I enjoyed this collection of stories about everyday peoples’ somewhat mundane lives set in the backdrop of Cape Canaveral. Some were sad and depressing, but all seemed to have a glimmer of hope. Easy to read and enjoyable.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.* ( )

Excellent short collection. Absolutely loved it!! ( )

Nine short stories, all set on Merritt Island, adjacent to Cape Canaveral. All but the last two are set in the 1970s, and rocket launches (along with political events such as Watergate) form the backdrop to the events of the stories.

These are far from glamorous dream lives, though - most of the main characters seem to be desperate for adventure and escape, but their dreams are doomed to failure. About the best thing that happens to anyone in these stories is that a family member comes through for them in a time of difficulty, against all the odds.

They are beautifully written, with lots going on under the surface (particularly in the stories narrated by teenagers, which is the majority).

"Miss America", for example, starts like this: On the Wednesday that I'm supposed to go with Emerald to meet the talent scout, I get home from school and find a box that comes up to my knee sitting out by the curb where we put the trash. Wednesday is not trash day. The box isn't taped up or even closed, and when I dig through it I see a stack of Tom Clancy paperbacks, our crockpot, and a framed eight-by-ten photograph of my mother and stepfather, dressed up and smiling in front of the Polynesian Hotel at Disney World. Their wedding portrait. As I walk into the house, I hear what sounds like chains being rattled. My mother is in the kitchen rifling through the silverware drawer.

Definitely recommended for anyone who likes short stories. ( )

This collection of short stories is loosely linked by their references to Florida and the space program. However, their focus is really on a collection of people who are struggling in the face of life events - divorce, affairs, aging, and the life. Ryan is a gifted short story writer. He chooses a few specific details that bring the time and place of each story to life. The characters faced their struggles with a certain matter-of-fact nature that made me wish for more growth from the characters, but the writing kept me reading right through to the end. ( )

I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because the blurb said it deals with people and situations around Cape Canaveral in the 1960’s. I am a gigantic space nerd, and I love anything that has to do with the space program of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. This short story collection sounded perfect. I began reading and found myself wanting to put it down forever at about 20% done. I pressed on, because I knew I had to review it, and I wanted to judge it fairly. In the end, I really regret requesting this book.
I hated every single character in this book. Even the one or two adults who weren’t terrible people were forgettable and sad. The teens were annoying and the adults were so self-absorbed and despicable, I didn’t care if the whole lot of them died at the end. Even the children were jerks. The actual stories themselves seemed shallow. There was nothing in them beyond dialog and the banalities of daily life. I was not touched or moved by anything in any of the stories.
I hate to give negative reviews, but this truly is one of the worst books that I have ever read. If you are thinking of picking up this book because it talks about astronauts and Cape Canaveral, do yourself a favor and run far away from this mess. ( )