Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

İnsan Olmak

Rate this book
Tommy'nin yapması gereken tek şey vardır: Hayatta kalmak.

Fakat hayatta kalmak o kadar da kolay değildir. İnsanların kanlarını emmek için avlanmak her geçen gün zorlaşıyordur. Çünkü artık insanlar gecenin karanlığından korkuyorlardır. Kan emme arzusu sürekli Tommy'nin aklını kemirip, onu insanların gözünde bir canavara çeviriyordur. Özel bir polis birimi olan Vampir Kuvvetleri, her vampiri küle çevirmeye kararlıdır. Tommy de bu vampirlerden biridir.

Tommy'nin güvenebileceği tek insan ikiz kardeşidir. Aralarında sağlam bir bağ vardır. Tommy Danny'nin de yardımıyla, birlikte yaşamaya çalıştığı insan ırkını anlamaya çalışır. Arkadaşlığın ve ihanetin ne demek olduğunu öğrenecek, bazen en korkunç yaratıkların insanlar olduklarını fark edecektir. Ve ailenin kan bağından çok daha öte anlamlara geldiğini...

Tommy sadece yaşamını sürdürmek ister ve ne yapması gerektiğini çok iyi bilir. Fakat insanlar onun için sadece açlığını bastıracak kan depoları olmaktan çıkmaya başlayınca, yaşamın hayatta kalmaktan ibaret olmadığını anlayacaktır.
Tommy en sonunda insan olmanın ne anlama geldiğini keşfedecektir.

Bağımlılık yapan, yürek hoplatıcı, düşündürücü...

'İnsan Olmak' gerçekten insan olmanın nasıl bir şey olduğunu sorgulamanıza neden olacak ve aynı zamanda aramızda dolaşan canavarları görmemizi sağlayacak orijinal bir aşk, arkadaşlık ve aile öyküsü.
-Daniel A. Kaine, Dawn of Darkness'ın yazarı-

'İnsan Olmak' son dönem vampir hikayelerinin içermediği her şeye sahip. Vampire dönüştükten sonra insanlığını geri kazanmaya çalışan Tommy'nin inanılmaz derecedeki etkileyici öyküsü, okuyucularda onla arkadaş olma ve ona yeniden insan olmayı öğretme isteği uyandıracak.
-M.B. Mulhall, Near Death'in yazarı-
(Tanıtım Bülteninden)

335 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2011

18 people are currently reading
918 people want to read

About the author

Patricia Josephine Lynne

22 books108 followers
If you asked Patricia to describe herself, she’d tell you, “Too creative for my own good.”

A paranormal and fantasy junkee, she loves to craft young adult and new adult stories about vampires, mermaids, angels, demons, zombies, and other mythical monsters. Aliens might even appear in her stories.

Patricia officially started writing in 2012. She was bored and since she was always daydreaming fantastic stories, she thought, “Why not write them down and share them with people?” She's still deciding if that was a mistake or not. Since then, she has finished a dozen stories and has no plans to stop.

You can find her young adult novels and short fiction under Patricia Josephine Lynne and her adult novels under Patricia Josephine.

When she’s not lost writing in fantasy worlds, she relaxes with knitting, drawing and art, and jigsaw puzzles. And of course, a good book. Patricia currently lives with her husband in Upper Michigan. One day, they both hope to have enough pets to resemble a petting zoo. (Until then, can she pet your cat or dog?)

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
62 (41%)
4 stars
53 (35%)
3 stars
25 (16%)
2 stars
2 (1%)
1 star
8 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,815 reviews632 followers
July 20, 2017
This one is a MUST must-read! You will NEVER read a more original vampire book, EVER!

From three pages in, I was a goner for BEING HUMAN and young Tommy had my heart completely. To say this is something different or unique is almost an understatement and Patricia Lynne’s presentation is spellbinding in both the innocence of its characters and the empathy for a young soul it invokes. Far from the nightmare inducing bloodbaths of other vampire novels, call this one a softer, gentler tale that will most definitely leave an impression and tug on your heartstrings.

Imagine being a young teen and having your life taken from you, only to become a reviled creature of the night, a vampire and to rapidly lose the humanity and the memories that made you, you. Tommy only felt one thing when he awoke as a newly turned vampire, he wanted to survive and he would need to become the monster of legends to do so- forget that he was a victim, himself.

Tommy had a bond that called to him through the haze of his mind, the bond he shared with his twin, Danny, the only human he knew he could trust. It was that trust that gave Tommy a sense of belonging, even as Danny ages and marries while Tommy remains fifteen. It will also be that bond that could cost Tommy his vampire life.

Patricia Lynne’s BEING HUMAN is as much of a tale of family bonds, acceptance and the special connection twins share with each other as it is another unveiling of the vampire myth. It is learning boundaries, re-learning the meaning of emotional ties and stumbling through the awkward teen times while living as a shadow in a world that only accepts the vibrancy of living colors. Follow young Tommy as he struggles to stay alive, understand what he has lost and learn what young love could have been for him, even as he discovers that no sacrifice is too great to protect those you love.

Is this the best storytelling I have ever read, maybe not, but it is certainly one of the most creatively touching ones.

I received this copy from Patricia Lynne in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: December 17, 2013
Publisher: Patricia Lynne
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy | Vampire Coming of Age
Print Length: 302 pages
Available from: AmazonBarnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Experiment BL626.
209 reviews358 followers
January 21, 2012
CAUTION: Long Review, Spoilers

A fifteen-years old boy wakes up and finds himself as a vampire in Being Human. With a strong survival instinct that is quickly extinguishing memories of his human life, Tommy rushes to sake his blood thirst, murdering his family in the process. Only one family member survives — his twin brother Danny.

