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Burger Heaven Series #1
Pennies from Burger Heaven
Eleven-year-old Copper Daniels is homeless and alone. She spends her nights sleeping beneath the cemetery’s Warrior Angel statue for protection, and her days battling the mean streets of Remington, Texas, hell-bent on discovering what happened the night her Mama disappeared. While Copper and her rag-tag group of friends find danger at every corner, two horror are certain: her Mama’s really missing and someone’s after Copper, too.
In the tradition of The Lovely Bones and Room, Pennies from Burger Heaven tells a dark story through the eyes of a child. With wit and wisdom, Copper Daniels will steal your heart, then break it in two.
In the tradition of The Lovely Bones and Room, Pennies from Burger Heaven tells a dark story through the eyes of a child. With wit and wisdom, Copper Daniels will steal your heart, then break it in two.
344 pages, ebook
First published December 28, 2015
151 people are currently reading
860 people want to read
About the author
Marcy McKay
8 books52 followersLIKE FREE STUFF? Grab your FREE copy of Marcy's workbook, When Life Feels Like a House Fire: Transforming Your COVID-19 Stress, (all the assessments, worksheets and exercises from her book by the same name). GRAB IT HERE: https://marcymckay.com
Marcy McKay has survived both a house fire and raising two teenagers, though she's not sure which was worse. She's an award-winning author, speaker, and coach. Her debut novel, Pennies from Burger Heaven has 300+ reviews, and her first nonfiction book, When Life Feels Like a House Fire: Transforming Your COVID-19 Stress has rave reviews. Marcy and her husband live on the rim of Palo Duro Canyon with a codependent pug, while their grown kids are off making better choices than Marcy did at their age.
AWARDS:
Winner - Shelf Unbound
Finalist - USA Best Book Awards, General Fiction
FOLLOW MARCY:
http://www.marcymckay.com/
https://www.instagram.com/marcymmckay/
https://www.facebook.com/Marcy-McKay-...
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Marcy McKay has survived both a house fire and raising two teenagers, though she's not sure which was worse. She's an award-winning author, speaker, and coach. Her debut novel, Pennies from Burger Heaven has 300+ reviews, and her first nonfiction book, When Life Feels Like a House Fire: Transforming Your COVID-19 Stress has rave reviews. Marcy and her husband live on the rim of Palo Duro Canyon with a codependent pug, while their grown kids are off making better choices than Marcy did at their age.
AWARDS:
Winner - Shelf Unbound
Finalist - USA Best Book Awards, General Fiction
FOLLOW MARCY:
http://www.marcymckay.com/
https://www.instagram.com/marcymmckay/
https://www.facebook.com/Marcy-McKay-...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marcy...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
December 17, 2015
This book brought me to tears then turned around and made me laugh so many times. Copper is one of the most authentic and relatable young characters I've read in years. Her voice is so real, it's as if you can *hear* her talking directly to you. In some ways -- though her circumstances are vastly different -- she reminded me of Jem Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird": Precocious and mouthy, with a wisdom beyond her years, but still endearingly naive. The mystery Copper's struggling to solve has so many twists, it will keep you guessing until the end. Can't wait to read more from Marcy McKay!
January 12, 2020
Enjoyable reading
This book has it all. And at every turn and twist I came to the wrong conclusion about what had happened and who had done what to who. Was more than a little surprised at the end
This book has it all. And at every turn and twist I came to the wrong conclusion about what had happened and who had done what to who. Was more than a little surprised at the end
March 9, 2017
Omg Where and How does one begin tell how much this book will impact a reader? It's one of those that rips your heart and stomps on it but yet you gotta tell others they must read this book Pennies from Burger Heaven. This book has gave me a whole new outlook on Poor City areas and the Homeless. Copper grabs and plucks your heartstrings as does her colorful friends you meet along the way. Although the book does end bittersweet it is well worth one's time to read this poignant book for it will forever stay in a readers heart and mind. I really am at a loss of words to describe how this book touched my heart in a most profound way
December 17, 2015
Homeless eleven year old Copper Daniels' courageous search for her missing mother takes us on a wild ride through mean streets filled with zany characters both good and evil. At once disturbing and exhilarating, heartbreaking and heartwarming, Pennies is the story of an undying love between a mother and daughter. It grabs you by the heartstrings from the start and won't let you go, even after you've read the last word.
December 18, 2015
Copper Daniel's has one of the most unique, authentic character voices I've read in a very long time. She is both tough and tender-hearted, and her perspective of her world and the people in it is hilarious one minute, and soul-wrenching the next. I love so much about this unique, quirky, thought-provoking, magical story! Highly recommended.
December 20, 2015
In this gritty, touching story about Copper Daniels, a tough as nails, no-nonsense street kid in search of her missing mother, Marcy McKay delivers a book readers will find difficult to put down. Her poignant storytelling makes it equally hard to forget long-past the end of the story.
Being homeless isn't a piece of cake for anyone, but life is especially difficult for Copper and her flighty, troubled mother. By day they rely on the kind donations of strangers as they stand at the intersection in front of Burger Heaven restaurant, but as the day wears on Copper often ends up in knots from her mother's methods of getting by in the world on her own terms. Despite her mama's seemingly selfish choices, she always tries to make sure they have a safe place to sleep each night, even if 99 percent of the time it is beneath the statue of the Warrior Angel at the Eternal Peace cemetery. Copper finds some comfort there, tucked in among the Somebodies and the Nobodies, where beneath each headstone lies a story. At least until the morning she awakens to discover the mother that never leaves her side is missing.
The action is non stop from there as we follow Copper and her search for her mother through a world full of colorful and unique characters in a vivid and sometimes dark setting. McKay's ability to deliver suspense and tug at your heartstrings throughout is top-notch. The strong voice of this author commands a reader's attention.
Definitely a keeper.
