Lawn Darts and Lemonade by Steven Manchester

Country Time Lemonade, Bomb Pops and ice cream trucks, Magic 8 balls and Blockbuster Video stores. What 80's kid doesn't have a fond memory of enjoying those during summer vacations from school? If you are looking for a great summer book, I highly recommend Lawn Darts and Lemonade from Steven Manchester! 

This is the second book in his series and even if you haven't read the first one, Breadbags and Bullies, you can easily understand this one. However I would highly recommend you pick them both up and it will easily take you back to those 80's summers of bike riding, staying out til the street lights come on and trying to find something to do to occupy your summer days. 

I've been so blessed to have read everything he has written and once again this was a book, that when I picked it up, I was not able to put it down. I had to know how it would end. Once again readers are taken back to the 1980's with three brothers, Wally, Herbie and Cockroach, who at the opening of the book are dealing with the loss of their father. As the family begins sharing those favorite and special moments, the brothers are transported back to those times where they are transported back to their Summer of 1984. 

There are so many great references in this book, from the video game arcades at the mall, to those summer jobs which would enable us to get candy and sodas at the local corner store. Mom stayed home and of course, made sure the boys were outside all day until the street lights came on where the family would once more gather around the dinner table to share their adventures, while Dad gave the boys all that fatherly wisdom that only dads could dispense along with classic one liners known as Dadisms! 

I would highly recommend this book as the perfect Summer read and easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars! Anyone who has ever lived in the 80's will LOVE this book. I received this book from Steven Manchester for my honest review and received no paid compensation to offer a favorable review. 

You can purchase a copy of this book from Amazon at the following link: 

https://www.amazon.com/Lawn-Darts-Lemonade-Tackling-80s

If you would love to know about other books written by Steven Manchester, please visit his website by clicking on the link below: 

http://www.stevenmanchester.com

The Menu - Book Review

If you had a chance at doing your life over again, just one part you wanted to go back and change, would you?

What if you simply wanted to find that soul mate? True Love? Deeper Faith? Wisdom to make different choices? Most of us, don't understand those questions, because in our minds, we still have time left to make those choices. It's not til we get to our death bed, that those questions would be answered with deep conviction and certainty. Yet what would you give up to have those do overs?

In his latest book, The Menu, author Steven Manchester invokes a sense of searching our hearts and questions how we have lived our lives to this point. Through the character Phinn Reed, who sits in heaven with the possibility of choosing from a list of life desires, to get a second chance at something he never had. A menu of possibilities but also the cost you will need to endure to gain that life. Once a choice is made, all memories of heaven and your past is completely erased.

"This is your life. Order whatever you wish, but keep in mind - whatever you choose to taste, you have to finish," He told Phinn before sending him into the world. God reminds Phinn that he will encounter others that have also chosen changes, and he is likely to encounter them during his time on earth. God also reminds Phinn that with each choice, a price must be paid to obtain it. If you choose compassion, you can have it but not before experiencing pain and suffering. You can have commitment and wisdom, but not before conquering trials and tribulations. Courage after overcoming fear, honor after facing shame, success after much failure."

I absolutely LOVED this direction that this author took with a concept of second chances, because its not a simple Happily Ever After novel. There is a payment to acquire that which we all seek and while most of us just want the menu item, we don't want the price necessary to achieve that even in our lives today. We all want the results, but not what it took to get there. This makes us re-evaluate our lives a bit and take into account what we not only achieved but what we had to pay to get it.

I would highly recommend The Menu by Steven Manchester, and I received a complimentary copy from the author for my honest review of this novel. I have to say this is a really great read and I think there is some wisdom to be gleaned through this fictional novel. As a believer, you can appreciate the ideas behind this fictional book, with understanding it is fiction novel with a point. I would easily give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

If you would like to get a copy of this book, please click on the link to Amazon. 

To find more novels from Steven Manchester, please visit his website.