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Last Summer Boys
In this rapturous coming-of-age debut, a naive-yet-determined Appalachian boy will go to any length to save his family over the course of one life-changing summer.
“If you’re famous, you don’t have to go to war.”
Summer 1968. When thirteen-year-old Jack Elliot overhears the barbershop men grousing, he devises a secret plan to keep his oldest brother, Pete, from the draft. If famous boys don’t go to war, he’ll make his brother their small town’s biggest celebrity. Jack gets unexpected help when his book-smart cousin Frankie arrives in their rural Pennsylvania town for the summer. Together, they convince Jack’s brothers to lead an expedition to find a fighter jet that crashed many winters ago—the perfect adventure to make Pete a hero.
But with a greedy developer determined to flood their valley, a beautiful girl occupying his middle brother’s attentions, a wild motorcycle gang causing trouble in town, and a disturbed neighbor setting fires, Jack realizes it isn’t just Pete who needs saving.
Set during a single, tumultuous summer, this beautifully told tale is a heartwarming tribute to innocence, first love, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood.
“If you’re famous, you don’t have to go to war.”
Summer 1968. When thirteen-year-old Jack Elliot overhears the barbershop men grousing, he devises a secret plan to keep his oldest brother, Pete, from the draft. If famous boys don’t go to war, he’ll make his brother their small town’s biggest celebrity. Jack gets unexpected help when his book-smart cousin Frankie arrives in their rural Pennsylvania town for the summer. Together, they convince Jack’s brothers to lead an expedition to find a fighter jet that crashed many winters ago—the perfect adventure to make Pete a hero.
But with a greedy developer determined to flood their valley, a beautiful girl occupying his middle brother’s attentions, a wild motorcycle gang causing trouble in town, and a disturbed neighbor setting fires, Jack realizes it isn’t just Pete who needs saving.
Set during a single, tumultuous summer, this beautifully told tale is a heartwarming tribute to innocence, first love, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2022
5121 people are currently reading
9700 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,047 reviews
May 14, 2022
I don't know where to begin! Hands down, this is my favorite book I've read so far this year. The book blurb says: "Set during a single, tumultuous summer, this beautifully told tale is a heartwarming tribute to innocence, first love, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood" and every word of that is true! I was enthralled from the very beginning.
I loved the time period. It reminded me a bit of Stand By Me, yet Last Summer Boys definitely stands on its own merits. The well-developed characters were difficult to say goodbye to when I finished the book. How I wish this was the first in a series! Or optioned to be a movie!
Last Summer Boys is the perfect blend of suspense, tragedy, joy, faith, adventure, family, community bonds, and civil unrest. (I could go on and on.😌) Read this book!!
I loved the time period. It reminded me a bit of Stand By Me, yet Last Summer Boys definitely stands on its own merits. The well-developed characters were difficult to say goodbye to when I finished the book. How I wish this was the first in a series! Or optioned to be a movie!
Last Summer Boys is the perfect blend of suspense, tragedy, joy, faith, adventure, family, community bonds, and civil unrest. (I could go on and on.😌) Read this book!!
July 4, 2022
Book Club read 7/2022
I have a soft spot in my heart for good coming of age stories, and this fits the bill. Set in the summer of 1968, which I remember well, Jack and his family had me laughing and crying; but happily when I read the last word there was a smile on my face. I continued to the About the Author section, where there was a picture and biography of Bill Rivers. He looks exactly as I had imagined Jack to look, and it sounds like he put more than a little bit of himself into this debut. I loved it.
I have a soft spot in my heart for good coming of age stories, and this fits the bill. Set in the summer of 1968, which I remember well, Jack and his family had me laughing and crying; but happily when I read the last word there was a smile on my face. I continued to the About the Author section, where there was a picture and biography of Bill Rivers. He looks exactly as I had imagined Jack to look, and it sounds like he put more than a little bit of himself into this debut. I loved it.
May 28, 2022
There is no thought in anyone's mind about Pete taking a deferment . . . In our family, serving is one of the last great things you can do.
Though he's almost 18, and the draft is looming large, Pete is in line with his father, who fought in Korea, about the Vietnam War. He's ready to go. Thirteen-year-old Jack is horrified at the thought of his older brother being shipped overseas, so he hatches a plan to keep Pete safe and out of the war.
So many other boys' brothers have gone to Vietnam. Signed up or drafted. It ain't fair of me to want to keep mine safe and sound, but I don't care.
Rivers makes a rookie mistake of trying to cram just a bit too much into his first novel; it's really just one crisis after another with this family. I realize 1968 was a tumultuous year, but having SO MANY THINGS happen to your characters makes the story a little less believable. But, on the whole, this short novel, which has a strong Stand By Me vibe, presents a unique look at one summer in an American boyhood, and is certainly worth a read.
Though he's almost 18, and the draft is looming large, Pete is in line with his father, who fought in Korea, about the Vietnam War. He's ready to go. Thirteen-year-old Jack is horrified at the thought of his older brother being shipped overseas, so he hatches a plan to keep Pete safe and out of the war.
So many other boys' brothers have gone to Vietnam. Signed up or drafted. It ain't fair of me to want to keep mine safe and sound, but I don't care.
Rivers makes a rookie mistake of trying to cram just a bit too much into his first novel; it's really just one crisis after another with this family. I realize 1968 was a tumultuous year, but having SO MANY THINGS happen to your characters makes the story a little less believable. But, on the whole, this short novel, which has a strong Stand By Me vibe, presents a unique look at one summer in an American boyhood, and is certainly worth a read.
June 9, 2022
It is the summer of 1968 and the Elliot brothers are enjoying their last summer together in the Appalachian mountains. Pete will be soon turning 18-years-old and eligible for the draft that could send him into danger in Viet Nam. Thirteen-year-old Jack is determined to keep him safe by making him famous (as famous boys don’t seem to go to war). Will is suffering the pangs of first love as he is entranced by the pastor’s beautiful daughter. Joining the three boys is their cousin Frankie sent by his mother in order to keep him safe from the turbulent demonstrations/riots in Memphis. His father is a police officer whose job is to help keep the peace.
There is a strong ‘Stand By Me’ vibe as the boys encounter multiple adventures throughout the summer—a motorcycle gang vandalizing a neighbor, a flash flood while camping, a wildfire, and rapacious businessmen who want to flood their valley in order to sell property for development. Oh yes, and there is even a murder. Rivers definitely included a lot for the boys to deal with.
Rivers lovely writing is suitable for Young Adult readers.
There is a strong ‘Stand By Me’ vibe as the boys encounter multiple adventures throughout the summer—a motorcycle gang vandalizing a neighbor, a flash flood while camping, a wildfire, and rapacious businessmen who want to flood their valley in order to sell property for development. Oh yes, and there is even a murder. Rivers definitely included a lot for the boys to deal with.
Rivers lovely writing is suitable for Young Adult readers.
September 20, 2024
Debut novel by Bill Rivers and an offering from Amazon first reads. Not in the same league as many other coming of age novels, but all in all pretty good with an inspiring message.
March 31, 2025
When I give a book ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ which I have awarded to this book, it means that I loved it. Five stars are reserved for my all time (throughout my life) favorites. Perhaps, one day, in looking back, I will include Last Summer Boys, Bill River’s debut novel, to that exclusive list. It is that good. September 7, 2024, I came back, re-read the review and decided to, in fact, change the 4 1/2 stars to 5!
Genres include historical fiction, adventure and perhaps most importantly, Bildungsroman. The narrator is the 13 year old brother, Jack, who has two other brothers, one, 17 year old, Pete, who is about to be drafted into the army which will put him on the road to Viet Nam and Will, who falls in between in age and has become enamored with Bobby Kennedy as he runs for the Democratic nomination for president. Frankie is the cousin (about the same age as Jack) who is shipped out to this rural Pennsylvania town by his parents, from their hometown of Memphis, to escape the protests, riots and burning buildings which abounded following the assassination of Martin Luther King.
“Truth be told, Uncle Leone didn’t want Francis to leave their city either: he was only doing it because his wife—Ma’s sister, our Aunt Effie—asked him in a way he couldn’t tell her no. She believed boys don’t belong in places where they can get killed. Uncle Leone thought leaving was running away and it was better to change the city so no boys, black or white, had to worry about getting killed. Aunt Effie allowed that would be best, but Aunt Effie also had no hope of it happening this side of heaven.”
The summer of 1968 is a tumultuous time, per se, in the country and in this family. The story could have read as overly sweet and sentimental in the hands of another author, but Bill Rivers, previously a speech writer in the US Senate and the Pentagon, knows his way around language, and uses it to tell a forthright story that though inspiring, is not overly sentimental.
“It reminds us there’s nothing new under the sun and stubbornly insists we, too, can listen to our better angels.”
— General James Mattis, USMC (Ret.), 26th Secretary of Defense
I highly and without reservation, recommend this book.
Genres include historical fiction, adventure and perhaps most importantly, Bildungsroman. The narrator is the 13 year old brother, Jack, who has two other brothers, one, 17 year old, Pete, who is about to be drafted into the army which will put him on the road to Viet Nam and Will, who falls in between in age and has become enamored with Bobby Kennedy as he runs for the Democratic nomination for president. Frankie is the cousin (about the same age as Jack) who is shipped out to this rural Pennsylvania town by his parents, from their hometown of Memphis, to escape the protests, riots and burning buildings which abounded following the assassination of Martin Luther King.
“Truth be told, Uncle Leone didn’t want Francis to leave their city either: he was only doing it because his wife—Ma’s sister, our Aunt Effie—asked him in a way he couldn’t tell her no. She believed boys don’t belong in places where they can get killed. Uncle Leone thought leaving was running away and it was better to change the city so no boys, black or white, had to worry about getting killed. Aunt Effie allowed that would be best, but Aunt Effie also had no hope of it happening this side of heaven.”
The summer of 1968 is a tumultuous time, per se, in the country and in this family. The story could have read as overly sweet and sentimental in the hands of another author, but Bill Rivers, previously a speech writer in the US Senate and the Pentagon, knows his way around language, and uses it to tell a forthright story that though inspiring, is not overly sentimental.
“It reminds us there’s nothing new under the sun and stubbornly insists we, too, can listen to our better angels.”
— General James Mattis, USMC (Ret.), 26th Secretary of Defense
I highly and without reservation, recommend this book.
May 10, 2022
Disappointed
The story line was good but I was disappointed by the lack of research on Lyme disease. Jack was diagnosed with Lymes in 1968 but Lymes wasn't identified until 1975.
The story line was good but I was disappointed by the lack of research on Lyme disease. Jack was diagnosed with Lymes in 1968 but Lymes wasn't identified until 1975.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2022
Terrific
This was a very good book. The characters were very well crafted and easy to understand.
It is placed in the 1970s, a time when i was coming of age. So, I could relate to the current events.
This was a very good book. The characters were very well crafted and easy to understand.
It is placed in the 1970s, a time when i was coming of age. So, I could relate to the current events.
April 18, 2022
A good read from the point of view of a 13-year-old boy as he lives one of the most eventful summers of his life. Jack Elliot loves his family, which includes his two older brothers: Pete, nearly eighteen years old, and Will, obsessed with news about Robert Kennedy. This is summer 1968; the USA is in the throes of the Vietnam War, Robert Kennedy is campaigning for the Democratic nomination in the upcoming presidential election, and Martin Luther King, Jr was shot just several months before the start of the novel. King assassination riots continue in the city of Memphis, where the Elliot boys’ 13-year-old cousin, Frankie, lives. Frankie’s parents sent him out to the country to live with his cousins, Aunt and Uncle in New Shiloh for the summer, to be safer. The boys are having a great summer swimming in the nearby river and collecting fireflies but under it all is the fear of Pete being drafted into Vietnam once he turns 18 in a month. In addition, some land developers want to take over the Elliot’s property, which dips in a valley, so they can flood it and build a lake and a dam. Last Summer Boys is about a group of kids forced to grow up before they are ready. I enjoyed reading from Jack’s point of view: his innocence, his naiveté, his fierce loyalty and love for his family. Rivers story is engaging and there is a lot of action in the second half, which became a page-turner by then, but unfortunately, it does read for more of a high school audience.
September 4, 2024
This beautifully written coming-of-age story is set in a rural Pennsylvania town in the late 1960s. Filled with youthful innocence, nostalgic and heartwarming adventures, and evolving family relationships, I enjoyed reading every page. I think this is my first time giving an Amazon first-read book a 5-star rating, and it deserves it.
Read
May 25, 2022I got to about 50% and decided to pick up another book I had started. This was okay, and I liked the boys characters, but I just wasn't interested enough in the storyline to keep going.
June 26, 2023
This was a book I found at random, since I always peruse Amazon for Kindle deals. I picked this up for probably $1.99 or something, and let it sit for awhile. It wasn't until last week that I was watching a video on Youtube, and someone posted about this book in the comments and said that this was their favorite read so far this year. I thought to myself, "hey, I got that!", I noticed the page count was under 300, and figured I could bang this out in a couple of days.
So while this may not be my favorite, per se, it was a damn good summer starter! As I mentioned when I started the book, it cast those McCammon vibes, and that held true throughout the rest of the book. It has a very human element, which is usually present in coming-of-age tales. Last Summer Boys centers around Jack Elliot, his cousin and his brothers, and they quest for a means of making his oldest bro famous, however he can, because he believes that famous people won't get drafted in the Vietnam War. That's pretty much the whole premise, but is colored in with summertime adventures, like creek jumping, camping, etc... It takes place in 1968 PA, in or around the Appalachian mountains. Whenever "the city" is mentioned, I could only figure it's referring to Philadelphia. Since I live near Philly, this gives me a sense of familiarity.
It's not an epic tale, just a snapshot in time. I like books like this now and then. It was very well written, with great descriptions of being outside in nature with all the sights and smells. I wouldn't so much call this 'YA' but is certainly not adult themed by any means. It can be read by anyone, adults and kids alike. It packs some emotions though, and that's probably the #1 reason I enjoyed as I did. I hope to see more by this author!
So while this may not be my favorite, per se, it was a damn good summer starter! As I mentioned when I started the book, it cast those McCammon vibes, and that held true throughout the rest of the book. It has a very human element, which is usually present in coming-of-age tales. Last Summer Boys centers around Jack Elliot, his cousin and his brothers, and they quest for a means of making his oldest bro famous, however he can, because he believes that famous people won't get drafted in the Vietnam War. That's pretty much the whole premise, but is colored in with summertime adventures, like creek jumping, camping, etc... It takes place in 1968 PA, in or around the Appalachian mountains. Whenever "the city" is mentioned, I could only figure it's referring to Philadelphia. Since I live near Philly, this gives me a sense of familiarity.
It's not an epic tale, just a snapshot in time. I like books like this now and then. It was very well written, with great descriptions of being outside in nature with all the sights and smells. I wouldn't so much call this 'YA' but is certainly not adult themed by any means. It can be read by anyone, adults and kids alike. It packs some emotions though, and that's probably the #1 reason I enjoyed as I did. I hope to see more by this author!
May 9, 2022
Really fun and good read!
I love books that are the adventures of boys! There is so much going on in this story but it's easy to keep track of everything. In other words, I didn't get lost. lol
The characters were so well developed I was pretty sure I knew them.
It's hard to put down and when I wasn't reading I was wondering what would happen next.
I'll be watching for more from this author!
I love books that are the adventures of boys! There is so much going on in this story but it's easy to keep track of everything. In other words, I didn't get lost. lol
The characters were so well developed I was pretty sure I knew them.
It's hard to put down and when I wasn't reading I was wondering what would happen next.
I'll be watching for more from this author!
June 3, 2022
It's the summer of 1968 in the rural Pennsylvania countryside. Thirteen-year old Jack Elliot's cousin from the city comes to spend the summer with them, away from the violence and fires and unrest in the wake of the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. The Vietnam War is also in full swing and Jack's worried about his older brother Pete, who will turn 18 that summer and be drafted. And that's just the beginning of the troubles Jack will face this summer.
Sometimes, when you know a good thing is over and done and won’t ever come back, everything about it gets a whole lot sweeter. Each little leaf becomes something beautiful. You see the sunlight glowing through it, tracing out all those tiny veins inside. Each blade of grass is suddenly its own living thing, and not just one of a billion others that you stomp over on your way somewhere else. Suddenly it all appears in a way you’ve never seen it before, and it’s so beautiful you wonder what in the world you were looking at in all the time that came before.
This is a wonderfully nostalgic novel about a supposedly simpler time and place. The characters are mostly well-written, and they come alive in a nice way that really endears them to you. The pacing is also a bit slower than many books - no rushing to and fro with intricate plot twists and surprises. The conflicts that drive the plot along seem realistic and don't keep the book from being simply overly sentimental about the past. However, there were a couple of things that really nagged at me while I read. First, although the prose is very descriptive and beautiful, it often seemed a bit "purple" and overdone, especially in the beginning. Yes, it was mostly beautiful, but odd forced comparisons were made and the writing just seemed to draw attention to itself. Second, the character of Jack is supposed to be 13 years old, but he reads younger - perhaps 9 or 10. At one point his dad even carries him to bed, and he's not described as scrawny. Yes, he comes off as quite naïve, especially in comparison to also 13 year-old cousin Frankie, but it just didn't feel right to the point where I thought it was a constant distraction. But it's still a very nice story, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Sometimes, when you know a good thing is over and done and won’t ever come back, everything about it gets a whole lot sweeter. Each little leaf becomes something beautiful. You see the sunlight glowing through it, tracing out all those tiny veins inside. Each blade of grass is suddenly its own living thing, and not just one of a billion others that you stomp over on your way somewhere else. Suddenly it all appears in a way you’ve never seen it before, and it’s so beautiful you wonder what in the world you were looking at in all the time that came before.
This is a wonderfully nostalgic novel about a supposedly simpler time and place. The characters are mostly well-written, and they come alive in a nice way that really endears them to you. The pacing is also a bit slower than many books - no rushing to and fro with intricate plot twists and surprises. The conflicts that drive the plot along seem realistic and don't keep the book from being simply overly sentimental about the past. However, there were a couple of things that really nagged at me while I read. First, although the prose is very descriptive and beautiful, it often seemed a bit "purple" and overdone, especially in the beginning. Yes, it was mostly beautiful, but odd forced comparisons were made and the writing just seemed to draw attention to itself. Second, the character of Jack is supposed to be 13 years old, but he reads younger - perhaps 9 or 10. At one point his dad even carries him to bed, and he's not described as scrawny. Yes, he comes off as quite naïve, especially in comparison to also 13 year-old cousin Frankie, but it just didn't feel right to the point where I thought it was a constant distraction. But it's still a very nice story, and I enjoyed it a lot.
June 7, 2022
I got this book as free from Amazon and oh my goodness do I appreciate it! This was such a wonderful "feel good" book, even though the topics were heavy, I constantly smiled reading it. I could totally feel the magic of summer for a teenage boy living in the country in the '60's.
A few tiny things bothered me, or I'd give it a 5, but it was a solid 4.5.
I'm usually not one to post quotes on Goodreads, but I loved this one:
"I think everybody matters. Whether they think so or not. Whether I like them or not. Heck, they matter even if they’ve hurt somebody else, even if they’ve hurt me. People . . . just matter." ❤️
A few tiny things bothered me, or I'd give it a 5, but it was a solid 4.5.
I'm usually not one to post quotes on Goodreads, but I loved this one:
"I think everybody matters. Whether they think so or not. Whether I like them or not. Heck, they matter even if they’ve hurt somebody else, even if they’ve hurt me. People . . . just matter." ❤️
July 13, 2022
The Last Summer Boys started out a little slow for me but then turned into a very pleasant surprise of a read very quick. A colorful cast of characters fills out this coming-of-age story that is just so well done. Their summer adventure turns into something none of them expect. It's one of my 2022 favorites.
May 29, 2022
This was a typical coming of age story. I liked the Elliot family and the time period the book takes place in, however, there was a huge error in the book that I just couldn’t overlook. Jack is diagnosed with Lyme disease. This is 1968 but Lyme wasn’t first diagnosed until 1975.
October 25, 2022
Set in the hills of Pennsylvania in the summer of '68, Last Summer Boys tells the story of thirteen-year-old Jack, his two older brothers, and his big-city cousin. This is a classic coming-of-age story, written in modern style, but with a nostalgic flare.
The main character is close to my father's age, so I could sometimes hear my dad through Jack: swimming in water holes, spending all summer outdoors, and passively experiencing the events that rattled the United States that year.
The adventures that Jack, Frankie, Will, and Pete set out on are classic stories of boyhood, many that I could relate to. I feel that debut author Bill Rivers captured the heart of a young adolescent perfectly. Jack respected his parents, tried to do what he thought was right, and defended his family's honor. Some of his ideals (namely about trying to keep Pete from being drafted) felt a little immature for a boy of his age, but they were generally believable.
The setting was well done. I live in south-central Pennsylvania, and the way the hills, creeks, forests, and floods are presented feel real. I also feel like the late 1960's were shown well: motorcycle gangs, the country people's perceptions of the riots in the big cities, and the small-town gossip and politics.
There were about 20 instances of profanity. Also, some of the situations the boys found themselves in were embarrassing, but nothing was graphic. I did question Jack's seemingly common knowledge of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin a year before Apollo 11, but perhaps they were already household names by then.
The morals and lessons the boys learned seemed a little vague and disappointing, but Jack certainly did grow up that summer.
I would recommend Last Summer Boys for those who enjoy a nostalgic, though slightly caricatured, coming-of-age story. I enjoyed this book, and would definitely read whatever Bill Rivers next offers readers.
The main character is close to my father's age, so I could sometimes hear my dad through Jack: swimming in water holes, spending all summer outdoors, and passively experiencing the events that rattled the United States that year.
The adventures that Jack, Frankie, Will, and Pete set out on are classic stories of boyhood, many that I could relate to. I feel that debut author Bill Rivers captured the heart of a young adolescent perfectly. Jack respected his parents, tried to do what he thought was right, and defended his family's honor. Some of his ideals (namely about trying to keep Pete from being drafted) felt a little immature for a boy of his age, but they were generally believable.
The setting was well done. I live in south-central Pennsylvania, and the way the hills, creeks, forests, and floods are presented feel real. I also feel like the late 1960's were shown well: motorcycle gangs, the country people's perceptions of the riots in the big cities, and the small-town gossip and politics.
There were about 20 instances of profanity. Also, some of the situations the boys found themselves in were embarrassing, but nothing was graphic. I did question Jack's seemingly common knowledge of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin a year before Apollo 11, but perhaps they were already household names by then.
The morals and lessons the boys learned seemed a little vague and disappointing, but Jack certainly did grow up that summer.
I would recommend Last Summer Boys for those who enjoy a nostalgic, though slightly caricatured, coming-of-age story. I enjoyed this book, and would definitely read whatever Bill Rivers next offers readers.
June 30, 2022
This book was awesome I'm super happy that this is a new author for me and that I had the chance to dive deep into this amazing story.
what I love about Last Summer Boys is the way is written, the style is very similar to Catherine Ryan Hyde, stories that are our everyday life and with characters that go through many situations and experiences that feel like is own neighbors who are going through this.
Last summer Boys is the story of Jack Elliot a thirteen-year-old boy who is smarter than anyone in town and is trying secretly to save his brother Pete from getting drafted, in his mind Elliot wanted to keep his brother safe no matter if he has to create a story or create a character that will save Pete from this.
The story is narrated around the 1960s when the war in Vietnam was happening, this is the reason Jack is determined to save his brother Pete from getting drafted.
Jack and his family are constantly harassed by developers who want to buy their property or rather steal it with the pretenses of flooding the valley and bringing more water and people to town. Elliot and his family are not ready to sell and will not be intimidated by this man who constantly comes and makes false treats to him and his family.
I really enjoy every character of this book, especially Elliot who made me smile and cry with his eagerness and his spontaneous imagination, he was a strong character even at a young age, a heart-warming story that will bring so much to your heart, no pun intended.
I don't know what else to write about this story, it always happened to me that whenever I love a book I have a hard time expressing how much I enjoy it and how wonderful the characters were.
The narrations by Michael Crouch were amazing I really love his voice he always brings so much to the characters and the stories.
great book and a great story.
what I love about Last Summer Boys is the way is written, the style is very similar to Catherine Ryan Hyde, stories that are our everyday life and with characters that go through many situations and experiences that feel like is own neighbors who are going through this.
Last summer Boys is the story of Jack Elliot a thirteen-year-old boy who is smarter than anyone in town and is trying secretly to save his brother Pete from getting drafted, in his mind Elliot wanted to keep his brother safe no matter if he has to create a story or create a character that will save Pete from this.
The story is narrated around the 1960s when the war in Vietnam was happening, this is the reason Jack is determined to save his brother Pete from getting drafted.
Jack and his family are constantly harassed by developers who want to buy their property or rather steal it with the pretenses of flooding the valley and bringing more water and people to town. Elliot and his family are not ready to sell and will not be intimidated by this man who constantly comes and makes false treats to him and his family.
I really enjoy every character of this book, especially Elliot who made me smile and cry with his eagerness and his spontaneous imagination, he was a strong character even at a young age, a heart-warming story that will bring so much to your heart, no pun intended.
I don't know what else to write about this story, it always happened to me that whenever I love a book I have a hard time expressing how much I enjoy it and how wonderful the characters were.
The narrations by Michael Crouch were amazing I really love his voice he always brings so much to the characters and the stories.
great book and a great story.
July 2, 2024
4.5 STARS | BRILLIANT and NOSTALGIC, LAST SUMMER BOYS is a uplifting tale of courage by the boys of the 60’s! Set during the Summer of 1968, this heartwarming story is the definition of brotherhood and how to fight back on greedy landlords. Perfect to read for July and is a fast-paced page-turner! Would recommend!
August 2, 2022
Beautiful and timeless
What a lovely soul this story has. Told from young Jack’s POV this coming of age tale carries wisps of Stand By Me.
What a lovely soul this story has. Told from young Jack’s POV this coming of age tale carries wisps of Stand By Me.
October 19, 2022
‘Last Summer Boys’ by Bill Rivers is made up of “a few of my favorite things”: an author debut, a coming-of-age protagonist, characters you can root for and a fluid plot.
“If you go long enough thinking you don’t have a say in your life, you reach a point where you’ll do anything to show others that you do. And when that time comes, you don’t care what it is. If it’s lighting fires, you light fires.”
In this historical fiction novel, young Jack spends the summer working on a plan to save his big brother from the Vietnam draft. While doing so, he gains more than he anticipates.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If you go long enough thinking you don’t have a say in your life, you reach a point where you’ll do anything to show others that you do. And when that time comes, you don’t care what it is. If it’s lighting fires, you light fires.”
In this historical fiction novel, young Jack spends the summer working on a plan to save his big brother from the Vietnam draft. While doing so, he gains more than he anticipates.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 15, 2022
This was an Amazon Prime First Reads I downloaded for free. What a great book, I enjoyed it from start to finish.
May 1, 2022
Life affirming debut novel that celebrates family, friendship and a fierce desire to fix things.
John Thomas, “Jack”, his brothers Pete & Will along with cousin Frankie, are in for a grand summer of adventure. They’re going on a mission to find a ditched WW2 fighter jet. Jack has ulterior motives - saving oldest brother, Pete, from being drafted to Viet Nam by making him famous with this discovery.
Jack is the narrator giving the story an idealistic point of view. The backdrop is 1968 including all the tumultuous history but the setting is rural and the family has problems of their own that over shadow the national and political, save the war calling Pete to serve. There are a few political comments but not contemporary flares. They are historically appropriate for the story being told.
A thread of faith weaves thru the story as a natural course of daily life. This is very much a story of bygone days before cellphones, tablets, social media and laptops. Neighbors worked together, played together and prayed together; kids played outside, did chores and were respectful while seeking adventure and mischief. Author, Bill Rivers, has done a beautiful job of weaving these mores together.
“Last Summer Boys” is charming, encouraging and uplifting; Andy Griffith & Tom Sawyer fans rejoice📚
John Thomas, “Jack”, his brothers Pete & Will along with cousin Frankie, are in for a grand summer of adventure. They’re going on a mission to find a ditched WW2 fighter jet. Jack has ulterior motives - saving oldest brother, Pete, from being drafted to Viet Nam by making him famous with this discovery.
Jack is the narrator giving the story an idealistic point of view. The backdrop is 1968 including all the tumultuous history but the setting is rural and the family has problems of their own that over shadow the national and political, save the war calling Pete to serve. There are a few political comments but not contemporary flares. They are historically appropriate for the story being told.
A thread of faith weaves thru the story as a natural course of daily life. This is very much a story of bygone days before cellphones, tablets, social media and laptops. Neighbors worked together, played together and prayed together; kids played outside, did chores and were respectful while seeking adventure and mischief. Author, Bill Rivers, has done a beautiful job of weaving these mores together.
“Last Summer Boys” is charming, encouraging and uplifting; Andy Griffith & Tom Sawyer fans rejoice📚
May 4, 2022
This is a book that reminds us that some things never change, whether it be polarizing politics, music defining an era, or the love of family. It's setting is the summer my mom was pregnant with me, and I thank Mr. Rivers for the gift of remembering my parents and just how challenging that summer was.
June 8, 2022
I loved - loved this “reads like poetry” book. It’s a work of art both in style and content. Massive Forgiveness is our highest calling but not always a popular one. Rivers sneaks it in on us at the end and in a way that one actually embraces it. I’m sure I will read it again and maybe again.
February 6, 2023
I really didn’t care about these boys and what they did that summer, It meant nothing to me and I lost interest
The writing of this was a little inconsistent
It was flowery and lyrical in the narrative, but the same character who narrated spoke simple words.
The writing of this was a little inconsistent
It was flowery and lyrical in the narrative, but the same character who narrated spoke simple words.
July 13, 2022
Nice story
Very different from my typical reading. A nice coming of age story. Just not my speed I guess, it just did not grab my attention enough.
Very different from my typical reading. A nice coming of age story. Just not my speed I guess, it just did not grab my attention enough.
August 29, 2022
4.5 stars
Coming-of-age stories can be hit or miss for me, but this is definitely a hit. I read along to the narration and the words and the voice drew me into the summer of 1968, the summer that everything changed for Jack Elliot and his family.
This story had vibes of This Tender Land for me, although it is much shorter and probably intended for a younger audience. The story is narrated by what I think is adult Jack but describes the most eventful summer of his life when he was 13. This was a tumultuous time in our country’s history as Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April, riots and peaceful protests erupted all over the country in reaction, and the Vietnam War, the draft, and anti-war protests were dividing the country. I did not realize that Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated this summer too. So the reality is that things were pretty chaotic in our country.
Jack is the youngest of three brothers who loves his family fiercely and would do anything to keep them safe. As his brother Pete says, he is a “fixer” and never knows when to give up. His cousin Frankie, lives in Memphis, where riots are still pretty common and where his uncle is shot and recovering, so they send him to live with Jack and his family in New Shiloh to keep him safe. At the same time, Jack’s older brother Pete is about to turn 18 and will be drafted soon, and he wants to find a way to keep him safe. But even though the boys have a fun summer swimming and cliff jumping and running around the woods, there are other dangers, including some unscrupulous men who would do anything they can to force Jack’s family and his neighbors out so that they can flood their valley and form a reservoir.
I really enjoyed this story and found much of it to be moving. Jack is very naive when the story begins, but so are many of the other kids. Ultimately this is the story of all of them having to grow up too soon, but also learning that the love that binds them all together will always be there to help lift them up, carry them, or walk by their side as needed. This was a fast-paced novel full of action, especially in the second half, and middle school and high school students would probably enjoy reading it.
This is a strong debut novel and I look forward to reading future books by this author.
Coming-of-age stories can be hit or miss for me, but this is definitely a hit. I read along to the narration and the words and the voice drew me into the summer of 1968, the summer that everything changed for Jack Elliot and his family.
This story had vibes of This Tender Land for me, although it is much shorter and probably intended for a younger audience. The story is narrated by what I think is adult Jack but describes the most eventful summer of his life when he was 13. This was a tumultuous time in our country’s history as Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April, riots and peaceful protests erupted all over the country in reaction, and the Vietnam War, the draft, and anti-war protests were dividing the country. I did not realize that Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated this summer too. So the reality is that things were pretty chaotic in our country.
Jack is the youngest of three brothers who loves his family fiercely and would do anything to keep them safe. As his brother Pete says, he is a “fixer” and never knows when to give up. His cousin Frankie, lives in Memphis, where riots are still pretty common and where his uncle is shot and recovering, so they send him to live with Jack and his family in New Shiloh to keep him safe. At the same time, Jack’s older brother Pete is about to turn 18 and will be drafted soon, and he wants to find a way to keep him safe. But even though the boys have a fun summer swimming and cliff jumping and running around the woods, there are other dangers, including some unscrupulous men who would do anything they can to force Jack’s family and his neighbors out so that they can flood their valley and form a reservoir.
I really enjoyed this story and found much of it to be moving. Jack is very naive when the story begins, but so are many of the other kids. Ultimately this is the story of all of them having to grow up too soon, but also learning that the love that binds them all together will always be there to help lift them up, carry them, or walk by their side as needed. This was a fast-paced novel full of action, especially in the second half, and middle school and high school students would probably enjoy reading it.
This is a strong debut novel and I look forward to reading future books by this author.
July 8, 2022
This was a very good coming of age story about Jack. This summer Jack goes through a lot of things, wanting to save his brother from Vietnam, other brother has is life disillusions before his eyes, his cousin sent to stay with them due to strife at home that gets a bit worse, people coming for his family's land and house. So much going on in Jack's life and it's hard for him to take. By the end of the book Jack is a different boy, better in some ways, worse in others, but his family sticks together to face it all.
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