Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Aza Ray Boyle can’t breathe. It seems like she has always been sick- inexplicably short of breath and weak.

This continuous illness has made her always feel different from the people around her. But, perhaps, there are stranger and more exotic reasons why she is different. Ones that Aza can’t even imagine…

Jason is Aza’s dearest friend. They are so close that they almost speak their own language.

He realizes there is more to Aza than meets the eye. How will Jason handle it when he discovers the shocking truth?

This young adult fantasy is weird, but I enjoyed it.

That’s probably because I read a lot of weird, non-fiction. The story of Magonia, a world in the sky above the every day world which we know, has shown up in some of those books.

One of those books, Passport to Magonia: On UFOs, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds, captured my imagination.

That book recounts an incident where a bunch of villagers were holding church service and they heard a crash outside. They went to investigate the noise and discovered what appeared to be a ship anchor attached to the roof of their church. It was connected to, this just blows my mind, a ship in the sky. This supposedly happened in 1211 AD.

The astonishing thing about Passport to Magonia is it has pages and pages of stories like that, eyewitness accounts of bizarre ships, people, and incidents concerning people from the sky. And they all actually happened, reportedly.

I remember thinking that an author needed to get her hands on these stories and turn it into something fantastic. Maria Dahvana Headley used a different source material than the book that I read, but does a good job bringing a mysterious blip in history to life.

She has the ability to interweave actual events with fantasy fiction story lines so that the two begin to blur in the reader’s mind.

I read Headley’s first book Queen of Kings years ago and I remember being struck by its originality.

Headley took Cleopatra’s life and turned it into a vampire story. It sounds sort of silly described that way, (oh, ANOTHER vampire story) but it is actually rather fun.

I had read Margaret George’s The Memoirs of Cleopatra shortly before Queen of Kings so I had a pretty good idea of the actual story of the Egyptian queen.

Back to this book, Magonia isn’t going to appeal to everyone.

I was, at first, rather turned off by the uber-intellectual back and forth conversations of the main characters- Jason and Aza.

I think, since the mega success of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, authors make their teenage protagonists so brainy and well-spoken, it is just unbelievable.

I mean, it’s been awhile, but I remember high school. My peers and I were lucky if we could string two cogent sentences together, let alone present verbal dissertations on the meaning of pi.

Anyway, once I was able to look past their flowery repartee, I got really into the story.

Headley paints a magical and dangerous world.

If you enjoyed Magonia, you may also enjoy The Mermaid’s Sister or Under the Empyrean Sky. Both are young adult novels and take place in fantasy worlds that are so close to the world we know, but different in surprising ways.

Check out my review of Aerie, the sequel to this book.

Thanks for reading!

I am Pusheen the Cat by Claire Belton

As I’ve mentioned in a few other reviews, my nine year old hates to read. It breaks my heart. I’m constantly searching for titles to pique her interest and I struck gold with this little book, I am Pusheen the Cat.

Usually, when I bring a book home from work for her, she takes one look at the title and then puts it on her desk…where it sits, until I have to take it back to the library again. This one was a completely different experience. I handed it to her. She sat down. She opened the book and read it cover to cover right then. I was blown away. Seriously, you could have picked my jaw up off of the floor.

There’s no story to this book. It’s just a series of cutsie pictures of Pusheen and her sister, Stormy. There are, however, some tricky vocabulary words thrown in like “inconvenience” or “procrastinator”. I was in mommy/librarian heaven, helping her sound out the words and explaining what they meant. I can’t say enough how much it meant to me to find something she liked, no, loved.

For me, I am Pusheen the Cat is a three star book at most. It’s cute, sure, but that’s about it. For my child, however, this is the holy grail of graphic novels. If you have a reluctant reader, I can’t recommend it highly enough. In fact, I may pay this book the ultimate compliment (in my mind) and purchase a copy of it for my home. Coming from a public librarian, that’s high praise indeed. Thanks for reading!

Realizing Soul — From Intuition to an Inspired Life by Paul Brunton

Paul Brunton was an English philosopher who dedicated his life to the spiritual journey.

I had never read the teachings of Brunton before Realizing Soul and I found him to be very similar to Eckhart Tolle or, interestingly enough, Abraham Hicks.

He was like Eckhart Tolle in that he stressed the importance of the Now moment.

