I want to like this, but I don't
598466
First, I am only halfway through this...but I may not finish.  The premise of the story is
great, but the writing is at times poor to the point of distraction.  I'm especially
put off by the incessant use of exclamation points. (!!!!)

I felt like the first chapter was very well written, but then sections were perhaps
written by the author's teenage daughter.  I won't spoil the plot, but there are at times
multiple page descriptions of the wilderness surroundings, and then suddenly
a major bomb is dropped in a single paragraph, then suddenly we're back to the woods again like nothing happened.

Anyway, had I paid $3 for this I'd call it a worthwhile purchase...but $10 to me is overpriced.

Edit: I did finish this, and downgraded to one star.  I wish the whole book had been
Much more like the first chapter or two.
2226135
It feels unfair to me to give this a star. I couldn't get passed chapter 5 and I struggled that far. I hate giving bad reviews or saying many negative things but lately I've found myself doing both. I had high hopes for this. To high apparently because as I read I felt like this was a school project to attempt to write their own book. I didn't t like the author's flow or "voice". I feel bad that I didn't enjoy it. I really didn't like either character and kept telling myself that it would get better than the stilted beginning but it didn't. I ended up deciding to reread something else rather than try to finish this. I hate not finishing a book and it rarely happens even if I just skim and read to the end to see how things turn out. However with this story, I didn't even care what the end entailed and promptly forgot the plot, the character's names and couldn't begin to tell what this was originally about. Sorry to the author or fans of this series, maybe it is just me and I should have given this a chance but I really disliked the writing style. I really tried to give this a chance since this would have provided a long series to immerse myself in but instead I got frustrated put my kindle away and desperately wished I had my money back.
704542
This book had so much potential. I wanted to like it. I really did. Unfortunately, I just didn't like it at all. The idea is great, but the writing and flow need a lot of work.

I would have liked a lot more information on the world before everyone disappeared. The description mentions the soaring population and the outlawing of birth control. I would have liked to know why and how this happened; it sounded so interesting.

I've read several reviews that said the beginning of the book was slow. Yes, in a way it was, but the beginning was really the only part I liked. Once Darrel and Felix met up with Maggy, things went way downhill for me. I struggled to finish, and if I didn't have the nice personality quirk of having to finish books I start, I probably would not have finished this book after Maggy came into the picture. I didn't like her a bit. The nicknames were cruel, and in Felix's case, racist. She seemed very annoying in general. I also, honestly, just despised the "alion" thing and how she pushed it on everyone they met. I'm sorry, but I find it hard to believe a 17 year old would correct a military official on something so superficial, and even more unbelievable that these adults would just accept this and not wave her away like the pest she is. I mentally corrected it to alien.

Darrel is really not much better. The...sound...he makes all the time is just annoying. Every time the group stops for a few minutes, it seems he's eating or thinking about eating or wanting to eat...it gets old, fast. And really, I don't need to know every time he wets himself. Ick. I get that they're scared, but some things are better left unsaid. Also, the "bromigo" thing was just irritating as all get out. Apparently, when I got the book, it had been edited to remove 75% of the bromigo/bramiga's. I am so thankful for this. The 25% that were left were still WAY too many, though. I found myself rolling my eyes eventually.

The main characters are supposed to be 16/17. If this had not been stated outright, I would have put their ages at about 13. They act younger and more immature than their ages. This really took away from the story for me.

Honestly, there were very few characters I liked in this book, and one of those few ended up dead. Though, since the book is VERY "video game"-y, I can say I seriously would not have been surprised one bit if he had re-spawned. Seriously. "Xxxxxx screamed as the massive paws and powerful jaws of the feline extraterrestrial ripped into his body. Our faces went slack with shock as we simultaneously wet our pants. I reached for my inhaler, sucking on it like a crackhead trying to get as much of the last hit as possible. We sighed in relief a few minutes later, when he re-spawned several yards away." *not an actual quote, though had it been, I wouldn't have been even mildly surprised* I'm not even joking: it wouldn't have shocked me one bit.

The book really does read like a sub-par first-person shooter. Maybe this would make a decent video game; I don't know. What I do know is, in my opinion, it does not make a very good book. The ending seemed completely unrealistic and rushed. It seemed like it needed a little more thought, a little more time.

I won't harp on the spelling/grammar issues. Others have done this already and probably did a better job than I would. It did get a little distracting, though. The book needs more editing, to catch those mistakes.

Again, I really wanted to like this book. The summary made it sound so interesting. However, the writing style was just not something I enjoy, and the plot went in an entirely different direction than I'd expected, and unfortunately, I did not like that direction.

Oh, important information: I am WAY out of the target demographic for this book. I read it because I just flat-out love YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. Perhaps if I were still in junior high I would enjoy it. Younger readers may enjoy it; I, however, did not.

