The Dead and the Gone (Last Survivors #2)

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I accidentally read book 3 prior to reading book 2, and I'm glad that I did. If I had read this one prior to jumping into This World We Live In, I might not have continued on. While we see the world through Miranda's eyes in books 1 and 3, we see it through Alex's in this one. It was a bit on the nose. Yes, we get it. They are Puerto Rican. They are Catholic. No subtlety here. I didn't find any of the characters likable. Bri was dumb. Alex was an aspiring saint / asshat. Julie was the only one who was remotely bearable. Too much is happening, and not enough is resolved.

This installment shows what happens in New York after a meteor knocks the moon closer to the Earth. We follow Alex and his sisters as they try to survive there and it follows the same timeline as book 1. This book could be read as a stand-alone novel, but I wouldn't recommend it.

The Alex you meet in this book is different from the one viewed through Miranda's eyes in book 3, and that's a good thing. I guess it helps you to understand a little about his decisions in book 3, but not entirely. I recommend reading them out of order or you might not continue with the series.

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If I Stay

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I listened to this on audio. I HATED the narrator. This book may be tolerable if it is read rather than listened to, but I will never know.

I finished this book a couple of weeks ago, and I'm going to revise my star rating down to 1 1/2. There wasn't anything good here. The characters were ridiculous. Her parents were the most unbelievable, hipster, non-parents in the entire world. My disdain for her father was only topped by my utter hatred for her mother. Really, parents? Your "too cool for school" lifestyle made me want to punch you. Lucky for all of us that you are fictional characters. Father is a former rocker who didn't learn to drive until he was forced to "grow up" and be a real adult. Mother is a poser who rattles off indy bands to prove her edginess and insists on a midwife/birthing center for her punk-rock fueled childbirth. They are so cool that they let her rock star boyfriend sleep over. Seriously? And Mia is so full of insecurities and self-doubt that I could barely listen to her inner dialogue.

This book was terrible, and I won't see the movie.


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I is for Innocent (Kinsey Millhone #9)

I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Reread of I is for Innocent. Classic Kinsey with a return of past characters: Henry, Rosie, and a side dish of Jonah.

Kinsey is freshly fired from her independent contractor gig at California Fidelity, and finds a new home with her attorney, Lonnie Kingman. Lonnie needs Kinsey's help investigating an old homicide for a client. Kinsey dives in head first, as always, and puts her life on the line. And in the climactic ending, she owes her life oddly to her ex-boyfriend, Dietz. You're welcome, Kinsey. Get on a plane to Germany already!

We also get the fun side plot of William, Henry's hypochondriac brother, who visits and falls in love with Rosie. Proof that there's a lid for every pot, and the heart wants what it wants. Clichéd, but true.

Set in the 1980's, it's interesting to see how much technology has changed things. Caller ID, cell phones, and the internet would have eliminated so many of the issues she encounters. Makes me thankful for all I have now. Phone lines cut? Ha! Fooled you. I don't even have a landline. My cell phone will prevent you for ambushing me in the dark, killers.

Incidentally, this book is the reason why I won't look through a door's peephole. The victim died when the murderer shot her through the door's peephole as she went to look through it. I'm scarred for life now. You knock on my hotel room door, you'd better say something to let me know it's you, or I'm never letting you in. You know, on the off chance you are a murderer.



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Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've always enjoyed Rob Lowe: St. Elmo's Fire, The West Wing, and Parks and Rec, but I wouldn't consider myself a huge fan. Sure, he's pretty, and he's taken some great roles. Billy Hicks was one of my first crushes: the pretty, dangerous, incorrigible bad boy with a heart of gold silently screaming, "fix me; love me!" Sam Seaborn was the perfect package: smart, witty, and doing important things for important people. And who couldn't love Chris Traeger? He was literally the best person to move to Pawnee. Ever.

However, you don't have to love Rob Lowe to love this book. It's well-written, and he shares lots of interesting stories about growing up in Ohio, breaking into show business, and the wins and losses along the way. My favorite part was about getting his role in The Outsiders and the subsequent adventures in filming. You can see by his stories that Charlie Sheen has always been a little off-center, and Tom Cruise has always been intense and crazy. I also enjoyed his stories of growing up in the excesses of Malibu, how he felt like the outsider growing up, and his journey to stardom when he wasn't mature enough to handle it. He shares some of his struggles with addiction and gives small glimpses into what seems to be a strong marriage and happy family life. His journey could have gone a very different way, and I think he's grateful for what he has.

If you want a glimpse into what drives someone to persevere as an actor, this is a read for you. I've never had that drive, that pull, to push myself outside of an ordinary life, so it was fascinating to read what kept him going. It was surprising, and an interesting perspective. Clearly it's why I'm not a star--I would never tolerate the bullshit he did to maintain his fame. That, coupled with the cool stories about movies, shows, and actors made this an entertaining read.

