[review] Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross (2011)

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book, book review, crime, family, mystery, novel, promotion, psychological, psychological thriller, suspense, thriller

Eyes Wide Open (2011)
by Andrew Gross (Twitter.)
Publication Date: May 29th 2012 (first published January 1st, 2011)
Publisher: Harper
Edition Read: Paperback

Buy a copy via Amazon.
Goodreads.

Andrew Gross is the author of the New York Times and international bestsellers Eyes Wide Open, The Blue Zone, The Dark Tide, Don’t Look Twice, and Reckless. He is also coauthor of five number one bestsellers with James Patterson, including Judge & Jury and Lifeguard. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. He lives in Westchester County, New York, with his wife, Lynn.

Jay Erlich’s nephew has been found at the bottom of a cliff at Morrow Bay. It’s all just a tragic suicide, until secrets from the past begin to rear up again. Did a notorious killer, jailed for many decades, have his hand in this?Years ago, Jay Erlich’s older brother, Charlie, a wayward child of the sixties, set out for California, where he fell under the sway of a charismatic but deeply disturbed cultlike figure. Tragedy ensued and lives were destroyed, but as the decades passed, Charlie married and raised a family and lived a quiet, secluded life under the radar. Yet the demons that nearly destroyed him never completely disappeared.

Drawing on two real-life experiences from his own past, Gross has crafted a richly personal, yet utterly terrifying tale of two brothers, one successful, one wayward, trying to bridge the gap of what tore them apart.

My Thoughts:
Ugh. I picked up Eyes Wide Open because I was hoping for the same non-stop action, heart-pounding page-turner that was 15 Seconds, which I enjoyed this past summer. Unfortunately, Eyes Wide Open was not that book. The unoriginal plot not only was messy and extremely repetitive. Pace was frustratingly slow. The characters were not only unlikable, but confusing. The villains defied logic. And the police are useless. However, there were some wonderful suspenseful moments. I also applaud Gross for using his only experiences, but overall Eyes Wide Open was just your average suspense novel that I would hesitate to even call it a thriller.

When In Crisis, Just Claim You’re A Doctor
Or at least that’s how the protagonist, Jay Erlich, operates. “I’m a doctor.” seems to be his default automated message. He says it to emergency personal, cops, reporters, taxi drivers, everyone else he meets. I get it, you have a fancy medical degree, so what? What being a doctor has to do with solving crime is beyond me.

For some reason, all of Jay’s “guesses” turn out to be correct, or somehow turn into truths as the story progresses. The witnesses claim to be unsure of the suspect’s gender. Along the way, the suspicions are dropped, and everyone believes the suspect is a woman…because a doctor (who didn’t even speak to the witness) suspected it.

Also, Don’t Tell Your Family Anything
One of the most annoying parts of the novel is Jay’s numerous phone calls to his over-reacting wife. He’s only gone for a week, and she’s already freaking out. Gosh, woman! Calm down! It’s ONLY been a week. I thought at any point she would be filing for divorce. His I’m-not-going-to-tell-my-wife-anything-because-she-won’t-understand attitude doesn’t help matters either. What kind of marriage is this? I’m supposed to like this guy? Really?

[review] Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) by Moira Young (2012)

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book, book review, dystopian, mystery, young adult, young adult fiction

Rebel Heart, Dust Lands #2 (2012)
by Moira Young (twitter.)
Hardcover Edition
Publication Date: October 30th, 2012
Publisher: Margaret K McElderry (Imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Buy a copy via Amazon.
Synopsis from Goodreads.

(Trailer for Blood Red Road. Rebel Heart doesn’t have a trailer)

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

My Thoughts:
Unlike most readers, although I did enjoy Blood Red Road, I wasn’t impressed (partly because of the “Better than The Hunger Games…” blurb, which made me go in with unreasonably high expectations–obviously, the publisher is milking that blurb for all its worth, evident in its SECOND appearance on Rebel Heart’s cover.) Just like Blood Red Road, Rebel Heart doesn’t quite surpass The Hunger Games in my book–but it is a better attempt. Rebel Heart has more depth and emotional conflict. We see characters develop, especially Saba as she faces guilt and vacillates between family, friends, and love. Fans of Blood Red Road will be sure to ravenously devour Rebel Heart.