Being homeless isn't a piece of cake for anyone, but life is especially difficult for Copper and her flighty, troubled mother. By day they rely on the kind donations of strangers as they stand at the intersection in front of Burger Heaven restaurant, but as the day wears on Copper often ends up in knots from her mother's methods of getting by in the world on her own terms. Despite her mama's seemingly selfish choices, she always tries to make sure they have a safe place to sleep each night, even if 99 percent of the time it is beneath the statue of the Warrior Angel at the Eternal Peace cemetery. Copper finds some comfort there, tucked in among the Somebodies and the Nobodies, where beneath each headstone lies a story. At least until the morning she awakens to discover the mother that never leaves her side is missing.
The action is non stop from there as we follow Copper and her search for her mother through a world full of colorful and unique characters in a vivid and sometimes dark setting. McKay's ability to deliver suspense and tug at your heartstrings throughout is top-notch. The strong voice of this author commands a reader's attention.
Definitely a keeper.
January 4, 2020
As an editor, I spend a lot of time reading books I get paid to read. That doesn't leave a lot of time for reading books for the sheer enjoyment of it. When I read the description of Pennies from Burger Heaven, I thought it would be a book I would actually enjoy reading, and I was right. I LOVED it. I fell in love with the main character, a young homeless girl named Copper Daniels. Every time she wished she was braver, I wanted to crawl into the story and tell her just how brave she was. Every choice she made took courage, even the bad ones.
This book really tugged on my heartstrings. There are passages that are at once lovely and sad, and I had real, visceral, emotional reactions. I laughed, I got mad, I felt disappointment, and said "nooooooo" out loud a time or two. I got choked up in places and even shed a few tears.
Pennies from Burger Heaven is a story I won't soon forget. The author has done well with some hard realities. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
This book really tugged on my heartstrings. There are passages that are at once lovely and sad, and I had real, visceral, emotional reactions. I laughed, I got mad, I felt disappointment, and said "nooooooo" out loud a time or two. I got choked up in places and even shed a few tears.
Pennies from Burger Heaven is a story I won't soon forget. The author has done well with some hard realities. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
February 5, 2017
*I received this book for free from the author, in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.
This was the first book I read, on 1st January, and what a great start to the new year it was. If all the other books I read this year are only half as good as this one, then I'll feel very happy.
This novel is the literary equivalent of a Jaffa Cake. This is meant as a compliment, if you're unfortunate enough to not know what a Jaffa Cake is. Pennies from Burger Heaven is bittersweet (the dark, crackly chocolate), delightful and funny (the light sponge), as well as tart and provocative (the SMASHING ORANGEY BIT!). In fact, I'm eating some Jaffa Cakes right now ;-)
The action kicks off right from the start, with our streetwise, loveable protagonist Copper Daniels searching for her missing mother. A thread of magical realism runs throughout the book, all the way through to the satisfying denoument.
The author gives us an unflinchingly gritty insight into the realities of homelessness. Topics such as drug addiction and prostitution are never treated in a gratuitous manner. In fact, I felt only sympathy for the people caught up in this life. Although I don't have any personal experience with drugs, a guy I used to work with confided in me a few times about his past drug addiction. To his colleagues, he's a cheerful, happy-go-lucky, family man, and I never guessed any differently until his confession. He must've really needed someone to talk to, and I got the impression he'd been bottling it up for a long time. I wasn't at all prepared for what I was about to hear, and what he told me left me sick to the stomach. The things people are prepared to do to get their next fix... It's a horrible, sordid existence, which robs people of even the concept of human dignity.
Another factor of homelessness that the book addresses is one that's been overlooked for far too long. Women, of course, suffer the extra difficulty of dealing with menstruation. This topic has received more attention recently, such as via this initiative: The Homeless Period.
Copper's voice is strong and authentic, and the action never lets up. This had me continuously turning pages, and I finished the book in one day. I won't spoil anything here, so I'll just say that there were two characters in particular I really loved, right from their first appearances, so I was incredibly happy that they each had a big part to play in Pennies.
The not-so-good:
Tommy Tucker's nickname seemed unnecessarily cruel. I winced a little each time I heard it.
There were numerous typos, as well as formatting and grammatical errors, which were distracting and took me out of the story. They were scattered throughout, and I couldn't ignore them but instead had to pause and note them all down in my Kindle. Some examples of what I mean: unnecessary commas and apostrophes, random full stops in the middle of sentences, missing full stops, missing words, "blonde" instead of "blond" for a boy, changing from past to present tense in the same paragraph, etc.
There were also a few continuity errors. In Chapter 15, Another occurs in Chapter 25 This is a real shame, because the author is clearly talented, and her writing has a beautiful, lyrical quality to it. If it had been properly proofread and edited, the book could've really shone. Without these errors, this would've been a solid 5 stars from me, but they really did affect my enjoyment of the book, so I've knocked off a star for those reasons. Despite these issues, I adored this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
To sum up: this is a happy, sad, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming, moving, poignant, beautiful, important novel. All these weeks later, and I still catch myself at random moments during the day thinking about Copper and wondering how she is doing nowadays. Highly recommended!
This was the first book I read, on 1st January, and what a great start to the new year it was. If all the other books I read this year are only half as good as this one, then I'll feel very happy.
This novel is the literary equivalent of a Jaffa Cake. This is meant as a compliment, if you're unfortunate enough to not know what a Jaffa Cake is. Pennies from Burger Heaven is bittersweet (the dark, crackly chocolate), delightful and funny (the light sponge), as well as tart and provocative (the SMASHING ORANGEY BIT!). In fact, I'm eating some Jaffa Cakes right now ;-)
The action kicks off right from the start, with our streetwise, loveable protagonist Copper Daniels searching for her missing mother. A thread of magical realism runs throughout the book, all the way through to the satisfying denoument.
