Books 30 & 31 The Vampire Diaries The Fury & Dark Reunion

What really pushed me to read these books was the TV series "The Vampire Diaries". I was curious to see if I could place the TV actor Ian Somerhalder as the Damon in the book, plus I was wondering how much the TV show was based on the book. Alas on both counts. Damon in the book is described as being dark haired and dark eyed...which is not so of Ian. With those amazing ice blue eyes...how could I picture him with dark eyes in my minds eye?!? I couldn't fathom it...I swoon at the thought of those eyes! Excuse me for a moment.....

Ok back! The Vampire Diaries books read almost like there is not a break in the books at all. Each book starts right after the last book ended. For instance, the book could end with "She opened the door" and the next book will be like "She opened the door and a blinding light came at her". Sorry I'm not a writer...or I'm just tired tonigh...probably both.

I can't tell you much about the books as it is a series and I would give to much away. But I can tell you the book left with with a LOT of jaw dropping moments. I sat there dumbfounded many a time in the third and fourth book going "What the hell?!?!"

These books honestly are really good to read. Yes they are a YA novel, and yes not all that heavy on the gore factor, with a bit of romance...but hey, it's about vampires. How can you go wrong?!?! The ending of the fourth book left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth...it was way to "fruffy poofy" (for those of you who don't know me, that means a happy lovey squishy type of thing, which I am really not into. I would be happier if someone ended up slaughtered in a very bloody fashion, but hey, I can't have everything right?). Still L.J. Smith weaves a nice story that is easy to get into and serves the vampire masses what they crave.

The next book is Bloodline by Kate Cary. I picked this book up in Montreal, when I was there briefly in 2008 on a trip for work. I have never picked it up, but always looked at it thinking "I should really read that". Well I guess now is the time to read it. :)

Book 29-Beware by Richard Laymon

I was introduced to Richard Laymon about a year ago, and now I can't get enough. He uses the art of horror unlike no one else!! With a dash of suspense, some romantic tension, sexual violence and all out gore...he is my dream man, to bad he passed away a few years ago. Dead or not, he can always turn your stomach or start the chills!!

Beware is a story that starts with Elsie Hoffman is a retiree who owns the local grocery store in town. She is a content woman who does everything she can for her local town mates. One night she is getting ready to close up her store when weird things start to occur. Elsie leaves the store only to come back the next day with Red and his dog Rusty to take care of the "hooligans" who harassed Elsie. Well needless to say...Rusty ends up a bloody smear on the store linoleum.

Red & Elsie decides to spend the night at the store to avenge his fallen comrade with his shotgun. Well I guess you can imagine what happens to the two of them....Elsie ends up shrink wrapped on the meat counter in little pieces, and Red...well...Red dies after losing an arm. And this is only how the story starts...it definitely is a joy ride of blood, guts and yes quite a bit of sex.

After this the story centers on Lacey Allen the reporter who found Red and Elsie dead in the market, and who is raped by the "presence" in the store. She flees away from the town to try and come to terms with what happened and start a new job. Although her wishes won't be fulfilled so easily as the "presence' has followed her.

Beware was a ton of fun to read! Honestly it kept me going and I wanted to read every second...but sleep had to come in there to. :) I wasn't a big fan of how it ended, but thats just me.

Would explain more, but I have a lot to do tonight! Heading to Banff tomorrow for a much needed break from my kiddies. To bad it's going to be rainy and cold all weekend. :(

I am reading The Vampire Diaries books 3 & 4 next.

Book 28 Morrigans Cross by Nora Roberts

Ok...well I went into this book with lots of "Why are you picking this up" and "What the heck are you thinking?!" Nora Roberts?!?! My brain must have taken a vacation to pick this book up...but you know what?! It wasn't that bad!! It was actually quite enjoyable.

Morrigan's Cross begins it's story in the 12th century and is the story of Hoyt, who is called on by the god Morrigan to stop Lilith, a vampire "queen" who is planning on taking over the world. He is put to task to gather 5 others to create the "Circle". One of the members is Hoyt's brother Cian who was changed by Lilith into a vampire.

