NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

4.5 Stars

Vic McQueen has been taking the Shortaway Bridge her whole life – finding misplaced items. Sometimes it’s a bracelet, sometimes it’s an answer to a question. Sometimes she only has to go down the street, sometimes she goes across the country. Charlie Manx doesn’t have access to the Shortaway and he certainly doesn’t have much interest in helping people. Instead, he uses a 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith with vanity plates stating "NOS4A2" which he uses to whisk children away to "Christmasland". When Manx gets a hold of Vic’s son, will she be able to use the rickety old bridge one last time to save him????

Joe Hill has done what I am finding few new authors are capable of doing – he’s completed a trifecta of amazing tales. I was surprised how quickly I breezed through this novel since real life kept getting in the way and I actually put it away a couple of times to protect my own sanity. The suspense that Hill created had me on the edge of my seat through a giant chunk of the book. The only thing I think I loved more than the dangling carrot of terror that he constantly held in front of me were the massive shout-outs to nerds everywhere. References to superheroes, Firefly, Game of Thrones, and a fat dude leading man made me love him a little bit more.

John Dies at the End by David Wong

4 Stars

(rating may actually get higher the more time I spend savoring this one)

If Harold and Kumar swapped some DNA with The Ghostbusters and were birthed by Hunter S. Thompson on a Hitchhiker's Guide through the galaxy, you might end up with something kind of close to John Dies at the End. I had ZERO expectations going in to this book. I knew nothing except what I read on the book jacket and the fact that Wil Wheaton didn't think it sucked. I ended up on a full throttle, high octane wild, grotesque, hilarious, vulgar, long, strange journey and I'm so glad I did.

The Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth L. Silver

2 Stars

Noa P. Singleton has spent 10 years on death row for murder. This is the story of the final 6 months of her sentence and her bid for clemency by the last person she ever thought would help her – her victim’s mother.

244 pages. That’s how long it took before something ACTUALLY HAPPENED in this book. Please note the entire book is only 310 pages long. I can’t say much without this becoming spoilery, but what a waste of words and disjointed thoughts. I bought into the back cover "praise" from the likes of Herman Koch and Katherine Dunn – now I’m asking myself "how much did those suckers get paid for those blurbs?"

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

2.5 Stars

Jasper Dent is your average teenager – he goes to high school, hangs with his best buddy, has a girlfriend. There’s just one small thing that makes him stand out from the crowd – his father is one of the world’s most notorious serial killers. Now there’s a new killer on the loose and Jazz is desperate to help solve the crime (and terrified that the apple may not have fallen far enough from the tree for his own comfort).

Where to begin… I can’t really bash this one hardcore since it is a "teen" novel and therefore certain things like over-the-top violence and gore have to be toned down. The story was COMPLETELY unrealistic, but somehow I think most adults could push past that also. The characters were fairly enjoyable and the dialogue was quick. However, I don’t like solving the "who done it" part of a thriller, and I did that almost immediately. If this was a stand-alone story it would get a better rating. Creating a series (AGAIN WITH THE F-ING SERIES JUST STOP ALREADY), in my opinion, is a terrible idea. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this one a "meh".

One Last Thing Before I Go by Jonathan Tropper

5 Stars

Yeah, so I’m pretty much completely enamored with Jonathan Tropper. I read "This is Where I Leave You" and was smitten – immediately followed by the fear that he might be a one-hit wonder. Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case and now I’m completely head-over-heels in love with his writing. He writes good people and lots of them. People I want to know in real life. People I can picture vividly while reading their stories. People I want to call up six months from now to check on and see how they are doing.

Silver is an aging former rock star whose one constant in life is failure. Failed rock career, failed marriage, failed parenting, etc. On the cusp of his ex-wife’s impending nuptials, his teenage daughter confides in him that she is pregnant and Silver discovers he has a medical condition that may kill him. The story that follows is a couple of unforgettable weeks with a rag-tag ensemble cast that won’t soon be forgotten.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

5 Stars

Okay, where to begin . . .

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH *sob* *sob* *sniffle* *sob* WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH– yeah, that’s about where I left off after finishing this one last night. So, it doesn’t end well, but the getting there is well worth the tears. This is the 106^th book I’ve read this year, and it’s on the top 10 favorite of said list. Read it. Have lots of tissues at the ready, but read it.

Lou Clark is an uneducated 27 year old who has just lost the only gainful employment she’s ever had. When the unemployment agency tells her that her options consist of working at the local chicken processing plant, becoming a stripper, or being a caregiver for a "difficult" 35 year old quadriplegic for six months, she takes the latter. During those six months Will and Lou will discover that the most unlikely person can sometimes change EVERYTHING about your life.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

3 Stars

Mr. Hosokawa is being thrown a birthday party by government officials and other muckity-mucks in South America. The true purpose of the party for the government is to persuade Hosokawa into building a factory in their poor nation. Mr. Hosokawa, on the other hand, has absolutely no interest in doing business there – he has accepted the invitation in order to see a private performance by his favorite opera singer, Roxane Coss. The party is in full swing when 18 freedom fighters come barreling into the mansion and take everyone hostage. Bel Canto is the story of their time in captivity.

What a strange little novel. I was hoping I’d form a definitive opinion by the time I finished, but I’m still stuck shaking my head. I did enjoy the numerous amounts of characters in this book. Patchett has done a remarkable job creating a memorable ensemble cast. However, Love in the Time of Stockholm Syndrome??? Weird.