My Stephen King Summer Update #1

Last month I declared my intention to read all 12 books that Stephen King had recommended as summer reads in an article in Entertainment Weekly.  So far it's going great, I've already read 6 of the 12 books, and I'm starting the 7th book now. 

And King's list has not disappointed!  But he's a bit of a trickster.  Obviously Mr. King, knowing of my intense dislike for reading books in a series out of order, and counting on my obsession fondness for him to outweigh my weird, bookish OCD, purposefully included several new books in an established series.  While I'm not the most punctual person in the world, I don't like arriving late to a party.  I am never that last minute movie goer, scrambling around during the previews or opening credits, searching for a primo seat.  In fact, I hate those people.

In June I read Buried Prey and The Fifth Witness, both newest offerings in a series.  The weird thing is, when I read these books, the world did not end, hell probably didn't even get a little chilly.  And I liked both the books even though I wasn't bff's with the main characters yet.  I think I'm ready to let go of my Must Read In Order mentality. 

I even gave myself permission not to follow Stephen King's order- 3 of the books I read in June were indeed June suggestions, but I couldn't get my hands on the 4th book, so I read one from July's list.  I know.  It's scandalous.  But I'm feeling a bit Rhett Butler about it, not giving a damn.    So here's what I read, how I rated it, and what I thought about it:

Buried Prey by John Sandford
From Goodreads:

A house demolition provides an unpleasant surprise for Minneapolis-the bodies of two girls, wrapped in plastic. It looks like they've been there a long time. Lucas Davenport knows exactly how long.

In 1985, Davenport was a young cop with a reputation for recklessness, and the girls' disappearance was a big deal. His bosses ultimately declared the case closed, but he never agreed with that. Now that he has a chance to investigate it all over again, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: It wasn't just the bodies that were buried. It was the truth

My Thoughts-  I wasn't completely sold on Davenport- he's a bit arrogant and his Let Me Do It attitude annoyed me at times, but the story was very exciting.  The flashbacks, the search for justice, the surprise attacks, it was all very edge-of-your-seat reading.  Plus I have a soft spot for re-opened cold cases.  Buried Prey is book #21 in the Lucas Davenport series, so I was way out of my comfort zone here, but I didn't feel lost at any point.  I just wasn't as emotionally invested in Davenport as I usually am in thrillers.  Will definitely be on the lookout for other books in this series (but probably only the ones that sound enticing, I've no wish to go back and read 20 books in order, I mean, have you seen my tbr pile?!).

Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
From Goodreads:

Daniel H. Wilson, the author of this book, has a doctorate in robotics from prestigious Carnegie Mellon and his writing credits include the nonfiction How to Survive A Robot Uprising and How to Build a Robot Army. That knowledge alone should activate your senses as you enter Robopocalypse, a realm where robots run free and humans flee skittering in many directions. Told with the unfolding menace of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, this novel will keep you up late and your computer

My Thoughts: Okay, that's a bit of a lame summary of this book, because I found Robopocalypse to be AWESOME and I don't even like robots!  Seriously, I will pick zombies and vampires any day over robots or aliens.  But for me, Robopocalypse is everything you don't actually get when watching the Terminator movies- the actually beginning of the war.  Only Wilson's robots are a bit smarter than the ones in the Terminator movies.  They aren't interesting in nuking our planet, but rather ridding it of mankind.  This book is told in many different styles and voices, but that's something I actually really like.  It reminded me a bit of how Carrie by Stephen King is presented.  I plan on jumping on the robot band wagon if Wilson and others keep bringing on the cool robot books. 

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
From Goodreads:

Mickey Haller has fallen on tough times. He expands his business into foreclosure defense, only to see one of his clients accused of killing the banker she blames for trying to take away her home.

Mickey puts his team into high gear to exonerate Lisa Trammel, even though the evidence and his own suspicions tell him his client is guilty. Soon after he learns that the victim had black market dealings of his own, Haller is assaulted, too--and he's certain he's on the right trail.

Despite the danger and uncertainty, Haller mounts the best defense of his career in a trial where the last surprise comes after the verdict is in.

 My Thoughts: I'm going to be honest, I really didn't think I was going to like this book.  I was expecting to hate the whole foreclosure storyline to bore me, but it didn't and it's really not the main focus of the book and what is presented is done so in a entertaining way.  I also hate the name Mickey... that hasn't changed.  This book has so many twists and turns, some of which I thought I saw coming only to find out that it was only the tip of the ice burg.  It also helps that even though I haven't seen the movie The Lincoln Lawyer based on the first book of the series, I was able to picture Haller as Matthew McConaughey.  Great courtroom drama, and some really great characters.