Hoyt sets out on his journey after being told to travel to the "Dance of the Gods" where he is thrown into New York in the 21st century. He discovers his brother is still alive and doing quite well for himself. Hoyt convinces Cian to help him in his quest and so the story begins. Together Hoyt and Cian gather Glenna, the witch, Moira, future queen of Geall, Larkin a shape shifter, and Blair a demon huntress. These six individuals are tasked with saving the world, past present and future.

When I first started reading the book I didn't know how to take it. You have Hoyt who is a sorcerer mixing potions and the like and planning on going after Lilith who has changed his brother. It totally read like a fantasy book which I totally despise.!

Once Hoyt ends up in New York things change. It becomes more present day. Cian and Hoyt almost remind me of Damon and Stephen from the Vampire Diaries. One is quiet and the other is a loud mouthed ass. They have a lot of animosity toward each other for different reasons, and you can feel the tension while reading the pages.

The book is very well written and flows like a good song. It pulls you in and holds you there. You can feel what the characters are feeling and almost physically feel it when they are injured. I actually ended up laughing out loud at some of the scenes, and usually I don't do that.

Honestly I think I will soon pick up the second book in this trilogy "Dance of the Gods" and maybe look into her other vampire trilogies. With writing so smooth and enticing, how can I say no???

Now don't get me wrong, but I am not going to jump on the Nora Roberts band wagon. Personally, romance novels (unless they deal with vampires, werewolves and the like) do not interest me at all. If there's no blood with the gratuitous sex...I don't want to read it.

Anyway..book 29 I haven't quite figured out yet...but I will let you know in time.

Book 27-Celia by Ruby Jean Jensen

Ahh Ruby...how do I love thee...let me count the ways...your writing talent is a nice change from what horror usually is today.

Celia, I thought, would be another one of Ruby Jean Jensen's books about killer dolls. I thought...but was totally wrong (grab your seats everyone...my husband knows I don't say I'm wrong often!). The story centers around Celia, an abused wife and mother, who is desperate to get out of the situation for the safety of her kids. Her son-of-a-bitch husband Durk, tells her " I'll get you Celia. You kill me and I'll come back as your worst nightmare. I'll get you and I'll get your kids too".

"I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!!!" Sorry...drifted off there....

Celia lives in fear everyday, until one day Durk does something so unspeakable, she is driven to kill him and hide his body in the swamp. Celia flees with her three kids, Jonie, Drew and Blair to the "Underground Railroad", a group of people who help battered wifes and families get away from the abuse.

Celia meets Mel, the man who is escorting the family to a new life in Northern California. On the way they all stop at safe houses-families who also work with the Underground Railroad to give food and shelter to those fleeing until they reach their new lives. Unfortunately soon after they leave the people they are staying with, wind up dead.

Mel, Celia and the kids are running from an unseen force bent on killing them, and anyone who gets in its way.

I really did enjoy this book. Ruby Jean Jensen has a way to wind together supernatural horror along with "real life horror" (the type of thing that happens everyday to people). She does it so in a way that you can feel for the main characters and hope that they get out of the situation alive. She doesn't need to throw in a lot of macabre slasher scenes (even though...most of the time I CRAVE them LOL!). She is able to get the chills going with out the blood, sex and one liners that are pretty much the fodder for most horror stories. But you know...blood and sex isn't all bad either... ;) Any one up for a Saw movie?!?!

So if anyone has their hands on a Ruby Jean Jensen novel (they are very hard to find. Took me a year of calling second hand book stores all over the country trying to get what I could. I still don't have them all!). Read it!!!

The next book I'm keeping a secret...mainly because my BF would drop dead, if she knew I had picked it up...so until my next blog...it's all a hush hush thing, I don't want to scare her to death...BWAHAHAHA!!

Till next time...

Book 26-Dark Zones by Sharon Jarvis

Dark Zones was the second part of Sharon Jarvis's true paranormal accounts. The first book Dead Zones, didn't impress me much, but this one was another "lendie" from a co-worker, so I decided to read it.

Again I am disappointed. The books have an interesting look at the hauntings they describe, but lack that nail biting kind of terror. The front of the book states "In the blood curdling tradition of Dead Zones" and the back shows "The truth is more terrifying than fiction". Um, yeah no.

The book reads like an encyclopedia. This is the place and this is what happen. Very matter of fact with no emotion at all. It was not bloodcurdling and definitely not terrifying. I mean what is so "terrifying" about a chair moving with on it's own, or ghosts smiling at you. Damn that makes my blood run cold...yeah whatever.

