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The Confession of Hemingway Jones
It’s time to raise the dead.
Moments after a devastating car accident kills his father, 17-year-old Hemingway Jones takes his father’s body to Lifebank, the cryogenic preservation research center where he interns. Hijacking the lab in a desperate attempt to reverse the natural order, Hemingway holds police and medics at bay as he works to revive his father. As dawn breaks, the heart monitor beeps, and his father slowly creeps back to life.
Days later, Hemingway arrives at the hospital to learn that his father’s skin has turned ashen gray, he can’t exist in temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and hydrogen sulfide has become his only source of food. Facing arrest for his reckless actions, Hemingway is offered a proposal by the billionaire owner to recreate the experiment he swore he’d never do again, or go to prison, leaving his father to die a second time.
Moments after a devastating car accident kills his father, 17-year-old Hemingway Jones takes his father’s body to Lifebank, the cryogenic preservation research center where he interns. Hijacking the lab in a desperate attempt to reverse the natural order, Hemingway holds police and medics at bay as he works to revive his father. As dawn breaks, the heart monitor beeps, and his father slowly creeps back to life.
Days later, Hemingway arrives at the hospital to learn that his father’s skin has turned ashen gray, he can’t exist in temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and hydrogen sulfide has become his only source of food. Facing arrest for his reckless actions, Hemingway is offered a proposal by the billionaire owner to recreate the experiment he swore he’d never do again, or go to prison, leaving his father to die a second time.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2023
3 people are currently reading
4499 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 28, 2023
I was provided an ARC of this copy for free by the author and R&R Book Tours for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book follows 17 year old Hemingway Jones setting out to cheat death by way of using the questionable knowledge he’d garnered during his internship at Lifebank biotech research lab himself to try to revive his very much deceased father after mistakingly causing the car accident that stole his life.
By some miracle of science, Hemingway gets his dads heart beating again, but not before he was discovered by the authorities and scientists from the research center. Hemm just wanted his dad back, but instead he ended up arrested, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.
There are more questions than Hemingway can begin to answer, and what’s worse is that a group of scientists sets out to replicate what he achieved, of course dragging Hemingway and his dad along for the ride. Of course they get a whole lot more than they bargained for.
Hemingway took me on a wild ride from the first chapter. There was a lot of action, some really vivid descriptions, and relatable characters; at times Hemingway’s thoughts and feelings came across palpable enough that I could imagine enduring them myself.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of or looking for a fast paced sci-fi read that reads very much like an insanely descriptive and kind of chaotic confession.
Thank you so much to R&R Book Tours and the author for the gifted copy!
This book follows 17 year old Hemingway Jones setting out to cheat death by way of using the questionable knowledge he’d garnered during his internship at Lifebank biotech research lab himself to try to revive his very much deceased father after mistakingly causing the car accident that stole his life.
By some miracle of science, Hemingway gets his dads heart beating again, but not before he was discovered by the authorities and scientists from the research center. Hemm just wanted his dad back, but instead he ended up arrested, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.
There are more questions than Hemingway can begin to answer, and what’s worse is that a group of scientists sets out to replicate what he achieved, of course dragging Hemingway and his dad along for the ride. Of course they get a whole lot more than they bargained for.
Hemingway took me on a wild ride from the first chapter. There was a lot of action, some really vivid descriptions, and relatable characters; at times Hemingway’s thoughts and feelings came across palpable enough that I could imagine enduring them myself.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of or looking for a fast paced sci-fi read that reads very much like an insanely descriptive and kind of chaotic confession.
Thank you so much to R&R Book Tours and the author for the gifted copy!
October 5, 2023
I want to start off by saying that I received ebook arc in return. From the author and RRBooktours. For my honest thoughts and review. But honestly I had to buy my own copy. After reading this book. Definitely will be adding future books from this author.
This is very different kind of book for me. The characters and the world the author created. I usually don’t read science fiction. But the cover alone drew me in. Yes this book took me a little longer. I didn’t want this book to end. But I did needed to know what was going to happen next.
About Book:
This book follows a seventeen Hemingway Jones who made a mistake one evening. The lab that Hemingway works for. Is trying over and over to recreate what Hemingway did to his father.
Hemingway becomes friends with Melissa who own sister who is also dying.
Trying to make things right and protect his dad at the same time.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you again to the author and RRbooktours for allowing me the opportunity to read such amazing book.
Sorry for posting my review late.
This is very different kind of book for me. The characters and the world the author created. I usually don’t read science fiction. But the cover alone drew me in. Yes this book took me a little longer. I didn’t want this book to end. But I did needed to know what was going to happen next.
About Book:
This book follows a seventeen Hemingway Jones who made a mistake one evening. The lab that Hemingway works for. Is trying over and over to recreate what Hemingway did to his father.
Hemingway becomes friends with Melissa who own sister who is also dying.
