Surprisingly exceptional
934551
As I started to read the book I was ready for another foreseeable story, but as it unfold, I fell in love with Charlie and Simon. I loved her transformation from the rich girl to bad ass chick with a touch of a lady. And Simon, it's not possible not to fell for him, a  virtuous southern  gentelman with a touch of bad boy. Yes, I agree with people that the story was predictable, however it was written in a way that was delightful and engaging.
959168
It is quite a surprise and worthy of a read by mist amwricans
1643692
I was rather shocked at how good this is. I couldn't wrap my head about the blurbs. The idea of a book about an intersexual person sounded like it would be a political or medical diatribe, or possibly a whiny "poor me" tale falsely disguised as fiction. I realized Jeffrey Eugenides was not writing his personal story, but I did have the idea that this was still somehow a disguised bit of biography -- perhaps it is. If I was a real book reviewer, I'd have to look that up, but I'm not. No matter its origins, it doesn't read like any of these usually disguised things, and it's really very good.

Funny as could be, almost every line is quotable. This is more of an historical novel than just one person's story. It's a family story that is more vital to the man telling it than most. Cal ne Calliope Stephanides is proof of a family secret in his very being. It will take a trip across the ocean at the end of the Greco-Turkish War and the accidents of love in the close-knit Detroit community for the secret to reveal itself. Even then Calliope is a child and hasn't been educated to the multitudinous ways genetics and gender (nevermind sexuality) can play out. So this is a very original coming-of-age story, a medical history, the story of forbidden love and much more in just over 500 pages of stunning prose.

Marvelously detailed, interesting and well-researched, with decent and realistic portrayals of all genders, from the roaring twenties through the twenty-first century, love and marriage, Detroit, and America/Americans broadly, Eugenides is a smart writer with a warm, welcoming voice. The word most likely to describe it would be "charming." While occasionally I got sniffy about some of the ease with which Cal seemed to make his decisions, it would have turned into a fake memoir if we went through every painstaking detail. He seemed a bit naive at times, then Eugenides would have him say something about his upbringing or family to remind me that he, in fact, was naive. Kids were much more naive in pre-internet days, or if not naive, often just plain confused or wrong. Cal is clearly not the type who would pour out his feelings anyway. When I know a character well enough to know why she does or doesn't do things, it's usually a good sign the writer has gotten his story and his characters under my skin.

I can see why Oprah picked Middlesex for her book club years ago. The voices are all supremely individual and Cal is a charming narrator, but Cal - while being the main character - is almost incidental to the overall story in some ways. I wish I'd read this with a group, because the discussion could go on forever. This is one of those books I knew I "should" read, and I didn't really have much interest. It didn't sound appealing, but I passed it on a shelf at the library last week and obviously picked it up. A different copy will find itself in my home soon, because I will certainly want to read it again and urge others to do the same. So, hey you - if you've not read it, take the leap. It's so much better than it sounds.
405372
I was not honestly not expecting much from this novel, but it surprised me with well developed characters and an intriguing plot. I will certainly read other books by this author.
1894324
I came across this book and thought I'd try it, not really knowing what to expect. What a surprise - truly intelligent fantasy, complete with a thousand believable details and spectacular imagery. I'm now reading it for the second time in case I missed anything. I think it will turn out to be a classic.
3397849
This is not my normal reading material, so I did not expect to like it.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The characters were quite likeable and the book kept me interested all the way to the end.  It had a little bit of everything:  suspense, hope, drama, laughter, mystery and a touch of romance.
2151373
I didn't know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised and can't wait for volume two.
4234225
If someone described this book to me, I wouldn't have been interested at all, so I'll refrain from turning you off to it.  There is some predictability but surprising depth to be found here. Everyone's story has value. No exception here. I enjoyed this much more than expected.
1265657
So great, you'll be astonished at how much better this is than all of the rest.
1061799
When I was given The Dragon's Tooth, I was more than a little skeptical of it. It looked much more juvenile than I usually like, what with its explorer like society, the magic that it describes, and the age of the characters. That coupled with the cover made me think this was not going to be something that was going to be for me.

I was thoroughly surprised.

