Diamonds, Clubs, Spades, Hearts
This was a spectacular story with a great narrator. The only thing I did not like was the ambiguous ending, and the way it was written. The way it was written was thoroughly annoying.
It would.
Write like this.
To provide.
Emphasis.
Whatever.
This book was good to be sure, but definitely not for everyone. ( )

I am the Messenger is an Michael L. Printz Award winner for young adult literature.

Narrated through the eyes of Ed Kennedy. Ed is an underage cab driver, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. Until one day he stops a bank robbery. That's when Ed receives an Ace in the mail. Mysteriously chosen as an messenger, Ed must fulfill the incomprehensible tasks set before him. From attempted homicide, to the comfort of an lonely widow. Ed attempts to complete these tasks, while struggling to find out who is behind all this.

A very decent book, it took me a while to truly appreciate the author's writing style. Very short, plain, but effectively emotional. The characters are well explained, although I don't quite feel satisfied with the ending.

A recommended read! ( )

This book had a really interesting concept, that of a man trying to help random strangers improve their lives, a bit like the French movie "Amelie." I don't think the denouement was very believable, however, and was a bit disappointed with the ending.
A good read though--very appropriate for teens. ( )

A good story, well told. Set in Australia. Told with humour and honesty. Very different to The Book Thief, but it does keeps you reading. ( )

Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com

Ed Kennedy is a nineteen-year-old cab driver who is kind of a nobody! He hasn't achieved anything great, isn't a genius, his mom despises him, and his dad died of alcoholism. The only real thing that he has is his dog, named the Doorman, who everyone says desperately needs a bath. And, he's in love with Audrey, a girl from a bad neighborhood, just like him, who also happens to be one of his best friends since forever. The thing is, Audrey doesn't know that Ed is in love with her, and worse yet, she says she doesn't believe in love.

One day, Ed and his friend stop at a local bank, but a robbery begins while they are in line. And Ed stops the guy.

So then he becomes a local hero. He is just trying to live a normal life, and then he gets a playing card in the mail with three addresses and times on it. Ed doesn't know what to do. Should he just throw the card away, like his friends instruct, or should he go to the first address to see what this is all about?

This book would be a good recommendation for fans of THE DA VINCI CODE and the movie National Treasure.

Ed is such a cool character! He seems like such a normal guy, who does things that normal guys do, and lives a very ordinary life. Until he gets the card in the mail, and he's not so ordinary anymore. ( )