The Silent Land by Graham Joyce
From Goodreads:

Award-winning novelist and cult favorite Graham Joyce transports readers to a mysterious world of isolation and fear with a hypnotically dark story about a young couple trapped by an avalanche in the remote French Alps . . . a daring and powerful novel about love, loss, and rebirth. In the French Alps around Chamonix, a young married couple is buried under a flash avalanche while skiing. Miraculously, Jake and Zoe dig their way out from under the snow—only to discover the world they knew has been overtaken by an eerie and absolute silence. Their hotel is devoid of another living soul. Cell phones and land lines are cut off. An evacuation as sudden and thorough as this leaves Jake and Zoe to face a terrifying situation alone. They are trapped by the storm, completely isolated, with another catastrophic avalanche threatening to bury them alive . . . again. And as the couple begin to witness unset­tling events neither one can ignore, they are forced to con­front a frightening truth about the silent land they now inhabit.

My Thoughts: The Silent Land is a fairly short book, and a fast, engrossing read.  Even though I figured out what was going on, I still couldn't put the book down.  Despite the elements of horror, it's a lovely, elegant book.  You really get to know Jake and Zoe and to understand their marriage and relationship.  Despite the fact that I was able to enjoy reading this book while sitting on the porch on a hot day, I suspect this would be an even better read on a cold, snowy day.

That's the books I read in June from King's list.  So far this month I've read The Sentry by Robert Crais and The Cypress House by Michael Koryta.  On deck are The Five and Dog On It.    I'm expecting great things from these reads, and so far I haven't been disappointed.

The Last of Harry Potter...

Well, okay, it's not really the last of Harry Potter.  Because that's the wonderful thing about books, they can be re-read again and again.  In fact, I just picked up Goblet of Fire again, and I'll keep going until I get to the beginning again.

But oh, how I wish I had a time turner! 

I'm getting ready to head out for the midnight showing of the last film (3-D, at the awesome Cinebistro theater where you have to be 21 and over and you get to sit in love seats and drink alcohol and eat. Did I mention it's adults only?  So that means there won't be some little budding sociopath giggling maniacally behind me when Dobby gets the ultimate sock from God like there was in the last movie).  I got my scarf, my plastic Barnes and Noble Time Turner, my Harry Potter bandz, my toe tattoos and a box of tissues.  I'm ready to go!

There's a lot to love about Harry Potter.  As far as I know, the books started the whole midnight book release parties at bookstores.  And I do know that the series is responsible for making reading seem cool, which of course it totally is. 

I'm a fan, Harry Potter.  And this may be the last movie, but our love will go on.  I will not toss you in the ocean and let you sink into the watery depths of forgetfulness (yes, that is a Titanic reference). 

And I always knew Snape was good, so congrats to the best man winning The Potter World Cup!










And if you're a HUGE Harry Potter nerd, then check out Hogwarts Experience, which has been Pottermore-ish long before JK Rowling even thought to make a site. I'm Rigby Dumbledore on there, and a proud Ravenclaw.

Once Upon a Time Readathon Update

So far it's been more of a suck-a-thon for me, but all my own fault. Is it weird that I read less when I'm not working than when I am? On the plus side I did a lot more housework than usual, and read a bit (I'm very close to finishing two books!).

Today is a work day for me, so I'll be there for 12 hours. Fortunately there is usually plenty of opportunity for me to read during work so I will use that as much as I can. Here's what's on deck for today:

I'm planning on reading The Night Season by Chelsea Cain first, and then if I get to it, The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen... or I might read a Harry Potter novel, most likely book 4 or 5.  Now that it's all coming to an end, I have a huge craving for all things Potter.  I finished the second half of Deathly Hallows on Sunday night, crying like a baby the entire last 50 pages or so.  I can't wait for Pottermore to start up.  I used to be heavily involved in an HP site called Hogwarts Experience (yes, I  once "taught" Potions and History of Magic, and I am one heck of a rp Quidditch player), but somehow I kept getting older and all the newbies kept getting younger...

So reading today, and hopefully I'll find time for a challenge!

Once Upon a Time Readathon is On!

