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Swan Song for an Ugly Duckling
Aaron and Josh come from extraordinarily different backgrounds in small town America. Aaron is the only child of a fundamentalist preacher who fears and condemns the ways of the world outside their community. Josh is a jock who can only seem to express the feelings Aaron stirs in him by tormenting Aaron about how he looks and dresses. But one day, Josh’s world is turned upside down by a simple sentence spoken by Aaron, and he decides to get closer to Aaron.
Aaron assumes it is a new form of torture, but Josh first a ride home, then talking with Aaron while he does his afternoon farm chores. Then Josh persuades Aaron's father to let him participate in a scholastic event out of town one weekend. Josh pays a huge price for Aaron to attend, but that one weekend persuades Aaron to get free of his parents and attend college.
College doesn't solve all their problems, though. Josh is horrified when a senior on campus seduces Aaron. He can't believe Aaron has always been gay and he missed it—and missed getting to be Aaron's first. But when Aaron finds out his boyfriend isn't faithful, things go from tense to worse.
Aaron assumes it is a new form of torture, but Josh first a ride home, then talking with Aaron while he does his afternoon farm chores. Then Josh persuades Aaron's father to let him participate in a scholastic event out of town one weekend. Josh pays a huge price for Aaron to attend, but that one weekend persuades Aaron to get free of his parents and attend college.
College doesn't solve all their problems, though. Josh is horrified when a senior on campus seduces Aaron. He can't believe Aaron has always been gay and he missed it—and missed getting to be Aaron's first. But when Aaron finds out his boyfriend isn't faithful, things go from tense to worse.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2014
4 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Michael Murphy
25 books126 followersWho am I? One of these days I need to decided what I want to be when I grow up.
I am a middle-aged man, born in the far reaches of upstate New York - parts that give the word "rural" meaning. Now I live in Washington, DC.
When one of those milestone birthdays hit me and scared the crap out of me, I realized there were more years behind me than there were in front of me. My mortality hit me like someone dropping a load of bricks on me.
With that realization, I constructed a bucket list of things I absolutely had to do in the years (hopefully many) that I have left. Writing a book was one of them and was near the top.
My biggest influences when growing up were my two grandmothers. Both were ferociously strong women who were widowed way too young and had to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. And they did! They were incredible women and I adored them both.
These women loved to read and to tell stories, so it just always seemed a natural thing for me to want to do the same. One Christmas when I had a break from work for a few days I had an idea - just a simple single flash of an idea. I sat down at my computer and typed out the one sentence idea. And then I thought for a moment. And then I started typing again - and like magic this story started to pour out of me. I was amazed, in awe, floored by what was happening.
It was like the characters were coming to life and telling their story and I was just tagging along for the ride. I typed as fast as my fingers would fly across the keys (one of the 17 jobs I had while I was going to college was typist, so I'm a pretty fast typist). I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was the most amazing experience I think I've ever had. Okay, maybe not THE most amazing, but it ranks right up there near the top.
My boyfriend finally came to me a couple of days into this,sat down, looked so serious, and asked, "Are you mad at me?" I assured him that no, I was not mad; I had just been kidnapped by my two characters who refused to let me go. He sort of believed me. When I handed him a printout of the entire book he really believed me, although he wasn't all that thrilled about the book. What can I say, he is a biomedical scientist who primarily reads non-fiction. The fact that I got him to read any fiction was a huge step.
I sent my finished book to Dreamspinner Press. Much to my shock and surprise they accepted it. Out of the hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts that they receive every year they only accept a tiny fraction from new, unknown authors - and I was part of that tiny fraction.
When I got the news I was riding on the subway to work one morning. I screamed and hugged the man sitting next to me - I don't have a clue who he was and I'm sure I scared the crap out of him, even though I tried to explain why I was so happy. When I got to work, a co-worker joined me in doing a happy dance.
Once I started writing the spirit of my departed grandmothers started taking over and story after story started to come out. Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press have published a total of eight books so far, with the next one due out in a few weeks. Three additional books are under contract, scheduled to appear in the months ahead.
