Naomi Grim

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by Tiffany Nicole Smith
Review by KM

I have to admit, I’ve had a crush on teenager Grim Reaper novels since I read Croak by Gina Damico a few years ago. After reading the summary, there was no chance that I was going to pass by Naomi Grim.

Summary

The assignment:

Collect lifestones from humans after they die.

Rebellious, sixteen-year-old Naomi craves a normal life, but unfortunately, she’s a Grim by birth. That’s right, she sees dead people and hoards their living essence in a stone. Not a fun occupation.

In order to be good at her job, she must live among human teenagers for weeks at a time. But Naomi soon becomes attached to the kids she’s been assigned to watch over. And knowing that these teens are gonna die under less than ideal circumstances, she has the opportunity to prevent their deaths from occurring. Only one big problem, interfering with death is the worst crime a Grim can commit. If she intervenes, she’ll put herself and her family in danger.

Naomi must make the hardest choice of her career, go against the sacred covenant or watch her new friends walk blindly to their deaths.

Musings

The first half of the book wasn’t spectacular; it kept me intrigued, enough that I wanted to read more, but I was so certain that I knew what was going to happen. It seemed predictable. I was wrong.

BAM! The second half of the book was this fast-paced action-packed adventure that made everything worth it. Pieces came together in a way that I never would have expected; some character’s motivations were revealed, while others remain a mystery to discover in the sequel, Keira Grim. 

There is one frustration I held with the novel, but it a frustration that is not limited to just this book, but most urban fantasies I’ve been reading lately. When presenting me with an entire new race that is bemused by human traits or lifestyles, it’d be great to see more than a few minor differences in the two races. The culture of the Grims only seemed to differ in lifespan, if they could earn it, and the fact they retained values humans had in the 1950’s, ignoring anything progressive. Some of the younger Grims seem frustrated with this, but seeing the same typical class system and similar prejudices that we have in our society makes me wince. It does make the plot more relatable and could be argued to be a comparison on aspects of our own culture, but it’s hard to see why more Grims can’t relate to humans when they are so similar.

I’ll definitely be reading Keira Grim, though. Naomi’s ending was compelling enough to make me want to know what happens to Nowhere.

Modern Rituals

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By J. S. Leonard

Reviewed by SA

If you loved Cabin in the Woods, or if you’re a fan of Battle Royale, then you need to stop everything and pick up Modern Rituals, the first novel of the ‘Wayward Three’ trilogy by J. S. Leonard. Thrilling, exciting, terrifying, Modern Rituals was impossible to put down, and I’m certain that this is the beginning of something great.

The Goodreads’ summary has this to say:

Manhattan, NY: The E-Train slams into James Bixby, a strapping young artist on the rise, after a life-saving rescue attempt goes awry. Belfast, Ireland: A bullet severs Olivia Young’s spinal cord while she defends a doctor colleague—the second bullet pierces her heart.
Then they awaken—unharmed.
“Selected” and thrust into a deadly ritual, James’ and Olivia’s lives—along with the lives of five others—will decide humanity’s fate: surrender to the old Gods’ rule or live on in blissful ignorance. Follow their frantic struggle as Magnus—a secret organization of enormous reach and scientific prowess—directs the ritual to its gruesome end.

The novel broke any expectation I had of it from the get-go, by simply being utterly unpredictable. As soon as it seemed to linger on a certain trope, it would switch up, change to something entirely new, leaving me clutching the book, thinking what on earth just happened? From the mysterious prologue, it then seemed to move into a superhero novel; but before anything could happen, we’re thrust into Battle Royale, followed swiftly by Cabin in the Woods, along with The Ring, maybe with a hint of Hunger Games (but just a hint), before finally it twists out of control, throwing in surprises you never could have anticipated, and suddenly defies all comparison.

I love that the author managed to give us insight into the “behind the scenes” of the situation, without this making the situation feel helpless. We learn hints about what Magnus – the corporation behind it all – has in store, slowly letting us see more and more of how far its control really goes; the influence they have is vast, and will most certainly be tackled in the next books of the trilogy… I just can’t wait.

