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ruestar24's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
mtravis6's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
k_l_smith's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ljelizabeth's review against another edition
4.0
"'If we don't make something of ourselves, it all goes away, and nothing matters but what we've built.'"
I read this while on vacation and let me say, this was the perfect read for sitting and annotating by a lake. I loved the high pace nature and plot, how easy the interactions and dynamics between characters were able to be read, and the interesting mystery that tied the book together. Themes of seeking out justice and fighting injustice were obvious throughout the entire book, and while a cliffhanger wasn't resolution I was expecting, it makes me more excited for book 2.
In my opinion, the characters were my favorite part of the book. I love the friendship (but really more like family) dynamic McBride created, and how natural they all seemed together. Sometimes I catch books with group friendships be a little more forced: dialogue and interactions are stiff and unnatural, and it just doesn't seem realistic. This was the exact opposite, and it was perfect. It was so easy to pick up on the bond between everyone, and how they truly love each other. Plus, I'm a big fan of Jude :)
However, while I did enjoy this book, it was not (in my personal opinion) without its faults. I love fast paced novels, but at times I was completely lost at the timing between events - whether they were a day or week apart I have no idea. Another big part for me was some consistency. I found parts where a particular event/situation happened, and it was just never brought up again. I found this most notably in some of the character's injuries. I'm all for moving on quickly to get on with the rest of the book, but too some extent it was just unrealistic how quickly some of the characters moved on from their injuries (or - it's me missing something with the timing and the time skips are a lot longer than they seem) and seemed to be completely fine. This may be more of a personal preference, but I would've like to see how the characters faced the challenges they had in the book with their (at times quite deadly) injuries being a little more prominent.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book, and I'm very excited to see these characters return with the possibilities, resolutions, and countless number of "he/she smirked" that come with book 2.
I read this while on vacation and let me say, this was the perfect read for sitting and annotating by a lake. I loved the high pace nature and plot, how easy the interactions and dynamics between characters were able to be read, and the interesting mystery that tied the book together. Themes of seeking out justice and fighting injustice were obvious throughout the entire book, and while a cliffhanger wasn't resolution I was expecting, it makes me more excited for book 2.
In my opinion, the characters were my favorite part of the book. I love the friendship (but really more like family) dynamic McBride created, and how natural they all seemed together. Sometimes I catch books with group friendships be a little more forced: dialogue and interactions are stiff and unnatural, and it just doesn't seem realistic. This was the exact opposite, and it was perfect. It was so easy to pick up on the bond between everyone, and how they truly love each other. Plus, I'm a big fan of Jude :)
However, while I did enjoy this book, it was not (in my personal opinion) without its faults. I love fast paced novels, but at times I was completely lost at the timing between events - whether they were a day or week apart I have no idea. Another big part for me was some consistency. I found parts where a particular event/situation happened, and it was just never brought up again. I found this most notably in some of the character's injuries. I'm all for moving on quickly to get on with the rest of the book, but too some extent it was just unrealistic how quickly some of the characters moved on from their injuries (or - it's me missing something with the timing and the time skips are a lot longer than they seem) and seemed to be completely fine. This may be more of a personal preference, but I would've like to see how the characters faced the challenges they had in the book with their (at times quite deadly) injuries being a little more prominent.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book, and I'm very excited to see these characters return with the possibilities, resolutions, and countless number of "he/she smirked" that come with book 2.
abbyaugust's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book because of a high recommendation from my sister & I was not disappointed!
the story follows Tommy Rhodes and his gang of “Jailbird” friends who, when they find clues from Tommy’s recently deceased father in a secret bunker underneath the Mammoth lighthouse, find themselves face to face with the adventure of a lifetime.
I absolutely love the ‘vibes’ of this book. the mood and the setting make it feel just like you’ve jumped inside a movie screen. the plot was intriguing, although I will say it was hard for me in the beginning, it started very slowly. but that being said, I’m glad I stuck it out! the characters are each so unique and endearing and the plot took a lot of unexpected twists and turns!
the only other thing for me from a logistical standpoint was that I found quite a few typos, which certainly don’t affect the story at all, but it made it harder for me, as a word by word reader, to get past.
overall though, this book is quite the read and I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for a good mystery/action movie type book!! four and a half stars from me :)
★ ★ ★ ★
the story follows Tommy Rhodes and his gang of “Jailbird” friends who, when they find clues from Tommy’s recently deceased father in a secret bunker underneath the Mammoth lighthouse, find themselves face to face with the adventure of a lifetime.
I absolutely love the ‘vibes’ of this book. the mood and the setting make it feel just like you’ve jumped inside a movie screen. the plot was intriguing, although I will say it was hard for me in the beginning, it started very slowly. but that being said, I’m glad I stuck it out! the characters are each so unique and endearing and the plot took a lot of unexpected twists and turns!
the only other thing for me from a logistical standpoint was that I found quite a few typos, which certainly don’t affect the story at all, but it made it harder for me, as a word by word reader, to get past.
overall though, this book is quite the read and I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for a good mystery/action movie type book!! four and a half stars from me :)
★ ★ ★ ★
annaaugustineauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Man oh man what a RUSH! McBride grabs you from the first chapter and drops you into the beautifully chaotic world of Mammoth, where nothing is as it seems.