Brunton was like Abraham Hicks in that his description of the “Oversoul” could walk hand in hand with Hick’s “Vortex of Creation”. In fact, in my mind when I was reading this, I just substituted Oversoul for Vortex because I was more familiar with Hick’s thoughts on the matter than Brunton’s.

There is quite a lot of information in Realizing Soul, though it isn’t very long. In fact, I wish that some of the passages had been longer. This book was mainly a compilation of ideas from many of Brunton’s different writings.

I suppose that it gives the reader a great overview of the various works but I felt that it lacked some depth because of the shortened sections which were each generally only a couple of sentences long.

Some parts I want to remember:
“…That which he has been seeking so ardently has been within himself all the time. For there at the core of his being, hidden away underneath all the weakness, passion, pettiness, fear, and ignorance, dwells light, love, peace, and truth. The windows of his heart open on eternity, only he has kept them closed! He is as near the sacred spirit of God as he ever shall be, but he must open his eyes to see it. Man’s divine estate is there deep within himself. But he must claim it.”pg 18

“The personal ego of man forms itself out of the impersonal life of the universe like a wave forming itself out of the ocean. It constricts, confines, restricts, and limits that infinite life to a small finite area. The wave does just the same to the water of the ocean. The ego shuts out so much of the power and intelligence contained in the universal being that it seems to belong to an entirely different and utterly inferior order of existence. The wave, too, since it forms itself only on the surface of the water gives no indication in its tiny stature of the tremendous depth and breadth and volume of water beneath it…” pg 27

“What can I do to break this barren, monotonous, dreary, and sterile spiritual desert of my existence? The answer is if you cannot meditate successfully go to nature, where she is quiet or beautiful; go to art where it is majestic, exalting; go to hear some great soul speak, whether in private talk or public address; go to literature, find a great inspired book written by someone who has had the glimpses (of the divine within life).” pg 78

“Man as scientist has put under observation countless objects on earth, in sea and sky. He has thoroughly examined them. But man as man has put himself under a shallower observation. He has limited his scrutiny first to the body, second to what thinking can find. Yet a deeper level exists, where a deeper hidden self can be found.” pg 96

For the most part, I found Realizing Soul to be very beautiful and rich in meaning. There were some bits on karma and ego illusion that didn’t really resonate with me, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t speak to others. If you want more of Brunton’s writings, they can be found online for free at this website: http://www.paulbruntondailynote.se/

If you enjoyed this book, you may want to listen to some of Eckhart Tolle’s lectures like Even the Sun will Die, Gateways to Now, or pick up the book, Stillness Speaks. Readers may also enjoy The Art of Living and Dying: Celebrating Life and Celebrating Death by Osho.

Thanks to the Goodreads First Reads program for a free copy of this book. And, thank you for reading!

The Introvert’s Way by Sophia Dembling

The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World is a collection of Dembling’s blog posts about introversion. She talks about how introverts are different from extroverts, how we rub each other the wrong way, and how, with some understanding on both sides, we can all get along and thrive. It’s engaging, but she writes as the royal “we” which I found distracting. No one has the authority to speak for introverts as a group. Right, introverts? *crickets*

I loved how she cleared up some rather major misunderstandings that I’ve been running into my entire adult life, like this one: “When we want to, not-shy introverts can nut up to the task of being charming and witty. We can meet new people. We can start conversations and keep them rolling, and even draw shy people out, since we’re good at not getting up in anyone’s face and we’re patient listeners… Introverts who are not shy are used to being told that they could not possibly be introverts. This can be irritating, but think of it as a teachable moment.” pg 16-17

Dembling gives some concrete ways in which introverts can improve their social skills: “If you’re misinterpreted more often than not, you might need to give some thought to what your quiet is telling people. When you are sitting quietly, try to parse what kind of quiet you’re feeling. “Leave me alone” quiet is different from “thinking hard” quiet, which is different from “enjoying watching the scene” quiet, which is different from “I’m totally overwhelmed, get me out of here” quiet. Once you have a sense of what you want to project, consider your body language. pg 37 My husband has expressed to me, many times, that he can’t read my “quiet”. This can be problematic because when I’m upset, I withdraw completely and, if he’s not paying attention, he misses the whole thing. Maybe I should make some signs…

“…with our deep listening habits and our hyperawareness and sensitivity, introverts are particularly susceptible to being sucked into the vortex of other people’s demands and expectations, which can cause us to keep going long after we are completely drained of energy.” pg 55 This is a legit problem. I’m from a large family of extroverts and I’ve learned that I have to draw very clear boundaries to preserve my space. There’s an assumption that if I’m home that I’m not doing anything “important” and I should be willing to go out and do whatever it is that they’re doing. Annoying. I know that they do it out of love and the desire to make me feel included, but sometimes, most times really, I just want to be left alone.

