On Top of the World...Literar-ily: Everest

...RIGHT THERE.

Ahead of you there is treacherous terrain, mind numbing cold, and dare I say a small chance of glory?  (Yes, I dare say.)  Behind you?  (Well we all know what’s behind you…hehe…sorry, back on track)  The safe little book you’ve been reading that allows you to see the events instead of experiencing them.  So I have to ask you a serious question before you proceed.  Are you ready?  Sure hope the answer was yes because short of coming through the screen ala Willy Wonka’s Wonka Vision to stop you…you’re on your own. 

Today’s featured title IS an adventure though and one that is unlike many you may have read before.  It’s exciting.  It’s dangerous.  It’s a whole lot of fun that’s interactive without ever going online.  Ready to jump right in then?  Let’s do it!  Today’s book of choice is…

The Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure:

Everest

by

Bill Doyle and David Borgenicht

with

David Morton, climbing consultant

illustrated by

Yancey Labat

There it is.  Stunning isn’t it?  One false move…one ill-timed breath…and you’re toast because up here, you are only a moment away from total oblivion.  Chomolungma is in your sites….better known as Mount Everest.  The tallest mountain on the planet, many only read about its snow covered peak, but you…you seek adventure.  You seek a challenge of not only your climbing skills but your know how.  Now is the time to put all of your training to the test.  Will you reach the utter heights of success and reach the summit or perish at your own inexperienced hands?  The adventure of a lifetime awaits you…but your success or failure is all up to YOU.  Choose wisely…

That’s right!  It’s the return of the “choose your own adventure” books!  You remember those, right?  (If not, I suggest you get thee to your local bookstore or library and bone up on the subject because really, they are full of nail-biting fun.)  This time around, the folks behind The Worst- Case Scenario series REALLY bring the adventure to life.  Usually the original books would take you on a journey into space, time or some world of fantasy far far away…and while I love my fantasy worlds as much as the next reader, the spin put on this particular adventure is what gives it that little something more.

So how do they do it?  What’s that magic ingredient?  Simple.  It’s a combination of the probable real-life adventure they chose and the way in which the outcomes were created.  First things first though…let’s talk about the adventure.  I for one will never be summiting Everest in real life though it sounds rather wonderful…at least the summiting part.  I’m afraid I probably wouldn’t make the incredible journey that it truly is and boy is it a journey!  Seriously.  Did you know it takes about TWO MONTHS to actually summit?  No lie.  The number of times you have to climb to Camp I and then back down.  Climb to Camp 2 and then back down.  Climb to Camp 1 and overnight, then climb back down.  It’s no wonder it’s seen as the adventure of a lifetime.  Of course all of that climbing back and forth does have it’s purpose….to acclimate the body to the thinner air found in the region…but still, utter dedication is needed to see it through.  What’s that?  Oh, you want to know how I know this to be the case….I see.  Can’t just take me at my word, right?  O_o  Just kidding…

The reason for my “knowledgeable” speech on this topic is not purely coincidental.  Despite having seen an Everest program on television or two and visiting the Everest ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom (LOVE that ride) with it's authentic replication of an actual climb (complete with gear, map...missing team members...O_O), they are not the source of my information.  Where is comes from is experience….and not personal either (as I said…not climbing this monster peak myself, thank you very much…but congrats to those that do).  When creating this book and the very real outcomes, the authors consulted a real live mountaineer, Mr. David Morton, thus adding that extra depth and insight found throughout the text.  Can you believe he’s submitted Everest five times?  Yep…FIVE.  You’ll feel like you’re right there with your fellow teammates (which is the point of course, hence the “choose YOUR own” part of the adventure) as you make your way through the Namache Bazaar and sample its regional flavor.  Catch your breath as you take in the harsh beauty of The Khumbu Icefall and try to avoid falling ice blocks in the afternoon sun.  It’s all there for you to experience…in the comfort of your home.

Let’s not forget about the illustrations throughout the book lending you a visual guide to your literary adventure to the top of the world.  In striking black and white, the illustrator brings to life the vivid events and images being described in the text.  Whether you’re simply climbing one of the foothills on the way to Base Camp or teetering on a ladder as you cross a crevasse, your imagination takes you part of the way but the pictures provided will complete the journey there.  Remember…don’t look down.  O_O

Needless to say, I enjoyed this read quite a bit and, in case you were wondering, was able to successfully navigate my way through my very first time!  I can’t take all the credit there though…the authors and climbing consultant have got your back.  In the “welcome” section of the book you are introduced to not only your climbing team and the challenge that awaits you, but you’re also alerted to the special Expedition File included at book’s end.  This is no ordinary “end of book” feature though.  This is a file meant to PREPARE you for the journey giving you tidbits of information and hints you will need to make your way through the perilous choices ahead….and trust me there are a few that really give you pause.  Take my advice, or rather the advice of your team and READ THE FILE.  It could mean the difference between life…and….something far less stunning.

