Customer Reviews

Sticks and Stones (Urban Renaissance)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The emotions run wild when four former students of Marion High School, each receive invitations to attend the school's ten year class reunion.

Janet the former cheerleader and a member of the school's most popular crew; is now an exotic dancer whom only has one question to ask..."Why?" A question that has been haunting Janet since graduation; will her ex high school sweetheart give her a "Straight" answer?

Solomon a drug store manager is not happy with his life and now finds himself without a job. In high school he was Mr. Invisible; no-one is going to remember him. But Solomon has a great memory and is about to assert himself to get what he wants and help bring out few shocking secrets!

Trayce is doing well for herself; being featured in many entrepreneur magazines has brought in the dough and put her business on the map. But still Trayce remembers ten years ago...the humiliation she suffered in high school has her paying a therapist to help her move on.

Karim is the genius behind some of today's hottest music videos but ten years ago he was the smart kid who got beat-up everyday. Back then only one girl stood up for him and this "beautiful angel" still haunts his dreams...

All four of these former high school students have reservations about going to the reunion.
Will going to the high school reunion help these four move on...or will it bring out the their worse fears!!!

If you're looking for a good solid read then "Sticks and Stones" should be your reading choice. This story showcased characters that at first appeared to have moved on in their current lives, but as the story unfolds it seems the past sometimes holds the key to unlock buried resentments or happiness.

Locksie

ARC Book Club Inc.

Sticks and Stones by Eric Pete is the quintessential reunion book. Ten years removed from graduation, the class members are caught up in a variety of situations and different levels of success. Tracy, an internet entrepreneur, is doing very well financially but, is in deep emotional turmoil from past incidents. Initially, she does not wish to attend the reunion, but after deciding to attend, the question becomes, will attending free her or further bind her to past demons?

Karim, the class brain and nerd, is now the go-to video producer. He was once a red-headed, punching bag for some of his classmates, but now that he is returning as, `The Man', they had better not bring any drama. And, for what or whom is he really returning for?
Janet only wanted to be a wife to Shaw and the mother of his children. But after being dumped by him, she moves to Las Vegas to reinvent herself. Returning to the reunion will give her a chance to see Shaw again and find out why he did not want her. However, the truth may be more than she can handle.

Quiet Solomon has settled into a life he did not necessarily want. He has a vindictive ex-wife and kids who he would love to gain custody of. However, he knows he can not gain custody until he is better prepared financially. And considering he was just fired from his job, he is nowhere near being prepared. However, he decides to attend the reunion, with an ulterior motive in mind. Will it work or will all his plans change?

Mr. Pete has written a timely, well-paced novel that explores the dreams, expectations and pain of one high school class. He also writes about how people are always impacted by past situations and choices. I recommend this contemporary novel to all readers looking for a really good book this spring and summer.

Angelia Menchan
APOOO BookClub

from the back cover i thought wow this book is gonna be good and it's gonna be some crazy twist in the story but sadly it wasnt i pretty much figured out the whole book half way through. it was still a good read i just wouldnt pay for it again

This book was funny and, sad at the same time because of what two people went threw that could possibly bruise them for life but, it was very nice that friends could come togeher again after so many years

This book was just okay to me. It starts off well, but drags until the reunion, which is about 3/4 way through the book.

The characters were realistic, but at times I found myself getting confused about which character said what. I had to re-read too many lines, to get the concept of who said what. Although, I did like the transitions between the four main characters.

Overall, it took way too long to get to the 'good' parts, and I found myself bored and just trying to finish the book. I was anxiously waiting for the climax, which I never received.

This is the first time reading an Eric Pete book. I'm not too anxious about reading another one no time soon.

Sticks and Stones!!! Great lessoned learn,hard to put down. I finished this in one day, must read

EPete has done it AGAIN! The character development makes you want to jump ahead to see what's really going on. The raw emotions and descriptive elements make this a must read. The dance between the characters, no matter how unlikely, is worthy of DWTS! If you are not familiar with his work you will immediately become a fan.

Four classmates of Marion High are invited to their ten year class reunion. In high school, Trayce didn't have any friends. She was constantly tormented about being overweight, the center of jokes and verbal abuse. After graduation, Trayce moved to Chicago and became a successful internet entrepreneur, but she is still riding on an emotional rollercoaster from her past. Her first thought is not to attend her class reunion. However, attending the reunion will give her the opportunity to confront her tormentors and the horrible things done to her, so she can be set free from her emotional baggage.