This, just this: “Nine out of ten introverts agree: the telephone is the tool of the devil.” pg 64 End of story. I can never think of anything to say while I’m on the phone, but after I hang up, I think of ten million things I could have said. It’s a vicious cycle of terror and then regret. I’m over it.

Dembling’s “Affirmations for Introverts” are excellent. Here’s my favorite: “I know what I need better than anyone else.” pg 179

It was encouraging to read about how some of my major personality quirks, which I have always viewed as flaws, are not really stumbling blocks at all. It’s just how I interact with the world. I’m very fortunate in that my friends and family have accepted me for who I am, for the most part, and not pushed me to be someone that I’m not. I just wish that I had been more aware of what makes me happy and not been so hard on myself for so many years because I wasn’t an extrovert. I wish I was good at parties, made small talk with ease, or lit up a room with my mere presence, but I don’t. And, at long last I realize: that’s ok.

If you’re looking for more books on this topic, try The Power of Personality: How Introverts and Extroverts Can Combine to Amazing Effect by Sylvia Loehken or The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have with People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do by Sarah Knight (not necessarily a book on personalities, but I found it useful as a technique to manage my energy).

Thanks for reading!

The New Science of the Paranormal: From the Research Lab to Real Life by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke & Joe H Slate, PhD.

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke died last year- may he rest in peace. I eagerly looked forward to reading The New Science of the Paranormal, one of his last (I’m guessing) books that we will ever see from him.

The primary message in here is one of self empowerment and the potential for anyone to develop powers that could be considered “paranormal”. What an appropriate departing lesson from a man who ran a publishing firm dedicated to bringing the occult and mysterious to light.

The New Science of the Paranormal isn’t an “easy” read in that it includes a lot of tables and metaphysical philosophizing about the new age and levels of spiritual evolution.

To me, the most engaging bits were the accounts of students and researchers trying to swing a pendulum with their minds or use dowsing rods to predict the gender of unborn babies. The scientific experiments that were included are fascinating in their implications.

Also, many of the techniques like water gazing and hand prints in the sand are not ones that I had been exposed to. I’ll definitely be trying some of this out on my own.

“The objective study of paranormal power can dispel many of the myths and “stories” surrounding the topic, including the belief that very few individuals possess paranormal powers. Although certain individuals, often called “advanced beings” or “gifted psychics”, may appear to be extraordinarily empowered, everyone to some degree possesses paranormal potential. Not unlike intelligence, the distribution of paranormal potential within the general population seems to occur in a so-called “normal curve”…

Empowerment: “We are more than we think we are, but we don’t know we are until we develop that level of awareness and related sense of perception. We must grow to become more than we are and all we can be.”

Water gazing, who knew? : “Validated in the lab setting and successfully applied beyond the lab, water gazing is among the most effective self-empowerment techniques known. Whether to increase creativity in writing and art, activate telepathic sending and receiving, facilitating clairvoyance, improve memory, promote successful goal attainment, or generate a state of mental, physical, and spiritual attunement, the powers of water gazing appear to be without limits.”

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

The Crumpled Paper technique was also surprising in its incredible amount of potential uses. Actually, this whole book kind of blew my mind. Perhaps I was dreaming too small.

A bit reminiscent of Abraham Hicks: “…one simple self-administered procedure is: Pay Attention to Your ‘Feelings.’ By that, we don’t mean to get all emotional when ‘feeling’ an idea, concept, event, situation, person, etc., but rather to analyze: what your feelings are telling you, what is it you are sensing, what is the basis for your emotional reaction, etc. And then let yourself explore the ‘answers’ to those questions.”

Know thyself. A message as old as the Delphic oracles.

I’ll close with a quotation included in Chapter Twelve: “Not in the clamor of the crowded street, Not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, But in ourselves are triumph and defeat.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Poets” (1876)

Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publishing for a free digital ARC of this book! And, thank you for reading!