You all know I love a good readathon!  And the lovely Lori at Pure Imagination (and the genius behind my awesome blog design) is hosting one in just a few days!  I do have to work one of readathon days, but because I have a wonderful job I usually find time to read quite a bit. I'll be finishing up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling, and the rest of the books will be whatever comes into my hands, although I'll try to post a small pile o'books on Monday.  Happy Reading, and if you haven't signed up then what are you waiting for?

Embody Review

Embody (Insight #2)
By Jamie Magee

From Goodreads:

Not many Scorpio’s are known for their patience, and Willow Haywood is no different. Her only desire is to love Landen Chambers and redeem the lost souls of Esterious, but the path to that desire is long, dark and dangerous...
Before Willow’s life had a chance to balance the sudden revelations and grief she had to endure to get to Chara a disturbing discovery is made. A photo, one that shows Willow blissfully embracing the flawless image of Drake Blakeshire; giving her not only proof that she had lived before, but that she had loved him.
Running away from the memory of Drake’s hypnotizing touch, and the prophecy set before her seemed like the logical thing to do. That is, until a dark dream reignites her passion to save the hopeless dimension of Esterious. Willow struggles to find patience – to learn everything she needs to know before she faces Drake again, but her eagerness is dangerous and one step in the wrong direction takes everything and everyone away from her – the only way to survive this trial is for Willow to remember who she is and what she really wants out of this life. The question is….can she do that?

 My Thoughts :
In order to prepare for this blog tour, I read the first book, Insight, and then Embody.  For me, Embody is the better book.  Insight was mostly about Willow discovering her true identity and Willow and Landen falling in love, and while it's sweet it's also a bit mushy and teenage-dreamish for my tastes- again, I'm 34, the 17 year old me would have downed this like Augustus Gloop in the Chocolate River.  The love fest continues in Embody, but the action is kicked up several notches and Drake emerges as a fully fleshed out character.  In the first book, Drake is clearly the bad dude, in Embody the reasons Willow may have loved him in a past life(lives) becomes clearer.  It's not a true love triangle, which is a welcome relief, because Willow and Landen are true soul mates which everyone seems to know except Drake.  But his obsession with Willow becomes more understandable and just a bit tragic.  Donalt also rises up as the true bad guy, and he will no doubt cause much trouble for Willow and company later in the series.  Hopefully there will be more Drake.  Despite the fact that I don't want Drake with Willow, I'm still Team Drake.

Favorite Bit: When Willow becomes intangled in the lives of Evie and Stella.  I was not expecting that twist and it made for great page-turning (or Kindle clicking) drama.

Embody also gives us a glimpse at some of the other dimensions, and I can't wait for more!  Magee has created a rich and complex alternate reality, a mix of true love, powers, magic, and stars.  If you're a fan of YA paranormal, if you check your horoscope every week, or if your just needing a dose of romance and fantasy, then the Insight series is definitely worth checking out.  Did I mention the awesomely precocious children? And if my review seems a bit all over the place, just keep in mind that I'm a Gemini. ;)

Embody gets a Midnight Book Rating of :

* I did get free copies of both books because of the tour, but I also ended up just buying both so I could read them on my Kindle so I can safely say that my opinion was not swayed by free copies (not saying I can't be swayed, but I'm thinking a European cruise is about the only bribe I'm interested in, just in case anyone is looking to buy my opinion.  Anyone? ... Bueller?)

Waiting on Wednesday 6.22.11

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. 

Normally I have no idea what books are coming out, or just a vague idea that a series I like is coming out with a new installment.  Tess Gerritsen recently published a short story, Freaks, on Kindle featuring Rizzoli and Isles and it came with a sneak peek The Silent Girl.  Can't wait to read it!

From Goodreads:

When a severed hand, clutching a gun, is found in a Chinatown alley in downtown Boston, detective Jane Rizzoli climbs to the adjacent roof-top and finds the hand's owner: a red-haired woman whose throat has been slashed so deeply the head is nearly severed. She is dressed all in black, and the only clues to her identity are a throwaway cell phone and a scrawled address of a long-shuttered restaurant.

With its wary immigrant population, Chinatown is a closed neighbourhood of long-held secrets - and nowhere is this more obvious than when Jane meets Iris Fang. Strikingly beautiful, her long black hair streaked with grey, she is a renowned martial arts master. Yet, despite being skilled in swordplay, neither she nor her strangely aloof daughter, Willow, will admit any knowledge of the rooftop murder. And pathologist Dr Maura Isles has determined that the murder weapon was a sword crafted of ancient metal from China.