•
From the first, I loved the foursome of AJ, Tommy, Kara, and Mars. Their family like dynamic bled through the page and just had me rooting from them. Their humor helped soften the hard topics McBride wasn’t afraid to tackle and I LOVED it.
•
And the action doesn’t pause. From a treasure hunt to a mystery needing to be solved, the pace never slowed. By the last fifty pages, your heart is going a mile a minute and you can’t wait to find out what is going to happen next.
•
All in all, an AMAZING contemporary read! I can’t wait for the next book, and will definitely be checking out more of Brian McBride’s books!
•
Five stars
•
From the first, I loved the foursome of AJ, Tommy, Kara, and Mars. Their family like dynamic bled through the page and just had me rooting from them. Their humor helped soften the hard topics McBride wasn’t afraid to tackle and I LOVED it.
•
And the action doesn’t pause. From a treasure hunt to a mystery needing to be solved, the pace never slowed. By the last fifty pages, your heart is going a mile a minute and you can’t wait to find out what is going to happen next.
•
All in all, an AMAZING contemporary read! I can’t wait for the next book, and will definitely be checking out more of Brian McBride’s books!
•
Five stars
morgangiesbrecht's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot fully explain how much of a grip this series & these characters have on me!
stewardofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Tommy Rhodes and his friends are no strangers to pain and grief. They have lived through a lot in their young lives but somehow they have hope still. They have each other. When they uncover a hundred-year-old mystery with very real present day implications, they jump all in. But do they really know what they have gotten themselves into?
This book got me in the feels! It is full of mystery and adventure and action - all of which I loved - but what really makes this book special is the characters. The depth of each one's home life, the pain, the love, the growth, their friendship, even the bad guy is a lot more complex than just simply being evil. There is so much depth in this book, so much food for thought.
The author also touches on very real issues in such a tactful but good way - class differences, abuse and historical injustice. These are such real struggles for so many people and to read the characters that are working through all of this in such a real way is amazing. There are no quick fixes and sometimes it is really hard to know the right thing to do or the best choices to make. Sometimes the people you love are not great people, sometimes they disappoint you and hurt you. But there can also be hope in the midst of everything life throws at you and that is beautiful.
(Nerdy me also really loves the history and paleontology bits.)
This book got me in the feels! It is full of mystery and adventure and action - all of which I loved - but what really makes this book special is the characters. The depth of each one's home life, the pain, the love, the growth, their friendship, even the bad guy is a lot more complex than just simply being evil. There is so much depth in this book, so much food for thought.
The author also touches on very real issues in such a tactful but good way - class differences, abuse and historical injustice. These are such real struggles for so many people and to read the characters that are working through all of this in such a real way is amazing. There are no quick fixes and sometimes it is really hard to know the right thing to do or the best choices to make. Sometimes the people you love are not great people, sometimes they disappoint you and hurt you. But there can also be hope in the midst of everything life throws at you and that is beautiful.
(Nerdy me also really loves the history and paleontology bits.)
sarahbaylorwrites's review against another edition
4.0
A WILD RIDE! This book had me on the edge of my seat more than once. I found myself sneaking this book into work and other social events, just because I needed to know what happened next! I cannot wait to read more from Brian!
busymomsreadtoo's review against another edition
4.0
Brian McBride writes a fantastic adventure story revolving around a group of friends that find family within one another. Tommy ,the natural leader of the group, is grieving over the sudden death of his paleontologist father. Jude is an outgoing young man, caring for his little brother in the mess of an alcoholic father. Maya, a caring mother-type figure keeps the boys in line while battling what her family wants her to be versus her need to break free from the routine of a wealthy and socialite life. Then, we have Mars, a smart and kind son and friend who longs to find his place in a world that is unfair and unjust. Last, newcomer Lydia joins the group after discovering her family is not all that it seems. Together, they make up the Jailbirds.
When the Jailbirds find a secret room with clues that could upend their entire lives, as well as the history of their town and the story of Tommy's father's death, they know they must find the truth. The problem is... others want to keep the truth hidden. Mammoth is a suspenseful and adventurous page turner. You can't help but root for the Jailbirds in the face of their adversities and quest for the answers they seek. They form a tight knit group that love one another despite their mistakes, status, or wealth. One critique I have is I wish I would have gotten a better look into the villain's motives and why they were the way they were. It would've added an extra layer of depth to them. Overall, this was a fun read that I enjoyed did not have any explicit content or vulgar language. I would love to see this as a TV series one
day!
CW: Mild use of crude talk and alcohol/drug use. Death scenes. Overall mild, rated PG13
When the Jailbirds find a secret room with clues that could upend their entire lives, as well as the history of their town and the story of Tommy's father's death, they know they must find the truth. The problem is... others want to keep the truth hidden. Mammoth is a suspenseful and adventurous page turner. You can't help but root for the Jailbirds in the face of their adversities and quest for the answers they seek. They form a tight knit group that love one another despite their mistakes, status, or wealth. One critique I have is I wish I would have gotten a better look into the villain's motives and why they were the way they were. It would've added an extra layer of depth to them. Overall, this was a fun read that I enjoyed did not have any explicit content or vulgar language. I would love to see this as a TV series one
day!
CW: Mild use of crude talk and alcohol/drug use. Death scenes. Overall mild, rated PG13