Sinnful Books

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View and Alison at Alison Can Read. The point is to follow as many book blog as you can and make new friends! As part of the adventure, she gives a weekly question. And, this week, Sinnful Books is one of the featured blogs!!

Q: You are a matchmaker -- your goal, hook up two characters from two of your favorite books. Who would it be? How do you think it would go?

A:

Wow, what a question this week! If I were to be completely honest, this matchmaker will have to abdicate. The main characters in my favorite books are either already in perfectly matched relationships, or do not wish to enter into one. It would be wrong of me to mess with that. Man, rereading that answer, I am such a killjoy!

What would you guys do?

Book Review — Infected

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:35:00 +0000

Title: Infected
Author: Scott Sigler
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2008
Publisher: Crown Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-307-40610-1
Author Links: Website ♠ Twitter ♠ Facebook

"Across America a mysterious disease is turning ordinary people into raving, paranoid murderers who inflict brutal horrors on strangers, themselves, and even their own families.

"Working under the government’s shroud of secrecy, CIA operative Dew Phillips crisscrosses the country trying in vain to capture a live victim. With only decomposing corpses for clues, CDC epidemiologist Margaret Montoya races to analyze the science behind this deadly contagion. She discovers that these killers all have one thing in common – they’ve been contaminated by a bioengineered parasite, shaped by a complexity far beyond the limits of known science.

"Meanwhile Perry Dawsey – a hulking former football star now resigned to life as a cubicle-bound desk jockey – awakens one morning to find several mysterious welts growing on his body. Soon Perry finds himself acting and thinking strangely, hearing voices . . . he is infected.

"The fate of the human race may well depend on the bloody war Perry must wage with his own body, because the parasites want something from him, something that goes beyond mere murder."

~ Goodreads

Thoughts: I have seen the book on the shelves for a few years now. The cover art really drew my attention. However, I never took the time to pick the book up. While I was cruising on iTunes for a literature podcast—mostly something related to zombies—to listen to while working on pattern drafting, this popped up as a suggestion. Only knowing that the podcast got high reviews, I decided to embark on an adventure.

Around the Nation, several people wake up to find a weird rash-like skin irritation. Some thinking that it is some sort of spider bite or a possible allergic reaction, no one thinks too much off it. However, once a strange blue hair pops up out of the middle of the irritation, people start to question what is going on.

After someone calls into a local radio station raving about triangles and murdering his family, the government is determined to figure out what is causing seemingly normal people to start killing their families and themselves. When a relatively fresh corpse arrives in an advanced state of decomposition, the CDC gets involved.

Like the others around the Nation, Perry Dawsey—a former Ohio State football star who has struggled with anger his entire adult life—wakes up to find a strange rash forming on various parts of his body. However, over the course of a few days, this seemingly benign rash starts to take on the shape of blue triangles. While this seriously distresses him—especially since one of these triangles is on one of his testicles—it becomes far more disturbing when the triangles start communicating to him and torturing him with severe mind-screams.

At the beginning of each podcast, Sigler warns the audience that the situations are not suitable for children and that there is "lots and LOTS" of violence. And, I could argue, the warnings might be a little mild! The blood level escalates throughout the book as Perry tries to surgically remove these triangles in more and more graphic ways. Be warned, Sigler does not skimp on details! Even through the bloodiest of the scenes, it is heart-pounding and hard to put down.

Through Perry's struggle, Sigler is able to give the audience a rare look inside a character's head. He really delves deeply into our desire to survive at all costs.

I felt that Sigler did a good job of balancing CDC and the human side of the story. The CDC gave an interesting glimpse into a few of the other infected and a general idea of where the "virus" might have come from. He also does a good job of merging the storylines at the end of the book.

My only problem was the ending. When I finished listening to the last podcast, I spent hours on iTunes convinced that I missed a download. Nothing is answered at the end of the book, and you're left hanging. I wondered whether Sigler was trying to put the audience in the same boat with the CDC. If so, he did an amazing job. Luckily, this book does have a sequel, so I am hoping some of the remaining questions are answered.

This book is a fast paced thrill ride. I had a very hard time walking away from the book and focusing on other things. I found myself finding every excuse in the world to find reasons to spend time listening to it. And Sigler is an amazing narrator and lends to the overall mood of the book!

If you're interested in the podcasts of this book, they are free on iTunes. However, I encourage you to buy the books and give the publishers incentive to publish more in the series!

Rating:
Currently: Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright
Current Pages: 8877
Current Progress:

24/50 books

Book Review — The Demon of Renaissance Drive

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Title: The Demon of Renaissance Drive
Author: Elizabeth Reuter
Genre: Urban fantasy
Pages: Oversize paperback 209
Published: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-936564-25-5
Publisher: JournalStone
Opening Lines: "As the houses in Hell went, Annabelle's was lovely: wide, spacious, tastefully decorated. The large living room windows gave her the same ol' view of the fire and carnage and let the stink of burning human flesh drift through her halls, but no home was perfect."

"After six thousand years the succubus Annabelle finds relief from her dull life in the companionship of a damned soul named Harry, until the Kings of Hell decide they disapprove of Annabelle and Harry's bond.

