Wordless Wednesday --- Venice building at night

Can you believe this is unretouched?  It looked like this right from my little camera!  
See MORE WW here ....

Review: The Humans by Matt Haig

Summary (courtesy of GoodReads):  “I was not Professor Andrew Martin. That is the first thing I should say. He was just a role. A disguise. Someone I needed to be in order to complete a task.”

The narrator of this tale is no ordinary human—in fact, he’s not human at all. Before he was sent away from the distant planet he calls home, precision and perfection governed his life. He lived in a utopian society where mathematics transformed a people, creating limitless knowledge and immortality.

But all of this is suddenly threatened when an earthly being opens the doorway to the same technology that the alien planet possesses. Cambridge University professor Andrew Martin cracks the Reimann Hypothesis and unknowingly puts himself and his family in grave danger when the narrator is sent to Earth to erase all evidence of the solution and kill anyone who has seen the proof. The only catch: the alien has no idea what he’s up against.

Disgusted by the excess of disease, violence, and family strife he encounters, the narrator struggles to pass undetected long enough to gain access to Andrew’s research. But in picking up the pieces of the professor’s shattered personal life, the narrator sees hope and redemption in the humans’ imperfections and begins to question the very mission that brought him there.


And here's what I thought:   I thought this was an interesting, thoughtful, clever, touching, and amusing book.   I suppose that's a lot to say about one book, but I enjoyed how this book made me think, and feel, when I was reading it.

The way that the author sets up the book (as you can see from the summary), we have a narrator who is observing everything through a lens of being a non-human --- so he's able to be very removed from everything, whether it's about himself, or the people around him, which makes for a fascinating, and often amusing, perspective.   The way that "Andrew" learns about himself, and people in general, is interesting because he doesn't have many reference points, and the ones he does have just sound academic.  Imagine reading about a human in a science textbook the way that we might read about an animal in the wild, breaking it down into dry paragraphs about diet, habitat, lifespan, etc.   Andrew's perspective is usually pretty dry, which results in many things sounding pretty humorous.  This isn't to say that I laughed out loud when I was reading -- but I did smile to myself from time to time.

One of the other things I found interesting about this book is that Andrew isn't just learning about humans in general, but he's learning about what it is to be human, with all of the subtleties, and complications that we have.

I think what really makes this an enjoyable read is the author's writing style.  Sure, you have an interesting story, but without the wonderful writing, the story would fall completely flat.  Everything in this book is in first-person, from Andrew's perspective, and the way that he sees things is pretty unique.    Here's an example from page 32:

Humans, as a rule, don't like mad people unless they are good at painting, and only then once they are dead.  But the definition of mad, on Earth, seems to be very unclear and inconsistent.  What is perfectly sane in one era turns out to be insane in another.  ... Basically, the key rule is, if you want to appear sane on Earth, you have to be in the right place, wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, and only stepping on the right kind of grass.

I also liked how Andrew starts the book as being a somewhat cold observer, intent on fulfilling his assignment, and then as he learns more, he warms up, and becomes more sympathetic (to humans, and also, becomes a more sympathetic character, himself).    I liked how he started to relate to his wife, and his son --- and also, their dog, Gulliver (who, by the way, is a great character).   Reading this book is like going on a steady exploration of something you've never seen before, and then recognizing that you're kind of exploring your own self at the same time.   

First lines: I know that some of you reading this are convinced humans are a myth, but I am here to state that they do actually exist.  For those that don't know, a human is a real bipedal life form of midrange intelligence, living a largely deluded existence on a small, waterlogged planet in a very lonely corner of the universe.

Wordless Wednesday -- milkweed

See more Wordless!

GIVEAWAY of 2 books: Quarantine: The Loners and Quarantine: The Saints

I just posted my review of these two books, and now, I have a GIVEAWAY opportunity!   The publisher has generously offered both of these books as a giveaway, so I'm going to make this really easy:   To be entered into my drawing for a paperback copy of Quarantine: The Loners and one hardcover copy of Quarantine: The Saints, all you need to do is leave a comment about the books (and please include your email address).   That's it -- I'll run a randomizer to choose a winner, and contact that person via email (and then provide their info to the publisher, who will send the books).

