THE LOST BOY

Author:  Greg Ruth

Genre:  Sci-Fi YA Graphic Novel, Standalone

Published:  2013

Personal Rating:  1/5 (Don't Bother)

Format:  Book

Yearly Count:  2

From Goodreads:

Some mysteries are too dangerous to ignore. . .

After Nate moves into his new house, he discovers an old tape recorder in his bedroom and is suddenly thrust into a dark mystery about a boy who went missing many years ago. Now, as strange creatures begin to track Nate, he must partner with Tabitha, a local sleuth, to find out what they want with him. But time is running out, because a powerful force is gathering strength in the woods at the edge of town, and before long Nate and Tabitha will be forced to confront a terrifying foe and uncover the truth about the Lost Boy.

This is not the genre for me! I'm sure there are many, many people who thoroughly would love this graphic novel. The artistry was terrific, but again -- just not for me.

Thoughts of Joy

UPGRADE SOUL

Author:  Ezra Claytan Daniels

Genre:  Sci-Fi Graphic Novel, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  2/5 (eh)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  43

From NetGalley:

For their 45th anniversary, Hank and Molly Nonnar decide to undergo an experimental rejuvenation procedure, but their hopes for youth are dashed when the couple is faced with the results: severely disfigured yet intellectually and physically superior duplicates of themselves. Can the original Hank and Molly coexist in the same world as their clones? In Upgrade Soul, McDuffie Award-winning creator Ezra Claytan Daniels asks probing questions about what shapes our identity-Is it the capability of our minds or the physicality of our bodies? Is a newer, better version of yourself still you? This page-turning graphic novel follows the lives of Hank and Molly as they discover the harsh truth that only one version of themselves is fated to survive.

This one started out interesting, but then it just got to be too much for me.  I didn't care for the characters' look, and it sorta turned me off reading it.  I stopped for a bit.  When I went back to finish it, the eBook had disappeared (expired on NetGalley).  I did check it out from the library to finish it, but wasn't happy about the whole experience.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Lion Forge and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

SHEETS

Author:  Brenna Thummler

Genre:  Graphic Novel, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  2.25/5 (not enjoyable +)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  26

From NetGalley:

Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen year old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.

Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.

When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.

Sheets illustrates the determination of a young girl to fight, even when all parts of her world seem to be conspiring against her. It proves that second chances are possible whether life feels over or life is over. But above all, it is a story of the forgiveness and unlikely friendship that can only transpire inside a haunted laundromat.

This was not for me.  I didn't realize that it was Sci-Fi/Fantasy, so it wasn't an enjoyable read.  The illustrations were very good, but the entire storyline was baffling.  With apparently a big message hidden inside, I hope that others find it comforting or can derive something positive from it.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Lion Forge and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

DARK MATTER

Author:  Blake Crouch

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2016

Personal Rating:  3.25/5 (just okay +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Jon Lindstrom

Yearly Count:  51

A man is kidnapped, then finds himself in another universe.

Well, I didn't find this as captivating as many others have, but it was still a decent listen.  I was very intrigued in the beginning, the middle was just okay -- it became a little redundant and I was ready to move on, and then the ending was predictable.  Even though I've rated it a 3.25/5, I certainly don't feel it was a waste of time.  It definitely was an interesting concept (which his writing conveyed very well) and one that we often think about . . .

what if . . . ? 

Thoughts of Joy

THE PRIVATE EYE (Deluxe Edition)

Author:  Brian K. Vaughan

Genre:  Graphic Mystery, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  1.5/5 (ugh)
Format:  eBook

From NetGalley:

THE PRIVATE EYE is an eerily prescient sci-fi mystery about an unlicensed private investigator who stumbles onto the most important case of his life. The series is set in 2076, a time after "the cloud has burst", revealing everyone's secrets. As a result, there is no more Internet, and people are excessively guarded about their identity, to the point of appearing only masked in public.

I thought the description was intriguing, but by the time I reached 1/2 way, I disconnected.  Apparently, it is a rather loved comic.  It just didn't work for this reader.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

SAINT ODD

Author:  Dean Koontz

Genre:  Sci-Fi Thriller, Odd Thomas Series #7

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/
David Aaron Baker

Yearly Count:  35

Odd returns to Pico Mundo.

I love everything about Odd Thomas (David Aaron Baker!).  However, like I've said before, I really wanted more story . . . not just a hunt.  Despite my "just okay" rating(s), I still regarding this series as a delightful one.  Odd will always be one of my favorite characters.  

Thoughts of Joy

THE MARTIAN

Author:  Andy Weir

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2014

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/R.C. Bray

Yearly Count:  19

The botanist/engineer member of the Mars mission, Mark Watney, gets stranded on the planet after a dust storm.  