The characters themselves are impressive, as they break away from the box they’ve been put in, even the role thrust upon them by the ones pulling the strings. James and Olivia quickly become more than just ‘the heroic man’ and the ‘innocent woman’ that they are expected to be. Both are smart, creative, resourceful in the face of danger, and can hold their own when horrifying things come their way. Then with the addition of Trevor to the ‘main cast’, so to speak,  you can be sure that things are going to get interesting.

With twists that will leave you begging for more, this novel is one you’re going to need to read sitting down, because you won’t be able to move for a few hours. Modern Rituals may be one of the most thrilling novels you’re going to read in a long time.

Meanwhile, I’m going to set a countdown for when the sequel comes out.

Get in Trouble

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by Kelly Link

Reviewed by SA

There is something magical about short fiction; the stories, instead of being self contained, seem like just22125258 glimpses into other universes, short windows into another wold, transporting you, somehow capturing all of your self in just a few pages. And somehow, the stories linger, still in the back of you mind days, months after you have finished reading it. Get in Trouble may however be my favorite collection I have read to date, with the stories still vivid in my mind, unforgettable gems of fiction.

Get in Trouble is a collection of nine science fiction and fantasy stories that spans from superheroes to pyramids to robot boyfriends. In “The Summer People,” the first story, a young girl tries to care for a home of mysterious people (?) while sick.  In “The New Boyfriend,” a friendship is tested when a teenager falls for her best friend’s robot boyfriend. There’s a man trying to reconnect with his former co-star/love interest, as she pursues Ghosts for a reality show; there’s both a superhero and a dentists’ convention in the same hotel; there’s teenagers hanging out in their own pyramids; ghosts stories on a spaceship; a woman with two shadows…

Each of the stories draws you in immediately. I would describe them as being set in the here and now, but shifted a few universes over. The rules of their world are the same, but not quite. By the time you’ve picked up one what those rules are, on where you are and what is happening, you are already entranced. You quickly fall in love with them, with the people you meet there: you want to know more. Many of the stories are quite short to read, and leave you wanting to know what happens next, forever imprinted on your mind. Switching from one story to another was a process, one which made me have to put down the book and revel on what I had just finished, before actually moving on.

While the style of the author is immediately recognizable, the stories show off her versatility. Different perspectives, different genres, one of the stories even a letter, Link manages to keep you reading not only with her remarkable plots, but also by the diversity of styles. Admittedly, some stories are better than others, but what is great about Get in Trouble is that there’s a little bit of something for everyone. Fans of Neil Gaiman will absolutely love her stories; I would honestly love to see what the two of them could write together.

If you’re looking for something you can read and know you will enjoy, pick up this book. It’s a great, fun read; one of those books that makes you feel that reading is magical, all over again.

Hydraulic Number 5

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By Sarah Latchaw
Review by KM

By now, we all know about the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey movie coming out tomorrow. We all know that it spawned from a book series and most of us are aware that it actually had beginnings as Twilight fanfiction.

While I don’t like Fifty Shades or Twilight, I will admit that I’ve read Twilight fanfiction before and that there were some fanfics that I loved. One of those was Hydraulic Number 5, which was later redone by Sarah into original fiction. Finding it on the Barnes and Noble website was a fantastic discovery. I couldn’t wait to dive in and see what changes had been made, since Sarah had done such a stellar job at adding depth to characters that, in my opinion, lacked it in the original book.

Summary

Hydraulic Level Five (n.): A whitewater rapid classification indicating large waves, continuous rapids, large rocks and hazards, potential large drops, where precise maneuvering is required. Often characterized by “must make” moves, i.e. failure to execute a specific maneuver at a specific point may result in serious injury or death. Kaye is an extreme sports addict with a kind heart and an axe to grind with her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband, renowned writer Samuel Caulfield Cabral. While Samuel enjoys a celebrity life in New York, Kaye remains in their hometown of Lyons, Colorado, running her PR agency and chatting daily with Samuel’s family, the beloved Cabrals-first-generation Mexican-Americans who have embraced Kaye as their own. But when Samuel returns home for his sister’s wedding with a new love interest, stunning editor Caroline Ortega, the gloves are stripped off. Kaye is determined to unearth the reasons behind the death of their marriage and why two people who lived to love each other were driven apart, all leading to startling revelations about Samuel, about life, and about herself. She soon realizes that maneuvering the tumultuous waters of her relationship with Samuel will prove as dangerous as any outdoor adventure she might attempt…at least where her heart is concerned.

Musings

There was a lot of controversy when Sarah announced her plans to rework the fanfic into a book, I remember. People called her on selling out; some others believe that fanfiction is wrong to publish. To those people, I really just want to point out Milton’s Paradise Lost as being Biblical fanfiction, Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments as being at least partially spawned from her earlier Harry Potter fanfiction, and generally lay myself down on the side of these fantastic authors.

That being said, Sarah’s work barely reminded me of Bella and Edward, even in the fanfic. Kaye and Samuel are vivid, enchanting characters that made me laugh more than once. Their relationship was realistic, with the up and downs and the growing apart that comes with being an adult.

Kaye’s voice made it for an easy read that took less than a day to complete, yet my eagerness may have added to that swiftness.

I do have one complaint, though it may be remedied soon. The original fanfic was of great length and many of the scenes that I adored were to be found in the second half of the novel. The ending of this book is perfect for the story, balancing it, but leaving me wanting more. When finishing the last page, I wanted to shout. I wondered where my favorite parts were; why had they been left out? A quick check on Goodreads reveals there is in fact a sequel. I haven’t opened it, so I can’t promise that they’ve made it in, but I have high hopes that the entire story is just as spectacular as remembered. At least I can promise that the first book gives me hope.

Signal to Noise

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by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Reviewed by SA

Magic. Sometimes you pick up a book, and you just feel the magic flowing through it. Signal to Noise was a novel that surprised me in the way it caught me so early on; there was an instant connection between reader and characters, and the magic in the music just compelled me to read more.

Summary – Curtesy of Goodreads: 

Mexico City, 1988: Long before iTunes or MP3s, you said “I love you” with a mixtape. Meche, awkward and fifteen, has two equally unhip friends — Sebastian and Daniela — and a whole lot of vinyl records to keep her company. When she discovers how to cast spells using music, the future looks brighter for the trio. With help from this newfound magic, the three friends will piece together their broken families, change their status as non-entities, and maybe even find love…
Mexico City, 2009: Two decades after abandoning the metropolis, Meche returns for her estranged father’s funeral. It’s hard enough to cope with her family, but then she runs into Sebastian, and it revives memories from her childhood she thought she buried a long time ago. What really happened back then? What precipitated the bitter falling out with her father? And, is there any magic left?

I can’t think of any teenager that didn’t dream of magic when they were young. Who dreamed of being able to influence events, to make the world go their way, especially in that awkward period of your life where everything is zits and school and crushes. Meche is no different: she is a smart young woman who struggles with boys she likes and teachers that cause her trouble. Her friends are as awkward as her, each trying to navigate high school and adolescence. So of course when Meche realizes she can use her record collection to influence the future, the three of them take matters into their own hands.

What’s fantastic is that the Magic comes from the music Meche loves, from classic rock to jazz, fantastic songs that don’t make you doubt for a second that magic really does exist. Someone even made a playlist from the songs mentioned int he novel – check it out here!

The one thing that annoyed me slightly when reading this novel was the lack of information on the rules of their magic. What are its limits? What can they do with records, and why is it that sometimes, music is not needed? However, I like to think that ads to the charm: the teens are inexperienced with Magic, they are not instantly experts. They go with what works, play and expand on stories and gut feelings. The magic is more, well, magical in that way.

The novel bounces from 1988 to 2009, between Meche the teen and Meche the woman. It is strange to see Meche in the present. She’s followed the career she always wanted to, lives in Europe, can be considered quite successful, and very accomplished. Yet there doesn’t seem to be any magic left in this present: it reads colder, maybe because of the death that hangs in the air. Sometimes it was hard to relate present Meche with the girl she used to be, but even so, the author still manages to make us care for the young woman.