The author gives us an unflinchingly gritty insight into the realities of homelessness. Topics such as drug addiction and prostitution are never treated in a gratuitous manner. In fact, I felt only sympathy for the people caught up in this life. Although I don't have any personal experience with drugs, a guy I used to work with confided in me a few times about his past drug addiction. To his colleagues, he's a cheerful, happy-go-lucky, family man, and I never guessed any differently until his confession. He must've really needed someone to talk to, and I got the impression he'd been bottling it up for a long time. I wasn't at all prepared for what I was about to hear, and what he told me left me sick to the stomach. The things people are prepared to do to get their next fix... It's a horrible, sordid existence, which robs people of even the concept of human dignity.
Another factor of homelessness that the book addresses is one that's been overlooked for far too long. Women, of course, suffer the extra difficulty of dealing with menstruation. This topic has received more attention recently, such as via this initiative: The Homeless Period.
Copper's voice is strong and authentic, and the action never lets up. This had me continuously turning pages, and I finished the book in one day. I won't spoil anything here, so I'll just say that there were two characters in particular I really loved, right from their first appearances, so I was incredibly happy that they each had a big part to play in Pennies.
The not-so-good:
Tommy Tucker's nickname seemed unnecessarily cruel. I winced a little each time I heard it.
There were numerous typos, as well as formatting and grammatical errors, which were distracting and took me out of the story. They were scattered throughout, and I couldn't ignore them but instead had to pause and note them all down in my Kindle. Some examples of what I mean: unnecessary commas and apostrophes, random full stops in the middle of sentences, missing full stops, missing words, "blonde" instead of "blond" for a boy, changing from past to present tense in the same paragraph, etc.
There were also a few continuity errors. In Chapter 15, Another occurs in Chapter 25 This is a real shame, because the author is clearly talented, and her writing has a beautiful, lyrical quality to it. If it had been properly proofread and edited, the book could've really shone. Without these errors, this would've been a solid 5 stars from me, but they really did affect my enjoyment of the book, so I've knocked off a star for those reasons. Despite these issues, I adored this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
To sum up: this is a happy, sad, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming, moving, poignant, beautiful, important novel. All these weeks later, and I still catch myself at random moments during the day thinking about Copper and wondering how she is doing nowadays. Highly recommended!
February 26, 2016
This is one those books that come along and don't let you go. Deep emotion seeps from the pages and fills your soul. Imagine being homeless and alone with no one you can trust at 11 years old. That's the situation Cooper Daniels found herself in. She and her mother made the cemetery her home until her mother suddenly vanishes. You feel her panic as she searches everywhere for the person who is her lifeline to a tiny bit of security. As she desperately tries to find Corrine, she encounters drugs, violence and rape. Then a red target is on Copper's back. Who can she turn to for help? She trusts no one.
I applaud Ms McKay for shining a light on the homeless and their hopeless plight. And for using humor to lighten the gripping prose. I'm recommending this to all readers who appreciate a rare book. Ms McKay has a wonderful gift for storytelling. The book is fast-paced and the ending will leave you breathless.
I applaud Ms McKay for shining a light on the homeless and their hopeless plight. And for using humor to lighten the gripping prose. I'm recommending this to all readers who appreciate a rare book. Ms McKay has a wonderful gift for storytelling. The book is fast-paced and the ending will leave you breathless.
February 6, 2016
This was a very emotional book, and some parts were hard to get through. A girl and her mother are living in a cemetery. The mom is a prostitute, and a drug addict, but she takes care of her daughter the best that she can, and wants her daughter do better than her mom. The characters are very well described. It tells what it's like to be living on the streets, and the free meals. I about froze sleeping in a tent on a cold ground. It's hard to imagine what it must be like for people living out in the cold through a whole winter. There are gangs of differing nationalities, who war on each other. There are men trying to turn little girls into prostitutes, and drug addicts. The little girl in this story is very tough and resourceful, but she has a dream of a normal life, with a house and a white picket fence.
January 4, 2020
Marcy McKay's debut novel "Pennies From Burger Heaven" is the most gripping and extraordinary book I have ever read.
Copper Daniels life and story grabbed hold of my heart in a way I've never experienced before.
What a roller coaster ride this phenomenal book will take you on. Being homeless isn't always a choice one makes, but a reality in which one is placed. To overcome all the trials and tribulations that come along in the world of the homeless, that becomes the necessity to stay alive.
As Copper says. "I may have grown up out here with the dead, but life is for living."
This book has touched me in the most profound way. I believe that Copper Daniels will live with me forever and I will never look at the homeless without thinking of Copper and her story. We are all God's children and the greatest gift he gave us was Love.
Copper Daniels life and story grabbed hold of my heart in a way I've never experienced before.
What a roller coaster ride this phenomenal book will take you on. Being homeless isn't always a choice one makes, but a reality in which one is placed. To overcome all the trials and tribulations that come along in the world of the homeless, that becomes the necessity to stay alive.
As Copper says. "I may have grown up out here with the dead, but life is for living."
This book has touched me in the most profound way. I believe that Copper Daniels will live with me forever and I will never look at the homeless without thinking of Copper and her story. We are all God's children and the greatest gift he gave us was Love.
December 8, 2016
The voice of the 11 year-old protagonist is uniquely clear. After reading that the girl wakes up in a cemetery and that the cemetery has been home for her mother and her, I couldn't resist delving into this story. I was never disappointed. The rising action was gripping and realistic. On a search for her missing mother Copper enlists a group of other children to help her negotiate the back alleys of the city's mean streets where drugs, prostitution, and gangs roam. There is evil lurking among the gravestones, which may destroy what little Copper has left in this world, her hope.
An ARC was provided to me from the author for an honest review.
An ARC was provided to me from the author for an honest review.
December 15, 2015
Debut novelist McKay infuses Pennies from Burger Heaven with wit, charm and moxie, so much so that the achingly beautifulness of Copper Daniels’ life sneaks up on you. All of this wrapped around a mystery that is fast-paced and rife with tension, with a satisfying series of twists. Can’t wait for the next Burger Heaven novel.