"Unfortunately, even escaping to Earth isn't enough to keep the pair safe. Somewhere between dodging a dangerously inquisitive psychologist and fighting Satanists out for Harry's life, Annabelle realizes running is no longer an option. She must return home and make a stand.

"Whether she survives or not, at least she isn't bored anymore . . ."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: Honestly, I couldn't get through this book. I struggled with it for a couple of days, and I finally decided to give up the battle. It was a very tough decision, because I received this as a review request. However, after finding myself skipping over large chunks of text to try and make it through, I decided I couldn't give a fair review.

The book is extremely flat, the characters are two dimensional, the setting isn't even given much time, and the dialogue is forced. I have read many reviews stating that it gets better once Annabelle gets the help of the psychologist; however, I didn't see the change.

There seems to be a rather large back story with the new King's ruling and the contention between demonesses and succubi; however, the author never took much time to describe that. It is possible that she goes into more detail as the book progresses; however, I felt it was a disservice to leave it out of the first 100 pages.

All in all, what I read was not enjoyable. Honestly, it was downright forgettable. I think the author had an interesting concept, but failed on the execution.

Rating:

Book Review — Bag of Bones

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Tue, 29 May 2012 00:12:00 +0000

Title: Bag of Bones
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Mystery/suspense
Pages: Paperback 732
Published: 1998
Purchase: Stephen King: Bag of Bones
Opening Lines: "On a very hot day in August 1994, my wife told me she was going down to the Derry Rite Aid to pick up a refill on her sinus medicine prescription—this is the stuff you can buy over the counter these days, I believe."

"Four years after the sudden death of his wife, forty-year-old bestselling novelist Mike Noonan is still grieving. Unable to write, and plagued by vivid nightmares set at the western Maine summerhouse he calls Sara Laughs, Mike reluctantly returns to the lakeside getaway. There, he finds his beloved Yankee town held in the grip of a powerful millionaire, Max Devore, whose vindictive purpose is to take his three-year-old granddaughter, Kyra, away from her widowed young mother, Mattie. As Mike is drawn into Mattie and Kyra's struggle, as he falls in love with both of them, he is also drawn into the mystery of Sara Laughs, now the site of ghostly visitations and escalating terrors. What are the forces that have been unleashed there—and what do they want with Mike Noonan?

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: I originally saw the TV mini-series before venturing into this book. Like any other King novel, the story is dense, the characters are rich, and the setting is highly important. With most of his novels, I find myself at a loss trying to explain this one. There are several different stories happening in the novel; however, they all end up connecting at the end. And they are all greatly tied to the past.

At the beginning of the novel, Mike is struggling with the death of his wife, Jo. While making it onto the top 10 bestseller list several times, his fiction has never been a HUGE seller. He makes enough money for the couple of live comfortably in Derry and own a beautiful lakeside house on the TR-90. So, after his wife's death, he finds himself struggling with writer's block. Not wanting to risk his sales falling, his agent pesters him constantly about writing another novel. Mike candidly tells the audience that some authors tend to save up "nuts" for the winter—the dry season. Sitting in a safety deposit box, he has four previously written novels. And, honestly, I have to wonder whether Bag of Bones was one such novel for King. It lacks the special-something that makes them of of his books.

He spends a lot of time analyzing Mike's writer's block and pissing away four years of his life. Honestly, I think over the first 100 pages is just following him around in his daze and his fascination with crossword puzzles. Aside from learning about his saved "nuts" and the writer's block, I'm not sure there is too much worthwhile in the beginning of the book. To me, the most important things were Jo's death, the discovery made upon her death, the writer's block, and the reoccurring dreams of Sara Laughs. Which could have easily been cut in half.

Once Mike finally ends up back on the TR-90, he spends tons of time trying to track down Jo's every move before she died in a sick fantasy that she was cheating on him. During this time, he runs into Kyra and Mattie Devore. After which, he spends his time trying to cancel out thoughts of his growing lust for Mattie with his newly found writing ability. During this time, he also discovers that there are strange things happening throughout Sara Laughs and with the TR-90. And some of them revolve around Jo.

From things said by the caretaker of Sara Laughs, Jo was writing some sort of local history. He is extremely curious about this and decides it will have some clue as to the ghostly occurrences in the house. However, even though he is obsessed with finding these documents, he never looks for them! He has a strong feeling that they are in her studio—where he previously found his old typewriter—but he never ventures back in to search for these documents. When he learns from he brother that she truly did know what was happening, he still does not take the time to find them. This seemed rather weird to me. Also, the amount of time he spent worrying about the owls never turned into anything. If he is concerned about them and the caretaker tells him to locate them, why does he just sit on his thumbs and do nothing?

On top of all this, the book just took too long. He didn't figure out what was happening until 20-40 pages from the end. It was frustrating to read 732 pages of a book that could have been half of that.

All of this aside, however, I generally enjoyed the book. The back story was very interesting, and I loved the characters of Mattie and Kyra. King did a wonderful job filling out their relationship and showing the love between mother and daughter. Further, the setting was brilliant! If you have ever read any of his books, you know that the setting is always important. During the storm at the end of the book, I found myself constantly fearing that our 55+ mph winds would end up in a nasty storm. It is simply amazing how he is able to make such benign things—weather, towns, etc.—into fully developed characters.