If I'm going to read a true paranormal account, the writer can't be so matter of fact about the writing. Seriously, keep to the facts of the matter, but put some effort into the words you use. It would work out so much better if the writer was a little scared his or herself.

Then again...maybe it's just me...

Book 27 is a book from one of my favorite horror writers Ruby Jean Jensen, who us horror junkies haven't had anything new from in almost 10 years. It's sad...such a great horror writer... lost. The book I have chosen is "Celia", one of her typical "dolls gone bad" stories. She was famous for these during her writing time. Personally those little porcelain dolls really creep me out, so hopefully this book will keep me up at night. :)

Hey Dawn! There's something you can write about!?!?! Creepy dolls! That will make my skin crawl! Maybe not scare me...but definitely give me the heebie-jeebies!! Xoxo

Book 25 The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Book 25 was The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong. On man what a book it was! Now I may be a bit bias as I am a crazy Kelley Armstrong reader, but her "Darkest Powers" trilogy (of which The Reckoning is the final book) enticed and intrigued me right from the first chapter of "The Summoning".

The story is about Chloe, who at the age of 15 gets her first period, and begins to see ghosts. Does the classical movie quote: "I see dead people" ring through everyone's heads here?? Well that is basically what Chloe can do. When she realizes the people she's seeing are in fact dead, she has a sort of break down. Doctors feel she is schitzophrenic, and thus send to her to Lyle House: a centre for "troubled teens". Chloe notices strange things going on at Lyle House, things starting on fire, poltergiests floating around, items going missing as well as her housemates.

Ok so I can't say to much about "The Reckoning". Without ruining the story. All I know is I whipped through this one at lightning speed (as with the first two). The story is fast paced, and has the ability to "suck you in"

For those of you that have read Kelley's Women of the Otherworld series, you will be pleased that Kelley is actually pulling the Nast and Cortez Cabals into the story! To me that was pure genius!!! So I'm thinking Chloe may become another woman of the Otherword...and me...I will be right there gobbling up the pages!

Books 23 & 24 The Vampire Diaries by L.J Smith

Hello Followers, Horror Junkies and the Curious!

I would like to say that what drove me to read books 23 and 24 was the fact that I love the TV show of the Vampire Diaries (and of course Ian Somerhalder, right Dawn!??!). So we are near the end of the first season of the show and I was wondering how the show followed the book. Yes...does NOT AT ALL pretty much sum it up?!

Well ok I can't say not at all, but it's pretty darn close. The book has the same characters, Stephan, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, Tyler, Damon, and a new character called Meredith.

The first book is called "The Awakening", where Stephan and Elena are introduced. Now, in the first story Elena drove me freaking crazy! She is portrayed in the book as a stuck up snotty teenager, that is driven to have every boy in the school. Personnally I wanted to beat the snot out of her.."oh Stephan isn't looking at me, I think I'm going to go home and cry" UGH!

For those of us who watch the show, Stephan is a serious vampire who choses to feed on animals instead of people. In the book he drinks both from humans and from animals, but he doesn't want to drink to the death for either of them. This was definitely an interesting twist in the story.

Elena finally meets with Stephan they get together, in a somewhat serious relationship. Elena reminds Stephan of Katherine, his one true love from 15th century Italy (yes they are 500 + years old). Everything is progressing rather well in their relationship until Damon, Stephan's older brother-who is also a vampire-shows up wanting a piece of Eleana as well.

The second book "The Stuggle" carries on the story from the first book.So there is teenage angst, vampires fighting, along with humans fighting etc. etc. etc. What really took me for a loop was the fact that Damon can turn into a crow! Now when watching the shows, I kinda figured Damon was the crow..but wasn't totally sure on the issue, well now I am!

The books lent a bit of hints to the back story to the show. Like the crow issue, there are other things that Damon and Stephan can or can't do, but I won't spoil it for anyone. I was a tad disapointed in the lack of bloody guy wrenching scenes...but hey, the book is a young adult novel. We wouldn't want to warp any young minds, right?

Both books were enjoyable and I will probably pick up the 3rd and 4th books after Kelley Armstrongs "The Reckoning".