Told in 1st POV from Tommy’s side, Being Human (BH) divides its plot into five parts, chapters nonexistent, and spans across (by my guesstimate) 30-40 years. The story is a character-driven piece, and there were times when I thought “this is not a story; this is a situation.” The prose was surreal, which slightly jarred the beginning of my reading. In other words, reading BH felt like reading about a dream. Nevertheless, I managed to conform to BH and my reading experience was relatively smooth, meaning there were few moments of skimming. Upside, BH was flawlessly edited and formatted, taking into account that this book is self-pub.

The story is set in the near future where vampires are real and outed and humans have mini flame-throwers to fight them.

The Characters

+++ Tommy

For most of the story, I did not care for him, especially in “Part One: Brothers.” This was due to my difficulty adjusting to the prose at the start, and part one was seemingly more telling than showing — it was more introspection than I expected. Moreover, I found the matter-of-fact manner in which Tommy killed and fed upon his parents and some strangers quite disturbing. Tommy deciding not to kill Danny was not enough to make me like Tommy. And tbh, I kind of eye-rolled at the twin-bond trope, which fortunately BH never abused.

Do notice that I said “for most of the story” — emphasis on most — meaning there was moments where I did like Tommy. I like Tommy when he helped a suicidal, physically abused girl in part two. I like Tommy when he rescued Jamie from a child abuser. I chuckled when Tommy wanted to keep Jamie as a human pet. As the story progressed, moments when I sympathize with Tommy were more frequent. Nonetheless, the times when I do care about Tommy existed only in moments, here today gone the next.

One thing that did stayed with me throughout the entire story was the creep factor Tommy maintained as a vampire, the creep factor all vampires have. I could never forget Tommy was a vampire and the danger vampires presented no matter how much emotions Tommy showed. Sure, the emotions made him more human, but dude — he’s still a vampire. The story made it clear that a vampire’s survival instinct will always win.

+++ Danny

He played such a big role in part one through two, trying to keep Tommy human-like and safe as best as he could, that I was unhappy when his role was minimized as a side character in part three through five. In short, there were not enough scenes of Danny to my satisfaction. If I had to choose a character in BH as my favorite, Danny was it.

Hello, unconditional love. His twin brother is a vampire. His twin brother killed their parents. His twin brother kills people to feed. Danny put up with that and more — for instance, allowing Tommy to live with Danny’s family. I admit, I would have labeled Danny crazy just like the vampires-hating humans did were it not for Tommy and his being not a completely evil vampire.

+++ Jamie

Or Sunlight as Tommy likes to her. Ugh. I did not like her one bit. I saw nothing special about her, I was at lost to how Tommy could love her. Why her and not the other girls, like the suicidal physically-abused one he saved in part two?

All I saw was a damaged, depressed, easily pitiable girl. I was upset at how her role became more important in part three through five, supplanting Danny’s role. She replaced Danny as the character who keeps Tommy human-like. Geeze. Why is it always the outcast or damaged girl who likes vamp-boy? Can for once I read about a well-adjusted or kick-ass girl who like vampire bad boy in a YA? I despise passive heroines.

+++ Amber

Or Fallen as the nutty girl likes to call herself. Her antics and desire to become a vampire were both frustrating and funny. I was sad when she died, mostly because I wouldn’t see any more stupid craziness from her. At least her death was a realistic end to her life. I thought to myself: “This is the true story of Bella from Twilight.” LOL. However minor of a role she played, she was my second favorite character after Danny.

The World-Building

The world was relatively well built. I learned how vampires were outed. I learned how the Vampire Forces fights vampires. I learned a human is considered certifiably crazy for sympathizing with vampires. Overall, BH had a small streak of dystopia. Yet there were a couple of things that didn’t make good sense to me, specifically regarding to the nature and history of vampires.

1) I was fine with not knowing why vampires were fatally allergic to sunlight because the story said the scientists were still in the discovery process. But I was not fine with not knowing why vampires cannot cross thresholds. Why made some thresholds crossable and others non-crossable? I never know.

2) The story repeatedly said, through Tommy’s POV, that a vampire’s survival instincts will always win. That is when a vampire suffers a dire need of blood, it will attack any nearby human, even if the human is a loved one. IMO, this make vampires prone to violence. So why were there non-violent pro-vampire rights protest? Why did those vampires died pacifically when the Vampire Forces burned them to death? Vampire protesters acting like Buddhist monks? This does not compute.

3) Sex, I thought once you become a vampire you lose your sex drive. But late in the story, Tommy had the desire or at least I think he did. The story never explained in clear details about vampires and sex. I need the undead birds and bees talk pronto!

4) Fire. Vampire’s worst enemy. Actually, any creature’s worst enemy. I did not understand why fire was necessary to a kill a vampire. Cannot guns and swords do the same, or better yet, be more effective? What makes fire so special?

5) Vampires need blood to survive, we all know this. But did they necessarily have to kill people to feed? IIRC, Tommy was able to feed a few times on some people, e.g. Danny, without killing them. Why couldn't vampires feed and then hypnotize their victims into momentary amnesia? Or why couldn't vampires just rob a blood bank? Feeding without killing seems to me is the best way to survive, which would have causes a lot less vampire-hating. So why didn't any vampire do this on a habitual basis?

6) People could recognize a vampire, sans-disguise, easily. People could even recognize a vampire by their weird, unhuman-like movement. If this was so, why did it took a vampire committing suicide in public to out the vampire race? People used to believe in vampires long time ago, and then they didn’t believe in vampires anymore in the modern world, and later they believe in vampires again in the future set in BH. What happen in the time that made people stop believing in vampires? I was not satisfied in just accepting vampires were here one era, gone the next, and back again in the era of BH. The history of vampires of BH in regards to their existence was sorely lacking.