As far as his books go, this one was not my favorite. It did not live up to my expectations. While it was entertaining, I felt I really missed out on the King-experience I was desiring.

Rating:
Currently: The Demon of Renaissance Drive by Elizabeth Reuter
Current Pages: 8877
Current Progress:

23/50 books

Theme Song Saturday (23)

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sat, 26 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Theme Song Saturdays, a new weekly meme, hosted by yours truly, in which we share our love of music and books! Since I love books and music, this meme is for fun to try to incorporate those two loves! Whenever I read a book, a certain song -- kind of like a soundtrack or theme song -- plays through my head.

Want to know how to play? Head over to this post to read the rules and get the code.

Here's my pick this week:

If I Ever Leave This World Alive by Flogging Molly came through my car speakers while I was waiting to pick up my husband at work. I was reading Bag of Bones at the time, and it struck me as a perfect song for the book. While Mike struggles with the loss of Jo, he finds that she is still with him. In death, she is protecting him from people such as Max Devoure and the other inhabitants of Sara Laughs. This song beautifully shows that love never stops . . . Even after death.

What's your pick this week? Leave the URL in the comments ^_^

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:50:00 +0000

Q: Activity! Dreamcast your current read.

A:

I am still trudging my way through Bag of Bones. Don't get me wrong, it is a good book. However, it is an immensely dense read! And, since it was already made into a TV-movie, I don't have to think up the perfect cast ^_~

Pierce Brosnan plays Mike Noonan, the struggling writer:

Melissa George is the beautiful Mattie Devoure:

Annabeth Gish is cast as the protective ghost of Johanna Noonan:

Caitlin Carmichael works well as the beautiful and sweet Kyra Devoure:

I saw the movie before reading the book, so these are the people I see when I read the book. Honestly, aside from Pierce's English accent, I think it was fairly well cast.

Theme Song Saturday (22)

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sat, 19 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Last Kiss by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers has been playing through my head since I started this book. Granted, Jo did not die in a car accident, but something about this song has really rung true. I toyed with the idea of using one of the songs Stephen King has listed at the beginning of the book; however, this one keep worming its way back into the forefront of my mind. The lyrics of the song are written and delivered in a way that allows the audience to truly feel the emotions. Bag of Bones mirrors this. Growing up listening to this song, it has a very special place in my heart. Here's hoping that says something about this book ^_^

What's your pick this week? Leave the URL in the comments ^_^

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:02:00 +0000

I'm sorry, guys, I have been doing website updates all day. If you're having issues accessing my blog, hang tight! Hopefully things will be in working order by the end of the evening!

The Stephen King Project

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 18 May 2012 04:53:00 +0000

If you know me, you know I have had a love affair with Stephen King when the movie version of It scared the living daylights out of me as a child. I still have vivid memories of walking down the school halls in constant fear the Pennywise would ooze out of the sprinklers in the ceiling! While I have been in love with his horror, it took me a long time to finally pick up one of his books. The first was Salem's Lot back in 2008. The way he was so seamlessly able to craft the horror in the small details, the little changes throughout the town, and so on was simply amazing to me. After that, I decided to move onto Pet Semetary. I was working at the local theatre at the time. I remember sitting in the ticket booth alone at night! Even though there were people in the theatre and the occasional customer, the book had me on edge! And it didn't stop there! I finally got up the nerve to recapture my childhood terror and decided to read It. At the time, I was helping my parents move to Memphis, TN. and staying in hotel rooms by myself. Once in Memphis, I had to sleep in a foreign bedroom all alone. I settled for sleeping with my laptop on, so I didn't have to be in the dark. After reading that, there was no doubt in my mind that he is the master of horror.

Sadly, I have moved away from his books. I set out to spend an entire month (or more!) reading his novels. While trying to decide the perfect time for this, my brother and dad started reading him again. I have spent many hours on the phone talking to both and their new found experiences with their long favorite writer. And I couldn't wait to pick up his books again. So, I thought, "To hell with announcements on my blog, I'm just going to read him!"

Surfing the book blogging community this evening, I happened to stumbled onto this gem! I decided to join fellow book bloggers in discovering King once again. I don't know how many books I will get through, but I look forward to the challange!

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:58:00 +0000

Q: Summer Break is upon us! What would be the perfect vacation spot for you to catch up on your reading & relax?

A:

When we were on our honeymoon, we stayed in a beautiful little cottage outside of Edinburgh. It was in the countryside and situated on a private estate. The kitchen overlooked a beautiful field full of wildflowers and the owner's sheep. By the front door where climbing roses with the largest yellow blossoms I have ever seen (they were bigger than my hand!). It was lovely, quiet, and extremely relaxing. I would love to spend more time there, catch up on reading, and wander the groups.

After reading Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham, I also have a desire to find a nice spot in Key West. The small town and beach are a huge draw for me!

*sigh* Sadly, these are all dreams . . .

