Book Review
of Celtic Run
Details
For ages 8 and up
5.25″ x 8″
160 pages
Suggested retail price:
E-book: $8.99
Paperback: $9.95
5.25″ x 8″
160 pages
Suggested retail price:
E-book: $8.99
Paperback: $9.95
Narrated by Ax Norman
epub: 9780962416675
fixed layout epub with audio: 9780985081409
mobi: 9780962416682
softcover: 9780962416699
epub: 9780962416675
fixed layout epub with audio: 9780985081409
mobi: 9780962416682
softcover: 9780962416699
Book
Synopsis:
Jake, a
14-year-old gadget whiz, didn't plan on a summer full of treasure, thieves, and
danger. He just got lucky. While in Ireland on a class trip, Jake stumbles upon
the first clue to a treasure missing from the Spanish Armada. Jake sees the
riches as his chance to buy back the family sailboat and restore a piece of the
life he enjoyed before his father was critically injured in an accident.
Desperate
to find the treasure, Jake teams up with Zach, his nemesis and class bully, and
two girls in a clue-hunting chase across the Dingle Peninsula. Dodging would-be
thieves, exchanging wisecracks with Zach, and concocting ingenious devices to
get them out of scrapes, Jake leads the team as they connect piece after piece
to the more than 400-year-old mystery.
Diane
Donovan, eBook Reviewer of Midwest Book Review, writes, "Romance, danger,
intrigue, and personality clashes between peers ... all make Celtic Run
a vivid coming-of-age novel, drawing direct connections between life's changes,
opportunities, strife, and the process of maturity. Teens ... and many an adult
... will find Celtic Run a vivid, memorable adventure story."
Author
Information:
Growing
up in a small town in Michigan during the 1980s, Sean Vogel was provided with
an excellent garden for cultivating his writing career. With only a few
simplistic video games and three television channels, he became an accomplished
daydreamer and a creative outside adventurer.
A son
of a garbage truck driver, Sean often received “gently used” items from his
father’s route. With a bit of imagination and a little tinkering, these items
were reborn as tools for battles against backyard bandits. These childhood
experiences would later serve as the foundation and inspiration for Jake McGreevy’s
gadgetry expertise.
Seeking
his own adventures, Sean joined the Army via an ROTC scholarship at Colorado
State University. Living in Germany for several years gave him the opportunity
to travel extensively in Europe. During his time in the Army, he served in the
Field Artillery and Signal Corp, rising to the rank of Captain and receiving
the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq.
Sean
started drafting novels during downtime while stationed in Iraq; a pen is
easier to carry than a guitar. But he soon fell in love with the frustrating
yet satisfying science called writing and has been hard at work ever since.
When
he’s not helping Jake get out of tangles, Sean is a department manager for a
large aerospace company. He lives in Denver with his wife and daughter and
their two dachshunds. Visit
his Web site to learn
more about his novel, Celtic Run.
Learn what is fact and what is fiction in Celtic Run — Spoile r Alert>>
MB Publishing, LLC>>To Order Book:
Book Review:
I was quite excited to read this
book as I am always looking for books for my 13 year old son. He reads so fast I can’t keep him in
books. He loved this book. He’s already asking me to find more
adventures with Jake. The only thing
that bothered him was in chapter 2 when Mr. O’Connell says to Jake and Zach,
“Enough. You kids work together…
Tomorrow you can all go to the Dingle museum.
They’ll help you figure it out.”
He didn’t think an adult would really say this, which kind of made me
sad that he would think that… but other than that one issue he loved the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was charming, adventurous, age appropriate
yet kept my attention as well (which is greatly appreciated since I try to read
everything my kids read), had well developed characters, and a fun, fast
plot. I enjoyed seeing Jake grow as a
person and overcome his fears. He was
always looking out for others which makes him a great role model for kids.
My son gives this book 4.5 stars and
I give is 5 out of 5 clouds. I
definitely recommend it for young teens and middle school children of both
sexes.
Book Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Jake
clenched his fists. Zach was sauntering down the airplane aisle as if he were
the best thing since the iPod. Everyone has an archenemy, Jake thought. Luke
Skywalker has Darth Vader. Harry Potter has Voldemort. Me? I have Zach.
Zach
plopped into the seat in front of Jake and poked his head around to talk.
“Hey,
twerp, having a good flight?”
Just my
luck. Five and a half hours to Ireland behind the goon of the eighth grade.
“I’d be having a better flight if you’d test the emergency exit.”
Zach’s
eyes narrowed. “Okay, Spanky, you’ll pay for that with your leg room.” He
stuffed his duffle under his own seat until it infringed on Jake’s space. “Oh,
wait, you’re only three feet tall, so my bag won’t bother you.” Zach chuckled
and turned back around to watch a movie on his LCD television screen.
Instinctively,
Jake stretched his legs to see if he could reach the duffle with his feet.
Shorter than the average student, he felt like a dwarf compared to Zach’s
football-player physique.