November 24, 2018
This book will leave you wondering how many homeless children there are in the United States and if it doesn't you may be part of the problem. At the time this book was written, one in every thirty citizens of the U.S. are homeless that is both sad and horrible. I can only pray that not many of those children live a life like character in this book, Copper Daniels. Copper Penny is what her mother called her and she kept a lucky penny in her pocket her mother gave her.
Eleven-year-old Copper Daniels lives on the street with her mother that struggles with addiction and the need to prostitute herself to rent the occasional motel room and to feed her addiction. Copper and her mother live in a cemetary under an Angel Warrior Statue so it can watch over them. One morning Cooper awakens in a motel room they had rented to find her mother missing. The story delves into Copper's daily reality in the streets of her hometown the only town she's ever known. Copper uses her knowledge of the TV series CIS and the aide of her street friends, a cemetery worker and a cop in the hunt for her mom. As the story goes on your introduced the gang violence, what the homeless go through just to get a free meal and the fact that they can trust no one, not even their own mom. Copper begins to find that her own mother had many secrets and she actually told many all out lies to Copper. This is a very fast passed book. One thing after another happens to poor Copper that will shock you. As deaths start piling up you'll begin to wonder if they'll find out where Copper's mother is and who is responsible for the missing and the deceased in the area.
This is an excellent read, heart wrenching, but excellent. I will think of Copper Penny Daniels everytime I see a stray penny or a homeless person.
Eleven-year-old Copper Daniels lives on the street with her mother that struggles with addiction and the need to prostitute herself to rent the occasional motel room and to feed her addiction. Copper and her mother live in a cemetary under an Angel Warrior Statue so it can watch over them. One morning Cooper awakens in a motel room they had rented to find her mother missing. The story delves into Copper's daily reality in the streets of her hometown the only town she's ever known. Copper uses her knowledge of the TV series CIS and the aide of her street friends, a cemetery worker and a cop in the hunt for her mom. As the story goes on your introduced the gang violence, what the homeless go through just to get a free meal and the fact that they can trust no one, not even their own mom. Copper begins to find that her own mother had many secrets and she actually told many all out lies to Copper. This is a very fast passed book. One thing after another happens to poor Copper that will shock you. As deaths start piling up you'll begin to wonder if they'll find out where Copper's mother is and who is responsible for the missing and the deceased in the area.
This is an excellent read, heart wrenching, but excellent. I will think of Copper Penny Daniels everytime I see a stray penny or a homeless person.
January 1, 2020
“My heart knows the truth about Mama now. She wasn’t perfect, but who is? We both tried our best and that’s what counts. I may have grown up out here with the dead, but life is for the living.”
This book shattered me. I read it in spurts, mostly through tears. And now that it’s done, it’s time for the next in the series. I’m glad Marcy McKay is going to be a regular in my repertoire. Highly recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
This book shattered me. I read it in spurts, mostly through tears. And now that it’s done, it’s time for the next in the series. I’m glad Marcy McKay is going to be a regular in my repertoire. Highly recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
December 24, 2019
Beautifully written. I look forward to the next one from this author.
March 14, 2016
FICTION (COMING OF AGE)
Marcy McKay
Pennies from Burger Heaven
SkipJack Publishing
Paperback, 978-1-939889-33-1 (also available as an e-book), 340 pgs., $12.99
December 18, 2015
Copper Daniels, a brash and scrappy eleven-year-old girl, and her mother, Corrine, are homeless. They sleep beneath a statue of an angel in a cemetery in the fictional Texas city of Remington. One morning Copper awakes alone. Corrine is missing and Copper, terrified that a her mother is one of the “Disappeareds,” the latest victim of a serial killer stalking the “Nobodies” of Remington, sets out to find her. Copper searches for clues to her mother’s disappearance while dodging pimps, junkies, the police, televangelists, and gangbangers who are also looking for Corrine. Copper, prickly and paranoid, must learn to trust someone besides herself, accept help, and be a better friend if she’s to survive the hunt.
Pennies from Burger Heaven, Marcy McKay’s first novel and the first in a planned series, won the Writers’ League of Texas Best Mainstream Novel manuscript contest in 2015. This is an almost unrelievedly grim and painful story. The relationship between Copper and her mother is not a proper one of parent and child. “We’re way more than mother and daughter,” Copper says proudly. “We’re business partners and best friends.” They panhandle for cash on street corners, and when that proves insufficient to support her mother’s meth addiction, Copper hides under the bed in by-the-hour motel rooms while Corrine earns more money on top of the bed.
Copper narrates Pennies from Burger Heaven. An extraordinarily bleak first-person narrative told from the point of view of a young child is a difficult technique that, in this case, seesaws between poignancy and cognitive dissonance. As children will, Copper blames herself for her mother’s troubles, but she is also conflicted as she realizes her mother’s betrayals. Copper’s inner monologue reflects the incomplete understanding and assumptions of a child attempting to compensate for the failures of the adults charged with protecting her and to rationalize her mother’s motives and actions as she discovers each additional lie.
McKay’s plot is intricate and twisty, if overloaded with lurid elements and near-constant violence, and the action, with a touch of the supernatural, proceeds at breakneck pace. McKay is exceptionally skilled at characterization and atmosphere. The Remington ghetto is crowded with disparate, colorful personalities with nicknames like “Turdmouth” and “Corn Dog,” not all of whom are completely insane. The streets are cold and grimy, lined with pawn shops, liquor stores, and clinics that will buy your blood if it’s clean. The ugliness of the landscape and narrative is infrequently relieved by Copper’s humor. She tells the stories of some of the people buried in the cemetery where she and her mother sleep, such as Ronald Freedmont, whose wife “comes here every week to yell at him.”