Apocalypse Watch 2012

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:23:00 +0000

December 21, 2012 is the predicted end of the world, also known as the apocalypse. In celebration of this ominous event, Sinnful Books is hosting Apocalypse Watch! It is an entire month (possibly more) of reading books, watching movies/TV, and listening to music honouring the end of the Mayan calendar. If you are an author or publisher and would like to participate in Apocalypse Watch, please e-mail me at sinnfulbooks@ironpixie.net.

Some of the books include:

The Knife of the Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Pfeffer
This World We Live In by Susan Pfeffer
One Second After by William R. Forstchen
This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Diary of Pelly D by L.J. Adington
The Weepers: The Other Life by Susan Winnacker
Sudden Independents by Ted Hill

Some of the movies/TV include:

Care to join?

Come join me and let's celebrate the end of the world!

Stacking the Shelves

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga. It is ". . .all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!"

Okay, I have been meaning to add these pictures since last weekend, but I am still counting them this week!

From the library:

Sewing For Plus Sizes: Creating Clothes That Fit and Flatter by Barbara Deckert
How to Use, Adapt, and Design Sewing Patterns by Lee Hollon
How to Draft Basic Patterns by Lee Gross (not pictured)

Bought:

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Partials by Dan Wells
The Complete Works of Edgar Alan Poe by Edgar Alan Poe
Pattern Fitting with Confidence by Nancy Zieman
The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen
Patternmaking For a Perfect Fit by Steffani Lincecum
Dying Bites by D.D. Barrant
Plague Town by Dana Fredsti
Gerald's Game by Stephen King
Bag of Bones by Stephen King

After my huge haul, I doubt there will be any new books anytime soon!! Well, that's it for me. What books did you get?

Book Review -- Gerald's Game

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:21:00 +0000

Title: Gerald's Game
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror/suspense
Pages: Paperback 445
Published: 1992
Purchase: Gerald's Game (Signet)
Opening Lines: "Jessie could hear the backdoor banging lightly, randomly, in the October breeze blowing around the house. The jamb always swelled in the fall and you really had to give the door a yank to shut it."

"Jessie Burlingame, 39, is getting plenty tired of being handcuffed to the bed of her Maine summerhouse by her attorney- husband, Gerald, so that he can play his silly sex games. So when Gerald refuses to uncuff her, she kicks him in the family jewels, accidentally smashing them to kingdom come--and the terror begins. Each hand cuffed to a bedpost, the keys out of reach, Jessie howls for help--and is answered by a feral dog that proceeds to chow down on Gerald's face in lavishly described, muscle-shredding detail. As the long hours pass, cramps bite like iron jaws into Jessie's own flesh; but they're nothing compared to the thirst raging through her. Can she somehow reach the glass of water on the shelf above her head? It takes the most tightly controlled writing King's ever done to find out, but soon even the thirst pales beside the guilt- gargoyles that Jessie's mind begins to throw up, all pointing at the sun-eclipsed day so long ago when she became much more to Daddy than just his little girl. The minutes tick by, each an agony--and King's just warming up. Night falls: What's that shadow in the corner? The one with the smirking face of Death? And how can Jessie, growing into a heartbreakingly brave heroine, escape? She tugs and tugs at her wrists but can't slip them past the cuffs. Is there a hot, sticky lubricant at hand?"

~ Amazon

Thoughts: After realizing that the next Heather Graham book I had sitting on my shelf was the seventh in a series and couldn't find the first at the local bookstore, I decided to finally dive into my King reading month. My brother and dad had started reading his books again, and all of their discussions were making my long to take a trip back into his twisted, real-life world. I had originally planned on making a big announcement about my Stephen King month; however, things just didn't work out the way I had planned it.

During one of my long talks with my dad, he told me about Gerald's Game. It was his favorite Stephen King book. After telling me about the story, I admit that I was quite intrigued by the concept. Hearing sorties about couples experimenting in bondage, I always wondered what happened when something went wrong. Well, this Stephen King definitely goes into the maddening detail of being handcuffed to a bed with only your spouses corpse, a stray dog, your thoughts, and an unknown visitor for company.

Struggling to reignite their dwindling sexual relationship, Jessie and her husband decide to take a day trip to their cabin by the lake. What first seems like a fun get-away turns into a nightmare when Gerald refuses to remove the cuffs, tries to force himself on Jessie, and suffers a heart attack after she kicks him when she realizes her husband means to rape her. And by no means is the the end!

This book is extremely hard to describe without telling the whole story. Jessie struggles with a past that she has been unwilling to come to terms with. Even though she is chained to a bed in a remote location, wearing only panties, and watching a dog eat her husband, her primary thoughts are concerned with an incident that happened when she was 10. One of the voices—that of her college roommate, Ruth—dare to her probe the memory that she continues to run away from. It is through this trip down memory lane that enables Jessie to find the keys to her freedom. It also helps her fully recognize all of the voices floating through her head.

I felt that this book had a massive amount of character development. Honestly, being the only true character in the book, there was no way the ploy could progress if Jessie refused to grow and change. At the beginning of the book, she seems like the typical rich lawyer's life: Somewhat vapid and seemingly full of herself. She doesn't have any close friends, and seems to prefer her own company. Through this experience, Jessie learns who she really is while struggling to stay alive. The constant chatter of voices in her head also help her discover this. Since most of the book is in Jessie's head, the reader has a close relationship with the character. It is easy to get pulled into her struggles and victories.

