The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry by S. Alini

I received an email from S. Alini asking if I would like to review one of his books. So I went to his website and checked him out. He's a multi-talented writer and writes a variety of things including screenplays, children's books and young adult. I hadn't reviewed any young adult books yet on this site and I'm always up for a free book so I chose The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry. Boy, did I make a good choice!

I don't know how many of you read Young Adult fiction. I know that it's grown in popularity since the advent of the Harry Potter series as well as the Twilight Saga. I've read a lot of young adult since I homeschooled my children. And at the bookstore where I worked, I would pick up new titles so that I would know what to recommend when people asked. Just like adult fiction, some YA is very well written and is a great read and some is not. I can say with somewhat of an expert opinion- The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry is excellent.

The story follows the main character Henry, on an odd journey of discovery. He wakes in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar house, with an unfamiliar family. He seems to have amnesia and is told that he's been "sick" for awhile. While Henry doesn't know exactly who he is or where he's from, he's pretty sure this is not his family or his home. He begins chronicling everything in a journal.

The more he finds out about his so called family, the more he's sure he's not who they say he is. The journal chronicles Henry's search to figure out who he is and what happened to his real family. It's compelling, amusing and entertaining all in one. The book will hold your interest from the beginning and not ease up. The things Henry finds out and the ways he begins to deal with them and set things right make for a great read. From the very beginning you will empathize with Henry.

The book follows through with all the promise of the beginning. The conclusion is well thought out and fits perfectly. The storyline is as complex as a Dan Brown novel. S. Alini did his homework and even I can understand the complicated discussions that take place between the brilliant Henry and his odd companion, Robert Bontley. And that's saying a lot!

For a very entertaining, quick read- look no farther than The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry. Let's face it, good writing is good writing regardless of the age group it's intended for. Fans of suspense & intrigue will really be pleased.

As always, I've interviewed the author, S. Alini, over at my author blog- The Author Spot. Please stop by and read about S. Alini.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot