Winnie Review's: Call It Courage

Call It Courage

Book Information: 

Book Title: Call It Courage

Author: Armstrong Sperry 

Publisher: Aladdin 

Number Of Pages: 95

Publishing Date: 1990

Setting

In a village located in the Pacific Islands.

Main Characters

Mafutu, Uri, Kivi

Summary

                          When Mafatu was a little boy, he almost drowned in the sea with his mother. He survived the incident, but his mother wasn't as lucky. After that, Mafatu has always been afraid of the sea. His whole village makes fun of him all the time. One night, Mafatu has had enough teasing and sets out on a journey to another island in a canoe with his dog Uri, his albatross Kivi, and some food and water. Will he survive the journey across the sea?

Opinion

                          I liked this book because I always like adventurous books. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was worried about everything. 

- What if he gets attacked by a group of sharks?

- What is that poor dog dies?

- Where did Kivi go? I don't remember it saying he left to find food.....

Basically, I was very nervous about the animals. I thought it was a stupid idea that he had taken a dog with him. 

                      I didn't like this book because some of it was written in some kind of different language. It was confusing to try to read/pronounce the words that were not in English. I also didn't like the way the book ended.......

Rating

I rate this book 4 stars!

Recommendations

I think older kids would enjoy this book better than younger children because the plot was kind of confusing to follow along with, especially with a different language squeezed in to the story. Ages 12 and up would follow along better. ( It still might be a little confusing for early teens however.)

Small Spoiler

You might not like the way this book ends. Be prepared!

Author

To learn more about the author go here:

http://www.ogram.org/sperry/papers/CurrentBio1941.shtml

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Winnie Review's: The Wizard Of Oz

Winnie Review's: The Wizard Of Oz

Book Information: 

Book Title: The Wizard Of Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum

Publisher: HaperCollins Publishers Inc.

Number Of Pages: 260

Publishing Date: 1987

Setting

On a dull farm in Kansas, In a magical land called Oz.

Main Characters

Dorthy, Toto, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow

Summary

                     In Kansas, there is a dull grey farm. There, a little girl named Dorthy lives with here Aunt and Uncle. But when Dorthy is swept away by a cyclone, she ends up in the wonderful land of Oz. How will she get home?

Opinion

                I like this book because it takes me all through a magical land. I get to meet fantasy creatures such as, talking scarecrows, alive tin men, and cowardly lions. I also like this book because it's a classic and it's interesting. I always thought classical books were boring because it hadn't just came out. This book proved me very wrong. It was very exciting and fun to read.

  Recommendations

                        I think this book would be good for older kids. rough guess would be 12 and up. It is a 7th grade reading level and is kind of challenging. It has strong vocabulary and  might be confusing for smaller children. I recommend this book to fantasy lovers, older kids, and anyone who likes adventure.

Author

To learn more about the author go here.

http://www.washburn.edu/reference/cks/mapping/baum/

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Winnie Review's: Warriors: The New Prophecy: Into The Wild

Winnie Review’s:

Warriors: The New Prophecy: Into The Wild 

Book Information: 
Book Title: Into The Wild
Author: Erin Hunter
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
Number Of Pages: 272
Publishing Date: 2003

Setting

In the forest divided into four sections for four Clans of cats.

Main Characters

Rusty (Firepaw), Lionheart, Bluestar, Graypaw,the other Clan members

Summary

Rusty has always dreamed of going into the forest. He hates being cooped up in a human house. Smudge, Rusty’s neighbor’s house cat, always tells stories about wild, dangerous cats who roam the forest. One day though, Rusty decides to face his fears and go catch just one mouse. While he roams the forest searching for mice, he runs into some wild cats who take Rusty by surprise. They offer him the chance to join their Clan, the ThunderClan. What will his decision be? 

Opinion

Good Opinion: I like this book because it took me through everything that was happening. The emotions, adventures, everything.  I also enjoyed this book because I liked the way the author used a lot of adjectives. Example: Firepaw crouched low and then pounced quickly. I liked how the story was well detailed and juicy. It was not boring at all. 

