She Rides Shotgun audiobook

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...WOW!! I want to get more creative than that right now but.... Wow!I just finished this book and I am almost at a loss for words.What a ride. What a read.....Seriously.After reading the description of this book, I knew it was one I just had to read. Thankfully I was able to get my hands on a copy. I read it in two sittings. I was hooked from page one. This book took me on a roller coaster of emotions that left me breathless, and it's not a book I'll soon forget.As the book begins we learn about Penguin Bay Prison inmate, Crazy Craig Hollington. Crazy Craig is the president of the prison gang known as Aryan Steel. He sits in his cell but runs all of the "dirty white boys" in California. The lights are on 24 hours in Supermax. He's not allowed to be near other prisoners. They even bring the shower up to his stall instead of letting him out of his cell.But they say he's a God made of other men.He had men for a mouthHe had men for bloodHe had men for feetHe had men for eyesHe had men for hands "His will be done" In other words.....he's one scary MoFo!!!!He writes death warrants and they move on kites which are pieces of paper that move from cell to cell eventually to the outside.All signed with the motto: steel forever forever steelThe words were a VendettaThree condemned. A man. A woman. A childSpecific acts of bloodshed.But he doesn't have anything like a pen so how does he write it?With a thumbtack punching out the letters, dried urine painted onto envelopes invisible until held to a flame.How do they get out of the prison? A kiss......A whisperEventually made into wanted posters with pictures. Passed around and memorized.Polly's mother has always told her she has 'gunfighter eyes' like her father. The father she's never met. However when she leaves school one afternoon those same eyes are looking right at her before she is grabbed and thrown into a car.Someone has a hit out on newly released prisoner, Nate McClusky and his 11-year-old daughter Polly. That hit was originally for three people but they got to Polly's mom already, which is why Nate takes his daughter out of school that day. They are all each other has left.Marked for death.These people follow orders and would think nothing of killing an 11-year-old girl.One day Polly is a schoolgirl. The next she's on the run pulling off heists and learning how to do a stranglehold, how to take a punch, and finding out what a blue lightning tattoo means. Things no little girl should have to learn. But life is tough and sometimes you have to fight to survive.I loved the characters, flaws and all. But my favorite character isn't human, isn't an animal ....but a stuffed bear. The author describes Polly and how she interacts with her bear. A bear who I can clearly "see" covering his eyes, waving, doing push-ups, fist bumps, and even waving his farts away. Polly used her bear to explain what she couldn't. She used him to help her cope and it was very emotional and heart-warming.The story is told mostly from Nate and Polly's perspectives but interspersed with additional characters who help to tell the story.Nate feels things he never knew he could. He will do anything and everything in his power to keep Polly safe. They need someone to lift the greenlight on them.The rules of the street...chaos to their rules. Councils. Dirty cops on the take.She Rides Shotgun broke my heart. But I wouldn't have it any other way as the book was fantastic.Although there was violence and at times it was hard to take, I could not stop reading. This book will stay with you long after you read the last page. An addictive, edgy, and compelling read.Thank you Simon & Schuster and Jordan Harper for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

He could have laughed at how fucked up life was. That soon as you found something to live for, you found something to die for too. But he guessed in the end it was a good trade.it's "take your daughter on the lam day"!this book is damn good. ridiculously good. i knew it would be - i loved his book of stories, Love and Other Wounds: Stories, and there are so few short story collections i like in their entirety that when i find one, i know i'm gonna have to read everything that author ever writes. this dude is definitely in the same echelon as Cormac McCarthy, Daniel Woodrell and Donald Ray Pollock when it comes to writing literary grit lit. some grit lit skimps on character in favor of action or relies too heavily on shock value, but harper has it all: sharp, economical prose, complex, memorable characters, and a plot that zips along with equal emphasis on the crime writing as the character development. there are even some references to events that occurred in Love and Other Wounds: Stories, which touch was so appreciated. (the fact that i remembered details of a book i read in 2014 means it was really, really good)it's about a man leaving prison after a five-year sentence who is anything but free: after pissing off the aryan steel gang inside, nate has a bounty his head, as well as on his ex-wife and their eleven-year-old daughter polly. when he finds his ex and her new husband have already been eliminated, his only goal is to protect polly, get her out of the gang's not inconsiderable reach, before going back for revenge. he barely knows polly, but during their road trip together, they develop a very unusual father-daughter bond, cemented in self-defense training and criminal masterminding, and after polly's intended drop-off point is compromised, nate takes her with him and they become a wonderfully steely team. polly is definitely well-equipped for this life, although the stuffed bear she carries everywhere and uses as an extension of her persona makes her appear younger or less mentally competent than she is. there are times when she reads much older than eleven, but i think the text justifies this, and it only makes her more of a badass. (view spoiler)[that pit bull scene will never be erased from my mind. bear was so brave, indeed! (hide spoiler)]She felt something strange, a thrumming in her muscles, a thrumming in her mind. It took her a second to find the word for what she felt. It was a word she hadn't gotten to use for herself in a long time. The word was power.nate, polly, and detective park are the main POV's, although others pop in now and again to provide context or texture to the unfolding plot. it's full of meth and torture and various shades of criminal behavior from both sides of the law, and it's just a whammy of a book, despite being so short.there's nothing i do not love about this book, but the two standouts in the category of "bestest things" are detective park (i would love to read more of his adventures in law and order), and the relationship-arc between nate and polly and all the unconventional lessons in parenting.Either you teach her how to take a punch or the world does.write faster, jordan harper!come to my blog!["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

