This was the book group book for the month. It was a pretty quick read. I liked the book and thought it was really sweet. I wasn't totally hooked on it, but it did hold my attention enough to want to keep reading. It is a sweet story about a boy named Artie who lived right after the time of the depression. He had lost his parents and was living with his grandpa. His grandpa has to go and live in an care center so he goes to live with Mr. Boone who is just an awful, mean, abusive man. In the end he ends up with Mary Wilkerson. I love the characters that live at the Wilkerson home. I love the relationship that he develops with Ray.I was SO sad at the end when Ray died. It was so sad that Artie had to deal with so much death. But it was such a sweet ending. I'm not very into cars, but I did like the history about cars and the great depression etc. I found myself becoming intrigued by all of the different cars. Good, sweet book. This book should have gotten a 4 on my list. It has some great characters, a great sense of place, and a very heartwarming storyline. I really wanted to give it at least a 4. At one point in the story, there was a chapter which touched me quite deeply. It was very well written. I thought at the time I might even rate the book a 5. But then I waded through other chapters where I kept being pulled out of the story. My conclusion which dropped the rating to a 3: Too much head-hopping. So much so that in certain places it was almost jarring. And there was a place or two where I sensed the author was trying to force me to feel a certain way. He was telling rather than showing. If those two things would have been absent, it very well could have earned a 5.
What do You think about One Last Chance (2009)?
Jeff gave this to me for my birthday. Its another good one with war stories throughout it.
—nikky
Wonderfully shows how people can change, and how kindness can make a big difference!
—book123
Another LDS author. This was an okay book. Nothing to shout over.
—Munkel
Fast, great read. I really like this author
—krisjoe44