Recommended read for all ages.  It’s an adventure in the making and a learning experience all in one.  What’s not to love about that?  Review copy received courtesy of Lara at Chronicle Books.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, visit there website, blog, Facebook page, or follow along on Twitter (1 or 2).  For more information on The Worst-Case Scenario junior series, check out this website…and for more on the NEW Adventure series check out this one, for videos, downloads, upcoming titles (of which one is already listed…yay!) and more.


Until next time…happy reading!

The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady by Elizabeth Stuckey-French

Hi there readers!

It’s Wednesday, the halfway point for another week survived…err, umm lived…and one day closer to the end of the month.  Where DID March go?  Seriously, it seems like it passed in a flash and April is just coming like a locomotive, full steam ahead!  Quick reminder for those of you that haven't already, your chance to win a copy of Horns by Joe Hill ends 04/03/11...don't miss out!  Anywho…

Today we’re taking a look at a book I read some time ago and it took me this long to gather my thoughts for a review.  Yep.  It’s one of those books that just defy traditional explanation…or at least it was to me.  Ready for my attempt at putting my rambling thoughts into words?  Here. We. Go.  Today’s book of choice is….

The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady

by

Elizabeth Stuckey-French

“Seventy-seven-year-old Marylou Ahearn is going to kill Dr. Wilson Spriggs, come hell or high water.”  A strong statement from a woman that should be reaching a more reflective state in their life (or so we assume) and yet one that acts as the fuel to her daily routine for oh-so-many years.  You see, Marylou was pregnant once upon a time and adamant in making sure that she provided the best care for her child before and after the blessed arrival, so a trip to the doctor’s was only natural.  Lucky for her, the health care system works in her favor providing a great doctor no matter if you’re a millionaire or a pauper.  Unlucky for her, this particular doctor was working with the government on a secret project and that vitamin drink she just received to boost her health, wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.  The consequences are dire…but for whom?  If Marylou has her way, in the end…Spriggs is gonna pay.

For those of you that may have followed my reading journey with this one, you’ll know that it lingered…and lingered….and, well you get the point.  I being the dedicated (and somewhat stubborn) reader that I am, avoid DNF reviews like the plague.  What’s a DNF?  Stands for “did not finish”; you’ll see them around the blogosphere sometimes.  While they aren’t necessarily pretty, they are a handy tool when you encounter a book that just doesn’t work for you in a more extreme way than you merely don’t mesh with a situation or character.  They can be a blessing in disguise.  So why do I avoid them?  Simple.  If a book attracted my eye enough to purchase, request or accept it for a review (because I don’t just say ooh a book, gimme…I actually look into them first)...there has to be SOMETHING redeeming about it, otherwise, why did I even bother and so with my head held high (and my eyelids clothes pinned open) I pushed through this unusual read.

While some found the characters to be “endearing” or so the back cover of my ARC suggests.  I on the other hand, had the darnedest time getting into the book and staying there.  For me it was like a house of distant relatives that you hardly know and yet still visit from time to time.  Great for a quick stay, but anything over an hour and you’re ready to fake amnesia and run off into the night.  Seriously.  We have Marylou, newly christened as Nancy Archer (yep…THAT Nancy Archer, as in Attack of the 50-Foot Woman), with her life long (as in 50 years in the making) vendetta against Dr. Spriggs moving to Florida to carry out her dastardly plans…and yet the plan isn’t really a plan at all.  It’s got a goal but no concrete means to carry it out by making all her actions appear as reactions to the situation she encounters…and what a situation it is. 

Dr. Spriggs has not aged nearly as well as Marylou…err, Nancy…and this leaves his brain in a bit of a fog.  He has moments of clarity, some being rather frightening due to Nancy’s constant “I’m-going-to-kill-you” monolog (yeah, she actually TELLS him…and keeps telling, and telling and…), but they are few and far between leaving him confused and utterly in a world of his own.  Vic, his son-in-law, puts more into his work and love of hurricanes (yes, he actually WANTS to experience one…stupid man [sorry but there is not other way to put that nicely…they are called “violent acts of nature” for a reason]) than he does into his family, leaving the door open for “other opportunities” to waltz in if you know what I mean.  Caroline, Dr. Spriggs’ daughter and Vic’s wife, has let her children’s condition (Ava and Otis have Asperger’s syndrome) guide her as oppose to her love for them.  Speaking of children….this group needs a visit from Nanny McPhee and pronto!

