Take Huck and Jim and plop them in today’s world and let the adventures begin. This is the story of Ruby and Quinn, two 12 year old boys from a small town in upstate New York. Due to a most fortuitous situation the two friends escape on an adventure that takes them from the east coast all the way to the west coast via many interesting characters and situations. The story is told through the viewpoint of Ruby and his complete innocence as he comes across this big world is an enjoyable description that we adults have forgotten how to do

I was excited to read this book because I live in the Adirondacks but as soon as I started reading I was disappointed. I don't know how the author decided on the voice for the character but it's way off. No one in the Adirondacks talks like that. It was like 1940s appalachian and very stereotyped at that. I honestly couldn't even read the book because it was so bad.

Update: After being contacted by the author I have learned that he grew up in the Adirondacks and modeled the main character after himself. He stands by his voice as authentic. Perhaps he had his friends did speak like that growing up as he claims but this book is set post 9/11 which makes it fairly recent and as a person currently living in a small adirondack town I stand by my opinion that the voice is inauthentic and in my opinion insulting. At the authors request I gave his book another chance and finished it. This did not improve my opinion of it. In addition to the stereotyped voice of Ruby, there was in my opinion boderline racist stereotyping as well. The book is supposedly YA/middle grades as the main character is 12 but I would not be comfortable with my child reading so much unnecessary swearing either.

This tale reads very much like another classic of American literature, with the young narrator, the two friends who stumble into something dark and illegal, are taken for dead, escape "down the river", meet fantastic characters and generally have an unbelievable time while in constant danger. There were too many parallels to chalk up to chance, but this only added to the fun - the overall take on the story was very fresh and engaging..

I can recommend this adventure to any adult (and yes, young adult). There are some heavy elements which might be much for early teens and younger, but could be good conversation-starters with a parent's guidance.

After you have set this book down, I am certain you will feel as I do; ready to "light out for the territory, ahead of the rest.." See you lat--!

This book had a great, interesting beginning but the story was actually a bit too drawn-out for me. There was so much adventure it actually could have been 3 different books. I found it to be pretty outlandish at times also. I did finish it just because I was invested enough that I couldn’t abandon the characters.

Through a series of increasingly ridiculous circumstances a pair of 12-year old runaways end up on a road trip that takes them across the country. Along the way they meet an assortment of oddballs, misfits, and plain old good folks.

I guess the target audience for this book would most likely be adults who want to relive the adventure books of their childhood. I'm not sure there's enough there to interest the young adult demographic and some of it might be too much for the preteen crowd.

Basically, it's a story of a young kid meeting different kinds of people as he travels around in hopes of becoming a "pirate king." Although it's intended as a contemporary tale, set more or less in the present, it reads more like fantasy nostalgia.

I found it to be a mostly rambling narrative with loose structure (which is probably intentional since it's told from the perspective of a twelve year old), not really my kind of read. I think the comparisons to Mark Twain are a bit of a stretch (granted, it's a high standard to meet). Overall it had its moments but never grabbed me in any significant way.

There are some four-letter-words and some slight violence. Nothing too extreme but probably enough to place it in a PG-13 category.

*I received a free digital copy of this title through NetGalley

Ruby and Quinn, 12-year-old boys living in rural Hackers Loon, NY, like many youngsters dream of being pirates and going on adventures. A series of mishaps contrive to make that possible and we are taken on an adventure as the tale unfolds.

Narration in the voice of 12-year-old makes this tale a little different to most. It is a tool that works well to bring out the naivety of youth and allow the author to touch on social and environmental issues without being too contrived. The voicing is not without its faults, however. At times our modern-day story feels as though it has been plucked from the 1940s and is awash with stereotyping that requires more than a splash of suspension of belief. This is fiction though, and as long as you remember that I don't think it matters.

I quickly warmed to the characters and could easily picture both them and their surroundings - a testament to the wonderful description that the author brings to this work.

If there was a disappointment it was with the ending - rather too contrived and abrupt. Where I had finished each reading session wanting to know what was going to happen next I finished the book and the sense of wonder disappeared being replaced by a feeling that this was a rather formulaic ending employed because the author couldn't see how to bring it together.

