My Gone Girl Roller Coaster Ride

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I want to call it amazing but I have to come up with a different adjective since I'm team Nick. So I'll call it stunning, incredible, fascinating, and awesome. It was the roller coaster ride that I didn't want to end. It's one of those where you can't see what's around the corner. Are we going up or are we suddenly going to plummet and lose our lunch? Except for the end. You think you're pulling into the station. You know what's coming next. Then you are jarred to the right and go around for another ride. You are left stunned.

Amy... you are rooting for her in the beginning. Then you are rooting for her on and off even when you find out she's a complete psychopath. When she starts telling you about who she really is, you really want to like her. Her views on men, relationships, cheating and the people we are when we start dating versus the people we truly are, those views are what drew me in. The "cool girl" is the girl that doesn't force her boyfriend to do things he doesn't want to do and she loves everything he does and says. That was who Amy was when she and Nick dated and first got married. Then she didn't want to be "cool girl" anymore.

Nick... you want to hate him and accuse him of being a horrible person, in the beginning anyway. You know he's a liar right from the start. He tells you he is. You suspect he has something to do with the disappearance of Amy. Then you find out that he's a cheating bastard. Now you really hate him. But then you find out Amy has set him up for her murder. She has stolen money from him over the past year and has run away. Nick is left holding the bag. Once he breaks it off with his 23 year old piece of ass, you start to be on his side, at least that's when I started feeling better about him.

The amount of thought and planning that went into the plans that Amy laid out was mind blowing. How does Flynn think of these things? I always on the edge of my seat. One of my favorite things was being able to see how Amy's psychopathy evolved. It went from stalking accusations to rape to murder and then she's the murderer. Her mind games are like no other. The ruthlessness is jaw dropping. Every so often I was saying things out loud like "what?!" "no way!" "oh my god!" and at times I wanted to cover my eyes, but then I wouldn't be able to read. But they are both so incredibly messed up that they really belong together. And of course Amy gets the last word in every sense.

Read this book. I may have given you some spoilers, but you'll thank me when you finish. You won't see most of it coming. You won't believe the mind games one individual can play on so many. And then you won't believe it when you find yourself agreeing with the psychopath.

Enjoy! Read often!

The Struggle is Real

What do you do when you are reading a series and you've come to the last book? Maybe it's not over yet. Maybe you just have to sit, wait and check the author's website constantly for an update to see when the next one is going to be available. I'm addicted to reading series. I can't help it. The character development is like no other.

Right now I'm reading Unlucky 13 by James Patterson. I've been with the women's murder club now for over ten years. That's a long time to follow a book series. But I do it consistently and continuously check Patterson's site for details on the next book. I know so much about the characters that I feel like they are my friends (yes, I know this is sad and pathetic). Lindsay has been through so much with her mom, her divorce, the stuff with Joe before they got married, and having a baby with a medical problem. Now she's a happily married mom with a psycho chick coming to "make her pay" and she doesn't even know it yet because she hasn't gotten Cindy's call! OMG so intense. And I don't know what's going to happen to Cindy because she's trying to track down and chase this killer. And Yuki is stuck on a ship where pirates have taken over... but they aren't pirates, they are more like big scale kidnappers and seem to be American. I can't handle you right now James Patterson! For the love of hershey bars stop giving me a heart attack!

Back to my point. Not only do I love these people, but I can't wait for the next book to come out. I know that the day I read that he's ending the series I will grieve like I've lost someone I care about. The reason I bring this up is because I've seen Lindsay grow, get married and now have her baby girl. She's moved in her department and life is grand (provided no one dies at the end of the book I haven't finished reading). So what's next? My fear is that we are coming to an end. No!

What's your favorite series? Do you even like reading series or are you a one and done? Am I crazy or do you feel my struggle, people?

Read often!

How to Be a Writer Literary Agents Want

These are the types of things I like to read. I want to know, from an editor, what the heck I'm supposed to be doing. I just wanted to share.