The Coen Brothers need to adapt this book to film like yesterday! ...but in the meantime, read it! It's Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise, it's dark and innocent and corrupt and redemptive. It's full of contradictions that make you forget the line that divides the good and the bad. I loved it!My favorite quote:"The best thing you could do in this world was find the thing that jolted you the most and killed you the least and go after it hard."

Nate McClusky kills Crazy Craig Hollington's brother while he is in prison. Crazy Craig is the president of the prison gang known as Aryan Steel, which made him the president of all the dirty white boys in California. His skin told his history in tattoos and knife scars. Crazy Craig found out that Nate killed his brother. On the night that Nate was released from prison he found out that Crazy Craig had issued naming him a dead man along with his Ex and his daughter Polly. When he gets to their house he finds his Ex and her husband dead, which are Polly's Mom and Step Dad. He then goes to Polly's school to pick her up and protect her. Polly had not seen her Dad for nearly half her eleven years.Polly knew her Dad was a bad guy and a robber and that he was suppose to be in jail. When she walked out of the front door of her school, she saw him standing there. Her mother told her that he liked being a bad guy more than he liked being a husband or father. Polly just stood there full of fear. She did not scream or yell for help. She reached behind herself to where the teddy bear's head poked out of her backpack and gave his ear a squeeze. She always did this in anxious situations. Polly carried her teddy bear wherever she went. Nate told Polly that if she ever sees anyone with a blue tattoo of a thunder bolt on their arm, she needs to keep hitting them and keep hitting them with a bat until they stop moving. Blue lightning on their arms mean they are bad guys. Nate did not have anyone that he knew that could have watched Polly. He had to teach Polly how to fight dirty. Then they went after the members of the Aryan Steel gang to find out who killed Polly's Mom and Stepdad. They got some help and I am just going to end to what else happens in this story.The author developed her characters very well. They seemed real and brought them to life. This was so very well written. Polly was just adorable. She didn't like social situations but liked being with her father. She didn't talk much and thought she was from Venus. Her mother always told her that she had gunfighter eyes like her father. She also had dirty blonde hair like her father but had to disguise herself and colored her red when the gang was after them. Her teddy bear was another character. He was so cute and had one of his black eyes missing leaving only a dry patch of glue. Polly made this teddy bear come to life.I hated Crazy Craig. His skin told his history in tattoos and knife scars. He was a very mean man. He was so mean that his light was left on 24 hours a day and they brought a shower stall on wheels to his cell so that he was kept away from all the prisoners. Nate McCusky did everything he could to protect his daughter. They both have a special bond. He was a robber and a bad guy. He had a face carved out of pebble rock and tattoos. This was a dark and gritty thriller and I enjoyed every moment of it. It was so good. It was unputdownable and it will put you on the edge of your seat. Nail biting suspense!And the best thing is, is that no animals or pets were killed.If you like these kind of books, then this book is a must. You need to read it. Loved it!

