Unexpected, but worthwhile
934761
While reading this book, I felt like I was a student who signed up for a class called "Your Brain on Food" but instead was somehow switched into one called "Your Brain on Drugs." Not that this was a undesirable switch...just an unexpected one.

And, it's no coincidence that I felt like I was in class while reading this book--the author is, after all, a college professor. The book's presentation, style, and content are rather lecture-like, but, nonetheless effectively accomplish the author's mission of showing how: "anything you consume--the drugs you take, the foods you eat--can affect how your neurons behave, and subsequently, how you think and feel." (p. X)

In the beginning of the book, the author/professor presents a clear overview of basic neurochemistry, nicely summarizing the path of neurotransmitter production, release, reuptake, and inactivation. (I've actually marked this section to revisit again whenever I need a quick neurochemistry refresher.) The rest of the book focuses on how:
"Drugs and the contents of our diet can interact with any of these various processes and impair, or even sometimes enhance, the production of neurotransmitters, as well as impair their storage into synaptic vesicles, alter their release from neurons, modify their interaction with receptor proteins, slow their reuptake, and possibly even stop their enzymatic inactivation. Because your brain is the organ of the mind, drugs and food that do any of these things can have a profound influence on how you think, act, and feel." (pp. 14-15)

Sitting through this lecture, uh, I mean, reading this book, you'll learn the key responses associated with specific neurotransmitters, including: learning, memory, and attention with acetylcholine; arousal and euphoria with norepinephrine and dopamine; processing of sensory information and mood with serotonin; excitation and neuroplasticity with glutamate;  inhibition with GABA; and euphoria and pain reduction with opiates.

And, receiving the full benefits of being taught by a professor, you'll be entertained with stories of his students who have vividly demonstrated the effects of drugs on various neurotransmitter systems.  Let's see...there was the one student who became temporarily paralyzed after drinking alcohol at fraternity parties to the delight of others who would place his limbs in odd positions. And, then there was the student who would collect her boyfriend's urine after he used the stimulant mescaline, realizing she was able to experience the high, without the nasty GI side effects experienced when taken in its "pre-digested" from. And, then there was that other student who consumed an entire container of nutmeg dissolved in applesauce, but instead of being able to enjoy the sought-after aphrodisiac effects, he was stuck in the bathroom for the weekend. These stories might stick in your mind long after the more academic details of the drug-induced neurotransmitter responses have faded.

(True to lecture form, at the end of his teachings, the professor even provides you with a little quiz to see if you really were paying attention.)

Although the content and delivery of the book might not be what's expected, what it does provide is certainly worthwhile.
2507621
Wasn't as good as I anticipated, but still worth watching - if possible, I would give it somewhere between 3 and 4 stars.  The ending was a surprise, which is always good.  You have to pay careful attention to follow the storyline.
4811809
This book surprised me; I think it was sold in the Romance section. I really did not expect a thoughtful, well-written novel such as this.
3828581
Good story, great characters, some surprises in this novel.
4839419
wAn interesting story, crossing over a few genres. Unpredictable, with the tale being told by a unique voice. While I was shocked a few times, I didn't expect to laugh out loud as many times as I did. Oh and did I mention the ending? No spoilers here, read it for yourself.
3441417
Not really what I expected, but a good read anyhow.
2859472
I've collected a number of Andre Nortons over the years, but read surprisingly few of them - and I loved the ones I did read, which makes it weirder. The story is fairly simple: a stranger involves himself in the war his new home is waging against the Kolder (unbelievably, I never twigged to the alternate spelling of that - nice, actually), and his otherworldly skills prove quite useful even against such enemies and alongside such allies as he never conceived of. One of the latter is Loyse, a frail-seeming noblewoman who breaks away from a domineering father and the marriage he has arranged for her; another is Koris of Gorm, a dispossessed price of extremely mixed ancestry who is not in any way a stereotype. Koris and Simon make a formidable, unconventional team which seems to be just what the Good Guys need to take the battle to the enemy and finally start making some progress.

Because of the era this comes from, there is not the connection with the characters a reader is used to with current fantasy, and I was surprised at how little joyful exploration of the new world there was. Granted: war, some constriction of movement, and Simon's not exactly typically filled with childlike wonder, but still: either Simon was remarkably uncurious about his new setting or the reader was not shown his process of discovery. Coming from (apparently) Cold War era Earth into a completely new world filled with completely new flora and fauna and architectures and people, I wouldn't expect him to stand about gawping, but a little bit of hey-wow might have been nice. I wonder if it might have been in part because Ms. Norton was still world-building. For me Witch World is something of a relic of its time, a tantalizing bundle of possibilities which were not, in this volume and for me at least, fulfilled. But it's only the beginning.
1625774
This was quite a surprising read.  I was never quite sure of where I was--literally--the story bounced around in time, going forward and backward to follow the characters and to further the plot.  Things happened which I didn't anticipate, and I enjoyed that.  I also really liked the side characters.  They were allowed room to grow and develop and change, they didn't remain static stock characters.  The end was really unexpected!  For a fun afternoon (don't plan on starting unless you plan on finishing in one session!) this is the book to pick up.
3382017
I was uncertain I'd like this book because I like the unusual, and a story about a "player" gay man didn't sound unique. However, I was surprised. It is a strong story with interesting twists and well-hewn character progession.

