I just (literally) finished reading Dean Koontz’s book Your Heart Belongs to Me .

It is a story of a rich, 34 year old Internet multi-millionaire who has everything: a perfect house, a perfect girlfriend, a perfect job. After an episode while surfing, which he passes off as an anxiety attack and a result of aging, and another in his room while sleeping- he finds out he has a heart problem, and only about 1 year to live. He is told by his doctor that he only has about one year left to live, and his only hope is a heart transplant.

Before the transplant, he is plagued by a whirlwind of paranoia and distrust that leads him on a journey of truth, in which he thinks someone or someones are out to kill him. Believing himself poisoned, he cuts himself off from everyone, and begins investigating everyone around him. He even pulls away from the doctors he has trusted, and puts his care in another well-reputed surgeon.

After only four months on the organ transplant waiting list, he is miraculously called in with a match for him. Sparing no expense, he flies out for surgery, despite growing anxiety and “signs” that something is not right.

A year after the transplant, things are going well for him. He has all-new employees at his home, and although his relationship with his girlfriend has passed, she is becoming very successful, and he is happy for her. Then, a woman appears out his window in the rain, watching the house, he finds candy and trinkets in his locked bedroom, and so the chase for truth begins, with a mind-altering conclusion.

The story line I felt was compelling, but the story seemed confusing, The narrative spoke much of subtext and subtleties, and this book definitely had some of those. It seemed to chase itself a bit, and I felt the ending a bit lacking. While it gave closure to the main theme, it left many questions unanswered. It was a compelling enough read that I finished it within a couple of days.

Tags: Book Reviews, dean koontz, fiction, organ transplant, supernatural

“Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians” by Brandon Sanderson (see it here: LINK ) is a hilarious adventure for the juvenile and young adult (and adults, too, if I must say so myself!).   

  A young boy named Alcatrz Smedrey has been in the foster care system for years.  On his 13th birthday, after recieving a strange package filled with sand supposedly sent from his dead parents, his talent for breaking things causes him to accidentally burn up his foster care mother’s kitchen.  It wouldn’t be as bad if it weren’t for the fact that his foster mom is a chef.  His knack for breaking things that seem to be most important to people has gotten him jumped from home to home throughout his life. 

   On the morning after his 13th birthday, as he waits for one of the people from the foster care system to come get him to move him to another home, he is suprised by an old man at his door, claiming to be his grandfather.  The old man seems worried about being late, claiming that it was his talent.   Alcatraz is about to close the door on the old man, when one of the people from the foster care system show up for him, but instead of leading him to a car, the man instead pulls out a gun and tries to shoot Alcatraz.  Alcatraz gets in the car with the old man, and thus begins his wondrous adventure. 

   Filled with adventure, Alcatraz learns that he is the latest in a great line of Smedreys.  They are oculators with fantastic gifts, such as breaking things, always arriving late, tripping, and speaking nonsense.  They are out to get back the sands which were stolen from Alcatraz’s room unbeknownst to him while his caseworker was there.  Turns out, the world as we know it is run by the evil librarian cult, who fight to keep the world of magic and technology from us. 

  Laugh out loud hilarious in some parts, Sanderson’s energetic and humorous storytelling will wrap you in it’s arms and carry you through the downtown library and the strange antics that ensue!

  I promise you-  you will never look at your librarian the same way again!

Tags: adventure, book review, fantasy, juvenile fiction, young adult

I just finished reading “Still Life With June” by Darren Greer. You can see the book HERE .

  Cameron is a gay, 30-year old struggling writer who also works part time at the Salvation Army in the Sally Ann Treatment Center. He gets the stories he writes by stealing the stories of patients he works with, as well as with the men he finds at the gay bars on holidays.

  He goes to a writer’s group once a week, but never participates in the readings or analysis. When Dagnia comes into the group- a snide, opinionated, accomplished writer- she immediately singles him out, and dislikes him. So it comes as a surprise to him when she enlists his help in spying on someone for her, and her target happens to be the pianist who has moved in upstairs from him.  The book follows the relationship between Cameron and Dagnia through phone calls and email correspondence, and how it evolves as Cameron finds out more about this man.

  It also follows how Cameron becomes obssessed with a patient of the treatment center named Darrell, who was a gay man with a horrible coke habit and an even worse family life, who hung himself in the treatment’s utility closet.  Cameron’s writings begin to revolve soley around this man and his life. He becomes so immersed in Darrell’s life, that he even pretends to be Darrell in order to go visit Darrell’s sister June- a 33 year old woman institutionalized in a mental hospital with severe Down’s Syndrome.

Cameron carries on with his Darrell persona, and forms a bond with June. He even talks often with the director of the center June is in. He spends much of his time with June, and even asks for her complete files, which he takes home and pours through in order to glean more about Darrell’s past as well as June’s.

He follows a long path that leads him to some painful memories and reaches into the farthest recesses of his soul and gives him a revelation he, and me as the reader, never expected.

It was definately an intriguing read. Set up in a series of emails, writings of Cameron’s, lists, and regular story it could be a bit hard to read at times- mainly because of my poor eyesight. The characters breathe life of thier own, and you find yourself just as immersed in the search for answers as they are.

Tags: book review, darren greer, Down's Syndrome, drug addiction, fiction, writers