Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Updates + reviews!

A few days ago, School Library Journal reviewed The Other Life.
Here's what they had to say:

WINNACKER, Susanne. The Other Life. Bk. 1. 254p. (The Weepers Series). CIP. Marshall Cavendish. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7614-6275-0; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-0-7614-6276-7. LC 2011025228.

Gr 8-10–It’s been 1141 days since Sherry has seen daylight in a postapocalyptic Los Angeles. She and her family are bunkered by the military after a rabies outbreak and have been receiving sporadic radio warnings to stay put. Armed and at their breaking point (no rations and a deceased grandfather in the freezer), the 15-year-old and her father venture out to find food and help. In the light of day, they see the skyline of a bombed city and bodies strewn near deserted neighborhood bunkers. The gloomy setting launches a fast-moving tale of survival as Sherry’s father is snatched out of a deserted Walmart by grotesque-looking and terrifying creatures. Saved from the same fate by a teen vigilante named Joshua, Sherry learns about the Weepers, who evolved into human predators after the mysterious rabies outbreak three years earlier. Joshua drives Sherry to Safe-haven, an abandoned winery outside the city, where other survivors have gathered. Her quest to have Joshua help find her father and rescue her family from the bunker is fraught with violent and bloody clashes with Weepers and raises more questions than are answered about their humanness and the government’s role in their development. Flashbacks from Sherry’s former everyday life as a teen, in italics, contrast with her new stark reality, and her fascination with numbers adds layers to a character who is likely to become tougher and more heroic in future episodes. This title is sure to please reluctant readers craving action-driven dystopian adventures.Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY

So yay!

And as for the update, it's not really book related. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I started a vegetarian diet and I'm happy to say that I'm still on track. I haven't eaten meat or eggs in the last four weeks (except for a few bites of fish and shrimps at a wedding a few days ago...couldn't resist. *sigh*) and I'm feeling great and not yet missing anything. I've even lost 11 pounds so far, despite my falafel addiction! Maybe I'll have a longer post up in the next few days in which I'll write a bit about my experiences.

I hope my US followers have a great 4th of July tomorrow!