not your children's playground
349101
Oh my I have never had so much fun reading a book. Michael takes us on a journey that will scare you and make you giggle all at the same time . I started reading this book at night and it had me jump a few times and giggle a lot more . My imagination was running amuck while reading. Just imagine if Disneyland was housing , zombies . vampires and werewolves. The creator a evil maniacal man, who wants to rule the world . That is MONSTERLAND .

  This book had me glued to its pages from the first chapter . The author takes us on a journey, into a place that scares us but also tantalizes us. He has taken and mixed the vampire , zombie and werewolf lore and placed them all in one story. He shows us another side of them. They are misunderstood and are treated unfairly.  You see them as not just the monsters, you see them as the people they were.

  You also see the friends and family dynamic in action.  There is also a deeper part of the book that shows how evil politics can be and how corrupt that it can be.  It makes you think so who truly needs to be put behind the bars the people or the werewolves, vampires and zombies .

  The characters in this book range from the sweet and innocent Jade to the epitome of evil Dr Conrad . The main character is Wyatt Baldwin and his family. Wyatt is a no nonsense kid who is having trouble with his younger brother and is love with the quarterback's girlfriend. You see him change and grow as you read , he grows up fast and becomes the hero that everyone knows he is.

The cast of characters are so complex and involved and when all thrown together in a pot are great. You see the kids become heroes and protectors and trust me you will cheer especially Melvin. He finally found out where he belonged , not going to spoil it and tell you but I was so shocked and then happy for him. You will figure it out as you read.

  This book is full of scary but it doesn't really push the gore factor. Which I enjoyed so much, I dislike books that have to rely on the gore factor to get their point across. Michael doesn't do that, he has a way of writing that fills you with suspense and scares you with out it. The book is fast paced and has some great plot twists , that will keep you reading well into the night . So if you want a great book to read on HALLOWEEN night check it out . This is a book that will scare and delight you at the same time
4700670
Wow! A fantasy that is neither a romance nor a coming-of-age story. The protagonist is a grown woman like me, happily married, not falling in love with anyone in the alternate universe into which she has been thrust. When I saw the title, I assumed the restorer would be a messianic figure, but no, she is more like an Old Testament judge, sent to rescue the people from their oppressors and call them back to the Verses, much like our scriptures. I love the way Susan must rely on verses she memorized as a child (motivation for me to pay more attention to Scripture memory), and her faith is deepened by being thrust into a situation where God appears to have abandoned her. Rhusicans whisper lies that poison peoples thinking, but they cannot be entirely blamed because those lies build on doubts and evil the seeds of which are already in the person being poisoned.

Unbelievers will probably not enjoy this book; they simply won't understand it; but I found it far more theologically astute than the average Christian fiction, and its a heck of a good story very well told.
163416
This book is not a lighthearted romance but deals with some very adult issues . Well-written,  interesting plot but if you're looking for lighthearted reading this is not the romance novel for you.
2733196
This book is much more than an erotic novel (although there are some detailed sex scenes in it). It tells the story about a married couple with a very strong and untraditional sex life. Unfortunately,  they are members of a strict religious group that maintains a strong control over its members.  It's hard to believe that there are people who allow themselves to be controlled with religious groups such as the Jehovas Witnesses(the religion this couple are members of) but sadly that is the case and the control that these religious groups have over there followers is all too real. Personally, I've known of people who have been subjected to this manipulation and have seen the damage it has done to them. Again, there are several detailed sex scenes in this book but the story sends a very strong message about not allowing yourself to be controlled by anyone especially in the name of religion.
4750750
This book, like its characters, has an identity crisis. It's trying to be a children's book, but I think it's really for grown ups. Mr. Gantos has done a superb job of exposing the workings of the mind of a troubled and confused youngster and the impact of the actions of the sometimes feckless, sometimes neglectful, sometimes abusive adults in his life. This dead-on true-to-life story careens non-stop through the misadventures of this hyperactive kid who gets only bad examples and confusing demands from the people who should be guiding him towards discovery of his best self.  As a pediatrician and as a teacher, I have known children like Joey-aka-Freddy, lost in families like this. So I really appreciate how Mr. Gantos has laid bare the real difficulties of special-needs kids who get just what they don't need from their parents. But who is this book for? It is decked out in a cover which bespeaks zany humor and suggests that it is appropriate for ages 10 and up. I don't think so. Child abuse and neglect just aren't funny. Like Mark Haddon's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Curious-Incident-of-the-Dog-in-the-Night-Time/dp/1400032717/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</a>&nbsp;this story will be of great interest to educators and people preparing for careers in which they will work with troubled children and dysfunctional families. I can envision it being extremely useful in a support group for parents of hyperactive kids or in a parenting class for fathers who want to do better by their kids. But it's not for preteens. Kids who are just beginning to be able to think about thinking need more reality-processing in their literature. Kids who, like Joey, get no good models from adults at home are probably better served by stories that model a constructive inner dialog and appropriately supportive family relationships. This story is a masterpiece, but it's too raw for preteens.
210287
A great book. It's not just for kids. I loved her choice of words.
3955330
That's not just for non-readers! Adults reading with children will delight in this book and extend beyond the elaborate paintings to lifelong concepts.
1433782
Without reiterating what others more verbally adept than I have said before, Kate Atkinson has created something beyond an historical novel. She created an *experience*. I read many novels and visualize them as if they are movies, but Life After Life went beyond the cinematic to a more visceral plane. I found myself emotional, intellectually stimulated, and thoroughly entertained. Reading through some of the reviews here, I'm not entirely astounded to find negativity, as it seems every bestseller is subject to naysayers that may or may not have actually read the books in question, but I believe that many will buy this book based strictly on its bestsellerdom, and find it not to their liking because it's simply not their genre. This is not your typical historical fiction.  Bravo to Kate, and I cannot wait to read every other book she has written and writes!
2196876
The 13th Warrior is not your typical Hollywood fantasy film.  It is much, much more.

