Review: Girls, Gangs, and Spirits
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 2, 2013
Girl troubles, gangs, murder, and spirits: just another year at Clearwell High School. Yep, the characters we met in TEX, THE WITCH BOY are back, along with some new additions to add excitement to Tex's life.Author Stuart R. West continues the story of Richard (Tex) McKenna in his latest YA fantasy novel TEX AND THE GANGS OF SUBURBIA. Tex, now a junior at Clearwell High School, just wants to survive the year. Like any "normal" teenage boy, he often acts before he thinks and the consequences at times can be fatal. If only he'd learn to keep his mouth shut. Instead of the peaceful year he had hoped for, he struggles to get his girlfriend Olivia, who broke up with him, back. He's caught in the middle between two rival gang's warfare. Elspeth, a hot new girl that isn't exactly who she seems to be, comes into his life. And if that's not enough to cope with, a dead boy's spirit returns and he's after Tex. Oh, and don't forget another body that turns up and the suspicious cop that suspects Tex is involved in the whole mess. Now, why would he believe such a thing? In all this bedlam, Tex's protectors try to help him out, not very successfully, I'm afraid. And I have to admit, I think they're my favorite characters. Yes, the cats.Will Olivia and Tex get back together? Will Elspeth take Olivia's place? Can Tex convince the gangs to settle their differences without further killings? Can Tex send the spirit back where it belongs, or will Tex be sucked into the hole with the spirit? Wow! Never a dull moment in TEX AND THE GANGS OF SUBURBIA. If you like a fast paced adventure with good guys, bad guys and those in between, then this is the book for you. In spite of Tex's impulsive nature and constant mistakes, he's a character that I keep cheering on. He's good at heart and a son any father and mother could be proud of. This would make a good addition to school classrooms and libraries to show the downside of gangs and perhaps influence young people to stay clear of trouble. That said, I'm wondering what trouble Tex will find in the next book in the series.Happy Reading.