Dan Kois

No rating, because I could not finish this.

I got to the part where Kevin—thoroughly unlikeable Kevin—peed in a bathroom and turned into, apparently, a lawn sprinkler.

The book doesn't know whether it wants to be YA or not. It reads YA, but then there's a reasonable explicit sex scene. And...repetition. SO much repetition. I don't ever want to read about Burger King this much ever again.

Like, seriously, did the author get a kickback from the burger chain?

Just no.… (more)

Hampton Heights is Dan Koi's latest release. I'm sure the cover caught your eye - it did for me. And it gives you a very good idea of what awaits you in the book. Not quite sure yet? How about the subtitle? - One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
1987. Three pairs of newsboys are in the Hampton Heights neighborhood soliciting subscriptions to the local paper. At night. None of them have ever been in this part of town. It's kind of spooky - but the prize is too good to walk away from. One night changes so much with our paper boys- and. their manager Kevin.

There's a Stranger Things /Brothers Grimm / Stand by Me feel to Hampton Heights that's just right. The book is funny, spooky and yes, thoughtful.

I ended up binge reading Hampton Heights - I just had to know what happened.… (more)

Surprisingly lacking in Big Revelations (or how-to tips, for that matter), it kind of sounds like Kois is a little ambivalent about whether it was all worth the trouble at by the end. Mostly what carries this along is his charming writing and funny stories.

That said, I do find myself inspired to want to try to do something like this. Seems a lot easier and maybe more impactful to settle somewhere for a whole year. Certainly, post-pandemic, when remote work seems like it's going to be a viable option for a lot more people… (more)