Customer Reviews

Motorcycles, Sushi and One Strange Book (Real Life)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the cover of this book, this looks like it will be your normal, fluffy, Chick-lit YA story. Well as the old saying goes, don't judge a book by it's cover. The cover may be light but the story is heavy and deep. As soon as you start reading, Jessie's situation hits you from the get go. She's only 15 but she's experienced a lifetime of hardships that some adults will never have to face. It made me sad to think that she's had to deal with her mother who is bipolar all by herself and with no one else to help her out at all. It's caused her to have to lie about it to her friends her entire life and there's no one to turn to when she's in desperate need of help. Then out of the blue, she gets a phone call from a man who says he's her biological dad who she thought was dead all these years. Jessie's life begins to change starting on that day.

It's easy for a while to get annoyed with Jessie's behavior. Her mother mentions several times that she has the maturity of an 8 year old in a 15 year old body. And it's true, that there are times when I don't understand why she acts so immaturely sometimes and want to get frustrated with her behavior. However then it's explained about her ADHD and all the problems she's had to deal with living with a mother who is bipolar and it all makes sense. I'm not excusing her behavior but it's good to see that this book does NOT condemn the use of medication or psychiatrists.

This book does feature passages from the Bible but they are portrayed in the form of the mysterious book that Jessie finds. She discovers that it speaks directly to her and helps her in times of need. I really liked how the version of the Bible used is The Message as that is one of my favorite versions because I feel that it really speaks to people who normally avoid reading the Bible because they think they cannot understand it. Jessie's usage of the book is sprinkled throughout the story and is not overtly preachy. Instead it helps and guides her instead of dominating over her life.

Topics such as ADHD, mental illness, alcoholism which are normally avoided in most Christian fiction is brought to full attention here. There are even multi cultural characters to help develop the story more. There isn't a happy ending and there is no miraculous event where everyone gets well and lives happily ever after as a family. I wish more adult Christian fiction authors would take note of this as they tend to avoid almost all those elements in their books. Why is it that teens are more open to understand that life is not all roses and sunshine but adults want to avoid reality?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it's a great start to the series. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books and discovering how the RL Book will affect all those who come across it. Again, don't dismiss this book as fluff. Be prepared to be affected while you read.

Jessie was fifteen and living with her mother, her mother's mood swings, and her own medication when, out of the blue, the father she'd thought was dead turned up. Perhaps her father's arrival was the catalyst, but Jessie's mom attempted suicide. No holds barred when this redhead was shuttled down to Florida - Jessie isn't one to hold in things - to live with this father she barely knew.

In the airport, a book found its way to Jessie.

Jessie was thrilled to learn that her father owned a Harley Davidson and a sushi restaurant. Less thrilling was learning that her father was a very pious man who prayed regularly.

The book that found Jessie was a contemporary story of Jesus, modernized and simplified so that it was more than palatable to a teenager. The lessons in the book mirrored Jessie's experiences, down to and including the nasty surprise of a little step-sister added to the mix.

While I was disappointed that the book wasn't all Motorcycles and Sushi because I really wasn't in the mood to read a religious book when I picked this up, I found that I did, indeed, like the writing and that I liked Jessie. The religion in Motorcycles, Sushi& One Strange Book is as gentle to the reader as it is in Jessie's "Real Life" book. I can see a teenager who enjoys this book picking up, in a few years, a copy of God on a Harley.

With a title like this you know it's going to be a good book. Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book was written by Nancy Rue, and is part of a Real Life series.

What is normal in a teenagers life? This book is about 15 year old Jessie Hatcher, who suffers from ADHD. She lives with her mother, who suffers from Bi-Polar Disorder. She has been brought up, not knowing that her father existed, until one day he shows up on her door step.
Her Father reappearing in her life, is the final straw that sends her mother into a complete breakdown, and Jessie is sent to live with her father, a man she doesn't know.

Jessie's dad is a man with a past life of alcohol abuse, who has committed to turning his life over to God. On the way to her father's home in Florida, Jessie finds a mysterious book in the airport and she picks it up and takes it with her. The book is about Yeshua and seems to speak to Jessie just when she needs it.
As Jessie tries to hide her ADHD from her dad and new step-sister, she is taught some valuable life lessons. She learns to work in a Sushi restaurant, meets new friends, and finally confronts her mother and her mental illness. The whole time she is reading the Real Life book and learning more and more about God and His plans for her life.

Overall this is a book written for teenagers, but adults would enjoy the book also. The author does a wonderful job portraying how hard it would be for a teenager to have ADHD and what it is like for them. With the subjects of mental illness and alcohol abuse it is not a light read so I definitely think it should be read by kids 12 and up. The Real Life book is meant to portray the Bible, and really I personally don't care for the way that it is modernized, but that is just my personal opinion. There is never any real direct plan of salvation and I think that is the most important message left out of the book. It is a quick read, and the next book entitled Boyfriends, Burritos & an Ocean of Trouble looks to be like another good book from an author who is hitting on tough teenage subjects.

