Jennifer's Reviews > Learning to Haight

The story had realism to it. The references to pop culture gave the story a legitimate angle. A lot of the references I knew from my own experiences. I love classic movies. Rebel without a Cause is one of my favorites. Janis Joplin and the San Francisco scene have been documented in various documentaries. In college I read On the Road by Jack Kerouac. All of these are interspersed within the story of Jack. All of them gave me a connection to the story that kept me interested.

Jack is the main character and it is through him that the story unravels. With his restlessness and uncertainty with his life comes a great adventure. Moving across the country to make a huge career change is gutsy. Meeting new people and making connections, even though some of them seem bizarre, keeps the story interesting. How many people are ever truly satisfied with life? How many people actually go out and change their situation? Jack did and that is why I was rooting for Jack. I liked reading about his uncertainty and seeing him push along in spite of those uncertainties.

The book gave me pause for thought. Jack learned from those around him and made his choices. I was putting myself in his position and thinking about what I would do. Then I realized I was reading a great book. To me a great book entertains me but also leaves me with thoughts to ponder. This was not my usual paranormal/YA/romantic read. It was something outside the box for me and I am glad that I chose to read it. It had the pop culture references that kept this history minded person hooked but even better than that a great story was woven throughout. Great characters, great story telling, great read. It’s a win/win.
*I received a copy for an honest review