Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Creepers by David Morrell

Frank Belanger is wanting to do a report on people who like to go through abandoned buildings. They are referred to as creepers since they come in at night and risk their own lives for the adventure. The five people are suspicious of him but figured since that the guy leading up this expedition seems to be okay with everything. There is a mystery surrounding the Paragon Hotel. A reclusive millionaire built it; the structure is magnificent. It is marked for demolition so to get in there before it is gone is the key. But what will they find?

Mr. Morrell certainly has a morbid mind. And in this case, it made the book pretty scary. Yet that helped the essence of the man who built the hotel and other quirky characteristics come alive. The idea that time can be frozen into place was really evident in this novel. People often leave things behind them and so things are remembered as they once were. Also the millionaire who owned the hotel kept buying the same furniture.

I really weren’t too sure about any of these characters at first. Yet the prize for them was seeing old things as they once were. Frank seemed to just be along for the ride. Yet as it went along his motives really became clear. The three people that followed the professor were interesting in that they all knew each other from college. Yet they had been able to stay friends and two of them were married. There was a lot of back-story to the novel but it played up so much of what ended up happening.

I would recommend this book pretty highly. It’s creepy but fairly fast paced which I like. It was a quick read for me and I hope to read more by this author. I really like the group I am involved in because then I try new authors. Ones that I may have heard of or like in this instance I didn’t know anything about Mr. Morrell and I definitely want to try another one of his books.

Next up is christmas with anne by L.M. Montegormery. Then I have 2 books I need to review.

Friday, November 23, 2007

The Christmas Child by Max Lucado

A Chicago journalist needs to go to Texas for an assignment over Christmas. He and his wife Meg had a fight. So he decides to stop in the town of Clearwater to find out the meaning behind the picture of the church there that was sent to his father a long time ago. The only thing the guy knew about it was that he was born there but he was adopted. But there is more to the town than meets the eye. He meets an old man who knows a story to be told about a young girl’s faith, a wooden manager scene, and a scarlet cross that will lead the journalist home.

Mr. Lucado is a fabulous writer. Though a short book in length, there is so much emotion poured into it. It is a story that will make you tear up and all that happens. The characters are strong and want to be there to be peace made.

The journalist in this book does not have a name and it really does not matter to some extent. The journey he goes on is one that can be for anyone. He has a lot ahead of him and it could be overwhelming. Yet he takes it all in stride. He is not perfect but he understands what is given to him and that is what helps him the most.

I absolutely loved this book. It is a sweet story and one that can be read all through the Christmas season. Once will not be enough for me. This is one I would even love to own. Forgiveness is something that can always be given. Mr. Lucado does a wonderful job telling the story and I look forward to reading more of his work.

Update on Nano

Well I am over 33,000 words. If I continue to write 1,975 words a day, I'll make my goal no problem. :) Well off to writing, before I have to go to work.

Stone Cold by David Baldacci

Oliver Stone is hard at work again. This time, the Camel Club’s friend Annabelle needs their help. She has a man after her and she can’t get rid of him on her own. Problem is, members of the elite team Oliver was on keep dying one by one. The only man behind it is Harry Finn. Oliver will have met his match on this one and hopes the team can do both tasks so that everyone will be okay.

Mr. Baldacci is quite the author. I am not a big political thriller type reader but his characters are so compelling that they pull me in and don’t let me stop reading till it is done. A few changes were made in the time frame of things but Mr. Baldacci explained them at the end. Truly don’t read that note till the book is over. It gives away a few things that surprised me. The action in the book never really seems to stop and that is what I enjoyed so much.

Oliver doesn’t do well with facing his past. Harry certainly does not help with that. Things seem to go from bad to worse in this story. Oliver relies on his friends and they back him up. He also does his best to help out whenever he can. Even if that means working with the enemy from time to time, Oliver is determined to keep some of the stuff in his past buried. The world wouldn’t know what to do with it if they found out.

I can’t say enough about these characters. I hope there are more stories to come about The Camel Club. They are a fun bunch and they really do know their stuff. Plus Mr. Baldacci has to redeem himself. One of the deaths in this book upset me but I won’t say who it was. Definitely a good read for anyone who likes politics and thrillers mixed together.

David Baldacci, Fiction, Political, Spies, 388 pages, 4 out of 5

Sunday, November 18, 2007

A Valley To Die For by Radine Trees Nehring

Carrie McCrite had shared a dream with her husband of moving to the Ozarks to start a new life after he retired. But after he dies in a hunting accident, Carrie decides she will keep the dream alive. Her best friend and neighbor Joanne Harrington keeps her busy between walks and the committee to get the quarry out of their little town. Yet someone decides to kill Joanne and so Carrie must not only figure out who did it but why. Her new neighbor and retired cop Henry King thinks that Carrie was the real target. Carrie thinks it is ridiculous. But it is no more so than the secrets Henry is keeping to himself.

Ms. Nehring knows her area. She does live there but she makes it come so alive. I felt like I was on the walks with Carrie. Everything is heart felt and wonderfully written. Some secrets can hurt others while some are just kept to protect others in the long run. The characters in this book are created beautifully. I couldn’t get enough of this story.

Carrie is a spunky woman. I truly enjoyed her as a character. She looked out for the best interests of others. She truly wanted to be the best person she could be and pursued it fully. She clung to her faith and used it as her lifeline. Her world is turned upside down but she faces it head on every day. Henry King has a few issues he needs to deal with. He is headstrong but has to figure out when to ask for help. He is a kind man but he drove me up the wall a few times.

I cannot wait to see how the rest of this series pans out. It kept me from the very beginning. Life is definitely in an uproar in this small town but the citizens will not go down without a fight. Small towns are wonderful even if they know all about you. There seems to be a greater want to help others than I have seen in big towns. I hope to pick up the next book soon because these characters are ones you just love to read about.
Radine Trees Nehring/New Author/Mystery/ 284 pages/Ozark Mountains

Okay quick update, I am now at 27,334 words for Nanorwrimo! SO the end is in sight and there is a little more to figure out yet! So I just might be able to do this! Yay! I have one book to review and hope to fit in one more of my own before I review another one. :) After Thanksgiving, I'll be reading a lot of my own Christmas books.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Jean had to get away from home. Her parents sent her to New York to live with her Aunt and Uncle. But even that hasn’t stopped bad things happening. Least of all is her cousin Tory who is not pleased to have her around. Being jinxed her whole life may just be the thing that keeps her safe.

Meg Cabot does it again. She can pretty much write anything and I enjoy it. She writes characters that come across as very real. I don’t necessary like the idea of witches. Yet I know they are out there and that the pre-conceived notions we have are not always accurate. Ms. Cabot really wanted there to be some truth and I appreciated that.

Jinx just wants to get rid of her jinx. Being known as Jean would be a nice change. Her cousin Tory certainly is not helping. Zach is always on her mind but she doesn’t want to deal with past issues. Being 16 is not easy but when family hurts you, life is so much more difficult.

Being one who reads almost anything, I really enjoyed this book. Jean aka Jinx had to learn to embrace who she is before coming to terms with her past. It may not happen necessarily in that order but Jean needs to take the time to figure it all out. I disliked Tory because she’d do awful things to her cousin to be the center of attention. That is just wrong though I know of people who have done that. Jean handled it all very well which made the book even better.
Meg Cabot/ 262 pages/Witches/Young Adult Fiction

Well I started one of my books fore review. Now off to write some more. For an update as of yesterday I had 18, 053 words done! So off to write!

Stray by Rachel Vincent

Faythe is one of the last breeding were cats left. She left her family’s Pride and started a life for herself. It all changed when a stray came after her. She was summoned home for protection. Two other tabbies had disappeared. She wasn’t the type to sit still but she really didn’t have much of a choice.

Ms. Vincent created a world that bit back. Others may have tackled this world before but this one was enticing from the beginning. I had to see where she was going to take things. The characters truly felt emotions and were willing to kill if they had to. They would rather work things out and get information but they knew sometimes that was not an option.

Faythe is a were cat who can handle her own. She didn’t put up with much and was very determined to make her own decisions. Marc, the were cat her dad picked as her mate, had to understand that Faythe needed her freedom. She never looked for taking up huge responsibilities when it comes to her Pride. She liked the human world and would rather stay there then go back home. But if needed, could she embrace it?

I saw somewhere that this might turn into a series. I truly hope it will because there are more stories to be told about the Pride even if they don’t focus on Faythe. There are plenty of characters to write about. This was a book I couldn’t put down for nothing. Ms. Vincent fills her books with character and tension that will keep you turning pages. The page amount didn’t get in the way. I never realized how many pages I read till I was finished.

Rachel Vincent/Paranormal/ 624 pages/Chunkster/New Author

I really liked this book but have not had time to post it. :) I have one more to post too, the review for Jinxed. :) Off to read review books!

