REVIEW: Paraglide by Peter Anthony Kelley

Title: Paraglide
Author: Peter Anthony Kelley
Published: 09 January 2012
Format: Kindle ebook*

For siblings Jim and Erica Winters, a summer vacation to London promises adventure and a bit of freedom from their overprotective mother. But once they arrive, they end up with more excitement than they bargained for. Their mother is kidnapped and her captors demand the one thing they can’t produce – their long-absent father.

Unable to trust the authorities, Jim and Erica set off in pursuit of their father, racing across Europe and fending off mysterious assailants. As the trail of clues dries up, help arrives in the form of a raven-haired beauty. Is she the answer to their prayers or a romantic distraction?
With the kidnapper’s deadline looming, the truth about their father’s shadowy past is revealed. In a last ditch effort to save their mother, Jim and Erica must climb high into the Swiss Alps where a perilous choice confronts them. Can they trust their father who has repeatedly betrayed them?

My Review:

Paraglide by Peter Anthony Kelley is a story about two siblings, Jim and Erica, who face a troubling dilemma. Their mother has been kidnapped and the kidnappers want someone they have not seen for nearly a year, their father. Due to unfortunate circumstances and events, the siblings are forced to travel from city to city, country to country trying to escape, not one, but two sets of kidnappers, survive and meet the deadline set up for them and find where their father is hiding. In Paraglide, Jim and Erica have to overcome their fears and face the utter truth about the secrets hidden within their family. 



The first page of Paraglide really hit me hard. Already, the first line on that page had me hooked into this story, pulling me into its clutches. I was so curious as to what was going on with the Winter’s family and why the children were stuck with such a responsibility as saving their mother. I wanted to know more about their father’s disappearance and why Jim and Erica’s mother is extremely over-protective. 



Peter Anthony Kelley does an excellent job of connecting the story, tying loose ends and creating a piece that just makes sense despite all the crazy things that are happening within the storyline. I enjoyed the way I was easily drawn into Paraglide and the fact that I had no trouble getting lost in the world. His writing style is not difficult to understand and everything seemed to flow perfectly well. I was also pleased that the book was sort of split into the Jim and Erica’s 3rd person perspective. This really brought their story together, making the events of the story blend well. Their perspectives are not stated clearly within each chapter, but it doesn’t take away from the story at all.

I really loved how Peter Anthony Kelley was able to transport me into the places that Jim and Erica were forced to go to. The descriptions of these places were well developed that I was able to picture it in my head effortlessly. He takes you on this journey along with Jim and Erica to rich and beautiful places such as, London, Tuscany and Venice. I have never been to those places and yet I felt like I was there with characters. Peter Anthony Kelley did a wonderful job of capturing the life of each place.



I grew to connect, relate and admire both Jim and Erica. For a fifteen and nine year old to take on such an incredible task of rescuing their mother by searching their father was absolutely incredible. I do admit that I had my doubts that these two could handle such a task because of their age. However, both Jim and Erica, were very intelligent and mature for their young age. At times, their youthful age did show when it came to making certain decisions, but I believe this made Jim and Erica more realistic. I thought both siblings were full of bravery and courage. I loved how they took the initiative, taking matters into their own hands and I really liked how they asked for help when they truly needed it. 



What I especially loved about Paraglide was the adventure and suspense that was prominent throughout the whole book. There really isn’t a dull moment in the book. When I thought things were looking up for the siblings, they were hit with another problem that caused them to run away. There is also this sense of imminent danger that kept popping up unexpectedly that made the story more thrilling. Also, I always had trouble trusting the other characters that kept showing up on page. I thought this distrust I felt was definitely mirrored with Jim and Erica’s uncertainty to other people in the book as well and I felt like I understood them more with this connection. Everyone felt like they were out to get the siblings and this brought true excitement to the novel.

Overall, Paraglide is a very enjoyable read for all ages. It’s an action-packed novel that seemingly manages to absorb you within the story. It’s full of twists, secrets, courageous acts, and betrayal from characters you would never suspect!



My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
 


*Thanks to Peter Anthony Kelley for providing me with a copy for review. In no way does Peter influence by opinion/review of this book. It is solely my own. 

Purchase Paraglide: Amazon