Trying to make things right and protect his dad at the same time.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you again to the author and RRbooktours for allowing me the opportunity to read such amazing book.
Sorry for posting my review late.
September 26, 2023
“Death is a process, rather than a singular event. And a process can be interrupted.”
This is a perfect YA Sci-fi for chilly autumn days. I love Frankenstein and its' adaptations, and this was an interesting take on that story, modern day(my favourite kind) and starts with a confession, which promises right away that the book is going to be a captivating read.
Hemingway Jones didn't plan on playing a god and reviving his dad, but he did and now everyone either hates him and his creation, or wants him to recreate the process to get that extra life most people seem to desire.
There's a supernatural development that made me so excited for that storyline, it's my favourite, not sure if it'll be considered a spoiler so I will keep it to myself, but it is good! Even better, there's a beautiful revenge type scene near the end and it was so satisfying. I was really happy for that character, even though I wanted to have more time with them, it was a perfect ending (maybe it doesn't need to end there? Sequel, hopefully?)
I fell in love with the cover, the death themes of this book, is there life after death? Is it still called living if it doesn't really look and act like a human? It was fascinating to read about a teen deal with adults while still trying to have a normal date with a girl.
Also, there was a character death that destroyed me, I was bawling my eyes out at 2AM in my room, even though I didn't think about that character much before.
"His grayness overwhelmed, even in the tone-on-tone gray of that meat locker. The creases and folds in his skin created hungry shadows, while his now-hairless dome and yellowed eyes only aggravated his dehumanization. He did look like a monster. A zombie. The undead. Pick your nightmare."
Oh, I love this quote so much, it's beautiful, this book is my kind of nightmare, life and death mixed and the lines blurred and faith tested. I would love to read more.
It won't be truly my review if I don't mention it, there was one mention of vegans, not in a good context, and animal testing and death was gut wrenching for me, I feel like the story wouldn't have suffered without those, but it's also used to describe a character and their ideology, so me complaining about it doesn't change anything. I guess that's just me.
This is a perfect YA Sci-fi for chilly autumn days. I love Frankenstein and its' adaptations, and this was an interesting take on that story, modern day(my favourite kind) and starts with a confession, which promises right away that the book is going to be a captivating read.
Hemingway Jones didn't plan on playing a god and reviving his dad, but he did and now everyone either hates him and his creation, or wants him to recreate the process to get that extra life most people seem to desire.
There's a supernatural development that made me so excited for that storyline, it's my favourite, not sure if it'll be considered a spoiler so I will keep it to myself, but it is good! Even better, there's a beautiful revenge type scene near the end and it was so satisfying. I was really happy for that character, even though I wanted to have more time with them, it was a perfect ending (maybe it doesn't need to end there? Sequel, hopefully?)
I fell in love with the cover, the death themes of this book, is there life after death? Is it still called living if it doesn't really look and act like a human? It was fascinating to read about a teen deal with adults while still trying to have a normal date with a girl.
Also, there was a character death that destroyed me, I was bawling my eyes out at 2AM in my room, even though I didn't think about that character much before.
"His grayness overwhelmed, even in the tone-on-tone gray of that meat locker. The creases and folds in his skin created hungry shadows, while his now-hairless dome and yellowed eyes only aggravated his dehumanization. He did look like a monster. A zombie. The undead. Pick your nightmare."
Oh, I love this quote so much, it's beautiful, this book is my kind of nightmare, life and death mixed and the lines blurred and faith tested. I would love to read more.
It won't be truly my review if I don't mention it, there was one mention of vegans, not in a good context, and animal testing and death was gut wrenching for me, I feel like the story wouldn't have suffered without those, but it's also used to describe a character and their ideology, so me complaining about it doesn't change anything. I guess that's just me.
October 31, 2023
The Confession of Hemingway Jones by Kathleen Hannon is outstanding. It’s a book you pick up to read the first page and come to 10 minutes later having devoured whole chapters. The story is equal parts entertaining, interesting, and enjoyable, with laugh-out-loud moments and poignancy throughout.
Hannon doesn’t shy away from posing hard questions that have you wondering what you’d do in any of the characters’ situations. Hannon sets a fast pace for the story from the beginning, but pumps the brakes at all the right times.
In 17-year-old Hemingway, the book’s protagonist, Hannon has written a complex character that feels like a real person. I spent half the book wanting to punch him and the other half wanting to give him a big hug. That’s the most realistic reaction to a 17-year-old I can imagine. Hannon tells Hemingway’s story with humanity, giving him space to grow from impulsive, self-centered adolescent to a loving, gracious son and friend by book’s end.
The dialog and relationships between the characters ring true, showing Hannon’s insight into how real, ordinary people would react in extraordinary situations.
The deep level of research done on biotech, law enforcement practices, and chemistry is what gives the story its believability. No need for the usual suspension of disbelief with sci-fi books, when all the science and scenarios seem completely plausible.
