It's Too Late To Die Young Now

I was hooked on the first page of this book and shows it doesn't take 500 pages to make a strong point. This is a book for everyone, no matter race age or religious beliefs. What I took away from the story was that no matter how small we think our sin is if we continue to feed it eventually it will consume our lives and leave us with nothing like the cancer George fought. But the good news is we can be forgiven, the author did a great job showing us this point and teaching that our actions effect others good or bad and there is always a price to pay. Great life lesson for all.

Review reprinted with permission: Jhonni Parker
I really enjoyed this book by Gary Hope, and the fact that it is based on his true life is completely crazy! I thought it was excellently written, and in a very lively, natural tone. It definitely kept my attention from the opening to the finish. It is a relatively quick read (or maybe I just gobbled it down fast!) one I finished in the course of a few evenings. I was surprised by how much his story moved me, and I felt like I could relate on some level—like at parts he was almost talking to me. I was genuinely surprised at a few things that happened, and thought the pacing, the narrative flow, and the editing was all great. Much better than I was expecting! I thought the premise sounded intriguing enough, but I thought it was much more cleverly executed than I originally thought it would be. The writing is crisp, clear, and eloquent and the pacing was excellent throughout. I was interested in the author’s experiences right from the beginning. Each character really brought something to the table, and I liked that the narrator seemed “human” and very well-realized… like genuine people going through troubles that we could relate to on some level. Fans of nonfiction and memoirs will enjoy this. In my opinion this book has great general fiction crossover appeal.

Review reprinted with permission: Darla Ortiz
I don’t even know where to begin because so much happens in this book, “It’s Too Late To Die Young Now” by Gary R. Hope, and I don’t want to give anything away… But this was definitely one of the most interesting and realistic books I’ve read in a while. First- the writing was stellar. The strong word choice and fluid prose makes it a very easy book to sink into and just get lost right away. There is quite the cast of characters that come through this storyline and affect George’s life one way or another… It reads like a nonfiction memoir, but I’m not sure if it truly is, or just written in that literary style. Either way it works, and it takes us through the various stages and unique circumstances of the narrator’s life as he is dying from rectal cancer. The various ‘vignettes’ of his ‘unsavory life’ make for some fascinating reading, and although I was satisfied with the ending, I admit I was a bit surprised by it and impressed because I didn’t see it ending that way… great twist (no spoilers). I for one hope to read more from this talented author in the future. Recommend.

Review reprinted with permission: Kaylee Stevens
Warning………when starting this book make sure you don’t have anywhere you need to be or anything you need to do because you won’t want to stop reading until you’ve finished it all!! Trust me on this! The book starts off with an attention grabbing introduction to George Winston Kerry, who introduces himself to us as a scoundrel, a liar, a cheat…….. he has cancer and the end is near, so he has decided to ‘confess’ his sins and we are eager to read of his dastardly deeds. And there are many, to be certain. The characters were genuine and believable, and I think what I liked the most about this book was just the overall feel the author managed to create where it felt intimate, like a close friend was telling me this really awesome, funny, horrible story that I didn’t want to stop listening to. It is told mostly in narrative form (not a lot of dialogue) but the pacing is still really tight which is nice because these types of books can tend to drag. But not here – the story moves swiftly form one scene to the next and you are hooked throughout. Appreciated the ending and how everything/everyone was explained. Nice touch.

Review reprinted with permission: Megan King
I loved this book and read the whole thing in one week, which is fast for me, (I have such limited reading time!) But it just seemed to go by so fast and I never wanted to stop reading it, even late into the evening. I was mesmerized by the story Gary Hope tells in “It’s Too Late To Die Young Now”… It is so realistic and authentic feeling, with wonderful characters (‘good’ and ‘bad’) and strange situations, some that made me chuckle out loud. At times it read almost like a soap opera, but other times like a great drama, or even a comedy. Crazy to think it’s all real (if it is - hard to tell, actually), and it was really interesting to read as the author takes us through all the different stages and experiences in his life. Too much happens in this book to cover properly in a short review so you really just have to read it for yourself… you will not be disappointed! Solid editing and good pacing. Recommend.