The Leopard Who Loved His Life From (Its okay to be different Book 2)

Told from alternating points of views, their pasts are revealed slowly, over moments of protectiveness and courage. Baby steps on both sides are taken even as each have many reasons to stay away. Tender moments and blood-soaked scenes worked because of the emotions that surrounded them all. Star-crossed or should I say family-crossed lovers could not be denied and their paths were filled with humour, danger and heat that could not be denied. So, that was refreshing since the last couple of books have had way too much. And because of this, he got more 'firsts' with Evangeline. The relief from the continua 3.

The relief from the continual hard-on males in CF's world have to deal with wasn't worth it to him anymore. Then he'd met Evangeline and didn't want anyone else. That was also nice in a series full of man-whores, even ones who know who their mates are We know her a tiny bit because she's from the Bayous' infamous Tegre lair and we've had peeks at her life. She had a horrible childhood CF likes to torture her characters as children, but I had a hard time swallowing a 'toddler' could survive on her own in a swamp. Leopard or no leopard. Once free of her evil grandfather, she ran to Texas to get away and start a peaceful life.

A bakery Alonzo walked into and his crazy leopard was instantly calmed. So, he kept coming back. This went on for a year, with longing but little communication between Evangeline and Alonzo. She's attracted not because of emerging either On Alonzo's side, he's fighting the pull because of the life he leads. But, he can't stay away. Being with her is the only time his leopard gives him any peace. I really liked that for once a h could think rationally and not be completely ruled by her body.

She also knows about her leopard. She calls her Bebe. Unlike other females, she's been with her since infancy. It's only been impressions in the last 8 books. Now they are having full on conversations with their human half? Like a kidney or gallbladder? How the heck did Evangeline angle her body to protect Bebe? I was so confused! Expanding a world and changing it are two very different things.

I hate when the "rules" suddenly change, especially so late in a series. It's lazy writing to me. We have the usual CF repetitiveness, and once the sex starts it's plentiful. And of course, our virgin h turns quickly into a nympho. Again the plot is thin. And the fact Alonzo is Russian not well hidden with all the slip ups. I also have trouble believing a mobster would go to that much trouble, and risk so much for such a small slight. Evangeline was fairly independent and I believed she could have actually lived without Alonzo in the beginning.

She would have walked away. Alonzo, her iceman, was way more flexible than our other H's when it came to giving her some true independence.

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Though he took away her original choice, mating their leopards without her permission, he only stood firm when it came to her security and the bedroom activities. That was also a nice change. LF was a bit better than the last few, and the timeline felt right! We even got an explanation how Drake is always around. View all 3 comments. Nov 19, Cheesecake marked it as dnf Shelves: Blah blah blah boooooring. It's a case of it's me not you or the author. I guess I thought she might have changed since I read her last. But no, it's still tooo serious, tooooo dire, tooooo repetative, etc. I mean would it kill the author to have someone crack a smile now and then?

I don't mean Alonzo, I get that he's all doom and gloom big bad whatever. Her characters never do anything 'fun'. They don't even watch TV. Heaven forbid they should chuckle and crack the doom and gloom mood. Anyways, for me it makes the characters seem peculiarly flat. View all 4 comments. This story I enjoyed a lot because I liked the dynamics between Evangeline and Alonzo. This story can be read as a standalone. For those reading this series in order, Alonzo shows up in the previous book. He was a questionable good guy there and in this one, he's supposed to be an anti-hero.

I really liked him. There is something about how Alonzo was raised and was able to overcome the psychotic males in his family that just impresses me. Alonzo may be a made man, but he is more than that. I find that perception makes the truth relative. Is Alonzo bad and breaking laws? What he does is illegal because it is against the law. However, his purpose is to take out the criminals and this is fighting fire with fire. This is an interesting concept.

