Check this one out  --  you will be surprised!
924062
I don't typically write reviews, but I do like to read what others have to say.  When I was deciding whether to get this book (I had never heard of this author before), I came to Amazon for the reviews and was disappointed to see that the first (and only, at that time) reviewer gave it such a negative review.  Since I am not one to be detoured by a few cuss words, I went ahead and got it, and I am GLAD that I did.  It was a wonderful (quick) read, with a cast of complex characters who were easy to get to know and the story pulled you in and kept you guessing.  I liked this book so much that I am going to read her two other books.
1713453
WHAT a wonderful surprise to find such a fabulous movie!  I loved it.  No way to describe, trust me -- WATCH.  You won't be sorry.
1033233
Liked this quite a bit!  Checked it out on a whim and really enjoyed it!  Nice twists and turns.  Figured some out, but still left with a surprise or two!
2907632
This book caught me by surprise because I had never heard of it before and it showed up on my Amazon recommended books. I read the sample and immediately bought the book. I could have read it in a couple of sittings but I wanted to savor it.
It's not an easy book to summarize but I'll try. Clay Jannon has been working as a programmer for a Bagel Company that goes under. He has a hard time getting a job and comes across a bookstore looking for a clerk for the night shift. Clay is intrigued by this huge bookstore, it's eccentric owner, and the customers who come in late. but not to buy books, they take books out from the Wayback Books as Clay calls them, books he has never heard of that cover several stories of shelves, and they exchange them after they are finished. Clay eventually takes a look at these books even though he isn't supposed to and discovers they are all in code. To tell more is to give spoilers that you might not want though are easily available in other reviews. I read this without knowing anything and I want others to have that option.
The author uses the love of old books and history and the powerful technology of Google and computers to create a story that is exciting, meaningful, and incredibly enjoyable.
It is just one of those books that you want to tell people "Read it, you'll love it". So yes, just read it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
96550
Usually, when I begin a book it takes at least a chapter for me to feel invested. "Not What She Seems" got me within the first few pages. This was a pleasant surprise and I loved that it wasn't predictable. I also liked they way the characters are given a chance to show their behaviors prior to all the chaos. This way the author isn't playing back-story catch-up to give the reader context. If you are on the fence about this book and you enjoy mysteries.....give it a chance. You might be surprised yourself.
4811112
I was not too excited about reading so many varied genres as I usually stick to those I know well and can be assured of enjoyable reading.  What a surprise!  I expected to read those that fit my reading mold and skip over the ones that didn't.  Imagine my surprise.  I read all of them and all were  very well written and kept me involved the entire time.  I agree that this is a very good 'beach read', however, I couldn't wait until I got to the beach so I read it anyway.  It is more than just a beach read and can be enjoyed anywhere, so do as I did; go ahead and read.  You'll be glad you did!
1632462
Amazing mystery! I bought this book over a year ago, and I just somehow missed reading it! And recently,  I saw the title in a list of must-read-mysteries, and I'm glad that I found this marvelous thriller among my overlooked books.  This one was truly a unique and tantalizing treat!

I think that the title misleads the reader a bit--like a bit of a red herring. And I am all for that.  In fact, this book really fools and surprises the reader quite often, but you won't anticipate any of those twists and turns.  This is just a very cleverly done story!

I don't want to go into the plot - there are so many reviews giving plot summaries, and I don't need to add another. And I certainly don't want to risk giving out any "spoilers" by accident.  Instead, I will say that the writing was excellent, the pacing was perfect, and the plot was surprising and (as I said before) filled with amazing twists-and-turns.  So please don't set this one aside by thinking it is "obvious" or "similar to other disappearing baby stories."  You will soon find out how different and unique this one really is!  Bravo to the author!

Yes - I am glad I pulled this one down from the cloud, and I am GLAD I didn't miss it!  FIVE STARS PLus for "The Couple Next Door."
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.
1518284
I really didn't know what to expect when I purchased this CD, but needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.  This is a REALLY good CD. Ms. Benson is right up there with jill scott, angie stone, bridgette mcwilliams and others.  if you like neosoul, sade, vivian green, goapele and others, you'll definitely like this CD. I played it for several friends and EVERYONE asked "who is that?"  "it's nice!"  This is a very listenable CD, great to play when entertaining folks, or when you just want to sit back relax and enjoy a mojito or two! (smile) Definitely a "go and buy" recommendation.
3787100
An irresponsible, lazy babysitter tries to calm her young ward down by reading a story with her. But the first words of the chosen storybook are "don't look inside," and when the babysitter naturally does, all hell breaks loose! A pair of sharp cops is assigned to solve the mystery of the book and to keep it from hurting anyone else, but as the bodies begin to pile up it becomes apparent that one of the cops has a secret as well...

This may be one of the better purchases I've made recently. The writing and editing are great (no errors I could find), the characterization is neither too shallow nor so involved as to slow down the pace of the story, the supernatural horror and descriptions of the death it causes are done well, and there's a big twist at the end that really surprised me--and I don't want to spoil for any other readers! Suffice it to say that you'll be kept on the edge of your seat for that part. The ending, too, is, well, explosive (in more ways than one, hehe). This is an excellent  purchase for 3 dollars, on Kindle at least!
353705
I didn't even know this book was out yet!-Such a nice surprise to happen upon a new book by an outstanding writer. Peter Heller is one of our best novelists writing today.