I think I'm the only person on this planet that doesn't think this book is out of this world.  :(  I almost gave up after the first 30 minutes or so, but knew there had to be something more coming (because of all the hype), so I made myself continue on.  One of the greatest adjustments I had to make was to listen differently.  I did not need to follow every ounce or degree or whatever else he was trying to figure out.  The details didn't matter.  Thank goodness, because there were billions of them!!!  

In general, I liked the basic storyline, but overall, it was just "good."  Mark and his quips saved the day.

Thoughts of Joy

  

THE RUINS

Author:  Scott Smith

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2006

Personal Rating:  1.5/5 (Ugh!)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Patrick Wilson

Yearly Count:  25

A group of college kids go to Cancun for a party-filled vacation when the brother of a group member doesn't return from a mini-excursion.  They go looking for him in the jungle.

To quote the book, "... astoundingly stupid ..."  To reduce it to a one word from me, "ABSURD."

Thoughts of Joy

DOPE SICK

Author:  Walter Dean Myers

Genre:  YA Magical Realism, Standalone

Published:  2009

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/JD Jackson

Yearly Count:  6

With a drug deal gone bad, Lil J needs to make some decisions in his life, and he may have just stumbled upon some help.

I was surprised to find that the core of this book was magical realism.  It was a short book, so I was fine with that (not a fan of magical realism), but more importantly, it was an interesting way to present the topic/issues in a realistic manner.  The story (especially the ending) can certainly be a portal to conversation for those that can relate.  

Thoughts of Joy     

DEEPLY ODD

Author:  Dean Koontz

Genre:  Sci-Fi Thriller, Odd Thomas Series #6

Published:  2013

Personal Rating:  3.25/5 (just okay +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/
David Aaron Baker

Yearly Count:  5


Odd returns to save the children he sees in a vision.

This is another one of those audioreads when the narrator IS the character, and boy did I love visiting with him (Odd) again.  As usual, the wit made me smirk and the character he chums up with was great, but the storyline wasn't all that interesting to me.  The two of them could have had a conversation at a kitchen table with a cup of coffee, and I would have been very happy.  I'll still continue on with Odd's callings, but I'm hoping for more intriguing storylines.

Thoughts of Joy

RUNNER

Author:  Patrick Lee

Genre:  Sci-Fi Thriller,
Sam Dryden Series #1

Published:  2014

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  91

From NetGalley:

Sam Dryden, retired special forces, lives a quiet life in a small town on the coast of Southern California. While out on a run in the middle of the night, a young girl runs into him on the seaside boardwalk. Barefoot and terrified, she’s running from a group of heavily armed men with one clear goal—to kill the fleeing child. After Dryden helps her evade her pursuers, he learns that the eleven year old, for as long as she can remember, has been kept in a secret prison by forces within the government. But she doesn’t know much beyond her own name, Rachel. She only remembers the past two months of her life—and that she has a skill that makes her very dangerous to these men and the hidden men in charge.

Dryden, who lost his wife and young daughter in an accident five years ago, agrees to help her try to unravel her own past and make sense of it, to protect her from the people who are moving heaven and earth to find them both. Although Dryden is only one man, he’s a man with the extraordinary skills and experience—as a Ranger, a Delta, and five years doing off-the-book black ops with an elite team. But, as he slowly begins to discover, the highly trained paramilitary forces on their heels is the only part of the danger they must face. Will Rachel’s own unremembered past be the most deadly of them all?

 Had I known this was science fiction, I probably would not have requested it.  I'm surprised I ended up with a 3.5/5 rating, because I felt tricked (not knowing the sci-fi part) and that made me angry.  However, once I got over that, I was still interested and went with it.  There were certainly parts that were over-the-top, but in general, I really enjoyed the fast-paced ride.  I can understand why and how others may appreciate this more than me being that I'm not a sci-fi fan.  I definitely want to read more by Patrick Lee, providing it's not the same genre.  If it ends up being another Sam Dryden thriller, I hope we get to learn more about him.  This was light on character development.

My thanks go to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.  It is scheduled to be published on February 18, 2014.

THE PRISONER OF CELL 25

Author:  Richard Paul Evans

Genre:  YA Sci-Fi, Michael Vey Series #1

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  3.75/5 (good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Fred Berman

Yearly Count:  75

Michael Vey, 14-years-old, has special electric powers.  He discovers he's not alone, which brings him comfort, but also the questions:  Why me?  Why us?  

