Customer Reviews

Hunter's Moon

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hunter's Moon was intriguing to me because of the cover. The cover pulls says that this is a book that you want to read. However, I found one problem. The book started well introducing the characters and the town of Adelia. But it developed slowly. There were a few times that I was tempted to put the book down, review what I'd read and move on. Maybe this is why it took me three months to read it.

But, there was something intriguing about the story. I just had to find out how it would end. The end was somewhat surprising though not totally unasumed taking into account the facts that are sprinkled throughout the book.. Keep

I would have liked to see a little more time given to the christian aspect of the story. It almost seemed that this was an aside that was weaved into the story in only a very few spots. It was almost like an, "oh yeah, this is christian fiction".

Overall, though not one of my favorits, this is a good book and worthy of your time to read it. Just remember that the story will take a little time to develop. Keep with it and you will be rewarded by a good ending.

I admit it. I judge books by their covers. I can't help it. A good book cover is essential to me. The smoking gun on the cover of this book was just -- to use my teenage son's words -- epic. And it was because of my teenage son's need for more quality books that I wanted to read this book. So much of the fiction market today is geared towards women that I am more and more on the lookout for books that I can put on the bookshelf for my boys.

Adelia provided a great background for the story lines that included strained family relationships, marriages in trouble, mysterious friendships and moments of self-discovery. One of the main flaws in this book is addressing major issues, such as domestic abuse, anger, and bitterness, while not always bringing a complete resolution to these problems. Some of the story lines seemed to be left hanging in some parts. I am not opposed to an author leaving parts of books up to a reader's interpretation, but writing so completely throughout the entire plotline and then inadequately wrapping up the ending is unfair to the reader.

While that seems like a negative review, I did enjoy reading this book and it will go on my shelf for my boys to enjoy when they get a little older.


This book provided for review by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishing for free in exchange for an honest review.

Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel is the powerful sophomore novel by the writer of Elisha's Bones. CJ Baxter, a famed novelist, is summoned home to Adelia, NY after being gone for over seventeen years by the death of his grandfather. The Baxters have long hoped to build a political dynasty like the Kennedy's and those hopes are finally coming to fruition with CJ's brother Graham. But not is all it appears between the brothers. One holds a secret about the other that has shaped the entire family's life and could destroy their future. CJ is a likable character, new in his Christianity, who just keeps seem to let his temper get the best of him; he's on the brink of divorce, facing charges for assaulting a critic, and running from a bench warrant for breaking into his house to steal back his dog. Hoesel carefully builds the drama slowly, ratcheting up the tension so carefully as to be almost imperceptible except for the building tightness in the reader's chest. The dialogue rings incredibly true. A character returning home to face a family crisis and drama is an often used device, but Hoesel avoids the cliches that come with it, making the story brilliantly fresh. The scene of teenaged Graham's threat toward ten-year-old CJ is haunting and CJ's gut-wrenching fear is palpable. This is a story that will stick with the reader long after the final page.

CJ Baxter left Adelia, New York seventeen years ago and never looked back. Since that time he managed to store away portions of the past and pursue a highly successful career as a writer. However, as most people in his hometown knew, his books not only reflected Adelia but also his well known family. Though estranged from most of his family, he continued to maintain a relationship with his grandfather. So when his grandfather passed away, CJ decided to return to Adelia to attend the funeral. What he didn't know, nor was he prepared for, was how his return would stir up the family secrets and bring the simmering pot of turmoil to a boil. In a story seeped in deceit with closets full of skeletons, Hunter's Moon is an intriguing and satisfying read.

I don't decide to read many books based on their cover, but the smoking gun combined with the synopsis on the back was too much for me to pass up. The book starts fairly slow, with a significant amount of time spent acquainting the reader with the town as well as the questionable background of the Baxter family. The time allotted to describing the town was well spent though, and Hoesel did a good job of making the town an integral part of the story. With its small town feel, Adelia provided a nice backdrop with its rampant gossip and rumors.