Does it really work? I think it does for a while and then hero and saviour gets turned around and then they become the tyrant. As for Evangeline, I enjoyed her story and her cat. Her story parallels Alonzo's and she is pretty amazing. Her desire to stay away from all cat shifters is understandable. What she does with her little business is impressive. The chemistry between Evangeline and Alonzo is what really made this story sweet and adorable. Alonza may be an alpha male, but he isn't pig headed with his woman. I think that's why I like him more than others. This sexy shifter story is recommended to paranormal romance readers who like the bad boys with a heart of gold.

When I started this book I was instantly in love with the female protagonist Evangeline. She is written as a strong, independent, and intelligent character who has relied only upon herself and her leopard since childhood. She is just starting her business but is satisfied that she is making it on her own. The male protagonist is introduced right away and his profession is easily deduced. So there is no grand reveal about what he does as a living. More clarification that anything. The main plot in When I started this book I was instantly in love with the female protagonist Evangeline.

The main plot in this story is that both Evangeline and Alonzo have experienced their own type of abuses and hardships. They have suffered and through that suffering developed methods of coping that make relationships with others difficult. Although Evangeline starts crushing on Alonzo from the start Alonzo remains cold as ice.

There is great character development during the time it takes for both of them to be willing to explore what it means to be together. During this time, we learn more about their backgrounds, all the juicy secrets they are keeping and the lustful desires that they harbor for one another. I really like it when relationships are developed over time. It gives the story a more realistic feel to me. So there a romantic oooh-la-la between Evangeline and Alonzo but there is also relationship building between their leopards as well.

I loved the connection between Evangeline and Bebe, her leopard. You can really feel the love between them and Bebe is very confident and a bit cheeky. There is a great deal of sweetness to counter the savagery in this story and I just loved it. Alright, you know that this is a novel by Christine Feehan so do I really need to explain that there are Sexy Times in this story?

Well just in case you are not familiar with her work, yes, there are Sexy Times. Although this is a story that includes sexual relations it is mostly focused on what is happening between Evangeline and Alonzo. What did I not like? Not a huge fan of controlling Alpha males and Alonzo is all that and more. In the bedroom his character is written to be very controlling to the point of telling her to fold her clothes properly and place them properly where he wants them.

Granted he is a giving lover and relaxes a bit but for me it just grates on my nerves. I would have definitely have tossed the shirt and told him to just deal, sheesh. He gets better as the story goes on but it was some definite points off for me. Absolutely wonderful read that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I like where this series has come from and where it is going. I am most assuredly looking forward to the next installment in this series!

If you enjoy paranormal romance that revolves around shape-shifters, then you need to check out this book and this series. You will not be disappointed. It is an honest and voluntary review and the advanced receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating. Oct 22, Maureen Gianinio rated it it was amazing Shelves: What do you get when you put a hero, who suddenly finds himself with something he thought he'd never have or deserve, and a heroine, who doesn't want anything to do with it, together in a world created by a master story teller like Christine Feehan? You get a great read!

This story is a roller coaster showing the dangers not only of their crime family lifestyle, but the effects dysfunctional families can have. When Evangeline and Alonzo feel the attraction and desires drawing them together they f What do you get when you put a hero, who suddenly finds himself with something he thought he'd never have or deserve, and a heroine, who doesn't want anything to do with it, together in a world created by a master story teller like Christine Feehan?

For the Love of Jaguars

When Evangeline and Alonzo feel the attraction and desires drawing them together they fight it, find excuses to resist. But slowly, patiently, you see them knocking down the barriers that keep them from love. They come to grips with their pasts and how it influenced how they react to the world but doesn't define who they have to be. Feehan takes them on a slow journey of discovery as the bond between them builds, they learn to accept themselves and each other, that love is something that needs constant attention and compromise.

It's not something that destroys and weakens but heals and strengthens. You find yourself in many frustrating want to shake them moments, good alpha stories always do ; many hold your breath, what's going to happen next, action packed moments; many teary-eyed revelations of their pasts and what could be their future moments; and many warm-hearted smiles when they finally "get it" moments.