These world-building holes were not annoying in the story when I read it. Only when I started writing this review and reflecting back on BH did I noticed these holes.

The Ending

It suck. I’m pro-HEA who likes to live in La-La Land so that is not surprising. But more than that, I was wondering what was the goal of the story. I thought it was about Tommy trying to reclaim his humanity. But I never got impression he was actively doing that. For example, in part five he didn’t know a camera flash was not fire. Tommy talked to humans, but he never learned from them or how they act or think or whatever. BH spanned across decades, you think he would have learned enough to pass by as a human, even if only an eccentric one. But no. Heck, Tommy could at least crack open a psychology book in part two of BH when Danny was in college.

I wonder if the story was trying to say that vampires can never be human no matter how much they try to. Or it could just be a Tommy being an idiot thing. I don’t know.



And that was it... or was it?

Later on after I finished the book, I browsed the author’s blog and learned there will be a sequel — Being Vampire, book 2 of the Being series. So the ending made more sense now as in “Oooooh, so that was supposed to be a cliffhanger.” Gotcha.

Conclusion

I rate BH two stars for it was okay. I did not expect BH to span decades. I would have prefer a plot where Danny and Tommy are teenagers from start to end to keep it succinctly YA. As I said, Danny was my favorite character.

Would I read the sequel? Yes.

Similar Reading

Infinite Days (Vampire Queen, #1) by Rebecca Maizel = A vampire waking up and finding herself human. Same kind of writing style but less surreal. Have a stronger romantic element.
Profile Image for Esther.
629 reviews112 followers
November 27, 2017
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, how I dread writing reviews about books that I didn't LOOOVE. I don't want to upset anybody, but I still want to be a critical and believable reviewer. I'm one of the few people that did not like this book, but it gets great scores on Goodreads. Maybe I'm too old for this book? Maybe I've read too many Fantasy/YA books and got very critical? Maybe I just didn't feel the connection.. I don't know exactly why I didn't like this book, but I will try to explain in this review post.

A longer review can be found at Bite Into Books

Okay, this book isn't horrible. A lot of people even like it. I just didn't see the point and I didn't have a connection with any of the characters. I do believe the take on vampires was very original and I had hoped for a great problem or event in the story that kept me on edge. It took 85% of the book for that to happen and that was a bit too late for me...
Profile Image for Brett.
192 reviews19 followers
January 20, 2012
Why can’t I find a nice, boring book that won’t wrench apart my insides? This is the third one in the past week. I can’t handle it. Stop writing amazing books people. With that said, I can’t believe I took so long to get around to this one. With the simple, yet eerily awesome dark cover begging me to open it up and read, I have to wonder what the hell was wrong with me. I shouldn’t have kept Tommy waiting. There were so many times that my eyes teared up leaving me blinking away the blurry vision so I could keep reading, that I lost count. Being Human took me through so many emotions—both good and bad—there was just simply no way to put it down. It’s what I loved about it. There were never moments where I felt like nothing was happening. The staggered insight into Tommy’s life after being turned was just too riveting.

Read full review at Demons Read Too
Profile Image for Aly.
1,898 reviews69 followers
August 27, 2017
This is was a very different and interesting vampire story. Twins, one human and one vampire, a story of how two different lives can be so fun to read about. I enjoyed this story and I feel I had a connection with the characters. The story is well written and entertaining. This book makes me think about being human and what it would be like as a vampire. Great book. * I received this book from the author and this is my honest review*
Profile Image for Daniel Kaine.
Author 9 books127 followers
January 2, 2012
'Being Human' follows Tommy as he wakes up as a vampire, his human memories slipping fast from his mind. Survival is all that matters to him now, but there's just one problem... his identical twin brother, Danny - his last link to the human world.

Through Danny, Tommy begins to learn what it means to be human. He learns the importance of friends and family. And he learns that some monsters are very human.

The story is fast paced, exciting, gut-wrenching, and completely addicting. Once I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading. I had to rush home to find out what was going to happen next.

Set over a period of a few decades, we get to see Tommy grow and develop as a character, and as a human. It's an interesting and fresh take on the vampire genre with characters that are as loveable as they are well-defined. Even if vampires aren't your thing, I would recommend you give this a try.
1 review
August 5, 2012
I am an avid bookreader. My favorite genre is Vampire. This book stole my heart with its reality of human intolerance with things different than the "norm." Ms Lynne has captured life so well. I have read and reread this book on Nook, until I had to purchase my own copy. Any person or member of any form of minority whether racial, social, religious, or sexual, will identify with Tommy and his struggles with "Being Human." One of the greatest books I have ever read!!!
Rickg From Pennsylvania
Profile Image for Cassie.
142 reviews17 followers
November 7, 2011
In this truly original tell of vampires, society and the bonds of family, you will find everything you’re looking for in a great novel! Just as our narrator, Tommy, has a hard time understanding why humans do what they do, I’m having a hard time sorting out my emotions after reading Being Human. This is one of those stores that makes you step back and think. The main character that the story follows is so well written and truthful that I have a strong suspicion the author must have been turned into a vampire herself. Tommy went through so much confusion in his years spent learning how to be human again after forgetting everything he knew from his human life, and being left only instincts and one thought…Survive! As you watch him understand and grow you get a first row seat on the inner workings of what love really means and the power of family bonds. This story tugged on my heart strings when Tommy would do something sweet (even if he didn’t understand why) and made me laugh when he would try to understand the complexity of human emotions (which I don’t think even us humans understand). It’s so refreshing to read about a different kind of love and get a whole new take on the vampire’s genre. First person narrative is always one of my least favorite POV’s and runs the risk of being read like a little girl’s diary but Lynne did a wonderful job of keeping me interested and an even better job of making the story line flow. Even if you don’t like vampire stories I hope you will give this book a shot, and promise you won’t be let down!


