Thursday, May 30, 2013

Love Thug by Daniel Berenson



 

Billy Cantrell is in love, un-requited love, the worse kind.   His heart burns with passion and un-met longings that he is incapable of understanding.  All he knows is that he must, absolutely must possess the unreachable, impeccable Veronica!

         This book is the tawdry tale of a love smitten teen and his attempts to transform himself from well thought of boy to the Love Thug in order to win the admiration of the fair Veronica. 

     Daniel Berenson has crafted a work that will resonate with those of us who have survived our teen years.  It is a rare adult who can get into the head of the young and grab their attention.   The story has such a familiar feel because all of us who survived the hormonal debacles of middle school or junior high can relate to Billy Cantrell’s feelings.

    What provides the humor is the manner in which Billy tries to change himself to a James Dean/Fonsie type of character.  Of course reference to either will immediately cause a look of consternation on the average teen who has never heard of either bad boy.   Heck even Kurt Cobain is ancient history to the current crop of middle schoolers.

      I think this book will pique the psychic of the teen reader and convulse him with laughter when Billy works his less than successful magic.    Berenson is in touch with his inner child and it shows.  This is an amusing tale and doesn’t stoop to the antics illustrated by much of the supposed juvenile literature.  This is not Capt. Underpants or Whimpy Willie.   Billy Cantrell stands tall as an anti-antihero.



    BTW I am impressed with how Mr. Berenson has crafted such a different story than Firebug which I also enjoyed. 



I highly recommend both.




I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review but if you read my reviews it should be apparent I strive for honesty in all my reviews regardless of the source of the book.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

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