Not only do these two characters grow throughout their journey, but so do many secondary characters in a way that does not detract from the main characters' story but enhances it. I love the side story of how family isn't always blood but people you bond with, who want you in their lives, accept you for who you are and are there for you in good times and bad. Cannot wait to see them, and many old friends from previous books, in future books in this series.

Nov 11, Keri rated it it was ok Shelves: This was a 3 star for me for the most part, but the police scene where the hero gets jerked off while talking to the police So no 3 Stars for you. This wasn't as bad as some of the books that CF has done lately, but certainly not one of her best Nov 14, Maayan rated it it was amazing Shelves: Oct 22, Linda Rea rated it it was amazing. I think this is one of my favorites from Christine so far. Evangeline is a leopard shifter who has hidding from her family after her father dropped her off in the swamp to save her from her grandfather who would think nothing of killing her.

Evangeline has always kept to herself so when she opened her bakery she loved it because she could interact with people but not much, until Alonzo walks in her bakery. Alonzo is a killer, being a Russian leopard makes him the deadliest of them all but for som I think this is one of my favorites from Christine so far.

Alonzo is a killer, being a Russian leopard makes him the deadliest of them all but for some reason he is calm around Evangeline. His real name is Fyodor which he doesn't use to keep his ancestry hidden but he has no problem sharing that with Evangeline. His world is dangerous even more than hers that she wants no part of but they can't help it and their leopards recognize each other as mates. Someone has put a price on Evangeline and Fyodor will take out anyone who would hurt her but he is still in the mob and he can't hide that from her.

This story is about love and learning to trust each other and your inner self and even though there is a lot of violence there is a lot of family that just gives you a great feeling. The story makes you understand the feelings from the person and animal and I was sorry to see it end. Reviewed on behalf of Once upon an Alpha Oct 22, Cheryl rated it really liked it Shelves: I enjoyed booked 9 in the series.

It can also be read as a stand alone, so don't let series deter you. The women are strong and the men are dominant, which is to be expected with Christine Feehan books, but bottom line, what comes through is the women are the true strength and Evangeline was spectacular. I have had the fortune to visit the Borneo Rain forest so in this book I actually could smell and hear the jungle and that made the story even more exciting fore me.

I enjoyed both stories very much! Feehan's writing is fluid, beautiful and very compelling, and I loved her setting the rainforest of Borneo. It's such a different setting compared to other books in this genre, and the way she writes makes you feel like you are actually in the rainforest. You'll hear the cries of the birds and monke "Fever" is the first entry in Christinen Feehan's Leopard People series, and contains both the short story "The Awakening" and the complete novel "Wild Rain".

You'll hear the cries of the birds and monkeys and the patter of rain on the leaves. It's a beautiful and very sensual story, and I really liked it. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if it had been a bit longer! Rachael and Rio are really interesting characters, and I liked their interaction with each other. There was such a sweetness to them as a couple. A word of warning for the faint of heart these are probably the hottest stories I have ever read, and they both contain a lot of very explicit love scenes.

Normally I would call a book like this oversexed, but oddly enough I didn't mind at all with this one. That's probably because those scenes are written in a way that is beautiful and sensual, and never coarse or offensive. Nov 08, Mary rated it liked it Shelves: Much like the Dark series - Feehan created another "species" that is not human and follows its own laws. This time she has leopard shape shifters.

In this book are The Awakening and Wild Rain. The Awakening is a novella and part 1. Maggie Odessa is lured to the rain forest with an inheritance from her long dead parents. She finds Brandt Talbot who has lived in and cared for the house. And of course she has insta feelings for him. And then she turns into a leopard and they live happily ever after. Wild Rain is longer. Rachel is on a mission trip to the rain forest. But someone is trying to kill her. She dives into the river when bandits meet them with gunfire at the village.

It is not exactly clear how she manages to find the house of her "mate" from a previous life. And she makes herself at home and goes to sleep in a house that should clearly belong to someone. When Rio gets home, he thinks the bandits have sent someone to kill him. Rachel is badly injured in the fight by one of the smaller real leopards that live with Rio. More action than the novella, but still mostly a romance with some action grafted on.