"All agents, admittedly or not, have a wish list—markers that help us determine which writers are primed for our representation. With hundreds of projects flooding our inboxes daily, writers who follow these simple guidelines can catch the eye of an agent and rise like a lotus blossom out of the slush pile. Here’s how to do it.

—by Literary Agent Kimiko Nakamura" 

Click for the article. How to Be a Writer Literary Agents Want



Read often!

In love with the Beauty Killer...

I love to fall in love with a new author. Chelsea Cain isn't actually a new author, she's just new to me. I'm halfway through the third book of the Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell series. I found myself wanting to talk about the series before I've finished it. It's awesome.

Heartsick is the first book of the series. We are introduced to Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell. I was wondering how this was going to be a series when the serial killer was already in prison. But because Cain is a superb writer with a twisted imagination... it was completely doable. Gretchen was called the Beauty Killer before she was caught. And she really wasn't caught, more like allowed herself to be caught. Archie is a detective on the task force that was put in place to find the Beauty Killer. Archie was also her last victim and number 200. It's the twisted relationship the two of them have that draws you in. Cain keeps you wondering what happened to Archie when he was taken by Gretchen and tortured nearly to death. I was kept on the hook by slowly getting details of the past as the book worked through the present case at hand. We also get to meet Susan Ward. She's a journalist who's been asked to tag along with Archie and tell his story as he's investigating cases of dead girls around Portland. I LOVE Susan. She's quirky, funny and full of unusual tidbits of information. As the books in the series progress I love her more and more. In book 3 I am finding myself laughing out loud at some of the thoughts and dialog attached to this character. Those are the three very important characters. Of course there are supporting characters, but these are really the main three. Gretchen was using Archie and Susan in a game. Gretchen loves to play games with people and she's damn good at it. I don't want to give too much away because I want you to read the book.

Sweetheart is the second book. The Beauty Killer is on the loose, and she's a threat to everyone, including Archie's family and Susan. And the way she breaks out is crazy! She's the absolute mastermind of games. Archie is suicidal and it's Gretchen that he wants. And when I say want I mean that in so many different ways. We start to learn even more about Archie's past and the real story behind his relationship with Gretchen. I'd like to say I saw it coming, but I didn't. It's another gripping tale of love, hate, betrayal, death, games and funny Susan moments. And a deal between Gretchen and Archie that will make you run for book #3 like I did.

Evil at Heart is the next book in the series. Like I said, I'm only halfway through this, but it's awesome. I have no idea who's guilty of what. Gretchen Lowell has a huge fan base. People love her. She's still on the run and bodies are showing up all over the place. Archie is in a psych hospital and Susan is... well.. being Susan. You'll know what that means when you read the series. Archie is no longer a detective because he's taken a leave. but he has to help find out what's going on with all of these dead bodies around Portland. No one wants to call it Gretchen's handy work, but there are some uncanny coincidences that make it hard not to think it's her. We start to learn even more about Archie's past even though you don't think there's anything else Cain can give us. It's simply brilliant!

I will follow up after I read a few more of the books. I can't imagine for one second where this is going. I love that. Check out this website: www.iheartgretchenlowell.net. I thought I was obsessed with these books before... then I went to the website.

Read often!

Far Far Away... Jeremy and his ghost.

Far Far Away... what a lovely name for a book. Read a little about it and decide for yourself whether or not to pick it up. It's heart warming, endearing, suspenseful and mysterious.

Jeremy Johnson Johnson is a teenage boy who lives with his reclusive father and owns a bookstore. How does a teenager own a bookstore? His grandfather left it to him when he died. The boy’s mother left years before this story begins. And as this story is taking place she has already passed away. Jeremy Johnson Johnson was given this name because both of his parents had the last name Johnson. His mother was a bit quirky so this fits right in with her personality. After his father received notice that his mother was dead, he became a recluse. He never left the house and rarely got out of bed. Jeremy was left to raise himself.