Bad Opinion: The only problem I had with this book was the characters names. A lot of the names were similar and were suppose to be because of the way the Clan worked. If you were a trainer/teacher your name would end in a word such as heart, star, or something like that. But, for this reason I got confused a lot with the names.

 Rating: I rate this book 4 stars.  

Recommendations: 

I think cat lovers would enjoy this book because it follows the life of a curious and adventurous cat. I think adults and kids would enjoy this book. Ages 8 and up would follow the plot better then younger kids. Younger kids might follow along better if this book was read aloud. I recommend this book to 4th graders and up. ( This book is on a 5th grade reading level, but seems a little easy.)

Author:

To learn more about Erin Hunter go here:

http://www.warriorcats.com/meet-erin-hunter

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Winnie's Reviews: Adventures in Raceland by AJ Loft

Summary: Vroom Vroom! Kyle and Keegan McKay love to race. But sadly they were too young to actually RACE. This all changes when they discover the door of Raceland!

Opinion: This book was sometimes hard for me to understand. Also, in some parts of the book it was boring. I like this book because it’s so funny. An example is when the group had just discovered Raceland and they were in the chill chamber. While Bobby was in, he thought he was going to end up in the middle of track 12 naked! Poor Bobby! 

I rate this book 4 stars.

To order or discover new things go to: http://www.rodkingz.com/

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Winnie's reviews: The Adventures of Loriel the Wood Fairy

Loriel is worried about Grandfairy Cyce . She hasn’t heard from her in a while. Loriel gets the news that Grandfairy Cyce has been kidnapped by a goblin! Will Loriel ever see her again?

I liked this book because I love fantasy! My favorite part was when Padra (the house mouse) thought the dragon was going to eat him. There was a problem though. Some characters' names were similar to one another and the author sometimes used the wrong names on the characters. It was a bit confusing. For this reason I rate only 3 ½ stars.

Author: The back of the book flap reads, "I have always been a reader and I loved reading to my children as well as my grandchildren. I hope that comes through in my writing. Opening children's eyes to the world of books is awesome. Seeing their eyes light up to an exciting passage is so special. Computers are wonderful but holding a book and relying on your own imagination is special and individual to each one of us."

Linda's Review: Loriel's Grandfairy Cyce has been kidnapped by smelly goblins. She must figure out a way to rescue Cyce without putting Cyce in more danger.
This is a fun little story with cute pictures. I think some of the words could be difficult for children and not easy to figure out in context. However, great opportunity to learn to work a dictionary. ;) The story moves quickly and keeps the reader engaged. Occasionally, I had to go back and reread sections because I didn't catch it well the first time. That may have been me though. Overall, I'd give this book three stars. ***
It was fun! It'll be a fun read aloud to my children this year too.

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

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From Tragedy to Triumph: The Story of John Tartaglio by John Tartaglio and Andrew Chapin

Perseverance. This is a great adjective to describe John Tartaglio. When John was seventeen he developed a rare bacterial infection which led to the loss of both of his legs and his left bicep. He didn't let that stop him. Despite the negativity of his doctors, he was determined to walk across the stage at his graduation.

He continued making goals -- cycling, swimming, running. If a person with legs could do it then he was determined to find a way to do it as well. his attitude throughout all of this is completely inspirational. I felt privileged to read about something that could be so personal.

This story was amazing. I was pulled into John's life and found myself crying tears of joy when he accomplished a goal, laughing at his jokes, and cheering him on. My children and husband got to hear about the story. My six year old daughter was especially excited about it.

I recommend this book. There was some strong language in it but it didn't occur often. I give this book 4 stars. ****


To learn more about this author go here.

Here are some videos. If you search his name on youtube, you'll find quite a few more.

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

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Squish: Super Amoeba

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Series: Squish (Book 1)
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (May 10, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375843892
• ISBN-13: 978-0375843891

Author: Jennifer  and Matt Holm

This is a story about one celled organisms living their life. Elementary school is hard for everyone but especially if you're an amoeba named Squish who has bullies to deal with and Principal Planaria. Not to mention getting along with friends and a dad who secretly listens to heavy metal. Do you think Squish can save his friends and the world from the evils in the hallway or school? Read the book to find out. :)

I have, what we could call, a reluctant reader. This, however, was the first chapter book I got him to read. Granted, it's written as a comic book but I really didn't care as long as it got this young reader to read words. He loved this book. He even picked up the sequel the next time he was at the library.

