Review: Thicker Than Blood

Thicker Than Blood by Madeline Sheehan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well, I must be weird. I have never had a friendship like these two. Always holding hands, and embracing, and kissing each other "hard" on the lips. It makes me think I haven't had a true friend. Their depth of commitment to each other made the story not ring true for me. Or maybe I'm a robot.

I know, I know. It's a zombie book. It's the apocalypse. No one knows because we haven't been there. But the strangeness of the relationship kept pulling me out of the story. I don't think I would have reacted like either of them at any step of the story.

Anyway, I wanted to love you but I think you are just ok. It's not you, it's me. 2 1/2 stars.

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Review: Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My heart is hurting over this book. I need a tissue. And a hug.

This book hit all of the right notes with me. Coming of age story with a quirky, misfit heroine. Dysfunctional family dynamics that seem true-to-life. Love. Introspection. Grief. What can I say? I like a few tears in my books (sometimes).

Set way back in ye old 1987 (gads, I was in high school, folks. This isn't historical fiction!), AIDS was a scandalous, secret "gays only" disease. Times were different then. June loved her uncle, and after he dies she finds out she only knew parts of him. Walk with June as she tries to discover who he really was, who she really is, and bring some tissues, because you will need them. Unless you are a robot, then you will be fine.

Loved it. 4 stars. Going to hug my kids now.


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Review: Mortality

Mortality by Christopher Hitchens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Life is short. Cancer sucks. Please remember that, my friends, and make the most of every moment.

Regardless of whether you agreed with Christopher Hitchens or not, this is a powerful read. Disease can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. We can do all of the right things--exercise, eat healthy foods, get enough rest--and still get sick. We can do the wrong things--smoke, drink, overeat, eat unhealthy foods--and stay healthy. The body is a mystery at times. And you aren't guaranteed tomorrow.

Diagnosed with esophageal cancer that had spread to his lungs and lymph nodes, Hitchens chronicles his mortality in this short read. If cancer has touched your life in some way, I think this book will speak to you. It's worth the hour of your life. 4 stars.


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Review: The Donor, Parts 1-3

The Donor, Parts 1-3 by Nikki Rae
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Really interesting premise. I don't want to say much beyond the book blurb.

It made me think of what lengths I would go to for my family, and what decisions I would make in certain situations. I could have done with more explanation around Jonah's situation (it wasn't what I expected), and more at the ending, but overall, enjoyable.

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Review: Rise of the Wraiths: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale

Rise of the Wraiths: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale by Matthew Eliot
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Call me a masochist, because here I am reading book 2 after giving book 1 one star. You can yell at me later.

A charlatan comes to town claiming to heal the wraiths affected by the meteor storm. But can he? Probably not, otherwise we wouldn't have a book three (which I will not be reading). And we still have the dude stuck in NORAD-lite. And the dumb kids, and the faithless priest. It's very predictable and I have nothing good to say about it or myself for reading it.

The end. Here's to hoping another storm comes and finishes the whole lot off.

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Review: IMPACT: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale

IMPACT: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale by Matthew Eliot
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

When will I learn to not get book 2 until I have read book 1? Never, apparently.

Continuing my post-apocalyptic, survival story jam I have going, I picked up books 1 and 2 in the IMPACT series. You see, a meteor storm has pummeled the earth and now there are wraiths roaming around, causing havoc. It's like they are zombies, but they aren't. It's a little confusing and the world building isn't the best. Anyway...

We have three distinct storylines happening. We have our friends in a NORAD type installation. We have a priest struggling to retain his faith in a world gone out of control, and we have two young kids who are really written poorly. In some scenes they act like they are 25 and in others they act like they are 10. Uneven writing all-around, really, but Alice and Adrian drove me nuts the most.

Not so much survival as doom and gloom. Not worth the time. Unless you are a dummy like me and get book 2 when you get book one and are a glutton for punishment.

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Review: The Troop

The Troop by Nick Cutter

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book was scary and gross. Definitely a good one to recommend to horror fans.

Basically you take a scout troop and strand them on an island alone with their Scoutmaster to earn some survival badges. An infected man comes and hilarity ensues. (Not really, I was crying in my pillow I was so scared. And grossed out.) Did I mention not to eat while reading this book? Go ahead, do it. See what happens.

The characters aren't very likable but I think that adds to the horror. 3 1/2 stars.



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Station Eleven

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Dystopian, but different. No zombies. Nothing weird. Just a terrible flu that wipes out life as we knew it. Be prepared to fight urges to run to the store and stock up in case something happens.

I liked the alternating timelines. I enjoyed the characters. But in the end I was left wanting more. So many unanswered questions! I wanted a resolution.

This is not one to listen to on audio. The narrator is terrible. I believe it is the same person who read If I Stay and she made me hate every single line of that book. Read the book, and skip the audio. I had to switch to fall into the world of Station Eleven.

I'm wavering between 3 1/2 stars and 4, but I'll leave it at 4 for now.




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Moloka'i

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a lovely book. It's sad and happy all mixed together. It's richly drawn with historical details and the characters come to life. Like I said, lovely.