So what is the purpose of this story? Jeremy is going to lose his bookstore which is also his home. He and father live in the building. Jeremy’s father isn’t earning money and what does come into the house is from Jeremy’s gardening jobs.

So you must be thinking, well so far this isn’t very interesting. Perhaps not yet. What if I told you Jeremy can hear the voice of Jacob Grimm of the Brother’s Grimm, would that peak your interest? He heard the voices of his mother and grandfather after they died. From where this story is taking place, Jacob died about 200 years prior. In fact, Jacob is the one who is telling the story from his point of view. What we learn about ghosts and the spirit world through this tale, Far Far Away by Tom McNeal, is a whole new way of thinking about ghosts. In this version of a ghost story people cannot see them, they cannot move things (unless they try very hard to move something like paper by going past it quickly), the air around them is not cold, and a few other things that are opposite of what we normally believe.

Jeremy has a small group of friends. The important one is Ginger. He very much likes Ginger, and she likes him too. But Ginger can make Jeremy do things he wouldn’t normally do. Jeremy is reserved, Ginger is not. She convinces him to go on an adventure in which they break into the town baker’s home. Of course they are found out and almost caught. This is where things start to get interesting. The baker claims it is not them. The teens believe this is out of the goodness of his heart. Is it? There’s a strange dwarf-like deputy who acts odd. He seems to be stalking Ginger. The town’s people start to shun Jeremy as the story travels of his supposed break-in at the baker’s. The poor kid. Jacob is trying very hard to guide Jeremy throughout these times, but no teenager in their right mind wants to stay home and study while the girl he likes is begging him to be with her. Jacob does his best to talk to Jeremy and warm him of immediate dangers, but the poor boy keeps getting the short end of the stick.

We have a moment of hope as he enters to be on a television show in order to win the money to save his home and bookstore. You think he has it in the bag because it’s testing his knowledge about the Brother’s Grimm tales, but at the last second we are let down. Again we are so sad for Jeremy Johnson Johnson.

I have laid out a great deal of the story for you, but I will not give you the ending. Not even close. There's is so much more going on that I can't begin to explain to you in a blog post. You must read to enjoy it at its best. The end involves poison, kidnapping, personal revelations by the children, and a ghost who desperately wants to save this boy he’s come to love. You think you know where the story is going…. until you do not. It’s a subtle twist that I very much enjoyed. I even found myself with wet eyes at a few spots.

Far Far Away, by Tom McNeal, is a wonderful story of struggle and triumph with the exact right amount of supernatural intrigue. I highly recommend this book for people of all ages. You will fall in love with Jeremy Johnson Johnson and his ghost.

Read often! Enjoy!

The last book of Cat and Bones....

I warn people right away that I am a spoiler of endings. So please turn away now if you are not up to date on Jeaniene Frost's series on Cat and Bones.

First of all, I didn't physically read this. It was an audio book. As I walked a local hiking trail I came upon the part where Bones dies. I literally yelled "NO!" and proceeded to cry. I couldn't bare the thought! My heart sank into depths unknown as Cat watched Bones fade away and wither up into nothing. I thought she would take her life. I was completely devastated.

Frost, you are a freakin' brilliant! He wasn't dead! He came back and saved the day. The description of his looks as he first appeared to Cat was amazing. I truly thought he was dead. I thought the savior was Denise. Then it's Bones! OMG! The moment made me shout again and by now I am probably the crazy person on the walking trail that is certifiable.

The one thing that Cat and Bones could never have was a child. But the get one in the most obvious and yet insane way. Why wouldn't her DNA or eggs be taken when she was working for the government? It makes sense. Obviously Frost thought this through. I can only hope to be as clever as she is.

I am very sad that I won't have any more Cat and Bones tales, but the ending is final. I have closure. And that's really all I can ask for.

Hats off to you Jeaniene Frost. A brilliant ending to a wonderfully imaginative series. I will cherish is always.

Read often! Enjoy!