Signal to Noise is a fun, peculiar novel. It’s magical in and of itself, enjoyable, and you can’t help but feel captivated by the plight of the awkward trio; while at the same time, I felt odd while reading it, a slight worry in the pit of my stomach that I knew what was coming. Fueled by hints dropped by the author, some ominous foreboding hung over me. This did not make the read any less enjoyable, it only made it more unique.

Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia comes out February 10th.

The Girl With All the Gifts

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by M.R. Carey

Reviewed by SA

This book may be impossible to review without giving away too much or spoiling it, but I am going to try, because this is one that I really enjoyed, and want you to read it to, experiencing it spoiler free, like I did. I am warning you that I may be deliberately vague in areas to ensure I don’t ruin it!

I only had a Goodreads summary to go by when i picked this book up, but it was enough to make me read it. Let me tell you, it was nothing like I expected just going by its looks, but it was so much more. It was one of those books that was so mesmerizing, so compelling, great by its unpredictability.

17235026“Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite, but they don’t laugh.” – Goodreads Summary

Doesn’t tell you much, does it?

Melanie is our main character, a young girl of undetermined age (around ten?) who lives her life in routine, going to school, sitting in her room, going to school, sitting in her room – every day, the same thing, over and over again, for as long as she can remember. She loves school, loves to learn about the world that she has never seen, and above all, loves her teacher, Miss Justineau.

Both of their lives are going to be thrown upside down. Over, and over again.

The story centers around four main characters – Melanie, this ‘gifted’ girl; Miss Justineau, her teacher; Sergeant Parks; and Dr. Caldwell. Each has different intentions at heart, and as their lives are thrown together, they are tested in ways they could never have expected.

At the first twist of the novel, my initial thought was ‘oh no, it’s THAT kind of novel!’ but that thought was quickly dismissed for ‘wait… this is INCREDIBLE’. I had no problem with the new genre, as it defied every trope I knew. (Yes, vague, but I’m trying to allow you to enjoy this novel like I did.)

I love science, and one thing I hate is when novels use ‘science’ to explain what really fails to stand up on its own. Science fiction is at its best when it doesn’t over explain. Carey has somehow managed to write a novel that takes an old trope and makes it new, WHILE using science to support the concept. I absolutely loved it.

This novel combines so many genres, plays on so many ideas, while remaining simple at its core. It’s both an amazing thriller, a gripping horror, and a thoughtful science fiction. I highly recommend it to loves of apocalyptic novels (though it isn’t one, technically, but hey, deliberately vague here). However, I warning for those who hate gore, violence, and language. There is a bit of everything.

 

Orphans of Chaos

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By John C Wright

Review by KM

Continuing my Pop Sugar Challenge, I pulled out a book from 2005 for this week. It’s hard to imagine that was a full decade ago now. Orphans of Chaos is the first book of a trilogy. I’m planning on reading its two sequels before the month is out, finishing that task for the challenge. With such an odd mix of science and mythology, I’m eager to finish out the series (without having to wait months for release dates, like normal)!

Summary

200px-Orphans_of_ChaosWhat if your teachers taught you everything-except who you really are?

 
For Amelia and her friends, the strict English boarding school she lives in is all she has ever known.  The sprawling estate, bordered by unknown territory on all four sides, is both orphanage, academy, and prison.  The school has a large staff, but only five students, none of whom know what their real names are, or even how old they are.
 
Precocious and rebellious, all five teenagers are more than just prodigies.  Amelia can see in four dimensions.  Victor can control the molecular arrangement of matter.  Vanity can find secret passageways where none existed before.  Colin is a psychic.  Quentin is a warlock.
 

And, as time goes by, they’re starting to suspect that none of them are entirely human . . . 

Musings

This book is nothing like I expected from reading the summary in the library a few words all. Most of it reads like a YA, but I’m nearly certain that I picked it off of the aunt shelves.