The giveaway ends on Friday, July 19th @ midnight (CDT

Sorry, this giveaway is U.S. only.

Here are the summaries of the 2 books (courtesy of Goodreads):

Quarantine: The Loners ---It was just another ordinary day at McKinley High—until a massive explosion devastated the school. When loner David Thorpe tried to help his English teacher to safety, the teacher convulsed and died right in front of him. And that was just the beginning.

A year later, McKinley has descended into chaos. All the students are infected with a virus that makes them deadly to adults. The school is under military quarantine. The teachers are gone. Violent gangs have formed based on high school social cliques. Without a gang, you’re as good as dead. And David has no gang. It’s just him and his little brother, Will, against the whole school.

In this frighteningly dark and captivating novel, Lex Thomas locks readers inside a school where kids don’t fight to be popular, they fight to stay alive.

Quarantine: The Saints --- Nothing was worse than being locked in—until they opened the door...
McKinley High has been a battle ground for eighteen months since a virus outbreak led to a military quarantine of the school. When the doors finally open, Will and Lucy will think their nightmare is finished. But they are gravely mistaken.

As a new group of teens enters the school and gains popularity, Will and Lucy join new gangs. An epic party on the quad full of real food and drinks, where kids hookup and actually interact with members of other gangs seemed to signal a new, easier existence. Soom after though, the world inside McKinley takes a startling turn for the worse, and Will and Lucy will have to fight harder than ever to survive.

• Follow Egmont USA on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EgmontUSA
• Follow Egmont USA on Twitter: @EgmontUSA
• Follow Lex Thomas on Twitter: @LexThomasAuthor
• Follow Lex Thomas on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexthomasauthor
• Lex Thomas’s website: http://www.lex-thomas.com/

Also -- From June 24th - July 22nd, QUARANTINE: THE LONERS (book 1) is on sale for $1.99 as an ebook.

Review: Quarantine: The Loners and Quarantine: The Saints by Lex Thomas

Quarantine: the Loners Summary (courtesy of Goodreads):  It was just another ordinary day at McKinley High—until a massive explosion devastated the school. When loner David Thorpe tried to help his English teacher to safety, the teacher convulsed and died right in front of him. And that was just the beginning.

A year later, McKinley has descended into chaos. All the students are infected with a virus that makes them deadly to adults. The school is under military quarantine. The teachers are gone. Violent gangs have formed based on high school social cliques. Without a gang, you’re as good as dead. And David has no gang. It’s just him and his little brother, Will, against the whole school.

In this frighteningly dark and captivating novel, Lex Thomas locks readers inside a school where kids don’t fight to be popular, they fight to stay alive.

Quarantine: the Saints Summary:  A cross between the Gone series and Lord of the Flies, Quarantine #2: The Saints continues this frenetically paced and scary young adult series that illustrates just how deadly high school can be.

Nothing was worse than being locked in—until they opened the door...
McKinley High has been a battle ground for eighteen months since a virus outbreak led to a military quarantine of the school. When the doors finally open, Will and Lucy will think their nightmare is finished. But they are gravely mistaken.

As a new group of teens enters the school and gains popularity, Will and Lucy join new gangs. An epic party on the quad full of real food and drinks, where kids hookup and actually interact with members of other gangs seemed to signal a new, easier existence. Soon after though, the world inside McKinley takes a startling turn for the worse, and Will and Lucy will have to fight harder than ever to survive.

And here's what I thought:   I've read the Gone books by Michael Grant, where kids are on their own, so I was intrigued by the premise of these books.   I wound up whipping through the first one, and then picking up the second book right away because I wanted to know what happened to the characters.   Like, right now.

I think the summary which says these books are "a cross between the Gone series and Lord of the Flies" is a good way of putting it.   Whether or not the reason for these kids being locked in a school is plausible or not, the real focus is on the kids, and how they deal with their situation and each other.   The different social cliques forming into gangs is a realistic idea, and I like that the authors don't flinch from making some of this pretty tense, and a little scary.  In some real high schools, it can feel dangerous if you're not part of a social group --- these books just take that further, and ramp it up.