We see Tony Romero's life, that of a casanova who hunts for an O.O.D. (object of desire), bags him, then tires of him once he's feasted enough. His modus operandi is particularly sharp--using artistic ability, flirting, and a carefully calculated system that lands `em every time. But Tony is changing, slowly. He begins to see what it's doing to other people, his wacky family, and himself.

It almost seems like a contrivance that Tony has a Mexican grandmother, Danish mother (who got stranded with her mother-in-law), a black brother, Cleve, and Peter, the "stepfather." Their house is a mixture of languages, changes, and racing dogs (I can't explain it, you'll just have to read about it!) that's both endearing and funny.

Each of Tony's ex's are colorful and different and shed light on how Tony operates and the often-messy results. Particularly interesting is Tom, the bike messenger who rides on the edge of his very raw emotions and has clever methods of revenge. Tom's toothbrush trick is just one of the many inventive, funny surprises that fill this book.

While there is the plot of who-shot-Tony, I was only mildly worried about that while I immersed myself in Tony's activities and reflections on his past. This novel is at a higher level of writing than most gay novels today; it's even sort of a shame that the publisher promotes it as a gay romance novel. It's much more than that.
4513858
About halfway through this short, easy read, while I was engaged enough to keep going, I was not sure why it received such a fuss from some critics. Joyce's writing is fine, but I don't particularly like his dialogue, and the plot seemed very much a spin on a Twilight Zone episode, with a pretty obvious ending on the way. But the second half began to involve me more, I came to care about the couple and what they were experiencing, and the thematics of the novel took hold. It is basically a meditation on life and death, what they mean, how we react to each and had more depth than I was expecting. The second half began to move me more than I anticipated. Then, suddenly, the final pages completely surprised me and I found myself openly crying on a lounge chair next to a pool. I can't say that the pay offs and revelations of the final plot points were that surprising, even, but they were beautifully done and the way the novel 'all came together' touched me deeply. Well worth a read. I will now probably read it again.
2105075
This is not a typical novel, so be prepared to experience this differently than other things you have read. It reads in the same way that life unfolds - at times confusing, then satisfying, sometimes delightful, then intriguing, other times nonsensical, but ultimately wonderful. Live and wait for the good parts, the parts that make sense. It will make sense to you, especially if you are familiar with love and loss.

I gave it five stars because the writing is very good. I tend to get bored, and even a little upset with writing conventions. This book is fresh and new, and I appreciated that. Not everyone will like it because it is artful and different - there are a lot of images and unorthodox configurations of type, but it all has a purpose and is designed to add something to the story. I thought it was very refreshing and interesting. I liked it even better on second read. I would imagine it would make a good book club book because there would be so much to discuss; everyone feeling and experiencing something different. Anyway, this probably all sounds very enigmatic, but thats just because there is a lot to it. Check it out.
360575
The Love That Split the World was rather...unexpected. Instead of the kind of book that's enjoyable but largely ruminates on the post-high school limbo and feelings that come with that, you're given this very thoughtful experience that focuses so intently on being far-reaching and philosophical that it kind of falls flat? There's nothing that says The Love That Split the World isn't well-written or very thought out, but there's a lot that says it should have been more emotionally affecting (before the final few pages) and heart-pounding.

Giving a book such a title promises a love story that'll stop you in your tracks, that will leave you wishing for more pages, more moments, more time. Instead, the romance between Natalie and Beau relies on their "connection", not on the kinds of things that forge lasting relationships. It's the kind of relationship that makes Romeo and Juliet look like immature kids, despite the mastery of the pen that wrote them. Maybe it'd last, maybe it wouldn't--but it doesn't necessarily offer the grounds to prove it would, despite the prettiness of the language that delivers it.

The strength of The Love That Split the World is how strongly held up by stories it is. The moments of Grandmother telling Natalie stories are far and away the most fascinating parts of the book--especially in contrast to the complicated theoretics of time travel and alternate realities we're given. They range in kind, most certainly including Native American folk tales and Biblical stories, and how they're woven into the novel is wonderful and masterful. Had all the jargon been ditched in favor of a more mystical approach, I bet I'd have liked this much more.

