An amazing coming of age story. This book really captures the nostalgia of that time in life when you’re just beginning to figure things out. It made me think back to the people that challenged me in my youth and ultimately changed the course of my life for the better. I listened to this as an audiobook and I was immediately hooked. It’s quite short. I blew through it in less than 48 hours. Definitely worth the listen.

Audio book. Somehow the narrator made me feel like I had a front row seat to watching this story unfold! As a mom of 2 teenage boys, I would highly recommend this to my own sons, as well as to anyone who is raising young men or pouring into their lives as a teacher or church leader. This book demonstrates the power of community and shows what a difference it can make to live life in a circle instead of going it alone. It opened my eyes to the struggles that our young people face in their teenage years and inspired me to be more encouraging and empathetic as a parent and a mentor.

This was very good. It was clearly influenced by what it references and that is OK. This is important for kids to read. Each generation needs to be reminded of things like this. Mr. Cunningham said some of this was based on a true story, which is heartbreaking, and inspiring. Can it be both?

this books was beautifully written. it felt like every word was perfectly place. for those who like pretty writing and a book like will break your heart and put it back together i highly recommend

This really missed the mark for me. I can see what it was trying to do, but it fell short. It wasn’t long or deep enough to be impactful. It felt like everything kind of moved way too quickly.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review. James Van Der Beek was an excellent choice for the narrator of this book - the quintessential male high school voice. One Night in a Thousand Years is about a group of boys on the brink of adulthood trying to define the purpose of life. Their circle brings together a wide variety of different personalities/life experiences to show that inside we all share a lot of the same fears and hopes.

This book is such a gem. I found the description of 'Dead Poets Society' meets Friday Night Lights really captured the feel of this book. So many important themes were tackled from youth mentorship, student mental health, belonging, teen self-discovery, to friendship and purpose. I wasn't sure if I would be able to connect with a novel where the main character is a male teen coming of age. But the story drew me in right away. It was impressive that Cunningham was able to develop such rich, multi-faceted characters in a book that's on the shorter side. I recommend this book as one that will definitely stick with you.

I listened to the audiobook and this added to my enjoyment as well. James Van Der Beek did an excellent job with the narration, his pacing and voice was perfectly fit for the main character, Colt. He also had unique voices for the other characters that helped the story come to life. Thank you to BooksGoSocial Audio and NetGalley for providing this ARC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The Narrator for this did such a great job! I got A Walk to Remember vibes right from the start.
I enjoyed this short listen full of philosophies about life and purpose, all revolving on a man reflecting on the senior year of high school that changed everything for him. Colt, the protagonist, is basically lost in his life when he starts attending a church group, led by Lucas, a young man with a mysterious past. And throughout, they bond and start to contemplate the meaning of life, death, and other things. There was quite a lot of impact to just about everything in this story and that ending was crushing in more ways than one and fit perfectly. I recommended, especially for those that are on the cusp of adulthood.

I received a review copy from Netgalley and Kent Studio. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial Audio, Canowan, Craig Cunningham, and James Van Der Beek (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of One Night In A Thousand Years in exchange for an honest review.

This book appears to be heavily inspired by Dead Poets Society, but also has some Catcher in the Rye vibes with the main character and his journey into adulthood.

Colt is a senior in high school. When he finds a book with annotations in it, he doesn't know that the person who filled that book is going to be the person who changes the course of his life.

Mysterious college-age Lucas becomes a mentor for Colt and some other senior boys. Lucas is shrouded in mystery, but he has an unexpected worldly experience that makes his mentoring valuable and worthwhile. Among trying to solve the mysteries surrounding Lucas, Colt and the other boys discover romance, go on adventures, and learn to trust each other with words they never thought they would share.

Colt is exploring love in his own right. A kindling romance with band geek Noa puts everything Colt values to the test. Being a senior, looking at colleges, exploring love, and being able to discuss one's feelings and the future will all have a consequence, whether good or bad, in Colt's life.

This is a short novel, but an exceptional testament to the values of human relationships, whether that is family, friend, mentor, or lover. The audio narrator nailed the role of Colt, and the novel held many references and allusions to Dead Poets Society. In my listen of the book, I also got Catcher in the Rye vibes from the novel, Colt being reminiscent of Holden Caulfield as he discovers himself and what he wants out of life.

Overall, One Night in a Thousand Years is an exceptional, focused fiction novel for a young adult audience.

This story was told super well, the way that you followed the characters in this book as they were finding their own place in the world and how it brought you back to your own experiences in high school as you were walking through life and figuring out which path to take. The best part about this book was the characters finding their people in an unexpected place and learning from each other even though at first most of them probably didn't want to be a part of this group. James Van Der Beek was a great narrator on this audio book and I enjoyed listening to it overall.

✩✩✩✩✩/5

This book, wow. I loved it. A coming of age story that reminded me a little of Dead Poets Society & Friday Night Lights. An enigmatic church group mentor helps a set of senior boys find their true path & purpose in life. Colt is one of those boys. He’s an incredibly introspective, sympathetic and likable male narrator. James Van Der Beek is a wonderful choice for the audiobook and really brings this story to life. A short read that packs a punch. It’s filled with life messages that will stay with me.