http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.co...
Profile Image for Heather.
60 reviews7 followers
September 13, 2012
Being Human was a breath of fresh air with vampires !!!! Tommy doesn't sparkle or badass vamp ..no but he is conflicted and confused.Tommy is very analytical and factual, he kills because he has to. Danny his twin brother keeps him grounded to the human world without him Tommy would be without any feelings. I loved we got to see Tommy's journey through his hell and understood how he felt about different situations. I really enjoyed the passage of time in the book. It gives the readers a longer period of time to see Tommy growing and developing.I simply couldn't this book down till i was finished with Tommy and Danny .... I have so many emotions I SIMPLY can't put into words about what I feel about this book...... If you want something that makes you feel, you need to read and experience this book for yourself.
Profile Image for Lor Rose.
Author 17 books19 followers
January 11, 2012
Being Human centers around a vampire named Tommy and his human twin Danny.

Being Human not only follows the struggles of Tommy dealing with his new life and outlook but also the humans around him. This book centers around Tommy and his struggles but most miss Danny's and other humans changes as well.

In this touching book humans accidentally find the existence of vampires as a tour buss witnesses a vampire welcoming the heat of the sun. The Vampire Forces are formed to eradicate the emotionless filthy monstrous creatures. But what humans failed to ask is why? Why would a vampire void of emotion great the sun in death? Her food is plentiful. Her pray doesn't know she exists. So why?

You find the answer in Tommy a vampire.

A wonderful touching read. A must have.
Profile Image for ✦BookishlyRichie✦.
642 reviews1,007 followers
December 8, 2011
AWESOME. If there was a word to describe it.
I loved the entire story and fell head over heels
for the characters. The cover is also great.
Patricia is such a great writer and the pages just
went by so quickly. Can't wait to read the sequel
and enjoy these characters and story all over again.
I'd recommend this to the supernatural YA lovers.
READ! you must!!!

-R.D.
Profile Image for Vixen.
120 reviews
September 12, 2012
There is no one word that I can say that will do justice to what I think of Being Human!

Amazingly awesome, fascinating, entertaining, easily-readable, and not to mention funny! I was right when I had thought this sounded like an interesting read. Little did I know that I would be reading a new favorite! I am so glad I read this book! ^_^

So basically, Being Human is told in 1st person POV which I absolutely loved. But we get right into the mind of Tommy, a recently turned vampire that—like all the vampires in this book—is rapidly losing his humanity. All the memories of being human fading and literally being overtaken by new natural instincts as he returns home after three days missing, only to succumb to his overbearing thirst and new hunger going after what other than the two thumping hearts beating that he knows will quench his thirst, and realizing they’re his parents as he turns to see his self-staring back at him wide eyed. Only it’s not himself but his TWIN brother Danny—oh no!—who has just witnessed his brother and his other half killing their parents!

Throughout the book it gets divided into five parts, taking us through Tommy’s life as he has to learn the confusing ways of the human race. He has to watch his brother go through changes as he grows up, while he stays the same forever a teenage vampire. We move with him as he comes to terms with the fact that there are monsters worse than vampires that remain human. As he learns of friendship, family, betrayal, hurt, and love. Ultimately moving through life learning that—like the synopsis declares—being human necessarily entail being human!

I absolutely loved Being Human! I was pleased with this unique take on vampires that I found was entertaining and refreshing. The fact that they forget their humanity, and literally lose themselves to the beast of the night was exceptional. The human world knew about their existence and not only did some have their own weapon of choice or a baton flame thrower, they also had the Vampire Force—similar to vampire police—getting called to handle a vampire disturbance and turn them to ash with a very public torching. I liked that the world that Tommy was living in was gradually explained so it wasn’t as overwhelming and had you’re mind turning.

It was refreshing to read about a vampire that not only had zero indication of sparkling in the sun but feared it and hid, seeking comfort underground and in darkness. Vampires had fangs, and fed on the human race equally holding that level of wariness around them as the humans did with them—as it should be. The fact that names held more power than just claiming the identity of a being was genius—and at time hilarious. It was also invigorating to read of the vampires as being ones to automatically think about a kill when angry before calming themselves—or in Tommy’s case be calmed by his twin—and very human—brother Danny.

Speaking of the brother,

Ultimately I loved this book! I loved the characters and the development of our main character. I love the steady flow and the maneuvering through the years as Tommy grows as a person—>_> er… vampire. I liked that it had a serious tone as he goes through his complicated life but at the same time has the right amount of humor. But it doesn’t over whelm the story at all and give you a “silly read”—if that makes sense. It kept me interested the whole entire book up until the very end, when even then though I thought my heart couldn’t bear it, I pulled my head from where I had buried it in a pillow and read loving it!

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys vampires, paranormal, romance, humor, and basically anyone who wants a good and easy read. It’s definitely worth it; you might end up with a new favorite not to mention have high hopes for a sequel! n_n
Profile Image for Carole Rae.
1,614 reviews43 followers
February 29, 2012
This is the first Patricia Lynne book I've read and the first YA vampire tale I've read since Breaking Dawn. I can finally say I'm back on the train of vampire novels (as you can tell, because I've read two of them in a row). I'm still team Werewolf, but hey...I love me some vampires. Being Human not only sated my need for a good vampire story, but a nice YA book also.


The first thing I would like to point out is that Patricia Lynne wrote vampires on how I see them: survival-orientated. Blood is the first thing they care about and are more beast than human. I was excited to read how I perceive the vampire-kind. Thank you Ms. Lynne. Thank you!