***Disclaimer*** I was not paid for this review. I was sent a free copy to review. Thank you to Zondervan publishing for the review copy.

I had absolutely NO IDEA what this book would be about. I downloaded it because it was free. The title was catchy. I was absolutely amazed by the premise of this book and the writing. I have boys and I still may have them read this book! I think any girl probably 11 and up should read this book. I'm 40 and I loved it.

Read it and I promise you will not be able to put it down.

Main character Jessie Hatcher is an ADHD teen who lives with her bipolar mother. Her father, whom she had never met and didn't even know was still alive, shows up just before her mother has a breakdown and is hospitalized. She goes to stay with him for a while, during which time she comes to deal with her ADHD, partly through the help of a special book she finds.

I found this to be a heartwarming and well-written story. I'm not often impressed with Christian fiction, as the plots and characters are sometimes a bit dull as compared to secular fiction. But I thought this was a very remarkable exception to that rule.

Ok, here is the deal, I liked this book. I liked the storyline. I loved the characters. The relationships betweens the varies characters were so honest, it was great. What I didn't like is how the author tried to make this book a religious book. It's like the author took a great book that was finished and then inserted this religious stuff and chopped up the storyline and made it ackward and destroyed the flow of the book. I really think if the author took all the stuff about the found "book" out of story it would be a better book. I would have given it probably 4 stars if she did. I have nothing against religion, or religious books, it just did not fit well in this book. I am sorry if I offend anyone with my opinion.

"Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book" is a fast-paced young adult novel with some romance. This is the first book in the "Real Life" series, but you can read them in any order without missing information or spoiling the other books in the series.

The world-building was excellent in all areas and brought the story alive in my imagination. I liked the characters. They acted realistically and dealt with realistic, hard problems. I cared about what happened to the characters, so I had a hard time putting the novel down.

This was definitely a novel intended for Christians. Jessie found a strange, RL book with stories from the Bible about Jesus but they seemed written just for her and the situation she's going through. The Christian element was a main part of the story, but I didn't feel like the author was lecturing the reader or Jessie. It was handled in a way that was both comforting and challenging. It made me want to read my Bible more, and I already read it a lot!

There wasn't any cussing or swearing. There was no sex. Overall, I highly recommend this novel as a well-written, clean reading.


I received this book from Zondervan as a review copy.

Reviewed by Debbie from Genre Reviews

As usual, Nancy Rue has done an amazing job! Jessie's life is portrayed as very difficult, but in reality, it is all too common in today's world. Children living in broken homes with parents who aren't getting the help they need, whether that be because of an illness like Bipolar Disorder or a drug problem or lack of time to devote to their children due to work, is not at all unusual. Many teens can find themselves relating to Jessie and her life. Another strong point is that even though it is very realistic, it isn't dirty. There aren't things that would be worried about younger teens reading. The spiritual aspect comes in a book Jessie finds that is a Bible in a modern paraphrase, but goes beyond that to actually supernaturally speak directly to them. Nancy Rue, in the back of the book, writes about how the Bible really is like this in our lives, even if it doesn't answer direct questions like this book sometimes seems to, it does give us direct guidance for our lives. Jessie finds challenge, comfort, encouragement and wisdom from God through her reading of the book, just as the Bible does for us.
I highly recommend this book!

I've read the first two books in this Real Life series and I disagree with one of the other reviewers. I don't think the Christian aspect is overplayed or misleading. In fact, I think it is understated. The strange book mentioned in the title is the RL (Real Life) book that each girls reads while dealing with her real-life issues (as opposed to a fantasy adventure or historical fiction). This series provides a wholesome alternative to other series in popular literature. It is contemporary teen fiction.

In Motorcycles, Sushi& One Strange Book (Real Life), fifteen year old Jessie struggles to deal with her own ADHD and her mother's bipolar disorder. Jess' parents were not married when she was born. In fact, her father didn't know about her until recently. Her mother is seeking treatment and unable to care for her.

So she has to adjust to life with her biological father who lives in another state. Her dad, a man who both owns a Harley motorcycle and has battled his own problem with alcohol, gets her a job with a sushi chef. Through this, Jessie learns personal responsibility and builds her self-esteem.

On her way to live with her dad, Jessie found a mysterious RL book. It seems to echo her thoughts and helps her sort through the issues of her life. The RL book communicates to her where she is at, emotionally and spiritually, as she tries to find out more about Yeshua, the main character in the RL book.