AR: Grade level 2.2

Lexile: GN230L

This would be a fun book to have in the classroom, especially for science when covering one celled organisms. Unfortunately, most 2nd graders don't learn about one celled organisms for a while but it would be a great way to introduce them to the topic. It really is mostly just for fun.

RATING: **** Four Stars

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Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder

I am so sorry it's been so long since I posted here. I will tell you that I virtual school two children (kindergarten and 2nd grade) through public school so that's intense. I am the cub master of the cub scout pack my son is in, my children are involved in scouting, dance, and taekwondo, and I am working on my teaching practicum. So, lately, all I've been reading are textbooks (mine and my children's) and children's literature (again, mine and my children's). So, I figured since I'm reading so much children's literature, I may as well review it on my blog. :) hehe! So, enjoy.

Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder

I actually got this book from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. If you have a child under 5 then I absolutely recommend joining that... a free book every month. Woot! I love free books.

The last science unit of second grade is on life cycles. We read this while learning about insect life cycles. While it doesn't give the correct terms the students learn in the unit it brings the whole process to life with very descriptive words and beautiful illustrations. The reader is told to imagine they are an egg under a leaf. Throughout the book the reader is told to imagine what it's like as they go through the life of a caterpillar and then into a butterfly. It's very beautiful and detailed. My children love it. I absolutely recommend this book for all classrooms. Like I said, it doesn't use the vocabulary terms the students use so review those as you read but it's just too beautiful not to use when studying a butterfly life cycle.

Rating: 4 stars ****    

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Kids' Korner: Suddenly Supernatural Books 1 & 2

Published February 10th 2009

Genre: Children's Chapter book, Fiction, Paranormal

Synopsis: School Spirit - Kat's mother is a medium and talks to spirits. Kat has never wanted to invite friends over because, undoubtedly, something weird would happen at her home. She finally finds a friend, Jac, who doesn't seem to mind. Unfortunately, Kat notices she is seeing spirits as well; specifically, she is seeing one in her school that she and Jac must help cross over.
Scaredy Kat - Kat realizes that when lots of spirits begin seeking her out for help, it can be pretty scary. She has to learn how to control her power despite and angry spirit living in the abandoned house next door. To make things worse, there is a spirit like none she had ever seen in the second floor of the abandoned house that she must figure out how to help without the angry spirit harming her or Jac. Somehow, the story of a missing boy is connected as well so Kat and Jac must figure out how to solve this mystery and save the boy.

These were both very cute stories. My 5 and 7 year old absolutely loved them! They love haunted, spooky stories so the ghosts in this one added an extra level for them and they LOVED it! :)

Author: To learn more about Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, visit her website here http://www.codykimmel.com/

Rating: **** Four Stars

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The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Synopsis: This is a trilogy consisting of three book, Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess. A young woman, Tessa, crosses the ocean from America to find her brother, Nate, living in Victorian England. When she arrives she is quickly snatched up by the Dark Sisters who know of a power Tessa has but is completely ignorant of. They work for one who also wants to claim the power as their own, or as belonging to his wife. Tessa finds herself in a world she never knew existed. She also finds herself pulled between two young men whom she never would have met if she hadn't learned about this power. Meanwhile, dark forces are created an indestructible army that only her new found power can defeat. She must learn to control it before the entire world is destroyed and the love of her life disappears forever.