Pace, Everyone Decided to Take Weed…Then Cocaine with a Double-shot of Red Bull
For a bulk of the first half or so, we follow Saba at snail pace as she travels across various lands, signaled by the start of a new chapter. To be honest, I didn’t care where she was, they all seemed the same to me. These chapters are where we also explore Saba’s inner conflicts. She has to come to terms with (literally) seeing the ghosts of all the people she’s killed (but all of a sudden, it’s fixed because she visits a mystic?!?) Being impatient, I found myself putting the book down numerous times. Fortunately, the pace does pick up as Saba escapes from various dangers.

Fall 2012 Mini-Reviews: Because Sometimes I’m Too Tired To Muster Full Reviews

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adult, book, book reviews, books, creepy, horror, literature, novels, potpourri, variety, young adult

All these books I read during the the 2012 fall semester in the midst of midterms, finals, exams, presentations, and a deluge of art projects. These books don’t have their own post, not because they’re so bland (though a few do fall under that category) that they don’t warrant one, but mostly because I felt all has been said already. Or I was too lazy. Never mind, it’s the laziness.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (2012)
Edition Read: Audiobook/Hardcover (Because I was confused while listening to the audiobook, so I had to re-read some parts with a physical copy)
My Thoughts: Strong writing. But I wasn’t invested in the story. I wasn’t sure how the sub-plots connected, and when it finally did (late into the novel,) I wasn’t interested (ley lines? some dead king?) The protagonist, Blue, who was quickly overshadowed by everyone else. I have to give props to creativity though. Great plot twist and cliffhanger ending. I might’ve liked it more if I didn’t start with audio.
Rating: C++

Breed by Chase Novak (2012)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: Who better to recommend a horror novel for Halloween than Stephen King himself? He did say it was “the best horror novel I’ve read since Peter Straub’s Ghost Story.” Not sure if King has  low standards, was held hostage, or he’s read nothing since Ghost Story. The horror was pretty much non-existent (there were a few gory scenes, but I can’t say they were “scary.”) Thought it had an interesting premise, but the delivery in the second half was lackluster. A lot of pointless running around. A LOT.
Rating: C

Jeneration X: One Reluctant Adult’s Attempt to Unarrest Her Arrested Development; Or, Why It’s Never Too Late for Her Dumb Ass to Learn Why Froot Loops Are Not for Dinner by Jen Lancaster (2012)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: I thought this was supposed to be hilarious. But apparently it’s just re-hashed material thrown together under the premise of “learning how to be an adult.” Some stories made me smile, but the book grew disappointing as it went on. *sigh*
Rating: C+

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (2011)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: One of the most creative books I’ve read. The photographs was a nice addition that gave me goosebumps, but enchanted me at the same time. It also fit the Halloween mood I was in. Except after the halfway mark it wasn’t a horror story any more. Family secrets galore. Characters fell flat though. I think I was supposed to sympathize with the main character. But he was just an ungrateful jerk.
Rating: B+

Feedback by Robison Wells (2012)
Edition Read: E-book/Hardcover
My Thoughts: *flips table* Unlike Variant which was well-paced, this was just a mess of action with no thought. Romance was forced. I had no idea what’s going on in this world anymore: aren’t the students against the school? Why are they sheltering these two at the risk of their lives?  And that ending? WHAT IS THAT??  I had to re-read the last chapter with a physical copy to make sure it was really the end and not some sick joke on the e-book.
Rating: C

Warm Bodies by Issac Marion (2010)
Edition Read: Paperback
My Thoughts: A poetic take on zombies. A nice change in zombie books which has a poor reputation for not having substance. However, I felt this book was too pretentious for its own good. The prose was full of insights, but too heavy-handed for my liking. That ending? REALLY? I movie looks fun though. I wish he would wear a suit and a tie like he did in the book. Classy.
Rating: C++

