Right Handed Lefty

The story is OK, but the narrative could be better - I feel for Ellis, growing up in his situation and the main action involving the evil Raymond Schaefer kept my interest, but it seems as if we are being told everything instead of using the characters themselves to unfold the story.
I am not a professional writer and reviews are meant to be honest, however, as a reviewer, I can't help being subjective. What may be profound to me, might seem trivial to another reader. My 3 star rating means I thought it was OK - I try not to give 5 stars very often.

An incredible tale of three misfits, finding their way in the word that, for them, is full of both love and evil. In their struggle against the evil the bond together and find a strength they never knew they had. The backstories interspersed throughout the book help bring the story to life even more. Recommended reading for and young person struggling to find their place in the world and for any adult who loves a good story.

I voluntarily received an advanced reader copy of this book.

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This story reminded of the books you read in middle school like The Outsiders, Tex, or even Stand by Me. Not every one feels like they have a place or fit in and this book dives into that subject. Finding your way isn't always easy but with a few good friends you can get through it. The book grabbed my attention from the onset and didn't really let go throughout. I'm interested in seeing what else this particular author has in store for us next!

A coming of age novel that follows a group of boys. About the bonds of friendship and what starts out as a casual friendship that strengthens and will last a lifetime.

Ryan Coughlin's writing style keeps you interested throughout the story and you realize that it reflects what is going on in the book, it starts out slow because the characters lives are average and lackluster. Once the story picks up you feel it in the narration. The author did a great job weaving the characters together into the climax of the book.

The main character Ellis reminds me of Joseph from the cartoon 'King of the Hill' awkward and forever out of place.

I had a hard time getting into the book at the beginning but once the story picks up I found I couldn't put it down until I was finished. The characters were very well written and I enjoyed getting to know them.

Right Handed Lefty is the first book by Ryan Coughlin so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a coming of age novel that reminded me of the movie classic Stand By Me. This is a standalone without a cliffhanger.

The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat that all info here. The author did a good job of explaining what is going on and describing the characters and the setting of the story. The beginning part of the book really grabbed my attention. But then the story seemed to wander and I had a hard time continuing to read. I'm glad I stuck it out and finished the book, but it was difficult compared to how much I enjoyed the first part.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and CHBB Publishing and chose to leave a review for other readers.

I really enjoyed this story of three boys growing up in a small town and the lessons life taught them. This story did a fantastic job of illustrating the ties that connect people in a small town and just how many there are. A story of hope and love and growing up.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

This is an engrossing story of three young boys whose lives are less than ordinary. They are considered misfits and outsiders. On their own, they stay away from the “normal” kids keeping to themselves. But when circumstances bring them together they become a force to recon with. This coming of age tale involves the town’s criminal element and murder. The boys witness the murder and must seek safety on their own.

Mixed into this tale is a tribal legend that at first seems irrelevant, but in truth adds an element to the story that gives Ellis’s action a credibility otherwise missed. It also leaves the door open for a sequel, or two. We will have to wait to see what the author does.

I enjoyed this book even with the existence of some flaws. The cautionary tale is creative, touching and has a strong moral statement.

Interesting setting of Wisconsin and story about friendship and baggage. Poor Ellis is an orphaned Native American. Craziness ensues when him and his friends witness a murder and no one believes their story.

Right Handed Lefty
By Ryan Coughlin

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley and the publisher.

Twelve year old Native American Ellis Sayer is different from other kids. He knows he is different and feels as though no one really wants him. Orphaned as a baby, he was adopted by a family that returned him. Now he lives with Marty and Suzanne who adopted him to fill the void in their lives that was created when their son died.

Ellis has two friends. Both of them are quirky but they get by a bit better than he does. Like other teens Ellis falls for a girl that currently hates him, and she is the cousin of one of his two only friends. The lives of the three boys turn upside down after an incident at school. They band together for a noble cause that pits them against an evil man that holds the power to destroy them. Now they only have each other to depend on in the life and death situation life that has been thrust upon them. They feel the only available option is flight.

Ellis is an interesting character. He is trying his best to fit in. He knows he is different and that the other kids don't like him. He just tries to keep his head down and not get hurt. He breaks my heart for all of the kids that don't feel like they fit in. This amazing YA novel will have you cheering for the misfits. Against all odds they must work together with a clear plan to accomplish their goal of staying alive.

Coughlin's first novel is captivating. The parallel story lines of a Native American from years ago struggling with his identity and Ellis struggling with fitting in are expertly woven together to create a beautiful story. He addresses racism, the ostracizing of people who are different and acceptance of the world as it is, not as we would like it to be. He helps the reader realize that love can't cure all evils but it helps make the evils a bit less painful.

Copyright © 2017 Laura Hartman

Right Handed Lefty is going to surprise you more than once.  The story is actually three different stories weaved into one.  That may seem confusing, but it works to tell this complex and exciting tale.  

The story focus' is on a boy named Ellis, a Native American who does not know how he fits into the world.  He does not know who he is, where he comes from, or anything about his past.  Oddly enough, it is the present that will reveal who he really is.  

Luckily, as the reader, we have access to the other two stories to understand Ellis' background, which all works towards the climax near the end of the story.  

You may assume this story is about adolescents finding their way, but it is so much more!  It is about generations of people and how their lives affected the others, in ways they will never understand.  It is fun, fast-paced, story with deep connotations about what it means to be hurt, courageous, and finding out what the word "family" really means.

This book has a strong sense of place, that place being southwestern Wisconsin in 1983. Locals talk like someone out of the movie Fargo, and small town life makes it hard to be different. Characters include a twelve-year-old Native American boy adopted by white parents; his two misfit friends, one of whom is Hmong; and adults haunted by the loss of a child, infidelity, and memories of combat in World War II. There is also a sexually abused girl and an elderly Native American man with his own history of persecution.

The story centers on the three boys but also delves into the minds and backstories of the adults, making this a multi-layered work that eventually all comes together. The one superfluous character is the girl, who has no real influence on the plot except to be a first love for Ellis, the Native American boy. It takes a while for the action to get going, but once it does, things move along pretty well. I admit to sliding over some of the description, and I really don’t like dream sequences since they don’t show what’s really happening and just bog things down.

The writing style is clunky at times, and the book needs a good editor. It has misspelled, extra, or missing words, and words that are just plain wrong, like “illicit” where the author meant “elicit.” I think the author has promise and his characters were interesting, but this book needs refining to be as good as it could be.

This is a coming of age story about an adopted boy and a couple of his friends, all somewhat misfits. The author weaves in the stories of two characters from the past that kind of help Ellis figure out his place in the world. I like the friendship the boys had and the story was pretty good, but it seemed a bit awkwardly done.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book.

While this is marketed as a teen/young adult title, the message speaks to people of all ages and I love this book for that. My favorite part was the stellar character development - bravo to the author! The characters come to life, jump out of the pages and pull you into their lives.