Hannon’s appreciation of the Concord, North Carolina region shows in her detailed descriptions of the people, landscape, flora, and fauna of the area. Her vivid descriptions help you enter the story with all five senses.
Not surprising due to Hannon’s Hollywood background, The Confession of Hemingway Jones is written so visually, and the characters so artistically rendered, it plays like a movie in your head as you read it. It would make a block-buster movie for sure!
I loved this book, and recommend it broadly to book clubs, readers, and all appreciators of a good story and excellent writing.
Hannon doesn’t shy away from posing hard questions that have you wondering what you’d do in any of the characters’ situations. Hannon sets a fast pace for the story from the beginning, but pumps the brakes at all the right times.
In 17-year-old Hemingway, the book’s protagonist, Hannon has written a complex character that feels like a real person. I spent half the book wanting to punch him and the other half wanting to give him a big hug. That’s the most realistic reaction to a 17-year-old I can imagine. Hannon tells Hemingway’s story with humanity, giving him space to grow from impulsive, self-centered adolescent to a loving, gracious son and friend by book’s end.
The dialog and relationships between the characters ring true, showing Hannon’s insight into how real, ordinary people would react in extraordinary situations.
The deep level of research done on biotech, law enforcement practices, and chemistry is what gives the story its believability. No need for the usual suspension of disbelief with sci-fi books, when all the science and scenarios seem completely plausible.
Hannon’s appreciation of the Concord, North Carolina region shows in her detailed descriptions of the people, landscape, flora, and fauna of the area. Her vivid descriptions help you enter the story with all five senses.
Not surprising due to Hannon’s Hollywood background, The Confession of Hemingway Jones is written so visually, and the characters so artistically rendered, it plays like a movie in your head as you read it. It would make a block-buster movie for sure!
I loved this book, and recommend it broadly to book clubs, readers, and all appreciators of a good story and excellent writing.
September 29, 2023
The Confession of Hemingway Jones is a YA Sci-Fi centered around 17-year-old Hemingway Jones. A car crash claims the life of his father, but Hemingway has a plan. Dashing to the research center his dad works for, he manages to bring his father back to life. But things go awry quickly as his father's condition deteriorates, and Hemingway is faced with a choice: go to prison and leave his dad to die a second time, or replicate the experiment for the owner of the lab.
This is a fast paced, fly by the seat of your pants book. Hemingway himself is a beautifully fleshed out character. He is an intelligent young man with the full spectrum of emotions on display. You really feel for the guy as he battles his against guilt for everything that is happening. The supernatural makes an appearance, something I always love. With this being a debut novel, Hannon should be very proud of herself. I will keep my eye out for her books in the future.
Thank you to R&R Book Tours and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.
This is a fast paced, fly by the seat of your pants book. Hemingway himself is a beautifully fleshed out character. He is an intelligent young man with the full spectrum of emotions on display. You really feel for the guy as he battles his against guilt for everything that is happening. The supernatural makes an appearance, something I always love. With this being a debut novel, Hannon should be very proud of herself. I will keep my eye out for her books in the future.
Thank you to R&R Book Tours and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.
May 8, 2023
One of several books I'm reading to prepare for a panel discussion with the authors and this one was epically creative and insanely thought provoking- giving certain Frankenstein vibes but a nice update to a story like The Adoration of Jenna Fox that I recommend to teens frequently.
In this one, the future is now and Hemingway is using the company in their podunk town that he does an internship with to try to reverse (read: cheat) death after he accidentally kills his father and after losing his mother, he doesn't want to be alone. What he gets when he tries the serums and injections at the facility is a father, but is it really him and why are people so interested in what he's done? Plus, what does he still have to cover up?
It's a ride for sure!
In this one, the future is now and Hemingway is using the company in their podunk town that he does an internship with to try to reverse (read: cheat) death after he accidentally kills his father and after losing his mother, he doesn't want to be alone. What he gets when he tries the serums and injections at the facility is a father, but is it really him and why are people so interested in what he's done? Plus, what does he still have to cover up?
It's a ride for sure!
June 21, 2023
From its gripping and dramatic opening on, The Confession of Hemingway Jones is hard to put down. The premise of the story is underscored with a kind of chilling humor as Hemingway inadvertently kills his father and then revives him in the biotech lab where he works. Hemingway's voice is distinctive, with a smartass bravado that we plumb deeper as the story continues, as Hemingway struggles with the ethics of his decisions, his bond with his father, and his attempt to navigate a new romance, gradually revealing the sensitivity under his seeming nonchalance. I loved the way this action-packed Frankenstein story brought together elements of science fiction, horror, romance, and contemporary YA as it raises questions about how far we should go to save others and the ways that our understanding of ethics lag behind technology and scientific development.
September 28, 2023
If you enjoy sci-fi stories like Frankenstein, then you'll probably enjoy this one too. A more modern take on the idea of science taking things too far, and bringing the dead back to life, the MC in this one was driven by grief, but faced with consequences he'd never considered. I love that this isn't someone losing a spouse (a la Mr Freeze) but a kid just desperately trying to get back a parent. It adds a nice twist to the raising the dead and playing with forces of life/death trope. Hannon did an excellent job of bringing the story to life, and it was easy to like Hemingway, he's a smart teen, but at his core, he's just a teen who wanted his dad back. There are a few twists that will make it hard to put the book down once you start reading, so make sure you set aside quite a bit of time before you crack this one open. The perfect read for a stormy night!
October 8, 2023
I went into this book with no expectations, and it still managed to surpass them! Part of me wishes I had read it sooner, but most of me is so glad I didn’t because it’s a perfect Fall pre-Halloween read with the perfect combination of creepiness, suspense, humor, and heart. Also, Kathleen Hannon’s writing is superb. I loved the distinctive voice of the characters and the hints to bigger questions and statements on life that were enough to get me thinking but not too much to feel preachy.
Definitely give this book a try! It’s a fast read that pushes you to the edge of your seat and makes you want to know more about the characters and story. I can’t wait for Hannon’s future books!
Definitely give this book a try! It’s a fast read that pushes you to the edge of your seat and makes you want to know more about the characters and story. I can’t wait for Hannon’s future books!
August 1, 2023
I am easily scared, so I don't usually read books about the supernatural. The opening page of The Confession of Hemingway Jones blew me away, though, and I had no choice but to read on. The supersmart, snarky teen voice of Hemingway Jones is unforgettable and leads the reader through this story like the Pied Piper. This is a modern day Frankenstein story with powerful writing and more twists than a Rubik's Cube. The scenario for raising the dead is made so realistic by detail that you never doubt this could really happen and in fact maybe it already is. Highly recommend.
October 4, 2023
What a perfect book to read at the start of the spooky season! You want to talk about a monster of a book, let me tell you, this is the one! From the first page to the last I was on the edge of my seat. One of those books that you say to yourself, "Oh, just one more chapter." Then an hour flies by. Kathleen Hannon weaves a web of terror, horror, science, science fiction, humor and incredible sadness into this YA treasure. A great read for all.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 26, 2023
I was lucky enough to read the ARC of this wonderful YA book! What a page turner and such an original concept for a novel idea! I could totally see this turned into a movie! 17-year-old Hemingway Jones must bring his father back to life after killing him in a devastating car accident at a cryogenic preservation company where he interns. This is Frankenstein mixed with the one of my kids’ favorite movie, Onward.
June 29, 2023
I was lucky to receive an ARC of this book and I had such a fun time reading. After his father dies in a car accident, Hemingway Jones brings him back to life using the technology at the cryogenic lab where he interns. Jones is reckless, smart, and determined, which is the driving force of this modern-day Frankenstein tale. Romance, sci-fi, and a fantastic dry-humor voice, this book will have you on the edge of your seat from page one.
October 23, 2023
If you like your sci-fi character driven and thought-provoking,this one is for you! As a big fan of the Twilight Zone, I definitely felt those tense "what-if" vibes that have left me thinking over the complex dilemmas long after I finished the book. The narrator is flawed and endearing, the romance is believable and interesting, and the ethical questions are complex. Highly recommended!
May 5, 2025
Modern take on Frankenstein. Hemingway revives his dead father and now a biotech company wants to harass the technology. Raising the dead is not easy and there are unforeseen consequences. Of course all people would want this power but Hemingway realizes that might not be the best thing for mankind. Clever twist. Good pace. Well written. Recommend.
November 4, 2023
What if you could raise the dead, would you do it? I can imagine I would
Also interesting to think: how would it change a person? I don't think it would come with the special abilities, described in this book. But who cares? I like the idea. I also like the characters.
4 stars.
Also interesting to think: how would it change a person? I don't think it would come with the special abilities, described in this book. But who cares? I like the idea. I also like the characters.
4 stars.
October 16, 2024
The story and ideas are well written but I despise characters who won’t tell anyone anything. I get that there’s some need by the author to make a final reveal in a mystery and terms are surly in general but it just feels lazy when the “protagonist” won’t even talk to their friends or family
November 29, 2023
What a cool premise? The writing style is intriguing... if you like sci-fi and YA, I recommend this journey into the what-if
October 3, 2025
Such a creative concept! The writing was smooth, easy to sink into, and I flew through it. I really enjoyed this one—it hit that sweet spot of being clever but still super readable.
Honestly, I’d love to see it expanded into a full series, because there’s so much more I’d want to explore in this world.
Honestly, I’d love to see it expanded into a full series, because there’s so much more I’d want to explore in this world.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews