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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

A Good Moving Read: No Parking at Times End - Bryan Bliss

No Parking at the End TimesNo Parking At Times End by Bryan Bliss
Date Released: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 272 pages
Format: Hardcover
Source: For Library
Rating: 3 Stars
Series: Standalone!

Goodreads Synopsis: Abigail’s parents have made mistake after mistake, and now they've lost everything. She’s left to decide: Does she still believe in them? Or is it time to believe in herself? Fans of Sara Zarr, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell will connect with this moving debut.

Abigail doesn't know how her dad found Brother John. Maybe it was the billboards. Or the radio. What she does know is that he never should have made that first donation. Or the next, or the next. Her parents shouldn't have sold their house. Or packed Abigail and her twin brother, Aaron, into their old van to drive across the country to San Francisco, to be there with Brother John for the "end of the world." Because of course the end didn't come. And now they're living in their van. And Aaron’s disappearing to who-knows-where every night. Their family is falling apart. All Abigail wants is to hold them together, to get them back to the place where things were right. But maybe it’s too big a task for one teenage girl. Bryan Bliss’s thoughtful, literary debut novel is about losing everything—and about what you will do for the people you love.
 

From Goodreads
No Parking At Times End by Bryan Bliss was one of those books you would usually pick up if your looking for something to reach your reading goals. Short. Sweet. Simple. It was definitely a hidden gem in disguise! I greatly enjoyed the book's simplistic plot and writing style, and the message of the book was heartwarming. Definitely a good, light summer read!

The book begins with Abigail, or Abs for short, in the novel. Ever since her parents decided to dedicate their life, money, and time towards Brother John, her life has a mess. Her brother, Aaron, always believes that what their parents are doing is wrong and for once Abigail decides to take charge. I absolutely adored Abigail's inner voice and her strength. She just wanted her life to be the way it was before and she has no idea why her parents are giving all they have to Brother John. The novel is ultimately alternates between before and now, giving the reader a sense of how their life was before and how it is now. I enjoyed reading Abigail's journey of finding home and growing up, it's definitely relatable and real. 

One thing that I didn't like about the novel was the lack of character development of Abigail and her parents. While Bliss does touch upon their lives before Brother John, she failed to give her new characteristics and they lacked complexity. But overall, the book was a good moving read. With a simple and clean plot and a message about finding home and love, No Parking At Times End is a great book you should definitely pick up this week!

2 comments:

  1. I've always wanted to read my copy of this book, but just couldn't find the time for it. It's great to know that it is as intriguing as it is enjoyable. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't know if I'm going to rush to read this one but I'll keep it in my mind as a quick, straight-forward, moving read for when I'm in the mood for just that!

    Nicole @ The Quiet Concert

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