Anne Rice and The Wolf Gift

I've thoroughly enjoyed Anne Rice's novels from Vampires to Sleeping Beauty. The Wolf Gift is something different. First of all, we see some things are different from the norm in werewolf writing. The change isn't horrific. It's not painful, orgasmic actually, and it's not uncontrollable. The origins go back  so far that the history as it's explained in the end was, to say the least, powerful.

Ruben is an amazing character. I love him! When he meets Laura it was concerning and beautiful at the same time. But it was a loving experience. The fact that he is driven to punish the evil doers of the world is what makes him the unsung hero. It's a calling of the gift. When he accidentally bites a boy he's trying to save... it's like he had a child. There's now this boy who needs him and is so infatuated with the wolfman already that he has his own theories. I felt like this was going to be a great fit. And it clearly was.

I loved listening to the elders at the end. We get so much information in this book that I didn't realize that this was going to be a series.  The fact that it is makes me so incredibly happy! I am now seeking the next book.

Rice's writing is superb. There's so much in one book that I couldn't handle it myself as a writer. I would feel like it would have to be broken up into more than one because everything that's there. But she's amazing. It's seamless. You just want it to keep going... AND IT DOES!

It's a story of love, personal struggle, religious pondering, history, family... and so much more. Read it. Love it.

Enjoy! Read often!

Private LA

Be warned.... spoilers!

I love all of James Patterson's series. I just do. I love following characters from book to book and seeing what happens to them on a personal level. Private is no different.

I love Jack. I want all good things for him. I love Justine. I know she just went through this really hard time, but just because you saw Jack with that woman... please don't give up. I know they belong together. I can feel that in the next book there will be some closure for me on this.

As most people do, I follow the tabloids. I like to know what's going on. Instead of using Brad and Anjelina, he uses Tom and Jennifer... but we get it. The famous people who show the world that they do great things. But these people don't do great things. I thought the idea was fabulous. Just because you say something doesn't mean that you mean it. AWESOME. It shines a light on the fact that celebrities don't necessarily do things out of the goodness of their hearts. And Private was there to throw it in there face and make them pay. Suck it!

This is so minor, but it bugged me that Patterson wrote about people hitting the dislike button on Facebook. I follow him on every social media possible and if he has any clue, then he knows there's no dislike button. Yet. I really hope for one in the near future.

Jack Morgan.... I love you. You are an honest person with values and morals. You are Alex Cross times 10 in sexy.

Please give me more of Justine! She is an amazing woman and I want her to be with Jack sooooo bad.

Bottom line... if you haven't started the Private series then do it now.

Whatever you did to make this amazing, Mark Sullivan, kudos to you!

James Patterson and The Walking Dead (Slight Spoilers)

I LOVE both James Patterson and The Walking Dead. This is only important because Patterson keeps mentioning it his books! The latest Alex Cross Book, Cross My Heart,  this book tore on my heart strings. I thought everyone was dead. The undoing of Cross made my heart hurt and tears well in my eyes. I vocally yelled "no!". Ali is a cutie. In this last one he was the smart one. Go Ali! He wasn't dreaming! Listen to your child! But the little boy loved The Walking Dead. Even Nana Mama watched it.

Skip to Confessions: The Private School Murders..... another mention of The Walking Dead. I ask you James Patterson... do you love this show? I LOVE THIS SHOW. So if my favorite author loves this show, writes about it and I love it too.... maybe this is an awesome thing. :)

Writing Woes

I have some writing opportunities in front of me. They aren't big or popular. They aren't even fiction. They are not my goal. I don't want to do them with a heavy heart, but I do.

Do you have to go through these phases to get where you want to be? Do you have to not like your own writing to get noticed or be successful? Please chime in.

I need either solace or a solution.

Character Voice

I picked up a new book from an author I've never read before. It's The Boy Who Could See Demons by Carolyn Jess-Cooke. I'm not that far into it, but I have to say how intrigued I am with her writing. The basis of the story is that a woman is called in to evaluate a young boy who's mother had attempted suicide (more than once). She's a psychiatrist with her own set of problems that we learn a lot about very quickly. The boy is young and sweet and loves his mother very much. What I'm loving about this is the way it's told. We are seeing things not only through the eyes of the woman, but the eyes of the boy as well.