Solomon was very quiet and invisible in high school. He was always lurking around, but he knew and saw everything inside the walls of Marion High. Solomon remained in his hometown after graduation and became a manager at Walgreens. He's now divorced and the father of two children. After getting fired from his job, he attends the class reunion with an ulterior motive.

Janet was the popular, head cheerleader who dated the most popular athlete. Her dream was to marry him and have children, but he broke up with her. She moves to Las Vegas, and becomes an exotic dancer. At the reunion, she will be able to find out why he dumped her, but will she be able to handle the truth?

Karim, a red-headed, skinny, smart nerd was always getting beat up by some of his former classmates. Now he's a sexy, famous music video producer, and he is going to the reunion to get the girl he had eyes for in high school.

Pete wrote about situations that happened to many people during their high school years and how those situations affect them as adults. The characters are so explosive; they come to life. I was able to feel their emotional struggles through high school. STICKS AND STONES is a definite page-turner of secrets and self-discovery.

Reviewed by Sharon Lewis
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

A ten year high school reunion is something that everyone should look forward to. Or is it? Four different people will find out when they are invited back to their high school class reunion. Trayce is a successful internet entrepreneur that has moved on from the small southern town she grew up in. But when she gets the invitation to her class reunion, will Trayce be able to get past the old wounds that was caused by her former classmates and teachers? Solomon is a drug store manager that still lives in the same town and dealing with baby mama drama. He was the forgettable boy in school that was always lurking in the background. Solomon knew all of the student's secrets by quietly observing them. Will he finally be able to come out of his shell? Janet is the former head cheerleader and homecoming queen who ran away to Las Vegas after her post graduation plans didn't pan out. Now a successful exotic dancer, can Janet come to terms with what made her run away in the first place? Karim is now a handsome and famous New York music video director. Back in high school, he was the one that was always picked on but how will everyone react to him now?

Sticks and Stones is a wildly entertaining novel by Eric Pete. Pete brought us a good mix of characters with interesting situations. You feel the excitement and anxiety that Tracye, Solomon, Janet, and Karim feel about going to their ten year high school reunion. This novel shows just how much a person's life is affected by the events that happened during their high school years. It also shows how one must make peace with their past in order to move forward. There are plenty of shocking and tragic revelations in this story that you won't believe are taking place. This book will make readers want to either go to their own ten year high school reunion or avoid it all together. Sticks and Stones has wonderful character development and snappy dialogue that makes this a true page-turner.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert
for Urban Reviews

Let me start off by saying I have never read anything by Eric Pete. I was pleasantly surprised that "Sticks & Stones" turned out to be one of the best books I have read in a while!!!!
Marion High is having it's ten year class reunion. Only for four members of the class, it may bring back past emotions, fears, unresolved issues and a few may have a little something to prove.
Tracye was the overweight girl who was the butt of many jokes and had no friends. Tracye experienced plenty of hurt and torture at Marion High. Now Tracey is a successful businesswoman with plenty of money. How will Tracye hold up when confronted with a past she longs to forget?
Solomon was the quiet, small weird boy that had no friends. He always felt like he was invisible. Now employed at a local Walgreens as a manager, he fears going to the reunion and is ashamed that he never accomplished more, and that no one will remember him. Solomon always sulked in the shadows at Marion High, but he saw it all and knows more than anyone else!!
Karim was the lanky red-headed boy who transferred to Marion High and was tortured physically and verbally by "The Crew" a group of popular jocks and cheerleaders. Now Karim is known as "Special K" and is a hot upcoming music video producer. No longer the nerdy "Carrot Top", Karim is now successful and sexy. He is going to the reunion to see one special girl, and prove he is more than a nerd that can help with math homework. He also knows how to fight and is more than ready for "The Crew" members if they want to feel froggy and decide to leap!
Janet was "Miss Thang" in Marion High. Pretty. Popular. Head cheerleader dating the most popular athlete in school. Prom Queen, Homecoming Queen. All that. But her "dream lover" Shaw left her high and dry and Janet's dreams of marrying Shaw and having his kids went down the toilet. Janet jetted off to Vegas and began a career as an "exotic dancer". Janet can't wait to get back to her hometown and strut her stuff at the reunion. Janet wants to reclaim her glory and Shaw...if possible.
This is one reunion that these four will never forget! After being seated at the same table these four will realize they have more in common than they ever knew. Secrets will be revealed and the truth will come out. Marion High may be a dilapidated shell of it's former self but the drama that went down their will never be forgotten!!!