When I'm not writing, I'm editing and proofing, proofing and editing. When not doing that I work for a small organization in downtown DC located a few hundred yards from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My work is primarily IT project management which can be thrilling and at other times drive me to distraction.
All in all, I'd rather be writing. If people keep buying my books in the same way they have I might actually be able to consider that as an option. Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!
I am a middle-aged man, born in the far reaches of upstate New York - parts that give the word "rural" meaning. Now I live in Washington, DC.
When one of those milestone birthdays hit me and scared the crap out of me, I realized there were more years behind me than there were in front of me. My mortality hit me like someone dropping a load of bricks on me.
With that realization, I constructed a bucket list of things I absolutely had to do in the years (hopefully many) that I have left. Writing a book was one of them and was near the top.
My biggest influences when growing up were my two grandmothers. Both were ferociously strong women who were widowed way too young and had to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. And they did! They were incredible women and I adored them both.
These women loved to read and to tell stories, so it just always seemed a natural thing for me to want to do the same. One Christmas when I had a break from work for a few days I had an idea - just a simple single flash of an idea. I sat down at my computer and typed out the one sentence idea. And then I thought for a moment. And then I started typing again - and like magic this story started to pour out of me. I was amazed, in awe, floored by what was happening.
It was like the characters were coming to life and telling their story and I was just tagging along for the ride. I typed as fast as my fingers would fly across the keys (one of the 17 jobs I had while I was going to college was typist, so I'm a pretty fast typist). I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was the most amazing experience I think I've ever had. Okay, maybe not THE most amazing, but it ranks right up there near the top.
My boyfriend finally came to me a couple of days into this,sat down, looked so serious, and asked, "Are you mad at me?" I assured him that no, I was not mad; I had just been kidnapped by my two characters who refused to let me go. He sort of believed me. When I handed him a printout of the entire book he really believed me, although he wasn't all that thrilled about the book. What can I say, he is a biomedical scientist who primarily reads non-fiction. The fact that I got him to read any fiction was a huge step.
I sent my finished book to Dreamspinner Press. Much to my shock and surprise they accepted it. Out of the hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts that they receive every year they only accept a tiny fraction from new, unknown authors - and I was part of that tiny fraction.
When I got the news I was riding on the subway to work one morning. I screamed and hugged the man sitting next to me - I don't have a clue who he was and I'm sure I scared the crap out of him, even though I tried to explain why I was so happy. When I got to work, a co-worker joined me in doing a happy dance.
Once I started writing the spirit of my departed grandmothers started taking over and story after story started to come out. Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press have published a total of eight books so far, with the next one due out in a few weeks. Three additional books are under contract, scheduled to appear in the months ahead.
When I'm not writing, I'm editing and proofing, proofing and editing. When not doing that I work for a small organization in downtown DC located a few hundred yards from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My work is primarily IT project management which can be thrilling and at other times drive me to distraction.
All in all, I'd rather be writing. If people keep buying my books in the same way they have I might actually be able to consider that as an option. Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 2, 2014
♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥TRANSFORMATION♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥
I'm really torn here, while it did not blow my mind, sadly, I liked some aspects a lot, but others sadly disappointed me.
So, we have Aaron, who is living the life of a crazy-ass preacher within an Amish community, he's the only one in their little congregation who is allowed to be part of the outside world, none of the other kids get to go to a school or have friends from outside. As the future leader of the community, his father wanted him to understand something of the outside world, the world with which Aaron, as the leader, would have to interact.
Besides having a horrible time at school, being bullied because of his terrible Amish clothes and just because he's different, Aaron also doesn't have any free time, he's expected to work on his father's farm and land every moment he can. While his classmates enjoyed their time off, Aaron spent hours with his shovel, hose, and his broom - and mountains of cow shit.
One day a simple question / answer made Josh rethink his actions and out of the blue stopped his bullying and wanted to befriend Aaron. Of course Aaron didn't know what to make of it, and honestly I was a little irritated by how fast and easy everything changed for Aaron.
I liked that Josh confronted Aaron and wanted to change, he just apologized so many times I thought it was a little odd. Maybe that's just me though :)
So, the beginning was pretty well done, interesting, engaging, I got to like the MC's quite a lot and their friendship build pretty nicely, a little sweet even. I really liked it.