She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper is a 2017 Simon & Schuster publication. Steel forever, Forever SteelThis is the creed of the Ayran Steel white supremacist gang, which is run out of a prison cell by Crazy Craig Hollington, whose power and reach seemingly has no bounds.So, when Nate, kills Craig’s brother, he is tipped off, right before his prison release, that Crazy Craig has fingered him, and has sent out orders to exact his revenge. It’s too late for Nate’s ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, but Nate manages to nab his eleven-year old daughter, Polly, before the ‘Steel’ manages to find her. Thus, begins a most unusual father/ daughter road trip, chock full of adventure, danger, and gruesome criminal acts. But, Polly appears to take it all in stride- like father- like daughter, all the way down to their shared ‘gunfighter eyes.’ Although they are strangers to each other in the beginning, their connection is instantaneous, as only blood relations can be, but their bond only solidifies as they fight for their very lives. Will they manage to make it to safety before the ‘Steel’ catches up to them, or is their fate already sealed?I heard many good things about this book, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. I gotta tell you, this one deserves all the kudos and accolades it receives. This book has a noir-ish atmosphere, but is a dark and gritty crime novel, that climbs into the disturbing mindset of gangs, and the price paid for living by the sword. Nate’s own background is harsh, and he doesn’t have the verbal or emotional ability to express his feelings to Polly, but in his own way, he does the best he can for her, by putting his own life on the line to save hers. But, Nate also has his own demons and ulterior motives, exposing his flawed and selfish characteristics. However, it is most definitely Polly, who steals the spotlight in this story. She’s vulnerable, clinging to her beloved teddy bear who often speaks or communicates on her behalf, but quickly takes to her new life on the run, almost like a duck to water. She is loyal to her father, and two make quite a team. We see Nate teaching Polly things no eleven -year old should have to know, while Polly studiously observes and even participates in things no child should ever witness, much less be allowed to ‘ride shotgun.’ Along the way, in this very unusual coming of age tale, Polly learns how to cope in an uncertain world, to stand on her own two feet, using the skills her father taught her, but also by realizing her own inner strength, and we know she’s going to be a survivor. Despite her exposure to the mentality of hardened criminals and the underbelly of society, she walks away, miraculously, with her principles in tact. The story also has a strong supporting cast, with people playing both sides and a detective who is perhaps rooting for Nate and Polly, even while he tries to locate them. While this is a brutal and very violent crime thriller, there is an underlying theme that centers on family connections and bonds, which are unbreakable ties, even under the most extreme circumstances. The characterizations blew me away, the pacing is very brisk, and action packed, the dialogue is outstanding and the prose is stunning. If you enjoy crime novels, I don’t see how you could go wrong with this book. 5 stars

Pulpy novel about a recently released man who must save his daughter after a death warrant is issued for him and his girl by an aryan gang leader. Lots of action. Gritty. Polly is well-written. At several points, the writing becomes too enamored with itself but this was a fun, bloody, read.

Simply put, She Rides Shotgun is a fabulous debut novel. At its center is eleven-year-old Polly McClusky, a character that no reader is ever likely to ever forget. Polly has only dim memories of her father, Nate, who has been in prison for much of her life. But when he unexpectedly pops up in her schoolyard, demanding that Polly accompany him in a car that he's obviously stolen, Polly does as she's told, bringing along the small stuffed bear that is her best and perhaps only friend. At eleven, Polly is obviously too old to be having a stuffed bear as her constant companion, but it's not been an easy eleven years, and things are about to get exponentially worse. While in prison, Polly's father killed the brother of the head of a prison gang called Aryan Steel. Nate was due to be released, and the gang was attempting to coerce him into working for them on the outside. Nate resisted; the brother came at him with a shank; shit happens. Now the Aryan Steel has put a death sentence on Nate and, for good measure, on his ex-wife and daughter as well. Nate arrives back in his home town only to find that his ex and her new man have already been brutally murdered. He knows that Polly is next on the list and his only option is grab up his daughter and go on the run.What follows is a story unlike any other in this history of father/daughter road trips. Nate and Polly McClusky are a combination unlike any other you've ever met, on the page, in the movies, or anywhere else, for that matter. Nate knows little or nothing about being a traditional father, which is a very good thing, because with a death threat from a vicious gang like the Aryan Steel hanging over her head, the last thing Polly needs is to be riding shotgun with Ward Cleaver. And, fortunately, Polly is not your run-of-the-mill eleven-year-old girl either. If she's going to survive, she's going to have to grow up quick and learn the kind of lessons that no one ever taught at the school she so recently left behind.This is a beautifully-written book--dark, bloody and violent, with characters that will leave an indelible imprint on the mind of anyone who reads it. It rushes along, twisting and turning like a raging river, and once it grabs hold of you, all you can do is hang on for dear life and hope to somehow come out safely at the other end. A fantastic read.

Whoa what a ride. Felt like it was me in the passenger side.This is a gritty, violent crime infested read fast paced read. Polly is 11- her mother and father in law have just been murdered. Her dad, just released from prison, picks her up from school and they are now on the run. Prison gang slugs out to get them as the bounty prize for someone killed on the inside.Great rhythm, good character development and some nasty characters and scenes.One pet peeve I had -as it did come up several times- when did TV become teevee? Haven't seen that before and it was distracting.4+ ⭐️and looking forward to more from this author.