Unfortunately, as happens too often today, poor copyediting and inattention to detail distract from the finer elements of Pennies from Burger Heaven.
Originally published in Lone Star Literary Life.
Marcy McKay
Pennies from Burger Heaven
SkipJack Publishing
Paperback, 978-1-939889-33-1 (also available as an e-book), 340 pgs., $12.99
December 18, 2015
Copper Daniels, a brash and scrappy eleven-year-old girl, and her mother, Corrine, are homeless. They sleep beneath a statue of an angel in a cemetery in the fictional Texas city of Remington. One morning Copper awakes alone. Corrine is missing and Copper, terrified that a her mother is one of the “Disappeareds,” the latest victim of a serial killer stalking the “Nobodies” of Remington, sets out to find her. Copper searches for clues to her mother’s disappearance while dodging pimps, junkies, the police, televangelists, and gangbangers who are also looking for Corrine. Copper, prickly and paranoid, must learn to trust someone besides herself, accept help, and be a better friend if she’s to survive the hunt.
Pennies from Burger Heaven, Marcy McKay’s first novel and the first in a planned series, won the Writers’ League of Texas Best Mainstream Novel manuscript contest in 2015. This is an almost unrelievedly grim and painful story. The relationship between Copper and her mother is not a proper one of parent and child. “We’re way more than mother and daughter,” Copper says proudly. “We’re business partners and best friends.” They panhandle for cash on street corners, and when that proves insufficient to support her mother’s meth addiction, Copper hides under the bed in by-the-hour motel rooms while Corrine earns more money on top of the bed.
Copper narrates Pennies from Burger Heaven. An extraordinarily bleak first-person narrative told from the point of view of a young child is a difficult technique that, in this case, seesaws between poignancy and cognitive dissonance. As children will, Copper blames herself for her mother’s troubles, but she is also conflicted as she realizes her mother’s betrayals. Copper’s inner monologue reflects the incomplete understanding and assumptions of a child attempting to compensate for the failures of the adults charged with protecting her and to rationalize her mother’s motives and actions as she discovers each additional lie.
McKay’s plot is intricate and twisty, if overloaded with lurid elements and near-constant violence, and the action, with a touch of the supernatural, proceeds at breakneck pace. McKay is exceptionally skilled at characterization and atmosphere. The Remington ghetto is crowded with disparate, colorful personalities with nicknames like “Turdmouth” and “Corn Dog,” not all of whom are completely insane. The streets are cold and grimy, lined with pawn shops, liquor stores, and clinics that will buy your blood if it’s clean. The ugliness of the landscape and narrative is infrequently relieved by Copper’s humor. She tells the stories of some of the people buried in the cemetery where she and her mother sleep, such as Ronald Freedmont, whose wife “comes here every week to yell at him.”
Unfortunately, as happens too often today, poor copyediting and inattention to detail distract from the finer elements of Pennies from Burger Heaven.
Originally published in Lone Star Literary Life.
February 1, 2016
Pennies from Burger Heaven by Marcy McKay is the story of a young girl whose circumstances lead to her and her mother living on the grounds of a city cemetery. Copper Daniels is street-smart and savvy to the ways of the homeless world so when she wakes up one morning and finds her mother gone with no explanation, she gets to work finding her. Most people would call the police, but Copper's reaction is one of self-reliance, perhaps the only gift from her mother, so she sets out to unravel the secrets kept from her and uncovers some of her own.
The fact that the premise of a family living in a cemetery does not raise eyebrows is social commentary in and of itself. The problem of homelessness in this country has escalated to terrible proportions and Copper's story is symptomatic of this. A story like this one would have believability issues 30 years ago. But today, a young girl living on the streets among crazed murderers and evil rapists (and evangelical preachers) is just exposition. Oh, I forgot to add that there's a Street Killer on the loose in the area, but for Copper, the threat of being murdered is just one more obstacle to finding her mom. Suffice it to say, the odds are against her but since she doesn't have a stone sword like the Warrior Angel, a statue she lives near, wields, she must use the only weapon she has to solve the daunting task in front of her: her wits. As the story progresses it becomes less of finding her mother and more of navigating a world that ignores her kind. "The Street Killer's message reminds us all," she observes, "God hates the poor."
I thought this novel was constructed very well. The language is a bit rough, especially the use of some slang, but reflective of the setting and the world in which the characters live. As testament to which groups are most affected by homelessness, there's pretty much every minority included with some stereotyping, which bothered me a little. I tend to throw up a reader block whenever Asians are named "Mai" or some variation of that: May Ling, Pearl, Suzie Wong, etc. Why can't they be "Jennifer"? Anyway, that may be a personal prejudice of mine and less objective commentary. I liked the descriptions of the different parts of the cemetery, as in life, people divided into the "Somebodies" of the world versus the "Nobodies" and culminating in the anonymous "Unknown Negro." Whether young Copper absorbs the metaphor or not is unknown but it reads loud and clear even to the casually observant reader.
Although I'm not fond of the title (the Burger thing was off-putting to me) I do recommend this book as a young adult or "new adult" offering. This is a story about overcoming odds, digging deep to survive, girl power, parental love, the power of friendship, sacrifice and life changing on a dime...or, this case, a penny as it turns out.
The fact that the premise of a family living in a cemetery does not raise eyebrows is social commentary in and of itself. The problem of homelessness in this country has escalated to terrible proportions and Copper's story is symptomatic of this. A story like this one would have believability issues 30 years ago. But today, a young girl living on the streets among crazed murderers and evil rapists (and evangelical preachers) is just exposition. Oh, I forgot to add that there's a Street Killer on the loose in the area, but for Copper, the threat of being murdered is just one more obstacle to finding her mom. Suffice it to say, the odds are against her but since she doesn't have a stone sword like the Warrior Angel, a statue she lives near, wields, she must use the only weapon she has to solve the daunting task in front of her: her wits. As the story progresses it becomes less of finding her mother and more of navigating a world that ignores her kind. "The Street Killer's message reminds us all," she observes, "God hates the poor."
