Official Review: The Irish Skateboard Club by Brinn Colenda

[Rosemary Wright]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Irish Skateboard Club" by Brinn Colenda.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Irish Skateboard Club, by Brinn Colenda, follows the adventures of an American student in Ireland. Michael Callahan, as a child, was adopted by an influential Irish-American family. Being an expert in snowboarding and skateboarding, he desired to be a snowboard coach, but his family wanted him to go to college and get a job in a company afterwards.

To learn Irish culture, Michael was sent to Ireland for an exchange program. While in Dublin and trying to make most of his presence and talents there, he made some new friends. One day, while in a pub with his friend, Ciara, he overheard certain Russian and Italian underworld men talking about how they wanted to smuggle some stuff through Ireland. Immediately, he devised a plan to follow the Russians to their warehouse and inform the authorities about their activities later. However, things did not go as planned. Would Michael eventually succeed in helping the authorities get this crime syndicate busted? Also, would his experiences in Ireland assist in enhancing his self-image after all?

Consisting of vivid descriptions of scenery and events, this book is engaging and easy to read. It comprises fascinating twists. In addition, it's an unputdownable read with intriguing action and conversations, which are hilarious sometimes. Revolving chiefly around true friendship, identity crisis, and crime, its plot is strong. I hardly enjoy young adult novels because I usually get bored after reading their first few pages, but this one is an exception. The first page drew me into it.

Furthermore, this fast-paced novel gives some insight into the culture of Ireland, telling about the landscape and weather in Dublin. It includes the smuggling of icons and humans. Hence, readers who don't like reading books that involve such crime may want to skip it. Besides, it has a bit of romance, but there are no explicit sex scenes. Surprisingly, though the book involves crime, I didn't notice any swear words in it. Moreover, there's nothing I dislike about it; it's a good read.

Concerning the characters, they are interesting and well developed. The author gives enough details about them, and the teenage characters, including the protagonist, are exuberant and intelligent. I loved reading about them; they're appealing. Also, the villain, who leads a double life, is fascinating. There's just something about each character that'll captivate a reader.

Altogether, I rate The Irish Skateboard Club 4 out of 4 stars. I didn't rate it lower because it's interesting and enlightening. Moreover, it was well edited; I saw just one typo. It'll be a great read for fans of coming-of-age stories, especially the ones that involve crime.

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The Irish Skateboard Club
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[Drianie]

It seems like this book incorporates a lot of elements into the plot. The fact that it plays against the backdrop of Ireland makes it all the more intriguing for me. I'd love to give it a read someday. Thanks for your beautifully written review!

[Vannaskivt]

I went to Dublin only once, but I loved it. Similarly, I've loved every book I've read that was set in Ireland. The plot of this book sounds engaging and the characters seem developed. I might check this out. Thanks for the review!

[Ebby Brown]

At first I thought this book is all about skating, but reading your review has shed more light. Young adult books are my favorite. I've enjoyed reading your review.

[Judith Lloy]

How refreshing to find a YA novel without foul language. I'm always looking for books like this to recommend to my kids and others. This one is going in my TBR stack. Thanks for the helpful review!

[Sia P]

Wow! Such an intriguing plot to explore. I've been looking for fresh stories and subjects to explore, and I believe I've found the right book. However, thank you for the recommendation.

[Shneka Karthick]

This plot sounds really interesting, and I've been searching for new stories to read. Thanks for suggesting this book - I'll definitely give it a try because the story and characters sound great!

[hugsforkoo]

This book is a perfect fit for me right now because for some reason I have been obsessed with reading books set in Ireland lately. Young adults are usually not my cup of tea either but the snowboarding and crime elements are certainly drawing me towards it. Already downloaded it to my e-reader to start reading it.

[Cleber Felix]

It seems to be a very good book. I´ve never been to Ireland and because of this should be very interesting reading this book. Even being a foreigner he is trying to do the right.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

There are some individuals like Michael who weren't supported for what they love to do. Instead, they are told what to do. I wonder if his passion for skateboarding and snowboarding was lost in the place. The crime aspect was intriguing as well. Congratulations to the author on BOTD!

[Lizzie Mustard]

This review was really engaging. It has piqued my interest in reading the book. Ireland is a fascinating country and I'm sure I will learn lots about it from this book. It sounds an unusual, but believable plot.

[ikra rao]

This review was quite interesting. It has sparked my curiosity about reading the book. Ireland is a fascinating nation, and I'm sure this book will teach me a lot about it. It sounds like an interesting but plausible plot.

[Bridget P 1]

As a person who's passionate about skateboarding, I'd really love to read the book. I feel that I will really connect to it as an international student. I might learn from the book that being in a new country isn't only about doing what you are there for , but finding more interesting things to do. I'm looking forward to reading this book!!

[Benjude3891_]

I am delighted that I came across The Irish Skateboard Club. This book had me in the first five chapters – wanting to delve into the adventure and dangers I knew were awaiting Michael, the main character. The following chapters did not disappoint. I could see in my mind being in Ireland and getting to know the people and places there. This book also brought in history to the story and in that way knowledge was gained along with the story line. The book is an excellent read and I recommend for adults and adolescents both as well as anyone who has an adoptive child, particularly from another country. I related to that aspect of Michael as I have an adopted child of my own from a Latin country as Michael is. With human trafficking being a very big issue these days, this book opens one’s eyes as to how close to home it can actually be and it rears its ugly head in places we would not suspect. This is a great book that I highly recommend to teens as well as their parents. I will getting a copy for my daughter who is now married with children of her own. Brinn Colenda delivers

[Benjude3891_]

I am delighted that I came across The Irish Skateboard Club. This book had me in the first five chapters – wanting to delve into the adventure and dangers I knew were awaiting Michael, the main character. The following chapters did not disappoint. I could see in my mind being in Ireland and getting to know the people and places there. This book also brought in history to the story and in that way knowledge was gained along with the story line. The book is an excellent read and I recommend for adults and adolescents both as well as anyone who has an adoptive child, particularly from another country. I related to that aspect of Michael as I have an adopted child of my own from a Latin country as Michael is. With human trafficking being a very big issue these days, this book opens one’s eyes as to how close to home it can actually be and it rears its ugly head in places we would not suspect. This is a great book that I highly recommend to teens as well as their parents. I will getting a copy for my daughter who is now married with children of her own. Brinn Colenda delivers