Return Addresses by Michael A. McLellan
Release: April 13th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Mountain Press
Source: R&R Book Tours
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“This ain’t your world. You don’t have any friends out here. Not real ones. No one out here cares about nothin’ but where their next drink or fix is comin’ from. That, or they were born too messed up in the head to even understand what friendship is. Remember that. You can’t trust nobody. You can’t rely on no one but yourself.”
Fourteen-year-old Sean Pennington never thought he’d find himself riding on an open train car in the middle of the night. He never thought he’d find himself alone. He never thought he’d be running for his life.
In the spring of 2019 Sean Pennington’s world of comfort and privilege is shattered and he becomes a ward of the state. Thrust into a broken foster care system, he discovers the harsh realities of orphan hood. Lonely, confused, and tormented by his peers, he runs away, intending to locate his only living relative; a grandfather he’s never met, who his only connection with is a return address on a crumpled envelope. Enter Andrea, a modern day hobo Sean meets at a California homeless encampment. Moreover, Andrea travels the country by rail, stowing away on shipping container cars with other transients calling themselves traveling kids. Though battling her own demons, road-savvy Andrea promises to help Sean on his quest, but can she protect him from the unpredictable and often violent world she lives in?
About the Author:
Michael’s love of books began with Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle when he was
seven-years-old. Later influenced by the works of John Steinbeck, Harper Lee, Stephen King, James Baldwin, and Cormac McCarthy, Michael developed his style of storytelling. A self-proclaimed blue-collar writer, he draws on his experiences and observations to bring relevant and compelling topics to life.
Michael lives in Northern California and when he’s not writing, he can usually be found wandering around the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.
His body of work includes the 2014 novel After and Again, the 2015 novel American Flowers, and the 2017 novel, In the Shadow of the Hanging Tree, as well as various shorts and essays.
Website: https://www.michaelamclellan.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/McLellanBooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9802085.Michael_A_McLellan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclellanbooks/
Return Addresses Review:
I am speechless. I don’t think I have read any novel so sad, raw, beautiful and disturbing in one go. This is probably one of the most memorable and haunting books I have read this year.
Sean is character whom I don’t think I will ever forget in the near future. My heart just went out to him in the story. I’ll be honest. I grew up in a sheltered environment with loving parents, and looking back, don’t have any scarring memories from my childhood. So, I could only imagine what would have happened a tragedy like this occurred when I was a teenager. I don’t think I would have had the strength to go on the ‘adventure’ that Sean did. He experiences many things over the course of his trip, some good, some sad, and some that are horrible and unimaginable. Yet, he is persistent and has a goal to reach Montana, and tries his best to get there. This book made me feel a variety of emotions, but in the end, it made me humble and stronger to face any challenges and be thankful.
Furthermore, I loved the author’s style of writing! In Return Addresses, he paced the story well and has written it in a very simple and direct manner. Moreover, the book tackles a very important subject on the seriousness of being homeless. The number of cases of homeless people are increasing exponentially in the globe. However, we don’t see many contemporary books out there that depict how serious the situation is. I appreciate the author for handling this subject matter in a gripping manner.
Overall, Return Addresses is one of those books that you have to just read to experience its beauty, as words cannot convey the impact it has.
Giveaway:
Enter the giveaway to win $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Welcome to the blog tour for Return Addresses by Michael A. McLellan! This book is getting loads of 5 star reviews! Find out why! Read on for an excerpt and a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card!
Blog Tour Schedule
June 15th
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
Didi Oviatt (Spotlight) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com
Tsarina Press (Spotlight) https://www.tsarinapress.com
Read, Rant, Rock and Roll (Review) https://readrantrockandroll.com/
The Cozy Pages (Spotlight) http://thecozypages.wordpress.com/
June 16th
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com
Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
June 17th
B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
I’m All About Books (Spotlight) https://imallaboutbooks.com/
Books, Teacup n’ Review (Spotlight) https://booksteacupnreviews.wordpress.com/
Rajiv’s Reviews (Review) https://www.rajivsreviews.com/
Stine Writing (Review) https://christinebialczak.com/
June 18th
Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com
Dark Whimsical Art (Spotlight) https://www.darkwhimsicalart.com/blogs/news
Book Reviews by Satabdi (Review) http://satabdimukherjee.wordpress.com
June 19th
Dash Fan Book Reviews (Review) https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/
Entertainingly Nerdy (Review) https://www.entertaininglynerdy.com
Phantom of the Library (Review) https://phantomofthelibrary.com/
Inked and Blonde (Review) https://inkedandblonde.blogspot.com/