Mar 19, Dawn rated it really liked it Shelves: The book encompasses two stories. The first is The Awakening. A short story of Maggie and Brandt. Maggie had been born in the rainforest but moved away to live with adoptive parents when her parents were killed. Brandt tracked her down and sort of tricked her into returning.

He knew they were destined to be together. Happy ending, of course. The second story, Wild Rain, is about Rachael and Rio. Rachael is running from her dangerous life in Florida and finds herself accidentally in Rio's treehous The book encompasses two stories. Rachael is running from her dangerous life in Florida and finds herself accidentally in Rio's treehouse thinking it to be a traveler's hut. Of course, Rio discovers her and thinks she has been sent to kill him. All kinds of complications occur on the way to the HEA.

I must admit that I kept wishing Wild Rain would hurry and end. It seemed like it took a long time to get through. But the sweet ending was enough to justify a 4-star rating for me. I had been determined to give it 3 stars until the last couple of chapters. I'm glad I didn't give up on it. Like all Christine Feehan books, there's lots of steamy sex, all in the context of committed love though. Interesting book for a change of pace. Sep 18, Sunshine rated it really liked it. I will start by saying I have never read a book by Christine Feehan that I did not like.

This is two books in one so I will start with my thoughts on the first one. I could create a clear picture in my mind of what the character was seeing. And not gonna lie the erotic scenes nearly had me drooling. That being said I had one issue with this part of the book. I felt like the end was totally rushed. It ended so fast I was left wanting I will start by saying I have never read a book by Christine Feehan that I did not like. It ended so fast I was left wanting and wishing there was more. I was pleasently brought back from disappointment with "Wild Rain".

Rio was an unbelievably sexy character! I mean Oh La La. The story had my full attention all the way through. I felt like the end was well thought out. It was not rushed, but it did not drag out either.. Overall I loved it! The only reason this book did not recieve 5 starts is because I was so disappointed in the way the first book ended, it just went to fast for me. Jul 14, Heather rated it really liked it.

Two passionate stories in one book. Rio and Rachel were interesting and strong characters. Their story pulled me in and kept me reading. Maggie and Brandt were entertaining, but because it was more of a novella I felt like their story was rushed, that Brandt pushed Maggie too quickly to accept him and her heritage.

Rio was a dark and sensual male lead, and I liked him from the start, all hard edges and gruff manners. Rachel was a stron Two passionate stories in one book. The action was suspenseful and never dull. The bad guys were hard to figure out and Feehan did a really good job keeping you guessing as to who wanted Rachel dead and who wanted her found safe. I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to book 3, Burning Wild.

Jul 23, Jane PS rated it really liked it Shelves: I love this 'new' series from Christine Feehan. I've been reading the Carpathians and just recently started on the Ghostwalkers but this will also join the list of series to follow and keep. It was pretty short but gave a good feel to the series. It enticed me to put down my second Ghostwalker book half way through to quickly read it.

There wasn't a great deal of dangerous action, but it's a short story, so it can't really take that on. Really en I love this 'new' series from Christine Feehan. I'm definitely ordering Burning Wild! Sep 02, Carmen Marie rated it really liked it Shelves: Overall I enjoyed this series.. I would have to say my biggest complaint about these two stories is how sudden they end.

Each story builds you up to the climax but once you get to that point I definitely could have used some more story. The first book, The Awakening, was way too short if you ask me. I did enjoy the whole leopard people thing, it was new to me Jan 02, Beth Tilley rated it really liked it. Sultry jungles Feehan brings the rain forest alive with her descriptions of the flora and fauna and animals , steamy sex scenes WOO! This book is hot, plus you can feel the love and attraction between the two characters. This book started with a novella, The Awakening, that got the ball rolling with the series basics.

Wild Rain was much more in depth and descriptive as it is a full length novel. I've already ordered the next Sultry jungles Feehan brings the rain forest alive with her descriptions of the flora and fauna and animals , steamy sex scenes WOO! I've already ordered the next book in this series.

