Title: Murder, Romance, and Two Shootings
Author: Todd Allen Smith
Publisher: NineStar Press
Length: 304 Pages
Category: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
At a Glance: I thought the structure of this novel may have been a little bit better if it had been set up like a diary, but I have to give Todd Allen Smith a lot of credit for being brave enough to write and share his story.
Reviewed By: Maryann
Blurb: The scent of his own blood shakes away the disbelief of the gunman entering the city council room. Todd remembers that smell and can’t deny that he is once more the target of a gunman’s bullet.
Healing from his physical wounds is the easy part, grounded in gratitude for his very survival. Rebuilding his life will be the hard part. But he is reminded he is luckier than others whenever he thinks of his friend Rick.
After the first time he was shot, Todd had to learn to walk again, but now he faces the bigger challenge of learning how to love.
Review: When this story opens, we find journalist Todd Smith has been shot…for the second time. He starts to reminisce about his life, about finally graduating from college, leaving home and being excited to be living with his best friend, Kevin. This is supposed to be a start of a new journey for him, and newfound freedoms. Until he is shot.
Author Todd Allen Smith take us on a journey of anguish, heartache, physical pain, and the many different emotions that become part of Todd’s life. He moves from place to place, from employment to unemployment; he comes out to family and friends, moves back home; and he faces the murder of a very close friend and the outcome of various relationships as well as the nightmares that follow the shootings and hate crimes and then never finding the guilty parties. When Todd reunites with Kevin, he sees a new side to his friend, and Todd finds a new love, but the mental stress takes a dramatic toll on the relationship.
Once I got into this memoir, I had to pause and remember that this is a true story about Todd Smith, the author. I thought the structure may have been a little bit better if it had been set up like a diary, it may seem lengthy and drawn out, but this is his life story, and I imagined it was probably very difficult for him to put pen to paper for this. I want to say that a lot of what is said in this novel is the story of a young man growing up and facing everyday life and tragedy. Getting shot—not just once, but twice—is not something many of us have faced, or ever will. I have to give Todd Allen Smith a lot of credit for being brave enough to write and share his story.
You can buy Murder, Romance, and Two Shootings here:
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