Friday, November 02, 2007

The Seance by Heather Graham

Christina Hardy has always known she had a gift even as a child. But was told to suppress it, but at her house they start talking about the “Interstate Killer” murders that stopped 15 years ago. Then she is asked to bring out her Ouija board, and the spirit of Beau Kidd shows up. He was considered the chief suspect when his partner killed him. Now he has come back to clear his name and only Christina can see him. It seems that the killer is still out there and Christina’s life is hanging in the balance.

Ms. Graham does it again. I cannot get enough of her books. They are creepy, scary, and have great romances in them. Most people would find that combination odd but I love it! This book had me going from the beginning. The characters are full of life and you want to see them do well. The plot is full of twist ands turns and I had no clue who was behind the killings. It threw me for a loop! She is that good at surprises!

I loved Christina and her family. They were a good Irish family. That helped me fall in love with them. I also liked Jed Braden. He wanted to fall in love but had a hard time accepting that things were out there that he could not see. That was completely normal for me and I really got to like his character. Those two really knew how to heat things up!

I loved seeing the Harrison Investigation team again. Jed had to understand what was happening to Christina. It just takes time like any relationship. There was a lot of stuff to figure out cause it is not smart to just point fingers. Jed and Christina had to work with the police so things could be handled in the correct manner. Though I could understand the times that Christina just wanted to jump ahead. This was a good suspenseful book and even though I thought I might know who was behind it all. I never came close to figuring it out.
Heather Graham/Paranormal/384 pages/ 5 out of 5

Quick sidenote, I made it to 3,720 words today. :) Off to reading review books!

My Stats and Reads for Oct

Here are my stats:
Total books read: 26
New Authors: 35
Fiction: 22
Non-Fiction: 4
TBR:
Scary Books: 3
Cozies: 5
Chunksters: 1
Books Reviewed: 15
From the Stacks:
Books I Bought: 8
PBS Sent: 7
PBS Received: 2
Total Pages Read: 6,137 pages

Books:
216. Beyond the Mommy Years by Carin Rubenstein, PhD 9-28-07 through 10-01-07 B
217. Don’t Make A Scene by Valerie Block 10-01-07 through 10-03-07 C
218. Plenty Good Room by Cheri Paris Edwards 10-03-07 through 10-04-07 A+
219. Dead Men Don’t Lye by Tim Myers 10-04-07 through 10-05-07 A+
220. Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Free Thinking Dog by Ted Kerasote 10-05-07 through 10-09-07 A+

221. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly 10-09-07 A+
222. Fernseed for Fairysight by Sally Odgers 10-09-07 through 10-11-07 A
223. The Tunnels by Michelle Gagnon (Scary Book Challenge) 10-10-07 through 10-13-07 A
224. The Rules of Darkness by Tia Fanning 10-13-07 through 10-14-07 A
225. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich 10-14-07 through 10-15-07 A
226. Weirdly by Various (Scary Book Challenge) 10-15-07 through 10-17-07 D
227. The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael A. Stusser 10-17-07 through 10-18-0-7 A
228. Summer Wine by Helen Ravell 10-18-07 through 10-19-07 A
229. Keepsake Crimes by Laura Childs 10-19-07 through 10-20-07 A
230. Photo Finished by Laura Childs 10-21-07 A+
231. Bound for Murder by Laura Childs 10-22-07 A+
232. You’ve Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Scary Book Challenge) 10-22-07 through 10-23-07 C
233. Away by Amy Bloom 10-23-07 through 10-24-07 C
234. Always A Warrior by Patricia Bruening 10-24-07 A
235. Between the Gutter and the Sky by Babe King 10-24-07 through 10-25-07 A
236. Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani 10-25-07 through 10-26-07 A
237. Redemption by Keira Ramsay 10-26-07 through 10-27-07 A+
238. Plato and A Platypus Walk Into A Bar by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein 10-27-07 through 10-28-07 A
239. The Prayer Chest by Joel Fontios and August Gold 10-28-07 A
240. Sacred Ground by Rita Karonapp 10-28-07 through 10-29-07 A
241. Ardenwycke Unveiled by Kelly Ferjutz 10-29-07 through 10-30-07 A

I did not finish The Seance by Heahter Graham in time so that is the first book for November. I hope I am able to read quite a few books but with writing we'll have to see.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Plato and A Platypus Walk Into A Bar by Thomas Carthcart and Daniel Klein

Philosophy can be rather boring if it is not taught right. There is a lot you can learn about how we started our world and why people think certain things. I really enjoyed it and a few of the jokes in the book I knew about. They just made a lot more sense because of the idea applied behind them.