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (2011)
Edition Read: Audiobook
My Thoughts: Once of the few moments where I felt romance was well constructed with moments where my heart broke for Tucker. I had a “nice guys finish last” moment. There’s a love-triangle. But I believe in Tucker. I didn’t feel the importance of the angle’s “purpose” though. There were many nice moments, like the explanation of angels. The denouement felt like a cheesy, melodramatic teen superhero movie.
Rating: C+

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan (2012)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: ARGH. I was expecting more. But the result? lame. Melo-dramatic and forced. A bunch of greedy, rebellious teens do stupid things for money and fame. The romance and friendships are as filmsy as tracing paper. I think it was supposed to be a satire for our media culture but that concept wasn’t fully developed. I thought it was supposed to be a horror novel from the cover. A quick read though, but very repetitive. No tension whatsoever.
Rating: C-

The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in Two Semesters by Chip Kidd (2012)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: I loved it more being a graphic design student. But I reckon anyone can enjoy this novel for its humor and wit. A slow start and almost unfitting denouement though. The ending is almost surreal. *headache* But the middle? I completely loved.
Rating: B+

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (2012)
Edition Read: Audiobook
My Thoughts: A raw, real coming of age story. I acknowledge its beautiful writing and its controversial aspects. But left me underwhelmed? Really? That was it? Where did that come from??
Rating: B-

Dare Me by Megan Abbott (2012)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: Loved the writing.  I very much enjoyed this book, even if it was about evil cheerleaders who wouldn’t stop at anything to be popular. Human nature can be disturbing. Some of the evil things these girls do to sabotage their “friends” is..scary. The mystery aspect surprised me (I didn’t even know it was supposed to be a mystery.) A lot of raw emotions. I only hope real teens aren’t THIS screwed up. EATING DISORDERS FOR EVERYONE!
Rating: B

Every Day by David Levithan (2012)
Edition Read: Paperback ARC (Thank you, The YA Bookcase!)
My Thoughts: This book can come across as preachy. But it was very thought-provoking. Any of the friends spoke to be within a month of me finish this book was pulled into a discussion about gender, and if it’s really a product of social construction. Every time I see the cover I wonder what the girl jumping on clouds is thinking “WHEEEE!! Soft clouds!” I didn’t COMPLETELY love this book because the sinister, interesting sub-plot was resolved too quickly. I didn’t approve of the ending. And there were repetitive bits that made A (the main-character) into a love-sick puppy. But this book made me cry. Surprisingly, not because of the star-crossed love story, but because of a heart-wrenching girl who needed help, and a father who refused to notice. Her story was only a chapter or so, but the impact was stronger than the rest of the book. But I did love this book and immediately lent it out to friends.
Rating: B++

Penguin 75 by Paul Buckley (2010)
Edition Read: Paperback
My Thoughts: EYE CANDY GALORE! This is a book I requested through inter-library loan under the guise that it was for my graphic design research paper, but was really more for my viewing pleasure. It’s interesting what authors think, but the book wasn’t very complete. I wanted more insight. GIVE ME THE THOUGHT PROCESS. Who knew the creator of The Shadow of the Wind‘s cover was just lucky and didn’t actually finish the book until the covers were printed? PENGUIN, PLEASE HIRE ME.
Rating: B–

Bossypants by Tina Fey (2011)
Edition Read: Audiobook
My Thoughts: This book is meant to be an audiobook. Nothing makes Bossypants better than Tina reading her story to you herself. I found her story inspiring, and her tips for improv strangely relevant to regular communication. I never found SNL funny (I’ve always preferred MadTV,) so maybe that’s why I didn’t laugh. I had some chuckles though.
Rating: B

Just My Type by Simon Garfield (2010)
Edition Read:Hardcover
My Thoughts: Typography for normal people! Unfortunately, the book was poorly organized and felt disjointed. And also apparently filled with errors and misleading information. Proves that even a book may not be the best research material (I think I ended up using a single quote in my final paper.) Not sure if the author really likes typography, or is just flaunting vocabulary found in a Typography 101 textbook. Some of his arguments were subjective, and I wasn’t sure where he was coming from. WHY IS THIS TYPEFACE NOT AS GREAT AS THAT ONE? WHAT MAKES IT BEAUTIFUL?? GIVE ME ANSWERS. Oh wells, still very readable.
Rating: B–