I thought this novel was constructed very well. The language is a bit rough, especially the use of some slang, but reflective of the setting and the world in which the characters live. As testament to which groups are most affected by homelessness, there's pretty much every minority included with some stereotyping, which bothered me a little. I tend to throw up a reader block whenever Asians are named "Mai" or some variation of that: May Ling, Pearl, Suzie Wong, etc. Why can't they be "Jennifer"? Anyway, that may be a personal prejudice of mine and less objective commentary. I liked the descriptions of the different parts of the cemetery, as in life, people divided into the "Somebodies" of the world versus the "Nobodies" and culminating in the anonymous "Unknown Negro." Whether young Copper absorbs the metaphor or not is unknown but it reads loud and clear even to the casually observant reader.
Although I'm not fond of the title (the Burger thing was off-putting to me) I do recommend this book as a young adult or "new adult" offering. This is a story about overcoming odds, digging deep to survive, girl power, parental love, the power of friendship, sacrifice and life changing on a dime...or, this case, a penny as it turns out.
January 29, 2016
I fell in love with 11-year-old Copper Daniels. And really, how could I not?!?
Here's a little girl who has grown up sleeping in a cemetery, and is still full of life. Here's a daughter who has lain under a bed while she listens to her drug-addled mother turn tricks on the mattress above, all the while remaining fiercely loyal and full of love. And then there's her life on the street, with the begging and the shelters and the gang violence.
If it all sounds dark ... well, that's because it is. It's the stark reality of the homeless. But read more closely, and you'll find yourself rooting for Copper's indomitable spirit as she faces what most of us would consider impossible odds, fighting her way through an unceasing series of life-threatening events.
The thing is, in spite of it all, Copper's voice is strangely charming and heart-warming. Marcy McKay beautifully renders and sustains a naivete in her protagonist, using a combination of street-wise child language, mistaken judgement, and wide-eyed faith.
Yes, faith. Because, despite the fact that Paradise is a place where "God hates the poor"; where the devil himself is in charge in the character of gang leader "Diablo"; where church has become "chunch" (church + lunch); and where Burger Heaven's gates remain perpetually closed, Copper Daniels still believes in signs and wonders, feeling the brush of an angel's wing against her cheek in the darkest of moments.
Again, how can we not root for such an extraordinarily rendered character?!? Get the book, read her story. The only disappointment you'll feel is when it's over and you have to put the book down and say goodbye to Copper. But thankfully, that's only temporary since I hear Marcy McKay has a sequel in the works!
Here's a little girl who has grown up sleeping in a cemetery, and is still full of life. Here's a daughter who has lain under a bed while she listens to her drug-addled mother turn tricks on the mattress above, all the while remaining fiercely loyal and full of love. And then there's her life on the street, with the begging and the shelters and the gang violence.
If it all sounds dark ... well, that's because it is. It's the stark reality of the homeless. But read more closely, and you'll find yourself rooting for Copper's indomitable spirit as she faces what most of us would consider impossible odds, fighting her way through an unceasing series of life-threatening events.
The thing is, in spite of it all, Copper's voice is strangely charming and heart-warming. Marcy McKay beautifully renders and sustains a naivete in her protagonist, using a combination of street-wise child language, mistaken judgement, and wide-eyed faith.
Yes, faith. Because, despite the fact that Paradise is a place where "God hates the poor"; where the devil himself is in charge in the character of gang leader "Diablo"; where church has become "chunch" (church + lunch); and where Burger Heaven's gates remain perpetually closed, Copper Daniels still believes in signs and wonders, feeling the brush of an angel's wing against her cheek in the darkest of moments.
Again, how can we not root for such an extraordinarily rendered character?!? Get the book, read her story. The only disappointment you'll feel is when it's over and you have to put the book down and say goodbye to Copper. But thankfully, that's only temporary since I hear Marcy McKay has a sequel in the works!
February 1, 2016
Copper Daniels is just eleven years old and living on the streets with her mom. Everyday is a struggle to eat and survive. They try to find places to get free food and a place to sleep, but it seems to be getting harder to do. Copper is a very tough young girl with grit and determination. When her mom turns up missing , Copper must depend on the few friends she has to find shelter and help her look for her mom.
I found it very intriguing to read the different names the author uses for the groups of people Copper has contact with. It was a bit hard to understand at first , then I realized this is part of a language that Copper uses on the street to identify different people. It was somewhat slang terms that are often referred to as stereo typical , which for some could be found offensive. She must now try to solve the mystery of her mom's disappearance and try to stay one step ahead of someone who is out to hurt her.
The story is written with such realism that you can visualize Copper walking the streets at night looking for shelter. The author holds nothing make and I found myself so engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down. There are times in the book that the vivid details were hard to read, but I appreciate the darkness and evils that plagued Copper as she raced to save her mom.
The book is a heart pounding story of Copper as she relies on street smarts to survive in a world where she is abandoned by those she thought would never leave her. The ending is powerful and reminds me of good vs evil as the story leaves you in the edge of your seat.
I received a copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours for an honest review.
I found it very intriguing to read the different names the author uses for the groups of people Copper has contact with. It was a bit hard to understand at first , then I realized this is part of a language that Copper uses on the street to identify different people. It was somewhat slang terms that are often referred to as stereo typical , which for some could be found offensive. She must now try to solve the mystery of her mom's disappearance and try to stay one step ahead of someone who is out to hurt her.
The story is written with such realism that you can visualize Copper walking the streets at night looking for shelter. The author holds nothing make and I found myself so engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down. There are times in the book that the vivid details were hard to read, but I appreciate the darkness and evils that plagued Copper as she raced to save her mom.
