January Total

Total Books Read: 9
Total Pages Read: 2878

Books Read In January

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris - 292 Pages

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris - 304 Pages

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris - 258 Pages

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris - 291 Pages

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris - 304 Pages

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - 323 Pages

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris - 323 Pages

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris - 359 Pages

SEALed With a Kiss by Mary Margaret Daughtridge - 424 Pages

Total Books Read So Far

Since I am working more now, I won't be doing reviews right now. I'll simply state what books I have read and how many pages there were in the book.

I'm reading books quickly now for the Year of the Readers. I'll probably be posting once or twice a month with my totals. Here are my totals for 2009 so far.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris - 292 Pages

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris - 304 Pages

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris - 258 Pages

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris - 291 Pages

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris - 304 Pages

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - 323 Pages

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris - 323 Pages

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris - 359 Pages

Total Books Read in 2009 So Far - 8
Total Pages Read in 2009 So Far - 2454

I won't disclose how much money I've raised until the end of the year.

Review for Divine by Choice by PC Cast

Divine by Choice
by PC Cast

Published: December 2006
Pages: 432
Rating: 5/5

After being mistaken for a goddess in the mythic world of Partholon, high school English teacher Shannon Parker settled in. She adores her sexy centaur husband, is getting used to her connection to the powerful goddess Epona and thoroughly enjoys the pampering from both! All is looking very right in her world…until she is wrenched from Partholon and sent back to Oklahoma.

As she struggles to return to the world and the husband she loves, Shannon discovers she is not alone.

A great evil has followed her. Now more than just Shannon's future is at stake, and she needs to somehow tap into our world's dormant magic. Her only ally is her husband's mirror image in Oklahoma--a man who loves her too much. Shannon must figure out a way to vanquish the ancient evil and not lose her life, her soul or her heart.

Along the way she discovers that being divine by mistake is a lot easier than being divine by choice...

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Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction

Genre? Fantasy/Mystery

What led you to pick up this book? I love the House of Night series by PC Cast and her daughter, Kristin Cast.

What did you like most about the book? I loved the writing style. It was informal and as though the main character were talking directly to you through the writing.

What did you like least? I wish I would have been able to start this series from the beginning, so it would be a bit easier to understand in the beginning... but that is my fault, not the author's.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? People who enjoy fantasy novels would probably like this novel.

What did you think of the main character? She was realistic and funny. I loved her!

What is the central character’s biggest problem? Trying to get back to Partholon, where she is the Goddess Incarnate, after being sucked back into Oklahoma, where she is nothing more than an ex-English teacher at a highschool.

What strengths does she have that help her cope? She has an affinity for the earth's magic, specifically trees.

Share a favorite scene from the book: When our main character is talking to her friend, a female centaur warrior, and is asking her how centaurs mate... the centaur is describing it the same way the horses mate and our main character is like, "Yeah?!?" The centaur simply says, "It's nothing like that." and walks away. -- This scene had me laughing out loud.

What did you think of the ending? I liked it. It made me want to dive right into the next book in the series.

Do you recommend this book? Anyone who likes fantasy-mysteries... you might want to read the previous novel first! :-)

Review for The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

The Bone Garden
by Tess Gerritsen

Published: July 2008
Pages: 480
Rating: 4/5

Unknown bones, untold secrets, and unsolved crimes from the distant past cast ominous shadows on the present in the dazzling new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.

Present day: Julia Hamill has made a horrifying discovery on the grounds of her new home in rural Massachusetts: a skull buried in the rocky soil–human, female, and, according to the trained eye of Boston medical examiner Maura Isles, scarred with the unmistakable marks of murder. But whoever this nameless woman was, and whatever befell her, is knowledge lost to another time. . . .

Boston, 1830: In order to pay for his education, Norris Marshall, a talented but penniless student at Boston Medical College, has joined the ranks of local “resurrectionists”–those who plunder graveyards and harvest the dead for sale on the black market. Yet even this ghoulish commerce pales beside the shocking murder of a nurse found mutilated on the university hospital grounds. And when a distinguished doctor meets the same grisly fate, Norris finds that trafficking in the illicit cadaver trade has made him a prime suspect.

To prove his innocence, Norris must track down the only witness to have glimpsed the killer: Rose Connolly, a beautiful seamstress from the Boston slums who fears she may be the next victim. Joined by a sardonic, keenly intelligent young man named Oliver Wendell Holmes, Norris and Rose comb the city–from its grim cemeteries and autopsy suites to its glittering mansions and centers of Brahmin power–on the trail of a maniacal fiend who lurks where least expected . . . and who waits for his next lethal opportunity.

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Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction

Genre? Mystery

What led you to pick up this book? My online book club is reading it for the month of November.

What did you like most about the book? It had well developed characters. And the glimpse into the past made for a great read.

What did you like least? Probably all the medical terms and the scenes in the medical school classroom. But I can see why it helped the story move along... it wasn't simply fluff.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? I would say adult readers who enjoy mysteries that aren't too vivid/gory.

What did you think of the main character? She was... feisty. Very outspoken for a woman in the late 1800's. The reader could really see how much her family ties meant to her.

What is the central character’s biggest problem? Trying to keep her newborn niece safe, when she herself didn't have anywhere to go

What strengths does she have that help her cope? She has a strong will... She will not allow anyone to endanger her niece.