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer (2012)
Edition Read: Hardcover
My Thoughts: Not impressed. Preachy (Original fairy tales are better than those lame Disney renditions! They have great morals!–oh really, Chris Colfer? Are you SURE you want the rape, incest, and gore in ORIGINAL fairy tales?). Clunky writing. Way too repetitive. And predictable plot twists that didn’t make much sense. But really, who was I kidding?
Rating: C

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells (2012)
Edition Read: Paperback
My Thoughts: I guess I am just determined to finish the series even if I wasn’t too impressed with the first book. Meh book. Had some interesting ideas though. But I never felt John Cleaver was really that disturbed. STOP THINKING YOU’RE SO SMART, JOHN. YOU ARE AN IDIOT. I was surprised that Wells managed to wrap the story up so quickly. On a side note, editting got worse. Dexter does the sociopath murderer thing better. This was like the first book modified slightly.
Rating: C+

[review] Isolation (Partials 0.5) by Dan Wells (2012)

Tags

book, book review, dan wells, dystopia, dystopian, ebook, fiction, novella, romance, sci-fi, utopia, YA, young adult

Isolation (2012)
by Dan Wells (blog.)
Edition Read: E-book (Novella)
Publication Date: August 28th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
buy a copy via Amazon.
synopsis via Goodreads.

Two decades before the events of Partials, the world was locked in a different battle for survival: a global war for the last remaining oil reserves on the planet. It was for the Isolation War that the American government contracted the ParaGen Corporation to manufacture the Partials—our last hope in reclaiming energy independence from China. And it was on these fields of battle that the seeds of humanity’s eventual destruction were sown.

A powerful take of our world on the brink, Isolation gives readers a glimpse into the history from which Partials was born—as well as clues to where the Partials Sequence is heading next.

My Thoughts:
Isolation is a prequel novella in Dan Well’s Partials series. Although it is technically a prequel and can be read alone, I still recommend reading it after the first book, Partials, because there is a bit of jargon, but more importantly, it’s clearly a supplement to the series and it’s just not very strong story by itself. The story is from the point of view of Heron, an assassin Partial created to infiltrate Chinese headquarters.

I admit I might be a bit biased since this novella is set in China, and me being Chinese is especially keen to how my culture is depicted, especially when they are supposed to be the “enemy.” Which brings me to this:

Why Do All The Chinese People Have Awkward Dialogue That Sounds Like Poor Movie Subtitles?

[review] What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang (2012)

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book, book review, dystopian, mystery, young adult, young adult fiction

What’s Left of Me (2012)
by Kat Zhang
Hardcover Edition
Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Buy a copy via Amazon.
Synopsis from Goodreads.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else–two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

My Thoughts:
What’s Left of Me is one of the most creative YA dystopians I’ve read–ever. I can usually tell how much I’ll like a book after reading its first chapter–What’s Left of Me was one the few times where I was wrong. The book started out strong, I felt for Eva (the protagonist) and I wanted to know her. She’s such a unique character because she is only a consciousness that resides in a body she does not control–her entire life is a movie. I was interested in analyzing her complex bond with Addie (her “sister” that shares her body.) But as the story went on, the pace dragged and I grew tired of the characters and even hated Eva at times for being selfish.

[review] Mystic City by Theo Lawrence (2012)

Tags

book, book review, re-telling, romance, romeo and juliet, young adult, young adult fiction

Mystic City (2012)
by Theo Lawrence
Hardcover Edition
Publication Date: October 9th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Buy a copy via Amazon.
Synopsis from Goodreads.

For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City’s two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents’ sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn’t remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can’t conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past.