More Than This by Patrick Ness

I picked up More Than This because I recently enjoyed A Monster Calls. This book, like Monster, is about a young man learning how to handle life’s major hurdles. That, though, is where their similarities end. More than This opens with Seth drowning in the ocean and the story really begins when he opens his eyes after death…

More Than This is darker than A Monster Calls in many ways. For readers who are concerned about the maturity level of themes in this book: there are some (short) scenes of physical abuse, non-graphic GLBT teen sex, teen suicide, brief moments of bullying, extremely brief nudity (both male and female), and a short masturbation bit. On the other hand, there’s a lot of empowering elements in here too. There’s a very strong, young, black female heroine, a plucky, brainy, Polish sidekick, and some really trippy depictions of reality itself. The GLBT relationship is healthy and non-abusive. The friendships that develop between the main characters are real and beautiful.

Depending on the young adult reading the book, I’d say 14+ might be a good age for this one.

I loved the ambiguity of Seth’s situation in the afterlife. No spoilers here, but that was my favorite part, the “what the heck is going on here” moments that Ness kept handing to me. Read it and you’ll see what I mean in mere pages.

Patrick Ness is at his strongest when he’s writing his way around painful emotions, which there are piles of in this book. He’s at his lowest during the first part of More Than This because of the pacing. This starts out seriously slowly, but if you can make it through the first section, things pick up considerably afterwards.

Some of my favorite moments: “Is this a dream? he thinks, the words coming to him slowly, thickly, as if from a great distance. The last dream before death?” pg 13 ebook

“He looks out toward the darkened sitting room and wonders what he’s supposed to do here. Is there a goal? Something to solve? Or is he just supposed to stay here forever? Is that what hell is? Trapped forever, alone, in your worst memory? It makes a kind of sense.” pg 31 ebook

Seth’s relationship with his parents is pretty messed up, which is very sad, really: “His mother made a sign with her hands of sarcastic surrender, then stared firmly at the ceiling. His father turned to look at him, and Seth realized with a shock how rare it was for his father to look him straight in the eye. It was like having a statue suddenly ask you for directions. pg 97 ebook

My favorite character was Tomasz. He has wisdom far beyond his age:“Tomasz shrugs. “People ask for what they need in different ways. Sometimes by not even asking for it at all.” pg 149 ebook

The heroine: “People see stories everywhere,” Regine says. “That’s what my father used to say. We take random events and we put them together in a pattern so we can comfort ourselves with a story, no matter how much it obviously isn’t true.” She glances back at Seth. “We have to lie to ourselves to live. Otherwise, we’d go crazy.” pg 159 ebook. Very true.

One last passage, for my husband, who argues with people on the internet far too much and who came to mind here: “And that’s what the Internet age has done for us,” his mother says, sitting down. “Anything you don’t like is automatically disgusting and anyone who may like it themselves is an idiot. So much for a world full of different viewpoints, huh?” pg 319 ebook.

If you enjoyed More Than This, you may like A Monster Calls even more (I know I did) or try The Last One by Alexandra Oliva (a book written for adults, but a mature young adult would probably enjoy it too). Thank you for reading!

Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by James R. Doty

This book is James Doty’s memoir. He had a tragic childhood with parents who, for various reasons, were not present for him. Then, after an encounter with a total stranger, James was taught meditation, creative visualization, and positive thought practices that changed his life.

As he comes of age, he dismisses the compassion related portions of his childhood training and focuses instead upon the money and prestige that it brings as he pursues a career as a neurosurgeon. It’s a fascinating and educational account.

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. on Pexels.com

I was particularly taken with the near-death experience portion of the book. James approached that experience as an atheist so I felt that made his opinion on it rather different than other accounts I’ve read.

Some of the bits that I want to remember (advance reader’s copy cited so the final published book may contain slightly different wording):
“Some of the wisest patients and people I have ever met have been children. The heart of a child is wide-open. Children will tell you what scares them, what makes them happy, what they like about you and what they don’t. There is no hidden agenda and you never have to guess how they really feel.” pg 3

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas on Pexels.com

“Everyone has a story, and I have learned that, at the core of it, most of our stories are more similar than not.” pg 60 But not everyone tells their story. Thank you, Dr. Doty, for telling yours.

“When our brain changes, we change. That is a truth proven by science. But an even greater truth is that when our heart changes, everything changes. And that change is not only in how we see the world but how the world sees us. And how the world responds to us.” pg 151 I think that this is one of the great mysteries of life.

