Throwing Stones

I just finished reading Throwing Stones. I found this book to be stunning. We meet Jesse Brice; he comes from a good Christian family. He goes to public school and he makes friends. Some of his friends are in “The Village.” They are the Pagans, those who are from the wrong side of the tracks, the butt of jokes and those the first under suspicion for any tragedy real or imagined.Jesse is gay and that does not fly too well with his conservative home, they are not thrilled that he came out. Jesse is bullied at school and that makes it worse. He feel like a man without a country at home, he is shunned and rejected, at the village he is accepted, and yet he cannot reconcile that he still loves his family and despite their rejection and hurt, he realized they still love him.This book is marvelous because it shows the frailties of both sides it demonizes no one. It shows the power of what one young man can do when he is more focused on building bridges and not walls. It shows mirrors to everyone the biases that can blind us in the face of anger, rage, and betrayal.Jesse is drawn to the inhabitants of the village. He is shunned by his family, bullied at school and prohibited to see the only people who understand him. At first he thinks it is hormones that draw him to the inhabitants of the village but he slowly learns it is not that but something more substantial something so deep yet understand nor deny it is something very real.One of the powerful strengths of this story was that it was NOT preachy or heavy-handed. I really made me think. Jesse does some really brave to bring both sides together. What I found interesting is the way he did it. The writer was a genius because it revealed some of the biases and suspicions that both sides so clearly embrace.I realized that if it had been me, I would have thrown so many of these people away after the first abuse and never looked back without a second thought. Jesse chooses not to do that he persevered. It made me contemplate the many times in my life that I threw someone away too quickly or the many times that someone had gave up on me too quickly. Then I wondered how differently my life would have been if that had not happened.For many years, I have been all about building bridges and not making walls so my heart was open to hear and listen to Jesse’s message. As the story unfolds, we begin to understand why some of the difficult people to care about in the story became that way.Jesse finds peace, love, and people mend fences. This is not a flowery book with a cutesy TV movie Hallmark Christmas time Happy Ending. It is real people with real emotion. It has a happy conclusion but it only comes because people are genuine, real, and honest with others and themselves.Lastly, this book is one of the very few books with Pagan characters that I have been pleased to see Pagan people honestly portrayed, neither perfect nor demonic but only human. The truth is people rarely have life changing moments because of one conversation. Here is a real secret about Pagan people and about regular people too actually, when it comes to growth. It happens incrementally in time, in stages with up’s and downs, they evolve; this realistic quality is what makes this book so very real. Too many books give characters epiphanies too easily that do not require work.When the Pagan’s in this book practice their religion or rituals they are realistic, they are honestly portray what Pagan’s really do. They are not stupid vehicles to escape problems, take people choices, find excuses for drunken orgies, fix poorly conceived plot holes or most offensively to absolve the main character of personal responsibility, substitute magick for hard work, tenacity, perseverance and having difficult conversations.This book has a happy ending and I must confess I did need tissue on several occasion but they were honestly earned and not the manipulative pulling of heart strings of sentamentality. We see a young teenager grow into manhood and change an entire community and more importantly embrace who he really is, find wholeness and not compromise who he is.I love this book. It provides a wonderful opportunity to open communication for some very important conversations as well as to build bridges of love and understanding.I apologize if this review is long winded and the last think I want to leave the reader with is the impression that this is a stuffy , long boring, heavy handed preachy boring book I promise it is not any of those things. It is a loving book with many characters that we get to know, and care about. I left feeling very satisfying and a bit more equipped to understand people who I knew were not malevolent but puzzling to me. Without hesitation, this book is worth every star I gave it. This book is a rewarding treat and well worth your time.Tidal Ashburn