Ava, Otis and Suzi are for the most part left to fend for themselves in this odd little family and more often than not, it lands them in troubling situations.  Ava is a beautiful girl, a point that Nancy sets out to exploit, but her decisions are not always sound.  When Nancy convinces her to get photos done to submit to a “Top Model” competition, things go wrong fast when she’s approached to do a few nude shots.  She was adamant that she didn’t want to from the beginning but then a little reverse psychology later and boom, the photos are being taken.  At least Ava’s character recognizes the trick Nancy is using, but she still doesn’t manage to say no…leaving this reader unsettled and with good reason.  Later on in the book, it’s revealed that Buff (aka Reverend Coffey) may look like Orlando Bloom but is more snake-like than the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets…and his involvement with both Ava and Suzi is enraging.  Seriously, the dude has whatever’s coming to him, coming to him…and the scenes later on in the Church?  Ugh!  Moving forward to avoid spoilage…

Otis is a young lad intent on creating a name for himself, but when left to his own devices and the here-now-gone-again memory of a once big time scientist (aka Granddad Spriggs) develops a working model of…well, you’ll have to read it to see, but trust me it’s dangerous; as in men wearing white space suits show up to remove it kind of dangerous.  Suzi is the family’s star child having missed any health issues encoded in her genetics and being blessed with stellar soccer abilities.  Too bad all she really wants is someone to talk to and pay attention to her, apart from her sports abilities; let’s just say it leads to some rather bad choices to find that attention. 

Story wise, while the premise was “interesting” I gotta say the follow through was simply odd.  It wasn’t the writing style as that was fine and the author definitely gets points for imagination (twisted though it is at times) but the actual steps that got our leading lady from point A to point B, especially the conclusion, just seemed unrealistic to me.  Grant it, I know it’s a fiction book so make believe is part of the game but it simply felt unnatural especially after the big face-to-face reveal near book’s end.  Then again, the book is starring a “radioactive lady” so I suppose it might fit the situation, just perhaps not this reader.

In reflection, I have to say that one of the things that probably drew me to the book was the location in which the events take place as it’s not so far from my own current “home sweet home”.  Funny thing is though, I’ve read books situated in my original home state (PA…woo-hoo!) and more often than not enjoyed the heck out of them; this one, not my cup of tea.  I can certainly relate to the ever changing weather encountered (take today, it’s cool, will get warm or hot and then drop back down tonight…is it any wonder I’m sick half the time?) and a few of the locations visited, but it just didn’t spring to life for me like my literary visits up North.  Cie la vie…to each their own.

In conclusion (what, you thought I’d keep going and going and …hehe), when matched with the right audience, I can certainly see this one being enjoyed far more, but for me, not a good fit.  Call it a case of curiosity gone wrong, but we just didn’t mesh.  Do I regret reading it?  Ehh….no; not exactly.  Though it wasn’t pure heaven to do so, it was still a new reading adventure and there was a time or two even for this not-quite-in-love reader that I was swept up into the craziness of it all, having to know what would happen next.  Just wish it happened more as opposed to less…

Recommended reading for older teens and adult readers that enjoy multiple points of view in their literary wanderings with a large dose of craziness in the mix.  Be prepared for those “WTH” moments and you’ll do just fine.  This book was released a few weeks ago from Doubleday Publishers and is available now for purchase through your favorite online or brick and mortar outlet.  For more information about this title as well as their full catalog, feel free to stop by the publisher’s website or follow along on Twitter.  To read more about the author and her current works, stop by her site for a look around. 

Until next time...happy reading!

Taste Testing Tuesdays (72)

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week...one book that's finall ypicked up a little steam, another that is starting off with the right ingredients, and a third (...yes a third...) eBook YA readers will be curious to see.

Ready for a taste?

 

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My sullen new friends had read so many books that I hadn’t and had already, by twenty-three years old, become fluent with so many terms, ideas, and words that I had never heard of.  And they could put sentences together in class using so many of them that I was sure if I tried to contribute to the discussion, it would be instantly discovered that I had been accepted by accident, that someone had messed up and put my application in the wrong pile.  In the world I had occupied before coming to this campus, I was the one with the words.
-- pg 96, Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton (ARC)

This one was slow to draw my interest but it accomplished it about 30 pages or so ago now just after we learn about the author’s experience at a summer camp…and some wayward lobsters.  Curious to see where we go from here….