The author has an amazing talent for quickly changing gears. One moment we're seeing and hearing things from a young boy and the next it's from an experienced older woman. The boy sees things much differently than the woman does of course and his speech reflects that. The way he speaks and describes things is amazing. You can hear the voice of a child, the thoughts of a child. He relates feelings and situations differently than the adults. It's brilliantly written. I found myself chuckling a few times. The way he thinks about love and how at his age it's a girly thing except for the way he loves his mother. When he sees his mother we get a picture of her told to to us through his eyes. She's in the hospital and like most of us who have been in the hospital, not looking her best. He describes her hair as if she had been electrocuted. He sees his aunt as strange for having muscle tone in her arms and being strong. When he looks at the psychiatrist he compares her hair color to milk chocolate. I have a very clear picture of this boy in my head. It's awesome. That's the best way I can describe it.

I'm sure as I continue reading and finish this book that I will still love it and be sad to see it end. I usually feel that way about books that I really enjoy. I don't often recommend a book before I'm done reading it, but this time I couldn't help myself.

Enjoy! Read often!

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

I've been reading the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. It's an interesting series. I'm on book three, Brother Odd, where Odd Thomas is living in a monastery. He's not a regular at St. Bart's Abbey. He had decided to go there after book two. Odd was seeking some peace and tranquility and perhaps some direction.

Odd Thomas was told as a child that his name was meant to be Todd, and that there was a mistake on the birth certificate. No attempt was made to fix the error and he was called Odd from birth. This fits the young man since he can see the dead. Odd always seems to get himself into trouble, but he's always hell bent on helping people.

This third book in the series is definitely a supernatural thriller. It plays with the idea that your mind is your reality. Our antagonist in this is Brother John who has developed a way to make his mind reality. He creates creatures that wreak havoc on the monastery and it's inhabitants. It is up to Odd to stop him with the enlisted help of a few others.

What's my favorite part so far? In all of the books thus far, my favorite thing is that Odd Thomas shares a special ghostly friendship with no other than Elvis Presley. Up until the middle of book two there hasn't been much communication on Elvis's behalf. Ghosts don't talk to Odd although he can see them and speak to them, and they can understand him. We do see attempts at communication on Elvis's part at some points (read the books to find out more because it's really good). In this third installment I see this friendship come to an end and it makes me sad. Elvis finally crosses over. I have high hopes for Frank Sinatra though. He appears to Odd at the end. Maybe this will be another ghostly friendship I will come to love.

I am enjoying the Odd Thomas series. He is a peculiar character that grows on you. He has loved and lost, had a sad childhood and is growing up to be a sweet young man despite the odds. You don't eve have to be a supernatural fan to delight in Odd's story. Give it try.

Enjoy! Read often!

Film vs Novel: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

I tend to not watch the movies of the books that I really like (Hunger Games is my exception to the rule), but this time was different. I was struggling to get through the book Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. It's written in a journal sort of way. At times it was boring and daunting. But honestly what can you expect from a journal? Not every day is action packed. I didn't make it through to the end, instead I decided to watch the movie thinking Hollywood would make it more exciting. I was wrong. Watching the movie made me appreciate the novel.

The differences were too much. Young Abe learns of the vampires from his father in the book. His father cannot repay a debt and as punishment the vampire bites Abe's mother which is the cause of her agonizing death. This a traumatic for Abe. In the movie... not so much. Abe doesn't even learn about the vampires from his father at all. He's told about them by a vampire who saves him from being killed and nurses him back to health. Good ole Henry. I actually like him in the novel and the movie. A good vampire? I guess so.

