Overview.

I was delighted to receive a review copy of the latest book by this talented young author. David Kummar has written mainly in the Horror genre up until now, but this book is very different. It is a coming of age story, but that does not tell us very much about it.
There are three teens in the book. Best friends.

Hudson is a troubled character. He is the only child of a couple struggling to make ends meet. His father has a job in one of the local factories, at the same time farming their small-holding. Hudson wants to leave the small town of Little Rush. At least that’s what he says. He also has thoughts of suicide, although he is unsure if he wants to do it or not.

Mason is his friend and the son of one of the rich property owners in the town. His ambition is to remain in the town and to take over his father’s business. A typical rich teen, the relationship between him and Hudson is somewhat difficult at times.

Willow is Mason’s girlfriend. She is beautiful, but from a broken home. Her parents live separately in the poorer parts of the town. She also wants to leave Little Rush as soon as she can.

The three get up to the usual kind of things teens will do, drinking and smoking and generally being a nuisance.

Their life changes when a popular film star decides to retire to the town. Everyone is excited, but is he all he seems?

Blurb

Little Rush is a sleepy town on the Ohio River. Bruce Michaels is a renowned Hollywood actor. The two should never cross paths, yet one summer everything changes. The actor, haunted by demons, chasing a ghost. The town, unaware. Until the two collide.

Hudson, Willow, and Mason are high school seniors with very different upbringings, but all on the verge of adulthood. As the sun sets on their final summer, questions abound. Will they ever leave the town? Is there a future here? As their plans waver, time is running out.

The struggle of mental illness.

As he loses his friends and sinks deeper into depression, Hudson forms an unlikely bond with the actor, Bruce Michaels. But the old man is a ticking time bomb. As Hudson relies on him more, the danger to them both grows.

When dark secrets are revealed, Hudson must confront the truth about his idol and himself. Bruce Michaels isn’t who he seems. Hudson is nearly lost. And in the end, they may be more similar than different.

The search for meaning.

Different paths, converging in a web of alcohol, fights, and romance. Worlds collide one summer in Anywhere, USA. The question is who will make it through.

EVERYTHING, SOMEWHERE is an ambitious, sprawling look at the stories, people, and places forming the nuanced landscape of rural America.

Characters

David Kummer has researched his topic well and shown us the despair of people suffering from mental illness.

The characters are all believable and real, with very human frailties. For such a young writer, he has empathised with them extremely well.

Michaels is tormented, as is Hudson, for different reasons. What is the secret Michaels conceals? The budding relationship between the old man and the young one is very real. Michaels can see himself in Hudson, and their conversations seem to be a help to the young man, but what will happen when Michael’s secret finally comes out?

Mason is a typical rich kid on the surface, but he has hidden depth. How can he keep the woman he loves from leaving the town? Will he have to give up his own wishes and go with her?

Willow is a confused young woman who desperately wants to leave the town, but not the one she loves. How can she reconcile her dilemma?
The other characters, I hesitate to say ‘lesser’ as they all play an important role are also fully formed. There is an unlikely friendship between Mason’s father and Hudson’s father. Two very different characters.

Writing

On the whole, the writing is good. One thing that I did find slightly jarring with is Kummer’s use of the word ‘just’. He does use it a lot, but that’s not a major problem. Many people wont notice it as it’s the way so many speak.

I had a clear picture of the town in my head from the way Kummer has described the town and its surroundings.

Conclusion

An excellent read. I found myself anxious to get back to it whenever I had to stop reading for whatever reason. The story is one that lingers in your head long after you’ve finished reading it. Well worth the money spent on a purchase.
I give it 5*.

The book came out on April 25th.

If you liked this review, please consider leaving a comment in the comments box.