I began this Throwback Thursday meme as a way to share some of my old favorites as well as sharing books that I want to read that were published over a year ago. You know, the ones waiting patiently on my TBR list while I continue to pile more titles on top of them:)! I like that these older books are usually much easier than new releases to get a hold of at libraries and elsewhere. If you have your own Throwback Thursday recommendation feel free to jump on board, you’re welcome to use my pic as well. If you’d just link back to me I’d so appreciate it.
My PICK this week is:
Published 2011 by Arcade Publishing
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Narrator of Favorite Sons Hutch Van Buren is fifteen years old, playing sports and searching for arrowheads in a small industrial town in Ohio with his three closest friends when an altercation between the comrades and a troubled seventeen- year-old, leads to an accidental death. Together, Hutch and his friends become ensnared in a web of secrets and moral dilemmas. Each boy shoulders the burden of truth in his own way as each attempts to leave the past behind.
Thirty-three years later, in 2004, Van Buren is the prosecuting attorney in Summit County, Ohio, and a candidate for state attorney general when he learns that he and his boyhood friends weren’t the only ones keeping a secret about the death. Van Buren must decide between his political career and the duty of the office he has sworn to uphold.
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I have to say I’m on a roll lately with these older reads that I’m managing to squeeze in between new release reads. Favorite Sons is another fantastic read by Robin Yocum, an author I hadn’t heard of a year ago, yet I now consider an auto buy! Over the last few months I’ve read (and loved) A Brilliant Death ( review here) and A Welcome Murder (review here) and Favorite Sons, although published before both of those, was just as good. This story again takes place in a small, southeast Ohio river town and Yocum really nails the setting because I literally felt like I was there watching the events unfold. I’m an Ohioan so I really love the fact that he sets his books in my home state.
The story begins in 1974 when four teenage boys who’ve been friends since they were young kids find themselves involved in a death and make a spur of the moment decision that will alter the course of all their lives. Yocum has created the ultimate moral dilemma and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what consequences would befall the boys. Because you just know there’s going to be consequences at some point in time, right? Especially since someone else, an “innocent” someone, ends up paying the price for the death. How all this plays out as well as how each boy’s life changes is the basis for the rest of the story which about the halfway mark moves to present day 2004 and we get to see how each boy’s life has faired after that fateful summer day and that one split second decision.
This is a compelling coming-of-age story filled with mystery, drama, and complicated moral/ethical questions that beg the reader to think about ‘what would I do’ in that situation. I think it would be a perfect pick for book clubs as there’s so much to discuss and I have a feeling opinions would vary greatly in terms of the moral questions. If you like well-plotted mysteries with a small town, coming-of-age backdrop and you haven’t yet read Robin Yocum, I hope I’ve encouraged you to pick up one of his books, I think you’ll be happy you did!
HAPPY READING!
More Throwback Thursday Picks Around the Blogosphere
Jill at Jill’s Book Cafe
Deanna at DeesRadReads and Reviews
Amanda at Literary Weaponry
Susan at Susan Loves Books
Stephanie at Stephanie’s Novel Fiction
Abby at Crime By the Book
Cathy at Between the Lines
Delphine at Delphines Publications
[…] began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that […]
Sounds fantastic Renee! I’ve heard of Yocum but not read his books! I’m going to have to put him on my TBR list! 😀 Happy Thursday!
Here is my Throwback Thursday link: https://stephsfictionandfamilylove.wordpress.com/2017/06/22/throwback-thursday-book-pick/
Thanks Stephanie! I hope you put his books at the top of your tbr:) Especially A Brilliant Death, I think you’d really enjoy that one. Glad your back for more TBT!!
I’ll definitely put him close to the top of my TBR since right now it’s brimming, lol!
I love TBT! Thanks for hosting it every week 😄
[…] Thursday meme is hosted by Renee@It’s Book Talk and is a way to share some of your old favorites as well as sharing books that you want to […]
That sounds pretty good – and new to me!
It was really good Sarah, and I also highly recommend A Brilliant Death by him which was so unexpectedly great.
Sounds excellent! It’s always great when you find an author you feel you can rely on… 😀
This one definitely sounds like an excellent read!
It is Yvo, especially if you’re in the mystery mood!
Sounds like another good choice! I will be adding this one too 🙂
Thanks Deanna!!
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I’m not familiar with this author but it sounds like I should be.
He’s a really great writer Kathy! I really enjoy the way he plots his mysteries and I highly recommend his novel A Brilliant Death if you decide to pick one to try out:)
This sounds very good! I love waiting for consequences when something bad has happened and it’s only a matter of time, probably my sadistic side xD
I do to Donna, I really like reading about the moral dilemma’s involved, book characters can really get themselves into some bad situations!!
[…] began Throwback Thursday at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that […]
[…] Favorite Sons By Robin Yocum ( An enjoyable coming of age mystery by one of my new favorite authors, 4 Stars) […]
Always a satisfaction to review your material, appears you really do have an ability for creating excellent material!
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog and comment!
[…] Favorite Sons is such a wonderful mystery that takes place around 4 childhood friends involved in a death and a coverup which alternates between 1974 and 2004. This actually worked SO much better for me than the very similar storyline of The Chalk Man… […]