Official Review: Hackett Street by Paul Hastings

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hackett Street" by Paul Hastings.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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When the Washburn family is relocated to Milwaukee, Tom and Mike Washburn are forced to bunk with one another due to the close quarters of the small duplex. Much to their dismay, their new room is a little unfinished attic with no heat and a shoddy bathroom. While trying to keep warm one night, they make a small fire in the old bathtub. When they begin to peel up the broken tiles, they come face-to-face with a large sum of money.

The boys are on top of the world. Their father, Francis, doesn't make much on a reverend's salary, and this money could buy them several things. The boys make a pact to keep it a secret as they know if their parents caught wind of their discovery, they would probably take the money and give it away to the church. Life is working out perfectly for the brothers until their house is broken into, and a strange car keeps parking outside of their home.

Someone else knows about the money, and they are determined to find it.

Hackett Street by Paul Hastings is a coming-of-age book about self-discovery, choices, and family secrets. Once I began reading, the story quickly pulled me in, and I read it in only two sittings. Hastings has created a book that is geared towards a YA audience. Still, as an adult, I found the story captivating, and the characters resonated with me.

The characters were diverse, which made the Washburn family relatable. I felt the most connected to Mike's character, who dealt with feelings of inadequacy as far as his mother was concerned. Alice Washburn was not the happiest in her situation, and Mike, being the eldest sibling, would often be at the front end of Alice's anger. The author did a fantastic job of conveying Mike's plight over feeling like his parents didn't love him.

Another thing that I loved about the book was the author's ability to weave several subplots into the story. Each family member had challenges that they needed to work through. Mike was trying to appease his parents, Tom was hopelessly in love, Annie wanted to be in the choir, and Alice and Francis were dealing with some backlash from the church. With all of this going on, it still didn't detract from the central conflict in the story.

Money is a tricky thing; it can provide security and opportunity, but it can also tear families apart. I thought Hastings provided a clear picture of this as conflicts began to arise in the story. Many people were affected by this money, and it caused quite a rift between family members. It was apparent that the author intended to force readers to think about what they would do if they were in this situation. Would money ultimately be more important than family?

Hackett Street was impeccably written and professionally edited; I only noticed one error! I chose to give the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The book was easy to read, and the plot provided a clear direction of where it was going.

For readers who enjoy stories about family secrets, this one will appeal to you! The characters are flawed but lovable and remind you that no family is perfect. I would recommend Hackett Street to readers young and old as it has something for everyone.

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Hackett Street
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[Valar]

"Money is a tricky thing; it can provide security and opportunity, but it can also tear families apart." - what you said is completely true. But still, no one will say no to money, but what happens if it comes to someone without working hard is an interesting aspect of this book. It also deals with family conflicts. I hope most people choose family over money, I have to read this book to find what happens in this family. Thanks for the great review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

"Money is a tricky thing; it can provide security and opportunity, but it can also tear families apart." - what you said is completely true. But still, no one will say no to money, but what happens if it comes to someone without working hard is an interesting aspect of this book. It also deals with family conflicts. I hope most people choose family over money, I have to read this book to find what happens in this family. Thanks for the great review!

Thanks for your thoughtful comment!

[Prisallen]

Although this book is a coming-of-age story, I think it is one that, from your review, I would also enjoy. Thanks for the great review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Although this book is a coming-of-age story, I think it is one that, from your review, I would also enjoy. Thanks for the great review!

Thank you!

[mmm17]

I do enjoy coming-of-age tales. Family secrets are also nice ingredients. Thanks for a great review!

[Julius_]

sounds like a very nice YA novel about family secrets. thanks for the review.

[inaramid]

Sounds like this book checked all the right things for a YA novel. Thanks for this wonderful review!

[kandscreeley]

This sounds fabulous! I enjoy the young adult genre, and I am so intrigued by the thought of this hidden money! I will have to put this on my list! Thanks for a great review!

[kdstrack]

I can just imagine the boys discovering that stash of cash!! It's interesting that they had their parents pegged and knew enough to keep quite about their find. Now you have me wondering about who ended up with the money! Great review. Thanks.

[LinaMueller]

Money can, at the same time, solve many problems as well as be a source of conflict. The characters in this book seem to be very interesting. I liked your review as always, Stephanie Elizabeth. Well done.

[Kanda_theGreat]

I love the irony about the reverend's children being opposed to giving money to the church. It further highlights the growing tendencey of YA being very skeptical about the church.
Thank you for the review.

[Nerea]

This sounds like a griping story one that will glue me at the edge of my seat. What happened to the brothers? I will read the book to find out. Furthermore, I've never tried a coming-of-age based book. I guess it's the high time I do so. A well-crafted review. Kudos.

[Ellylion]

I believe it's an amazing story about family mysteries and relationships. I would love to give this one a try especially because it narrates about hard choices and has many interesting subplots. I love reading your reviews so much! Thank you for this one!

[Tomah]

What an interesting premise! YA isn't usually my thing, but I can make an exception or two from time to time. Thanks for the review!