Publication Date: September 19, 2024
The year was 1975, and that summer would prove epic for Jimmy Hamilton. Imagine, an eleven-year-old boy with an imagination so powerful that he uses it like others would use a compass. Jimmy Hamilton sets out for the adventure of a lifetime. But summer, with all its promise, throws him a curveball, and he loses his fort on three separate occasions to unwanted squatters. He comes to discover each new unwelcomed tenant proves more difficult to evict than the last. His plans have a modicum of success but each comes with unintended consequences.
Add to that mix, the prettiest girl his age, a baseball diamond, a groundhog, a snapping turtle, a boy with a heightened olfactory acuity, and the town vagrant and Jimmy soon finds his summer adventure is more than he expected.
Sour Apples is a humorous young adult adventure of a clever young boy who thinks he can outwit the best of them. His riveting antics might one day make Jimmy a legend. Paul Jantzen has masterfully written his debut novel, a tale of mischief and adventure that will grab the reader from the first page.
Sour Apples: A Novel For Those Who Hate To Read is Paul Jantzen’s debut novel. If this is his caliber of writing, I look forward to reading his next book.
This is a coming-of-age story with Jimmy and his friends going on adventures for the summer—building a fort or two, playing baseball, a mutual crush, and an unlikely pitching coach. Jimmy and his friends are eleven, and they have a summer with long days ahead of them to get together and explore. And many nights, it’s baseball time for his team.
There are several laugh-out-loud moments and sentimental moments, highlighted by several baseball games. Jimmy’s parents try to guide him and give him structure and guidance, but they are clueless—as many parents are—to what the pack of friends is up to during those warm summer days. There are a few unexpected twists, and the ending took me by surprise and left a few loose ends.
Sour Apples is all about bonding with friends and enjoying summer and baseball. Sit back and enjoy a cold beverage as you root for Jimmy and his friends to have a summer they won’t forget anytime soon.
Paul Jantzen grew up in what would be described as typical Americana, and from an early age, he was fascinated with the art of storytelling. He loves captivating his audiences with his imagination and sense of humor. He took up filmmaking in college and his first short film, The Leopard Frog, debuted on the USA network in 1991. Though he does enjoy a good novel here and there, he was never big on reading, so he decided to write a book instead. Sour Apples is his debut novel. He currently resides in Frederick, MD and enjoys the outdoors.