I really did enjoy these books. They weren't a fictional masterpiece or anything but the story was fun. I enjoyed this series more than the City of Bones series which is based in the same world but at a different time. It was fun reading about the ancestors of some of the characters also in the City of Bones books. This was a very fun read that I will give FOUR STARS **** to. :)

Author: To learn more about the author, check out her site here http://www.cassandraclare.com/

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Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Hardcover, 360 pages

Published July 13th 2010 by Scholastic Press (first published 2010)

ISBN

0545123283 (ISBN13: 9780545123280)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance

Synopsis: This is a sequel to Shiver, which I read before I started a review blog. :) So, this could contain spoilers to Shiver so I suggest that you go and read Shiver first. :)

Grace is a 17 year old girl who lives in the quiet little town of Mercy Falls, Minnesota. The year before she met Sam, a wolf, well, a human, well.... a shapeshifter. But, they cured him of that so at the beginning of this book they are both typical humans. Sam is now responsible for the pack after the last one, and adopted father to Sam, decided to return as a wolf and may never become a human again. Sam must figure out how to make it on his own and settle into his new life of caretaker of the shapeshifting pack. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Grace is finding that her parents' new overbearing methods are suffocating. She is fighting with them and ignoring symptoms that could change her life forever. There is also a new pack member -- Cole. The first one to return to human and has a questionable past that could be detrimental to the secret of the pack. This odd trio must find a way to survive and perhaps risk everything to save one of their lives.

Review: I still love this story, this world Maggie created. It's original but still fits in the ever popular category of fantasy-romance. You know that moment you realize you are siding with the parents instead of the heroine of the story? Yeah, it's not a good sign. It means you're getting old (30 next year). That was the feeling I got while reading this story. There were a few instances where the main characters got in trouble and I thought, "DUH!" Anyways, this is young adult but I don't think I'd let my daughter read it. There is teen sex and the language is a little heavier than what I'd feel comfortable having her read.  I am not giving it that fourth star because of a couple of reasons but the main one is the romance. Ack! Sometimes it's a bit too cheesy for me. They're 17 and they're proclaiming their never ending love together in ways that made me feel entirely uncomfortable. Otherwise, it was a pretty good story.

Author: From Goodreads Author Page: All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

To learn more of Maggie then go to her page here: http://maggiestiefvater.com/

Rating: **** Four Stars

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Kids Korner: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Genre: Fiction/Suspense/Horror

Synopsis: A very smart college student named, Victor Frankenstein, has this amazing idea to create life. So, by attaching body parts from the dead that he scavenged from graveyards he creates a.... monster? Well, that's what everyone thinks. He's hideous and the immediate reaction from everyone is fear and hatred. The creature only wants to feel loved. The hate he receives in return for his kind actions is enough to turn anyone in to a murderous monster.

Our Thoughts: Surprisingly, my children really liked this story. Often my four year old was the one who wanted me to keep reading. We'd read four or more chapters a night because of her. ;) There is murder in the story so you'll have to decide for yourself if you want your child reading that. It gave us lots of opportunities to discuss judgment and how important it is to get to know someone before we decide if we're going to be friends with them or not. This story really has a great message of a man who just wants to be a friend and feel love but because people don't like his looks he can't have that love and acceptance that he is in search for. My kids did not like the ending or several parts throughout. By the end of the book my six year old son was SO angry at the monster and at Frankenstein. I kept having to remind him that it is fictional. haha! So, there are intense emotions in this book so take that into account when you decide if this would be an appropriate book for your child to read.

Author: (info from Google)

Mary Shelley was an English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. Wikipedia

Born: August 30, 1797, London

Died: February 1, 1851, Bournemouth

Spouse: Percy Bysshe Shelley

Children: Percy Florence Shelley

Parents: William Godwin, Mary Wollstonecraft

Rating: My kids had a hard time with rating it. They said it was a really good book and they want to give it 5 stars but because of all the sad parts in it they didn't like it as much so it should get 4 stars. But then, my son said, "No, it was still really good with the sad parts. Give if 5." LOL! So.... We'll go with 4.5 Stars!! :) hehe!

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Kids Korner: Funny Things I Heard At The Bus Stop: The Complete Collection by Angela Giroux

• File Size: 265 KB
• Print Length: 118 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Red Alien Media (February 29, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007FT5086

Genre: Children's Fiction/Chapter Book

Synopsis: (from Goodreads) As my friends and I walk to the bus stop, we do lots of things to make the walk more fun. We have snowball fights in the winter. We throw acorns at the squirrels. We sing songs. We race to the stop sign. And we tell stories. Lots of stories.