Throughout the novel, I found myself shrugging, wondering to myself how much I cared. It's a long book, and I never felt fully engaged until the final pages, when the emotional core finally does come to the front--but the bits that should have been surprising weren't, and the big moment isn't any kind of a shock. To see it happen is still affecting (finally), though.

The Love That Splits the World is a high-reaching book, one I can't say reached the expectations it set in me, but one that makes for a thoughtful read. I would argue it likely reaches too far, trying too hard to be both scientifically credible and based in heritage, instead of being fully immersed in one and giving more meat to the love that (supposedly) split the world.
2963740
The son of an ambassador once told me that I should not find anything where I expected to.  This book definitely found me unexpectedly.  It's not a book as such, and there are maths that evade me, but I'll tell you, this volume is worth its price.  I have seen their page here: http://174.127.106.130/  Given my experiences with the random sites, I am looking forward to volume twol
410006
I'm not often surprised by a book. Like mentioned in this very story,  things tend to follow a formula.  Thankfully,  this one has it's trips outside the box to keep the reader off guard, as well as some alluded- to future surprises. I'm quite pleased I read this one.
4962669
This book took me by surprise.  I don't feel as though the description does the book justice, nor does it explain exactly what you are in for when you open the cover.  To be fair though, I might have passed it by had I known and I would have missed out.  The concise summary is that this book is about Sophie, a spoiled, weathy, entitled, vain girl being forced to see the harsh reality that many people live daily.  The experience leaves permanent scars, but also leaves her beautifully changed.  To me, her relationship with Ian is a secondary storyline, but one that serves to enhance the overall story.  I did have a bit of trouble with how everything was wrapped up in a nice neat bow at the end.  I felt like both Sophie and Ian were at odds with their parents and suddenly everything was resolved in a few short sentences.  I would've liked more detail.  However, this in no way detracts from the book.  It truly is a beautiful story and well worth the money.
2182284
I prefer to jump into books without much idea of what to expect, so that (hopefully) I can be pleasantly surprised! This book was definitely unexpected.

The main character, eighteen year old Ollie, has big dreams of becoming a music star. The book follows her as she attempts to break into the music business and make it to the country music mecca that is Nashville, Tennessee.

I liked the plot; it wasn't particularly unexpected, drawing on shows like American Idol for inspiration, but I always enjoy these kind of journey-stories, and particularly liked the music aspect. The addition of some cute boys helped, too.

What was surprising, however, was the overall tone of the book. Scrofano chose to write a young, naive character who was extremely religious; throughout the book she (and other characters) regularly pray and consider the morality of their actions. Combined with the extremely Southern mannerisms of the characters  there were lots of maams, and mamas  this did at times make the story saccharine sweet. That said, from what I know, this is a pretty realistic representation of the South, so while unfamiliar to me, it didn't feel fake.

Scrofanos aim was to write a book for young adults that was more age-appropriate than many of the other, far more explicit, books in the same genre. Personally, I think this was an admirable aim, and fairly well executed. Its extremely difficult to write a relatively sex-free book aimed at Young Adults, and keep young readers interested. As far as Christian Fiction is concerned, Id consider this one of the better examples. In a more general Young Adult category, I suspect that many readers might be startled by the restraint showed by Scrofano in holding off on throwing her main characters into bed. That said, the Ollies best friend and older sister were less reserved, so perhaps it all balances out.

My main issue with the book was with the relationship between the two main characters. In practically the first page, Ollie introduces herself to Jack (the boy who will take centre stage in her life for the rest of the book), and immediately decides that they  are connected  with scarcely a dozen words exchanged. This felt very unrealistic, and I wasn't sure why Scrofano rushed the connection. Ollie goes on to flip between saying that shes falling for him and that she just thinks of him as a friend, which got a little frustrating, as it was obvious that shed fallen for him in that first conversation, regardless of what she later said That aside, as the book progressed, their interactions became more authentic.

Personally, knowing that Scrofano plans for this to be the first book in a series of at least three, I wasn't too upset that Ollie and Jack didn't race into a physical relationship. Im of the mind that young people these days grow up too quickly, and believe that its normal to be sexually active from a young age. I know, that makes me sound like a Grandma. But I think if you're not mature enough to understand the consequences of something, then you shouldnt be doing it! I liked that this book portrayed a different way of growing up; if there were more books for like this for maturing readers, then maybe theyd feel like there are more options than just sleeping around because its what everyone does.

So, you see, this relatively simple book raised a whole set of issues about society, that really set me thinking. I definitely recommend giving it a try, and seeing what you think.
354334
A wonderful surprise. Not many good movies out right now, but this one is a good surprise.