This review originally appeared on GoodReads.
2702507
not what I expected or hoped for, not my taste.
3597811
I wanted to like this, and it does work. Mostly. But the tolerances on the size just aren't what they need to be.  Plugged into my iPhone 5, it will charge, but the *slightest* touch of the cable and the phone thinks it has been unplugged and plugged back in, so it does the double-buzz letting you know it has started charging.  (Note that this is not the case with the official Apple cable that came with the phone.)  I wanted this for my car, so the cable is constantly jiggling just a tad causing the phone to vibrate constantly, rather than just charging.  It is extremely irritating.  If you're just using this in a still environment it'd probably be just fine, but if you expect any movement of the phone/cable whatsoever while its charging, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
2036101
While the packaging is very sleek, it doesn't work as well as it looks. I really wanted to like this item because someone has clearly put a lot of effort into it. However, I had to give up on it and return it. My specific complaints:
1. The switch/battery is just too heavy and the placement is odd; if you run with this thing in your ear the battery keeps pounding your neck as if you were wearing a giant earring. It feels heavy on your ear and is certainly not ideal for sports
2. The controls take a while to figure out and even then it's easy to make a call by mistake (i.e. if you just wanted to adjust the volume)
3. The audio quality of the speakers is fine, but the audio quality of the mic does not suffice when you want to have a quality phone conversation
4. The additional
(i.e. business calls); it comes over as muffled.
1102198
I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't like this story.  I read the numerous 5 starred reviews at the beginning and began doubting myself, but then I perused the 2 stars and under section and felt a lot better.

First off, I LIKE Batman comics, I really do.  The only reason I'm not hardcore is because I'm a grad student, and let's face it, I simply just don't have the time (or money).  I liked&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Batman-Year-One/dp/1401207529/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Batman: Year One</a>, and I liked&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Batman-Hush-Vol-1/dp/1401200605/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Batman: Hush, Vol. 1</a>, along with&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Batman-The-Man-Who-Laughs/dp/1401216269/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Batman: The Man Who Laughs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Superman-Batman-Vol-1-Public-Enemies/dp/1401202209/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Superman/Batman Vol. 1: Public Enemies</a>, plus many more.  I'm not a newbie to this world.

So when I got TDKR, I figured I'd like it too, right?  NOPE.  I have the same problem with this comic as I did with&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Batman-Arkham-Asylum-15th-Anniversary-Edition/dp/1401204252/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)</a>, only worse.  The art is too spastic; the design is too creative; my brain just isn't able to make the leaps in logic that are apparently required to make this all into a storyline that flows in some kind of understandable manner.
3335735
I wanted to like this more than I did.

This is a zany, quirky look at a zany, quirky 30-something woman who decides that she needs to hunt for men in a different way than just staying at home in her PJs and working.  She goes to a bar to play darts (note that she does not know how to play) where she spies Sebastian.

I could live with the funny parts of Emily's character (although there's a brief mention that she has a teaching degree but she's not using it and that's not explored at all, so why even mention it?) I have her props for asking him out and handling the rejection okay.  BUT, she's got the worst taste in men.  And that's where I gave up on this book.  Mark was dumb and pure comic relief, but Sebastian is perhaps the WORST book boyfriend I've read in awhile and that's saying something since I read about 300 romances a year.

First of all, he smokes and that lost two stars in my rating.  I do not find smoking at all sexy and all of the descriptions of him smoking which I think are supposed to be sexy just grossed me out.  And ewww, he kissed her after he lit a cigarette, and I was then hating this book.  He is also the least emotionally mature man, purely staying in a relationship with a psycho just to have a place to live because he doesn't want to commute far from his job.  He may be "real", but if I wanted real, I could just talk to my family.

