Sentenced to four months in Fiddlers Creek for his latest crime spree, bad boy Lincoln Laing is not happy to return to the small town he grew up in. The reason for his departure three years ago? His parents’ suicides. As if that’s not punishment enough, his former best friend, Kenzie, who he still has a crush on, is dating his archenemy, Jack Pittman.But when the town travel agent tells Lincoln … agent tells Lincoln that his parents booked and paid for a trip to France a week before their suicides, he does some digging and discovers that his parents didn’t kill themselves. They were murdered.
Desperate for closure, Lincoln teams up with Kenzie and Trevor, the town geek, to uncover the killer, unaware that unraveling the town’s best-kept secret could end up revealing an even bigger one that will change his life forever.
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When no one believes in you, how do you believe in yourself?
**Presented with an ARC via HiddenGems in exchange for an honest review.**
Lincoln Laing has been through far too much, far too soon. Coming from a small town called Fiddlers Creek, suffering a tragedy that no one would allow him to forget—not that he ever could forget—only to spend the next three years of his life bounced from one disastrous foster home to the next, he’s barely holding on by a thread. The judicial system calls him a delinquent, his last foster mother—a drunk who’s unsuitable to be a mother to her own baby, let alone a seventeen-year-old who’s suffered more personal trauma in such a short time than most people experience in their entire lives—threw his orphaned status in his face constantly; only to be returned to the one place and family that he never wanted to see again. And people wonder why he’s so messed up.
It’s a testament to the author just how easily she’s able to draw you into the story, to make you connect with Lincoln on such a deep level in such short a time. This book is a page-turner of tragedy, heartache, apathy, and redemption. It captures the reader’s attention, their heart and soul, and haunts you long after you’ve finished reading it.
If you’re a fan of Brittni Chenelle, L.A. Pepper, Bella Benz, Stephanie Rowe, Megan Blackwood, A.D. Winter, Mary Fan, or Andrew Mayne, you will love this book. Just as the authors I listed, Becky Bird holds you captive with her ability to draw you into the story within the first few pages and make you connect and empathize with a damaged character so easily that reading the next page isn’t even a thought, it’s a compulsion. Truly, a must read!
The Journey Home was a great YA book with an interesting story line! I read this book in less than a day as it was just such an easy read! The chapters were shorter which is something I prefer as it makes a book feel like it’s progressing at a fast pace and helps to create a great flow.
Lincoln is trying to move on from his parent’s deaths three years ago and is struggling with staying on the straight and narrow. After stealing a car, Lincoln is sentenced to return to his home town for 119 days to live with his Father’s best friend, his new wife and her daughter, Kenzie. It just so happens that Kenzie was his best friend before he left, and the girl he’s been in love with forever.
After his parent’s committed suicide, Lincoln has believed that they didn’t love him and that his entire childhood was a lie. But what if they hadn’t killed themselves? What if, in fact, they had been murdered?
When news comes to light that his parents had booked a trip to France a week before they died, Lincoln starts to consider the possibility that somebody in the small town has something to hide.
Alongside Kenzie and his new friend Trevor, Lincoln searches for answers. But searching for answers could lead to even bigger questions.
The teen angst and romance in this story worked perfectly alongside the mystery of just what happened three years ago.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters. They were unique in their own way. I loved watching their individual growth throughout the story as well as their growth together. The twists and turns. Man do they have toy biting your nails. Didn’t see some of it coming. It was sweet, and funny at the same time. Can’t wait to read more buy this author!
The Journey Home is a gripping story of a young man who needs to get closure. We follow Lincoln who is a troubled youth. He was dealt a tragic past and he never accepted the outcome. When finally he gets himself in more trouble and has to go and live with his Uncle. However, once he gets there he finds out that his uncle is married to his best friends mom. Well his best friend Kenzie who is not too happy to see him. She has a grudge against him. So back in Fiddlers Creek with a lot of rules he has to follow to be able to get out of the place. Only to find out some disturbing news about his past. So what do you think he does? Well that is a good question! What is the deal with him and Kenzie? There is chemistry there? Can she be the one to help him become a better man? You really need to pay attention to all the characters of the story, a few are pretty important. When I got to the end of the book, I was left shocked and stunned. There was a huge revelation that I did not see coming. Overall I loved this book and all the characters. I loved the mystery and the dynamics of each of the characters. This is a definite book to read.
Bad boy orphan on a mission: thrills and realistic teen angst
I found this story engrossing and really well-written. The whole book is told from the perspective of juvenile delinquent Lincoln who, three years after his parents’ sudden death, is still reeling from grief and acting out at every opportunity until he finds another outlet for his anger and energy. Lincoln wades his way through a morass of teen bullying, prejudice, suspicion and closely-held secrets in pursuit of a restored relationship with his former BFF/crush Kenzie and the truth about his parents’ death. He’s single-minded and uber focused on his goal, no matter what the cost, but it was touching and proof of his decent character that he stands up for and befriends school misfit Trevor.
I can’t think of any element of this story I did not like. The big climactic reveal was a surprise and I loved the ending tie back to the theme he’s been studying at school. I think it eminently suitable for teen readers to adults.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.