There is a definite tension throughout the first book, which continues right into the second book, and the fast pace makes this feel pretty seamless.   Our main characters in the first book, brothers Will and David, are compelling characters, and I like that their relationship has some strain here and there -- because it makes it more realistic (and also allows for more story development).   The female characters in the first book are definitely secondary, although Lucy's character becomes more developed in the second book, which I liked --- it gives the story a bit more balance.

As I mentioned, the authors (Lex Thomas is actually two authors writing together) don't shy away from the gritty, or the occasionally gory.   These kids are in serious survival mode, so don't expect that they're going to mind their manners and treat each other decently.   I didn't mind this, as it makes sense, the way the story is set up.  I also like that the authors don't have a magic solution handy --- as you can see from the summary of the second book, no one has come to save these kids and cure them and make everything perfect.

PLEASE NOTE:  I will have a GIVEAWAY for both of these books coming up!!!

First lines from the first book:  Someone must have bitten off her nose.  David remembered her.  Julie Tanaka.  She used to be gorgeous.  He'd spent an entire semester of biology class fantasizing about her.  She was perpetually tan and had a physique that always rendered David speechless.  But now she looked like an old sewer rat.  The tip of her nose was gone, like a piece of string cheese with the end chomped off.

Wordless Wednesday --- summer reading

GIVEAWAY! and review of A Really Awesome Mess

I have a giveaway opportunity for a copy of A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin!!!    

And it's easy ----- to be entered in my drawing to receive a copy of the book, all you need to do is a leave a comment on this post (about the book, about my review, etc.), including your email address, and I'll run a randomizer to choose the winner on FRIDAY, July 12th at 6:00 pm CDT.    :)      And sorry, this giveaway is limited to the U.S. only.       The winner will be notified by me via email, so I can send their information to the publisher (so they can then send the book).
----------------------------------------------------------------------


Summary (courtesy of Goodreads): A hint of Recovery Road, a sample of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and a cut of Juno. A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves.

Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy.
Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin's summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents' divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.

Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog-- and Emmy definitely doesn't. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.

Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends.


And here's what I thought:  I thought this was an entertaining read, with characters that were well-written and believable.   As you can see from the summary above, we have two main characters who are at the same place, and the story is told from their direct points of view, alternating between them.   The nice thing about this kind storytelling is that you get two viewpoints, from two different people, of the same things, which for me makes the story more interesting.   I will admit that I liked Emmy's character a little more than Justin's, but I still found both of them to be well-written.   

Some of the characters are dealing with heavy issues, and at times, I felt like those weren't quite being delved into as much as I thought they would be in real life.  However, the introspection you get from both Emmy and Justin is interesting, and you get how they're working through their issues throughout the entire story.   Overall, I liked the book and found it a fast read.   My rating is a 3 - not because the book was bad, but because I found it a "pretty good" read and not a great one.

The one thing I will say is this: the addition of the pig into the storyline was not really believable.   Does that pique your interest in reading this book?   :)

First lines: "Home crappy home," I whispered under my breath.  Dropping my duffel bag on the worn hardwood floor, I scanned the claustrophobic room.  Above me: a low, oddly angled ceiling that made the cramped space feel like it might swallow me whole.  Straight ahead: A tall, skinny window with bars on the outside, presumably so I wouldn't a) fall or b) hurl myself out of it, flanked by plain wooden dressers.  To my right: Twin beds crammed into an L-shape, each with a big-ass bulletin board hanging above it.  Pee-yellow walls all around.

If you'd like to know more:
 Brendan Halpin’s website: http://www.brendanhalpin.com/
Trish Cook’s website: http://trishcook.com/

• Follow Egmont USA on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EgmontUSA
• Follow Egmont USA on Twitter: @EgmontUSA
• Follow Brendan Halpin on Twitter: @bhalpin
• Follow Brendan Halpin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbrendanhalpin
• Follow Trish Cook on Twitter: @trixcook
• Follow Trish Cook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trishcc1

Review: The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

Summary (courtesy of Goodreads): Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can’t be made, and promises that won’t be kept.


And here's what I thought:   This is one of those great reads where you have two viewpoints, and a sense of impending doom about what's going to happen to both of them.   And it's great.

We have Jodi, the wife, who leads what appears on the surface to be a quiet, nice life with her husband.   And then we have Todd, her husband, who not only leads a nice life with Jodi, but who also is having an affair with the daughter of one of his close friends.  Who is finishing up college.  I'm including this so you know there is an age gap going on in this relationship.