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Parenting with Love & Logic by Foster Cline, MD and Jim Fay

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: NavPress Publishing; Rev Upd edition (April 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576839540
• ISBN-13: 978-1576839546

Genre: Parenting

Synopsis: Psychiatrist Cline and educator Fay's "Love and Logic" parenting method advocates raising responsible children through practice. "Helicopter" parents hover around their children while "drill sergeant" parents give orders to theirs, they claim. Neither of these styles permits children to learn how to make choices and learn from the consequences. The result is that as early as adolescence these children too often make bad decisions. In the context of a healthy, loving relationship, "Love and Logic" parents teach their children responsibility and the logic of life by solving their own problems, providing skills for coping in the real world. After laying out the principles of "Love and Logic," the authors provide "parenting pearls," which are strategies for applying the method to actual situations such as back-seat battles in the car, homework, and keeping bedrooms clean. The narration, performed by Tim Kenney and Bert Gurule, is clear and energetic. This is an upbeat and sensible approach to child rearing that will be popular in public libraries.

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Supernaturally by Kiersten White

• ISBN-13: 9780061985867
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 7/26/2011
• Pages: 352
• Age range: 12 - 17 Years

Genre: Paranormal/Young Adult

Review: Evelyn is still trying to find her place in the world. She thought she was all set going to high school and rooming with Arianna, a vampire, as she worked at a diner that served mostly other paranormals. She had her boyfriend, Lend, who is half human and half immortal and she's offered her job back at IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency). All this while she's trying to survive real high school. However, she refuses to work with fairies and gets teamed up with Jack, a young human who has learned how to work the Faerie Paths. Strange things start happening to her, well, stranger than her already strange life. It seems that paranormals are trying to kill her at every turn. Someone wants her dead and she has no idea who. She tries to survive as she searches for the truth of who she is and where she came from. She wants to know why she can see through the glamour of the other paranormals and why she is the only one (besides Vivian) who can suck the souls out of other creatures. Is she a monster?

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Honor & Entropy by J.E. Rainey

Guest review from my husband, Paul. :)

Genre: Epic/Fiction

Synopsis: From Author: Telly Brensen longs for his father, missing since WWII, and despises his mother’s suitors; and when her priceless ring disappears, this ignites his long smoldering rage. He hunts down the ring, maiming the thug who has it; and even though this frees a man wrongfully imprisoned for taking it, he is prosecuted into choosing between the Marines or jail. His choice lands him in Vietnam, where he carries out an act of extraordinary valor. This time, though, a gunfight with a jealous NCO turns a Medal of Honor nomination into a dishonorable discharge. Four years later, with reasons to live fading fast, Telly gets a tip concerning his father. He tracks down old friend Arthur Spevak, solicits him for backup, and sets off alone…for Borneo.

   Unknown to Telly, Spevak is a tormented soul in his own right. Once orphaned, a sense of worthlessness sabotages his every attempt at romance, and in desperation, he, too, joins the Marines. When sent to Vietnam, though, anger at the world for driving him to such measures will not abate, and he becomes a notorious rogue – until the death of a brave friend sends him home with new self-loathing. By the time Telly finds him, he is living on a Chinese mountainside, alone, aimless, and broke. Now since they never crossed paths in the war, each is ignorant of the other’s disgrace, and they make an awkward pact. Then Telly vanishes, and Spevak reluctantly picks up the trail, unaware of how far the journey will one day take him.

Review: I’m not sure why I chose Valentine’s day to review this book as The author sounds more like Vonnegut than Nick Sparks, but since Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors I’ll let it slide. This is the authors attempt at retelling ancient epic adventures in a modern moral dilemma.  I’m not saying Honor and Entropy is a new favorite, but it is  epic. Epic in its length and in its meat. It is not an easy read, nor is it a simple plotline, it will require the reader to sit and properly digest the entire meal before forming a full comprehension of the depth of this novel. Although it may not be so applauded in all literary circles, I love the almost over-use of description. By thoroughly enveloping the reader in the environment the reader can fully envision the leftovers and fill in their own environment to become even more deeply attached to the story. The dialogue at times feels forced but at others flows from the story as if without it the story would end and collapse. In full disclosure there is foul language, but most of the story deals with the Vietnam era and the fall out. Several of the characters are War vets, and I have been around the military long enough to know that foul language is a part of everyday language. I did get drawn into parts of the story line, (the escape of the General), but not so much that I regretted putting the book down for the night. I attribute that more to the fact that I don’t normally read war stories than the skill of the author.