The book is a heart pounding story of Copper as she relies on street smarts to survive in a world where she is abandoned by those she thought would never leave her. The ending is powerful and reminds me of good vs evil as the story leaves you in the edge of your seat.
I received a copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours for an honest review.
January 23, 2016
I will admit that I was a bit skeptical when I started to read, because the language shocked me. It isn't vulgar, but the way things are said, the grammar of the main character, Copper Penny. Once I read on, I realized that her upbringing has put her down a path that she may or may not be able to veer away from. I'm from a small town, where it is divided by social class and race. It's still like that to this day, but not as severe. Knowing how the town is separated gave me an excellent opportunity to picture the town, especially Paradise.
It's one thing to think about a pre-teen in a terrible situation, but it's another thing to be able to create a narrative. McKay does a great job making you Copper's life through her eyes. You can vividly picture each character and location, as you travel through the town.You want to root for and yell at Copper at the same time. You want to yell at her mother and everyone else making bad choices, but you also want to help them. It also makes you feel very grateful for the life that you are able to live. I've always wondered what my life would be like if I grew up in my hometown or another town nearby. I know for a fact that it would be drastically different.
I really enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would. I read it in a day, which is something I haven't done in a very long time. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.
It's one thing to think about a pre-teen in a terrible situation, but it's another thing to be able to create a narrative. McKay does a great job making you Copper's life through her eyes. You can vividly picture each character and location, as you travel through the town.You want to root for and yell at Copper at the same time. You want to yell at her mother and everyone else making bad choices, but you also want to help them. It also makes you feel very grateful for the life that you are able to live. I've always wondered what my life would be like if I grew up in my hometown or another town nearby. I know for a fact that it would be drastically different.
I really enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would. I read it in a day, which is something I haven't done in a very long time. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.
January 12, 2016
Copper Daniels, an eleven-year old lives in a world few of us understand; that of homelessness and extreme poverty. To survive, she and her mother must overcome daily battles with hunger, inclement weather and, shall we say, less than exemplary people.
The story, written from the youngster’s perspective, is complete with a child’s view of the world, her own made-up names for people and places as well as her reality. When her mother becomes one of the “Disappeared” Copper sets out on a journey of discovery that exposes both friend and foe. Her only thought being, “The best I can hope for is to find Mama before Diablo does.”
From her home near the Warrior Angel statue in the Eternal Peace cemetery to the harrowing streets of “Paradise” the narrative of her encounters is well-paced and descriptive. To her dismay, she comes to the conclusion that, as she puts it, “Caring turns people in a Disappeared.”
The story is rife with unexpected twists and turns. The culmination of events came as a surprise to this reader, making it exciting to uncover.
I am unaware of author Marcy McKay’s background, but she has created a world in “Pennies from Burger Heaven” that is palpable and believable. One can feel the despair. The characters are well developed. Each scene comes alive with visceral acuity. I recommend “Pennies from Burger Heaven.”
Norm Hamilton
The story, written from the youngster’s perspective, is complete with a child’s view of the world, her own made-up names for people and places as well as her reality. When her mother becomes one of the “Disappeared” Copper sets out on a journey of discovery that exposes both friend and foe. Her only thought being, “The best I can hope for is to find Mama before Diablo does.”
From her home near the Warrior Angel statue in the Eternal Peace cemetery to the harrowing streets of “Paradise” the narrative of her encounters is well-paced and descriptive. To her dismay, she comes to the conclusion that, as she puts it, “Caring turns people in a Disappeared.”
The story is rife with unexpected twists and turns. The culmination of events came as a surprise to this reader, making it exciting to uncover.
I am unaware of author Marcy McKay’s background, but she has created a world in “Pennies from Burger Heaven” that is palpable and believable. One can feel the despair. The characters are well developed. Each scene comes alive with visceral acuity. I recommend “Pennies from Burger Heaven.”
Norm Hamilton
August 16, 2016
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I’m real big on writers writing what they know. And if I didn’t know better, I would think that McKay knows a whole lot about being homeless, gangs, and prostitution.
Copper’s life is pretty much a nightmare. Her curly red hair is a beacon that thugs and dirty old men are drawn to. It seems like every turn she makes, Copper is narrowly avoiding death or rape. She’s literally limping around and getting stared at because she spends most of the time covered in bruises, scrapes, and blood. She acknowledges that trouble seems to find her, despite her lucky penny.
Even if you put the mystery aside of where the heck Copper’s mom is, the book reads like a good sleuth (chapters ending with one-liners that tell you nothing good is on the way) with a tough little 11-year-old on the beat. Although Copper’s mother taught her “you can’t trust anyone but yourself,” she’s wrong. Kinda. The kid finds out that the people she didn’t want to trust, are trustworthy after all, and vice versa.
I’m still sad about some outcomes. The characters were very real to me, so I’m attached like that. I didn’t get a feeling that there will be a sequel (There will be one!). And to be honest, I kind of hope that there isn’t one. I hope that Copper just gets to live her life as a normal, safe kid.
I’m real big on writers writing what they know. And if I didn’t know better, I would think that McKay knows a whole lot about being homeless, gangs, and prostitution.
Copper’s life is pretty much a nightmare. Her curly red hair is a beacon that thugs and dirty old men are drawn to. It seems like every turn she makes, Copper is narrowly avoiding death or rape. She’s literally limping around and getting stared at because she spends most of the time covered in bruises, scrapes, and blood. She acknowledges that trouble seems to find her, despite her lucky penny.
Even if you put the mystery aside of where the heck Copper’s mom is, the book reads like a good sleuth (chapters ending with one-liners that tell you nothing good is on the way) with a tough little 11-year-old on the beat. Although Copper’s mother taught her “you can’t trust anyone but yourself,” she’s wrong. Kinda. The kid finds out that the people she didn’t want to trust, are trustworthy after all, and vice versa.