About his near death experience: “At the time I felt the warmth of a light and a sense of oneness with the universe. I was enveloped in love, and while it didn’t transform my religious beliefs, it informed my absolute belief that who we are today doesn’t have to be who we are tomorrow and that we are connected to everything and everyone.” pg 203

“There’s a reason stock traders are using meditation techniques; these techniques help them become not only more focused but, sadly in some cases, more callous. This is what Ruth warned me about before she taught me to visualize. Yes, we can create anything we want, but it is only the intelligence of the heart that can tell us what’s worth creating.” pg 231 A powerful lesson, but one, I think, that can only be learned through personal experience.

If you enjoyed this book, try Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife by Eben Alexander or The Power of the Heart: Finding Your True Purpose in Life by Baptist de Pape.

Thank you to the Goodreads First Reads program for an advance reader copy of this book. And, thank you for reading!

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Girl in the Blue Coat is a beautifully written, young adult book about a terrible moment in history- the German occupation of the Netherlands. Hanneke is a young woman who runs black market goods to people in her town not only so that her family can eat, but also to thumb her nose at the Nazis who have taken so much from her and her people. The mystery portion of the book begins when one of Hanneke’s clients asks her to find a Jewish girl who disappeared from the safe house where she had been hiding.

I found myself drawn into this story for many reasons. First, Hanneke is a strong, female protagonist who doesn’t wait for other people to solve her problems- I liked that. Also, Girl in the Blue Coat does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Hesse changed it up. In addition, I cared about the characters in the story and I wanted them to succeed. It reminded me a lot of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- same time period, different country.

The strength of Hanneke: “I can feel myself getting sucked into this mystery… Maybe because it’s another way to flout the rules. But maybe because, in a country that has come to make no sense, in a world I cannot solve, this is a small piece that I can. pg 45-46

The complexity of Hanneke’s emotions in a world divided by war: “Here is the thing about my grief: It’s like a very messy room in a house where the electricity has gone out. My grief over Bas (young man she lost to the war) is the darkness. It’s the thing that’s most immediately wrong in the house. It’s the thing that you notice straight off. It covers everything else up. But if you could turn the lights back on, you would see there are lots of other things still wrong in the room. The dishes are dirty. There is mold in the sink. The rug is askew. Elsbeth (former best friend) is my askew rug. Elsbeth is my messy room. Elsbeth is the grief I would allow myself to feel, if my emotions weren’t so covered in darkness.” pg 104

Hanneke’s growing self awareness because of her struggles: “I watched a whole afternoon unfold under my nose, and I misread everything that was happening, from start to finish. All the clues were in front of me, but I still didn’t see them.” pg 125

How Hanneke’s country has changed because of the occupation: “The prisoners follow, carrying suitcases, disheveled and tired like they haven’t slept in days. The crowd is big, maybe seventy people, and the soldiers march them down the middle of the street. It’s a lovely winter day in Amsterdam, and though there are other people on the street, couples like me and Willem, nobody acts like the forced parade of people is out of the ordinary. Our sense of ordinary has become horrifying.” pg 212

If you enjoyed Girl in the Blue Coat, you may want to pick up The Book Thief by Markus Zusak or The Bishop’s Wife (Linda Wallheim Mystery, #1) by Mette Ivie Harrison. Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advance reader copy of this book. And, thank you for reading!

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

Twelve contestants go on a survival reality show. It’s a brutal competition and the only way off the show is to say the safe word. While the filming is taking place, something terrible happens in the real world… and no one tells the contestants. Will any of them survive? And, if they somehow survive, will they have a home to go back to?

In the book blurb, The Last One is compared to Station Eleven and The Passage neither of which I liked very much. I thought Station Eleven was boring and The Passage is the Game of Thrones of dystopian literature, it goes on and on and on… Unlike the other two titles, I think that The Last One got the mix of action to number of characters just right. If I had to pick the book that I think it’s most like, I would compare it to Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood but with far more like-able characters and a much more optimistic world view.

The Last One is told through a first person, present narrative and a third person flashback, alternating viewpoints between chapters. I was a bit frustrated with that set up until the timelines began to converge towards the end of the book, because Oliva kept putting in foreshadowing, but then not delivering on it until a couple chapters later- just long enough for me to completely forget about it. I’m much more of an instant gratification kind of reader, but I managed to push through it and really started to enjoy the novel despite the style of storytelling.