In the movie Abe wants to end slavery because of his childhood friend (who is black). In the novel he wants to end slavery because the slaves are the food/blood source for the vampires. The Emancipation Proclamation frees the slaves, begins to starve the vampires and turns the Civil War. Now what sounds better here? The novel!

Edgar Allen Poe is Abe's friend in the novel. He teaches Abe a thing or two about vampires. In the novel a vampire kills Poe and that is cause of Poe's suspicious death that many ponder (a real life mystery!). How cool is that? I thought it was awesome, but there's no mention of Poe in the movie at all. Boo!

The end is 100% different. Novel: John Wilkes Booth thinks he kills Abe. Henry (Abe's vampire friend savior) turns Abe into a vampire. Abe kills Booth in a barn before he can be arrested by Union troops. The last scene is of Abe attending MLK's I Have A Dream speech at the Lincoln Memorial. That was pretty awesome! The movie: none of that happens.

So a few days later I find myself back at the local library hunting for the book once again.

Enjoy! Read often!

How to Become a Kick-Ass Writer

So here I am poking around Writer's Digest and I find this great article about being a writer.

Chuck Wendig writes a blog about being a writer. Writer's Digest gives us some of his tips. They are anywhere from scary to hysterical.

Scary: "Be ripped apart by other writers".... Yes, this one is scary! It's hard to stick your neck out there only to have it slashed especially with a piece that you love. This is the hardest one for me.

Hysterical: "Do not defile the penmonkey temple".... Chuck is essentially telling us that heroin is not a breakfast food and to treat ourselves better than a "urinal in a Wendy's bathroom". He's right, but the way he says it freakin awesome.

What did I learn? I need to challenge myself, or as Chuck calls it, make myself a gauntlet. Start writing things I don't normally write. Start meeting small challenges (see his suggestions at the link below). This could be really cool.

How to Become a Kick-Ass Writer

Enjoy! Read often!

Michael Connelly: Void Moon

If you enjoy a good crime thriller, I'm sure you've read a Harry Bosch or Mikey Haller. We know Matthew McConaughey as the Lincoln Lawyer and soon to be Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch. Those are great characters and it should be an honor to be chosen to portray them (in my opinion anyway). But what about the other books written by Connelly? What about the ones that are one-timers? The ones that don't belong in a series? Do you get caught up on the series and only focus on those leaving other great stories on the shelves unread? I realized that sometimes I do that! I've started picking up some of my favorite author's books that are not part of a series or are older (older than me) that I wouldn't normally pick up.

I was searching thought my state's digital library and decided on Void Moon by Michael Connelly. I was looking through the reading list of the Harry Bosch series (I admit it, I'm behind a bit) when I came across Void Moon. I decided to give it a go knowing that when the book was over, it was over. The connection I lost with this character was going to be gone as soon as I read the last page. She was not coming back. With a sigh I hit the borrow button, downloaded it to my phone and set off for a long walk to start the audio book. Keep in mind I have about three books going at any given time. I have a book by my bed (currently Servant of the Bones by Ann Rice), I have a Kindle book (currently Home For The Holidays by Jeaniene Frost) and then my audio book which is now Void Moon. Wait, I just realized at this very moment I have a fourth book, it's The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. That one is in my bag those goes back and forth to the car with me. You never know when you're going to need a book to read. I want to be prepared.

Anyway.... back to Void Moon. Even though Cassidy "Cassie" Black had driven off into the sunset to start her knew life, I'm okay with that. Let's start at the beginning. Cassie Black has been out of jail for just a short time when the novel starts. But it's not too long before she sucked back into her old life. The difference this time is that she just wants one bog score so she can take her daughter and run away and live happily ever after. Like that was going to happen! Cassie hooks up with her old pal Leo. Leo gets her a big job where they are going to strike it big. Cassie immediately sets out to get the job done. She hits some bumps along the way. Her other old pal Jersey tries to steal from her and let's just say he was a bit inappropriate as well. But this girl can kick some butt! With a kick to the groin and a gun to his head she's able to get the upper hand and tie up the dirt bag in the back of his own van, the one she uses for the job! What a dumbass this guy is. Anyway, there's a lot of suspense throughout, from the time she gets to Las Vegas to the time she's standing in the "mark's" room with $2.5M and a gun aimed at the man's head.... holy moly! But then Connelly cleverly cuts off Cassie story right at that point and brings in the next set of characters.