A wonderful, offbeat new-adult story, set in an iconic “town without pity” in America’s heartland. Himlen, Oklahoma is an all-American Christian town, and the townspeople have little truck with a community of pagans called “the Village” just outside town. Misperceptions and myths based on fear and ignorance color the way the folks of Himlen treat the people from the village. Except one of the good people of Himlen, Jesse Bryce, begins to feel differently about the pagan families. Jesse is gay, and he comes to understand the connection between the way he is treated and the way the villagers must feel at the way they’re treated by the town.So, “Throwing Stones” is a coming-out tale tied to a story of irrational religious prejudice. The whole pagan-village premise could have been ham-fisted and farfetched, but Reardon does a wonderful job of depicting the villagers through Jesse’s eyes. They are humanized without being saintly.The secondary characters in the story are both important and carefully drawn to act as satellites to Jesse’s central viewpoint. Brad, his best friend; his brother Stu and his fiancée Patty; Ivy Gillman, the pastor’s daughter; and finally the two pagan boys, Griffin Holyoke and Ronan Coulter. Most of the story revolves around these young people; but adults matter, too, which is always a good thing in my opinion. Jesse’s pastor and his parents are crucial to the narrative, and particularly his mother who plays a catalytic role in the books’ dual plotline.But it is Jesse who captures the reader’s heart. He comes across as a normal teenager who just wants to fit in; but also wants to be true to himself. Jesse’s empathy for the plight of the villagers – his ability to step outside the self-centered world of the teenager and see larger connections in society around him – becomes the means of transformative change, both for Jesse and for Himlen.

I am rating Ms Reardon's latest novel 1 of 2 best I've read in my 'reading career.' I like complex, well developed characters in a story which is deep and is relevant to today's society, and THROWING STONES hits a home run on those criteria.Throwing Stones takes place near the OK-AR border and is filled with a large cast of fascinating characters. The MC is a most likable teen and while he displays the typical 'can do' determination typical of teens, his character is also rounded out with a maturity and sensibility which makes makes his character one which stands out in the gay genre.The theme of the story is the misunderstanding between 2 groups of people which inhabit a small OK town. More specifically, the 2 groups of people have different belief systems, or as some would say, 'religions.' Sounds familiar.... While I don't consider myself a religious person, I still really got into this novel....and Ms Reardon has opened my eyes.From the 1st page to the last, the author illustrates how a misunderstanding, or misinformation, between 2 groups of people can shape attitudes and become a generator for prejudice and hate. The crux of the plot is, as the author correctly points out, the young generation (i.e., MC and his friends) sees the need to correct the misinformation and build a bridge between the 2 groups of people. There are several notable parallels in our own society (i.e., african americans vs anglos; gays vs str8s; latinos vs anglos), and those parallels are what hits a reader between the eyes. This latest novel from Ms Reardon is definitely not beach reading, but rather a story which makes the reader think and see beauty of mankind when we work to understand one another.Ms Reardon peppered the story with just enough angst so that I was kept on the edge of my seat, and while it's an over-used term, THROWING STONES was a definite page turner for me. I look forward to Ms Reardon's next novel, which I will be buying, but it'll be difficult to top this riveting story and the likable, intelligent set of characters.

