CAPTAIN FIN
based on a screenplay by Kevin James O’Neill
Hannah Gunner, once a carefree child, is faced with secrets, lies, and betrayal. A life-changing event during her adolescent years forces her to confront a past that she no longer recognizes. Now, questioning everything she thought she knew, Hannah struggles with the person she is supposed to be! With the help of her boyfriend and her closest friend, they discover several clues that may hold the missing links to her life.
A tattered box filled with worn-out letters holds some of the answers that she needs, but not all of them. With an assist from her aunt, and a visitor from her past, Hannah manages to track down the only person in the world who can answer her questions—the Captain! But why did those closest to her lie in the first place? Will Hannah ever find the answers that she needs to bring her peace?
Captain Fin is an impressive literary fiction that works its magic of drawing you completely into the story right from the first page. Five-year-old Hannah Gunner loves when her father becomes Captain Fin at bedtime and takes her, his First Matey, on a pirate journey to search for buried treasure, transforming her bedroom into a swashbuckling land of adventure every evening, if only in their imagination. Unfortunately, little Hannah’s world is turned upside down when her father, Hank Gunner, aka Captain Fin, goes away and doesn’t come back. She carries the effects of that loss deep in her heart, even if she is too young to comprehend why things are now so different.
The reader knows what happens to Hank, but eleven years go by before 16-year-old Hannah begins to unravel the clues to what really happened to her father. The story unfolds at a moderate pace, but the action never lags. Hannah as a teenager is quiet and reserved because her mother, Gloria, has moved them around several times over the years to increase her salary as a nurse. Hannah is used to not making friends and keeping her feelings tucked away deep inside, but when Gloria decides to move back home, the story shifts dramatically. Hannah finds a best friend, Lindsey, and a boyfriend, Cash, as she settles into the life of a typical teen who finally feels grounded enough to open her heart and life to friends.
The overall story is well crafted and well written, providing the reader with a multi-layered fiction that slowly reveals how past events and a single decision can change so many lives and cause so much confusion, anger, and sorrow.
Fabulous characterization makes Captain Fin a gripping tale because the emotions are diverse and incredibly tangible, especially when the plot escalates into the realm of both loss and discovery at the same time. Hannah’s characterization as a teenager is spot on and believable, although her boyfriend and her best friend seem almost too good to be true. But that’s okay, because they are solidly in her life when she needs their support the most. The reader wants Hannah to be able to reach out and find those loving arms and gentle hugs as her life spirals into sadness. That level of support is an overarching theme in Captain Fin. Gloria’s decision to shoulder everything alone after Hank is gone has devastating and harmful effects on the entire family. In contrast, Hannah’s choice to fall back on her newly acquired foundation of friendship, family, and love helps her weather the ugly storm of crushing sadness. We all need that loving support of friends and family to see us through the hard times and to encourage us to enjoy the good moments as well.
Another overarching theme is secrets and lies. Is keeping a secret/telling a lie ever the right choice, even if it’s to keep from overwhelming a little girl with grown-up problems? Gloria makes a detrimental choice for all the right reasons, but that doesn’t ease the sting of betrayal and missed opportunities for her, her friends, her sister, her daughter, and her husband.
Discover for yourself the world of Captain Fin and his First Matey, filled with laughter, heartbreak, wonder, sadness, adventure, friendship, and love. And remember, choices affect more than one person. They ripple through other people’s lives, either causing joy or wreaking havoc but always bringing change.
Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a signed copy of Captain Fin by Amanda M. Thrasher and a Starbucks gift card.
Amanda M. Thrasher was born in England, moved to Texas, and resides there still. Amanda has authored picture books, middle-grade chapter books, early readers, young adult pieces, and a graphic novel written specifically for the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center.
Amanda is a multiple Gold Recipient of The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) for YA, General Fiction, and early reader chapter books, a Readers’ Favorite International Book Award winner for YA Social Issues, an NTBF winner for YA and General Fiction, and she was awarded a New Apple Literary Award for YA and general fiction.
As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Progressive Rising Phoenix Press, she assists other authors with their work and shares her writing process and publishing experience with them. Her latest release, CAPTAIN FIN, was based on a contract to adapt a screenplay into a novel for the director, actor, and producer Kevin James O’Neill. Her works-in-progress are the sequel to CAPTAIN FIN and the fourth installment of her Mischief Series.
+ $25 Starbucks Gift Cards
THREE WINNERS: Signed Copies of Captain Fin
CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
| 6/4/19 | Author Interview | StoreyBook Reviews |
| 6/4/19 | Character Interview | Hall Ways Blog |
| 6/5/19 | Review | Momma on the Rocks |
| 6/6/19 | Guest Post | Texas Book Lover |
| 6/6/19 | Deleted Scene | The Clueless Gent |
| 6/7/19 | Excerpt | All the Ups and Downs |
| 6/8/19 | Review | #Bookish |
| 6/8/19 | Review | That’s What She’s Reading |
| 6/9/19 | Review | Story Schmoozing Book Reviews |
| 6/10/19 | Scrapbook Page | Chapter Break Book Blog |
| 6/10/19 | Top Ten | Sybrina’s Book Blog |
| 6/11/19 | Guest Post | Forgotten Winds |
| 6/12/19 | Review | Missus Gonzo |
| 6/12/19 | Review | Reading by Moonlight |
| 6/13/19 | Review | Book Fidelity |
Fabulous and insightful review — it feels like you really get what the author wanted to do. Thanks for the post.
Thank you! Loved the overall vibe and the fantastic prose. And all the emotions!