Lost Coast Rocket

by Joel Horn

[chymerra]

This book was totally not what I expected. I really thought it was going to be some sort of action packed thriller/suspense by reading the blurb (note to self, stop assuming things about books based on that!!!). Instead, this was a wonderfully written, coming of age (and beyond) with a hint of romance and some science fiction thrown in book. It was a wonderful surprise!!!

Even the talk on rockets (and launching them) were interesting. I will be the first person to admit that I find rockets very boring. Actually, anything to do with science, I find very boring. To be honest, I don’t know how I made it to Physics (which is probably the only science I am even remotely interested in) class in HS, many moons ago….lol. But the way that the author described building the rockets from scratch and the different things that go into them, really caught my attention and interest. To the point where I might go and get Z (and maybe B if she’s interested) a build a small rocket kit and let him got with it. He loves stuff like that.

I did have a little bit of an issue with the author jumping back in time. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely added to the story (Grandpa Arnold was my favorite) and the author did a great job separating past from present. I just got a little turned around at the beginning of the book.

I absolutely loved Ken, Akira, Carol, Kate, Jose, Ed and later Dawn. They were a motley crew but they had each other’s backs. I loved that it showed girls taking an interest in building rockets (Carol actually welded parts of the rocket on). It was refreshing to read a book like this that girls (and women) were interested careers (astrophysics, pilot) that are typically male based.

I did want to kinda smack Ken upside the head a couple of times. He was so stubborn about revealing things (and feelings) to Dawn. I can understand him not wanting Dawn to know who he was (not going into it….read the book) but I can’t understand him not coming clean to her about his feelings sooner. Sigh…men.

The end of the book did end on a little bit of a cliffhanger but it set up for the 2nd book perfectly.

How many stars will I give Lost Coast Rocket? 4

Why: A great, wonderfully written book. Like I said above, I just got a little turned around by going back to the past and then to the future in the same chapter (even though it was clearly separated).

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Teen

Why: No sex, no violence (well if you count a rocket almost taking the group out at violent). One graphic scene of Dawn’s mother dying and another scene where Dawn’s father takes down a sexual predator.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**