The Passage by Justin Cronin = AMAZINGNESS

Yeah, okay so amazingness is not a recognized word in the dictionary, but it should be! 

I finished reading The Passage by Justin Cronin last week and I'm still thinking about it. I love reading a book that makes you think and keeps you enthralled throughout the whole book. It's long, over 700 pages, but it's worth it (I could not skip a word, it was that engrossing). I really don't want to say it's a book about vampires, but rather a concept similar to vampires. Cronin decides to freak out the reader with an apocalyptic virus that attacks humans. How does this virus get out? By mistakes made by the military. Why else? Don't you know that the American army is the cause of so much harm? Just kidding.  But really, that is what happens in the book. It is extremely well written with awesome dialogue. He really is an amazing writer with such an amazing imagination. Really, just amazing. Can I use amazing more? ☺

At the beginning we meet Amy, one of the main characters, and it's easy to assume that the story will be all about her, but alas, it is not. Cronin decides to hook the reader first, and then present us with many other characters that one will like just as much. It's neat how the focus is Amy, but we read about the thoughts of the other characters as well. My favorite persona is Peter. Cronin makes him out to seem weak but ends up being the strongest of the pack. His character shows how one can allow themselves to live in the shadow of someone else, and not do anything about it until something big or tragic happens. Such is the case with Peter, and it is nice to see how Cronin makes him grow from a "boy" to a man. 

I also enjoyed the strong female characters, like Alicia. She is one tough girl and it's awesome how he twists her outcome in the end. The book spooked me a bit, and I think the reason it did was because any virus can spread fast and wreak havoc at any time. I mean, all we have to do is think back to the H1N1 epidemic. So what if nobody started mutating, it was still serious. I find that the freakiest stories are the ones that are the most plausible to occur in real life. Don't you think?

The end of this book... well, the end made me crave for more. The last chapters are full of action and then it ends with a lot of questions. The book finishes with an obvious leeway for a sequel. I CANNOT WAIT FOR A SEQUEL! He really needs to get cracking with a follow up. Really. I will start a facebook group if he doesn't. Maybe I'll even become a stalker. 

The reason I picked this book was because it was listed as one of the Top Ten Books for 2010 in Times magazine. I then saw it in the library, resting on a shelf, beckoning me to read it. I think even Stephen King had it as one of top reads. If you like thrillers, and just plain good writing, please check it out from the library or buy it. Then when you are done, comment and let's discuss. ☺

Check out the link to the book as well:

http://enterthepassage.com

A book review for you...

What would you do if you could taste people's emotions just by tasting a meal they have cooked or prepared? Wouldn't it be overwhelming, as well as emotionally draining?

Well, that is what "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender is all about. I pick books at the library sometimes based on the picture on the jacket, and well, this one is cute. Then I read the inside of the jacket or the back, and if that catches my attention, I read the book. Here you can see for yourselves:

Of course, sometimes I don't read the book if it's too graphic or full of foul language. One thing I cannot stand is extreme swearing in books. It is completely unnecessary, and I really don't understand why some authors decide to just ruin their books that way. Does anybody agree with me?

Anyway, back to Aimee's book. It was a wonderful read and it really grabbed my attention, plus she made me feel for Rosie, the main character. She starts to taste emotions at nine years old. 

I love fanciful books and ones full of impossibilities. It makes me happy to immerse myself in that author's imagination and see what they see. In this case, the book is full of food, and she talks about the way food is prepared, the emotions that can go when one makes a meal. There is one part where Rosie discovers a terrible secret from her mother, and it really struck me. If one found out something like that at the age of Rosie, well, I can see how it can really mess one up. Instead, Rosie just buries it inside and pretends nothing is wrong.

The character of her brother, Jonathan, is super quiet, which is a contrast to the personality given to Rosie. I wish there had been more insight on what made him tick, but the book is about Rosie, so I made do. The mom, I cannot help but dislike. Really, get a grip. Ha! I love the father, though. I wish I had such a mellow father. However, it would be annoying if your dad was that blind to what is going on with his own family. Of course, there has to be a love interest, and I like how Aimee makes Rosie fall for an "older" boy, and how it doesn't work out in the end. How sad, but true. How many of us have ended with our firs crush? I didn't, and I am thankful I didn't. What a jerk! That's another story.

If tasting emotions was an everyday occurrence,  well then, my meals would be full of anxiousness, boredom, and sometimes just rushing. Rare would be the time when I cook with emotions that are nice, where I'm feeling relaxed. I do not enjoy cooking as much as my twin, or my husband, but I'll cook. If the occasion rises where I want to impress, well then I can impress. It's just not often.

Thank goodness, my girls have my hubby as an example that one can use recipes and create a nice meal. I do like to bake, though. I have this awesome book that's all about muffins and cupcakes, and well, I have to say I've made quite a few of those recipes and they turn out good. From scratch, and they are easy!

I really liked this book, so hopefully you look for it and read it. Give me your opinion of it.

Here's a link from Random House that has a preview of the book - nice.

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/11231/the-particular-sadness-of-lemon-cake-by-aimee-bender