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Monarch Educational Services, L.L.C.

Pub date June 7, 2022

ISBN 978-1737673835

Price $15.99 (USD) Paperback, $17.24 Hardcover, $6.63 Kindle edition

Linaburg’s latest novel is a stellar tale marked with originality, depth, and complexity. Sean Brogan was ten when an unexpected tragedy turned his life upside down. Unable to come to terms with the trauma of his past, Sean leaves New York City for a two weeks trip to Lake Fort, West Virginia, the pl ace where he spent his childhood. But escaping the past is not as easy as it seems. Linaburg’s sure hand with dialogue and deft use of young adult struggles produce a story that highlights weighty issues while entertaining. The prose is vivid, and the affecting narrative beautifully blends melodrama and slice of life into a cohesive whole. The story is impressively told, and the depiction of grief—how Sean and his father respond as they struggle to come to terms with their shared loss—is devoid of cliché, keeping the reader invested. The secondary cast is memorably sketched, and Sean and Rina’s bonding is sweet.  Throughout, the novel delves into complex and relevant themes of pain, grief, trauma, familial ties, friendship, guilt, healing, sacrifice, and forgiveness. This heavy yet heartfelt and perceptive account of coming to terms with irrevocable loss and trauma makes for a definite page-turner.

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