5 Stars.“She Rides Shotgun” is a book that makes you feel things you shouldn’t as it goes against the grain and makes your heart beat wildly against your chest. I fell in love with eleven year-old Polly McClusky in the first few seconds of this novel and I have a feeling you will too. As soon as Polly McClusky walks out of school, she knows that something is wrong. Her father, Nate McClusky is waiting for her. Her father, who has been in jail for most of her life. She wants to run, just take off, but seeing him, she knows that something terrible has happened. She is right. Nate is there to protect her because the Aryan Steel gang, (Nate’s enemies) have murdered Polly’s mother and her boyfriend and both Nate and Polly are on their hit list. It’s a really bad situation. Seeing him, Polly is anxious, nervous and completely rattled. Her only comfort is her stuffed bear - who happens to have a personality all his own.At first, Nate knows that the only thing he can do is run. Hide, protect his daughter. And then he comes up with a plan. Strike back against the Aryans and hit hard. Then Polly, with her gunfighter eyes, decides that she wants to help and she becomes his protege. It’s wild, terrifying and completely fascinating. Though Polly and her dad face the most unspeakable danger, somehow Polly finds bravery, strength and her sense of self. In the wickedest of ways, the readers are drawn into to this father/daughter relationship, one that is completely unorthodox, one we know we shouldn’t approve of and yet it’s like simpatico - we the readers fall in love - with Nate and Polly, her bear and the journey Jordan Harper takes us on. The effect it had one me was profound. Heartfelt. Lovely. It’s hard to believe this novel is Jordan Harper’s debut. As much as I loved the character of Polly, I loved the bear even more (yes, its true, I fell in love with a teddy bear (hard to believe, I know)). Jordan Harper’s use of the bear to make us feel what Polly was feeling and to bring humor into the story was utterly brilliant. “She Rides Shotgun” book is definitely one of my favorite books of 2018. I hope it will become a favorite of yours as well! I read this with Brenda and loved the experience of reading it with her.. our discussions about Polly, Nate and the bear. Sigh. What can I say? I just loved that bear. Published on Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter on 2.18.18.

I thought I wrote a text review for this book. This book was one of my favorite reviews for that year. This book won the 2018 Edgar and deservedly so. Its a crime novel (chase plot) with a father and daughter. This one is well worth the read and I highly recommend it.(Another one I read the same year and put it on the same level is The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley another excellent read).David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.

*This is still one of the best books I've read this year and it's NOW AVAILABLE! Read it!*She Rides Shotgun was one of my most anticipated releases for 2017, after reading author Jordan Harper's stellar collection of short stories in his debut, Love and Other Wounds, possibly one of the best collections I've read in a while, and becoming an instant fanboy. And damn if his first novel doesn't disappoint! Through a series of unfortunate events, no-good ex-con Nate McClusky lands a death sentence from the white power gang Aryan Steel right before his release. Now a target is not only on his head but also on his ex-wife and his young daughter Polly. After Aryan Steel murders his ex and her new husband, Nate manages to grab Polly just in time, essentially kidnapping her and sparking a desperate trip through Southern California, trying to stay one step ahead of the Steel and the Law, as Nate tries to make up for his mistakes and save the last good thing in his life, all while Polly is forced to grow up faster than she could have ever expected.This novel really solidified why I enjoy Harper's writing so much. He not only has an effortless way with words and prose, but he's also an accomplished television screenwriter, which probably helped him hone his skills in the way he economically and efficiently details character and themes, with almost no wasted time. And his character work here is great, with the star being young Polly. It's always a real tightrope walk when it comes to writing a child's POV, but I thought that Harper nails it and avoids making her feel too adult, allowing her to exist as a child, but at the same time doesn't treat the character with kid gloves. The way her relationship with her father grows and blossoms is another tricky maneuver that Harper scores. It could have easily felt forced and inappropriate, especially with all the violence and death, but he makes it all believable. It's all in the little details. The fact that he does all of this in under 300 pages is another success. And I'm not really sure how Harper was able to get me to care so much about the safety of a nameless teddy bear, but for that feat alone this book deserves a bunch of love!Even aside from all of that, the novel moves at an action-packed pace, with scenes that'll have you gripping your copy tight. I believe that Harper is one of the brightest rising stars in the crime fiction world and here's hoping that this novel shows up in this year's best lists with heaps of award talk.*This novel will be released in June and I received an Advanced Review Copy from Ecco through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

4.5What a ride! A 🎥 of this should be made! Action packed! Nate and 11 year old daughter Polly on the run, after a hit has been placed on them from inside prison, by the leader of a white supremacist gang. Nate is a newly released prisoner and hadn’t seen his daughter for much of her life. This is a combination of a crime spree, a quest for vengeance, a joyride, and reconciliation. It’s also an emotional read! You will feel like you are right there beside them on their journey!