I’m still sad about some outcomes. The characters were very real to me, so I’m attached like that. I didn’t get a feeling that there will be a sequel (There will be one!). And to be honest, I kind of hope that there isn’t one. I hope that Copper just gets to live her life as a normal, safe kid.
January 17, 2016
After living on the streets with her mom, 11 year old Copper Daniels has seen and heard far more than anyone should have in a lifetime. Despite her difficult circumstances, she is hopeful and cares deeply about the few people she calls friends and family. Street smart and observant, her experiences have taught her some lessons that she now has to pull from as she has a mystery to solve.
While told from the point of view of a child, this book doesn't hold back. The descriptions are gritty, harsh and true to the circumstances of a child living on the streets. Copper's compelling story had me hooked from the start. This is a fast paced book with many twists and turns and a surprise ending that I didn't see coming. My only "complaint" is that I have to wait to see where Copper's story goes from here. I am ready for Burger Heaven #2!
While told from the point of view of a child, this book doesn't hold back. The descriptions are gritty, harsh and true to the circumstances of a child living on the streets. Copper's compelling story had me hooked from the start. This is a fast paced book with many twists and turns and a surprise ending that I didn't see coming. My only "complaint" is that I have to wait to see where Copper's story goes from here. I am ready for Burger Heaven #2!
February 7, 2019
This has so many ace reviews that I wanted to love it. Problem is, I didn't. I struggled to get into the book and found the plot dragged. It's a 300 odd page book that could have been better condensed to 200.
Copper Penny is an interesting character admittedly and it's an interesting concept, following a child on the streets as she tries to find her mother. Drugs, whoring, drive by shootings and the other harsh realities of street living aren't glossed over and the reactions of this child are reasonably realistic.
Somehow though the novel as a whole just never quite caught me and I found it a chore rather than an interesting tale. I also found the writing style a chore to follow if I'm brutally honest.
Copper Penny is an interesting character admittedly and it's an interesting concept, following a child on the streets as she tries to find her mother. Drugs, whoring, drive by shootings and the other harsh realities of street living aren't glossed over and the reactions of this child are reasonably realistic.
Somehow though the novel as a whole just never quite caught me and I found it a chore rather than an interesting tale. I also found the writing style a chore to follow if I'm brutally honest.
July 7, 2016
I rarely give 5 stars to a book, but this one was absolutely amazing. And I know the author and am blown away by her ability to put on paper, with such brilliance, something about which she has no personal history. Clearly, this book was well researched and, as such, extremely well written. The character development (which is always key for me) was so well done. I highly recommend this book. I'm very excited for the next installment in Copper's life.
January 4, 2016
Pennies from Burger Heaven is a book that takes you on an emotional journey. It shows the harsher realities of this world and how some survive it. A brave story of courage, determination and resilience. Some of life's ugliness written beautifully. Hoping for a sequel...
January 13, 2016
This was a good book. Kept me interested. It was kinda sad though.
December 27, 2019
I will concede Pennies From Burger Heaven is an odd choice for what to read during the week in which Christmas falls as the last few days leading up to Christmas and those that follow are undoubtedly the happiest time of the year for most.
Pennies From Burger Heaven is not filled with Christmas glee but instead it is filled with all the emotions life can rain down upon us throughout the year.
I don't like to "spoil" the surprise for readers when I write down my thoughts and opinions on a particular book. I find keeping to that golden rule of mine a bit difficult for this book but necessary that I reveal that the story takes place amongst the harsh realities of the type of life homeless people face on a daily basis.
I am not a big fan of the main character Copper Daniels. I have read some reviewers speak of Copper as being cute. I would never pair the word cute with her. I don't find any aspect of her personality to be cute. I do, however, have compassion for the difficult situations and harsh realities being homeless brings into her young life. Regardless of the causes for her rough edges they render her an unlikeable character to me. I wanted to like her but it just didn't happen.
The author does a fabulous job in describing her story! So much so that getting drawn into the story through her descriptive writing was unavoidable. I found myself compelled to keep reading.
I've wondered on more than one ocassion if the dark nature of the story is the real reason for some of my apathy. I think on some level the book was so depressing that it left little room for enjoyment. Seriously, how do you rave how great a book is when it is filled with pages upon pages of a dark and chilling storyline?
Despite it's dark storyline, Pennies From Burger Heaven is a great book. It lays out perfectly the back story for future books in McKay's Burger Heaven series. I would reccomend it to others and look forward to reading more about Copper Daniels (and am hoping for a transformation where her rough edges become a bit softer).
Pennies From Burger Heaven is not filled with Christmas glee but instead it is filled with all the emotions life can rain down upon us throughout the year.
I don't like to "spoil" the surprise for readers when I write down my thoughts and opinions on a particular book. I find keeping to that golden rule of mine a bit difficult for this book but necessary that I reveal that the story takes place amongst the harsh realities of the type of life homeless people face on a daily basis.
I am not a big fan of the main character Copper Daniels. I have read some reviewers speak of Copper as being cute. I would never pair the word cute with her. I don't find any aspect of her personality to be cute. I do, however, have compassion for the difficult situations and harsh realities being homeless brings into her young life. Regardless of the causes for her rough edges they render her an unlikeable character to me. I wanted to like her but it just didn't happen.
The author does a fabulous job in describing her story! So much so that getting drawn into the story through her descriptive writing was unavoidable. I found myself compelled to keep reading.
I've wondered on more than one ocassion if the dark nature of the story is the real reason for some of my apathy. I think on some level the book was so depressing that it left little room for enjoyment. Seriously, how do you rave how great a book is when it is filled with pages upon pages of a dark and chilling storyline?
Despite it's dark storyline, Pennies From Burger Heaven is a great book. It lays out perfectly the back story for future books in McKay's Burger Heaven series. I would reccomend it to others and look forward to reading more about Copper Daniels (and am hoping for a transformation where her rough edges become a bit softer).
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