I’m not normally one that picks a young adult book BUT that all goes out the window when I see James Van Der Beek as the narrator. I went completely blind and had no clue what it was about.
One Night in a Thousand Years follows a group of seniors being mentored by a college age man with a mysterious past, named Lucas Oliver.
Together the group meets every Sunday in a parking lot of the church. Colt, a senior football player and a group of eleven other senior guys, learn to express themselves, learn about romance, and what they want out of life.

First let’s talk about James being the narrator, I’m a huge Dawson’s Creek fan, so I just loved listening to his voice. By now it’s a comfort thing for me. He did an excellent job narrating.

Ok, the story. I was blown away. What a great story. I could feel the raw emotion from the author. In the authors note, the author does express that it’s based off something that happened in his life and honestly I can tell. I would 100% recommend. I absolutely loved it

As someone who was obsessed with Dead Poets Society a few years ago, the comparison is what initially drew me to listen to this audiobook.

However, no matter how hard I tried, this book simply didn't grab me. It was, in a word, boring. The writing style didn't resonate with me, and I didn't like all the plot revolving around the church.

4.75 out of 5 stars

This coming-of-age novel is really well done: a well-told story of realistic teenagers seeking purpose in life, and finding it through a "sacred circle" youth group led by a rebellious yet kind-hearted visionary not much older than the young men in the group. The story is well-written and told from the perspective of a group member looking back on that life-changing year.

A little way into the book, I became concerned that the story was going to be a bit religious for my liking. It didn't. It was much more philosophical than religious. The experience with the youth group, which led to the formation of the sacred circle, is another aspect of American youth that may have a religious purpose but does not necessarily have the intended effect -- although in this case, it had a powerful effect indeed.

An enjoyable read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this audiobook in exchange for a fair review.

Once I saw 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘐𝘯 𝘈 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 described as a modern day “Dead Poets Society,” I knew I had to give it a try, and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed all of the little nods to DPS. James Van Der Beek was a fabulous narrator. I think this would be a perfect thought-provoking book for high school English or creative writing classes. 𝒞𝒶𝓇𝓅𝑒 𝒟𝒾𝑒𝓂.

One Night In a Thousand Years caught my eye, as it isn't a story I read often. A coming of age story about a group of high school boys, I was excited for a perspective so different than my own. Craig Cunningham does a great job of capturing the difficulties of adolescence. Family drama, trying to fit in, trying to navigate love, choosing whether to follow the "cool kids" or the do what you truly enjoy. The story of these boys trying to find their way in the world really made me think and it made me look back on that time in my life when you honestly think the there and now are the most important things in the world.

James Van Der Beek was a great narrator. I often am hesitant to list to a voice I already know from outside the audiobook world, but Van Der Beek increased my enjoyment of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial Audio for an Advanced Reading Copy of this book!

I admit, I wanted to read this audiobook because of my boy Dawson. As any Dawson's Creek 90's girl, how could I turn down an audiobook narrated by James Van Der Beek? You're right, I couldn't. Shout of to you James- you did the book justice! Apart from my obviously bias, his voice and tone were a great match for Cole's (the narrator) personality.

I loved this book. I also think I would have loved it equally if I had read the print version. As a high school teacher (in this crazy post-pandemic era), it's soothing to read a story of reckoning while gleaning ideas of how to reach the teenagers in my school.

Reading about a diverse group of students who have made mistakes, caused chaos and generally wouldn't typically hang out with one another made for an encouraging read of how one person, in a short period of time can change the course of someone's life for the better.

This novel brought the reader through a wide course of emotions and with the characterization supplied by Cunningham, made for a very captivating read.

Despite how short the book was, it managed to give a complete, well-rounded story- without making the reader feel like the book just randomly ended or as though details were missing.

I also personally liked the ending where the readers found out the plans of each of the characters and not all of them were college-bound. As a teacher, I know that college is not the correct career path for all of my students, nor is it feasible for all of my students to afford. I liked that some of the intelligent, "smart" characters chose different paths that could be just as fruitful for them. So many students feel like the have to go to college (like it's the only option) when there are so many technical careers and other opportunities that may fit them more and are just as respected.

5 out of 5. Loved this and can't wait to read more from this author.

A solid coming of age story. I found it easy to breeze through in an afternoon. The narration matched the story perfectly and I think listening to this book is better than reading with eyes. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

I chose this audio book based on the cover and for the fact James Van Der Beek was the narrator (I'm a 90s kid). The book was thought provoking and relatable. The style in which it was written flowed well and I was able to follow and understand what was going on (It is YA, not that I can't understand Adult lol, just wanted to throw that out there). I flew through the content and it was a quick read/listen at a runtime of under 5 hours. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a deep thinker and questions the meaning of life and what it means to be born again.

Thank you to the author, Craig Cunningham, his publisher and Netgalley for giving me the privilege to review this book.

One Night in a Thousand Years touts itself as a modern day Dead Poet's Society and it delivers that same coming of age story found in beloved classics like The Catcher in the Rye and A Separate Peace. I haven't read those since high school (20+ years ago) but this novel reminded me why I love them. At any age, it's important to reflect on life's big questions but especially at the precipice of adulthood.
Craig Cunningham shares his own personal story which James Van Der Beek brings to.life with ease. I picked up this audio book to hear "Dawson" tell me a story and I was not disappointed. While the story centers on a group of young men, everyone can connect to the universal theme of figuring out who you are and what you want to do with your life. Highly recommend this book for teens and young adults but it's an enjoyable, easy read for anyone.