Steven Manchester

**I received an ARC courtesy of Steven Manchester**

This is the second novel that I have read of this author, and WOW, it's amazing!

The Rockin' Chair by Steven Manchester is a well written, engaging book that really makes the reader think. It is an emotional story of the McCarthy family.

The characters really draw you in; they make readers sympathize their struggles.

His description is rich in detail, but just the right balance for you to know about Montana without being redundant. He writes with poetic charisma, keeping you enthralled in the story without flashy gimmicks. It's humble, down-home, and a well-written story you won't want to miss.

I can only say go read it, you won't be sorry. You'll enjoy a wonderful and inspiring story.

-Ana @ SoManyBooksSoLittleTime

Review is also posted on my blog… (plus d'informations)

Lawn Darts & Lemonade
By Steven Manchester
2022
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating: 5 stars

In this sequel to Bread Bags and Bullies, which was set during school winter break of 1984 during a late Nor’easter in New England, readers will again enjoy the antics of the three brothers now during the summer of 1984.

The author shares why he wrote this follow-up novel.

“In twenty-five years of writing fiction, I’ve never written a sequel—until now. At my core, I am a storyteller, and there are times when a story requires a bit more real estate than a single novel. Lawn Darts & Lemonade is one of those stories.

With many more lessons to learn—and fears to overcome—Wally, Herbie, and Cockroach step into the unforgettable summer of 1984.

Within each comical passage and every heartfelt scene, Lawn Darts & Lemonade is a tribute to my greatest heroes—my mother and father—who believed it was their job to raise me and my siblings. Thankfully, they took their job very seriously and worked hard at it.

My siblings and I are eternally grateful to them both.

Enjoy the stroll down memory lane,”
~Steve Manchester

Chapter one begins in the present day with the now grown men grieving the death of their father. As a close-knit family with their mother, they celebrate the man’s life through the sharing of their family memories.

“‘To be loved this much by so many people…’ I paused to compose myself. ‘…now that’s what I call a successful life.’ I’d been reduced to an eight-year-old again, feeling lost—even orphaned. Losing my dad was wreaking havoc on my inner child, making me feel panicked. Failing miserably at concealing this, I raised my glass and was immediately joined by my mom, my wife and children, my siblings, nieces, and nephews: the family my mother and father had created.

I pictured my dad’s smiling face. ‘I did this,’ Pop used to say, referring to our family. As a dad myself, I now understood the incredible pride that the old man carried with him. Family is the whole shebang, he’d say. Everything else is a distant second.’”

It’s May 1984 in chapter two, beginning the story of that summer. As readers engulf themselves in much simpler times, getting to step back in time to relive the summer with the boys.

“It was the last day of school, Friday, May 25, 1984. Winter had melted into spring and, although most days felt like they went on forever, spring was finally giving way to summer. The black rubber boots, lined with bread bags, had long been tossed into the closet, along with our green snorkel coats.”

The well-done dialogue allows listening in on the boys. Realistic descriptions recreate their experiences evoking the sights of them dodging lawn darts in the back yard and summer excursions in the neighborhood to the taste of watered-down Country Time lemonade mix, the “healthier” drink from their Kool-Aid during the rest of the year.

The author, as he has done before, has a writing style that brings the boys’ adventures alive, told from the perspective of a father now with sons of his own.

While it’s a wonderful continuation of their story, the author shows his talent as a storyteller in making this an enticing stand-alone novel on its own. Readers new to the story will have an enjoyable read that will be satisfying, but this reviewer anticipates they will want to go back to the original story, too.

https://amzn.to/3Nk4OOb

Angie Mangino currently works as a freelance journalist and book reviewer, as well as author of 17th Century Tottenville History Comes Alive, first in a series of Tottenville History books. www.AngieMangino.com… (plus d'informations)

Okay, so here's the thing...
...the story itself was GOOD and filled with all the beautiful memories and wonderful messages that readers have come to expect from this author's work...but I need to insert a BUT.

While I enjoyed the nostalgia (hello...child of the 80's here...well, newborn at least), the characters, and the trips down memory lane, I felt like there was something missing. You see, in his previous works, there was always a prominent HERE AND NOW storyline tethered to all the mental walks into the past, yet in this one, it seemed like the characters kept getting stuck in the past. There was even a time or two that they were dreaming or recollecting their past experiences and in the middle of that dream, they reflected on their past...so basically a dream within a dream. It's not that it isn't an interesting concept, it just felt to this reader like there was a bit too much of it. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Manchester is totally above par in the skill department to write this style of story, as he's proven time and time again, I just think it was too heavily depended on in this case and it made what was happening NOW get lost in the shuffle.

So, did I enjoy the story? Yes! Did I love it as much as his other works? Not really, but I didn't not love it either. My suggestion...if it sounds good to YOU, READ IT; if it's just a consideration at this point, check out his other works first, then decide.


*copy received for review; opinions are my own… (plus d'informations)