Book Review: Patient Zero

Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel by Jonathan Maberry

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm a girl of varying tastes, as you can very well see by my book selection choices. I read anything from horror to fantasy to chick-lit, to classic literature. The one thing I never choose to read, however, is any of that "government agency" or "action" books. If it's written by Tom Clancy, it will not be on my shelf.



The reason, or reasons, that I picked Patient Zero to read was 1) it may have involved police and government agencies, but it involved ZOMBIES and 2) being the event coordinator for a local independent bookstore, I've met Jonathan personally and every time I see him enjoy a great dialogue about books and the latest project he's working on.



So... months after getting an advanced copy signed by Jonathan, I read the book...



Let me tell you... I couldn't put it down. Regardless of the secret government agency angle (which, by the way, I was completely sucked into for one of the first times in my life), the characters were so well fleshed out that I felt for them... I felt terror when they did, and the enormity of the whole situation (because believe me, I don't want to give any of the plot away to you), hits like a ton of bricks. You need to keep reading to find out what happens, and yet you're so attached to the characters that sometimes the book's reality makes you want to stop and keep them all safe.



That being said, the book keeps you on your toes. There are definitely some extreme plot twists and enough action to keep the reader engaged throughout. And as evil villians go (and sidekicks for that matter), Patient Zero definitely has what it takes. Patient Zero A Joe Ledger NovelJonathan Maberry


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Book Review: Geek Love

Geek Love: A Novel by Katherine Dunn

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book tells the story of the Binewski family, a strange, genetically altered family of circus freaks, and is narrated by Olympia (Oly) Binewski, the bald humback albino dwarf... the one that was thought of as too un-unique to have an "act" of her own. With her siblings, Arturo, or Arty the Aqua Boy, the siamese twins Electra and Iphigenia (Elly and Ilphy) who play beautiful piano duets, and Fortunato (or Chick, as everyone calls him), Oly rounds out a cast of this make-shift, rag-tag family of, well, freaks.



If you've gotten past that description and still want to read the book, then that's a great sign. I must say, however, that the reader beware. This isn't a light-hearted novel about spending time being a circus freak. It's a genuine descent into the happy, yet sad and desolate world of what family is, what family means, and also the intense war and jealousy that reigns supreme within the Binewskis.



Arty himself is the epitomy of the dark side to this novel. Oly, the teller of the story...the reader of the words, is a gentle soul whose love is apparent throughout the entire novel. Arty is her (almost) complete antithesis, as he worms his way up the hierarchy of the family, dispensing his rules, challenging those who question him, and yet doing it all "for the family".



Another theme which runs throughout the book is the question of what is normal and what is a freak. Interestingly enough (as I don't want to give away too much of the plot), Arty again is the focus of this push-pull norm vs freak relationship. He, as are all the Binewskis, is proud of being abnormal. He's proud of being a freak. To me, however, this comes into question later on in the novel, when it becomes apparent that maybe it's a lonely world.



The one drawback to the book is the seemingly random placement of the "present day" chapters in the book. Don't get me wrong, I adored Oly's telling of her watching her daughter Miranda, but sometimes the placement of the chapters seemed a bit awkward. I don't necessarily want to give any of this story away, so I won't. It binds the reason for the book together and even the reason it is written.



If you're still intrigued, please pick up a copy. Beware of what I told you, as it delves into much darker places such as cultism, taking away free will, and even incest, to a degree. Even with all of this, however, this book made me FEEL.



And remember... no one is normal.


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