Ugh.  I really just can't give this more than 2.5 stars.
3117177
I really REALLY wanted to like this. It was an Amazon recommendation and the video review I watched made it seem like a great game, the type of game I would really like. So I set out to find it, found only one Gamestop in the area that had it- there are about 12 Gamestops - maybe more that are within 20 minutes of me- and finally found it hidden in the cabinet behind the register.
Then I got it into the PS3...and it was nothing like I had thought. Cute anime characters? Yes. Humor? Kind of. Disgaea characters? Didn't get that far. The story seemed very slow to me- it dragged on to the point where I just wanted to hit buttons until it got to the part where you play. Which is unusual for someone who enjoys even visual novel games and as much talking and story as possible. Here, it felt unnecessary. When the actual gameplay began, I had to struggle to find where I could go to actually play and suddenly the character was dropped into a tiny dungeon with one or two small rooms. You then proceed to beat the enemies with your giant sword once or twice and you run around for a few seconds before it's clear there is nothing else there save for one or two more mini battles. I then gave up sadly and decided that I had no choice but to return the game. It seems to me like a game for kids, minus the dialogue of course.
I guess I was hoping for something along the lines of Rhapsody- wandering around a town, talking to other characters, going on little missions, leveling up, battling bosses, and enjoying a immersive story.
Feeling very let down and maybe a little less willing to try something based on one good video review.
I still may try one more time before i return it.
I should also note it cost $25 used.
4285189
It's hard to review things like this.  On the one hand, it was a struggle to get through it, but on the other, it's great writing.  It's just not for me.  I very much prefer the Sanderson/Rothfuss style where yes, things can be dark in the world, but there are lovable characters that are funny that add levity.  This is just a hopeless decline.  Yes, there's a touch of humor in it, but not enough to make me like it.  If I could go back in time to stop myself from reading it, I would, but it's not like it's bad.  It's just not for me.
4851702
I want to like this. I really do. My 8-year old used her allowance to buy herself her very own MP4 player, but it won't recognize our iTunes MP4 files, so it's totally useless. Another reviewer mentioned using his Amazon music files, but I really don't feel like buying all of her music twice. I would love for this thing to work, but it doesn't for us, so I cannot give it anything but a 1-star review.
794108
It's uniquely uninteresting. I don't quite know how to explain it, but I am just acutely aware of the writer. I just picture the guy in his living room typing away all his fantasies, and nostalgia, and nothing in the book breaks that for me. And it tears me away from caring about a single thing happening in it.

I am a fan of a lot of the stuff he talks about, but it's so god damned forcefully referential that I cannot stand it. I can't get through it, I listen for 20 minutes and suddenly I'm yearning for a bullet in my head. I'm still trying to listen to it, and get through it... I just don't think I'm going to be able to.

I am listening because everyone raves about it, but I'm questioning those peoples sanity at this point.

Also, PS,  the narrator is not the problem, he's actually the one enjoyable part of it.
2204554
I really wanted to like this product. I know a lot of people do. Plus, my friend told me diaper champs, genies, etc. were a waste of money so I wanted to prove him wrong. My child is only about a month old now so the diapers are still small and the "loads" inside don't smell horrible-yet. My biggest problem is that when we used the product, you can never tell how full it is. And undoubtedly, when you want it to work the best, it's already full and it won't push the diapers through correctly. Now don't get me wrong, I don't expect anything to hold a weeks worth of diapers. I was trying to replace the bags every couple of days. But without that visual of knowing when it's full (for any of these diaper products really), it will undoubtedly be the full when you least want it to be. Believe me, when you're only getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night, day-to-day tasks like emptying this thing (or eating  regularly or showering for that matter) will be forgotten. And when it's full-or getting there-the plunger doesn't push the diapers down and you need to manually stick your hand into it to push diapers through which can be a trick/gross operation. My solution wound up being a good Simplehuman trashcan. They're well built, will still serve a purpose once the kid gets older, have a flip top so I don't need to have a hand free to use it, they hold more, and allows me to gauge visually how full it is. It's more costly but was a better option in my nursery. Bottom line: diapers smell in anything you put them in. You might as well find the product that's going to best suite your needs in the long haul and won't let you down during a 3am diaper change.
1148762
I want to like this, I really do. I can tell the author has talent in some for, I just don't think it's polished yet. The main character, whose name either escapes me or it was never disclosed, was in essence a living flesh light. He didn't effect or react to his environment, everything either happened or changed around him.
I also don't believe the book was well proof read or edited. I noted at least five times where an incorrect pronoun was used, I may have missed one or two but once I'd noticed three within one or two paragraphs I started to tally them. I have to assume are too regular to be a mistake so either there is an invisible woman who is referenced a handful of times or, either the story originally included a female character or, I find more likely, Roscoe was a woman in earlier drafts.
With how unremarkable the story is I find that latter of my to options most likely. This work, in my mind, lacks distinctive characters and situations. Anyone could have written this and, to be honest, everyone has.
I could not get into this ones, the story wasn't immersive. I couldn't connect with the main character, whose name still escapes me,  or the environment. As I've never read this author before I can't comment on their other books but, I really feel like this one was phoned in.

Cross-posted from Goodreads.
3313650
I wanted to like this so bad, it sounded awesome and I'm not really picky. I don't mind things that taste "healthy", even weird protein flavors or bad protein doesn't bother me but this stuff was terrible in my opinion. I love cashews. I love even love vegan caramel but yuck!
1780015
I'm not too thrilled about it: I like some songs but not all...
2258155
This storyline is the kind of stuff I live and breathe for. I was excited when I came across it. The first time I tried to read it I thought maybe I was too book hungover from the last great book I read because it was not grabbing me in any sense. So I read a sub par book and came back to this one. It's not grabbing me. I trying really hard to get through the slow stuff, but it just isn't happening. Everything just feels flat. I don't feel like the story is enveloping me, and it's a struggle to get any empathy going for Aaron. Maybe it's just me? I might try it again later, but I'm not holding my breath. I really wanted to like this.