The Vacation

Product Information

First stop…a rundown hostile on Venice Beach that attracts people from all over the world. Their reasons for being there are vastly different. Everyone with a story and past that lead them there. Ready to find out all the juicy details?

Normally I’d struggle with the coincidences we discover between our characters. And perhaps mentioning that there ARE links is a bit of a spoiler, but it’s hard not to because that’s very much the whole point of this book; as well as its strength and weakness. Here however, [the aforementioned coincides] work. Mostly. After working as a journalist for 25-years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time writer. This book is all about the characters and their lives. Some are extraordinary and some seemingly ordinary. All have secrets they’re keeping from others and some they’re keeping from themselves.

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The characters, although all running from their pasts for various reasons, are all very different and easily distinguishable. It really is no mean feat to be able to tie together this number of threads without it becoming confusing, but John Marrs succeeds admirably.

I would actually love to see this on the screen and I know that one of Marrs’s previous books The One was made into a Netflix series. In fact I can’t help but wonder if this book would fare better with episodic fast-paced visual treatment than it does in written form. Welcome to Venice Beach, Los Angeles. Home of Muscle Beach and the Venice Beach International Hostel. 8 strangers from around the world, all hiding secrets and wanting a fresh start are all guests at the hostel. They are all trying to escape from their past and at first glance are so different. As we get to know the guests, we learn of their secrets and the possible connections to each other. Building and supporting a community of self-published authors dedicated to both sharing experiences and learning as equals. The plot is compelling and seemingly unrelated characters come together to form cleverly woven threads, you just cannot put this book down!

Customer reviews

Everything is neatly tied up in the end, I suppose, but despite that, the story still seemed somehow unfinished to me. I will say, though, I was impressed by the way all the puzzle pieces eventually came together. It takes a skillful author to make all the connections work, without becoming cheesy and/or implausible. But... what was the deal with Peyk? Where did he go at the end? How did he know everything? Building and supporting a community of self-published authors dedicated to both sharing experiences and le Officially 15k Members Strong & Climbing!! In some ways it’s a bit like a Woody Allen-esque movie featuring a series of vignettes with an array of characters, all with their own stories that come together in some unbelievably coincidental way at the end. The Vacation Authors, if you are a member of the Goodreads Author Program, you can edit information about your own books. Find out how in this guide. THE AUTHOR: After working as a journalist for 25-years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines, John Marrs is now a full-time writer.

Marrs certainly knows how to tell a story and he does it with precision in this impressively chunky book, which surprisingly didn’t take long to read at all. I loved the fast paced short chapters and the diverse collection of characters. Savannah - has a famous father who is a TV Reverend in Alabama. She decided to move to LA. Why is she always looking over her shoulder? Those who have entered the doors of this hostile come from all across the globe. Australia, England, Ireland and even one from the Deep South. Visitors hoping to meet their Hollywood idols. Some running from their families. Others looking for their piece of the golden pie. Our goal is to discover that we have always been where we ought to be. Unhappily we make the task exceedingly difficult for ourselves. There were some really good moments in the novel, for instance, the final scene between Zac and Ruth is an absolute doozy. Talk about ...'And its five, six, seven, Open up the purly gates...'!!! Sorry if you haven't read it - that will mean nothing!Thank you so much to Tracy Fenton and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion. Tommy - works in the hostel reception. He was traveling around the US with his friend before they went their separate ways. Although coping with his own troubles, he becomes someone people turn to. What sets this book apart is the author's daring creativity. The plot, though intricate and occasionally challenging, showcases Marrs' readiness to explore uncharted territory in storytelling. It's a puzzle, a maze of twists and turns that will test your comprehension and intrigue you, pushing the boundaries of the literary experience. I found this book – at various times – to be annoying, obvious, frustrating and alluring. And weirdly I’d recommend it for all of those reasons. So (in some ways) there is a deeper theme on offer (in addition to the whole twist of fate thing), akin to the Wizard of Oz’s ‘You’ve had the power all along.’

The Author Resource Round Table on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/116489?group_id=26989 I found it a little disconcerting that some of the timeframe changes occurred mid chapter which I wasn’t used to experiencing. Similarly on a few occasions there was some head hopping. We were in the head of one character and then privy to another’s thoughts, though thankfully for the most part it’s clear. There are so many twists and turns that I felt as if I were on the world's biggest roller-coaster. ' The intricate character development in this book stands out as truly remarkable. Each character possesses a depth that brings them to life, making their stories and struggles palpable. From Tommy, who works at the hostel reception, to Savannah, the daughter of a TV Reverend in Alabama, and childhood friends Matty and Declan from Ireland, every character is intricately woven into the narrative. Nicole and Eric, friends and work colleagues from the UK, Ruth, the solitary traveler from Australia, and Jake, who changed his name before leaving the UK, all contribute to the rich tapestry of the story.

Advance Praise

A terrific novel that should appeal to anyone who enjoys complex, character-driven, suspense novels.' Wow there are so many unexpected surprises, twists and deranged characters. Most of these guests are running away from something in their lives. Feel free to invite some friends to join our Round Table community!http://www.goodreads.com/group/invite_members/26989-goodreads-authors-readers