While the setting is important to the book, I felt it didn't play as much of a role in the book as might be expected. I felt that the atmosphere in Jessie's head was far more important than the master bedroom in the cabin. Further, the play of light and shadows and time of day were also important. How the shadows were able to encase her nightly visitor and the recurring fear of his return, to me, were a big deal. And, without a clock to tell time, the light moving across the floor was her only way to guess at the length of time she was in the house.

I liked how King played with her the Space Cowboy. At first, along with Jessie, it was extremely hard to tell how much of his appearance was a conjured image from her mind. With the constant chatter of the voices and Jessie talking to herself, it was entirely probable that Jessie had truly lost her mind. However, she had several moments of clear thinking, and some of her voices tended to have a clear, level head.

It is hard to explain much about a Stephen King novel. The most frightening things are the little quirks or changes to the norm. To me, the building of those little things are far more frightening than any horror movie. Further, he has a way of getting into his readers' minds and fully realizing their inner most fears. In his world, they are real and they are intensely personal. That makes his books have an extremely unique quality.

King never shies away from anything. He is nothing if not thorough. The descriptions of Gerald and the former Prince were quite grizzly and stomach turning. At places, especially when Jessie was facing her past, it was very hard to read.

I have never read a book like this. I honestly am unsure how I would respond if I were in the same situation. The fact that Jessie was able to keep a level head on her shoulders was amazing, especially face with the things that lurked just beyond her sight. It was an amazing, page-turning read. If you like Stephen King, I would suggest this book. However, if you have an over-active imagination, do not read this at night! You will find yourself looking into the dark corners of your bedroom, wondering whether a creature with abnormally long arms is standing there with a wicker case. And, scariest of all, you may find it isn't your imagination . . .

Rating:
Currently: Bag of Bones by Stephen King
Current Pages: 8145
Current Progress:

22/50 books

Theme Song Saturday (21)

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sat, 12 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

The Joker by the Steve Miller Band is my pick for Gerald's Game. Part of me wanted to do My Own Worst Enemy; however, I couldn't make up my mind as to whether that was a good pick. Anyways, this song keeps going through Jessie's head after 18 hours in handcuffs. She starts to refer to her nighttime visitor as the Space Cowboy. While I'm not sure how appropriate that is as a visual, it's how she chooses to cope with it. So, for me, Jessie chose this song more than I did ^_~

What's your pick? Leave a comment with a link to your post ^_^

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:23:00 +0000

Q: This Sunday in the U.S. is Mother's Day. In celebration, what are some of your favorite books with strong mother/child relationships?

A:

It would have to be the relationship between Garion and Aunt Pol in Pawn of Prophecy and the rest of the Belagriad. Even though Pol is not Garion's mother, she has been his guardian since he was an infant. The relationship between the two is extremely unique and very loving. The books show that you do not have to be a biological mother to form those strong and fierce bonds.

Teaser Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the follow:

Grab your current read
Opening toli a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Share Title & Author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Here's my teaser this week:

"Suddenly she felt someone—most likely the Goodwife, and boy, had she ever underestimated intestinal fortitude of that lady—running for the switches which governed the circuit-breakers in her head. Goody had seen tendrils of smoke starting to seep out through the cracks in the closed doors of those panels, had understood what they meant, and was making a final, desperate effort to shut down the machinery before the motors overheated and the bearings froze."

Gerald's Game by Stephen King, 192

Book Review -- Ghost Shadow

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Title: Ghost Shadow
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Mystery/suspense
Pages: Paperback 351
Published: 2010
Opening Lines: "The blue light made the hallway dark and eerie, though just beyond the doors to the museum, the magic sunlight of the island glowed upon tourists and the few locals who considered early morning to be a time before noon."

"There are those who walk among us who are no longer alive, but not yet crossed over. They seek retribution . . . vengeance . . . to warn. Among the living, few intuit their presence.

"Katie O'Hara is one who can.

"As she's drawn deeper and deeper into a gruesome years-old murder, whispered warnings from a spectral friend become more and more insistent. But Katie must uncover the truth: could David Beckett really be guilty of his fiancee's murder?

"Worse—the body count's rising on the Island of Bones, and the dead seem to be reenacting some macabre tableaux from history. The danger is increasing by the moment—especially as Katie finds herself irresistibly drawn to David, who may be responsible for more than just one killing . . ."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: After finishing Deadly Night, I couldn't get enough of Heather Graham's storytelling. Unfortunately, our local bookstore didn't have the next in the series, so I ended up grabbing this one. The whole concept of seeing/talking to dead people can prove to be extremely creepy, which is what I was looking for.