Wilson does a superb job creating intelligent interesting characters (especially the protagonist Cyrus), that I really felt acted in a much more realistic (and enjoyable) manner. Of course it wasn't just that Cy acts more grown up than you would expect for a middle grade reader, it's that Wilson obviously treated the reader's intelligence with respect when creating this character, in that he isn't dumbed down, which I find quite a lot of middle grade books do to their characters. Of course not all the characters are quite as interesting as Cyrus, I was a little disappointed with Maxi (a black and white villain), and some of the other supporting characters, but overall I was still impressed with the lineup.

As for the plot itself, that too surprised me. There was much more action than I was expecting, and while some of it seemed to jump about a bit, overall I was very impressed. Wilson also throws in some interesting twists with the Smiths background that I hadn't fully expected, but found quite enjoyable. Not only that but Wilson makes the smart move and doesn't expect the readers to believe the Smiths just learned everything in a short period of time. Yes, it is still fast, but I felt the way Wilson handled it was very apt.

All in all don't let this cover fool you. This is a great middle grade book that will entertain and captivate readers as they get to know the world of the Order and the Smiths. The protagonists are well written, the action fast paced, and the story interesting. Plus Wilson leaves some intriguing mysteries for the readers to wait on until the next installment of this interesting series, that I will certainly read.
[...]
266929
So yeah this book was actually a really great surprise. Sure there were instances of "blue" let's say but it never felt trashy as it can. The writing was very well-paced, and the dialogue/character interactions in general felt very natural for like 98% of the time despite these college students utilizing a somewhat expanded vocab for their demo to say the least. But it made this YA lesbian sort of (not sort of) romantic book actually feel fresh for a change and that's not something one can say for the typical works available. Basically what I'm saying is that I expected somewhat of a shame festival once I finished but no such party. Quite the contrary. NO IQ points lost, funny times had, sweet times had. No regrets.
502266
"Nickel Plated" by Aric Davis was not at all what I expected but it is an extraordinary story that startled me with its candor, remarkably original storyline, quirkiness, and exceptional writing style. In spite of the fact that this is the debut mystery/thriller from the pen of Aric Davis I found it to be mesmerizing and immersive. This is truly a remarkable story relating to the predatory kidnapping of a preteen girl and the ensuing successful investigation carried out by a young preteen boy named Nickel, the books namesake. <br/><br/>The characters in the story are richly developed, particularly the young savant protagonist whose own life in foster care was in a predatory and abusive environment. Although I have met several intellectually gifted preteen youngsters over the years I found them to be lacking in common sense, and good judgment, so you may find Nickel's maturity, remarkable discipline, and organizational skills, a bit of a reach. Taking all that into account this is an amazing expose of a serious social issue facing people all over the world so I found it to be relevant in spite of the unsettling storyline. The troubling subject is handled brilliantly and with aplomb by the author. I don't recommend this YA adult coming-of-age story for teen who is not an advanced reader, who is not mature beyond their years, and who is not at least 15 years old! 4.5 stars!!!!
792543
To say this was a surprise read from her other series, would be an understatement.  I have to admit, at first I couldn't wrap my head around it as I first felt shock for the, shall I say audacity, of an author to write some of these things that fly in the face of the religious minded.  But if you let the chains on your mind go, you begin to sense the limitlessness of one's abilities to grasp the different angles your mind can create from a linear line.  In other words, black and white can be any sound or color you want, and this story gives you a taste of just that.  I would even say it elicited a decadent feel at first.  That is until I got free of the chains and started to understand and feel the story with an unadulterated one path mind.
What is great about this story is that there was a morality to it, and characters that still had depth you could feel.  Some, of course, took a while to feel anything for due to the nature of the character in your mind before you even began to get into the story, but that's what makes it intriguing; intimidating even as you wonder as an author if you could have created such a piece.
Many authors like to keep their characters in a positive light by giving them few if any flaws thus hoping to draw the reader into their veneration.  But being in a real world, sometimes the flaws, making them feel on the same level as the reader, give the character just the endearment needed to make them your hero, your best friend.  What H.E. Ellis makes you feel for these characters, I believe, will actually surprise you.  It sure astonished me.  It's a talent that some authors just innately have.  I believe Ellis is one of them.
This story revolved around the four horsemen, God, Jesus and Lucifer.  To say it is unlike anything I have read on these subjects would be a most articulate summation.  But, the interesting, intriguing, and yet moral story that ensued was a journey of pure artistic enthrall that ripped the seam of complacency and tiresome wide open.  It brought the reader to a sense of "win" with the near ending scenes and yet left you wondering what was next.
This book is not for the faint of heart.  It has strong language, vivid scenes of a dark nature, an abnormal view of religious characters and explicit sexual indications.  If you can get past those things and not letting any stalwart view of religion you may have feel disrupted, then you may enjoy the story for what it is... a skewed take on what really happened with the characters noted above.
3494686
I am just pasting the same review I did of the other book in the series. I don't usually gush like this, but I was truly impressed.