He
glanced at Zach’s seatmate, Julie. Why doesn’t she ever see this?
Jake’s
heart pinched as Julie adjusted her position to rest her head on Zach’s
shoulder. Her blonde hair lay draped between the seats, its strong berry scent
sending a slight tingle through Jake’s body.
Jake
and Julie had grown up together. They’d been friends from hide-and-seek to
Guitar Hero, which made it the ultimate blow when she started going out with
Zach. Why can’t she see him for the jerk he is? Jake kicked Zach’s bag out of
anger. Good thing no one’s sitting next to me. Then, grinning, he bent forward
and slowly opened the zipper.
The
first thing he found was a stack of papers. A cover sheet said “The Visitors,
by Zachary Maguire.” Laughing inwardly at his good fortune, Jake tucked the
manuscript into the seat pocket in front of him for future retrieval. Never
pass up good blackmail material.
Next,
he found Zach’s security-compliant bag of liquids. Jackpot! All that bragging
about being the only eighth-grader to shave is going to haunt him. He pulled
out the travel-sized can of shaving cream and some dental floss and then pried
the tab off his empty soda can.
He knew
Julie wouldn’t approve of what he was about to do. Like a referee who flags the
guy returning a punch, she had a knack for seeing only Jake’s retaliations and
not Zach’s instigating offenses.
After
jamming the metal tab into the tight gap behind the button, he gingerly pulled
forward on the makeshift lever. Mint-scented goo dribbled out. Perfect. Next,
he strategically placed a couple of airline blankets inside the duffle to hold
the shaving cream can up toward the opening of the bag. He zipped it closed as
far as he could, leaving just a little access for his fingers. Using a
fisherman’s knot, he tied the floss to the metal tab, pulled the slack out, and
tied the other end to the zipper.
He bit
his lower lip as he pulled the knot tight. Probably the last time I’ll tie that
knot, since we no longer have a boat. The feeling of loss that he experienced
on the day his dad sold their sailboat to pay the medical bills had been
monumental. He slid the duffle back under the seat and glanced up at the movie.
Seen it. With his dad laid up, watching movies was about all they could do
together now.
* * *
Hours
later, the pilot announced their descent into Ireland. Jake finished scanning
the “Trace Your Heritage” homework instructions and folded them into his
backpack. He hadn’t wanted to leave New York for the entire summer, but his dad
had urged him to go on this school trip, saying it would be good for him to see
where their family came from.
Jake
tossed his backpack onto the empty seat next to him and peered between the
seats as Zach wrapped up the cords of his expensive headphones. Showtime.
Pretending to sleep, Jake watched through slits in his eyes as Zach pulled out
his bag.
Zach
tugged at the zipper. It didn’t budge. He grunted, tightened his grip, and
yanked again. A greenish geyser of minty foam erupted from the bag, lathering
Zach from head to waist.
“Argh!”
Zach’s arms flailed as he struggled to wipe the slime from his face. He stopped
and blinked several times. Then he stood up, turned, and fixated on Jake.
Uh-oh.
At ten thousand feet, options for escape were slim.
An
attendant spoke into the intercom. “Sir, please sit down. We’re making our
descent.”
Temporarily
thwarted, Zach pointed at Jake before making a fist and smacking it into his
other palm.
“Zach!”
Julie scolded.
“But
look at what he did!” Zach removed the cream from his face with the last dry
part of his shirt.
“Well,
what did you think he’d do if you put your bag there? You know he can’t resist
a practical joke!”
Jake’s heart
pounded. She noticed. There is hope.
“And
Jake, you’ve got to stop with the pranks.” Jake looked down, not wanting to
gaze into her disapproving blue eyes. She’d once confided to Jake that Zach had
some insecurities and issues with his dad, but Jake didn’t think that gave him
the right to be a bully.
Once
the plane landed in Shannon, the group of ten students made their way through
customs and baggage claim. They purchased some cookies and drinks at the café
and then walked outside into the mid-morning sun to eagerly await their
sponsors. Although most of the students would be going to different villages,
such as Ballyferriter and Castlegregory, Jake knew that Zach, Julie, and he
would be staying in the town of Dingle.
He
remembered the glint in Julie’s eyes when she talked about her dad pulling
strings to keep them all close to each other. She wants me to be friends with
her boyfriend? No way.
Jake’s
name was called. He turned to see a man in faded pants and a colorful sweater
bounding toward him. The powerful energy in his trim frame was clearly evident.
“Dia
dhuit, Jake. Gerald O’Connell is mo ainm,” he said, warmly extending
his hand.
Zach
stopped dabbing the shaving cream from his clothes. “Whoa, I thought they spoke
English here.”
“We
do.” A girl with long red curls and a china-white complexion stepped out from
behind the man. “Hello. My name is Maggie O’Connell, and this is my ‘da,’” she
said with a charming brogue.
