Going Places

by Kathryn Berla

Everyone had high expectations for Hudson Wheeler. His fourth grade teacher even wrote to his parents that Hudson was "going places." But everything went downhill after his father died on the battlefield of Iraq one year later. Now facing his senior year of high school without his two best friends by his side and with his teacher's letter still haunting him, Hudson seizes homeschooling as an opportunity to retreat from the world.

What happens during this year will prove to be anything but a retreat, as Hudson experiences love and rejection for the first time; meets the Amazonian-looking girl who shows him by example what it means to be a man; and solves the painful mystery of the “girl in the window”—an apparition seen only by the WWII vet whose poignant plight forces Hudson out of the comfort zone of boyhood.

Going Places is a peek into what male adolescence looks like today for those who don't follow traditional paths as they strive to find themselves.

• ISBN10: 1944995536
• ISBN13: 9781944995539
• Publish Date: 20 March 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Amberjack Publishing Company
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 275
• Language: English

Reviews

[readingwithwrin]

I got to read a little excerpt of this from bookishfirst, but I was a little unsure if I wanted to read it. As someone who was homeschooled, a lot of books don't really do it justice in my opinion. While this one doesn't really talk about the homeschooling part of Hudson's year, it does mention how much work he does have to do (which is true) and how things can be changed for your interests as long as they follow certain guidelines. For me, it was nice to see that in a book, as well as Hudson still having a social life, and being able to do things. (This was in part because of him still being able to take a couple classes at his high school.)


I also liked how we saw Hudson grow and change throughout this book. He is quite the entrepreneur and I really liked that. He has a dog walking business and another business that helps the older generation. This is something that I really loved seeing because a lot of young people are afraid of old people for some reason. So it was really nice to see him not be afraid of them, and actually trying to help them with things. He was never short on patience with them and was just truly caring. There were a few times that I was like no Hudson you have to go and see what that is even though it's late, but he did do very well in my opinion for the situation he was in.
I loved his friend Fritzy, and she was just so good in my opinion with putting him in his place, and just generally helping him become a better person.
I could have done without a certain character and just didn't really care for what she brought to Hudson's life after awhile.

Overall I really liked this book and enjoyed reading it. It was a quick read, and it did deal with several different topics that we're all handled really well in my opinion. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a quick read.

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[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This is my second Berla book, and I have to say, she knows how to write a book that tugs at my heartstrings. I really loved being able to accompany Hudson on his journey, as he took a crooked path in trying to find his way back from his grief and towards his future.

•Pro: I instantly like Hudson. He had an interesting voice, and I was so happy to be with him on this crazy journey.

•Pro: There were a multitude of other characters to love as well. Fritzy and Mr. Pirkle were two stellar characters, who brought so much to this story. I must also share my love for Jennifer, the boy poodle, who they dyed pink. I smiled every time Jennifer was on page.

•Con: There were two romantic threads in this story. One thread was tied off, the other not so much. I sort of want to know what happened, because that was the ship I was rooting for.

•Pro: Yeah for older folks! This was the second book I read in two days, that showed some love for our seniors. I was so pleased with all the different ways Berla presented these characters, and think it's important to show seniors and teens interacting in positive ways.

•Pro: It was nice to see an "alternate path" presented in the story. Maybe traditional high school and college is not for everyone, and it's important to show that there are other avenues that can lead to success and happiness.

•Pro: Hudson's mom was sort of awesome. She didn't make these new life choices easy for Hudson, nor did she allow him to do it all on his terms. There was bargaining and compromise, and I loved the way she treated him as an adult.

•Pro: The main plot was one I love - a good coming of age, self-discovery type story, but there were a bunch of great sub-plots too, which were done in such a way, that I never felt overwhelmed by the amount of story I was getting.

•Pro: Connection is something I feel we don't have enough of these days, and part of what helped Hudson "find" himself, was connecting with others. In his effort to withdraw, he actually widened his social circle, and gained so many beautiful things by doing it.

•Pro: Hudson's struggle with trying to live up to other people's expectations and seeking validation gave me more to love. I think it's very human to need these these things, and I was really happy with the resolution Berla gave him concerning these needs.

•Pro: When Hudson finally opened up and shared some of himself, the concept for his graphic novel was born, and it brought tears to my eyes.

Mr. Pirkle told me that the most difficult thing a man has to do in life is to open his heart to someone. In his mind, he had failed, but I knew different. I knew he had succeeded. And I knew that one day I would too.

Overall: A beautiful story of love, loss, friendship, connection, and finding the places you will go.


*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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