A very pleasant surprise!
340814
I purchased the champagne color and put in on my iPad mini today. First off you should know that the gold color looks almost EXACTLY like my gold iPhone 5s. It's not gaudy looking and it contrasts really nicely with the white faceplate on my iPad mini. Second, the case feels really solid and the back feels slightly cool to the touch (not like metal but not like plastic either). The gold color also doesn't show so many fingerprints. Some people say that the screen protector on their iPad mini lifted up at the edges. This didn't happen to me and my iPad mini fits perfectly with its screen protectors on its top, bottom, and sides. The key is to take the case apart by removing the colored plate, then first put the silicone (or whatever material it is) piece on first, and then snap on the colored backplate. The case feels really good to hold and it doesn't add much bulk while still providing protection. The other thing I love about this case is that every opening for every port is perfect. Nothing is covered and there's plenty of space to fit a lightning adapter, and I can even fit my large Bose headphones cord into the headphone jack. The dimensions of this case were really thought out well. The buttons are also large and very easy to press. The one thing that would make this case even better would be if it had a built in screen cover, but that's just my opinion and you can't have everything.
Overall I am very satisfied with this case and I highly recommend purchasing it if you want a light, good looking case that provides protection for your iPad mini.
2567823
Given to me by a good friend who knows the author and thought I might enjoy it. I admit that I was a bit skeptical (my nature as a technical writer) but I ended up being most pleasantly surprised! What a great read! It was a wonderfully well done combination of mystique, excitement, history, science fiction, romance combining aspects of ancient history, the recent past, the present and the future. Not too complex nor too simple...but just right for a relaxing and enjoyable day trip into a world of well crafted imagination. And that's not the best part! The presentation of creationism as a more rational theory than the "time plus slime plus chance" theory we call evolution was very refreshing and spiritually uplifting. When I finished reading this, I felt as though I had wisely used my time and at the same time enjoyed something extraordinary that somehow made this world a little better place. If you're one that's constantly changing channels because there is "nothing worth watching" read this book - it'll make your day!
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.
2061837
I loved this book. . .great novel and a surprise!  i bought this book on a whim, which doesn't usually turn out to be a good decision.  But was very pleasantly surprised!  The writing was very good.  The storyline was interesting and unpredictable and attention-holding.  Highly recommend if you are looking for a good read, steady, non-violent read.
191452
As someone who had prejudged this movie, I was more than pleasantly surprised. Having watched the TV clip,I thought it would be a movie that was contrived to make these two actors look good. With what I thought would be expected laughs with little substance. Boy was I wrong!
To my surprise, it was the good Zen, lack of Zen cop, done with great humor,fun, sentiment and as in life, a surprise at its end:)
2325509
I didn't expect it to be this good. But it was. Certainly a pleasent surprise. Very originial, very fun.
1763696
Pleasantly surprised by this book. The characters had several moral decisions to make  that don't fit into a type-cast mold. The opposition had qualities that made me very surprised to be  cheering for all sides. I have  been looking for a good series, and  I found one! Very excited to read the next book and I will be watching for other books from this author!
4638482
I didn't read the description well when I "bought" it (using the word "bought" loosely, because it was free), so I expected words rather than just instrumental music. This was a pleasant surprise, and my daughter - who didn't used to care for classical music - likes it because it sounds familiar. I plan to get the rest of the CD as well.
1483630
I hadn't read any by either of this duet of authors before, so I had no idea what to expect. I'm glad to say I found myself pleasantly surprised. The fantastical elements were just the right amount, and described/explained just enough for me to grasp and stay tuned as to the happenings. The lack of romance was a little disappointing, although there was an array of choices for the MC. I liked the MC a lot. Evalle is feisty, yet vulnerable, and totally relatable, and the plot seemed well thought out to me. My only bugbear is that the story didn't exactly end, leaving the reader no choice but to buy the next book and continue reading if they want to find out what happens next. In spite of that, I'd be happy to recommend this book to my friends. It was a decent read.
4675477
I downloaded this to my Kindle when I read an enthusiastic recommendation for it on an Amazon discussion forum.  I needed a good laugh, but I was skeptical about the quality of an inexpensive download from an unknown (to me) author.  What a wonderful surprise!

This is a laugh-out-loud story with riotously funny characters, situations, and plot developments.  Are they a bit caricaturish?  Yes.  But this is consistent with the whole tone of the book, and it works well, although it gets a bit ridiculous about three-quarters of the way through.

It has a slapstick quality about it, and I could just imagine it on stage, although many of the scenes could probably not be reproduced live.  But there was a play in my head that ran along with the book -- assisted by the cartoons inserted throughout the volume -- and it was immensely enjoyable!

I'm not sure how you could go wrong on this one, especially for the price!
1197940
Having recently been disappointed by several books, I went into THE BACK ROAD without expectation of a good story, good characters, or even good grammar! I was delightfully surprised and for the first time in weeks had a book I didn't want to put down! Though the novel wraps up very neatly at the end, nothing is beyond belief. A fun cottage mystery...and I love the English colloquialisms!
4370840
I read this as a free kindle download and so wasn't expecting a great read, so I was pleasantly surprised by this book when I found that I didn't want to put it down.
341955
What a pleasant surprise. A wasn't expecting this to be as much fun as it was.
711467
I felt immediately attracted to this book, because of the title, the cover, and the description, and I turned out to love it even more than I had expected. I'm not a big fan of thrillers or mysteries, but this is both and neither, and in addition, there are vivid characters and really beautiful yet simple prose that transcends genre literature. The novel has tiny chapters, and I read a few at a time, and it was always such a comfort to return to the lull of the road, and Ben's narration. I didn't want it to end, and will now definitely get my hands on the prequel.
I had one problem, though. Not for the life of me could I understand what happened in the end with the child. I understood who the belt belonged to, and I understood what Ben hints at, but how was this all possible?! I'm stupid like that sometimes, but it seemed a little too neatly folded and not explained enough for idiots like me. I think this may be a thing for the editors to consider as they prepare the book further? I'm a pretty careful reader with two MFAs, I'm pretty sure if this was an issue for me, it may be problematic for others, too.
1344434
To be honest, I jumped outside my usual genre to read this one. However, I enjoyed it very much. It wasn't just a well written imaginative story, it was also professionally done. The editing was clean and the book was well structured. I would have preferred that the chapters were a bit shorter for a book of this length but that is merely personal preference and shouldn't at all discourage anyone from reading the book! I can recommend this book without reservation (And that is rare for me!). I believe this series will do well!
2957535
Wow, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that this was not at all what I was expecting!

I was surprised at just how good this book was as I was not expecting such a complex and in depth story with an equally complex and in depth cast of characters.

The book covers several emotive subjects at the same time...some quite disturbing...yet it never gets lost or bogged down in the way it is able to blend these events into the overall story.
The author does this by skillfully ascribing and blending emotional backstories to each of the key characters, so that the reader becomes invested in the outcome of each individual as well as the overall story...thus making this a fascinating as well as compelling read.

It is a hard book to review without alluding to facts which would be considered spoilers, so rather than risk that, my advice would be to read the blurb and then dive right in as I did.
*Be aware though that the book does involve some quite confronting issues, having said that, I think it covers them in a most realistic light.

If I have one issue with this book it is the cover, I don't believe it does anything to sell this book for what it is, and possibly gives a misleading first impression.

"Confronting, amusing and compelling, this is a story about choices and how they shape who we become."

5s
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.
4255581
What a wonderful surprise!  I was wowed by the exciting action and funny characters!  Thanks so much for giving this book away- it was great story.