The writing itself is extraordinary, getting so involved in the small details that you make assumptions about the larger ones. I was sincerely shocked about the twist revealed a third of the way through the novel. It through me off-guard and I want sure if I was going to enjoy the plot after that, but Amelia’s voice pulled me back.

I have to admit, the parts that tried to explain the science behind their creation and where they were are far beyond my comprehension. I’d love to hear an opinion on them from my review partner, SA, who is much cleverer when it comes to math and science.

I really don’t want to give away any shoulders for this fabulous book, so I can only advise you check your local libraries for a copy as I try to find the sequel. I promise, in the horrible case that the third book ruins everything, I’ll post an update to warn you.

When Reason Breaks

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by Cindy L. Rodriguez

Reviewed by SA

I am always nervous when I pick up YA novels (I say pretty much the same thing every time I start a review of a YA), as it is so hard to find a book that defies formula, breaks into new territory, and rips your heart out. Guess what? When Reason Breaks (Cindy L. Rodriguez) is most definitely a great novel. Plus, it’s a diverse book!

When Reason BreaksTwo sophomore girls come from different worlds. Emily is the sweet, smart daughter of a lawyer/politician father who controls most aspects of her life; she loves her friends Sarah and Abby, and her boyfriend, Kevin. Elizabeth is a dark goth girl whose father has recently run out on, making her the ‘basket case’ of the school, with anger issues and a tendency to draw dark pictures. When their English teacher, Ms. Diaz, places them together in class, they grow together over a love of Emily Dickinson, whose poetry will push them to reconsider many aspects of their lives.

The novel deals with the harsh topics of mental illness and suicide, while drawing parallels between the lives of the two young protagonists and Emily Dickinson herself. It will have your heart racing, your hands stuck to the cover, unable to put the book down.

Full disclosure; for the first half of the novel, I wasn’t convinced about if I liked it or not. I found the protagonists slightly pretentious, slightly predictable, and I felt as if I had seen them before. But as the plot progressed, I realized that the feeling of familiarity came from the fact that I did  know people just like them. I recognized their thoughts and feelings as those I had myself felt, or had experienced second hand as I stood alongside a friend through a tough time.

It was honestly the end of the third act (if you would want to call it that – you’ll know what I mean when you read it yourself) when the book grabbed me. The book begins with a dark chapter, after which the novel then takes you back eight months, to show what series of events has brought them to this point. Just like Ms. Diaz, I made assumptions about this moment; when I saw that I was wrong, my entire perception of the book shifted. My heart raced as I realized… “I am part of the problem,” a scary thought. I suddenly saw the novel in a different light; when I finally finished it, I had to put it down, stare at the ceiling, and think everything over in my head. Just… wow.

But what made it so much more interesting was the introduction of Emily Dickinson as the inspiration for the women. During the course of the book, the protagonist offer different interpretations to some of the most famous poems, making them their own. And after the novel ends, the author offers insight into the life of our favorite lady poet, showing us just how every character reflects part of her past. It’s fantastic how she is able to do this without making the book feel like a perfect replica of Dickinson’s life, or preachy in any way: it’s subtle.

It was an actual emotional roller coaster; it reminded me of Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher), crossed over with The Breakfast Club. I recommend tissues!

When Reason Breaks comes out February 10th.

Oh look, a book trailer!

Middlesex

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by Jeffrey Eugenides

Review by KM

I tend to write book reviews for books that are coming out soon or recent releases, but with doing Pop Sugar’s challenge, I have found myself reading books that have been out for awhile. Since books don’t tend to get a long lifespan on the shelves at bookshops, I definitely want to highlight some books that could help you with the challenge and may already be available at your public library.

This particular book, Middlesex, could count in many categories on the challenge: Pulitzer’s Prize Winner (which is what I chose), A Book By An Author You’ve Never Read, or even a Book By An Author With The Same Initials (if yours are also JE).

Summary

“I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of l974. . . My birth certificate lists my name as Calliope Helen Stephanides. My most recent driver’s license…records my first name simply as Cal.”

