The Art of Raising Hell by Thomas Lopinski
5 stars
(Excerpt from Goodreads) “There are some people that walk around on two feet and others like me that run on all four.” Newbie Johnson tries to understand the meaning of this statement while learning about friendship, loss, and love as a small town teenager.
“The Art Of Raising Hell” is a coming of age story set in the 1970s that centers around four teenagers and their involvement with a larger-than-life character named Lonny Nack.
Newbie had recently moved to Bunsen Creek, when his mother is killed in a devastating car crash. Nursing a broken soul, he soon hooks up with the three best friends a guy could ever ask for and meets the love of his life, Sally Nack.
Sally’s brother, Lonny, fears no one, including The Law, and soon takes his peculiar sense of justice, along with his love of practical jokes, to new heights while entertaining the colorful characters of Kickapoo County.
When Officer Hightower and Lonny collide with deadly results, Newbie becomes the only one who can make things right. He now has some serious choices to make before he can get on with his life and discover who he really is.
It’s the 70’s and Newbie has recently moved to a small town and faces tragedy shortly there after. He is left adrift when he comes across three friends. They all quickly become friends and start having all kinds of adventures. The story follows them through the adventures, with people they meet and those they lose.
I admit that I was born at the end of the 70’s so I don’t have any personal reference. But I do remember what it was like growing up in a small farming town. This takes me back to when I was a kid and the things I ran around and did with my friends.
There were many people and all had their own story. The writing was so descriptive that I could put the book down. I just had to find out who they meet next and what they were up to. It was also nice to follow them as they grew up too. They all changed from their experiences and I loved to see it happen.
This is not going to be one of those books where everything is just warm, fuzzy, and happily ever after. This feels like a real story and you meet and lose people throughout it. This is great for those that want to remember the 70’s with a great coming of age story. This was my first story from Thomas Lopinski but I will definitely be getting Document 512.
For more information on The Art of Raising Hell or to purchase this book make sure to check Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and Thomas Lopinski’s website.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
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