I've always been a fan of her Dark series and the leopard series does not disappoint. I won the book Wild Rain from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review. May 15, Demi Spencer rated it did not like it. Fever by Christine Feehan was a novel I was really looking forward to reading, due to the large following Feehan has and the large amount of books she has published. I was also hoping this novel would be similar to the writing style of Nalini Singh as I love her writing and these two writers share some qualities but unfortunately this was no the book for me.

I found myself cringing at the clique moments there where many and boy where they horrible! I wont say muc Fever by Christine Feehan was a novel I was really looking forward to reading, due to the large following Feehan has and the large amount of books she has published. I wont say much else because i'm sure there are people who love this book and I don't want to discourage anyone from reading based souly on my bad experience. For me maybe one star but maybe half a star.

My first read of her Leopard series. I have every one of the "dark" series books and love all in varying degrees. Christine is a wonderful, very descript, detailed writer and I had to try another of her story lines and found that I enjoyed the story and characters so I just bought another one right away, I need to know what happens to Drake, it is out of order but I like how the books stand alone and also have cross characters.

Leopard's Fury

I just love her books, fan for life. Evelyn is certainly fond of the narrator, but enjoys the control she has over him, and the two have an on-again, off-again relationship for years. When Evelyn finally decides to get married, the behavior of Julian and the narrator lead to the trio having a falling out that lasts for more than 10 years. That's where the book falls off the rails, in my opinion.

Suddenly the narrator is impersonating a college professor, telling tales to a newlywed couple in Dubai, writing papers for college students in Sri Lanka, searching for his Salinger-esque friend in Ghana and at a writer's retreat in Iceland, and tracking his one true love or is she? Julian McGann is now inexplicably called Jeffrey Oakes, and Evelyn's wedding to an Indian scientist somehow is transmogrified into a wedding with a prince from Luxembourg. And the conclusion, in the same airport where the book began, is a little magical but a little perplexing.

I think Jansma is a terrific writer, and I loved the first half of the book. The relationships between the characters, the adventures they found themselves in, the rivalry between writers, all were compelling and enjoyable. But when you have a main character who is more enamored with reinventing the truth at every turn, you don't know what to believe, or when what you're reading will suddenly turn into something else. I kept waiting for some sort of explanation about which parts were true—was his friend's name Julian or Jeffrey? Who did Evelyn marry? But the narrator, and the book, were mum on these details.

I love books that leave you guessing, and I love those that challenge the truth, but I struggled with this book because it never tied things up for me.

Buy for others

Perhaps it was never meant to. But in the end, I thought this was a book with tremendous potential that sadly and somewhat frustratingly was never realized. Dec 05, Shane rated it really liked it. This is a brilliant book written by a 21st century author who redefines and restores the novel to what it should be: The unknown and unreliable narrator he has many aliases throughout the novel, and is therefore not worth naming here is trying, unsuccessfully, to write his break-out novel while all the while being enamoured a This is a brilliant book written by a 21st century author who redefines and restores the novel to what it should be: The unknown and unreliable narrator he has many aliases throughout the novel, and is therefore not worth naming here is trying, unsuccessfully, to write his break-out novel while all the while being enamoured and envious of his more gifted but eccentric friend, Julian, and being hopelessly in love with an actress, Evelyn, who herself has loftier aspirations for a husband, such as a crown prince in the duchy of Luxembourg, rather than a struggling writer who is only good in bed.

Starting with the unlikely situation where our young narrator is raised by a single mother who leaves him in an airport lounge every time she flies out to work as a cabin attendant, we are taken on a tour of the world—America, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Iceland and Luxembourg— places where I have lived in or visited—which made it all the more impactful to me—as the narrator goes on his elusive quest to discover himself, save Julian from self-destruction, and find love.

He is partially successful in all but the last, for he is not particularly fond of attachment and commitment. The book breaks into two parts: The first part is more grounded while the second part is fantastical where he even gets to meet and interact with his doppelganger, requiring a higher level of suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader.