This story is an everyman journey - about a man shaped by his experiences in a foreign land. He's not the hero - he doesn't kill the bad guy. He doesn't get to have soaring romance, any more than one night. But his experiences have this authentic feel to them, unlike normal Hollywood action/fantasy movies. Just because a person crosses his path, like the washing girl, doesn't mean they stick with him through the whole show and are there to congratulate him in the end. Indeed, he has no idea how the many subplots going on around him get resolved in the end, and so neither do we. We just see the parts which he experienced, and take away from them what we will, about the strange land and its inhabitants. Many movie-goers (and critics) have come to expect all the subplots to be wrapped up and resolved in the end; but that's not realistic, and that's not what this movie delivers.

To enjoy The 13th Warrior requires more observation and more thought than most other movies of the genre, which is why I love it - and explains why others don't.
4942335
I went into this book expecting to be on the edge of my seat, and what I got was so much more. Though the book itself is a collection of short stories, this is neither an easy or casual read by any means. Auerbach weaves two stories very intricately and very subtly - the story of the narrator (whose perspective you follow) and the story of the penpal (the story happening in the background that you piece together). This book left a lasting impact after I read it, and it did take me a while to really put all the pieces together at the end.

A great read overeall, though I'd recommend reading in one or two sittings to really soak it all in. Not a vacation book (unless you take some weird vacations).
3498327
This is not for everyone.  I personally long for the days when the World was safer, more carefree and less threatening, and kids were allowed to retain their innocence as they grew up, experiencing life as it came at them.  I am all for encouraging independence and building confidence in my children through experience, and stretching their boundaries.  However in today's reality, many 'free range' type activities are not without real risk, and this must be taken into consideration.

I tried, but could not chew my way through the entire book.  The writing style is not a comfortable one for me, and the content is more opinion than based in expertise or study.  I respect the author for having her opinion and for putting it out there to challenge others' thinking and philosophy.  Parenting is very much a 'free range' activity within the legal and moral bounds of society.  So yes, you should allow activities and challenge boundaries with your children as long as you, their parent are comfortable.  This book comes into play in challenging your beliefs about what those comfort limits are, but again, it ultimately comes back to a personal decision for parents.
2454441
This story is NOT for those with a weak stomach nor is it for the judgemental personality.  Most of all, not for those who are looking for a quick and easy  easy read full of comedy.  It will truly have an emotional impact on you and leave a lasting impression. Kaitlins NIghtmare is a wakeup call to the world in which we live and how our actions or inactions can have incredible consequences on others.
2578548
So many people have attacked Rowling for "The Casual Vacancy," but I don't believe they're entirely grounded in their accusations. People were expecting something with the genius and creativity of Harry Potter, and, no, this book doesn't have that. It is very dark and not as humorous as it was advertised to be. It is certainly not for children. However, it was never supposed to be Harry Potter, and if that's what people want, then they'll just have to stick with those seven volumes until Rowling decides to write more from the magical world.

"The Casual Vacancy," to me, is realistic. The social problems that Rowling brings to light through the plot are worldwide issues that need to be discussed. I am an American and I hear on the news every day incidents similar to those that drive the plot of this book, so it isn't just the English who have societal ills. While it isn't great literature, it's not the one-star book that so many disappointed Potter nuts are making it out to be.
4541212
It's not about who you know, or who is in your heart.
2634575
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read "An Unlikely Place". It's a romanance at its heart, granted not in the traditional sense. The setting is in the future where Earth has become an inhospital place with most of the population wiped out from an illness.

The lead character has lost her husband and daughter to the illness. She, with other humans, are saved by an alien race and placed on other worlds to live. When she finds herself attracted to an alien, who looks very much human, other humans aren't too thrilled about it.

The story takes place from the lead character's point of view, and in a sense, reminded me a lot of Twilight in the regard that a human is falling in love with someone who isn't quite human, and much of the narative is about her feelings.

The book was well written, and the author certainly knows how to draw out the emotions of the reader.

I would give two bits of warning: First of all, this is *not* a book for kids. It has very adult themes. Secondly, don't judge a book by its cover. It took me a while to understand the cover, and even then, I think it is too dark and hard to make out what it is.
2182575
This is not an academic book. This is not a book that explains behavior. This is a modern view of the behaviors and consumption patterns of individuals of varying sexualities. It also attempts to postulate how the consumption correlates with modern dating/mating behaviors. Its an incredibly interesting read and is incredibly engaging.
4863139
Not for the fainthearted, though a book every parent, and non-parent come to that, perhaps ought to read, and the author is right, the book does fully convey the horror of a situation where a childs innocent mind and life is wrecked by perverted adult indoctrination and the shocking consequences from all that. This is a sensitively written story on an appalling subject, laced with a strange humor (strange English humor, some of it a bit too English for me which I did not get.) Besides that, I think the author has managed to do a great job on this extraordinarily difficult and disturbing subject, and given us an honest, complex, and beautifully written book, a look into a world none or most of us would not wish to be a part of. Even before I started reading it, looking at the painting by the author on the front cover caused me to feel uncomfortable, as did the badass somber photograph of him on the back cover, I am glad I read the book though, which will stay with me for a long time, if not for ever.