24 Hours in Nowhere

The characters vary in so many ways, but come together as they are each bullied in different ways. A great study of teamwork, friendships lost and found, and trials of having very little monetarily, but everything in being human.

I absolutely LOVE everything from this author. Buy anything you can find from her, because you will never be disappointed. This particular one had some Louis Sachar's "Holes" vibes, but it was also still incredibly unique.

Having LOVED Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, I was already looking forward to Dusti Bowling’s next book: 24 Hours in Nowhere. This is the story of Gus, a rather bright 13 year old who is stuck in Nowhere, Arizona. When his friend, Rossi Scott, gives up her beloved motorcycle to save Gus from having to eat a horrible cactus, he feels compelled to do whatever he can to win her motorcycle back — including entering the dangerous mines (filled with mystery, myths, and HOPEFULLY treasure). Over the next 24 hours, four different people enter the mines and must work together and trust one another if they hope to get back out alive. Throughout their dangerous trials, they discover just how much they have in common with one another.Bowling’s ability to effortlessly weave complicated lives into a cohesive story line is stunning. She creates such well-rounded, relatable characters. I loved each of them — laughing and crying throughout their stories and treasure hunting adventure. Once I finished this book, I turned to my husband and said we would be buying a home copy of this book and reading it with our five children. I didn’t merely like this book, I would say it’s probably my favorite read of 2018, so far. This story beautifully addresses so many societal issues at once: bullying, sexism, racism, incarceration, abandonment, and income disparity. Bowling is a legit storyteller. I hope she has a mountain of books planned in her future because I plan to read every last one of them! My thanks to Sterling Publishing and Edelweiss for providing an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my review. And yes, I've already purchased my very own copy!!

Gus lives in Nowhere, Arizona, and he seems to be a "no one." In Nowhere, everyone is poor, and no one has much hope for the future except Rossi. Rossi is female dirt bike racer. She wants to win an upcoming competition so that she can attend a racing camp and win a new bike. However, when the town bully, Bo, tries to force Gus to eat a cactus, Rossi comes to his rescue by giving up her most-prized possession. In order to pay his debt to Rossi, Gus decides to venture into a deadly cave to look for gold. Gus is accompanied by one of Bo's cronies. Unbeknownst to Gus, they are followed by Rossi and his best friend, Jessie. The four of them will struggle to make it out of the cave alive.I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book through #BookPosse. As I was reading this book, I kept feeling like I was in the middle of the movie The Goonies. After finishing the book, I read the author's letter to the reader in which she describes her story as "Goonies-inspired," and it is certainly a fitting description. I plan on recommending 24 Hours in Nowhere to any student who tells me he/she doesn't like to read. This book is full of action and adventure, and it is sure to have readers holding to the edge of their seats.

I that is all I have to say. Guys, I’m speechless. This Book is AMAZING! Literally the best book ever.

Loved the story, I read to a senior citizens group and they loved it. They laughed and hooted and also worried at the plight of the kids! Great storytelling.

Thank you to the author and publisher for sharing an ARC with our #bookexpedition group!I was worried that I wouldn’t love the characters in this one as much as I loved Aven and her Insignificant Events crew, but I worried myself for nothing!Thirteen year old Gus embarks on an adventure in attempt to get a dirt bike back. Rossi, the girl who lost the bike after making a bet with the town bully, was sticking up for Gus, who feels really guilty for putting Rossi in this position.Gus’s adventure takes him to an abandoned mine, searching for valuables. With three accomplices in tow, the group learns valuable lessons in bravery, loyalty, teamwork and friendship.I loved that the book was set in time stamps of hours. So unique! Great middle grade read for my 4/5th grade students.

This is another winner from one of my favorite authors. It has everything I love about reading middle grade--friendships, humor, action, adventure--and so much more. This book tackles bullying and gives readers an example of how to use your brains to stand up to a bully and not resort to lowering yourself to his or her level. I loved the setting and how the author brought me into the desert with her well-developed characters to face the heat, dehydration, flora, and fauna. The characters are my favorite part of this novel and felt like real people to me and authentically middle grade.