After Josh, and his mom and dad, helped Aaron to transform from that ugly duckling into the beautiful swan, behind his family's backs of course, things went well for a while, they became good friends and Aaron enjoyed school a lot more. Then when his father sees him one day in his non-Amish clothes, which he does not approve of, that night when Aaron came home he got beaten almost to death.
Then things move fast, Aaron was emancipated and lived with Josh's family for a year or so before they went off to college. There Aaron and Josh share a room, and Josh continues to watch over Aaron all the time....
They're both being kinda stupid, not talking about their feelings, cause it's obvious that Josh is in love with Aaron and perhaps vica versa. Josh is afraid Aaron isn't gay, but hasn't ever told him that he is himself. Aaron is hot for Josh but thinks he wouldn't want to be friends with him anymore if he found out... and well, after Josh calls Aaron his ugly duckling, Aaron is confused, upset and runs away. Having never heard of the fairy tale, he thinks, stupidly, that Josh finds him still ugly and even hates him.
While I wasn't upset with the way the story went, I've got nothing against casual hook ups or anything, but I did not enjoy how the last 30% of the story was so rushed - it didn't come across as strong as the rest, and left me feeling irritated and wanting more, wanting it differently somehow. I can't explain it well, I just didn't really enjoy it the way it was done / expressed. Just did not sit right with me.
Also, I think, Aaron was portrayed a little too dumb (in the last bits) for his otherwise excellent brains. Even if he grew up as Amish, I think he should have enough brains to figure out some things faster, he did after all attend school for years and came to watch TV with Josh etc... I also found that the characters, mostly Josh but later Aaron too, didn't interact for long and then just talked so much at once, like they were rambling... and some things they said just felt odd.
All that said, I don't regret reading it, overall it was a nice story and I would recommend it, I guess.
If you like YA, some hurt/comfort, building friendship.
What I missed the most was chemistry and fun scenes - There wasn't much chemistry between the two boys, even as friends, and we only get Aaron's POV. Actually, the style was a bit odd for me, it was like 95% we have Aaron' POV, but then every now and then its like we know what Josh feels, a little, but we NEVER get to see his actual POV. It was sort of Third Person Omniscient but, not really. At least it felt odd to me, and I wished to have Josh's full POV as well.
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The cover is REAL beautiful by the way ... :)
“You’ve taught me that I need to learn to see everything from multiple points of view, that there is more than just the perspective I know. I tend to assume everyone is the same as me, but that just isn’t the way it works."
I'm really torn here, while it did not blow my mind, sadly, I liked some aspects a lot, but others sadly disappointed me.
So, we have Aaron, who is living the life of a crazy-ass preacher within an Amish community, he's the only one in their little congregation who is allowed to be part of the outside world, none of the other kids get to go to a school or have friends from outside. As the future leader of the community, his father wanted him to understand something of the outside world, the world with which Aaron, as the leader, would have to interact.
Besides having a horrible time at school, being bullied because of his terrible Amish clothes and just because he's different, Aaron also doesn't have any free time, he's expected to work on his father's farm and land every moment he can. While his classmates enjoyed their time off, Aaron spent hours with his shovel, hose, and his broom - and mountains of cow shit.
One day a simple question / answer made Josh rethink his actions and out of the blue stopped his bullying and wanted to befriend Aaron. Of course Aaron didn't know what to make of it, and honestly I was a little irritated by how fast and easy everything changed for Aaron.
"Do you think I’d choose this look if I had a choice?”
“That’s just it. I thought…. Well, I didn’t think. And then you said something that made me reconsider everything I’ve ever thought about you. It made me open my eyes and see you in an entirely different way.”
I liked that Josh confronted Aaron and wanted to change, he just apologized so many times I thought it was a little odd. Maybe that's just me though :)
So, the beginning was pretty well done, interesting, engaging, I got to like the MC's quite a lot and their friendship build pretty nicely, a little sweet even. I really liked it.
After Josh, and his mom and dad, helped Aaron to transform from that ugly duckling into the beautiful swan, behind his family's backs of course, things went well for a while, they became good friends and Aaron enjoyed school a lot more. Then when his father sees him one day in his non-Amish clothes, which he does not approve of, that night when Aaron came home he got beaten almost to death.