I have not read anymore of her books, so my knowledge is somewhat limited. That being said, however, I feel as though all of her characters are cut from the same cloth. Her male lead is the classic Byronic hero—tall, dark, handsome, and brooding—and have a seemingly tough exterior. However, once the female lead starts to find that the man is actually a lot more sensitive and "sensual." Further, the female leads always in their 20s, own their own business, have some connection to the murder/mystery, and have some sort of supernatural power that allows them to figure out the crime. Due to that, her character seem rather flat. However, they all have a unique back-story outside of the main plot line, which gives them some three-dimensional depth. Along those lines, I don't feel that there is enough time for full character development. Yes they are dealing with a crazy occurrence, but they don't seem to change after all is said and done. It feels more like a snapshot of on section of their life. And, for the most part, all of the characters seem to know each other, be friends, or passing acquaintances.

The books tend to jump around in the POV. It is all a third person; however, it transfers between the killer and the two leads. At times, it is hard to delineate between the characters because their voices are so similar.

As with Deadly Night, the major theme is history and local legend. From the timeline at the beginning of the novel, the theme was already set. In some ways, theme was quite unique (mostly in how she chose to play it out); however, in relation to her other other, it was predictable.

For the most part, the plot is extremely formulaic. It follows the typical story arc without doing anything original. And, in comparison to Deadly Night, it was already plotted out and known. For this reason, the antagonist was easily guessed or identified.

As for the sub-plots, yes. As with the last book, the sub-plot follows the budding romance between the make and female lead. This sub-plot also follows the main arc hand-in-hand.

In this book, she uses a lot of symbolism. The staging of the murders, to me, felt as though she was pointing to something larger. Unfortunately, I don't think she really followed it through. Deliberately using the Tanzler/De Hoyos and Robert the Doll stories felt as though she was really opening up for something. Sadly, it just didn't happen.

As with the other book, she is very, very focused on her setting. She relies heavily on the local history and legends. Without the setting, I honestly don't think the book would work. In a lot of ways, I think the setting is as much a character as anything else. In some ways, more so.

Another thing that I noted was how heavily she relies on law enforcement. Well it lends a credible/more realistic twist to the books, I wonder whether it has become a crutch. Further, it almost appears as though she has written herself into a corner.

While there are issues with the book, I did end up enjoying it. The rich history and the setting made me desire to jump on a plane and head to Key West! Even though the books are predictable, they are still fun, fast paced, and entertaining. I find myself getting fully caught up in the story and not wanting to put it down. In fact, I have another of her books sitting on my coffee table waiting to be read ^_^

Rating:
Currently: Unhallowed Ground by Heather Graham
Current Pages: 7700
Current Progress:

21/50 books

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:19:00 +0000

Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View and Alison at Alison Can Read. The point is to follow as many book blog as you can and make new friends! As part of the adventure, she gives a weekly question.

Here's the questions for this week (answer will contain adult language. If you're under 18, STOP reading):

Q: What is one thing you wish you could tell your favorite author?

A:

Dear J.R.R. Tolkien,

I wish you were still alive, so we could discuss your view on Medieval Lit. Reading Tree and Leaf in college made me desire to sit in on one of your lectures, or the myriad of discussions with the Inklings.

Being a Christian in English is very hard. While it seemed as though it might have been natural in your time, I kept finding that the field is not as understanding and open about things. The ease with which you discussed the true nature of fantasy and Christianity helped give wind to my sails.

Even though I never followed my plans of receiving and Ph.D. in Medieval Lit., it was you that originally gave me the dream. I had visions on sharing my love of the subject with students. I even told myself that I would give a student an A for the full semester if they could recite The Song of Roland in the original language on the first day of class. It is funny to think about it know, but in some ways I feel as though I might have disappointed you.

Whatever my future holds—be it a wayward book blogger or a high school English teacher—I thank you for the part you played in shaping my childhood with your books and my possible future with your simple love of the written word and God.

Me

Teaser Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the follow:

Grab your current read
Opening toli a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Share Title & Author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Here's my teaser this week:

"Tangs in a variety of colors shot around the reef, anemones flared and larger fish appeared as well, one giant grouper, a curious barracuda that politely kept its distance and, beneath them, a number of little nurse sharks. Katie, in her light dive skin, hair flaring out around her, eyes large and beautiful behind her mask, made a perfect subject for quick takes with his camera."

Ghost Shadows by Heather Graham, page 121

Book Review — Deadly Night

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:23:00 +0000

Title: Deadly Night
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Horror/Mystery
Pages: Paperback 389
Published: 2008
Opening Lines: "It was there . . ."

"Aiden Flynn, a private investigator and the eldest of the Flynn brothers, scoffs at the haunted-house rumors—especially since Kendall Montgomery, a tarot card reader who has been living in the mansion, is the one to tell him the tale of the woman in white. But when he finds a human bone on the grounds and another by the river, Aiden delves into the dark history of the Flynn Mansion.

"Foced together to uncover the truth, Aiden and Kendall realize that a serial killer whose victims seem to vanish into thin air has long been at work . . . and their own fates are about to be seated forever unless they believe in the unbelievable."

~ Jacket Copy

Thoughts: I have picked up Heather Graham's books quite a few times. However, there was some other book that I planned on buying. When my hubby and I went down to the used bookstore, a few of her books were sitting on the shelf. After a lot of time reading the backs, I decided to give this series a try.

