high school as a good book for discussion. I would recommend it to my friends as a very entertaining story with some great characters.

*********SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT*********
I gave this book 4 stars because I the ending was a bit too neat and tidy for me. William's teacher, Mrs. Smith, had "persuaded him to conceive a better dream" and he "actually found that" was a Hollywood type ending.

I received this book for free from Librarything.com in return for an honest review.

I received this book through Library Thing's author give away program. The review is strictly my own opinion.
When I read the title I thought just another addict gets clean story. Boy, was I wrong. When an odd ball boy at a very exclusive gets asked out on a date by a very attractive, very popular girl he is thrilled. Things are not as they seem. Trouble follows and a young man's life is for ever changed. The family goes through an incredible journey of healing.
The book is fantastic and should be on the shelf of every high school in the country, if not required reading in an English class½

This novel takes you on a journey of self discovery and really makes the reader think. I enjoyed this novel so much that I found myself still up in the middle of the night unable to put it down when I had work the following day.

The characters are well thought out and I feel like the reader can really relate to. I feel the release of this novel couldn’t have been timed better, with the world still recovering form an economic downturn.

Overall a very good read and would highly recommend it to everyone.

A copy of this novel was recieved for review for free and all opinions expressed are my own through reading this novel.

This review was first published on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com