These authors really know how to express their thoughts very well. I had taken a Western Philosophy course when I was in college so I believe that did help me a little. But as they explained things, I remembered things slowly. I had a difficult time putting this book down because it was so funny. But what better way to tell something that will stay with you than with jokes.

I really don’t want to give this book away. It covers a lot of different philosophies and in pretty good depth too. I came away with some information that I did not know and remembering a lot of information that stuck with me. If philosophy is an interest to you then I would recommend it. And since it is written by two men that have philosophy degrees, that helps a lot in making this book very creditable. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

Thomas Cathcart, Daniel Klein, New Authors, Non-Fiction, 208 pages, 4 out of 5


I have two more books for review and then I hope to read The Seance by Heather Graham.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Took A Leap of Something

Today I signed up for Nanowrimo. I am going to write a novel next month. I hope to finish it. We'll just have to wait and see. :) maybe you guys can keep me going. :)

Friday, October 26, 2007

The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

A young woman has to leave the life she knows and move to the city. Her father dying has sent her whole life upside down. Now her and her mom’s fate is in the hands of relatives that live in Isfahan. Her uncle weaves carpets for the shah. But being headstrong is going to get her in some serious trouble. That puts her mother and her in a serious desperate situation that she is not sure that she can get them out of. She is forced into a marriage by contract that will be renewed every 3 months. Now she has to figure out if that is what she wants and will she be able to keep weaving carpets.

Ms. Amirrezvani knows how to weave a tale. With all the research she did, this book came alive for me. I know very little about this culture but she was able to put into terms that I could understand their cultural heritage and the things that they held dear. I found the young woman very easy to understand and I enjoyed her. She was true to herself and her beliefs.

The young woman had great talent. Her uncle only had to help her figure out how to do things correctly whether it was color or design for a carpet. It did not take her long and she was getting commissions and hiring people to help her. That was so amazing! I was completely astounded. Her marriage really tested her and she had to figure out what was more important being tied to a man by contract or find someone who she knew would not give up on her.

This book was beautifully written and I was able to see how much she cared for presenting a story. She had to change a few facts but the fact that she was honest about it made it even better at the end. I truly enjoyed this book and hope to see more by this author!
Anita Amirrezvani/Fiction/377 pages/Persia/New Author/ 4 out of 5

Right now I am reading a book to then use it to interview an author! :) Then after that it is Plato and a Platypus Walk Into A Bar by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein. :)

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Away by Amy Bloom

Lillian Leyb lost all her family except her daughter Sophie. She thinks she is still alive but she leaves her home to go to America. She has a cousin visit her only to tell her that Sophie is alive. Now Lillian is determined to find her daughter and reclaim her. But it will be a long journey and will it end happily.

Ms. Bloom is an author who does know how to tell a story. Though I found a lot of the story completely unnecessary and the flow was not really there, some people might enjoy this. She really is able to create characters that you want to root for and hope for the best. Yet something always seemed to be lacking in this book. I am not sure what but it jumped a bit too much for my taste.

Lillian was a lady I could root for. I could understand why she wanted to go see her child so much. If I ever lost my child, I would go as far as she did. Okay maybe not quite as far but I would work diligently to find him. I loved when she spent time in the theatre and learning about that time of life was interesting. There were times though I found information presented not needed since to me it took away from the story and Lillian’s journey.

This was not a great book and I do not think I will read more by this author. I have heard it got great reviews and I wish I could give it one. But it was tedious and I could not wait to finish it. I do not like to leave a book unfinished because my opinions change sometimes by the last sentence. Unfortunately that was not the case with this book.
Amy Bloom/ Adult Fiction/ 240 pages/ 3 out of 5

Well off to read some reivew books and then not sure what is next. :)

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

You've Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

Kristin Burns loves taking care of Dakota and Sean. Her job as a nanny is very fulfilling. She is just waiting for her life as a photographer to start. She is in love with a man and he is almost hers. She can only hope it will happen soon. But fear starts to enter her life and she sees things that no one else seems to see or know.

Normally I really like a James Patterson, but this one feel flat. I read it quickly but it just seemed odd to me. There was not much substance but it was not exactly fluff either. It was just a weird book that I just cannot recommend.

Kristin whines all the time and lives a lot of that behind her camera lense. Now having said that, she seems like a nice person but carrying on with the man she does is not so smart. She is deluding herself I think in a lot of ways. Yet she cannot seem to get herself to understand that. Her dreams become more vivid and real and then she starts to think she is living them.