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This World We Live In (Last Survivors #3)

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

More post-apocolyptic goodness. Start stocking up your pantry! These books will trigger the prepper hiding inside of you.

In book 3 of the series, we return to life with Miranda and her family. The world has not recovered from the disasters triggered from the asteroid colliding with the moon, knocking it towards Earth. Miranda has matured in this book. We continue to see her life through her journal entries, and it gives a unique perspective on the happenings and allows us to guess at people's true motives as she does.

It's interesting to think how we would survive if disaster strikes. The Evans family fares better than most because they were resourceful and their mother was prepared and had the foresight to anticipate how long it could take for society to recover. Others didn't adapt, and died. It is an interesting take on survival of the fittest.

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H is for Homicide (Kinsey Millhone #8)

H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rereading the next letter in Grafton's alphabet series, Kinsey finds herself with a new case--looking into insurance fraud--and goes undercover to find the truth. This one was fast-paced and had little of the characters we have come to love: no Henry, Rosie, with limited Vera and Con Doyle. Step back into the eighties where we wore mini-skirts, ratted our hair, and didn't run around with cell phones and internet. It adds a layer of complexity to her investigations that we wouldn't find with our technologically-advanced PIs of today.

Kinsey's always fun to read, and "H" doesn't disappoint, but doesn't necessarily delight, either. Having read them when they were new releases, though, they have stood the test of time for me. Still one of my favorite detective series.

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I Will Not Die an Unlived Life: Reclaiming Passion and Purpose

I Will Not Live an Unlived Life: Reclaiming Passion and Purpose by Dawna Markova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"It is not the events in our lives that determine who we become, but the meaning we choose to place on those events." - Victor Frankl

I have read this book three times, and I always walk away both centered and inspired. One woman's simple exploration of what her life means, Markova experiences it all; trials, joys, the bitter with the sweet, and shares her journey to living a life of passion and purpose. I found it inspiring and, in a weird way, calming. It was a reminder that I can have exactly what I want out of life, and to slow down and appreciate what I have.

She designs an acronym for LIVE to guide her when she is at a crossroads in life:
L: What do I love?
I: What are my inner gifts and talents?
V: What do I value?
E: What are the environments that bring out the best in me?
In doing so, she stays true to her personal path. Part self-help, part memoir, Markova lays her soul bare for the reader, and reminds you to look at the good and move towards the life you want.





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Taken (Taken #1)

Taken by Erin Bowman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Every boy in the village disappears on his 18th birthday, leaving the women to sustain and run society. No one understands why, but accepts it. Their world is surrounded by a large wall, and if you climb it to escape, your charred body is returned for burial. Sounds interesting, right?

It started off with so much promise, but failed to deliver. Evil masterminds, righteous underdogs, and star-crossed lovers. All of the ingredients I usually love. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I will just say the characters didn't resonate with me, and the big mystery fell flat. I can't put my finger on what was missing for me, but I don't think I will read the other books in the Taken series. That's how little I care about what happens next. Sorry book, I wanted to love you, but I didn't. I'm sure it's not you; it's me. No hard feelings.

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Life As We Knew It (Last Survivors #1)

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

True confession time: I have a real jones for post-apocalyptic, survival, dystopian fiction. I eat it up! Part of the appeal for me is thinking through how I would react in a similar situation. I'm convinced I would be the last survivor, regardless of the situation. I think I would be very similar to Miranda's mom. Cool in a crisis, I would cash out everything and stockpile food and supplies to help my family survive. In Life As We Knew It, we view everything through Miranda's journal entries. She's immature, and scared, and doesn't always grasp the severity of the situation (naturally--she's 16). Suspend your disbelief as an asteroid hits the moon, moving it closer to the Earth. Chaos ensues. Nature is out of balance. And society as we know it collapses.

Now please excuse me as I go to the store to stockpile gallons of water and food for my pantry. 3 stars.

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Independent Study (The Testing #2)

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Independent Study follows Cia Vale as she progresses through University and is selected for her major which dictates what she will do following graduation. We are introduced to some new characters as she is assigned to her house and we uncover more of the mystery of what the government is hiding. Cia is still a Mary Sue. Everyone loves her, she is the smartest, the bravest, and she solves problems. She's clearly being set up to be the next leader of the land; the savior they have been waiting for. We don't get enough Tomas in this book. He's barely a player and I find myself wondering what is going though his head as the events unfold for Cia. What does his initiation look like? How is he feeling about University, the government, and the aftermath of the testing? I need to know more--he keeps me from hating on Cia.

Overall, a solid second installment in the series. If you enjoyed the first book, you will continue to enjoy the second. I'll definitely read Graduation Day to see how it all pans out.

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