Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Summary:(from goodreads) Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.
But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?
review:  This was one of those books that I picked up simply because everything I heard about was really good. However, after reading it I hate to say it didn't live up to the hype. I thought it was an OK book. The second half of the book was stronger. The first half lacked in plot a little bit and there was nothing special to make it stand out. I didn't really connect with the characters. I liked Lucky and was rooting for him to overcome his issues. I liked the message this book had about overcoming obstacles in our lives and felling trapped by our circumstances. The way the title played into it was really great as well. I appreciated the deeper meaning this story had and I thought that was the best thing about it. However, on a simpler level I just didn't connect with the characters and story. I will probably try more of this author's books in the future because this one did have promise and I know lots of people love them. I am curious to try more.