Now we've got the casino manager, Vincent, who gets a guy named Jack to find out what the hell happened to the money and why is the guy dead in the hotel room? You think you know everything. This is why I love mystery novels! Jack tracks Cassie to Los Angeles. Back up - he sees Jersey;s van outside the casino on cameras thus leading him to Jersey who gives up Cassie fairly quickly. Jack kills Jersey (duh! he's a bad guy!). Jack finds Leo but Leo won't give up the money or Cassie. Leo is dead. Jack finds Cassie's place. Unfortunately Cassie's parole officer is doing a home check and the poor fat woman is shot by Jack (don't worry, she doesn't die). Jack finds out about Cassie's daughter and kidnaps her. Now Cassie had given birth in prison and this child was adopted by a loving couple. The almost 6 year old girl has no idea who Cassie is, but Cassie had been planning to snatch her and run away with her. Jack gets there first and they all meet back in Vegas to exchange the money for the kid. Cassie is smarter than that. She knows that Jack won't ever let them out of it alive. She plays some tricks getting Vincent (the casino manager) involved. And then....

And then we have the what what? Holy moly! I didn't see that coming moment... Cassie never killed the "mark". In fact Vincent arranged the whole damn thing. There are so many parties involved that you just don't see this coming! But the other parties aren't really involved the way you think they are and so much of it Vincent made up. Cassie saves her daughter and starts driving back to Los Angeles. She now has a decision to make. Does she take the girl and the money she was able to salvage (over a million bucks) and blow out of the country? Nope. She delivers the girl back to her adoptive parents. She did the right thing. 

I would suggest picking up this book and giving it a read for yourself. I know I give a lot away, but there's a lot I didn't cover. So if you have a favorite author and you've been ignoring some of their other works, give them a try. You never know what you might find.

Enjoy! Read often!

Vampires

Vampires are different from author to author. What do you like about them that makes you coming back for more?

If you haven't been living under a rock, you know about Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. You don't have to read the books or watch the movies to know there are vampires in it (or that they sparkle for that matter). It's a young adult fiction series that blew the heck up. Good for her. I liked it, both the movies and the books. I really liked Edward's family more than the daunting love triangle of Bella, Edward and Jacob. The family and their struggles as a family is why I went back book after book. Plus I found this great movie theater in Portsmouth, NH where I can eat breakfast and watch a 9am showing. Who else besides me is going to do that? I can tell you, it's only a handful of people. 

How many read Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series? An action packed series that does one thing that I love the most: character development across the series. Anita is so different now compared to the early novels. I love seeing the the changes that take place and the reasons why. It's not just her relationships with her lovers (although I do enjoy Jean Claude moments), but it's also her relationship with Edward/Ted. I think I enjoy that because he too has changed so much. It's an unlikely bond that works. This is one series that I haven't gotten bored with. Honestly, sometimes when you're looking at 20 or so in a series... you might lose people. I'm still hooked as ever. Have you ever looked at the list of characters n wikipedia? Holy sh!t.

Ann Rice. You just can't go wrong with Ann Rice. I think a lot of people were first introduced to her and her amazing stories when Interview With A Vampire hit the theaters. Who wouldn't go see Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt? Rice is a great story teller. I haven't read as much of her as some other vampire focused authors, but her ability to tell a story within a story gets me every time. No one does that as good as Rice does (and not completely lose the reader). 