Then things move fast, Aaron was emancipated and lived with Josh's family for a year or so before they went off to college. There Aaron and Josh share a room, and Josh continues to watch over Aaron all the time....
They're both being kinda stupid, not talking about their feelings, cause it's obvious that Josh is in love with Aaron and perhaps vica versa. Josh is afraid Aaron isn't gay, but hasn't ever told him that he is himself. Aaron is hot for Josh but thinks he wouldn't want to be friends with him anymore if he found out... and well, after Josh calls Aaron his ugly duckling, Aaron is confused, upset and runs away. Having never heard of the fairy tale, he thinks, stupidly, that Josh finds him still ugly and even hates him.
While I wasn't upset with the way the story went, I've got nothing against casual hook ups or anything, but I did not enjoy how the last 30% of the story was so rushed - it didn't come across as strong as the rest, and left me feeling irritated and wanting more, wanting it differently somehow. I can't explain it well, I just didn't really enjoy it the way it was done / expressed. Just did not sit right with me.
Also, I think, Aaron was portrayed a little too dumb (in the last bits) for his otherwise excellent brains. Even if he grew up as Amish, I think he should have enough brains to figure out some things faster, he did after all attend school for years and came to watch TV with Josh etc... I also found that the characters, mostly Josh but later Aaron too, didn't interact for long and then just talked so much at once, like they were rambling... and some things they said just felt odd.
All that said, I don't regret reading it, overall it was a nice story and I would recommend it, I guess.
If you like YA, some hurt/comfort, building friendship.
What I missed the most was chemistry and fun scenes - There wasn't much chemistry between the two boys, even as friends, and we only get Aaron's POV. Actually, the style was a bit odd for me, it was like 95% we have Aaron' POV, but then every now and then its like we know what Josh feels, a little, but we NEVER get to see his actual POV. It was sort of Third Person Omniscient but, not really. At least it felt odd to me, and I wished to have Josh's full POV as well.
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The cover is REAL beautiful by the way ... :)
July 1, 2014
Full review on Booklikes: http://myfictionnook.booklikes.com/po...
May 30, 2014
The first part was wonderful, so touching. I like Aaron and Josh and their friendship is so sweet, the meeting of two different world so close but so far away.
What disappoint me is the second part, since they go to college. It lacks the depth that was in the first part of the book.
What disappoint me is the second part, since they go to college. It lacks the depth that was in the first part of the book.
June 6, 2014
Aaron is a member of an Amish community who goes to a public school. Josh is another person who attends the public school and routinely torments Aaron because of his differences. Josh is the all-American boy at the high school while Aaron is a complete outsider.
During the course of their senior year, Josh and Aaron become friends. There's a type of sexual tension between them. Josh goes out of his way to learn what you can about Aaron's hidden culture. At the same time, Aaron wants to learn about the modern ways that Josh always talks about and experiences. And that is the entire basis for this story.
Josh spends time in Aaron's Amish community; and Aaron spends time in Josh's "English" community. When Aaron is in the English community, he is giving new clothes, new glasses, a new haircut so he can blending with others of his own age. It turns out that he is an extremely handsome young man.
In addition to being a handsome man, he is also a whiz at calculus, and he is asked to be a representative of his high school at a calculus competition in Ithaca, New York. He then becomes more modernized, and there are certain expected conflicts that develop.
One day, Aaron and Josh are at a local grocery store, and Aaron is wearing his modern/English clothes. Aaron runs into his father who recognizes him. While he says nothing in the store, Aaron is aware that he will be severely beaten by his father when he returns home. Aaron's father does not disappoint: when he returns home, he rips Aaron's Amish clothes from his body and beats him in the barn with a leather strap to within an inch of his life. [Can we say child protective services? No matter what, the ruthless beating by Aaron's father would result in a significant term of imprisonment and, of course, would result in an immediate termination of parental rights. All of this would happen while the full force of local, state and federal government agencies would have their hands around this animal's balls until he was crushed like the scum that he is.]