I think that this book is perfect for adults who like a little childish escapism from time to time. It would also be welcome as a YA work in the classroom to discuss social issues and themes. Whilst a rip-roaring 12-year-old adventure it is not suited to that younger market due mainly to some choice language that is peppered throughout. In some ways that's a shame because I don't think it added much to the voicing of any of the characters and, had it been left out this book would have had wider appeal. I understand from the publishers that this was never intended to be a children's book and so that has to be accepted.

Overall a fun bit of escapism!

With thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and Bogie Road Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled with this book. There were a couple things that made it hard for me to finish. First, I’m not sure what the target audience was for this book. It says general fiction but it reads like a children’s or teen book. The character and the situations that Ruby finds himself in seem geared to a younger age set. But then there is the language. This makes it seem like it is an adult book but without the complex story line to hold the attention of an adult.

My second issue is the voice of Ruby and the flow and pace of the story. I have mentioned the language already but the other stereotypes of the area seem glaring to me. I also struggled to place this story in a time period. I thought we were in the 50’s or so and then there would be something to make me think it was modern day— neither time period seemed to ring true throughout the story. The pace of the story seemed fast and loud. I often felt like it was screaming at me rather than leading me on a journey. I struggled with the writing composition in general.

This is a Mark Twain-like book about the adventures of two small town twelve year old boys, Ruby and Quinn, updated to the 21st century. I started to read it thinking I might buy a copy for my twelve year old grandson, who I am always encouraging to read books. About half way through the book I decided that it is geared more to adults, or at least a person 15 or older.

The author is skilled at creating descriptions of people and places - - I could easily conjure them up in my mind's eye. The story was engaging, but (spoiler alert) left me wanting to see Ruby, in conjunction with Lodgepole, peacefully bring down the the Timber Value Corporation and the Glennelichh family.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bogie Road Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital galley of this book.

An updated version of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn taking on bigger social issues, felt a bit forced for me with the main characters of Ruby and Quinn being written as from long before the time frame in which the story is told.
The boys end up on a cross country adventure just made for Pirates and Cowboys as a result of witnessing a bombing of a church. Ruby connects with many a colorful character and eventually the two boys connect and are on the run. The story of the adventures are recounted by Ruby to the authorities. In the retelling, the value of family, friends, and dreams solidify for the boy.

Thank you to Netgalley for access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. The plot moved slowly for me and I didn't feel a connection with the key characters. Because of this, it was a challenge to get through. It reminded me of a take on Huck Finn, so if you enjoy books like that then this may be a good fit for you.

A really different book in form and tone, this was quite enjoyable. Yes, it’s like Huck Finn, in that it’s written in the language and vernacular of a 12 year old boy, but it’s much more than that. It’s almost a collection of short stories held together by the commonality of this young man’s experiences. I found myself putting the book down periodically to absorb his experiences and think about how he might have gotten where he was, and where he might be going next. The tone of the writing very accurately portrayed a twelve year old boy’s excitement and sense of wonder at what he was seeing, as well as the adventures he (and his buddy ( were experiencing). It really made me feel as if I was there, in the story, with them. I enjoyed the brief interjections of current times in the tale, bringing us back to the actual ‘why’ this story was being told. It was an entertaining read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This is my freely given, honest review.

That was a wild ride! Hold onto your seats because this book will grab you and drag you along for a ripper of a good tale!

Ruby and Quinn are 12-year-old boys living in rural Hackers Loon, NY, who dream of being pirates and going on adventures. When they have an accident and make a mistake trying to cover it up, they get their wish. The boys set off on a cross-country adventure that reads like a Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn tale for the modern day.
Once the action begins, it is non-stop until the very end. This one kept me awake into the wee hours of the morning, reading because I could not put it down. Some parts are unbelievable, but it is fiction, so that’s the point. It’s just a really fun tale!

As the adventurers make their way, they encounter various people and expand their horizons about the world outside their small community, and the wider social and environmental issues others deal with every day. They learn about corporate greed, environmental destruction, homelessness, racism, countercultures, and so much more. Through it all, Ruby, the narrator, maintains a positive outlook on life and yearns for more adventure.

