Expected so much more from book 10

Book 10-The murder of King Tut, by James Patterson

Wow...what can I say about this book...it was not what I expected at all. The book is supposed to the be story of King Tuts "murder". But instead it was pretty much about Howard Carter and his search for Tut's tomb in the 1920's.

Don't get me wrong, the book was interesting in it's own way, but me, being the Egypt junkie I am, wanted insite into the life of Tut and his death. James Patterson states in the book how he researched Tut's life and death, but it seems most of what he researched was on Howard Carter and Lord Carnovan, the two individuals looking for the tomb. Personally I think the book should have been called "The Life and Times of Howard Carter". But that's just my opinion.

I love James Pattersons novels: The Alex Cross books are great, the Womens Murder club books are super, but this one just didn't do it for me. The book is classified as a "non-fiction thriller" Uh-huh...the only thing remotely scary or thrilling about this book was that it was not what the title portrays.

On to book 11, "Thirst" by Christopher Pike. Remember him from early young adult "scary" novels?! Well now he's written a vampire novel for adults...I think...

Book 9-"Afraid" I'm Feeling so much more like myself!

Book 9 was Afraid by Jack Kilborn, and what a book it was!

As a horror lover this book reminded me of the Saw movies, in a sense. For instance, you have one character in the story: Santiago, who loves to hear people scream...I'll leave that to your imagination...Then you have Bernie, who likes to burn people.

Picture this if you will: Your a retiree, who is fishing the lake near where you live with your wife. Your sitting baiting your hook, and enjoying the silence when a helicopter flies overhead and a few seconds later...crashes! You row you boat towards the dock (the boat is old and you can't get the motor going). The rowing is tough on your old body, but you keep going. Row...row...row...the silence is pierced by the screams of your wife! Not just scared screams but screams of extreme pain. You row as fast as your arms can , trying to get to the love of your life.

So...this is how the books starts. It is full of wonderfully graphic torture scenes, and a itty bitty bit of romance (come on who wouldn't get a warm and fuzzy when people are being brutally murdered..what? I'm the only one?! Oh Ok.)

I don't want to talk to much about it, because it will give the plot away. So I'm kind of stuck with saying it was a great book! Definitely cleansed my reading pallette of the romancey crap I have been reading! Ah it's good to be myself again!

Looking for something to read for book 10...I'm kinda stuck but I'll let you know :)

Book 8-Gideon

Wow all I have to say about Gideon is it was FANDIBULOUS! Jacquelynn Frank has an amazing way with words. You can actually fully picture not only the characters, but the world they live in.

The nice thing about Jacquelynn Frank is that the setting changes quite often...it is not the same base, the same healing centre, the same, same, same. I loved the Jr Ward books for the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but after reading the 7 books in the series it was the same setting through them all, the house, the club, etc etc. Jacquelynn Frank allows her characters to travel to different places, and does an amazing job describing the landscape, like she has actually been there.

The book "Gideon" is abut the oldest of all demons, and how everyone looks to him for guidance, healing (he is a "doctor" in the demon world) and now Madelegna is looking to him for love.

This is an area of life Gideon has never dealt with, for the last 9 years he has lived alone in solitude, continuously belittling himself for what happened during the Samhain moon so long ago. Secretly Gideon has always desired Madelegna, but has been unable to act on his emotions, as he sees her as a child (she is 500 years younger than him). Gideon is a story of growth for the title character, as well as many of the other characters.

Now I have said I am not a romance reader, most of the time it is horror this and horror that...but the paranormal romance books seem to strike a cord in me somewhere that makes me keep reading them. I love to settle in with a vampire, demon, werewolf, whatever Nightwalker I choose and get lost in their world. Not sure...maybe I need some time away from home...in a strange land to get back to my old horror loving self. :)

Book 9 will be Afraid by Jack Kilborn. I have to admit I have already started it...and completely addicted!! This is getting me back to my "roots".

Seekins Spirits: Book 7 of 100 for 2010

Ok..I'm VERY upset! Why do publishers allow companies to put together books so poorly?

Reading "Seeking Spirits", by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, the Ghost Hunters, was supposed to be enjoyable, but instead it took all my willpower to not claw my eyes out at the sight of a brand spanking new book have it's pages fall out!!

For those of you who know me, you are aware of how VERY anal I am about my books...don't crease the cover, don't dog ear pages, don't leave the book open face down, and don't break the spine! Ugh...I shudder at the thought!