It soon becomes clear that an ancient evil is stirring in Chinatown - an evil that has killed before, and will kill again - unless Jane and Iris can join forces, and defeat it ...

Monday Movie Meme 6.20

Sandy over at You've GOTTA read this! is hosting today's Movie Meme, and the topic is depressing movies. She also makes the point between tearjerker and depressing- so while some endings of certain movies like Dead Poet's Society and Stand By Me are sad, overall the movies, in my opinion, are not depressing.  So here's my list:

1. Closer- despite an attractive cast, this movie depressed the h-e-double-hockey-sticks out of me.  It  makes you think that no one, no couple, can ever be faithful.  Plus it was gross to watch Clive Owens talk filthy to Julia Roberts.  Just gross and depressing.  Never, ever again.

2. Old Yeller- okay, I understand that this book/movie teaches children about loss.  But couldn't you just buy your kid a Walmart fish?  I promise you, it won't live long and your child won't be devastatingly depressed for years to come.

3. Dancer in the Dark- Bjork turns out to be a wonderfully charming actress in this film as she plays a dirt poor going-blind woman.  But despite the musical numbers her life suddenly goes from outhouse to sewers, and the whole thing is too depressing to continue typing about.

4. In the Bedroom- I don't like movies where nobody, absolutely nobody, wins or at least escapes unscathed.

5. Boys Don't Cry- now I am not a fan of Hilary Swank, but gives an amazing performance in this movie.  Too bad I can never watch it again because it's so depressing. 

6. Monster's Ball- another movie where everyone loses, and loses big.  Great performances, but overall the message is not one of hope.

7. The Elephant Man- not only did this movie both scare and depress me when I was a kid- but it's the reason that for years and years I had to sleep with between 2-4 pillows at night because I was afraid I might die otherwise.

My last 3 were already picked by Sandy in her meme, but I totally agree:

8. The House of Sand and Fog
9. Grave of the Fireflies
10. Requiem for a Dream

Water For Elephants

My book club meets this Saturday to discuss Water For Elephants (which for some reason I always want to call Like Water For Elephants...), so instead of posting a comprehensive review I thought I'd share:

Things That I Have Learned Reading Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

 

1. Circus people are cranky!

2. Breasts can move in ways I thought only possible in Japanese Anime movies.

3. That "Stars and Stripes Forever" is also considered a Disaster March.

4. That everyone needs a little privacy, especially short men with 8-pagers.

5. Old people lie.  About carrying water for elephants.  And probably other things too. Or maybe not, maybe they think it really happened.  Like how you can just buy some mickey mouse ears off the internet and over time convince your kid that they've gone to Disney World while in reality you spent the vacation money on box wine and lottery tickets.

6. That red-lighting has nothing to do with the red light district.

7. That maybe my dog Emmy isn't really that dumb, maybe she just speaks Polish.

8. You are never too old to run away and join the circus.

9. Retirement homes serve crappy food- although I actually already knew that.

10. It's best to just go ahead and wear a name tag, preferably large print, when visiting your loved ones in a retirement home.  That way if they forget your name they can still pretend they know it and maintain a little dignity.

11. And while Water For Elephants is the holy grail to most NaNoWriMo authors, nowhere in the book, afterward, questions, etc does Sara Gruen acknowledge this.  A little disappointing, Ms. Gruen, a little disappointing.  Although I am in awe of your research skills and dedication.

Water For Elephants gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

Pool Side Reads

The best part of apartment life (and really, one of the few perks at all) is our swimming pool!  This summer is even better because I'm working less hours and the creepy pool guy from last summer is gone.  Yay!
I am not much of a sun worshiper since my skin is pale and prone to burning and freckling bad enough to make me look diseased. But I do love swimming and sitting in the shade and reading.
Now pool reading is not quite as much fun as beach reading, mostly because some of my neighbors prefer to use the pool area as a babysitter for their noisy broods, but I have always loved reading outdoors... as long as it's in the shade and mostly bee free because bees scare me... 

So what have I read this past week at the pool?

