Rick Starkey
Rick Starkey Author Gatlinburg Tennessee
Reviews
Reviews!!
| Debbie Dadey – Author, The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids seriesI enjoyed Blues Bones. Readers will worry about Rodney and try to talk some sense into him as he plays with Voodoo. “No Rodney! Don’t Do it!” Love the twist at the end and the way Rodney struggles to succeed as a guitar player, even when everything goes wrong.
Teresa Lester reviewed Blues Bones Blues Bones was so a fun read. What kid–young or old–can resist a voodoo … May 1, 2016 Blues Bones was so a fun read. What kid–young or old–can resist a voodoo spell in a graveyard at midnight with his best friend? Once Rodney gets into the voodoo things go from bad to worse.With a dad that never gives him time, mom in an accident, to the music composition. I loved following along with Rodney as he figured out how to fix things.or coming to terms with what couldn’t be fixed. I highly recommend this book for all ages. Great read, couldn’t put it down. Great job Rick! Loved it. View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| karen reviewed Blues BonesThe story starts off with great energy, the pace April 29, 2016
This was an interesting read. The story starts off with great energy, the pace, and true-to-life characters. I loved the premise. After an embarrassing “unplugged” version of thirteen-year-old, Rodney Becker’s last performance of him frozen on stage was blasted online; he sets out to win the Music Today Talent Show. With the help of his buddy, Max, who convinces him he can do it even if his nemesis, Eddy Manford can hit every note, and doesn’t freeze up on stage. Rodney Becker, guitar hopeful, can play, he just becomes nervous on stage. So nervous he shuts down. With the contest one month away, he has time to get his act together. Rodney has the grand idea that he can use a good luck charm or some kind of magic spell to help him get over his stage fright. He and his buddy Max locate the ultimate good luck charm. But after the boys acquire this charm—by stealing it, things go wrong, terribly wrong. As a years-long student of guitar myself, I found much to enjoy in BLUES BONES. The reader experiences time in a recording studio, and from my experience, the technical aspects were woven into the narrative quite well. You’ll learn a few things about the recording music, and maybe a couple things about playing guitarShow Less View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| montzalee wittmann reviewed Blues Bones
very unique teen book, loved it! April 23, 2016 Blues Bones by Rick Starkey is an exciting teen book about a boy the is a guitar player with talent but has stage fright. He is desperate to find a way to cure this and is led to an extreme measure. Carrying around a stolen finger bone of a dead guitar player is the plan! See how it works in this action packed, fun, and crazy novel. Enjoyed it completely. Great plot, well developed characters, and lots of unique ideas. Never boring. I received this book from NetGalley for a honest review.Show Less View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| J Barber reviewed Blues BonesI really enjoyed this fun, spooky MG book. April 10, 2016
I really enjoyed this fun, spooky MG book. It was full of laughs and characters that I was happy to spend my time with. This is intended for young readers, and I’d rate the scare-factor as a 2.5/5 skulls, so it’s perfect for kids that aren’t into the super scary stuff but still want a little thrill. The author clearly knows his stuff when it comes to the music/recording industry, which gives a lot of authenticity to the book and I can’t help but think could be quite inspiring to young musicians. There are themes of loyalty/trust, integrity/cheating, confidence/self-doubt, and choice–all played out in a really nice way through the main plot of the story. Finally, there are plenty of laughs. The reader, younger or older, is in good hands with Rick Starkey. I received an free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.Show Less View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| B. Meise reviewed Blues Bones1 of 1 people found the following helpful
(even like the silly experiences this book’s character had) it’s “honesty” … March 21, 2016 Gotcha? This book got me! Reading this book isn’t only for teens, the author held the teens parents interest also. I feel this story can help kids realize that no matter how little they come from or how little they have, and no matter what experiences they go thru, (even like the silly experiences this book’s character had) it’s “honesty” that can help most, in meeting their goals! View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| Jr77 reviewed Blues Bones1 of 1 people found the following helpful