Rachel lives in Hawaii, and is diagnosed with leprosy at age seven. Seven, my friends. Tragic, simply tragic. As was done in the late 1800s / early 1900s, she was shipped to Moloka'i to live at the Leper's Colony. And if that isn't sad enough, she is completely cut off from her family. We follow Rachel through her life and her illness. I know what you are thinking: this sounds depressing! Not so. It does have parts that will make you sad, parts that will make you mad, and parts that will make you smile. It's a lot like life. And it's well written. Fans of historical fiction should check it out.



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A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book! So many feels. I have a knot in my chest a day later just thinking about it.

I run the risk of spoiling this story if I say too much, but it's about a boy who is coming to terms with his mother's cancer. It's amazing. The illustrations are haunting and perfect. The balance of grief, anger, and hope is perfectly struck. It seems like a children's book, but wait! It's so much more. Layered and deep and nearly perfect. Mothers will relate. Anyone whose life has been touched by cancer will relate. Read it. Read it slowly, immerse yourself in the illustrations, and then grab a box of tissues and read it again.



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Eat Move Sleep

Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes by Tom Rath

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I read this book because now that I'm in my 40's I want to take better care of myself. I have been remarkably healthy throughout my life, and I don't want that to change as I enter middle age. I have never been a healthy eater (no orange or green foods for me, thanks!) so I am making baby steps into adulthood. Enter "Eat, Move, Sleep". Tom Rath has suffered from rare health problems his whole life so he has gone to extremes in being healthy to prolong his life. There are great suggestions for anyone in this book to make small changes to be healthier, especially in the lists at the end of the book. However, the book is preachy and extremist. No one who is on a quest to be healthier and take better care of themselves is going to read this book and implement all of the extreme changes he recommends, often without citing a source. How much of this is based on real science, vs. articles he has read in Men's Health? It's unrealistic and discouraging for me, someone who has never touched peas or carrots since being forced in her youth, to make the extreme changes he says you need to make for a long, healthy life.

What would have worked much better is for him to be more encouraging in the small changes people can make to lead a healthier life. Step off the soap box, Tom, remove your white wig, and start cheering people on! You just come across as a huge jerk right now, and I don't want to hang out with you. Buzzkill.

For those of you who want to be healthier but don't want to read this book, here is your TL:DR:
EAT - be mindful of what you eat, and how much. Try to eat real foods in moderation, not chemically processed, artificial crap.
MOVE - get exercise every day. This helps your body last longer. Don't be lazy. Take the stairs, park at the back of the lot, and get those lungs filled with good, clean air.
SLEEP - rest and let your body regenerate. Sleep enough and get your circadian rhythms in line with nature.

There you go. You're welcome.



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Enclave (Razorland #1)

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Dystopian future. Earth in peril. Tribes of people surviving in the underground subway tunnels of New York City. Welcome to Enclave.

Deuce has reached adulthood in her underground enclave on her 15th birthday--the day she receives her adult name and job. She is a huntress, and is paired up with Fade, a hunter who joined them after growing up Topside. The pair uncover danger from the Freaks during one of their hunting runs and are exiled for their discovery. Forced Topside, they have to learn to work as a team to survive.

Deuce and Fade make a great team. She is brave, but not unrealistically so, and is decently flawed. Fade, while taking the lead Topside, is smart enough to work with Deuce to help him survive as well. It's an interesting dynamic and the ending leaves you eagerly awaiting the next book.

Better than a lot of the standard YA dystopian fare out there. 3 1/2 stars.



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The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Vampires. Teenagers making impulsively bad decisions. Welcome to Coldtown.

I liked this book. I'm surprised at how much I liked it, actually. I've read a string of YA paranormal this spring and this one is one of my favorites so far. Tana was a decent heroine--independent, yet vulnerable. She did stupid things and made bad decisions, but she was aware when she did. She's drawn to Gavriel even though she knows it is a bad decision. She tries to help Aidan even though he doesn't deserve it. And she is brave even when she doesn't want to be.

As for the ending, I thought it fit the book perfectly and I am oddly glad it is a stand-alone novel.




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I Am Legend

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Did you see the movie? If yes, forget what you watched and read this book. If no, don't watch the movie and instead read this book.

Different, and infinitely better, this book will take you on an emotional ride. Imagine you are the last uninfected human on earth. Vampires are everywhere. You spend your days scavenging around, taking what you can find from the remains the dead left behind. You spend your nights holed up in your house, listening to the infected attempting to get in. Imagine you find a friend, a companion. A sliver of hope. But life is unpredictable, and so is this book.

Read it, but have something happy to read immediately afterwards to cleanse your soul. I chose "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler, but you can choose whatever you would like, as long as it makes you happy.



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Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If I am ever acting crazy, please go find Susannah Cahalan's doctor before checking me into a mental institution.

This is an interesting story of one woman's journey into a world of misdiagnosis, disease, and madness. Part medical mystery, part memoir, part cautionary tale, you get a unique perspective into her illness and recovery. I was left thinking about how many patients are misdiagnosed and assumed to be mentally ill when they really have a curable disease. Very scary to consider. Also, her boyfriend and family should be considered for sainthood. It was hard on all of them but they didn't give up. Good people, right there.

And seriously, if I am not acting like myself, make sure I don't have encephalitis. I can't stress this enough.



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