Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I’m going to be honest. It’s been awhile since I finished a book and said, WTF did I just read. This is one of those rare books – but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it.

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UK Link: https://amzn.to/3N3Upb6
US Link: https://a.co/d/4jm6dns

About the Book

After the death of his grandfather, Noah’s life is thrown into chaos as he faces a repressed past which threatens everything he believes to be true. In the course of trying to come to terms with his loss, Noah must also navigate a difficult relationship with his sister, Kelly, as they reflect on their turbulent childhood – when they were taken from London to live in the Kent countryside following the breakdown of their parents’ marriage.

Set between the 1970s and the more recent past, Adventures About To Begin chronicles a collapsing marriage as experienced by its children and reflects on how memory shapes our decisions at crucial junctures during our lives. It is both funny and touching, as well as a sensitive insight into British family life during a period of great social and cultural change.

My Thoughts

This book was kind of weird. Disclaimer: I don’t think weird is a bad thing. For much of it – and honestly kind of all the way until the end – I kind of didn’t get what I was reading. Like, I didn’t get the point of the book. But as soon as I realized that it’s a slice of life – which isn’t necessarily my favorite genre – it all became clear.

I really enjoyed the narrator. He had some issues that might make him controversial or hard to love for others, but I really liked him. And I enjoyed the representation in the book – even if it was mired through the lens of the 70s. I enjoyed the difficult family dynamics, even though it was hard to handle sometimes. The sibling relationships were very interesting. The ones between parents and child were troublesome and disturbing across generations.

It was a pretty quick, compelling read. But if you’re looking for a clear, concise plot with clear resolutions and outcomes, this isn’t the book for you. Or I’m dense. When I turned that last page, I was like, wait, that’s seriously not it, right? I’m inclined to ask if we’re getting a second book. So many questions have been left unanswered. Unless it’s the kind of book you have to read again to catch all the subtle clues. The author great at foreshadowing things that would happen later in the book, which is why I think I feel so unresolved – several things seemed like foreshadowing that never got finally resolved.

I am grateful to the author and Love Books Tours for including me on this tour. I will definitely keep an eye out for more books – especially if there’s a sequel to this one. I need some resolution! But, at the same time, that’s life. Sometimes you don’t get it.

Who’s It For

If you enjoy slice of life books that don’t necessarily tie everything up into a nice neat bow at the end, this is the book for you.

Content Warning: Adult Situations, Adult Language, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Death of Parents/Grandparents

About the Author

Aside from writing fiction, Allen Therisa also contributes to blogs on everything from popular culture to politics.

“Adventures About To Begin” is his debut novel.

Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram

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