Mixing reality television with the end of the world was brilliant because the mind set of the people in the reality shows is already in survival of the fittest/game mode. I completely believed the mental breakdown that Zoo suffered when she tried to figure out where the game ended and reality began. She was put in a situation where she wasn’t supposed to know what was going on and then, she didn’t even know when exactly, no one knew what was going on. This type of world ending felt much more believable than the descent into chaos in World War Z or Station Eleven because of that slow transition to a different world provided by the reality tv show setting.

Also, anyone who’s ever watched reality tv will immediately grasp the archtypical roles that Oliva uses to label her characters and it makes it simple to keep a rather large group of people straight in your mind. Fans of Big Brother, Top Chef, The Jersey Shore, and any of the countless other offerings of that genre will eat this up.

What I loved most about this book is that it was so easy to put myself in Zoo’s shoes. In this passage, she’s talking about her reluctance to go on the show: “It didn’t used to be so difficult to leave, but it was different before I met my husband. Before- leaving Stowe for college, that summer hiking hostel to hostel across western Europe, six months in Australia after graduating from Columbia- my fear was always tempered by excitement enough to tip the scales. Leaving was always scary, but it was never hard. But this time I not only left familiarity behind, I left happiness. There’s a difference, the magnitude of which I didn’t anticipate.”advance reader, pg 24-25

Cooper, aka Tracker, was also so relatable. He reminded me of various people that I have known in my real life: “Cooper was kind of like that at first. Standoffish. I don’t know what drew me to him so strongly from the start. No- I do. His air of almost freakish competence. The way he scanned each of us, assessing without looking for allies, because from the moment he leapt into that tree it was clear he didn’t need anyone but himself. I bet his entire adult life has been like that: needing no one, being needed by no one- existing without apology and accomplishing wonders. I’d never been around someone so supremely independent before and was fascinated.” advance reader, pg 38

The reality show mentality begins: “Waitress’s animosity doesn’t surprise Exorcist, but Rancher’s agreement does, as do the many nodding heads around the campfire. Briefly, he looks into a camera lens, as though accusing the device of having put the others up to this. Indeed, that’s exactly what he’s doing; he thinks they’re performing- like he is. But the truth is most of the contestants have in this moment forgotten that they’re being recorded. An ancient instinct is kicking in, not so much a survival-of-the-fittest mentality as an unwillingness to carry an able but lazy individual.” advance reader, pg 174

Zoo’s confusion between reality and reality television makes for some really intense, introspective moments: “I wonder how I’m being portrayed now. I know what my role was when we started. I was the earnest animal lover, always cheerful and up for a Challenge. But now? Will they cast me as off my rocker? Probably not; that’s Randy’s role, with his stupid gold cross and his tales of possessed toddlers. But whoever I am now, I’m no longer who I was. I wonder if I can even do that anymore, be that person grinning until her cheeks ache. It was exhausting, as exhausting as this endless trekking, in its own way.” advance reader, pg 185 After awhile, I started to wonder if Zoo would ever accept what was really happening to her or choose to keep soldiering on and never come back from the world that she was building in her head. I liked her enough though, that I was cheering for her sanity, every step of the way. That’s the sign of a good book, I think.

Finally, I loved this moment, when Zoo’s happy mask begins to crack on the television show and how she’s received: “Waitress is shocked, as are Rancher and the camerman. The producers will be shocked too, and the editor, who will work so hard to explain away this moment. But there is at least one viewer who won’t be shocked: Zoo’s husband. He knows this secret competitive side of her, her impatience for wallowing and delay. He also knows how fear can turn her mean.” advance reader, pg 221. Ah marriage, the ultimate reality show.

There’s a lot more to The Last One that I’m not going to talk about here because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. It’s a great book. I recommend it for readers who enjoy dystopians, for television watchers who enjoy reality shows, and for anyone who has ever wondered about their capacity to survive the end of the world. Could you be as strong as Zoo? Could I? I wonder…

Thank you to the Goodreads First Reads and NetGalley for advance reading copies of this book. And, thank you for reading! The full text of this review has also appeared on my public library’s blog : ofplblog.info

The Help Desk

Sharing reviews and deep thoughts about life.

Tag: Reviews

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

I am Pusheen the Cat by Claire Belton

Realizing Soul — From Intuition to an Inspired Life by Paul Brunton

The Introvert’s Way by Sophia Dembling

The New Science of the Paranormal: From the Research Lab to Real Life by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke & Joe H Slate, PhD.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by James R. Doty

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

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