Myra got up and put her empty soda can in the garbage.  “I didn’t say she made puppy coats.  I said there were a lot of people who’d just as soon not have Yodel Watson around.” 
-- pg 11-12, Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent (ARC)

Celebrating its book birthday today, I have to say….so far, so good!  I love Daphne’s character (the lead though she doesn’t appear in this quote since she’s being spoken to) as well as all the quirky neighbors as we’ve heard a handful described by Myra, her neighbor.  Should be one deliciously fun mystery….

Honestly, I didn't think he'd hang around there for Angelina Jolie's company; El Toro—the Torino Athletic Center—isn't the most romantic place in general, and right then? It was the kind of scene that made you glad some smartypants had invented deodorant...and made you realize that not everyone had bought into that concept. Or the whole “showering" idea. Ew.
-- pg 45, Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle (ARC)

This is the full eBook version of the new serial novel being introduced by Candlemark and Gleam this coming month.  A serial novel (for those of you that haven’t heard of the concept before …as I hadn’t either) is a book brought to you chapter by chapter on a weekly basis, much like in days gone by when mass distribution was more of an issue as to how fast and far the horse and cart could travel in a day’s time.  The new version sees us receiving a weekly bookish dose of goodness electronically…all the sooner to enjoy the reading adventure.  Oh and this one…loving it!  The character voice is right on for the age and the writing makes it feel like you’re having a conversation with a close friend.   

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Open to a random page

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR.* 

 

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Until next time....happy reading!

 

 

In My Shopping Bag (73)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Through her guidelines, your post does not actually have to be named the same and thus my post shall be..."In My Shopping Bag".  (just fits with the "foodie" theme a bit better in my humble opinion)

Let's take a peek inside my shopping bag this week....

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Review

 

The Trouble with Chickens:  A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin

(via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers and HarperCollins Children's Publishing)

Now just try and tell me that the cover isn't cute....really, try!  As cute as the jacket is (and by the way, the actual hardcover has an adorable silver print of one of the chickens in the lower right corner...to cute), the story is bookishly wonderful.  How so?  Aw, you'll have to wait for the review but seeing as how I read this one over the weekend, your wait won't be TOO long.

The Worst Case Scenario, Ultimate Adventure:  Everest by David Borgenicht with David Morton

(courtesy of Lara at Chronicle Books)

This was an exciting find to discover in the mail this week...and one I quickly devoured.  Yep.  Finished!  Hey, what can I say?  I LOVED those "choose your own adventure" books as a child.  This one puts a new twist on things that makes them even more fun.  Review to come soon...

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Cat Valente

(ARC courtesy of Ksenia at Feiwel and Friends)

Try saying that title five times fast!  It's a doozy but oh doesn't it sound like fun?!  Can't wait to dig into this magical adventure.  Release date is set for May 2011.  In the mean time, be sure to check out their site to find out more...and stay tuned right here for some bookish fun related to this title in the coming weeks!

Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalvan

(ARC courtesy of Hyperion via Shelf Awareness)

It's been a while since I read a pet centered book.  When I say this liitle beauty peeking out from one of my recent email newsletters from Shelf Awareness, I knew it was time to circle back to that genre again.  This looks like a moving tale about more than man or "beast", but about how they help each other in more ways than anticipated.  Release date is set for May 2011.

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Won

(1) Minion pendant

(1) Stay Puft Marshmallow Man figure

(won via contest at To Read or Not to Read featuring Sweet Geek on ETSY)

Okay, so my camera kinda craptastically caught these little guys profiles, but trust me, they are TOO CUTE!  Just gotta find the right cord to hang my minion on (hehe) and marshmallow dude is not displayed on my desk with my other little miniatures.  Needless to say a great big THANKS to both Marcie at the hosting site and "Sweet Geek" for the awesome prizes.  Should you be looking for bookish fun or a new crafty addition to your collection, DEFINTELY check out their sites.

 

 

 

 

 

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That's it for this week.

 So what do you think?

What did YOU get?

Do tell!

 

Until next time....happy reading!

 

 

 

The Roving Reader

In keeping with the apparant pink and black book cover theme this weekend, how's this for a stunning yet simple cover?  Love the color use going on here...