My Thoughts:
I need to stop being lured in by blurbs that mention The Hunger Games and sparkly covers (though it is one of most enchanting covers I’ve seen in a while.) A much more accurate blurb would be: a Romeo and Juliet retelling with magical people who are nowhere as cool as X-men. I didn’t go into this book with high expectations, but I was expecting a lot more action (that wasn’t made up of aimless running around) and a lot less love proclamations. In the end, I couldn’t get past the extremely predictable plot, flat characters, and the main character’s stupidity.

This Couple Has OCD Issues:
On two occasions, Aria finds a bunch of secretive letters in her house, then instead of stuffing it in her pocket or locking doors before anyone sees her reading them, SHE ORGANIZES THEM BY DATE. WHUT?
Aria’s lover, Hunter isn’t much better. When Aria and Hunter have minutes before the vicious, armed bodyguards barge into the room where they are having their secret rendezvous, instead of escaping, they proceed to sit around and talk…and talk…and talk some more. And then Hunter cleans up vomit. Y U NO RUN AWAY OR DEVISE SOME PLAN? They get caught. All because they were too busy talking and cleaning up vomit. *facepalm*

[review] Charlotte Street by Danny Wallace (2012)

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book, book review, camera, humor, journalism, novel, romance, stalking, TLC book tours

Charlotte Street (2012)
by Danny Wallace (Twitter.)
Publication Date: October 23rd, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins; William Morrow Paperbacks
Edition Read: ARC, Read for TLC Book Tours

Buy a copy via Amazon.
Goodreads.

Jason Priestley (no, not that Jason Priestley) is in a rut. He gave up his teaching job to write snarky reviews of cheap restaurants for the free newspaper you take but don’t read. He lives above a video-game store, between a Polish newsstand and that place that everyone thinks is a brothel but isn’t. His most recent Facebook status is “Jason Priestley is . . . eating soup.” Jason’s beginning to think he needs a change.
-synopsis from Goodreads.

My Thoughts:
Being swamped in a towering pile of projects and midterms, it took me over a week to finish Danny Wallace’s new novel, Charlotte Street. For a brief moment I considered the ramifications if I didn’t finish reading the book in time for the blog tour; I’d probably either have to make some lame excuse like me accidentally dropping the book over my balcony, or I would have to piece together a glowing review from other people’s thoughts and pretend I knew what I was talking about. How ironic it would be to write a “fake” review for a novel about a guy that writes reviews for a pizza he hasn’t eaten, and a film he didn’t watch. Fortunately, I was able to finish the novel with nineteen days to spare and you are reading a review from someone who actually finished all 400 pages.

[review] The Vindico by Wesley King (2012)

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action, adventure, book, book review, conspiracy, fighting, school, super powers, super villains, superhero, young adult

The Vindico (2012)
by Wesley King
Hardcover Edition
Publication Date: June 14th, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
buy a copy via Amazon.
synopsis via Goodreads.

Book Promo:

The Vindico are a group of supervillains who have been fighting the League of Heroes for as long as anyone can remember. Realizing they’re not as young as they used to be, they devise a plan to kidnap a group of teenagers to take over for them when they retire—after all, how hard can it be to teach a bunch of angsty teens to be evil?Held captive in a remote mansion, five teens train with their mentors and receive superpowers beyond their wildest dreams. Struggling to uncover the motives of the Vindico, the teens have to trust each other to plot their escape. But they quickly learn that the differences between good and evil are not as black and white as they seem, and they are left wondering whose side they should be fighting on after all . . .

My Thoughts:
X-men meets the Breakfast Club? Doesn’t that sound exciting or what? I was interested when I heard about The Vindico in the beginning of the year, and I was excited to finally read it when I saw it on the shelves. Unfortunately, The Vindico just didn’t work for me on so many levels. The concept was fresh, but the execution was just disappointing. Perhaps it would have been better suited as a lower-middle grade novel rather than young adult with it’s simple writing style; the plot was fun but also unbelievably unrealistic along with the poorly fleshed out characters. The more the story progresses, the messier it becomes with the countless introduction of new minor, forgettable characters left and right, and messy fight scenes.

I am surprised Putnam picked this one up; The Vindico was like a graphic novel that didn’t translate very well into novel format. I’m disappointed that an interesting concept was turned into a very corny (borderline lame) superhero story. However, it is a fun and often humorous book–and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to a younger audience (especially Marvel/DC fans.)