I found this book by accident, or so I thought, but I believe that coincidences are rarely coincidental. There are many themes in this book and some of them are important to me in where I am today. The book certainly made me think deeply about many things.First things first. The cover definitely grabbed me. It wasn't what made me buy the book, that was the blurb, but it is definitely pleasing to the eye and fits in with the story very well. Stones play a bit part of it in many ways - physical, metaphorical and, I suppose to some, metaphysical. This brings me to one of the few negatives about the book, and to be fair it's not about the book itself at all, and I didn't know about it until I came to post the review.The book is listed as "paranormal". I suppose, in some senses it is, in that there are some things that are likely to be outside the range of experience of many people. However, things such as energy work, scrying, spirit animals etc are not outside the experience of many pagans and to describe them as "paranormal" niggles me. I can't say I'm offended because it would take a LOT more than that to offend me but from someone who has taken time and care to present pagans as "normal" people this was disappointing, especially so because when reading the book I was touched so many times with how the pagan practices were presented as "different but normal", and not inferior to christianity as is often the case. That being said, on the whole the treatment of pagans in this book was exemplary. Too often we see pagans and their rituals depicted in a negative light and it was refreshing to find a defender who does a great job in presenting pagans as merely people who live their lives differently. Griffin, in particular was a fantastic character, and I wish I'd known him when I was younger. Ronan is slightly more difficult to warm to but he really comes through when it matters.Jesse, the Main Character is interesting and complex. He certainly has a complex life. I like how the author deals with his struggles, but doesn't dwell on them. Yes he's bullied at times, he has bad words sprayed on his locker and his family react badly to his coming out, but these things are incidental and told in a practical rather than angst-ridden way. It seems to me that, on the whole. Jesse is a well-adjusted, sensible and sensitive boy and I was rooting for him from the start.There is a very rich cast of supporting characters from (surprisingly) the local vicar to the head of the pagan community, and all have their own voices. I particularly liked Jesse's mother. What a woman - human, flawed but strong and loving. That's the kind of mother I hope I am to my children (although I did react much better to their coming out).There are some slight issues with the editing but they didn't really detract from the story and I doubt the average reader who isn't an author with editing rammed into every corner of their brain, would notice. After all even JK Rowling is guilty of the odd slip as even my young son noted once while reading Harry Potter.As I've mentioned, there are many themes in the story and some of them only become apparent after finishing the book and looking back. I particularly liked how Jesse's family's reaction to his coming out, shadows the attitude of the townies to the villagers. There's intolerance in some places, acceptance in others and forgiveness is not always easy to either give or receive. It is one of those books that, having finished, begs to be read again with different eyes. I shall certainly be doing that.There are so many delightful scenes and elements it's hard to choose a favourite but I have to say that every scene that takes place in the tree-house is delightful. Yes, there will be some who will complain about sex in a Young Adult book, but that's not what it was about at all, it was about a connection of two souls in two very different people. As much magic happened here as anywhere else in the book.On the whole I would totally recommend this book to anyone who likes young adult contemporary romance with a twist. If you're interested in a peek into a different way of living then give it a whirl but I would not, however, describe it as paranormal.

I really enjoyed this book and at the same time learned something about the way some people view the world. The story moves along nicely and does not get unduly tangled in bedclothes and underwear. No doubt about it a great read. Try it.

Loved it loved the characters. Story a great read.

Good read! Really enjoyed this one.

