Book Review: Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon


Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Harper Collins, 
via Edelweiss, , for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it

christmas reindeer scary


Since our earlier book review today was about a book that makes you THINK,
I wanted to share this great book, that may not be a popular topic, BUT is one that ALL parents should read.

(and the writer went to Notre Dame, and LSU is playing them this weekend....
so we'll give them this win today, and keep our win this weekend! LOL)



Synopsis:

A heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting story of psychological suspense in which a parent is forced to confront what he does—and does not—know about his teenage son, in the vein of Reconstructing Amelia, Defending Jacob,and We Need to Talk about Kevin.

While his successful wife goes off to her law office each day, Simon Connolly takes care of their kids, Jake and Laney. Now that they are in high school, the angst-ridden father should feel more relaxed, but he doesn’t. He’s seen the statistics, read the headlines. And now, his darkest fear is coming true. There has been a shooting at school.

Simon races to the rendezvous point, where he’s forced to wait. Do they know who did it? How many victims were there? Why did this happen? One by one, parents are led out of the room to reunite with their children. Their numbers dwindle, until Simon is alone.

As his worst nightmare unfolds, and Jake is the only child missing, Simon begins to obsess over the past, searching for answers, for hope, for the memory of the boy he raised, for mistakes he must have made, for the reason everything came to this. 

Where is Jake? What happened in those final moments? 
Is it possible he doesn’t really know his son?
 Or he knows him better than he thought?


Review:

WOW- I finished this book in one sitting, staying awake til 3 am to finish it (not smart when you have to be up at 6 am). It is beyond a page turner, as the intensity level reaches a cresndo that you think there is no coming back from and then the author gives you an ending that floors the reader. I found myself going back and looking at chapters to see clues I missed. And in doing that, it all becomes clear to a parent, where subtle clues can be missed, that can end up haunting everyone later. While the book is not an attempt to issue blame for school shootings, it is a tale of modern parenting and life, and shows where the changes in our society can lead to the increase in school shootings we have. Even though it is fiction, I urge all parents to read it, as there are so many valid points that we all need to think about, and maybe change our norms, especially parents of pre-teens and teens. then yes, let your teens read it- it can be very helpful to them as well. Ultimately it is a tale of one family and their recovery and courage in the face of every parent's ultimate fear, and NOT one to be missed!


About the Author: 

Finding Jake is close to my heart. I've spent the last decade working from home while caring for my kids. I worry about them every day. Much of that angst fueled the writing of this book. Maybe the angst I feel waiting for the book to be released will fuel the next one.


Bryan Reardon is a freelance writer specializing in medical communications. he co-wrote ready, Set, Play with retired NFL player and ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth and Cruel Harvest. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he worked for the State of Delaware for over a decade, starting in the Office of the Governer. He holds a BA in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania with his wife, kids, and rescue dog,

Comments

  1. This sounds like an interesting book and judging that you read it in on sitting it must have been.

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