So...I'm reading Seeking Spirits, which I noticed in the first 50 pages the poor spine binding, so I was extra careful to make sure the pages stayed intact...well with all my careful page turning and keeping the spine nice and uncreased, a chunk of pages fell out of the book. I almost burst into tears..I didn't know what to do, I was speechless! After a couple deep (very deep) breaths in and out, I was able to put the pages back into the book and finish it (at the end more pages fell out!) Damn shoddy craftsmanship...I should find out where Pocket Books is and "flip my lid" on them, almost gave me a coronary when the pages fell out.

I'm so traumatized now I can't even tell you how the book was...gasp gasp...It was a bunch of the "lost" cases from the Ghost Hunters world. The cases that weren't televised for some reason or another. It was a good book, with chills and laughter. Some of the people that call them for help with what they think are ghost issues, are just plain nuts. Like the little old lady who had Jay and Grant come over to her home, gave them milk and cookies, went to the kitchen to put the plates in the sink and then proceeded to attack Jay and Grant with a frying pan! It turns out the lady was hearing voices in her head. It was found out after the lady went to the doctor (Jay and Grant called her family and told them to take her)that she was schizophrenic. Sorry, but I laughed out loud (amid my tears for my book).

If anyone is a fan of the Ghost Hunters I would recommend picking up this book (another one of the stories in the book is how Grant got interested in paranormal phenomena). It is a good look into side of the Ghost Hunters, that isn't shown on TV. Also check for their fist book, "Ghost Hunting".

Going to go now...and prepare a nice little coffin type thing for my book...give it a decent burial. The days are dark, I am in mourning (damn publishers!).

Book 6 " Hush Hush" done!

Wow...all I have to say is my BF Dawn can pick some amazing books! This time I read "Hush Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick and even though it is a young adult novel, it kept my interest with a great storyline, and super characters.

I purchased "Hush Hush" for Dawn for Christmas, after she mentioned to me that she was considering buying it. My thought " Ah ha! Christmas present for her!" So I run out like a crazy woman to the bookstore to get it for her. So now she has read it, and passed the "torch" to me.

The story centers around Nora Grey who is a good student at school, lives with her mother and is trying to cope with the murder of her father.

In biology class the topic of sexual education is brought up and Nora is seated with Patch, the typical "bad boy"...Dark hair, clothes and eyes. He seems to have taken quite the interest in Nora, and is pushing to get closer to her, and not just in the distance between their chairs. :)

Nora on the other hand, is both frighted by, and attracted to Patch. She knows something is strange about him, but just can't put her finger on it.

At the beginning the story totally reminded me of Twilight, the two of them sitting in class, both a bit uncomfortable (Patch hiding it with a cocky attitude, and Nora TRYING to hide it!) etc. etc. Don't worry though...it completely goes "un-twilightish" right after this.

Now for my seventh book...I'm bouncing around the idea of reading "Seeking Spirits" by Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes (yes, the Ghost Hunters), "Afraid" by Jack Kilborn, or "Gideon" by Jacquelyn Frank.

Decisions Decisions!

Book 5!

After much effort trying to squish in time to read over the holiday season, I have finally finished book 5 of 100. "In the Dark of the Night" by John Saul was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me, as I haven't read a horror/thriller novel in quite some time. It was not only refreshing, but invigorating to read something that is "truly" who I am...a horror junkie!

The book starts with a family going to a place called Phantom Lake. It's a sort of summer resort, where people come from all over to stay at. Well this family, The Brewsters, rent a home in Phantom Lake that was owned by a Dr. Darby, who vanished under mysterious circumstances.

The son, Eric, finds some "strange" items in the carriage house, and calls his two friends Tad and Kent to explore with him. And here is where it all begins....

I don't want to spoil anything for any future readers of this book, but it is an enjoyable book, that has some really interesting elements to it. For myself, I was guessing who the items came from long before the story explained more about each item, but I am VERY knowledgeable in that area. No, I'm not going to tell you...you have to read the book. :)

My only complaint with the book, is that it is exactly like most of Sauls other books: Young child or teenager has to deal with some kind of ghost, or paranormal type of thing. The "thing" almost takes over the child, and "poof!" the protagonist is able defeat the ghost by sheer willpower. Tada! The end.

Honestly, I do enjoy Saul's books, I have read him since I was like 10 years old, and his repetitiveness is a bit annoying but his books can still be enjoyed.

I give "In the Dark of the Night" 6.5 out of 10! Now on to "Hush Hush'...Dawn said it was great!! So I'm going to give it a shot.

Till next time!