Being Human was an interesting book and kept my attention for the most part. My attention did tend to drift off at certain points, because I found Tommy (the main dude) a little boring. I don't know, but I'm not a big Tommy fan. Well, I felt mostly neutral towards him. I didn't loath him and I didn't adore him...he was just there. Perhaps it was because he was just there. Throughout the story he would just get blood once a week and visit his twin. For the majority of the book I was...well...bored.


The first and third part of the book was very, very boring (in my opinion). The story was stagnant and nothing would happen for pages and pages at a time. However, I did find some of Tommy's musings rather interesting and his questions funny. For example...he didn't get the point on couples going out for dates. He didn't understand how that helped people's "survival" or make the relationship "better". I found it very interesting and very realistic for if vampires were real.


I also loved how Ms. Lynne had Tommy find some of his humanity back. He did find out some main points on being human (note...TITLE OF BOOK, haha). He may have been a "monster", but deep inside he did retain some of his past human traits. He had the ability to be self-conscious, have will-power, have some sort of compassion, and most of love. It made me made that the people of this book were more heartless than the vampires themselves. If you sympathized with the "monsters" then you were now the out-group and beaten. If you happened to become a vampire, then you were shunned and if caught they would do experiments on you and then kill you publicly. At times the humans were more monsterly than the monsters themselves. Horrible. However, if vampires were uncovered in our time, I bet their fates wouldn't be much different.


ANYWAYS, this was an interesting book and I liked it. The only thing that really makes me not LOVE this book was how slow the tempo was. Yes, yes, I know not every story should be fast-paced and whatnot, but I couldn't help but skim some areas. Other than the slow bits, I really liked the story and I'm so happy someone else envisions vampires the way I do! They are NOT human and NOT Edward Cullen. Yes, vampires still retain some human qualities, but the first thought for them is survival.


ANYWAYS, sorry...I keep regressing and getting off topic.


Overall, I did like this book and I wish I could love it like everyone else...but the slow parts made me not a happy reader. I loved the world that was presented. It felt like a possible world that would exist if vampires were uncovered. I would recommend this to YA lovers and vampire book lovers. I would caution twilighters to stay away, because this is nothing like the Twilight books. I do like the Twilight books, but this is left field. Out of five stars I grant this one 3 stars. In all reality it would be 3.4, but I don't give decimals, so I rounded.


Favorite Character(s): Danny (such a great guy) and Mackenize (Tommy's niece, she was funny and the happy-go-lucky character)
Not-so Favorite Character(s): VF (buttcheeks. They are NO better than the vamps)
Profile Image for grafikerebru.
242 reviews
September 26, 2012
Patricia LYNNE / İNSAN OLMAK
Çok değişik bir konusu olan güzel bir kitaptı.Okurken çok çeşitli duygu karmaşalarında kaldım.Yazarın ele aldığı kurgu oldukça farklı , farklı olmasıyla beraber merak uyandırıcıydı.Bildiğimiz vampir kitaplarından çok farklıydı bu kitap.Burada bir vampirin –istemeden vampir olan bir insanın- insan olmanın anlamını çözmeye çalışması , insanlar tarafından dışlanması buna rağmen arkadaşlığı , aşkı , gülmeyi öğrenmesi anlatılıyordu.Ama bir noktaya değinmeliyim , zamanın akışı çok hızlı olduğundan beni biraz konudan kopardı.Belki yazar büyüklüklerine daha çok değinmeye çalışmış ama ben küçük kardeşleri daha çok benimsedim.Her neyse…
Konuya gelirsek ; vampirler tarafından dönüştürülen insansalar dönüştükleri andan itibaren tüm anılarını kaybetmeye başlıyorlar.İşte Tommy’ye de olan tam olarak buydu.Tommy’nin tüm hayatı bir gece içinde dönüştürülmesi ile son buldu.Kendine geldiğine bir boşluktaymış gibi yaşadı , evine gitti ailesini öldürdü.Ama diğer bilinen vampire dönüşmüş insanlardan faklıydı Tommy.Annesini ve babasını öldürdü fakat bir an karşısında kendisine benzer bir yüz gördüğünde aslında tüm anılarının silinmediğini anladı.Ve ikiz kardeşine taparcasına bağlandı.Yazarın değindiği bu ikiz bağı gerçekten inanılmaz etkileyiciydi.Hem Tommy için hem de Daniel için aralarındaki bağın kuvveti okuyucuyu çok etkiliyor.Öyle ki bazı kısımlarda Tommy’nin anlam veremedikleri , yaşadığı kırgınlıklar , çektiği acılar , aşık olması , hayal kırıklıkları… daha bir çok duygusu sizi de alıp götürecek.
Tomm’un gözünde insanlar birer yemekken kardeşi sayesinde kimseyi öldürmemeyi öğrenmeye , insanların arasında yaşamaya çalıştı.Tabi Dan için Tomm zararsızdı ama aralarındaki bağı ne insanlar ne de akrabaları anlayamadıkları için Dan’i Tomm’dan uzaklaştırmaya çalıştılar.İki kardeşin aralarına mesafeler ve yıllar girmesine rağmen Tommy kardeşi Dan’i buldu.Kardeşini bulmak için Vampir Kuvetlerine yakalanmayı , aç kalmayı hiç umursamadan Tomm günlerini kardeşini bulmaya adadı.
Yazarın Tommy için yarattığı karaktere çok üzüldüm gerçekten.Daniel karakterini ise pek sevmedim.Tomm vampir olmasına rağmen kardeşi ile aralarındaki ikiz bağı onda Dan’den daha fazlaydı. Ya da odak noktası Tomm olduğu için bana öyle geldi.Bilemiyorum şuan fakat bu kitabı cidden çok beğendim , tavsiye ederim kesinlikle okunmalı.Belki içinde savaş , adrenalin gibi bir konu barındırmıyor ama diğer vampir kitaplarından da kat kat iyiydi bence.
Profile Image for Jagged.
1,076 reviews31 followers
January 10, 2013
True Rating: 1.5 Stars.
"I've been half mad with worry. I thought maybe God took you to Heaven!"