The book starts out switching between the War of Northern Aggression and present. In the past, cousins on different sides of the war end up killing each other while trying to protect the same woman. However, the present follows a young woman who was lured out to the mansion on the pretense of new historical information. Unfortunately, she was lured by the serial killer. At this point, the story picks up Aiden and Kendall's storyline.

The Flynn brothers end up in New Orleans when the learn that they have inherited an antebellum from a relative they never knew existed. Due to this, they end up meeting Kendall, a local tarot reader and their aunt's caretaker. And, honestly, the book gets way to complicated to explain.

I found the character development of Aiden was central to the plot. He starts out as a hardcore former-FBO agent. However, through his work with Kendall, he ends up melting. Granted, it is made clear that his rough exterior is more than likely due to the death of his wife. Even with that in mind, I felt the author did a good job portraying this without going over the top and 'poor me.' Kendall was also an interesting character. The fact that she had a degree in psychology and was a tarot reader was absolutely hilarious to me! It was an interesting play. However, throwing int he curve balls was perfect!

The setting was awesome! I have wanted to visit New Orleans for years, so I was quick to tear through this book! Living in Wyoming, I'm used to a Halloween blanketed in snow. The fact that they were able to still enjoy time outside was a very well thought out detail.

I ended up really enjoying this book. I found myself in the couch spending most of the day reading this. It was hard to put down. And, I admit, there were some seriously creepy elements in this story! Which, for me, is always a plus!

Rating:
Currently: Still trying to decide . . .
Current Pages: 7349
Current Progress:

20/50 books

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:38:00 +0000

Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View and Alison at Alison Can Read. The point is to follow as many book blog as you can and make new friends! As part of the adventure, she gives a weekly question.

Here's the questions for this week (answer will contain adult language. If you're under 18, STOP reading):

Q: Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then “broke up” with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her.

A:

I have to agree with Rachel on this one, Anita Blake is the biggest disappointment I have experienced with characters. I fell in love with her shortly after the first three books were out. I read her books as soon as I could get my hands on them, stayed up late into the night (or early morning) finishing every novel, etc. The love of crazy coffee mugs, penguins, and a Christian girl who was still an animator was awesome! And, on top of that, she was a kick-ass vampire hunter. When she was one of the only licensed vampire hunters, I cheered! Hamilton also had me falling in love with Richard. *sigh* Of course, we all know how that ended. Adding insult to injury, she is screwing up Edward!!! Needless to say, after throwing Harlequin across the room and finally finishing it a two years later, I have finally given up on the dream and accepted reality: Anita is nothing but a vampire and were slut.

Book Review -- Mark of the Demon

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:17:00 +0000

Title: Mark of the Demon
Author: Diana Rowland
Genre: Urban fantasy
Pages: Paperback 370
Published: 2009
Opening Lines: "I could hear the intruder breaking into my house."

— "Why me? Why now? That's what Beaulac, Louisiana, detective Kara Gillian was asking herself when an angelic creature named Rhyzkahl unexpectedly appeared during a routine summoning. Kara was hoping to used her occult skills to catch a serial killer, but never had she conjured anything like this unearthly beautiful and unspeakably powerful being whose very touch sets off exquisite new dimensions of pleasure. But can she enlist his aid in helping her stop a killer who's already claimed the lives—and souls—of thirteen people? And should she? The Symbol Man is a nightmare that the city thought had ended three years ago. Now he's back for an encore and leaving every indication on the flesh of his victims that he, too, is well versed in demonic lore.

"Kara may be the only cop on Beaulac's small force able to stop the killer, but it is her first homicide case. Yet with Rhyzkahl haunting her dreams, and a handsome yet disapproving FBI agent dogging her waking footsteps, she may be in way over her head . . ."

~ Goodreads

Thoughts: This book has been sitting on my wishlist for a long time. This past Christmas, I finally got around to buying it. You would think that I would jump on the book and tear into it in a crazed frenzy. Yeah, you would think . . .

This book follows Kara Gillian on her first time homicide case. She has only been a homicide detective for a short time when her captain decides to make her the lead on a serial killer case. Because of her familiarity with the case files of the last Symbol Man murders, he feel that she has more knowledge than his seasoned homicide detectives. While she jumps at this chance, she has her own motives. After seeing on of the previous victims while still a beat cop, she discovered that the arcane may be involved in these killings. Newly finishing her training as a summoner, Kara is more than excited to use this knowledge to help find a killer. However, it goes deeper than she thought.

The spin that Rowland puts on demons is very interesting. Instead of toeing the Judeo-Christian mythology, she makes demons similar to the fae. They are not necessarily evil or good, the are very honor driven, and so on. Even though a demon can do the bidding of the summoner, they will not do anything that will compromise their honor. Further, they are also summoned to give knowledge and/or teach the summoner some new thing they have to learn. That being the case, it was extremely interesting that Kara could summon demons to help her solve the case.

I really liked her aunt's character. Even though her character was kind of in the background and did not overpower Kara, I felt that she was really fleshed out and added a depth to Kara. I still cannot decide if I like Agent Kristoff. I spent half the book convinced that he was behind the killings. Something about him seemed too sketchy. And, along those lines, I'm not sure if I liked the twist. I felt that she didn't lead into that one enough. However, I'm not sure how she could have done it.