For the most part, Hoesel created some nice characters. Initially I struggled a bit with CJ. His character was rather grating and not particularly likeable. For a significant portion of the book, I liked his brother, Graham, much better. However, as the story developed, Hoesel managed to use the established character traits of both brothers to demonstrate some nice points. The irritation I felt towards CJ eventually gave way to understanding and with that, there was a good deal to be learned from him. Conversely, Graham's character began to degrade and the white washing chipped off. This transformation was written exceptionally well with Hoesel getting some extra points for flawlessly executing this portion of the story.

At first I thought Hunter's Moon was going to be a bit too predictable. It appeared as though the major plot twist was given away early. But I was mistaken. It was only one of several plot twists and while it was a defining moment in CJ's life, it wasn't the defining moment of the book. I like reading along and discovering that things are not as they seem. Hoesel did a good job of letting the reader discover just enough to think they have it figured out, but still be surprised when they realized they were only given a peak.

Hoesel included some nice themes through the story. There were several relevant elements such as domestic violence and the long term effect of living in those conditions. Additional issues such as anger and bitterness were included, but they stemmed from the tradition of domestic violence. The topic was handled well with the effects on the family speaking for itself, without the need for unnecessary lectures.

I do have a complaint though. I would have liked more time spent on the political and corruption aspect of the story. It was an intriguing portion and I kept hoping to follow CJ through his research and discovery process. The glimpses we do get are enough to let us know what's going on, but not enough to be satisfying. I would have liked more attention given to this story line and maybe a bit less time spent on family dynamics.

After a slow start, I was pleased with Hunter's Moon. It's not a particularly deep story, but it has a good amount of twists and emotions, which keep it interesting and moving. The ending is somewhat complete, but there were certainly enough loose ends that I could see the possibility of another novel with these characters. A sequel would definitely be welcomed.

CJ Baxter has managed to forge a life for himself far from his home town of Adelia in Upstate New York and the dysfunctional family he left behind there. Though a successful novelist, CJ doesn't feel much like a success. His marriage is on the rocks and he has begun to doubt his talent as a writer. And now news has come that his grandfather, the one relative he truly related to, has died. Now CJ returns to a family he hasn't seen in years with nothing but his dog and a newfound faith in God that he hasn't quite sorted out the details of yet. Matters are not made any easier by the fact everyone in CJ's family and town is sure his novels are autobiographical.

Hunter's Moon is suspense in which the characters hold center stage. Those characters include: CJ's mother, whose own divorce and sadness has changed her, in CJ's words, from June Cleaver to a hard drinking, chain smoking woman he hardly recognizes; a stuttering, some say simple-minded friend from the past, who coincidentally won a ton of money in the state lottery; a father who long since lost interest in being a father; the girl he should have asked to marry him now wed to his own cousin; and a brother whose political ambitions threaten to tear down the last vestiges of hope for the family and perhaps the town.

The spiritual insights in this story work their way out in a most natural and yet powerful way. The hero of the story struggles with the tension between grace and human responsibility. Ultimately he must learn what it means to forgive and be forgiven. And, like most of us, he has to learn these lessons the hard way. There are no canned answers in Hunter's Moon, just really good questions.

Don Hoesel does a brilliant job of drawing us into one man's realization that most secrets, especially family secrets, have a bad habit of resurrecting themselves at the most inopportune moments. And the secret CJ holds about his family may prove to be death of him. Or, it may just hold the key to a freedom he has yet to discover.

The cover of the book with the summary intrigued me. I love a good mystery and thriller. However this book did not deliver. I spent my spring break trudging through this book because I have to finish what I start reading and had hope that the book would get better. The "climax" was flat and the end cut off. The plot was jumbled and not coherent. There are better books to read before trying this one. If you value your reading time grab another book.