"This is my brother. He's very real, very dead, and mostly harmless."
I smiled, trying to look harmless.
"Don't do that. You'll freak everyone out."
I dropped my smile.
"Now you look like you want to eat everyone."
"I do."

The beginning was really good. I also really loved the concept of this book. I thought the perspective was unique, and heartfelt. I just didn't care for how it was ultimately written.
Tommy came across as a really bad actor...actually, every character in this book came across that way.
The conversations did not flow well. Everything, no matter who was speaking, felt very forced. There was no natural flow with anything. Even Tommy's thoughts; they were extremely disjointed.
The subplots really needed some work. It felt like they were just there...to have something to read about, but failed to deliver sound entertainment.
The editing wasn't as bad as I have ever seen, by far, but still, there were enough issues that it became an annoyance.
This book was funny, even though Tommy was extremely creepy, in more ways than one. He was very much like a stalker...and he acted like one, too.
I was enjoying the idea of him learning about himself by hearing about himself. I really would have enjoyed the book exploring that a bit more.
I did not like how the book ended. Ultimately, this book was meaningless. There was no real progression...at all. Not even for Tommy. Or for the world versus vampire. It was just a massive dead end.
I ended up getting bored about half way through the book and had a hard time finishing it. But, because I really did think that this story had some potential, I gave it the half star.
99 reviews16 followers
February 29, 2012
This book took a whole different spin on vampires than I am used to, and I loved it! Tommy forgets everything about his life as a human. It's like when he becomes a vampire he has a wiped clean slate. Except for when he sees his twin Danny. He may not remember Danny but he can feel it in his chest, this is his twin.

Patricia Lynne did a wonderful job of showing Tommy and Danny's relationship. Reading about Tommy's struggle to never make his brother unhappy was amazing. Everyone saw Tommy as a heartless monster, who cared about no one. Lynne shows us that Tommy does care, even if he doesn't know how to show it.

In so many ways I felt that Tommy was more human than the humans that hated him. Yes, he killed, but only to survive. He also loved. He may not have always realized it but he loved his brother Danny, and later Danny's family and his Sunshine. He grew so much through this story, and I absolutely loved reading about it.

I also enjoyed that this story spanned so much time. We got to see so much of Tommy's life as a vampire, as well as watching Danny grow up and start a family. This was just an all around good book with a surprise twist at the end. Lynne caught me by complete surprise, and I loved it!
Profile Image for Byron.
200 reviews6 followers
November 3, 2011
Read this story now!!!!!! You don't need to decide if you like a vampire tale, you don't need to decide anything... Patricia Lynne has written a hard hitting tale on humanity. I have spent the last 24 hours reading it at EVERY possible/conceivable point I could.. I wanted to just sit and hide till I finished it and then I didn't know if I wanted to cry, smile or bitch-out at Patricia for a remarkable ending...

Characters - Each character was so finely crafted, with no wasted words or ideas for each one. The depth we get to know them and how quickly that is created is amazing. I think even to say that you feel for them just doesn't sum up how well they are written.

Plot.... Not a plot bunny or hole in sight... just the story no filler, no wasted effort, no jerking around. It would be a lie to say it was a simple plot, yet it doesn't go over board on complexity.

Style - The way this is written is so suitable to the story and the characters..

Damn but I want to say so much but I'm still working through my emotions after reading this... But THANK-YOU Patricia... I'd give you another star easily for being such a brilliant story if I could..
Profile Image for Mitsy.
414 reviews19 followers
December 29, 2013
Won this! :) oh, yeah!

Wow. When I wrote that, I had no idea I'd be blown away.

Being Human took me longer to read than any book I've read this year. I have never been so surprised at the imagination, twists, turns, and humor from an author as I was with this. It's why it took so long, because I just didn't see or imagine what was coming - every other PAGE. Sometimes, every other paragraph. I never thought an author could have this many different elements in one book and make it all work perfectly. There is just no one category this book fits. It's all of them: mystery, thriller, young adult, comedy, family, paranormal, romance, etc. As such, it's for everyone. For those who dislike paranormal, there's much more to this. For me, it's all about love. The sweetest love story.

Almost finished. No idea what the ending will be. Whatever it is, I know it'll be just right.

Finished. Yes. The ending is perfect.
1 review1 follower
July 12, 2011
This book is absolutely beautiful. I loved how it spanned many years with gaps in between and it focused on several different types of relationships. Unlike most vampire books, it didn't focus on romantic love alone and didn't even seem like it was going to focus on romantic love at all until almost the end. I also really liked how the author made me step back and look objectively at things that seem so normal, like brushing your teeth. This book is definitely worth the read for anyone who likes vampire books.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
15 reviews1 follower
November 30, 2011
I bought this book based on a recommendation from an author I follow on Twitter. At first I struggled with the idea that a new vampire would have absolutely no understanding of humans at all, but it was interesting to see him learn from his twin brother. I found Tommy to be a fascinating character, and I think anyone who has struggles in life can relate to him. I love how the book progressed and he evolved. The end made me cry and I was actually disappointed that there wasn't more. By the time I got to the end of the book, I didn't want it to end.
Profile Image for Evie Jayne.
Author 4 books4 followers
September 14, 2012
I don't often write reviews, but this book really grabbed me. I won't go into a mini synopsis, I just want to say how impressed I am by it's originality and consistency. The main character is beautifully written and utterly believable. If you are a vampire fiction lover, this will give you a unique and fresh take. If you are not, read it anyway. It's a fantastic piece of writing and a great and unusual story.
1 review
July 14, 2011
Being Human is a story that is very near, and dear to my heart. It is not your typical vampire story, nor is Tommy your typical vampire. The story spans generations and shows the reader what it's like to be a vampire from his point of view. And it's not your typical girl meets boy vampire and falls in love ... it's better than that! It is a very refreshing take on the vampire genre.
Profile Image for Derya.
52 reviews7 followers
Read
October 7, 2012
sonu çok acıklıydı yaaa..
Profile Image for Akın.
125 reviews
May 26, 2013
Daha iyi olabilirdi.
Profile Image for Carmen.
737 reviews23 followers
September 1, 2017
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Vampires have been outed, and people fear them more than the legends that have given them a bad reputation. One day, Tommy is lured out of his home and turned by a vampire. As his human emotions and memories quickly leave him, something unusual happens: he has a strong emotional response to his twin brother. He's determined to keep Danny safe and remain close to him even though he can't remember anything about their human life together. His instinct to survive is quickly combined with his instinct to protect his brother, which creates unusual circumstances in a society where vampires are hunted and killed without a second thought.