The sex was steamy, but it didn't distract from the overall story. However, I am still very curious about the demonic lord and why he chose to interact with Kara in that way. Granted, Rowland kind of explains why he lacked the rage he normally would; however, I really want to know why he took a special interest in Kara. Did it have to do with his desire to be called? Not sure. I'm hoping that the next books will go into a little more detail.

It was obvious that Rowland has worked in law enforcement. There seems to be a lot of books that center around a character being in law enforcement that just fail due to lack of knowledge. However, it was apparent that Rowland knew what she was talking about. After sitting in a dispatch center for awhile, was able to give me a unique perspective on the book.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book. It never lagged, there was good character development, time spent in fleshing out the scenery, and the plot was well played.

Rating:
Currently: The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (trying to)
Current Pages: 6860
Current Progress:

19/50 books

Theme Song Saturday (20)

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Love Bites (So Do I) by Halestorm really struck me as a song for Mark of the Demon. Even though our main girl is dealing with a high level demon lord, she has got some spunk! Being able to stare down some pretty formidable people in the police department, FBI agents, and take on demons and a serial killer, shows that she can kick some serious ass! Granted, at this point, she doesn't have a serious love interest, but this song really fits when looking at her connection to the demon lord and the Agent Kristoff. I have got to give this girl props!

What's your pick this week? Share a link to your theme song in the comments ^_^

Book Review -- Coyote Blue

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Title: Coyote Blue
Author: Christopher Moore
Genre: Fiction
Pages: Oversize paperback, 303
Published: 1994
Opening Lines: "While magic powder was sprinkled on the sidewalk outside, Samuel Hunter moved around his office like a machine firing out phone calls, checking computer printouts, and barking orders to his secretary."

"As a boy growing up in Montana, he was Samson Hunts Alone -- until a deadly misunderstanding with the law forced him to flee the Crow reservation at age fifteen. Today he is Samuel Hunter, a successful Santa Barbara insurance salesman with a Mercedes, a condo, and a hollow, invented life. Then one day, shortly after his thirty-fifth birthday, destiny offers him the dangerous gift of love -- in the exquisite form of Calliope Kincaid -- and a curse in the unheralded appearance of an ancient Indian god by the name of Coyote. Coyote, the trickster, has arrived to transform tranquillity into chaos, to reawaken the mystical storyteller within Sam ... and to seriously screw up his existence in the process."

~ Goodreads

Thoughts: If Coyote is your spirit guide, cash in your chips because you're screwed!

I have been meaning to read Christopher Moore for years! However, a few weekends ago when my brother was in town, he brought up this book. The way he talked bout it, described it, etc., made me curious enough to find it at our local library. And, boy, I am glad I did!

The book starts out with Samuel Hunter, a well-to-do insurances rep. While going to a meeting with a very wealthy client, he stumbles upon Calliope Kincaid. And, after that fateful meeting, his life is forever changed. Honestly, it is hard to describe the book without giving too much detail away!

Through the course of the book, the reader learns that Samuel Hunter started out as Samson Hunts Alone who was born/raised on the Crow reservation in Montana. After a run-in with the one of the local asshole res security men, Samson is forced to run away at only 15 years-old. Even though he doesn't have any prospects, he is brought under the wing of Aaron Aaron, an up-and-coming big shot in insurance. And, the amazing thing is, Samson—now Samuel—is still only 15!

The book is a mix between the past and the present. Moore did a good job mixing them. It helps the reader to see how Sam's past is shaping his future. You learn that on a vision quest, Sam's spirit guide is Old Man Coyote. And, even though he doesn't put much stock in it, Coyote has taken it upon himself to help Sam. That is where the story takes off in weird, crazy, and laugh-out-loud situations.

I loved the way Moore wrote Coyote! Being a trickster god, I was wondering how he would portray him. Even though Coyote is extremely smart, he kind of acts like a child. What I found interesting was how Coyote disrupted Sam's life. Many of the adventures causes the reader to shake their head and wonder why this is happening; however, at the end of the book, it becomes obvious that Coyote really taught Sam how to live and love life. He was stuck in a dead-end life, had no real future, and was not an active participant in his life. Meeting Calliope, who is an extremely strange girl, and dealing with Coyote gave him the ability to finally discover who he was.

Another thing, I loved the myths of Coyote that were interspersed throughout the book. It was a good way to give the reader a road map. Also, they were funny as hell! I think I read all of them to my husband! We ended up holding out sides while laughing.

There isn't too much that can be said about this book without giving everything away. It was a good read, was a good mix of comedy and drama, the paced was good, and I couldn't put it down! If you haven't read Moore, I highly recommend this book!

Rating:
Currently: Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Current Pages: 6490
Current Progress:

18/50 books

Follow Friday

noreply@blogger.com (sinn) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:44:00 +0000

Q: What is one book that you would be nervous to see a movie adaption of because you think the movie could never live up to the book?

A:

Well, I would say Battlefield Earth, but it's already been ruined by Travolta. Hmm, I'm not really sure. They did an amazing job with Coraline; however, I think I would be afraid of an adaptation of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

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