This book can be easily read by students 5th grade and up. It's not a heavy book that promises false hope, but one that shows how a real girl faces her personal demons and tries to search for spiritual significance. In this case, it is her own ADHD and her family's dysfunctionality. In the next book Boyfriends, Burritos& an Ocean of Trouble (Real Life)), it is an abusive relationship and what happens when you stand up for the truth.

5 stars for an excellent read -- can't wait to read the 3rd book, coming out in the fall! I'm passing my copy on to a middle school friend.

----Taken from review published in CHRISTIAN LIBRARY JOURNAL (April 2010).

I liked this novel. It was easy to read, the kind of novel that immerses you and won't let go, and it had many good qualities.

What I don't like is that I feel it was deceptively labeled.

This is a Christian novel, and not lightly so within the plot, but heavily so. The strange book that is mentioned in the cover is a magical edition of the Bible, one that can read its reader's thoughts and reactions, and tailor its next words to fit. It's a 'hip' version, telling Bible stories about Jesus, using language meant to be comfortable to "today's teens" and using the name Yeshua instead of Jesus.

(I have to say, though, that a book that reads your mind and is so clearly having a direct dialog with the reader feels more Valdemort than Jesus to me.)

Fifteen year old Jessie opens the novel living with her bipolar mother, and she is struggling. She feels she is hanging on, but her mother's In-Bed and No-Bed phases create a lot of havoc. Jessie herself has ADHD, and she resists the label and the diagnosis like a wildcat. She doesn't want to be crazy. She tells us she can barely read but that few people notice. Her father died before she was born.

Or so she thought, until he calls her and then arrives on the doorstep.

In short order, Jessie's mom has a mental breakdown and is hospitalized and Jessie goes to spend time with her father, who she eventually learns is a recovered alcoholic who has turned his life around. Church is a big part of his life now, and he has clearly immersed himself in his community, volunteering and helping people. In between, Jessie is also reading this strange book that found her in the airport, and reading the stories of Yeshua helping the poor and driving people's demons away. And, she's met a cute guy. She's working in a sushi restaurant, where she's learning new skills... and realizing that despite her fears, she actually can learn, and can be taught.

I like the way Jessie is portrayed, and I like the way we see into her ADHD... interestingly, with a far more sympathetic and even hand that Jessie gives herself, a bit of a trick since she's telling the whole story in first person. The novel is a page-turner, and I read it in a single day. I felt authentically in Jessie's head. I appreciated the message of redemption, that it's not too late to find a way to be a useful, productive person... even if you did flunk 9th grade English.

I am not Christian, though I knew instantly the basis of the book Jessie found. It highlights what are for me the best parts of the Bible, about loving one's enemies and doing good works for others, and the evil of people who try to control others with overrighteous displays of piety. Still, the book exchanges are for me the weakest part of the story, and truly the most heavy-handed. And, I'm not certain that the description of mental illness as "demons" that can be driven out by Yeshua is all that healthy or appropriate - though properly, the characters discuss that that is not a literal description, that Jesus can be helpful but that there's also a healthy "God helps those who help themselves" vibe - ie, praying is nice, but it doesn't mean that alcoholics can go to bars or that Jessie should stop taking her medication. Her father's church practices a cool, rockin' sort of Christianity, and there are Harley motorcycles, and sushi, and a preacher who knows how to have a good time, with people who help those in need. Her father may be a little too good to be true, but he suits the novel well. We're glad he's a good guy today, and picked up some good parenting skills, because Jessie certainly needs and deserves that.

I am still bothered by the fact that the publisher's description mentions none of the Christian aspects, even though it is the heart of the novel. (I also was confused by the label of "Real Life" stories - at first when I saw the description I thought this was a collection of nonfiction accounts, rather than the name of a YA series, and I'm used to it meaning "not on the internet" rather than as a Christian codeword.) If the author and publisher intend this book for a wide audience beyond people already interested in Christian fiction, I'd suggest toning down the prose rather than completely omitting it from the marketing. Or market it as what it is - why hide it? It's a good novel for teens interested in Christianity, but people of other faiths who purchased it would certainly be angry to discover the switch. (Anyone holding the book in their hand would see a reference to Christian bookstores on the first teaser page and know.)

As far as age ranges, the story is appropriate for 5th grade plus, other than the concern about religious faith. I would be comfortable with a teen of any faith reading it, as long as they understood what it was when they picked it up. There is no negativity toward other religions, or to lack of religion. I do not know whether this would be a good choice, or a poor choice, for a teen with a parent experiencing mental illness. To tell Jessie's story, the author sends Jessie's mom into an advanced state of dysfunction that might be overly vivid for someone without a great dad who rides a Harley. On the other hand, to see Jessie emerge strong and tall at the end of the novel is a powerful message as well.