... und wartet und wartet und wartet... darauf das irgendetwas Spannendes passiert. Zumindest kam es mir als Leser so vor, nachdem ich das erste Drittel des Buches gelesen hatte. Dabei war der Anfang des Buches gar nicht mal so schlecht. Jesse, der siebzehnjährige Protagonist und Ich-Erzähler der Geschichte, wohnt in einer Kleinstadt mitten im Nirgendwo. Nach Jahren des Schweigens hat er endlich sein Comming-Out und während sein bester Freund überraschend verständnisvoll reagiert, verteufelt ihn seine Familie, insbesonders sein Bruder und sein Vater. Dadurch, dass er sich so missverstanden fühlt, kommt er in Kontakt mit anderen "Ausgestoßenen" der Dorfgemeinschaft, mit Neopaganisten die im "Village", einem eigenen Stadtteil wohnen, wo sie, argwöhnisch beäugt der tief christlichen anderen Menschen, ihren heidnischen Bräuchen nachgehen. Zuerst fühlt Jesse sich zu Griffin, einem Jungen, der mit ihm zur Schule geht und der plötzlich in seinen Träumen auftaucht, hingezogen, dann jedoch verliebt er sich in Ronan, einen guten Freund von Griffin. Das gibt ihm auch die nötige Motivation um zu versuchen, die beiden verfeindeten Gruppen (das Village und den Rest der Stadt) miteinander in Kontakt zu bringen und zu versöhnen.Klingt erstmal spannend, nicht wahr? Das dachte ich auch. Nachdem ich die Leseprobe geradezu verschlungen hatte, war ich begeistert von der Geschichte. Der Schreibstil ist wirklich sehr gut und die Geschichte versprach, spannend zu werden. Das ist im Übrigen auch der Grund, warum ich der Geschichte zwei Sterne gegeben habe. Ziemlich genau von dem Moment an, wo die Leseprobe endete, wurde das Buch nämlich mit einem Mal extrem langweilig.Schuld daran war zunächst das extrem merkwürdige Verhalten unseres Protagonisten. Erst erklärt er uns lang und breit, wie sehr er sich zu Griffin hingezogen fühlt und ihn auf eine sehr unanagenehme Art und Weise geradezu stalkt, dann jedoch findet er heraus, dass Griffin nicht auf Kerle steht (in einer leicht verstörenden Szene, in denen besagter Griffin erklärt, wie gerne er sich bei Sportveranstaltungen unter der Tribüne versteckt und Pärchen beim rummachen zusieht) und keine zwei Sätze später findet er ihn dann doch nicht mehr so toll, stalkt ihn aber weiterhin. Als er dann anfängt, sich urplötzich für Ronan zu interessieren, nachdem sie sich vorher extrem angefeindet haben, schläft er beim kleinsten Anzeichen von Interesse mit ihm, obwohl er vorher noch nicht mal jemanden geküsst hat. Spätestens ab dem Punkt offenbart sich Jesses ganze, unangenehme Persönlichkeit. Ständig beschwert er sich, wie unfair alle zu ihm sind, weil sie ihn nicht sofort mit offenen Armen empfangen, als ob das Leben ihm etwas schulden würde. Er trifft irrationale Entscheidungen - und wartet darauf, dass andere Leute seine Probleme für ihn lösen. Nach einer Weile hatte ich keine große Lust mehr, mir ständig dieselben Beschwerden anzuhören, nur weil unser Protagonist eine dauerbeleidigte Leberwurst ist. Gleichezitig ist er so schreklich naiv und idealistisch, dass ich ihn nehmen und schütteln wollte, in der Hoffnung, doch ein Fitzelchen Verstand in seiner Birne zu finden. Aber Ronan ist leider auch nicht viel besser. Alles, was er tut, auch als er sich mehrfach nachdrücklich gegen Jesses Ideen stellt und ihm riesigen Felsbrocken in den Weg schmeißt, wird dadurch erklärt, dass sein Seelentier der Puma (Cougar) ist und er sich deswegen nicht anders verhalten kann. So geht das über die Hälfte des Buches, bis er irgendwann von jetzt auf gleich, ohne große Erklärungen, auf einmal doch Jesses Ideale unterstützt.Ein weiterer Grund, warum ich das Buch schrecklich langweilig fand, waren die konstanten, ellenlangen Belehrungen, sowohl moralischer als auch pseudoakademischer Natur. Neben allem anderen waren nämlich die Nebencharatere, die Jesse nicht wegen seiner Homosexualität hassen, schreckliche Moralbolzen. Jeder drückt ihm seine Lebensweisheiten auf, immer und immer wieder. Dazu kommen seitenweise Erklärungen, wie die neopaganistische Gemeinschaft funktioniert, was an sich ja nicht unspannend ist, dem Leser aber in solchen riesigen Infodumping-Blöcken die Kehle runtergeschoben wird, dass er daran beinahe erstickt.Außerdem, und das war bei weitem das Schlimmste, liest sich der gesamte Mittelteil des Buches wie ein extrem langweiliges Point-And-Click-Adventure. Jesse will eine Town-Village-Alliance (TVA) gründen, also spricht er mit der heimlichen Freundin seines früheren Schwarms, mit der er wiederum einen Lehrer als Sponsor gewinnen muss, woraufhin sie ihren Vater, den Pastor, mit einweihen, der sie zur Ältesten des Villages schickt und so weiter. Alle ernsthafte Probleme werden nicht von Jesse gelöst, sondern von den Erwachsenen, hinter verschlossener Tür (sprich, wir als Leser bekommen davon nichts mit). Er kann nichts anderes tun, als zu warten, was passiert, worüber er sich im Übrigen auch mehrfach lautstark beschwert.Am Ende bekommen wir unser zuckersüßes, perfektes Happy End, denn natürlich leben sie glücklich und in Eintracht, Seite an Seite, Townies und Villagers, für immer glücklich vereint. Leider war es mir zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon ziemlich egal, was mit den Protagonisten noch passiert, denn sie gingen mir alle tierisch auf die Nerven. Deswegen würde ich die Geschichte, obwohl die Idee ganz gut und der Schreibstil flüssig war, nicht weiterempfehlen.