Confessions of a Rebel Debutante

by

Anna Fields

What caught your eye when out and about this weekend?

Do tell!

** The Roving Reader is a MEME type feature created by yours truly to share those book covers spotted when out and about that catch your eye for one reason or another. Want to get in on the fun? You're welcome to use the MEME, just give a little credit love. Simply snap a picture of your recent find and post away! Happy reading! **

 

 

 

 

The Roving Reader

Loving the cover AND the subtitle of sorts there..."a blogtastic novel"...how can any blogger ignore a line like that!  ^_^

Gossip From the Girls' Room

by

Rose Cooper

What caught your eye when out and about this weekend?

Do tell!

** The Roving Reader is a MEME type feature created by yours truly to share those book covers spotted when out and about that catch your eye for one reason or another. Want to get in on the fun? You're welcome to use the MEME, just give a little credit love. Simply snap a picture of your recent find and post away! Happy reading! **

 

 

 

 

A devil of a CONTEST....

Why hello again readers!

Welcome back to the site and post number two for the day.

This one comes with a surprise for YOU and as a surprise for me.  How so?  Let's just say that this REALLY EXCITING portion, somehow or another slipped my mind.  Yep.  Slippery thing that it is sometimes, but not to worry...bookish goodness is coming your way.

As you may have seen in today's previous post (and if you haven't, feel free to check it out...I'll wait...^_^), author Joe Hill had a bookish birthday earlier this month with the paperback release of his uber-creepy-fest filled book, Horns.  In celebration of that milestone, Maggie from Harper Paperback/HarperCollins Publishers is allowing me to host a devil of a contest you're sure to love.

Ready...set...here we GO!

The prize: 

(1) paperback copy of Horns by Joe Hill

How to enter:

Fill out THIS FORM.

Looking for a few bonus entries?

No worries!  There are a myriad of options on the form

...BUT...

...there is one way to gain TWO EXTRA ENTRIES and not only is it easy-peasey, but (in my opinion) it's a lot of fun.  Curious?  Thought you might be.  Here's what you need to do...

Since the book deals with Morris Code several times within the text, I thought...why not incorporate it into the contest?  Translate the message below and submit what YOU think the message is on the FORM. 

Remember, don't leave the answer in the comments...it'll ruin the surprise!

The rules:

*Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only!  No P. O. Boxes please.

* Entries will be accepted from Friday, March 25th, 2011 through Sunday, April 3rd, 2011 at midnight CST.  The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator.  (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post.  You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email Monday, April 4th, 2011 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.  Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  If you choose to include your full name and mailing address in your contest entry, no worries....the time frame issue is erased.

*Winner's name and address will be forwarded to the publisher for prize send out only and then discarded.

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Sound good...or should I say "bad"?

Good luck everyone!

Horns by Joe Hill

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  Is it just me or has this week flown by as a whole, yet dragged its feet along the way?  Maybe it’s just me since it’s been so so busy, but hey…we do what we can and hopefully love what we do! 

The weekend has arrived and with it (for most of us anyway) the chance to discover a new book or two in our local bookstores, or even start/finish something from our persistent TBR piles, stacks, or mountains.  The sky’s the limit on what adventure we’ll uncover next; just the way I like it.  If you’re on the hunt for your next read, allow me to make a suggestion for a creepy good reading experience.  Today’s book of choice is…

Horns

by

Joe Hill

***WARNING:  This book is not intended for young readers.  Adult audiences recommended due to language, and content.  Readers, you’ve been warned.***

Ignatius Perrish (aka Ig) is a bad, BAD man.  He’s suspected of murdering his girlfriend almost a year ago to the day.  He’s an alcoholic with a penchant for drinking beyond the point of no return.  His current girlfriend he’s admittedly with mainly for the “extracurricular activities”.  Yep; he’s one BAD fellow.  Guess it’s only fitting that his new image is going to include horns now isn’t it?  But there’s more here than meets the eye.  Secrets and lies, deep seeded fears and darkest desires all bubbling just beneath the surface, ready to break through.  In short…all “H-E-double hockey stick” is about to break loose…

Seems like I’ve had to use the “warning” spiel a lot recently as for some reason or another I’ve run into a string of books that warrants them.  Interesting…but alas, it was bound to happen at some point, hence the pitfalls of reading books across so many genres (but that’s a pitfall I’ll gladly traverse, thank you).  Anywho…back to the story at hand.

