crafty_nivette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aamina21's review against another edition
4.0
This book was way better than expected. Was not prepared for it to tug at my heartstrings.
michelletheshell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ladyofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This book swept me away just as soon as I opened the cover and read the first page. It's a character driven, action packed, and a little bit of surviving against the world book.
I fell in love with all the characters, though I think my favorite was Janey (for reasons!).
I think you will be falling for this book just as much as I do, and become part of the Gas Station Pagans.
Five beautiful stars!
I fell in love with all the characters, though I think my favorite was Janey (for reasons!).
I think you will be falling for this book just as much as I do, and become part of the Gas Station Pagans.
Five beautiful stars!
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
Fourteen-year-old Amelia has been taking care of things at home for a while by the time her mama passes. She knows all about running the family gas station and she's fair to middling when it comes to taking care of her younger brother and sister, Earle and Lucey.
The only problem is, Melia isn't sure that the state will see it that way if anyone finds out they don't have an adult taking care of them. It's bad enough that Melia is scraping the bottom of the barrel to keep the gas station afloat while Harley Blevins eyes them with a mind to buy--or run them out of business. Melia certainly has no intention of letting her and her siblings wind up in foster care and split up. No way.
All Melia has to do is keep her family together and keep the gas station running until she comes of age and can adopt Earle and Lucey. No easy feat with no adult in sight. When a hobo literally falls in her path, Melia thinks she might have found exactly what she needs to keep everyone fooled. She just needs everyone to play along for a little while in Lucky Strikes (2016) by Louis Bayard.
Lucky Strikes is Bayard's first historical novel written for younger readers. This book is pretty solid middle grade fare although because Amelia is fourteen it technically falls under the umbrella of YA.
This book is narrated by Melia in a breezy and conversational style. Throughout the book she is talking to someone (addressed as "you") although readers don't learn who exactly that is until the final pages of the story.
Bayard uses his expertise as an author of historical fiction to bring 1934 Walnut Ridge, Virginia to life. Lucky Strikes is filled with vivid imagery and detailed descriptions that will immediately bring readers into the story as well as its unusual settings. This novel makes 1934 and the Great Depression immediately approachable to readers without bogging the story down in extraneous historical facts.
Amelia is a plucky, self-starter of a heroine who doesn't waste time on sentimentality when there is work to be done. While she often feels a bit too old to be a fourteen-year-old--particularly because of her pragmatism--it is possibly a side-effect of her having sensibilities from a very different time. The story also largely works because Amelia is fourteen which lends urgency to her need to find an adult to act as a stand-in parent.
Lucky Strikes is a madcap story about perseverance, friendship, and how sometimes family can be found in the most unlikely places. Recommended for fans of historical fiction and fast-paced stories.
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
The only problem is, Melia isn't sure that the state will see it that way if anyone finds out they don't have an adult taking care of them. It's bad enough that Melia is scraping the bottom of the barrel to keep the gas station afloat while Harley Blevins eyes them with a mind to buy--or run them out of business. Melia certainly has no intention of letting her and her siblings wind up in foster care and split up. No way.
All Melia has to do is keep her family together and keep the gas station running until she comes of age and can adopt Earle and Lucey. No easy feat with no adult in sight. When a hobo literally falls in her path, Melia thinks she might have found exactly what she needs to keep everyone fooled. She just needs everyone to play along for a little while in Lucky Strikes (2016) by Louis Bayard.
Lucky Strikes is Bayard's first historical novel written for younger readers. This book is pretty solid middle grade fare although because Amelia is fourteen it technically falls under the umbrella of YA.
This book is narrated by Melia in a breezy and conversational style. Throughout the book she is talking to someone (addressed as "you") although readers don't learn who exactly that is until the final pages of the story.
Bayard uses his expertise as an author of historical fiction to bring 1934 Walnut Ridge, Virginia to life. Lucky Strikes is filled with vivid imagery and detailed descriptions that will immediately bring readers into the story as well as its unusual settings. This novel makes 1934 and the Great Depression immediately approachable to readers without bogging the story down in extraneous historical facts.
Amelia is a plucky, self-starter of a heroine who doesn't waste time on sentimentality when there is work to be done. While she often feels a bit too old to be a fourteen-year-old--particularly because of her pragmatism--it is possibly a side-effect of her having sensibilities from a very different time. The story also largely works because Amelia is fourteen which lends urgency to her need to find an adult to act as a stand-in parent.
Lucky Strikes is a madcap story about perseverance, friendship, and how sometimes family can be found in the most unlikely places. Recommended for fans of historical fiction and fast-paced stories.
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
britomarte's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book I wish I could have written. The pacing was stellar, the characters were whole and alive, and the voice was second to none.
To make it even better, it's set in Warren County, where I was born and where my grandfather still lives.
To make it even better, it's set in Warren County, where I was born and where my grandfather still lives.
carabee's review against another edition
5.0
Though I'm still unsure I agree with the younger YA designation, I am confident readers of all ages can find a character to love in this book. A complex, non-stereotypical female protagonist, an unconventional family, a model for handling hardships, and a great voice-y style. The rural setting was another draw for me, and it was nice to see the beauty and community of the small town alongside the potential for judgment and busybodies, a balance of the good and bad where most books tend to choose just one side.
prof_shoff's review against another edition
5.0
This book really grew on me. I was intrigued enough to buy it, interested enough to start reading today, pulled in enough to read the whole thing in one sitting and, in the end, I just loved it. I laughed out loud more than once; I even cried a little, too. Definitely a keeper!
rikkia's review against another edition
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Violence, Medical content, and Sexual harassment