Review by Kavita Shah -- My Only Sunshine by Lou Dischler

[Kavita Shah]

[Following is a volunteer review of "My Only Sunshine" by Lou Dischler.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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My Only Sunshine by Lou Dischler is about a nine-year-old boy called Charlie Boone. He lives with his demented grandparents and four-year-old brother Jute in the town of Red Church Hill. Boone’s family name has quite the criminal reputation in the town because Charlie’s father had tried to rob a bank but failed, and now he is serving time in prison. One day his jail breaker uncle Dan comes home; whatever he is planning to do will affect the family. Charlie finds pride in being treated as an adult and picks fight with the teacher’s son who bullies other children. A series of event later we find Charlie in a courtroom with the town’s people deciding his fate. What circumstances took place which led to it? Will he find a better future that doesn’t end him up in prison? Is there any hope left for Charlie?

Comprising 190 pages My Only Sunshine is a quick and engrossing read and I enjoyed reading the book. The cover of the book has a popping yellow color and illustration of an alligator surrounded by bullets, which was intriguing. I loved the author’s writing style, which is engaging and captured the reader’s attention. The best part about the book was the dialogues which were written in an easy to understand southern accent. I liked the stories being told from the first person narrative, giving a personalized reading experience. The parts where Charlie is narrating reflected his innocence and emotions splendidly.

I did not like how the story ended; it felt rushed and did not do justice to the story. Even though the cover of the book is creative and is about a young boy, it is not a suitable book for younger audiences as there are scenes of violence and smut. There is no explicit erotic scene. It was a pleasant read as I did not encounter any error in this book, which shows that it has been professionally edited.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars . 3 stars for the engaging writing style and the story plot. I take away one star as I did not like the violence portrayed in the book. It’s about Charlie, a nine-year-old who sees murders in his everyday life. This prevents me from giving the book a perfect score.

I recommend this book to a mature audience, to the lovers of fiction who don’t mind violence. And to those who prefer to read a short and sweet story.

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My Only Sunshine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Mtibza eM]

Whoa! The book cover caught my eyes. Thank you for sharing such an insightful review

[Prisallen]

The profanity and violent scenes don't seem necessary as it would open up the book to a younger audience without it. However, it sounds like an interesting adult read. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[Kavita Shah]

Whoa! The book cover caught my eyes. Thank you for sharing such an insightful review

Thank you!

[Kavita Shah]

The profanity and violent scenes don't seem necessary as it would open up the book to a younger audience without it. However, it sounds like an interesting adult read. Thanks for your wonderful review!

Truly, without the violence and profanity it would have been good for kids. But makes an engaging read for adults. Thank you for you comments!

[Stephanie Runyon]

Interesting review on a shorter book. I am curious about what Charlie has done and what his uncle did that affected their family.

[Kavita Shah]

Interesting review on a shorter book. I am curious about what Charlie has done and what his uncle did that affected their family.

Thank you for showing your interest in the book! It was a fun read

[Kavita Shah]

Seems quite interesting. Great review!

Thank you!

[Sakura5]

The 9-years-old protagonist and the violent scenes seem at odds indeed. Thanks for the detailed review!

[Kavita Shah]

The 9-years-old protagonist and the violent scenes seem at odds indeed. Thanks for the detailed review!

It is very odd.
Thank you for your comments!

[Mercy119]

I appreciate the detailed review, but It's unfortunate that the author presents a young boy who lives in a violent world. That alone deters me from selecting this book.

[Kavita Shah]

I appreciate the detailed review, but It's unfortunate that the author presents a young boy who lives in a violent world. That alone deters me from selecting this book.

Thank you for your comments!

[Mwatu]

The storyline is quite different from what I picked from the book's cover. I thought this was a child's book. Thank you for a lovely review!

[Mariana Figueira]

What an intriguing novel, it's really a shame that the ending didn't do it justice and that the author inserted a young character in such a violent world. Thanks for the wonderful review!

[Kavita Shah]

The storyline is quite different from what I picked from the book's cover. I thought this was a child's book. Thank you for a lovely review!

It is said that, "Don't judge a book by it's cover."
Thank you for your comments!