Aaron is quickly emancipated, has a final discussion with his father, and then leaves to take his place in his new world. He completes high school and then goes to Cornell University on a full scholarship. As a bonus, he attends college with Josh.
When they arrive at college, Aaron and Josh remain inseparable although they refuse to acknowledge they are boyfriends. One day, Josh makes the mistake of making reference to Aaron as being the ugly duckling who became the beautiful swan in the Hans Christian Anderson story. But, all Aaron hears is Josh calling him "ugly". He is devastated and then decides to act out by being a slut. Uhhhh, just a little too much of a drama queen don't you think? And at this point, the author's writing gets a bit too flowery for its own good -- "Sebastian had deflowered him and showed him how glorious it could feel to be joined with another man." Gag!
So Aaron gets his rocks off and is actually caught doing the deed in his dorm room by Josh, and Josh is ok with it. Of course, Josh does not come out himself -- yet. They make up like best buddies and then move on. Finally, after a little more time passes, Josh admits that he loves Aaron, and Aaron does not know how to react. (Actually, he seems like a drama queen again while he mulls over his thoughts about love.).
There is a little more conflict, and then there is a happy every after ending.
For those who remember the first of Andrew Grey's Love Means . . . books, this book will have a ring of familiarity. A young Amish boy coming-of-age who decides that he is going to leave his Amish community and join the "English" way of life.
The first half of this book is fantastic, but the end of the book fizzles into a whiny drama filled melodrama. Overall. It is worth the read, and I give it 3.5 stars.
During the course of their senior year, Josh and Aaron become friends. There's a type of sexual tension between them. Josh goes out of his way to learn what you can about Aaron's hidden culture. At the same time, Aaron wants to learn about the modern ways that Josh always talks about and experiences. And that is the entire basis for this story.
Josh spends time in Aaron's Amish community; and Aaron spends time in Josh's "English" community. When Aaron is in the English community, he is giving new clothes, new glasses, a new haircut so he can blending with others of his own age. It turns out that he is an extremely handsome young man.
In addition to being a handsome man, he is also a whiz at calculus, and he is asked to be a representative of his high school at a calculus competition in Ithaca, New York. He then becomes more modernized, and there are certain expected conflicts that develop.
One day, Aaron and Josh are at a local grocery store, and Aaron is wearing his modern/English clothes. Aaron runs into his father who recognizes him. While he says nothing in the store, Aaron is aware that he will be severely beaten by his father when he returns home. Aaron's father does not disappoint: when he returns home, he rips Aaron's Amish clothes from his body and beats him in the barn with a leather strap to within an inch of his life. [Can we say child protective services? No matter what, the ruthless beating by Aaron's father would result in a significant term of imprisonment and, of course, would result in an immediate termination of parental rights. All of this would happen while the full force of local, state and federal government agencies would have their hands around this animal's balls until he was crushed like the scum that he is.]
Aaron is quickly emancipated, has a final discussion with his father, and then leaves to take his place in his new world. He completes high school and then goes to Cornell University on a full scholarship. As a bonus, he attends college with Josh.
When they arrive at college, Aaron and Josh remain inseparable although they refuse to acknowledge they are boyfriends. One day, Josh makes the mistake of making reference to Aaron as being the ugly duckling who became the beautiful swan in the Hans Christian Anderson story. But, all Aaron hears is Josh calling him "ugly". He is devastated and then decides to act out by being a slut. Uhhhh, just a little too much of a drama queen don't you think? And at this point, the author's writing gets a bit too flowery for its own good -- "Sebastian had deflowered him and showed him how glorious it could feel to be joined with another man." Gag!
So Aaron gets his rocks off and is actually caught doing the deed in his dorm room by Josh, and Josh is ok with it. Of course, Josh does not come out himself -- yet. They make up like best buddies and then move on. Finally, after a little more time passes, Josh admits that he loves Aaron, and Aaron does not know how to react. (Actually, he seems like a drama queen again while he mulls over his thoughts about love.).
There is a little more conflict, and then there is a happy every after ending.
For those who remember the first of Andrew Grey's Love Means . . . books, this book will have a ring of familiarity. A young Amish boy coming-of-age who decides that he is going to leave his Amish community and join the "English" way of life.
The first half of this book is fantastic, but the end of the book fizzles into a whiny drama filled melodrama. Overall. It is worth the read, and I give it 3.5 stars.
August 13, 2014
This is a beautifully written story of two young men from two different cultures. It deals with bullying and abuse.
Aaron pretty much hates his life. He has to dress as his father says, do as he says and eat what he allows. His father is a very strict head of the family and community. He has Aaron's life planned out. The only reason he allowed Aaron to go to highschool is to help in taking over his fathers business (the Farm, the church and leading the community). He has already arranged for him a wife though he isn't quite 18 yet. Aaron wants the freedom to see whats in the world, dress as he pleases and fit in better. He sticks out like a sore thumb with old out of date glasses, and the traditional hand made black pants and white long sleeve shirt.
Josh and his group have picked on Aaron since he began school. Aaron is plenty big enough to hold his own, but his culture doesn't allow him to fight, ignoring the issue just fuels the fire. Then one day Aaron fires back at josh when he goes on how funny and weird he looks. He replies that he knows it nad that peaks Josh's interest. Josh becomes relentless in finding out more about Aaron and they become friends.
This is such a beautiful, touching story though it does start out a bit rough. There will be moments you will cry. I absolutely loved the dynamics in Josh and Aaron. They are both good boys at heart, though Josh started out as a bully. It brings up a very good point though, a lot of bullyings are because the other don't understand why someone is different. I liked the slow development with Josh and Aarons relationship. I found the sex of the page still pretty sensually hot and adequate.
I had two little issues: I found in a few places it was a slight bit repetitive. something in one paragraph may be repeated in the next couple. This didn't happen a lot or enough to be too distracting though..and i found the ending a bit flat. I would have liked a bit more, perhaps an epilogue letting us know how they do or hint of a new book.
All in all, its a beautiful story. If you like Young Adult, coming of age, Amish, bullying, sweet but off the page man-sex, friends to lovers and a really good romance this is for you!
* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from MMgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*
Aaron pretty much hates his life. He has to dress as his father says, do as he says and eat what he allows. His father is a very strict head of the family and community. He has Aaron's life planned out. The only reason he allowed Aaron to go to highschool is to help in taking over his fathers business (the Farm, the church and leading the community). He has already arranged for him a wife though he isn't quite 18 yet. Aaron wants the freedom to see whats in the world, dress as he pleases and fit in better. He sticks out like a sore thumb with old out of date glasses, and the traditional hand made black pants and white long sleeve shirt.
Josh and his group have picked on Aaron since he began school. Aaron is plenty big enough to hold his own, but his culture doesn't allow him to fight, ignoring the issue just fuels the fire. Then one day Aaron fires back at josh when he goes on how funny and weird he looks. He replies that he knows it nad that peaks Josh's interest. Josh becomes relentless in finding out more about Aaron and they become friends.
This is such a beautiful, touching story though it does start out a bit rough. There will be moments you will cry. I absolutely loved the dynamics in Josh and Aaron. They are both good boys at heart, though Josh started out as a bully. It brings up a very good point though, a lot of bullyings are because the other don't understand why someone is different. I liked the slow development with Josh and Aarons relationship. I found the sex of the page still pretty sensually hot and adequate.
I had two little issues: I found in a few places it was a slight bit repetitive. something in one paragraph may be repeated in the next couple. This didn't happen a lot or enough to be too distracting though..and i found the ending a bit flat. I would have liked a bit more, perhaps an epilogue letting us know how they do or hint of a new book.
All in all, its a beautiful story. If you like Young Adult, coming of age, Amish, bullying, sweet but off the page man-sex, friends to lovers and a really good romance this is for you!
* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from MMgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*
June 11, 2014
The blurb tells it all. Aaron is Amish, living in his isolated community, heir apparent to his father's leadership of the families in the church. However, his father is cruel and distant, unforgiving and demeaning. Aaron, because of his high intellectual ability, is the only one to be allowed to enter the public high school. He remains a a target of bullies due to his quiet demeanor, his outmoded manner of dress and his inability to interact socially. When one of the bullies really notices the kind and gentle man that Aaron really is, he befriends him. Joshua attempts to introduce Aaron to the modern world, and in doing so, incurs the wrath and self righteous dislike of Aaron's father.
