I'm a huge fan of history, and really wanted to love this, so I could look forward to many more volumes, but this didn't work for me. I don't think it gave any more information than I already had and the people we were following just didn't draw my interest. I struggled to finish it, and although it wasn't horrible, I won't be reading any other volumes. As other reviewers have mentioned, I felt like some things were added for dramatic effect and shock value, that had nothing to do with the history or realism.

The description sounds better than the book. I had a very hard time finishing. I kept hoping something would happen that would hold my interest. Having grown up during the time of the book, I had high hopes for a good story.

Great premise. OK storyline. The historical parts were quite good but the gratuitous sex scenes just seemed not apropos.

Another absorbing story by Mike Bond. This one is based around one family and how the decisions and changes made in America since the second World War, have affected the feelings and actions of various family members. Really fascinating story .and the start of a series. I can't wait for the next one!

Intriguing concept - America - a historical fiction series. Mr. Bond has a way with storytelling. This novel follows two young boys and two young girls as they move from the 1950's into the 1960's in America. A coming of age storyline. Mr. Bond creates well developed characters - you get to know them - I found myself pulling for them as they seemed to stumble through their lives. There are also some very quirky minor characters that bring flavor to the story. I got a Huckleberry Finn feel as the story started and moved into the 60's. I enjoyed watching the characters grow in the first half of the novel. It seemed to me that the second half was rushed as it covered a hold lot of 60's history. But as someone who grew up in that period, it was interesting to commemorate a bit of those turbulent times.

Courtesy of Netgalley, I received the ARC of America by Mike Bond. This is a very reflective and philosophical coming of age story , set in post WWII through the beginnings of the Vietnam War. In the context of the 50's and 60's, the characters reveal current events of that era, with discussions focused on the meaning of life, freedom, adventure, and environmental issues. There is a sense of idealism, ambition, and perseverance throughout this highly descriptive narrative.

Troy is an orphan that lives in a strict boy’s home run by priests. He escapes several times but is caught and brought back until he meets Mick and his family on one of his escapes. Mick and Troy take a train ride by jumping on the cars to go to Florida and being hobos. However, they do end up back at Mick’s home where Troy is eventually adopted by Mick’s family. Mick has a younger sister named Tara whom Troy falls in love with. Mick falls for a girl named Daisy. They all live in Nyah, New York. Troy joins the service loving the discipline that it has. His dream is to become a pilot. Mick ends up going to college but end up with getting a him taking a year off due to failing grades. Mick is a rebel who question the war in Vietnam and is saddened by all the death of the soldiers. Daisy decides to go into the Pace Corp. Tara ends up being a singer that sings the blues like no one else does.

Thiss first volume of America is se in the 1960’s era — I was aware of what people were doing but didn’t think much about it. ( I didn’t like seeing the Vietnam war on tv. I was busy with playing jazz. ). Teenage girls were into love In this book, you will find women’s rights, civil rights, and soul searching. I enjoyed remembering the 1960’s and realized how lucky I was to live. I did care about women’s ris an civil rights. It’s a excellent reminder for us who lived at that time and hopefully understand our history by hose who weren’t even born then. It’s well written. It is not a novel to rush through. The novel reflects a time of freedom after World War 2.

Thank you to NetGalley for free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

There is a lot of history in this novel! We start out in the Eisenhower administration and move into the political scenes of Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. We see the juxtaposition of 1950s rural American with a more turbulent, energetic decade of the 1960s. The characters were developed nicely and I enjoyed the journey of the various characters.

In general, I thought the history was put together nicely and Bond really captured the spirit of the 1960s; rejecting the old, outdated ways of the 1950s and ushering in a new era of free love, spirituality, and freedom. I think overall, while I appreciated the historical research of this novel, I think there were some spots that were sparse (like the Kennedy years) and I didn't really develop any emotional connection to any character or the overall arc of the story. I may explore subsequent novels, but I am ok with reading just this one!

I can see students liking and reading this one.

“America” is a powerful historical fiction that deals with the coming of age of various characters during the 60s, and I enjoyed reading it!

The book completely surprised me. In the beginning, I thought it would be the dramatic lives of Mick, Troy and Tara, and how the family adjusts to adopting Troy. But the story had so much more!

Moreover, the author wrote the characters in a beautiful, profound manner. All the characters have different mindsets, and it was interesting to see how various factors impact their choices. Initially, Troy was my favorite because of the guilt he faces whenever something terrible happens in the family. However, as the story progressed, I found myself connecting more with Mick. Yet, I loved the complex relationship that the three share, particularly Tara and Troy. Another surprising character was Daisy. Initially introduced as a secondary character, I found myself loving Daisy, especially in the second half when she faces challenges when she goes to Mississippi and Africa.

Similarly, the author also depicted the lifestyle of the 50s and 60s realistically. Although it was before my time, I felt the timeline come to life. Furthermore, the author references various significant people and events, from The Vietnam War, Kennedy to Malcolm X. Also, I loved the author’s style of writing and the details he put into the storyline. Moreover, the author beautifully portrays how we live in the free land, yet there are situations that force us to behave or act a certain way, and in the end, we don’t really have complete freedom. The story also ends in a cliffhanger that makes you eagerly anticipate the next book.

Overall, “America” is a compelling start to the series, and I look forward to reading its continuation.