I was looking for something cheap to read on my Kindle. This looked interesting. It turned out to be a superb book. It's a wonderful blend of Science Fiction and Fantasy. I was amazingly impressed by both of the books in this series. The world building is on a par with Zelazny. The story is inventive with nice turns and twists. The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional. The very language of the story sings.

I don't know anything about Leighton Dickson, but he or she is an exceptional author. I've enjoyed a large number of independent authors, but I'm really surprised this writer hasn't been snapped up by a publishing house.
2074790
Having never heard of this book, I was hesitant to purchase it. However, the 200-some positive reviews made me take a leap of faith. I'm so glad I did! The tale is fraught with intrigue, history, romance and despair. It's all-encompassing of the human experience coupled by incredible character development.
2336444
Well, this is a surprise! I had pretty much concluded that I would not write any more reviews of Kindle books, because frankly, most of them I've read are pretty bad. And unlike a defective or poorly made product, the value of intellectual property is in the eye of the beholder. I'll admit, as an occasional author and sometime editor I am probably more sensitive than average to misuse of the English language; grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., and sometimes I just can't get beyond those issues to appreciate the story. It seems editing is nil on books written for Kindle.

But this story blew me away! By the time I had read 28% of it my curiosity about the reviews for this book overcame me and I went back to Amazon, expecting to find they were all five stars. I'm surprised they are not. A particular objection seems to be that there are some fairly explicit sexual encounters, but it seems to me that is typical of an erotic romance these days, which this certainly is. Perhaps that could have been clearer in the "purchase page" description. But being a freebie, I doubt most people bother to read much of that anyway, or the reviews.

This should NOT be a "free" book, or even a 99 center. And I purchased the sequel immediately, even though I'm not sure I'll be quite so happy with it based on the description. Frankly I felt I owed it to the author.

It's not the greatest plot; I suspect most readers will guess the twist to the ending long before it happens, but it is excellently written and just the rich descriptions of the setting and the people were enough to keep me involved in the story. Can anyone who reads this say they did not have a yearning for an extended trip to Newfoundland? Of all places. (It's even better if you're a bird watcher). It is also, after all is said and done, heartwarming! (I'm a fan of happy endings).

This author has a facility with language and description that makes me jealous, just a "way with words", if you will. The ablity to describe the Newfoundland countryside is breathtaking, and the easy and I assume, accurate use of the local dialect, idioms, etc. makes me believe that the author has been a long time resident of the area and involved in the daily lives of the local people.

In fact, I strongly suspect that this writer is not "new" as a "first" book would suggest, but rather, a seasoned author, perhaps writing under a nom de plume to venture into a new genre or style. Or perhaps to fulfull a yearning to reveal the details of the land and the lives of the people on the Newfoundland coast in an endearing way, based on a lifetime of memories. I suspect there may even be some autobiographical details hidden here somewhere. A very rewarding read, and for me, hard to get out of my head even when finished.
1035660
This album caught me by surprise. Well, I did order it, so I knew it was coming, but I didn't expect it to be so truly exceptional. He comes flying out the box with my favourite track on the album, "Do" - just an amazing track. It makes something bubble up inside, some strange energy that creates a fantastic feeling. The whole album has that - it's kind of like a nice angst. He really charges on though, pumping out a slew of wonderful music on this album.

This album really blew my mind, and I'm guessing it did the same for Moka, because the Ronc Con since this album has been absolutely off the wall.

Get it, you won't regret it.