This is a well paced, sweet and loving book that manages to firmly grasp the reader's heart and hold it firmly for a few hours. I felt like I was a part of the story, looking over Aaron's shoulder, and seeing the world open it's arms to embrace him. The way he enters the real world, wide eyed and curious is extremely well done. And while this is not a particularly erotic story, it is one of love, patience and discovery. I liked it......a lot!
This is a well paced, sweet and loving book that manages to firmly grasp the reader's heart and hold it firmly for a few hours. I felt like I was a part of the story, looking over Aaron's shoulder, and seeing the world open it's arms to embrace him. The way he enters the real world, wide eyed and curious is extremely well done. And while this is not a particularly erotic story, it is one of love, patience and discovery. I liked it......a lot!
July 8, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
I really felt for Aaron, a lost duckling, fragile and vulnerable, yet strong and beautiful, both inside and out. Although stories of an Amish teen who wants more from his life are pretty common these days, they never fail to call to me and I invariably feel for the character. Josh is the wild card in Swan Song for an Ugly Duckling. The popular jock spends so much time making Aaron’s life miserable, then does a complete 180 after yet another bullying incident, where a simple statement by Aaron changes Josh’s perception of him. Josh’s curiosity about Aaron prompts him to look past the surface that he has been mocking and he begins to see the kind soul under the surface. This sudden reversal caught me off guard and I was surprised that Josh would then spend so much time with Aaron and never get any flack from his friends.
Read Jason's review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
I really felt for Aaron, a lost duckling, fragile and vulnerable, yet strong and beautiful, both inside and out. Although stories of an Amish teen who wants more from his life are pretty common these days, they never fail to call to me and I invariably feel for the character. Josh is the wild card in Swan Song for an Ugly Duckling. The popular jock spends so much time making Aaron’s life miserable, then does a complete 180 after yet another bullying incident, where a simple statement by Aaron changes Josh’s perception of him. Josh’s curiosity about Aaron prompts him to look past the surface that he has been mocking and he begins to see the kind soul under the surface. This sudden reversal caught me off guard and I was surprised that Josh would then spend so much time with Aaron and never get any flack from his friends.
Read Jason's review in its entirety here.
July 14, 2014
Very touching story about breaking free from the chains that hold us back and keep us down. Beautifully written characters. I liked that the story was told entirely from Aaron's point-of-view.
I believe all people have some good/bad in them, but I can appreciate the irony here that the antagonist (who preaches that the outside world is evil) is 100% evil himself- not one redeeming quality, while his son, on the other hand, is about as good as they get.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Aaron on his adventure, and wish him all the best his new world has to offer.
I believe all people have some good/bad in them, but I can appreciate the irony here that the antagonist (who preaches that the outside world is evil) is 100% evil himself- not one redeeming quality, while his son, on the other hand, is about as good as they get.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Aaron on his adventure, and wish him all the best his new world has to offer.
December 21, 2014
Lovely story of two very different young men who meet in high school, One young man is raised Amish with an abusive father who happens to be the preacher of the small communtiy he lives in. The other young man happen to be from a well to do family who makes the Amish teen's life a living hell unil he learns that his bullying and cruelty has consequences. The two form a friendship that takes them through high school and college. This is indeed a good read!
March 21, 2015
This was a vivid story. I loved the Amish character and the bullying aspects. However, while the plot was good, the writing wasn't very compelling. It was, at times, awkward and clunky and kept pulling me out of the story. I should never question word choice or wonder if people really talk that way.
October 14, 2016
nice story of young love in difficult circumstances.
there is only 1 downside and thats i felt that the writer was he kept repeating the same thing through the book and that was that they hide who and what they were
there is only 1 downside and thats i felt that the writer was he kept repeating the same thing through the book and that was that they hide who and what they were
September 23, 2015
I loved this book. It felt real to me. This is the latest gem I have read from Michael Murphy. I have completly enjoyed all his books. Great plot, great characters, great setting, 6 stars.
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