I love the way he paints a landscape for the reader in such vivid detail, that, a person can imagine exactly what it looks like. Celine and Peter's Loft, beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, which has views of the Atlantic and ships crossing. Delightful! Or Montana in all her changing colors and temperatures. The hard scrabble ranges juxtaposed with fairytale mountain settings. Such a rare treat! And then there is the lovely surprise of Maine, and these three Cheney sisters growing up on Fishers Island, sailing about and tragically missing their dad. That's probably my favorite part. Maine sounds idyllic, salty and full of sandy beaches and tall seagrass.
Celine is such a character! She almost reminds me of what Audrey Hepburn might have been like in real life. Or Kathryn Hepburn probably more so.
I didn't even know about those magnet tracker things people put on cars. Yikes!-she is such a pro, following the man following her, Mr. Tanner.
And the way Pa and her converse in their own special way, speaking volumes in a few short yups. Classic.

As the mystery unravels it does get strange. I can't wait to find out what really happened to Lamont. Something makes me wonder, and wonder hard, is this Gabrielle telling Celine the real story, or is Gabrielle on a different mission altogether? Stands noting, I think.

I adore this writer. He is a puller of heart strings. Reading this one nice and slow.
3719249
As many others likely have, I started reading this book expecting it to be about men fighting, kind of backyard UFC style. I requested a free sample; Amazon obliged, I believe knowing I would get hooked. After ready the sample, I thought, "What the...?", but I was in intrigued enough to buy the book because I HAD to figure out what this was about. With each chapter I read, I was left thinking how weird the book was - its story, its style... But I was hooked for sure, so I kept coming back for more. It was surprising and unexpected in the end, but definitely an excellent read. Now I must see the movie - Amazon Prime Instant Video,!queue it up!
1189920
Great surprise inside this one. Even though it's a longer short story, it's packed with a good plot, great characters and lots of "unexpected" twists. Charlie is a loving father and Gio is a patient man when he finds something he wants.  You can't help but enjoy this one!
4116665
I was blown away by this film - a real surprise and a fascinating oddity from south of the border. The film has a real primal feel and it's obvious how the makers were attempting to prick the sensibilities of the Catholic church. Sure its low budget, sure the effects aren't up to the standards of Revenge of the Sith - but that's exactly why we should applaud releases like this - if you can't see beyond this then go elesewhere. If you want a truly different experience from mainstream hollywood then this is for you.

Considering the rarity of the material the transfer is stunning and the extras are a fascinating look at a bygone age.
1920751
An ex-priest, ex-public defender is hired to defend his best friend in a double homocide of 2 high ranking employees of a high powered law firm on the verge of bankruptcy. That he is recently fired and the district  attorney he opposes was also a one-time employee of the firm makes them  familiar with the idiosyncratic personalities of the main characters of the  firm and provides them with a special incentive. Without giving away too  much of the story let me just say that there are surprises that cause an  "Oh my God ! " either aloud or to yourself. The surprises are  special circumstances that justify what happens. Confused? Intrigued?  Curious? I hope so. This story is very well done and holds interest  throughout. The trial follows a logical sequence that builds to a crescendo  in which I was actually physically and emotionally effected by the reading  of the verdict and the subsequent events and information. This book was a  pleasant surprise and a pleasure to read. I eagerly anticipate Mr. Siegel's  next novel.
842511
An Exceptional Discovery for me is this knockout album by the Decemberists, discovered by accident here on Amazon!

My long background in graphics and photography, etc., has honed my eye to pick up on many things instantly, in this instance the excellent cover photograph and artwork on this album. So, having caught my eye, I went to the page for information on who they are, and what their background was, and discovered there were links to soundbites, and of course, was immediately taken in by these guys, returning many times in the past week to "sample again"!

Yesterday I finally went to my local music shop and bought it and have been listening to it over the course of the day and evening, and am tickled (at the ripe older age of 63) to have found a new group!!! My usual genre for music these days is classical, jazz, or oldies (anything before 1990 all the way back to infinitum for the recording industry), and so this should give you an idea just how good this album, and this group are!

Better still, I find no weak entrys here, or ones seemingly out of place in this group of songs that I would define as rural-country-folky-with a serious tip of the hat to U2, R. E. M., etc., and some new age elements thrown in. The songs are moving and substantial, these musicians and singers are first-rate and deserve your attention for the 40 minutes that they are devoting to your brain through your ears. Time well spent, for sure.

Apparently from what I read on the album notes, and have found elsewhere about the Decemberists, this is a new direction for them, a departure from their previous efforts, which I will surely, soon, be investigating...if they're THIS good here, they surely cannot be unworthy of further listening!

In short, these guys are NOTEWORTHY and I highly recommend them to you. Give them a listen through the clips here, but be warned, you're gonna want "more" like I did!

Enjoy!
~operabruin
301455
better than anticipated.....some clever things happen