Official Review: All Those Risks by Justin Fleischman

[Kourtney Bradley]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "All Those Risks" by Justin Fleischman.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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All Those Risks is a modern-day fictional story written by Justin Fleischman. Published in September 2019 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, the novel is 226 pages and one that I would contemplate being perfectly appropriate as a coming of age novel.

The main character in the story is Kyle McLain, a teenager who is just commencing to learn his identity. Told in the third-person perspective, the story follows Kyle and his best friend Brett as they are adventuring, and as referenced in the title, taking many "teenage" risks such as drinking, drug use and partying. When an astonishing tragedy strikes, Brett moves away with his mother, failing to notify his best friend, while also cutting off all contact with everyone from their town. Nearly a year and a half later, Brett returns to town, bringing with him a load of dangerous baggage. Although Kyle is ecstatic to have his best friend back, both boys have changed quite a bit over their time apart. With a dark family history, teenage hormones and a constant possibility of danger, will their friendship survive, or have the two drifted apart with irreconcilable differences?

Although the teenage drama is sometimes just that, the suspenseful nature of the impending climax of this story is impeccably well-written and engaging. Kyle's character seems thoroughly aware of the danger that surrounds him numerous times, yet as an adult, I couldn't help myself from relating to his worrying parents more than any other character mentioned. The shifty nature of many of the characters throughout the story seemed to trigger a red flag for me as a reader, but I had to applaud Kyle's determination in an attempt to see the best in those around him.

While reading All Those Risks, I was pleased with the natural flow of conversation between characters and can applaud the author's ability to illustrate the action realistically. The editing for the novel was also well-done, as I only found one minor spelling error while reading.

As a huge fan of coming of age fiction, I would happily recommend this story to mature-minded teenagers, as well as adults who enjoy suspenseful drama. Despite the one spelling error I located, I'm still pleased to rate All Those Risks 4 out of 4 stars. Although the error was easily noticeable by me while reading, the story was so well written that I can't lower my rating for only one minor fault. Due to some explicit language, sexual content, drug and alcohol use and some detailed descriptions involving violence, I would only recommend the story to mature readers. It's also necessary to give a trigger warning for this one, as there is mention of sexual assault and murder.

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All Those Risks
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[Stephanie Elizabeth]

I like the premise of this book! Sounds like a coming-of-age novel with a twist. I will add this to my list. Thanks for the compelling review!

[AvidBibliophile]

Sometimes those impulsive “teenage risks” stick with your forever and irreconcilable differences are often just that. Thanks for providing so many details and insights. Appreciate the helpful review!

[Kourtney Bradley]

Thank you for checking it out!!

[Nisha Ward]

Even a year apart can cause a lot of changes, it seems. I feel for Kyle and Brett, as one's teenage years are already a mess of highs and lows, and that's without whatever baggage Brett returns with.

[Kourtney Bradley]

Even a year apart can cause a lot of changes, it seems. I feel for Kyle and Brett, as one's teenage years are already a mess of highs and lows, and that's without whatever baggage Brett returns with.

Definitely! Thank you for checking it out.

[Sydney Lee]

This seems like an interesting read. I'll have to think on this one, but thanks for the review!