The Reading Bud

Book Blog by Heena Rathore-Pardeshi

Book Review: A Hero Dreams by Mark Ristau

Book Details:

Author: Mark Ristau
Release Date: 21st September 2017
Genre: Coming-Of-Age, Supernatural
Series: Hero’s Path (Book #1)
Format: E-book 
Pages: 288 pages
Publisher: 
Blurb:
Devastated by his father’s sudden death, eight-year-old Ricky begins to see things—a ghostly silhouette in his bedroom window, a gruesome train accident involving four local teenagers, a terrorist attack that won’t occur for another twenty-five years. After a traumatic incident at a New England summer camp, the visions become more frequent, more vivid, and more disturbing. A mysterious voice assures him everything will be okay if he crosses the “threshold.” But just what is the threshold? And what lies beyond? 

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award 
– Popular Fiction (Winner of Silver) 
National Indie Excellence Awards 
– New Fiction (Winner) and Visionary Fiction (Finalist) 
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 
– First Novel (Finalist) and Inspirational Fiction (Finalist) 
Best Book Awards 
– Best New Fiction (Finalist) and Visionary Fiction (Finalist) 

Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

A Hero Dreams by Mark Ristau is an imaginative and unique supernatural book about a protagonist that will remain in your heart long after you’ve put the book down.

This book is really well-written and has a brilliant concept, for the book itself as well as the series – from what can be seen as the foundational layout of the plot. The characterisation is good and I was able to connect and relate to the protagonist, Ricky, who is an 8-year-old kid on a path to something he cannot comprehend entirely for the most part. This raises the stakes in the story to a point where the book becomes unputdownable.

The only thing I had a problem with is the sexual abuse that kind of felt forced in the way to only drive the plot forward and justify the visions the kid has. This could have been tackled in a better way in my opinion. Apart from this, the book as pretty good.

I liked this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in this series to know what happens next in Ricky’s life. I’d definitely recommend it to readers of all genres as this book is a coming-of-age story that has a little something for every reader. Though if child sexual abuse is a trigger for you then you might want to reconsider.


You can also read this review on:

Goodreads


Amazon


I love reading your comments, so please go ahead…

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I’m Heena

Welcome to The Reading Bud, my cosy corner of the internet dedicated to all things books and authors. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of discovering under-represented books, independent and small press authors, and all things book with a touch of love and loud purrs. Let’s get Reading!

Book of the Month

Read this captivating story on the adventures and hardships of Frank Knightlite, a man who strives to illuminate darkness with his lantern in search of answers to life’s questions.
You can get it here.
September 2021
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  

Reading is like breathing to me.

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima

    Author: Margaret Mizushima Release Date: 11th September 2018 Genre: Suspence, Mystery, Thriller Series: Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #4 Edition: e-book Pages: 280 Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Blurb: Featuring Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo, Burning Ridge by critically…

  • Book Review: Shadow Killer: A Silo Story by David R. Larson

    Author: David R. Larson Release Date: 7th October 2018 Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 89 Publisher: – Blurb: The silo is full of secrets. Deadly secrets. Growing up in this world is hard enough for a regular…

  • Book Review Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise by Paul Briggs

    Author: Paul Briggs Release Date: 15th June 2018 Genre: Science-Fiction, Dystopia Series: Altered Seasons (Book #1) Edition: e-book Pages: 394 Publisher: Secant Publishing LLC Blurb: Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise is a top recommendation for cli-fi (climate change fiction) readers…

  • Book Review: Mermaids Are Real: The Mystiq Prong by Bo Wu

    Author: Bo Wu Release Date: 23rd July 2018 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 342 Publisher: – Blurb: “’Crabs talk?’ asked Benji. ‘Everything in nature speaks. Not everything in nature listens,’ said Octavius nodding Topside.” Benji Fisher…

  • Book Review: Madrone by Jack B. Rochester

    Author: Jack B. Rochester Release Date: 15th July 2014 Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 340 Publisher: Wheatmark Blurb: The year is 1969. After an interminable four years under the boot of the US military,…