How about the Cat and Bones series aka (Night Huntress) from Jeaniene Frost. Now this one is making me a little sad. I'm waiting to read the very last book of the series. I've loved the characters and love affair. I'm anxious to see how the end turns out (even if it makes me sad). In the series we were introduced to Vlad. Yes, the one and only Dracula. It's become a spin off series that's equally as action packed and sexy as the Cat and Bones series is/was. But I digress... what's keeping me coming back to this series? Nothing ever goes like you think it will! Cat becomes a vampire so she can be with bones and keep the ghouls at bay, but as simple as that sounds... not! She drinks vampire blood and can take on some of their powers. Oh and sometimes has a heartbeat. What the heck is that? The unpredictability is pretty awesome.

I've been saving my latest infatuation for last. Christopher Farnsworth you have now given me a new vampire to love. Nathaniel Cade is a brooding ruthless vampire that belongs to the President of the United States. He does the dirty work and of course is a big, giant secret. He was turned into a vampire while on a ship bound to America in 1867. With the blood from Abraham Lincoln (taken from the bullet that he was shot with) and the witchy connections of then President Andrew Johnson, Cade was bound to serve whomever the president was. This vampire is saving lives by killing the violent. I'm in love with this series all around. I love Cade's story of course, but he has a handler named Zach. The relationship ads a humor to the series that's otherwise serious, action packed and bloody. I keep coming back for many reasons and that's one of them. But I also need to know what the heck is going to happen next. The last book left me with a giant cliffhanger. 

There are a lot of different choices out there for the vampire lover. Some of them involve other supernatural beings and others are just about vampires. If you like this sort of thing I suggest branching out. Try other types of vampire novels. If you like the young adult fiction, take a look at The Morganville Vampires series. It's a different take on the vampire world than my above mentioned. I will leave you to look that one up on your own. Find what you like and read it, but don't be afraid to branch out! 

Enjoy! Read often!

Audio Books: Yes or No?

For me an audio book is a necessity. I spend about an hour and a half in my car (at a minimum) each day. I'd much rather listen to an audio book than channel surf music I'm not into or fumble for CDs. I will absolutely be late for work (or anywhere for that matter) waiting for an audio book to download to my phone if I don't have one ready to go. I can't go for a walk with the dogs, hike or run without an audio book in my ears. Saying this out loud... I might have an obsession. Addiction? Maybe.

What's the downside? Oh there is one. Let me explain. I've been into Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series. I really love reading a series. I like that I can see the change and development in a character from book to book. The person she/he was in the first book isn't the same person they were in say book ten. If I love it so much what's the downside? If I can't get into the voice of the narrator then I have a hard time getting into the book as a whole. The best part of a mystery novel (for me) is the twists and turns. When I can say "No way!" or "I never saw that coming!" or "He's the killer, what?". These are the best. But when the voice of the narrator doesn't fit the voice of the novel... well, my interest fades.

In other words, some books are better read in print. The voice I hear in my head is sometimes better than the voice coming across my headphones. I guess the bottom line is, I need audio books, ebooks and bound books in order to be happy. Does that make me spoiled or demanding? Probably.

Enjoy! Read often!

The latest Alex Cross book...

So I just finished Cross My Heart, the latest in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. Here I am once again left with another Patterson cliffhanger! The Cross family has bee taken by a madman. This happens towards the end so it's not until the next book that we'll get some resolution. Will everyone make it out alive? I feel like they will. So does that make this predictable? Maybe. He gets the bad guy, saves the day and will sit down to family dinner. Not that I want someone to die, but... I don't know.

What was the best part of this one? The moment Alex thinks his entire family is dead he acts like I would expect a grieving father and husband. He's no super hero. He wants to die. Good thing that homeless person didn't succeed in killing him, but it seemed like a valiant effort.

Overall, I liked it. Probably not my favorite in the series though. What I do like about Patterson's writing is the third person point of view of many characters. I like "seeing" what's going on from different angles. I know a lot of people like to write in first person because they feel they can write a more in depth piece about that main character. For anyone who thinks writing a passionate piece in third person can't be done, read this book. You are the walking dead with Alex as he roams the streets of DC (and when you read this book you will totally get my reference to the walking dead).

Enjoy! Read often!