I enjoyed this.  I really enjoyed the characters and thought the science-fiction part was done well.  It was a very "clean" book - no swearing, drugs or alcohol.  My interest level remained high throughout, even though it was definitely geared to a YA audience, and I was entertained.  The ending consisted of a close-to over-the-top climax, but it worked.  I look forward to the second in the series titled Rise of the Elgen.    

THE TIME KEEPER

Author:  Mitch Albom

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  1.5/5 (ugh)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Dan Stevens

Yearly Count:  105

From Amazon:

(All you would have gotten from me was, "It's the story of Father Time.")

The inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

He returns to our world--now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began--and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.

I was at the library the day after I saw this book being mentioned on Dr. Phil and happened to run across it.  Being that it was only 4 CDs, I decided I would give it a try while doing some housework.  Unfortunately that's all it did - assist me in my housework.  I wasn't even taken by the message.  Boo.

THE AGE OF MIRACLES

Author:  Karen Thompson Walker

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  2/5 (not enjoyable)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Emily Card

Yearly Count:  103

Julia shares her experience of when she was 12, and the world began to slow down making the days and nights grow longer and longer.

I thought this was an adult book, but as soon as it began I realized it must be a YA book and went with that assumption all the way through.  However, since finishing it, I looked it up and discovered that I was incorrect in my assumption; it was in fact an adult book like I thought before beginning it. That has left me baffled.  It so reads like a slow moving, uneventful YA book.  Sadly, I was bored for the majority of it and don't understand its high praise.

EVERY DAY

Author:  David Levithan

Genre:  YA Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Alex McKenna

Yearly Count:  98

"A" wakes up in the 16-year-old body of somebody different every day and lives their life for 24 hours.  However, things become a little more complicated when "A" falls in love with someone while he is in a host body.

This had a very unique and intriguing plot, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The conundrum "A" finds himself in is one that kept me glued to the pages wondering how it would be resolved.  The book covered a multitude of topics, which lends itself to an interesting book club choice.  Well done.

ODD APOCALYPSE

Author:  Dean Koontz

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Odd Thomas #5

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/David Baker

Yearly Count: 79

Odd Thomas sees a ghost-woman on horseback in Roseland and decides that he and his companion, Annamaria, will stay for a bit to help her.

I have conflicting feelings about this one.  I adore Odd, and I love, love, love David Baker's narration.  He IS Odd Thomas.  The conflict comes into play with the plot and do I dare say the writing?  Yes, the writing.  At one point I wasn't going to set it aside, but I was extremely frustrated with hearing description after description after description.  Does Koontz do a fabulous job with his metaphors and similes?  Absolutely!  Do those same metaphors and similes illicit some sort of awareness or emotion?  Absolutely!  He's a master.  No doubt about it.  However, I wanted more dialog, more interaction, more relationships, something other than descriptions.  Sadly, that affected my thoughts on the book overall.  I still love Odd and will continue to read or listen to his future memoirs.  His quips are the best.  :)

         

  

READY PLAYER ONE

Author: Ernest Cline

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Wil Wheaton

Yearly Count:  64

Halliday, the creator of OASIS (virtual reality that is used by all members of society) has passed away and has left a fortune to one winner who can beat his last game.

This is a perfect book for those that love 80s video games and/or is a geek at heart. I don't fall into either category, so it turned out to be just a "good" audioread for me.  All the 80s references were interesting, and I enjoyed going along for the hunt, but ultimately it was a bit too much.  The plot was fun and unique; however, it was dragged down with all the details and made it feel too long. Also, I was surprised at the young adult feel it had.  I enjoy YA, but was not expecting it in this book.  Overall, it went well for a diversion audioread. 

11/22/63

Author: Stephen King

Genre: Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Format: Audiobook (30 CDs!!!)

Yearly Count:  42 (worth 3 books, though)

Al, owner of a local diner, has a time portal in his establishment.  He explores it, then enlists the help of Jake Epping, local teacher, to change history as we know it.  The plan is to stop Lee Harvey Oswald's assassination of John F. Kennedy. 

For a king-sized book (pun intended), it went by quickly. I only felt a little bogged down once, but it didn't last long. And that was probably due to my inability to appreciate long books and no fault of Mr. King.  I'm so impressed with his creativity and talent to take an idea like time-travel, and make me believe it! I bought into the storyline right from the start. So why didn't I give it a higher rating? I wonder that, too, even after a very satisfying ending.  I suppose it hinges on the not-so-satsifying aspects in-between.  I'm sick of the words "obdurate" and "harmonize," and there were missed opportunities to shorten the book.  :)  Also, I'm not sure why, but I got confused a few times. I think most were ironed out quickly, but a few remain.  Maybe reading it myself would have helped with that.  Overall, my first Stephen King novel was a huge success!