There is clever writing here, though not often honest writing. We get lots of craft-related loose threads that are sprinkled throughout the narrative only to be reeled in for maximum impact later on. The characters are however superficial and we do not get an understanding of their motives, and this is partially due to the fact that they fuse in and out between reality and make believe. Given the wide geographic terrain being covered, I take it that the author had travelled and immersed himself in the atmosphere before writing about the various locales.

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And yet, he is subject to the perfunctory observations of an outsider rather than the lived experiences of the insider, In Sri Lanka, for example, where I was born and raised, I had difficulty imagining the epauletted blazer, and I wondered whether it was the Tigers who used civilians as human shields instead of the military. While the ending ties up more loose threads, it left me less than enthused. And despite this being an imaginative novel, I felt I was required to imagine too much to make the ending acceptable. I wish the ending had gone through another draft.

Yet, overall, this is a very satisfying novel. And it raises some interesting questions: Sep 03, Lynne rated it it was amazing.

This book was hysterical! Completely different story telling and most enjoyable. I loved this book! I can see its flaws -- a writer writing about a writer struggling with writing -- but I love it despite its hyper "self-awareness.

It's a smart thought-provoking novel about storytelling, identity, love and literature. This is the second book I've read recently in which the author points out that the best stories start in the middle I loved this book! This is the second book I've read recently in which the author points out that the best stories start in the middle the other being another 5-star We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. But they appeal to me because they force me to think about the entire concept of "truth. Well it's certainly an interesting story - one of my better ones.

Unless, of course, you want the truth. The truth is only slightly less interesting than the story. But, then again, it's the truth - so it has that unique quality. Of all the possible stories out there, from the fantastic to the mundane, only one of them qualifies as the truth. Another in a recent series of audiobooks that can best be described as "exhausting" I'm afraid, with a plot that careens and lurches like a pinball game. Eduardo Ballerini's excellent audio narration helped with my resolve to get to the end, which was sorely tempted around halfway through, with the trio dissolved, and the self-identified unreliable narrator going his own way.

Two crates of caviar in the trunk of a Jaguar? Boxes I might've understood, but "crate" brings up an image of something large enough to need a crane to be moved, and a Jag trunk isn't exactly roomy; Jeffrey commandeers a bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne on a flight from New York to Las Vegas - I've flown upfront on similar routes, and you're lucky they have champagne at all or a decent white actually , no flight attendant is going to hand over a bottle to a passenger to serve himself; Grace Kelly and Queen Nur of Jordan married reigning monarchs - here we have a glamorous American married to a fifth son, which is pretty far removed from all the hoopla, moreover, said fifth son is hardly likely to go on overseas trips to cement trade relations regularly I don't think.

Finally, the snotty rich kids at the beginning would have been at a prep school, not the same public high school as our narrator. Jansma's a terrific writer, with a great sense of place and character, but here things got out of hand. I'd be quite interested in another offering from him, hopefully shorter and tighter. Meanwhile, I'd recommend this book, but wouldn't fault folks who couldn't go the distance. Viking Press provided me with a copy of The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards for the purpose of this review.

Medium As Kristopher Jansma proves in his debut novel, an experimental piece of fiction doesn't always have to feel like an experiment to its reader. The Unchangeable Spots of Leopa Note: The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards is packed with literary innovation - in the form of plot, structure, setting, and character identity - but those elements don't detract from the book's emotional weight. In fact, they enhance it. Jansma tells stories within stories that span the globe and build a fascinating personality for the novel's nameless narrator, an aspiring writer with a best friend who happens to be his literary rival.

While that competitive relationship is a strength of the novel, the narrator's two primary love interests are somewhat underdeveloped. His obsession with them tries to be authentic, but the two women appear in so few scenes that the source of the passion feels forced. There are moments of pure poetry in The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards starting with the title , and Jansma's use of symbolism is restrained yet powerful. His novel may be a challenging puzzle, but solving it is both an enjoyable and gratifying experience.