This is unlike any other vampire novel that I've read before. Instead of following Tommy quickly involve himself in the vampire world, we watch him connect with his brother. Vampires are solo creatures in this book, and they don't get along with humans. They're either eating them or avoiding them, and Tommy is glued to his brother every night. It's a family tale as Tommy and Danny have their brotherly bond tested by society and even family over and over again. I love novels that explore family bonds, so it's really exciting to watch these brothers grow closer and sometimes struggle with their relationship through each phase of their lives.

Lynne tells this story in sections. There's minor time jumps between each section covering Tommy's early vampire life when he and Danny are teenagers, their struggles when Danny reaches college, acceptance as Tommy begins a family, and how history starts to repeat itself once again as Danny continues to age. I really enjoyed watching these two characters bond, test the waters with other people, and keep their connection through every big change in Danny's human life. I often wondered if society's view on vampires would change and if Tommy would ever be accepted by outsiders.

Told through Tommy's perspective, we see everything through his eyes. We feel for him and the characters around him as he struggles to make connections and not hurt his family. It was neat to see him interact with other vampires from time to time. The only thing I didn't care for is the romance that occurs later in the book. It seemed out of place and just strange. Otherwise, it's a wonderful book and I hope to see this character again if Lynne is later inspired to continue the story from a different perspective.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
15 reviews2 followers
November 2, 2013
Read this book if:

1. You love Vampire stories
2. You're ready for a slightly different take on vampires (you know, other than Twilight)
3. You have a sibling

I love this book. I actually read it for the first time quite a while ago, loved it SO much that I had no idea how to write a review, and immediately started reading another book by the same author.

6 months later, the memory of how much I enjoyed this book lingered in my thoughts. So, one night, as I lay in bed while sleep was nowhere to be found, I pulled it back up on my phone and started reading. And I loved it. I ended up not sleeping that night, but I read the whole book instead. And then I started it over again.

I love how REAL Tommy is. His thoughts, his instincts, his behavior... Even though vampires are not real in our world, if they were real, I think they would be like how Tommy was. He was very matter-of-fact, almost child-like in his thinking. If something helps him to survive, he does it. If it doesn't help him survive, it's useless. What's the point in brushing your teeth? Why drink and party?

And yet, because of his brother, Tommy has tiny little inklings of his humanity. He doesn't remember anything, which makes it harder, but when he forms friendships (ugh, Fallen, I hate her) and when his brother grows up and has a family of his own, Tommy starts to feel some very human things. I love it.

Tommy and Danny's relationship is my favorite, favorite, favorite part!!! Danny is absolutely perfect. He is patient and loving toward Tommy and helps guide him through the confusion of being a vampire with human thoughts. I love their relationship in college the best, I think, when Danny shows how much he NEEDS Tommy. And of course, I love their twin bond.

Basically, everything about Tommy and Danny I love.

Yes, there are parts that I dislike, and that I skipped over the third time I read it - I find Fallen and her friends to be very, very annoying, but she taught Tommy a lot and she was necessary to the plot.

And the ending??? OMG, I hated it the first time I read it. And the 2nd and 3rd time I read it, I definitely didn't like it. I don't even know if I truly understand it. I think I do. I like to imagine, maybe, that I'm right and that what I want to have happen does actually happen... But I guess maybe that's why Patricia Lynne wrote it the way she did. So we cry and curse at her for not telling us, but then making it up in our heads. Maybe.

Or maybe there's going to be a sequel. :)

No matter if I'm right or wrong in what happens after the book ends, I highly, highly recommend this book. Even if you're not that into vampires, you'll like it. It really isn't about vampires, it's more about humanity and the relationships we have and why we have them. You'll like it, trust me.
Profile Image for Kayleigh.
159 reviews49 followers
March 6, 2013
Before I start my review I just have to say that just because this book is about vampires it is nothing like "Twilight" or "Vampire Academy". You will not be swooning over vampires that sparkle.
With that being said this book is definatley something you should check out.

Why should you check it out?

That's simple. It's because this book is about the love of family. It's about finding yourself. It's about...being human.

The main character in this book is Tommy. He was 15 when he was turned into a vampire. After being turned he murdered his mother and father because of the thirst.

After Tommy kills his parents his twin brother Danny approaches him. Danny is human but instead of wanting to kill him Tommy becomes extremely protective over his brother.

There are 5 parts in this book. The first takes place as Tommy is adjusting to being a vampire. Part two takes place while Danny is attending college. It's actually kind of sad because Danny is growing up and Tommy will never change.

It's a really interesting book and Patricia Lynn's take on vampires is original. It was completely different from anything i've ever read which is pretty dang awesome.