Jake
recognized her from the photo she’d sent when they exchanged introductory
e-mails. He remembered she was fifteen, only a year older than he was.
Mr.
O’Connell inclined his head. “Welcome to Ireland.”
Not
wanting to pass up the opportunity to upstage Zach, Jake said to Maggie, “That
was Irish that your dad—uh, da—was speaking, right?”
Maggie
beamed. “That’s impressive. Most Americans would have called it Gaelic.”
“My dad
drilled me on Irish knowledge. He didn’t want me to bring shame on the McGreevy
name.”
Maggie
smiled in appreciation. “Speaking of names, remember you wrote to ask if there
were any McGreevys listed in our area? Well, I was able to find a few near
Killorglin—just about an hour away.”
“Go
raibh maith agat.” Jake hoped he’d pronounced the Irish translation for
“thank you” correctly.
“Nice.”
“’Fraid
that’s all I’ve learned so far,” Jake grinned.
When
Julie’s and Zach’s names were called, two well-dressed couples approached them.
Jake noticed that as each person shook Zach’s hand, his or her nose twitched,
probably trying to figure out where the minty smell was coming from. Jake
snickered and Zach mouthed a threat at him.
In the
parking lot, the O’Connells led Jake to a beat-up hatchback. Mr. O’Connell
pounded on the latch to open it and began loading Jake’s bags. As Zach’s and
Julie’s sponsors packed their luggage into their respective luxury cars, Zach
called to Jake, “Hey, twerp. Want me to upgrade you to a donkey cart?”
Maggie
squinted at Zach, as if to better understand what he’d just said.
Jake
turned to her. “What’s Irish for caveman?”
She giggled,
mischief sparkling in her eyes. “Try fear pluaise.”
“Catch
you later, fear pluaise!”
All the
sponsors laughed. And when Zach’s face deepened to a dark shade of red, Jake
could barely conceal his pleasure. I am definitely going to like it here.
The
car’s exterior may have been dilapidated, but its engine fired right up. Jake
struggled to keep his stomach steady as Mr. O’Connell sped along the highway
for the two-and-a-half-hour trip south. Their lively conversation made the time
fly. It didn’t take long for Jake to get used to their accents, but much to his
embarrassment, a few times he found himself unconsciously mimicking their
inflections.
“When
we get home, you can call your mum and da and tell them you’re here,” Maggie
said.
Jake
stared out the passenger window. “Just my dad. My mom died when I was young.”
Maggie
twisted in her seat to reach out and touch his arm, hesitated, and then put her
hand back by her side. “Tá brón orainn. I mean, I’m so sorry.”
“So
this is your first time in Ireland, right, Jake?” Mr. O’Connell said, gently
changing the subject.
“Yes.
My dad and I have sailed to a few places on our schooner, but we’ve never made
it this far.”
“Where
have you been?” Maggie asked.
“Caribbean
mostly. The sea down there is amazing.”
“I’ll
bet. Well, my da and the other sponsors thought you might enjoy seeing a bit of
scenery before settling in. We’re now on Slea Head Drive. Very soon you’ll be
able to get your first glimpse of Blasket Sound, okay?”
“Of
course.” Jake inched forward in his seat for a better view.
As they
rounded the next corner, Maggie stretched her arm out the window and said,
“Welcome to Dingle.”
Jake’s
jaw dropped as the infinite ocean unfolded before him. Soaring cliffs hugged
the coastline to stand guard over white-capped waves racing toward the shore
like wild horses.
“It’s
awesome,” Jake said, hoping he didn’t sound too corny.
“The
National Geographic Traveller guidebookproclaimed it ‘the most beautiful place
on earth,’” Maggie added with pride.
“I can
see why.”
Thankfully,
Mr. O’Connell slowed down a bit to make the curvy ride more enjoyable. Jake
glanced back and saw that Zach’s and Julie’s sponsors were managing to keep
pace with Mr. O’Connell. After twenty minutes, everyone pulled into a small
parking lot on the western tip of the peninsula.
Several
families were gathered at the overlook, all taking pictures of the breathtaking
view. The sight of the water overwhelmed Jake, and he swallowed hard,
suppressing memories of his father’s sailboat and better days. Maggie guided
the group to the best vantage point. Unlike some of the spectacular cliffs they
had passed on the way, this section of the peninsula was only fifteen feet
above the ocean. The water appeared calm, but Jake recalled his dad’s many
lectures on strong currents and sudden waves.
He
looked around at the other tourists and caught sight of a toddler dressed in a
thick pink sweater and matching pants. She tottered after a butterfly, swinging
her arms in an attempt to catch it. The insect fluttered away from the throngs
of people, toward the edge of the cliff, with the child still in pursuit.
Jake
swiveled his head around. Nobody is paying attention to her. He took off toward
the girl, screaming for somebody to stop her, but before anyone could move, the
child vanished over the edge. At full speed, Jake shed his shoes and plunged
off the cliff.
This
product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my
opinions or reviews.