So begins the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City, and the race riots of l967, before they move out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan. To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret and the astonishing genetic history that turns Callie into Cal, one of the most audacious and wondrous narrators in contemporary fiction. Lyrical and thrilling, Middlesex is an exhilarating reinvention of the American epic.

Musings

I truthfully thought this was a memoir when I started reading it. I only realized I was wrong after Wikipedia-ing the book thirty pages into the story. The narrative just had a sender of authenticity to it that many other novels lack. While I knew nothing of Cal, but so much about their family, I was fully engrossed by page thirty, completely invested in their well-being. As someone who had a problem feeling attached to the characters in a memoir, being so connected to these in the pseudo-autobiography was strange, but delightful.

On the same note, I find my mistake to be somewhat alarming. While I, a cisgendered female, finds the writing realistic, I would have preferred to read a similar text written by someone truly intersex, giving a voice to someone with real insight.

(Warning, slight spoiler ahead) One of the larger issues I see is how Cal’s mutation is in conjunction with their grandparent’s inbreeding. While I’m not sure of this is a scientific reason behind intersex babies, it certainly doesn’t paint a good view of the real people out there. More than that, what happens to Cal’s grandfather on the day on their birth could even be said to be punishment for the inbreeding, further relating it to their being intersex. The whole issue left me with a bit of a bad aftertaste.

That being said, this is countered by passages that encourage a lack of shame for being intersex, as well as a shift from viewing it as being a disease that needs to be fixed with surgery during infancy. Cal claims to be working on his own self acceptance even now, during his middle aged years.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the examination of gender roles and specific traits related to such. With such great writing and compelling characters, I can surely see why it won the Pulitzer.

I Am Radar

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22571542By Reif Larsen Reviewed by SA Stop everything and pre-order I Am Radar (Reif Larsen), because you can’t spend another second without having read this book. This novel is fantastic, and just might be my new favorite book – ever. I would like to say that it was as if Kurt Vonnegut wrote “Cloud Atlas”, but at the same time, it’s practically impossible to put the feeling I had reading this book into words.

Brief, spoiler free summary: In 1975, during a blackout, a boy is born coal black to a white couple, and the child is named Radar;  during the second world war, a group of Norwegian teachers create a society of artists and scientists that puts on radical performances in wartime; a man creates small puppet shows in black boxes in Serbia, so incredible you may think they are alive; and a child is found on a rubber plantation in Cambodia, his adoptive father deciding to raise him to be the greatest physicist the country has ever seen. Spanning decades and crossing the globe, I Am Radar takes you on an unforgettable journey, bridging art and science in an epic novel you will be unable to put down.

It’s a difficult plot to explain, because of how character driven this novel is. Just like Miro with his small black boxes, Larsen seems able to breathe life into his creations, giving every character incredible depth and dimension. I felt deeply connected to everyone I was introduced to, even minor characters, which made switching from one part (or perspective) to the next almost painful. Remarkably, the characters grow and change, a reminder that we are never the same person through our lives, and that life is unexpected, and will throw anything at us. Never before have a read a book where I was so aware of what made the characters tick.

To add to the realism, the author often ‘sources’ his facts, using photos, newspaper clippings, and other physical ‘evidence’ to support what his story. It blurred the line between fact and fiction, making me wonder where the truth ended and the story began. It makes the reader want to research for themselves, to see if any of these people really existed, or if the events ever happened.

But the best part of this novel for me was the melding or science and art. The artists use puppetry – think less muppet, more Royal de Luxe – to create both installation and performance pieces, using incredibly skilled techniques, pushing the limits of science to create beauty. These performances are told to us in such detail that we ourselves can imagine being there, and we can interpret these fictitious events for ourselves as true works of art, transcending the page. I wish I would have seen the ‘Conference of the Birds’ act for myself. I guess that’s why I came our of reading this book feeling the awe that I did: it was an incredible read, and I want to share it with everyone. I want to talk to my friends about the performances, as if they had actually happened, and what they would mean. I want to meet the author and say… Wow. 

I Am Radar comes out on February 25th.