I admit it, when I started reading this one I wasn’t completely taken in by it as I usually am… or at least not in the same way.  It’s not that the writing isn’t good, because it is.  It’s not that the story isn’t original, because unless there are two people running around with these ideas in their heads (scary thought) than it is.  It’s the actual events in the story.  They rank among that rare group of ideas that you find morbidly fascinating.  It’s like one of those proverbial accidents waiting to happen that you can’t seem to look away from; those slow motion falls that you see coming but are somehow helpless to do anything about.  That’s the meat and potatoes of this book…but the gravy bringing it all together is much deeper (and darker).

Ig wasn’t always a bad guy; in fact he was rather good hard as that may be to believe.  I mean sure, he did some fairly stup…silly things as a boy and his adult life may not have been perfect, but he had a good heart and always tried to do what was best for everyone even if it shorted himself in the end.  So…why the turn from angel to devil?  That’s where the story gets a bit fuzzy.  You can see the murder of his long time girlfriend acting as the hinge that came undone, but only if you take the stand that he internalized his feelings of guilt towards what happened…or rather what didn’t because his brain is playing hide-and-seek with that information.  And that my friend is just the beginning of the “sticky” part…

There is a place mentioned that he and his gal dub the “Tree House of the Mind”.  It’s an actual tree house that I can only liken to the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter, you know, it appears only when it’s actually needed, though this couples “use” of it was far less studious.  The events that occur in his youth regarding this tree house circle back to him towards the end of the book, almost like an intensely real moment of déjà vu.  I don’t want to ruin the surprise for anyone, but it left me a bit befuddled.  (Perhaps if you’ve read it, you can share your thoughts on it?)

I did find that underneath the hardcore creepiness seeping off the pages, the mystery and how the truth was uncovered was really GOOD.  We live through Ig’s past to get a sense of who he is.  We’re welcomed into his present as the pieces slowly fit (or are pounded, whatever works) together to form the bigger picture not completely anticipated though vaguely revealed in a general sense early on due to the penchant for revealing hard truths and desires that his newly grown horns endows.  (Can you imagine having THAT power?  ~shudders~)  We even get a glimpse of his future as it slithers closer and closer leaving no doubt what end he will choose (or will choose him) by the conclusion of the story.  It’s quite the roller coaster but one well worth strapping in for. 

So, let’s see here.  Is this for the faint of heart?  No.  Is this for the squeamish?  Nope.  Is this for young readers?  Uh, that’s a “heck no” if ever one was deserved.  What in the world is it then?  Well I’ll tell you.  It is what it is; a book dark and twisted around a plot perfect for adult readers and a story you won’t soon forget.  The odd sense of humor grows on you...much like the horns on our old pal Ig, but with less permanent effects (so far at least).  It boggles the mind to the point of “dear-goodness-why-did-I-start-reading-this-again” and brings you right back around to reveal that apparently, you were in the mood for something a bit out there and hey, you found what you sought. 

A few final notes you may find intriguing (as I know I did).  First, there is an interesting inclusion of Morris Code within the book  as it’s used to gain the attention of someone and later on to reveal hard hitting truths, but it also makes an appearance somewhere else…the cover, or rather inside the cover on the hardback edition.  At first glance, I thought…huh, interesting choice of decorating.  I mean it looks like a pattern.  After having read the book, I was curious and decided to decipher the message…revealing a rather fitting (and laughable) statement.  (Shan’t be revealing it here, but trust me, it’s fitting.) 

Second revelation of sorts, it appears as though the book has been slated to be brought to the big screen.  That’s right, another book turned movie.  But will it be a hit or a miss?  Personally I think it has a good shot at being a hit (and it even might make a few scenes clearer, ya never know), especially with the potential actor cast as Ig….Shia Labeouf.  Yep.  Whether you love or hate him, I think he’d do the role justice when considering the actual written characters personality.  Thanks goes to popculturenerd on Twitter for the heads up on that!

Recommended for adult readers only due to content, language, situations…you get the picture; 18+ or older.  While this book was published in hardback previously, it just made its paperback debut this month so whatever your reading preference may be, the format is now available!  Review copy received courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers.  (THANKS!)  For more information regarding this title as well as their full catalog be sure to visit them online or follow along on Twitter.  To find out more about the mind behind the vision, head over to the author’s website or follow his Twitter feed.

(Yes…I did have too much fun with the Morris Code aspect of the book.  What?  What?!  Oh come on….I’ll even give you the link to the “guide” to decode it and a hint that each line of the code is only one word...   ^_^)