Great middle-grade book! March 21, 2016 A great book for middle-graders! Rodney Becker is on his way to becoming a star. His online music video “Unplugged” has already received over 1,000 hits. There’s only one problem. Well, actually two. Problem number 1: the video was posted by none other than Eddie Reed, Rodney’s worst enemy. Problem number 2: “Unplugged” is a humiliating showcase of Rodney unplugging his guitar and running off stage without playing a single chord. If Rodney has any hope of winning the music competition only a month away, he has to get over his stage fright. When he notices a rabbit’s foot attached to the guitar strap of a famous rock star, he realizes he needs a good luck charm. An internet search leads Rodney and his best friend Max to Voodoo. With a simple spell, Rodney will be cured—unless something backfires. Then he’ll have to deal with the power of return, which will bring him three times more bad luck than he started with. The only reason I gave this book four stars is because I don’t think it’s scary enough to be classified as horror. However, it’s a great book where everything that can go wrong does go wrong for Rodney Becker. The author does a great job portraying original characters with a spot-on first person narrative from an eighth grade boy. There are also many guitar/recording references that any music lover will appreciate. All in all, this is a wonderful debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author.Show Less View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| Novel Chick reviewed Blues Bones1 of 1 people found the following helpful
Midnight in the Garden of Blues and Bones. March 19, 2016 Boys, middle school, guitars, voodoo, plus a brilliant, talented mentor musician with a mysterious past. Major elements of spooky fun come together in Rick Starkey’s Blues Bones. Of course, voodoo spells don’t always go as planned. Where’s the challenge in that? Blues Bones is a fun experience for readers who like mysteries, music, and magic, and for anyone who has ever had stage fright or had goals that conflict with their parents’. I only wish Rodney had returned that old bag with its rattling contents. If you read Blues Bones you may too.Show Less View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| MS reviewed Blues Bones1 of 1 people found the following helpful
a compelling middle grade horror book March 17, 2016 Rodney has stage fright and can’t play the guitar like he knows he can during competitions. Enter a mysterious songwriter, a bag containing finger bones of a dead guitar player, and voodoo spells, and Rodney’s life unravels. He and the people around him suffer during his pursuit to fix his problem. He has to make things right…and fast. This horror read has the perfect mix of middle school angst and creepiness. View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| Gail Kamer reviewed Blues Bones1 of 1 people found the following helpful
I loved this book March 13, 2016 I loved this book. The added mystery of what the curse would do kept me turning pages. Great twist in the story plot. View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| sherry alexander reviewed Blues Bones2 of 2 people found the following helpful
This one is a keeper March 12, 2016 Being a teenager is not easy, especially when you want something so bad you’ll do anything to get it. Rodney has a problem, and instead of facing his fear, he tries to find something that will solve the problem for him–a voodoo spell. But Rodney is not really a believer. He only goes through the motions because his best friend says it’s his only chance to win the guitar competition. Then things start going from bad to worse and Rodney thinks there might be something to all the spell stuff. This sets the stage for the back and forth, twist and turn plot that author, Rick Starkey, weaves through the Rodney’s story. He makes the reader feel the desperation Rodney is going through, and then takes us on a journey that just might be Rodney’s only way out. The whole story is laced with the love of music, the desire for success, and the multitude of problems kids face when they want something so bad they can’t see straight. This is a great first novel, and one that should entice even the most resistant reader. I received an ARC of this book for an honest review. Let me just say, that I loved this book. Congratulations, Rick Starkey, on you first–and hopefully not last–novel. This one is definitely a keeper.Show Less View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| Tina Ferraro reviewed Blues Bones3 of 3 people found the following helpful
The pages just flew… March 10, 2016 Rodney Becker has got his share of problems, not the least of which is thinking he can make them go away with some graveyard voodoo. The reader can’t help but root for the clever, sensitive thirteen year-old as he grapples with very real insecurities, asks some life-altering questions, and maybe feels his first sparks of love, too. Bravo to author Rick Starkey for this heart-felt and memorable debut novel. View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
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| KatieC reviewed Blues Bones2 of 2 people found the following helpful
Spooky, fun, and clever# March 8, 2016 Blues Bones was such a fun read. What kid–young or old–can resist a voodoo spell in a graveyard at midnight?! Once Rodney dabbles in the black arts, things go from bad to worse. I loved following along, rooting for Rodney as he figured out how to fix things…or how to come to terms with what couldn’t be fixed. Great for magic lovers, music lovers, and middle grade readers alike. View on Amazon.com Add a comment View this book’s reviews on Amazon.com |
| Patricia A. Bentley reviewed Blues Bones3 of 3 people found the following helpful
Really enjoyed reading a good story that wasn’t about zombies or … March 6, 2016 Really enjoyed reading a good story that wasn’t about zombies or vampires. Rick did a great job keeping my intrest wanting to know what Rodney was going to do next. Didn’t want to stop reading until the end. Great job Rick! |
Rick Starkey 