[review] Shout Her Lovely Name by Natalie Serber (2012)

Tags

book, book review, book tour, daughters, family, fear, giveaway, love, mothers, novel, TLC Book Tour

Shout Her Lovely Name (2012)
by Natalie Serber
Paperback ARC (Thank you, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt!), Read for a TLC Book Tour
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
buy a copy from Amazon.
Goodreads.

Natalie Serber received an MFA from Warren Wilson College. Her work has appeared in The Bellingham Review and Gulf Coast, among others, and her awards include the Tobias Wolff Award. She teaches writing at various universities and lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.

Mothers and daughters ride the familial tide of joy, regret, loathing, and love in these stories of resilient and flawed women. In a battle between a teenage daughter and her mother, wheat bread and plain yogurt become weapons. An aimless college student, married to her much older professor, sneaks cigarettes while caring for their newborn son. On the eve of her husband’s fiftieth birthday, a pilfered fifth of rum, an unexpected tattoo, and rogue teenagers leave a woman questioning her place. And in a suite of stories, we follow capricious, ambitious single mother Ruby and her cautious, steadfast daughter Nora through their tumultuous life—stray men, stray cats, and psychedelic drugs—in 1970s California.

Gimlet-eyed and emotionally generous, achingly real and beautifully written, these unforgettable stories lay bare the connection and conflict in families. Shout Her Lovely Name heralds the arrival of a powerful new writer.
–synopsis from Amazon.

My Thoughts:
Natalie Serber took me by surprise and sent me on a heartfelt journey of family ties in her debut short story collection, Shout Her Lovely Name. Serber’s prose reads like beautiful poetry, inviting the reader to fill in the story with its clues. Through these eleven character-driven, poignant short stories about mothers and their children, Serber displays versatility, humor, and tears. I am fully enamored with her writing, and pleasantly surprised that this is only her debut.

Writing
Serber experiments with writing structure in her first story about a mother struggling to help her daughter fight an eating disorder while her husband is in denial; it is written almost like an instructional manual combined with a monthly journal. I could imagine a mother documenting her exhausting journey with her anorexic daughter, whom she wants to hold on to. It is one of the brightest highlights, and one that I plan to reread.

[review] Lunatics by Dave Barry, Alan Zweibel (2012)

Tags

adventure, book, book review, douchebags, funny, humor

Lunatics (2012)
by Dave Barry, Alan Zweibel
Hardcover Edition
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Penguin; Putnam Adult
buy a copy via Amazon.
synopsis via Goodreads.

One of them is a bestselling Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist. The other is a winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Together, they form the League of Comic Justice, battling evildoers in the name of . . . Okay, we made that line up. What they do form is a writing team of pure comic genius, and they will have you laughing like idiots.
Philip Horkman is a happy man-the owner of a pet store called The Wine Shop, and on Sundays a referee for kids’ soccer. Jeffrey Peckerman is the sole sane person in a world filled with goddamned jerks and morons, and he’s having a really bad day. The two of them are about to collide in a swiftly escalating series of events that will send them running for their lives, pursued by the police, soldiers, terrorists, subversives, bears, and a man dressed as Chuck E. Cheese.

My Thoughts:
Lunatics must’ve been a whole lot of fun to write, and just as fun to read–if you like fart jokes and forensic plumbing. It’s the unexpected adventure of two douchebags, one more than the other, who meet at an AYSO girls soccer match and end up tangled in a mess that involves Donald Trump, a terrorist in a Chuck E. Cheese suit, being naked on cruise ship, eating quesadilla de harina de yuca rellena con camarones y queso (I looked it up on Google, it looks delectable despite its extremely long name), and peeing on Sarah Palin. And there are also bears–two of them. And yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds. A fun read for anyone who loves Jackass, The Hangover, or a douchebags doing ridiculous things. Who cares about unlikable characters (you don’t know what’s a douchebag until you’ve met Jeffery Peckerman) and plot when you are too busy laughing?