Thank you NetGalley, author Mike Bond, and Mike Bond Books publishing for giving me a free arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
TW: attempted sexual assault of a minor, physical and mental abuse of a minor, abortion, use of drugs and alcohol
This is the first book in a seven part historical fiction about four kids growing up in the 1950s-1960s and all the historical events that took place.
Mick, Troy, Daisy, and Tara are growing up in an America that is about to go through many changes that were a direct result of the aftermath of WWII. Mick and Tara are growing up in rural America. Their family has a farm that has been in the family for many years. Their father served in the marines during WWII. While they have not a lot of money, they parents work hard in order to provide for their needs. Troy is an orphan living in a boys' home that has strict ideology about how to raise children. One day, Troy and Mick happen to meet in the woods and immediately feel a connection especially when they discover they share the same birthday. From then on, they are brothers. After suffering at the hands of the priests in charge of the boys' home, Troy runs away with Mick to Florida. But before they can make it to Florida, events will land them in the hospital and Mick's father comes to bring the boys home including Troy. As the 1950's turns into the 1960's, tragedies, war, civil rights, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll will shape and impact each of their lives in different ways to bring the reader along for the journey. The reader will be taken into the lives of the four main characters as they enter college, the music scene, and the military. How will each of them embrace the social changes? Will Troy and Tara find each other again? Will Daisy and Mick meet and marry each other? How will the wars that follow WWII affect this generation?
Each of these characters were well developed and showed what it meant to come to age during such tribulate times. Each character wanted to chase their own dreams and desires that did not always a line with their parents' generation ideology. The author did a wonderful job interweaving the historical events that took place over the 1950s-1960s within the story. The author really did their research for this book and it shows. The writing, dialogue, and settings really captured the time period.
This book will introduce the current generation to the tribulate times of their grandparents and how the events of the 1950s-1960s shaped our current times. Some of the things I would have liked to see changed for the next book is the crude language and the amount of sex scenes scattered throughout the book. As a student of history, I understand sexual awaking played a major role during this time period and it should be included, but I believe in should have been talked about and introduced in more of a literacy fiction matter rather that sensationalizing it for the masses. Overall, this was a great first book into the history of America from 1950s-1960s and I can't wait to read the next installment in this series. I would recommend this book for those who are interested in a coming-of-age story that takes place in the 1950s-1960s.

I wanted to like this book, and was fascinated by the idea of a multi-volume collection following the same characters. Like Harry Potter with a historical/political twist? Yes please! Unfortunately I couldn’t get into it. The plot was dragging, there was no hook to drag me in, and I had to convince myself to read just a few more pages to see if it got better. I stuck it out through 15% but at this point I’m declaring it a DNF.

This amazing book weaves political context and issues into a coming-of-age story of three unlikely and very different siblings. To read about a time when things were simpler was fascinating and heartwarming. As the timeline progressed through the 50s and into the political upheaval of the 60s and 70s, The writing really reflected the zeitgeist of the era. It was very informative and helpful to learn about such a wealth of political and historical facts woven into a compelling and engaging tale, but there were a lot of facts to fit into one storyline .

Unfortunately after 12%, I just couldn't do this story any more. I was looking for some sort of event or some kind of action that would compel me forward, but it just wasn't happening. I started skimming and felt it wasn't fair to the author or the rest of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to try America, by Mike Bond.

When I read the synopsis of this book I loved the idea of a seven-volume historical novel series following the same four characters and couldn't wait to read it. The book started out ok, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. But, about a third of the way through it really started to drag and I found myself not liking the characters as much. There were a lot of philosophical discussions and it delved a little too much into the politics of the times for my liking. I ended up skimming though those parts and focusing only on the parts that told me what the characters where doing. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, unfortunately I'm not sure I will read the rest of the books in the series.

This long, juicy book held my attention from the very first page. Mick and Tara are siblings, living on their family farm with loving parents. Troy is an orphan. Daisy is a lovely smart girl from their home town. As the story unfolds, all four main characters are sympathetically described,and the events of their lives, both the mundane and the horrific, from each individual character (football, cars) to world changing (Vietnam, Kennedy assassination) are explored. Sometimes the events are described in minute details, sometimes so quickly that its as if a newsreel was quickly zipping by. The author's style reminds me of James Michener, which is high praise indeed.
Both sympathetic and harsh, the years from the early 60's to the early 70's, the character's early teens to mid-twenties are lovingly and truthfully presented. Brilliant. I received this book at no charge from NetGalley and the author, but all opinions are my own.

I ended up not finishing this one because I couldn’t stay focused on the premise. Will try again later.

I loved reliving the 60’s through these well defined characters. The story kept me engaged throughout and was very well written.
Many thanks to Big City Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher Big City Press for the advanced copy of this book. I was attracted to it because of the timeline of the book, early 50's and onward, as I can relate to the events that occurred during the early 60's and 70's. I was not expecting to love the book because of the four main characters but it was their journeys throughout the book that held my interest. Mike Bond develops the characters as they age, and their progression and transformations via their individual experiences of the important events that occurred. I understand this is to be the first of a series of historical novels, I look forward to reading more!

This historical fiction book follows 3 siblings and a fourth character as they grow up during the 1950s and into the 60s. They each go their own way as they grow up and mature, all going in very different directions. It focuses on the Vietnam War era where it seems to get a little bogged down and ends abruptly but it seems to be that there will be another book picking up where this one left off. The characters are well defined and interesting to see where and how they find their way.

An enjoyable book about 4 young people coming of age in 1960's America. Having been only slightly younger than this group - I remember many of the things these characters lived through and having the same questions about war and the meaning of life.

Great character and story development - just felt it ended abruptly - I suppose to tease the next book. Will definitely continue the series.