Rating: **** four stars

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Gods and Fathers by James LePore

Published by: The Story Plant
ISBN-10: 1611880297
ISBN-13: 978-1611880298

Publish Date: 02/07/12   300 pages

Genre: Suspense

Synopsis: Nationally bestselling author James LePore has established a reputation as a writer whose vividly drawn characters and morally complex plots have kept readers up to all hours turning pages. His new novel promises more sleepless nights and more nonstop thrills.

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Mo Wren, Lost and Found by Tricia Springstubb

HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Genre: Juvenile, Fiction

Review: Mo Wren has lived her whole life on Fox Street but things have changed. Her mother died and her father is left raising Mo and her sister, Dottie, all on his own. He decides to follow his dream and start his own restaurant in the city... away from Fox Street. Mo must learn to adjust to the new lifestyle as her father learns to trust the young woman she is becoming in this heartfelt coming of age story.

I, instantly, fell in love with the characters in this story. Mo tries to be mature while dealing with middle school life. Dottie is quirky and just a fun kid who, in her own way, deals with these situations by caring for old bottles or newts. Mr. Wren, who struggles with the balancing act of business owner and dad. Shawn and Carmella who welcome the Wren family with open arms but both have their own skeletons they must deal with. There is such a great collection of characters in this book that the reader just can't help but to love. This is the stand alone sequel to What Happened on Fox Street and I think that I am going to have to go out and buy that book now b/c this one was so great! I loved it!

Author: Springstubb was born in New York City on September 15, 1950. She currently lives in Ohio with her husband and two cats. She is also a mom to three adult daughters. When she's not writing she enjoys gardening, swimming and biking. To learn more about Tricia Springstubb click here.

Rating: **** FOUR Stars

If you would like to purchase your own copy of this book then click on the link below (hover for details). Mo Wren, Lost and Found




This was a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Twilight Eyes by Dean Koontz

Guest post by Heidi Angell, Author of "Royal Prince Vince" and "Creative Exercises to Inspire"


Genre: Horror

Review: Welcome to the world of Slim McKenzie, a young man wanted for murder. However, Slim tells you he is saving humanity from monsters that look like humans. If you have ever seen Frailty, they totally ripped their idea straight from this book! Slim is a good guy, despite the fact that in his introduction he tells you he is wanted for murder. Despite the fact that he goes on a killing rampage throughout the book. It is okay, because he is killing goblins. Monsters who appear to the rest of humanity as normal people, but who Slim can see for what they truly are, just beneath the surface. Looking back, this book is part of the reason that I love the T.V. series Supernatural. Same idea! Vigilantism at its finest!

I loved reading this story, but when you sit back and think about it from a real-world perspective, it is even more creepy. As mental illness is on the rise, it is surprising that we have not had a serial killer yet who claims the same. At least, we haven't that we know of.  In some people's mind, this book could be viewed as giving permission to kill those that you consider evil monsters, even if in a figurative manner. The symbolism is... disturbing. Yet, I love this story. It feeds on the Zombie fanatic in me. The deep down desire to get rid of Evil in Humanity by putting a monster's face on it so that I have permission. (Don't worry, I am not going to go on a rampage!!)  And I think that is the reason that books like these are popular. It gives us that permission to be disgusted and allows us the fantasy of being able to do something about it. Take it to the next level and find the figurative way to "kill" the evil and you have a parable! Love it!

Author: Dean Koontz is a phenomenal writer who has blessed the world with such brilliant works as Shattered, Night Chills, Dark Fall, Watchers, Intensity and Fear Nothing. Having published over forty novels, Mr. Koontz is a master of horror and suspense. He lives in Southern California and works full-time as a writer. To learn more about Dean, visit his website at http://www.deankoontz.com/


Rating: **** Four out of five stars.

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