surprising and unique thriller, not very much typical in any way shape anad form, te fishing is well done. thanks for the arc.

This was an incredible read. Adam needs to raise $26,000 in order to pay for his last year of college himself after he loses his athletic scholarship due to his own stupidity. He has a friend who gets him in touch with a man who can get him a job on a fishing boat in Alaska, where some good and quick money can be made during the brief herring and salmon fishing season.

The description of the fishing was amazing. I cannot even fathom doing something like this and I will never eat salmon again without thinking about this book. This is a job that would try any mans patience and stamina.

The owner of the boats he works on is not a nice man and the price to pay may not be worth it. I could not put this book down and you will not be able to either.

My thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the ARC. I really appreciate it.

The North Line by Matt Riordan
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
When Adam loses his full ride scholarship due to a poor decision in his Junior Year at Danby, he finds that he needs to come up with the money on his own to pay for his final year, and he want to pay cash before the year starts. A friend tells him about her uncle who owns some fishing boats in Alaska that will help him earn the cash. Upon arriving in Alaska, he is setup with a small crew to fish Herring. The short season promises him money but for a lot of work wrought with danger. He soon finds himself drawn in to the adventure, work and comradery. When a strike threatens to end the season before it even begins, Adam and his newfound friends, find themselves in a war between crews and even each other.

AMAZING!!! This suspense thriller is one to start early on a day you have nothing going on, because once you pick it up, you will want to read straight through. I loved the idea behind this one but had no idea how quickly and deeply I would become immersed in the story of Adam and the route he took to make his life go on from his mistakes. Adam showed just how far someone motivated enough to persevere through a difficult situation is willing to go. The only issue for the entire book for me was a few questions that I would have loved to have answered before it was all over. Easily my favorite of the 94 I've read this year.

Upon finishing this book, I could only say “wow”. I started this expecting a mystery/thriller about the sea, maybe even a locked-room mystery (which I’m actually getting a little tired of). I wouldn’t call this a mystery or a thriller. It was thrilling and suspenseful, but not a typical thriller. That doesn’t matter though - this is a fantastic book!

Adam is an Ivy League lacrosse player, who was caught selling party drugs on campus. They are allowing him to finish his senior year, but his lacrosse scholarship? Gone. If he wants to return, he has to pay for it himself…to the tune of $26,000.

Through a mutual connection, he soon finds himself on the shore of the Bering Sea, waiting for a fishing boat to pick him up. He is going out on the ocean to play a little “Deadliest Catch”, because he can’t think of any other way to make the kind of money he needs over his summer break. That’s when we get into the story, and learn about this industry right along with Adam.

I know a book about a college kid doing some extreme fishing may not sound too exciting, but this was a fascinating book. Not only were the characters great, it was really cool to learn more about these kind of fishers and how the business side works. You have to be able to get your hands dirty, in more ways than one, to be successful at the job. People don’t risk their lives every year to make friends, they do it to make money. Mess with the money, and things can get choppy on the high seas.

I thought the ending was smart and unexpected, but also a little bit of a letdown as it was just a few pages and left a few questions. That’s my only complaint about this dramatic and exciting story, as the rest was amazing. 4.5 stars, rounded up for being an incredible debut!

(Thank you to Hyperion Avenue, Matt Riordan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on April 2, 2024.)

This book made me take a step back and look at life with a totally new perspective. I am not sure I would truly call this book a mystery/thriller, but it was definitely suspenseful. I did not at all see the ending coming, and at the same time, I loved it. I was actually shocked that I was on the last page and it was over. A poignant portrayal of life at see, this novel evoked deep thinking and feeling. It is not the type of book I would usually read, but I highly recommend a story like this to get a perspective on the struggles some people face to make a living.

320 pages

4 and 1 / 2 stars

This is definitely a “thinking” book. These are novels that I enjoy, but also make me think beyond just the words on the page. I get a deeper, more philosophical meaning. A meaning in addition to the enjoyment I get from reading.

Who is Adam? Really?

Adam was a LaCrosse scholarship student at a small Eastern college. A four year free ride. What could be better? However, at the end of his junior year, he landed in trouble. He lost his scholarship and now needs to come up with $26,000.00 to pay for his senior year. How does a person make that much money over the summer?

He decides to travel to Alaska to work on the fishing boats. His first mistake is to call the boat a “ship.” He hires on to a boat captained by a crusty guy named Nash. His sole deckhand is a man named Cole. Adam makes it a crew of three. The boat is owned by a formidable personality named Kaid. Kaid rubs everyone the wrong way.

Adam begins to see another lifestyle. He is far away from his secluded little college. Far away from the preppie-types. While he comes from a poor, somewhat downtrodden and violent childhood, he has taken to college life well. He has made friends, pleased coaches and does well in class. He feels like a fake. These college people don’t really know him. But, how well does he know himself?

The work on the boat is hard, smelly, dangerous, and boring at times. The wind and high waves are awful, but majestic at the same time. But, Adam feels alive. He can’t remember feeling this good before. Is all that college stuff just wrong for him? What’s wrong with having an “ordinary” job; not making tons of money? He is thrilled to catch the fish. He considers himself friends with Cole and Nash.

Sailing back to the port, they discover that Kaid is going to salvage their boat. Kaid has several boats that he owns. Perhaps they will be assigned to another one of his.

Kaid, Kaid…it all goes awry.

This is a wonderful tale of the life of fishermen in the Bering Sea off of Alaska. The short season forces the men to their limits time after time. Tragedy often happens. It is a very hard way of life set in a pristine and gorgeous part of the world. I learned a great deal of jargon and what different operations were on the little boats. I’ve watched documentaries about these brave people, and they earn every penny paid to them.

Nash’s take on Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat story had me in stitches.

I want to thank NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable thinking book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Excellent account of life in the Bering Sea. We meet a protagonist who needs the big bucks of fishing so he can pay his senior year’s tuition. Along the way we’re introduced to a variety of characters who teach him to endure the hardships he faces.