The Genesis Code 
by John Case

From Goodreads:

A phone call in the dead of night brings Joe Lassiter shattering news. His sister and young nephew have died in a fire in their home near Washington, D.C. Yet Lassiter soon learns a chilling fact: His loved ones were brutally murdered before the blaze was set. . . .The mysterious suspect's identity only raises more questions. Then Lassiter uncovers another crime--another innocent mother and child murdered. The more he unearths, the larger the web of conspiracy grows, as his search for answers leads him on a dangerous international chase toward a truth that will shock him--and the world--to the very bone. . . .

My Thoughts:  I was not sure I was going to like this book at first, because it opens up in Italy and there's much Catholic church inner workings and my eyes were glazing over a bit. Lucky for me, I managed to process enough of the information to help me when the book started to pick up, which it does as soon as the story switched to Joe Lassiter and his journey to uncover the mystery of the deaths of his sister and nephew.  There is a lot of action, and it was cool to read the action parts that took place in my birthplace of Northern Virginia.  You get to visit a lot of cool places with this novel, and Joe is a pretty cool guy- he's not quite Jason Bourne but he's no slouch in the area of kicking butt and getting answers.

My friend Susan brought this book to our book club swap meet awhile back, and the Hubs ended up with it.  He rarely reads, being more of a computer guy, so it helped me stick with the book despite the initial misgiving.  I was weary of it because I thought it was going to be too much like a Dan Brown novel. Not that I've actually finished a Dan Brown book, I haven't.  I guess the hype of the Da Vinci Code scared me away (plus all the people who were either outraged by the novel or totally convinced that it was all really true), and normally I'm not big on conspiracy plots.  And while I think the Catholic church has lots of problems and issues (that may be an understatement), they do seem to be the go-to bad guys in movies and books nowadays.  I realize that I was just limiting myself by not reading these books- I love thrillers, I love the action and trying to figure out who's going to make it and if good will ultimately triumph over evil. 

Will I be reading more John Case books?  Absolutely- the Hubs is already reading another book by the author (which is actually two authors writing under a pseudonym).  The Genesis Code gets a Midnight Book Rating of 11pm!  It's a great pool side read :)

And when the noise gets unbearable I listen to Discovery of Witches on my iPod- yes, I am STILL listening to this book.  I love the book, I really do, but I usually can only listen to audio books in my car, and I just haven't been driving much these days.  I have come thisclose to just buying the darn book so I can finish it, and I know I'll cave someday simply because I would like to own a hard copy of it.

Next up: 

Love You More
by Lisa Gardner

This is the book I'll be taking to the pool today.  It's hardback, and I normally prefer to read paperback whenever I'm near water but I've had this sitting on my tbr pile for awhile and I'm itching to get to it.  I read the first four books in this series in a bit of a fever, which I tend to do when I find an author I like. 




Other Pool Side Reads Planned:

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

So what are your pool side recommendations?  I obviously prefer reading mysteries and thrillers, but do you have a particular genre you like to read while relaxing outdoors?

My Stephen King Summer

Have I mentioned my overwhelming love of all things Stephen King?   To say that I am a huge fan of the writer and all his work, his thoughts, his ideas, his doodles, would be an understatement.  Well, I don't actually know that he doodles, but I'm sure I'd love any doodles he doodled.

So I was excited to see his recent article in EW about summer book reads.  He's posted lists before, and I've read some of the books he's recommended (thanks for the intro to Lee Childs and Peter Abrahams, Mr. King!) but this summer I plan on reading ALL the books he's listed. I greatly respect King as a writer, and I have faith that if there's books out there that interested him, then they'd probably hold my attention too.  I can't find a link to the article online at EW, but below is a list of all the books he mentioned.  I'm going to try to stick to the month order, but it'll just depend on how easily I can get a hold of the books.

June Reads: 

Buried Prey by John Sandford (read in June)
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson (read in June)
The Five by Robert McCammon (ordered)
The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly (read in June)

July Reads:

The Sentry by Robert Crais (read in July)
The Silent Land by Graham Joyce (read in June)
The Cypress House by Michael Koryta (reading now)
Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

August Reads:

The Accident by Linwood Barclay
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (ordered)
A Test of Wills by Charles Todd
The Terror of Living by Urban Waite

I am sad to say that other than Kate Atkinson, I have not read any of these authors before.  I have recently read Started Early, Took by Dog by Atkinson, and Case Histories is the first book in that series so it's on my list already.

I'm not making an official challenge out of this, but I'd love to know if any of you out there are interested in joining me in my summer reading odyssey!