It does start slowly and continues that way in a writing style that drags the reader down with its weight. I pushed on, forcing myself to be patient in order to discover what those family secrets were. A sentence near the bottom of page 199, however, nearly snapped that thread: "CJ suspected she would not have lost that trait even at her advanced age, even if the years she'd put on might have diminished the mental capacity necessary to make use of the information in her possession." The previous sentence was just as ponderous. In fact, the entire paragraph nearly sank my boat. I trudged on. Mr. Hoesel then lightened up and even invented some amusing vernacular. His sentences, thank heaven, got shorter as they described actions. Oh, and what about the dog, Thor? After he is hurt in the attack and his master and Artie flee for their lives through the woods and up a mountain, Thor is nowhere mentioned again until the last page. Having been so much a part of the book, you would think he had scrambled along with them on three legs, valiant and faithful as ever. But he is so missing that all I could think of was his absence. The final words telling of the just desserts delivered to the miscreants were so brief that I found myself envisioning the process of the law. As reader, I needed badly to stretch those few words out in order to get satisfaction. Think of the work as a physical structure--a ponderous base dwindling upward to a skinny needlepoint.

If you're a fan of suspense drama, you will definitely want to add Hunter's Moon to your holiday wish list!

CJ left Adelia, New York and his powerful family, his perfect girlfriend, and his entire set future 17 years ago and never looked back. But now the Baxter Family patriarch is dying, and that is probably the only thing that would ever bring CJ home. Between his divorce and an inevitable lawsuit from a slightly bruised book critic, CJ Baxter has just as many reasons to stay away from Adelia as he does to leave his current home in Memphis. But the secrets he is holding for his family could ruin him faster than Tennessee lawyers. CJ had left a dark past behind all those years ago, and though he has been running all these years, that past is about to come screaming back to him; even though CJ has every reason to leave, something and everything seems to be keeping him in Adelia.
It's hard to give a summary of this novel without giving too much away. But really the author's merit is in the writing more than the story. The prose is nearly poetic as it weaves through the history of the Baxter family and into the present, without ever feeling like it was trying leaving the reader with a feeling that the novel is art as well as a good story. In fact it almost seems to move from simply excellent writing, to reading like a movie. The Baxter family is written like a (very) dark version of the Kennedy's, though Hoesel does a brilliant job of down-playing the family's success making them seem more ridiculous. Rather than a compound in the Hamptons, they are based out of a small New York town. And though they feel as though they have all the power, the successes are really only CJ and Graham, the rest are merely bullies and crooks. The author is also unafraid of some gray area, CJ and his high school girlfriend are placed back into feelings that neither know what to do with, and cannot act on. In fact playing in the gray seems to be an overall theme for the novel, leading to more than rounded characters. I feel as though I almost can't help but talk about (or even think about) the characters as though they were real. Scenes that felt as though they would be campy in any other novel feel exciting, and nearly plausible.
This novel is without a doubt worth reading over and over again. I am excited to see what Don Hoesel has in store for readers in the future. CJ routinely accused of writing autobiographically, and perhaps this was an extension of the author's own self suspicion (only without the crazy family) - leading to an enjoyable character, perfect mix of humor, excitement, suspense, and not only great story, but fantastic writing.

While I was thinking about what I was going to write for my review of the book, Hunter's Moon, this one phrase kept coming to mind. I should have read it sooner! This was a book that I received awhile ago to review, along with a few others. I just kept shuffling it to the bottom of the pile. My favorite types of books are contemporary and mystery. And this is a good mystery book! I should have read it sooner!

CJ Baxter left home 17 years ago, vowing never to return. With him, it took one of the families darkest secrets. When the death of his favorite uncle brings him back home, he comes face to face with the past that he had been running from. With CJ's brother Graham running for Senate, how far will the family go to keep CJ and his secret quiet?

This is a good book, with twists and turns to keep you interested. A good mystery -- with a small twist that I didn't see coming until the last minute. Definitely a must read for anybody who loves a good mystery!

This book was published by Bethany House. Click here to read more!