Written in the voice of a 12-year-old who grew up in a relatively isolated rural area, the story shows our heroes coming of age on the road, much like Tom and Huck. They get into countless scrapes and find their way out them, making their way steadily westward. The scene with them frolicking in the Pacific Ocean was my favorite. I could just imagine their joy at finding the ocean and celebrating a successful journey where they got to be cowboys and more.

This book would be great for teachers to use in their classrooms to introduce some of the social issues. There are plenty of opportunities for good class discussions around the many themes touched on in this book.

I give this one a solid five stars. It certainly was, as Ruby would say, a ripper of a good tale!

This novel is so cute & filled with innocence. You will really enjoy this book if you can accept the adventure story as told by a very young 12-year-old boy with a curious mind. Yes, an adult can enjoy this book every bit as much as a YA reader may enjoy it. It’s refreshing to read stories from a child’s point of view, and Ruby, the main character, is no exception. He’s so accepting and honest. I was cheering him on the whole way. I think many readers will be reminded of Huck Fin, Tom Sawyer, and/or the boys from the movie “Stand By Me” as comparable characters/situations.

Thank you to #Netgalley, #RichardMBrock, and #BogieRoadPublishing for this refreshing ARC in exchange for an honest review. I hope there will be an audiobook as well.

Oh, how I tried to like this book. It had so much promise! From the concept to the FBI and all the action. It is very fast-paced. However, parts of it didn't make sense. An early example is that boys would go hunting and haven't ever been with an adult to know what hunting is actually like. That was pretty awful. The story is told by Ruby, who's stuck with a girl's name and his parents are dead so he doesn't even know why he has this name, nor has he tried to change it. What really did me in was that this can't be a children's book in any way, shape, or form. I can not get past the LANGUAGE. While the premise was a good one and the adventure all over the place, Huckleberry Finn had morals and no language like this. It made me sad because I had high hopes for this grand adventure that sort of got lost and rambled around. That would have been okay too, had it not had an ending that didn't feel right, and had cleaner dialogue.

My copy came from Net Galley. This is my honest review of this book.

The plot for this book caught my attention but I could never get into the book. The story became unbelievable quickly and I could not finish the book.

This was a fun middle-grade read. Like the blurb said, it was a Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn type adventure story and rI was not disappointed. The adventures and characterizations of Ruby and Quinn were very Mark Twainish and I enjoyed reading about them. The situations were a bit far fetched, but still enjoyable. The ending, however left me flat. I wanted to know more about what the FBI was interrogating Ruby about. The 'bombing of the Church? Lodgepole and his ranch? What was the final result? Too many questions were unanswered and left me hanging. All of a sudden it ended with Aunt Jane magically appearing and none of the loose ends tied up. If not for the abrupt end, I would have given this book a 4 rating. I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The description of this book caught my attention (a modern day Huck Finn), but it just wasn't the right book for me. I liked the characters well enough and the writing was solid, but there were a few things that bothered me that I just couldn't get past.

It's clear that the book is set in modern times (references to cell phones and a fringe militia group), but other aspects of the story make it feel further in the past (anywhere from the 1940s to the 1970s). Maybe this was done on purpose to "disorient" the reader, but I found it annoying.

The whole story was just a little too far-fetched. It's being told by the main character, 13 year old Ruby, after the fact and I get that kids exaggerate and skip details, but it made the story too unbelievable for me. And the ending just frustrated the hell out of me.

I didn't like it much. The blurb seemed so intriguing but the story just fell flat. One major problem with the book was the timeline. I couldn't figure out when the book was set. I couldn't relate with the characters. It was more of a children's story than YA or general fiction.

I loved this book. A real romp. I chuckled out loud all the way through, especially when Ruby would make enthusiastic comments about dirt and yucky things. My only problem was that it was hard to believe how easy it was for his friend Quinn to find him after they were separated. It did not detract from the fun!

What a refreshing and inquisitive drama that reads like a Forrest Gump story and asks us hard questions about the world.