Official Review: Charles' Story by Steven Wilkens

Elle Howard · Post by **Elle Howard** » 03 Jun 2018, 18:21

This sounds like a very charming story about a seemingly successful life that is full of a lot regrets. The relationship between Charles and Karen intrigue me and I cannot wait to see how this book ends. You wrote a very good review. I can tell you liked it and regretted having to lower the rating for grammar errors.

holsam_87 · Post by **holsam_87** » 03 Jun 2018, 18:28

CatInTheHat wrote: ↑29 Dec 2017, 14:37 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Charles' Story" by Steven Wilkens.]

3 out of 4 stars
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What do a young reporter, an old man, and a 1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster have in common? Steven Wilkens has woven an amazing epic saga in Charles’ Story showing just how those things come together. From the beginning to the end, I was engaged and fascinated by wonderful characters and experiences.

Karen Snow is a small-town reporter who is fascinated by the mysterious philanthropy occurring around town. She learns that Charles Henderson McCormick, a local retired businessman, is behind the gracious gifts that are helping the town businesses, churches, and more. Her journalistic curiosity makes it impossible to not seek out the story. McCormick agrees to share his story, on his own terms. The Auburn connects these two in ways that no one can see coming, taking the two of them on an incredible journey.

Charles has deep secrets that hurt people in so many ways. Karen’s desire is to learn “who” Charles is, not just in the present, but in the past. Charles is not sure he is ready to share all, as trust comes hard for him. What will happen if he does? How much should he share?

The various forms of love play a significant role in Charles’ Story. The love between friends, between family, as well as between man and woman. Charles life was rife with love lost for the wrong reasons. His hope is that Karen learns from his experiences. Love and the impact of not prioritizing the people that you love are seen throughout the story. Does life have to be full of regrets, or can it culminate in something else? Watching Karen and Charles explore the different forms of love makes the reader explore it in themselves, as you experience their emotions. I felt these emotions as I read, which made me want to know more about these people.

Some parts of the story are predictable, but there are many surprises along the way, especially as the story comes to a close. The culmination of the journey was not quite what I expected, but I was happy to see it. Answers to questions are clear, without any cliffhangers.

What I found difficult were the number of grammar errors, as well as a few spelling errors. For example, “arraignments” instead of “arrangements,” “Armarillo” for “Amarillo,” and “form” instead of “from.” Punctuation was often missing. The errors did occasionally get in the way of the flow of the story.

I rate Charles' Story 3 out of 4 stars. Watching the relationships unfold was interesting, as was the journey of life. Readers who enjoy watching people evolve as they explore their lives will enjoy this story. If it had not been for the grammar and spelling errors, this would have had a 4-star rating. Karen and Charles's journey is not just about the places they travel, but what they learn about themselves along the way.

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Charles' Story
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I enjoy any instance that allows me to learn life lessons. I feel that reading about Charles will teach me about what the pros and cons of being a philanthropist.

ReaderTeacher · Post by **ReaderTeacher** » 03 Jun 2018, 18:33

I think we can all use a book that shows the importance of

The impact of not prioritizing the people that you love

It is key to living a fulfilling life! It is a shame that the novel was not better edited.

Isuri5225 · Post by **Isuri5225** » 03 Jun 2018, 18:42

As per the review, the story seems to be about trust and the consequences that would happen if trust isnt built or maintained.Its one of the most important component in everyone’s everyday life and i guess this story would be an amazing one! Apart from the grammatical errors ,I believe this book would convey a great message to all readers .

celinebliss · Post by **celinebliss** » 03 Jun 2018, 18:51

it's a great book though, you need to work on the grammatical errors on order to make it look more interesting and professional

Aravind_ynr · Post by **Aravind_ynr** » 03 Jun 2018, 18:56

The review makes one curious about the book.

amandathebibliophile · Post by **amandathebibliophile** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:02

This review is very well written and piques my interest in this story very much. I enjoy stories in which I fall in love with the characters and learn something along with them, and it sounds like this one could fit the bill. Additionally, I feel the same way about grammatical errors: they are distracting and if there are too many, they interrupt the flow of reading in an unpleasant way worthy of losing a star. Thank you for writing this succinct and thoughtful review! I will definitely check it out.

P Reefer · Post by **P Reefer** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:05

Thanks for your review that recommends this book as a worthy read based on the relationships issues and the endearing characters.

elizab8 · Post by **elizab8** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:08

Reading a short story is not very much the same as reading the entire book. When you have questions and hoping for more, a reader will want to go into the realm of the story. My question is: Why did Charles McCormick accepted Karens' offer to interview him? Was it that his conscience played a role or knowing that he was dying and needed to let the world know about him? I would never know until I read the full story of "Charles' Story by Steven Wilkens." I think I am going to read it. Great review.

elizab8 · Post by **elizab8** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:10

Reading a short story is not very much the same as reading the entire book. When you have questions and hoping for more, a reader will want to go into the realm of the story. My question is: Why did Charles McCormick accepted Karens' offer to interview him? Was it that his conscience played a role or knowing that he was dying and needed to let the world know about him? I would never know until I read the full story of "Charles' Story by Steven Wilkens." I think I am going to read it. Great review.

MarisaRose · Post by **MarisaRose** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:12

I love a book about strong characters and evolving relationships, and it sounds like this one is exactly that! It also seems like the author does a great job developing the plot. However, I think the lack of editing would make reading this one tedious. Thanks for the insightful review!

joshfee77 · Post by **joshfee77** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:15

Love, and the impact of not prioritising those you love, is a powerful theme. Seems this book has some valuable life lessons contained within fiction. Nice review!

tarafarah7 · Post by **tarafarah7** » 03 Jun 2018, 19:27

Today's BOTD sounds like it is one we will all thoroughly enjoy, no matter our personal genre preference. I'm looking forward to the journey ahead with Karen and Charles out on the open road as they explore the past, connect it to the present, and plan for the future. I've downloaded my free book (thank you!!), and I can't wait to start reading!

Thank you for your review!