The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards hits a reading sweet spot for me. It's a concise, well told narrative, a series of short stories that add up to a complete novel, all overlaid with a postmodern evaluation of the nature of fiction. So the book gets off to a great start. They are compelling, touching, and memorable, reminiscent of Michael Chabon's initial work. However, as the book progresses, I felt a loss of momentum, and I had mo The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards hits a reading sweet spot for me.

However, as the book progresses, I felt a loss of momentum, and I had more of a "So what" reaction at the end of a section, instead of an "Oh wow! I enjoyed the book; I gained insight into the nature of fiction and how truth can be woven from lies. That said, I was disappointed. So how to rate the book? It began as five stars for me, and then I reasonably took away a star for the latter portion. But then I irrationally took away another star for my disappointment; I wanted the book to be much more than it turned out to be. This is Jansma's first novel.

I'll certainly keep my eye out for his next, which may more fully deliver on his initial promise. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to start this review. This is only because I am torn about this book. On one hand I like that Mr. Jansma played on the idea of deception and liars. Each chapter was like a mini story that just added and built onto the next story. Kind of like a movie within a movie. Also, I liked all the different places that I traveled in this book.

However on the flip side of this book, I never really connected with the characters. For the same factor as to why I l It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to start this review. For the same factor as to why I liked this book…the deception. Because the characters played with deception, this made them less likable. It moved somewhat slowly. Jansma is a good storyteller. He gets into your mind and makes you try to separate the truth from the lie. The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards is a thought-provoking book.

Feb 26, Karen rated it it was amazing Shelves: If you like books about books and meta-level fiction, you will love Jansma's novel. And it's not so high concept that it's difficult to read. It's actually quite fun. The protagonist of Jansma's novel is an aspiring writer, and as such he is consumed with the task of writing and its affiliated tasks: The book's setting isn't restricted to a writer's garret.

You get to tag along to airport terminals, Manhattan night clubs, train travel in Asia, open air markets in Africa, and the theater in Luxembourg. With some additional stops in Vegas, Iceland with a few more stops in between. But more than anything, the novel considers the adage that all good writers are liars who have trouble keeping fiction to the realm of writing and nonfiction to the realm of their lived experience. Both tend to merge. The whole book is a work of fiction! And it's a big old celebration of the ability we have to just make things up as we go along in real life as well as in the pages of a book.

The structure is a series of short stories that end up folding in on themselves. The character names change, events in the protagonist's life become fodder for his fiction, and the authorship of the entire novel itself comes into question as we go along but particularly by the conclusion. These little puzzles tease the reader throughout, and I'm still trying to figure out "What did Jansma just do there?

I can't believe this, because his satire and his musings are very mature. And his allusions are skillfully deployed. Oh, be still my heart! It's fun to get lost in all the literary allusions and the snarky and angst-ridden psyche of the protagonist and his best-friend writer while thinking about the wacky and whimsical world of fiction writing. Nov 21, Joe rated it it was ok. I hate to stereotype about literature that comes from a particular region but this book had "New York Literary Snooty Snoot" written all over it.

You know what I'm talking about. The kind of book that just meanders on and on, sniffing it's own farts, with eyes planted firmly at it's own navel, never moving an inch. This book was full of "rich people problems" and more specifically "rich, east coast, white people" problems. While some of their emotions rang true, they never rang true as character I hate to stereotype about literature that comes from a particular region but this book had "New York Literary Snooty Snoot" written all over it.

While some of their emotions rang true, they never rang true as characters.

The Best Travel Books: 13 Books That Will Give You Serious Wanderlust

The book is all the more unfortunate because I can tell that Jansma is a great author. I was never really bored while I was reading it but his talents could be much better spent elsewhere. This book also committed on of my great literary pet peeves: It made me read page after page of something and then said time and again, "What you just read wasn't real!

But the gag got old Throughout the novel he maintains a rivalry with Julian, who is also an author, and a romantic quest for Evelyn, who eventually becomes a princess.