The thing that I think makes this an absolutely delicious read is that as a reader, you know what's happening, but the characters may or may not know what you know, and as the story progresses, they both figure things out .... but they may or may not let on to the other person about what they know.   It's very much cat-and-mouse at times, and since you know from the back of the book that Jodi is going to kill Todd, it's a lot of wondering when and how it's going to happen.   And when it does ..... well, it's not necessarily as clear-cut as you think.

The author does a great job of creating these two characters, who I was readily able to envision.  I liked that the book is set in Chicago (I live in one of the Chicago suburbs, and lived in a few different neighborhoods in the city, as well).   I also liked that the author kept me off-kilter with a few twists in the storyline.  Just when I thought I knew what to expect, there would be a move in a different direction.

If you enjoyed the back-and-forth and suspense of Gone Girl, I'd definitely suggest adding this book to your reading list.  It's a short book, with a quick pace, and I found it to be a really good read.

First lines:   It's early September.  Jodi Brett is in her kitchen, making dinner. Thanks to the open plan of the condo, she has an unobstructed view through the living room to its east-facing windows and beyond to a vista of lake and sky, cast by the evening light in a uniform blue.  A thinly drawn line of a darker hue, the horizon, appears very near at hand, almost touchable.  She likes this delineating arc, the feeling it gives her of being encircled.  The sense of containment is what she loves most about living here, in her aerie on the twenty-seventh floor.

Review: Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Summary (courtesy of Goodreads):   “Have you ever heard of supernovas? They shine brighter than anything else in the sky and then fade out really quickly, a short burst of extraordinary energy. I like to think you and Ben were like that . . . in that short time, you had more passion than some people have in a lifetime.”

Elsie Porter is an average twentysomething and yet what happens to her is anything but ordinary. On a rainy New Year’s Day, she heads out to pick up a pizza for one. She isn’t expecting to see anyone else in the shop, much less the adorable and charming Ben Ross. Their chemistry is instant and electric. Ben cannot even wait twenty-four hours before asking to see her again. Within weeks, the two are head over heels in love. By May, they’ve eloped.

Only nine days later, Ben is out riding his bike when he is hit by a truck and killed on impact. Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, he has already been whisked off to the emergency room. At the hospital, she must face Susan, the mother-in-law she has never met—and who doesn’t even know Elsie exists.

Interweaving Elsie and Ben’s charmed romance with Elsie and Susan’s healing process, Forever, Interrupted will remind you that there’s more than one way to find a happy ending.

And here's what I thought:  I received this book from the publisher, and honestly, it was perfect timing.  I had just finished slogging through two books that I wasn't really wild about, and when I saw this book, I figured it would be a nice change.   And it was; I sat down, and read this book in one day because I just kept turning the pages.

As you can see from the summary, Elsie and Ben have only been married for a short time before something awful happens to Ben.  From that point on, the book is told in back-and-forth timing, where we're in the past, to learn about how the two of them met, and also what is happening with Elsie in the present.   I liked Elsie, and Ben, and I found that was what really kept me reading, although there's a steady pace to this book that makes it easy to keep going, as well.

The author weaves together a handful of relationships in this book, and I felt that most of the time, they, and the additional characters, were pretty realistically written.  I will say that I thought once or twice that the character of Ben's mother was a little too good to be true.   The extremely quick pace of Ben and Elsie's relationship also seemed a little too fast for me.  However, I believe that if you meet The One, then you know (because, even though it took me a few months, this happened to me).  But, I still enjoyed the story.   I will admit that once or twice, I got a little choked up; I'll be married 13 years this year to my best friend, and the love of my life --- and so reading about Elsie's relationship with Ben, and then her loss, sometimes got to me.

I wouldn't say that this is a heavy read, although it certainly covers a lot of emotional ground.  I'd consider it a good summer read, when you can set aside some time to become immersed in the story, and keep turning the pages.  

First lines: "Have you decided if you're going to change your name?" Ben asks me.  He is sitting on the opposite end of the couch, rubbing my feet.  He looks so cute.  How did I end up with someone so goddamn cute?