It is not a badly written novel. It is well written but was odd and strange. I only hope his novels get better cause this was a serious disappointment.
James Patterson/ Howard Roughan/ Thriller/ 376 pages/ Fiction/ 3 out of 5

Now I am reading Away by Amy Bloom though I just started it. So I hope this one better.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Bound for Murder by Laura Childs

Carmela is helping set up for a friend’s pre-wedding party. She is having a good time. Things seem to go wrong when the groom is found killed. Carmela is asked to help them out again and she is not sure if that is so smart. She has to wrap a murder that has more questions than answers and she has to shift through it all.

Ms. Laura Childs really knows how to write a series. I really enjoyed how the characters are growing. It was a blast. This author has won me over. I cannot get enough! I really cannot wait to be able to read the next one. The characters are really good. I do often get mad at Carmela but it is not like she is snooping because she is not asked to. Her friends know that she can and so they ask her. Ms. Childs really gets the feelings and emotions across in this book.

Carmela is such a good person. I know she can get annoying but I really wanted her to figure things out. Her heart was in the right place. I really loved her creativity and her want to help others. I just hope things are settled in the relationship department. I feel awful for her but maybe things are ironed out. Ava was as flamboyant as ever. She is one of my favorites. Wren was a sweetie too. These ladies would be a blast to hang out with.

I loved this book! I hope to read the rest of the series cause I am enjoying it. The tips and the recipes really make this book even better. I cannot wait to see how Carmela deals with her relationships and whom she decides to choose. Those ladies are always so creative it makes my head spin. Of course if I worked in a scrapbook store, I would probably be as creative.
Laura Childs/ Cozy Mystery/ 256 pages/ 5 out of 5/ Scrap booking

I was surprised at how fast I finished this one. Now I am reading You've Been Warned. :) SO far not sure what to think.

Photo Finished by Laura Childs

Carmela is hosting a late night crop at her store. All the usual ladies are there and having a great time. But when the neighboring antiques dealer is found dead in the alley. Carmela’s customers start to look suspicious. Carmela only hopes she can figure it out and fast.

Ms. Childs does it again! These wacky characters had me laughing. The suspense was very prevalent. Yet the main focus was on Carmela’s creative efforts. I could not get enough of this story and kept turning the pages as soon as I finished one. Ms. Childs really brings you to a great place in her stories. I cannot get enough of them and seem to like each one better than the last!

Carmela really questions her relationship with Shamus or the lack there of it seems. If she needs help, he is the first one she calls since she trusts him. Shamus is a sweet talker but has a sensitive side that drove me nuts. There is nothing wrong with being sensitive but it seems he only got upset when she got something that he wanted. Ava was back and full of drama! That woman was so busy but found time to keep tabs on Carmela.

This series just keeps getting better. I have been completely captivated. Now if I could only juggle my reading and scrap booking, that would be ideal.
Laura Childs/ Cozy Mystery/ 272 pages/ 5 out of 5/ Scrap booking

Off to read the third one in the series and then it is James Pattersons' You've Been Warned, then Away by Amy Bloom and then review books. :) With a week off of work this will be easy!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Keepsake Crimes by Laura Childs

Carmela Bertrand loves running her scrapbook shop in New Orleans. She started it so that she felt like she was doing something meaningful. Business sure is booming until one of the elite dies during Mardi Gras. Now she feels she has to figure out who is behind the crime because the police have tagged her estranged husband Seamus as the prime suspect. An important clue lies in a place she would never think to look. That would be one of her customer’s scrapbooks.

Laura Childs tells lovely stories. I was swept up in the town and the people who live there. The town is not fictional but the characters she created were wonderful. It was nice to read a story set in that town that had nothing to do with vampires. Mind you they have their place, but this was a light and refreshing read. It was just what I needed.

Carmela has some figuring out to do in this book. Being estranged from the man she thought loved her is not easy and then when he is the main suspect in a crime. She does not want to see him hurt but at the same time she wonders if she should really help him. After all, he walked out on her and she was left scrambling. Yet Carmela decides to be the better person and help him out. She has a lot of surprises coming her way and she has no idea who really did commit the crime. The customers for her shop were so eccentric. I just fell in love with them. Ava was my favorite and the one she seemed to spend the most time with. She was also creative whether making masks or selling items in her voodoo shop.