I really enjoyed the character of Tommy also. I found myself rooting for him a lot. He goes through so much during the book and you start to really care for him. He knows he's a vampire but he tries so hard to be good. It's really nice to watch him grow up, even without actually aging.

Another thing that I loved about this book was the relationship between Tommy and Danny. Danny is the older twin and he's constantly guiding his brother in the right direction. Neither of them would be who they are without the other.

However now that i've told you why this book rocks I must say the things that bothered me. Boo. First off there were no chapters, only parts. I am not a fan of that. I enjoy my chapters. I actually enjoy a LOT of chapters. Short ones prefereably. I like saying, "Okay just one more chapter." And then when I see the chapter is only like 10 pages I can say, "Oh geesh that was short...Just one more." I find that I read faster when there are chapters.

Luckily though the book was awesome so the little things that bothered me weren't that big of a deal.
I recommend this book to you so go check it out!

P.S. Patricia Lynne I really loved Mackenzie...you should totally write a book from her point of view. Just saying. :)

Cover: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

Being Human Playlist:
Behind Blue Eyes by Limp Bizkit
What I've Done by Linkin Park
Animal I've Become by Three Days Grace
Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie
Burn by The Cure
Hero by Skillet
The Red by Chevelle
Dream Brother by Jeff Buckley
Profile Image for Stephanie Moakes.
15 reviews3 followers
October 28, 2012
I cannot explain how much I LOVED this book!!

Patricia Lynne is an amazing storyteller and this book is one of the most thought provoking I have read in a long time. Her take on the vampire genre was completely unique, she created a species that we are meant to fear and that fear remained until the very last page and at its core this story is about the prejudices that we face as a society today. This book is fast paced, exciting and completely heart-breaking. This isn’t a story about love, it’s a story about humanity and what it takes to be human. Lynne also covered topics such as child abuse, rape, self-harm and depression in a respectful way and I have to admire her for that.

I loved that Lynne created a story that made me question humanity and whether survival really is more important that love. It also had me asking the question, Is it right to fear something because we don’t fully understand it? I also loved the twin bond which became the sole reason Tommy didn’t lose all of his humanity, it was an amazing concept and it completely blew me away.

Tommy’s character is unique and I was shocked over and over again by his thoughts, feelings and actions. He kept me guessing until the very end. I loved that Lynne made Tommy the bad guy in the story and had all the other characters fear him for a time and then she threw in a human that Tommy described as a monster, which created the question; if vampires truly existed, would their crimes be any worse than human crimes?

He was almost childlike in nature because once he awakened as a vampire, he had to start from scratch and learn how to be human from the very beginning, he discovered what it was like to love, feel betrayed, hate, fear and the difference between right and wrong. He had to learn all the lessons that we do from birth and Lynne made each situation Tommy found himself in completely believable and relatable. I loved being able to watch Tommy grow as a character over several decades, it wasn’t a ridiculous amount of time and it was easy to see how his character changed emotionally even when he didn’t change physically. He realised that sometimes love is more important that survival.

The only part of the book I didn’t fall in love with was the ending and only because I didn’t feel completely satisfied. I feel like I still need closure on Tommy’s story and I still need to know how it ended for him, including his thoughts and feelings. Although I did love how the ending was written from another POV, it was refreshing and gave even more of an insight into the world Tommy found himself living in. This book will have you laughing and crying along with Tommy and the wonderful, strange and sad situations he finds himself in.


Profile Image for Antonia♥.
135 reviews
November 21, 2012
Originally posted on my blog:
http://whispersatmoonlight.wordpress....

‘’Being Human’’ is an intense thrill-ride that you don’t have to miss if you like books with vampires. I really liked this book and I also liked Patricia’s writing style. That’s why I will definitely be picking up anything Patricia writes in the future.
This book is divided in five parts so I would like to talk a little bit about each one.

PART I: BROTHERS
Well, the first part was OK, but that’s all I can say about it. It is about Tommy’s life as a new vampire and how he tries to survive. He murdered his parents and the only person who understands him is his twin brother, Danny. From my point of view, Danny was an amazing character and an amazing brother. The bound between him and Tommy was very special.

PART II: FRIENDSHIP
The second part was so interesting because it’s about Danny’s life at college. And that’s why things are changing a little bit. Tommy must learn to not depend so much on his brother, he must understand that Danny is turning into a man now.
Also, in this part we meet a new character, Amber (Fallen). I don’t know why, but I liked this girl. Even she wasn’t a good person in the end, I think she and Tommy had a very nice friendship.
Oh, and I didn’t like the fact that Tommy killed her.

PART III: MONSTERS
The third part was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Danny has a family now: Rissa –his wife-, Mackenzie –his daughter- and Tommy, his vampire brother. Mackenzie loves her uncle and she isn’t afraid of him. The relationship between them was very cute and I liked it. Tommy would do anything to keep Mackenzie safe, even killing the monsters. But Mackenzie isn’t in danger for now – but her little friend Jamie is.
Tommy will rescue he, but he doesn’t know how things will change in the future.

PART IV: SUNLIGHT
Time passed and Mackenzie is a teenager. So is Jamie – the little girl Tommy rescued in the past. A lot of things will happen between them. But most important, Tommy will find true love.

PART V: HATRED
Tommy is in real danger. Finally VF (Vampire Forces) caught him. Will he manage to escape? Will he return to his family and his love? You have to read the book to find out.
The fifth part was the shortest one, but I enjoyed reading it.

Overall, if you want a good book with vampires, action and a little bit of romance then I would recommend ‘’Being Human’’ to you. And I want to mention that ‘’Being Human’’ is a book that shows us that even a vampire can act and feel like a human. Patricia’s imagination is unbelievable.

RATING:★★★★

Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.