Review and Giveaway: Run of the Mill by Dave Patten

(Blurb): Famous musician, 26 year old millionaire, and known playboy Tyler Clark finds himself launched into his repressed past after a chance encounter with an old friend during the after-party of one of his concerts. Under threat of blackmail, Tyler is forced to painfully reveal the truth behind a tragic summer of his youth... a summer that started with drugs, sex and good music, and ended in betrayal, hatred and suicide.













Book Information:

Publisher: G Street Chronicles (October 10, 2013)
Version: eBook or hardcopy
Age group: New Adult/Adult
Genre: Contemporary Drama
Length: 256 pg

Giveaway:

A signed copy of Run of the Mill was already given away to a lucky winner! The Book Cove will be offering up another copy of Run of the Mill on March 1st.
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Review:

Run of the Mill is one of those rare finds. It's rare in many ways; it brings a new twist to its genre, it takes on a provocative topic with taste, it incorporates humor into cynicism without taking away from the overall objective, and it evokes real feelings up and down the happy-to-sad rating scale. Perhaps most rare, is the fact that this was achieved by a first time author.

It's hard to say what it was that really hooked me. I think it was J.D. Salinger's, Caulfield, voice I kept reading in. Maybe that's a cliche (and sometimes unwanted) reference for some authors, but I enjoyed that relation. The relation not so much in the overly (annoyingly) rebellious and angsty way, but in the truth of what is really going through an adolescent's mind at the time; the freely wielded thoughts and actions in a no-holds-barred kind of way. There were even a few points in the book where I swear a couple of events from my past were written in, which made the book all that more engrossing (nothing like reminiscing from another person's POV...).

While I found amusement traveling through a teenage boy's mind -- from general life revelations to hormonal revelations -- the book is very much a drama piece. The book starts out with 26-year-old Tyler Clark; musician/playboy extraordinaire. Just when he's living up to his fun-loving description, he is blindsided with some serious blackmail. The reader is then taken back to Tyler's childhood where a series of events unfolds that led him to where he is today. In a way it turns into a little bit of a mystery as you're immersed in his past, trying to figure out where things went wrong.

The set-up for this was well done, with the majority of the book taking place in young Tyler's POV. The thoughts and actions between the time periods are well laid out, and while you can see Tyler mentally grow through time, it does not feel like you are losing major identifiable characteristics (a.k.a. character whiplash).

I also loved all of the secondary characters - even the most atrocious ones. I think too many new authors (and established authors) are afraid to give their characters...character. I say new authors because it seems to happen most in those cases, where they just want to make a character completely likable throughout the whole story (or have some jerk of a character transform into the good guy). I attribute this more so for the establishment of their name with a happily-ever-after fan base rather than coming right from the starting gate with something provoking. Author Dave Patten certainly was not afraid to have his characters transform up-and-down all sides of the personality scale and it really gave meaning and life to the story.

I'll end by saying that I would recommend Run of the Mill to just about anyone looking for a page-turner. It does have some situations that are not suitable for all audiences (e.g., drugs, rape, suicide, and violence).

Rating:

About Dave Patten:
Renaissance man may be the best way to describe musician, writer, producer and actor Dave Patten, whose creative passions often necessitate more time for work than sleep.

2013 has been a breakout year for Dave with the publishing of his first novel, "Run of The Mill," a dramatic story about a rich playboy who must come to terms with his demons, and the release of his film in November, Delivery Man, from DreamWorks, alongside Vince Vaughn.

Dave's trajectory and creative drive can all be connected to his love of music. Growing up around everything from classical to motown R&B, Dave quickly took to the drums, mastering his skill-set with local bands. However, Dave didn't stop there, conquering the piano, guitar, bass, trumpet, trombone and cello, which not only allowed him to hone his unique sound, but write and produce his own music as well. With a mix of acoustic, rock and synthesized melodies, his cross-genre style has garnered much attention. In 2010 Dave began posting videos on YouTube, amassing over 65 million page views and a social network following numbering in the thousands, and growing exponentially.

Dave grew up in Philadelphia, entrenching himself in the music scene there. As he made a name for himself in local venues, Dave continually strived to learn and grow as an artist. Dave continuously searches out unique and interesting projects independently that allow him any and all opportunities for creative outlet.