This is a great way to start out the series. I cannot wait to read the next one. I found all three books in one and that book is called Death by Design. It is nice to have them all together and that is pretty rare. As a person who scrap books I also enjoyed it for the ideas she used. Though not sure I would use them, they do generate some ideas of my own.
Laura Childs/New Author/Cozy Mystery/256 pages/Scrap booking/ 4 out of 5


So up nextg are Photo finished and Bound For Murder than You've Been Warned by James Patterson and then last but not least is Away by Amy Bloom. :) Have a good weekend all. :)

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Dead Guy Interviews: Conversations with 45 of the Most Accomplished, Notorious, and Deceased Personalities in History by Michael A. Stusser

You ever wanted to know some real honest things about people who are dead? Well this is the book for you! I got a little annoyed from time to time with the political perspectives of the author. But then politics were important to everyone involved so I just let it go. I enjoyed all of the interviews because I actually learned a lot more than I thought I would from this book. Some of the comments and answers were down right hilarious. Fresh honesty was very prevalent in this book but that is what I liked best.

The author Mr. Stusser presents these interviews as if they are happening right then. I really liked that aspect and all the sideline comments really helped. Each interview showed the certain person’s characteristics come out. Whether he was talking to Napoleon or Edgar Allen Poe, the banter went back and forth. Some were surprises to me while others I knew well from when I was studying them in college.

I don’t want to give much away but really if you want a good non-fiction that makes you not only think and laugh. This will do all that and more! I could not get enough of the witty comebacks and funny repartee from both the interviewer and the interviewee. I was amazed at how much I didn’t know about the different people. There is just not much more I can say but head to your nearest book store and pick this one up!

Michael A. Stusser/Non-fiction/ 304 pages/ 4 out of 5

Up next another book to review for CTR and then I am going to start the Scrapbooking series by Laura Childs.

Monday, October 15, 2007

One of the Money by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum is very broke and so she needs to make so money fast. She goes to see her cousin Vinnie to apply for the filing job. It turns out it is filled but they need someone to help them with bounty hunting. So Stephanie does not see any other way to get money so she agrees. The case she gets though is Joe Morelli, a former cop convicted of murder one. Stephanie has no idea what she is getting herself into or how difficult bringing in this guy will be. Tailing her is an ex-prize fighter; she just hopes that she will be able to complete her assignment without being killed in the process.

Ms. Evanovich is a great writer. I really liked how she put these characters in place. I felt really bad for Stephanie but she toughed things out. That was one thing I really liked about all the characters. They came across as very real! I could see myself running into any of them. Now mind you, I would never want to meet the fighter. But there are people out in our world that are like him. Ms. Evanovich knows how to tell a story that just pulls you in. I could not get enough and I pretty much read it all in one morning.

This is just the first in the series and I cannot wait to read the rest of them. I have heard bits and pieces. I can see why Stephanie would struggle between both Joe and Ranger. They are both hot men and seem to really be interested in helping her. I hope to read the next one soon.
Janet Evanovich/ Mystery/ 290 pages/ 4 out of 5

This was a really good book. I have a book to review for CTR and then another one to review that I will post the review here.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

The Tunnels by Michelle Gagnon

Special Agent Kelly Jones has dealt with some real creepy cases in her time with the FBI. But the case coming up will be one that will have sleepless nights and a loss of appetite. There are killings being done in the tunnels underneath an Ivy League college. Yet it will only get worse as she is led down a perilous route that will only have one come out alive. Being that it is her alma mater, she is determined to figure out who is behind the horrible scenes.

Ms. Gagnon builds a world that is completely twisted. I found myself falling underneath the spell and being completely horrified which what was being unfolded in this book. The research she had to do was phenomenal. I was thoroughly pleased with how well she was able to present the things she had to study with mythologies. It was certainly a daunting task that she lived up to with every page turned.

Kelly had a past that she was trying to keep from meeting her present. I truly felt for this character. The pressure she was under did not help matters. When solving a crime, time truly is of the essence. She wanted to see justice done and put herself into the case fully. I was impressed! I also liked the minor characters of her partner Roger Morrow and the former FBI Agent Jake Riley. They brought so much more to the story than I thought possible. It really rounded out the characters.

This book is definitely creepy and scary! I was taking in by this book and could not put it down. Great read if you love scary! I hope to see more by this author whether with these characters or not. She is a wonderful author!

New Author/Scary Book Challenge for AN2R/ Michelle Gagnon/ 299 pages/ 4 out of 5

This was a good one! I hope she writes more. :) Off to read a review e-book and then One for the Money by Janet Evenovich.