Share a favorite scene from the book: My favorite scene would have to be when Rose goes to pay the wet nurse and she cuddles her baby niece. The reader can really feel how much she loves her niece then.

What did you think of the ending? I liked it... it held promise for the future.

Do you recommend this book? I recommend this book to readers who are wanting a story that will keep them turning the pages and wanting to know what happens next.

This is my historical thriller for the 08/09 Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for In The Forests of the Night by Ameila Atwater-Rhodes

In The Forests of the Night
by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Published: May 2000
Pages: 147
Rating: 3/5

I was born to the name of Rachel Weatere in the year 1684, more than three hundred years ago.

The one who changed me named me Risika, and Risika I became, though I never asked what it meant. I continue to call myself Risika, even though I was transformed into what I am against my will.

By day, Risika sleeps in a shaded room in Concord, Massachusetts. By night, she hunts the streets of New York City. She is used to being alone.

But now someone is following Risika. Someone has left her a black rose, the same sort of rose that sealed her fate three hundred years ago.

Three hundred years ago Risika had a family — a brother and a sister who loved her. Three hundred years ago she was human.

Now she is a vampire, a powerful one. And her past has come back to torment her.

This atmospheric, haunting tale marks the stunning debut of a promising fourteen-year-old novelist.

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Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction

Genre? Young Adult

What led you to pick up this book? I saw it on a Shelfari Group I am in, and it looked like a quick, interesting read.

What did you like most about the book? The way the chapters were arranged... some were in the past (1701) and others were in the present. It was a great way for the reader to learn the history of the main character.

What did you like least? The author seemed to be "telling" the story instead of "showing" it.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? I would say readers between 12-15 would probably enjoy this book the most.

What did you think of the main character? She was different... yes, it's a vampire tale, and she was a vampire, but there were some things that were different about her.

What is the central character’s biggest problem? Trying to avenge her brother's murder.

How do you think he/she feels? She has finally accepted being a vampire, yet she still holds on to some of her human morals.

What strengths does she have that help her cope? She is told by an older vampire that she is as strong as, if not more so, than her enemy. This allows her to gain the courage to seek vengeance for her brother's death.

What effect do the people in the book have on one another? The enemy of the main character keeps her doubting herself until the very end, which keeps her from attacking him outright.

Share a favorite scene from the book: Probably in the very beginning, when she is with Tora, the Bengal tiger. The way she speaks of Tora drew me in and made me want to keep reading.

What did you think of the ending? It was a good ending, but a little abrupt. I didn't realize it was the end of the story until I turned the page.

Do you recommend this book? I recommend this book to readers who are 13-15 years old and like vampire stories.

Review for The Devil's Advocate by Andrew Neiderman

The Devil's Advocate
by Andrew Neiderman

Published: November 1997
Pages: 320
Rating: 3.5/5

When Kevin Taylor joins the Manhattan criminal law firm of John Milton & Associates, he's hit the big time. At last, he and his wife can enjoy the luxuries they've so desired — money, a chauffeur-driven limo, and a stunning home in a high-rise. Then Milton assigns Kevin one of the most notorious cases of the year, with a file that had been put together prior to the crime. Throwing himself into his work, Kevin begins to see a pattern of evil emerging from behind the firm's plush facade. Acquittal after acquittal, every criminal client walks free, and Kevin's suspicions slowly give way to terror. For Kevin has just become The Devil's Advocate.

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I decided to use a book review questionnaire to review this book, just to see if I like doing it this way or if I prefer to write a review like I was before this post. I got the questionnaire here.

Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction

Genre? Thriller

What led you to pick up this book? I had previously read The Dark by Andrew Neiderman and The Devil's Advocate was the most popular book written by him. I decided to see if all the hype was truly based on the book itself, or if it was contributed to by the movie. (I haven't seen the movie, yet, either.)

What did you like most about the book? It had a feeling of... nervousness throughout the book. The reader can tell right away that something isn't right, even if it takes the main character a bit longer to realize this.

What did you like least? It seemed a bit far-fetched, all of the characters being "in on it" was just a little hard to accept, but it did make for a good read & (probably) a good movie.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? Anyone who enjoys mysteries or psychological thrillers.

Have you read any other books by this author? I have read The Dark by the same author. What did you think of those books? I really enjoyed it - probably more so than I enjoyed this book.

What did you think of the main character? I thought he was realistic. There were some things about him that the reader may not like... just like in "real life" when you meet someone - there are things you'll like about them, and things you won't.

What is the central character’s biggest problem? His boss, whom everyone likes - if not loves, may be the Devil's Advocate, if not the Devil himself.

How do you think he/she feels? At first, he doesn't realize what he has gotten himself into. Once he starts having strange dreams and a witness at a trial confesses her deepest secret to him, he is scared. Frightened for himself and his wife, he decides to do what he can to make sure he and his wife are safe.

What strengths does he have that help him cope? His love for his wife is his biggest strength and motivation in this story... it is what helps him overcome his initial fear and try to destroy the Devil.

What effect do the people in the book have on one another? The other associates keep our main character from realizing the true nature of their boss for a while, as they all have praise for the man. The associates' wives befriend our main character's wife and, somehow, change her so that she does not see the truth.

Share a favorite scene from the book: My favorite scene is near the end, when our main character is trying to make others see that he is not crazy... that the boss truly was the Devil himself.

What did you think of the ending? The ending was unpredictable in some ways. It was a bit too abstract, but once the reader lets the ending sink in, they will be able to draw their own conclusions.

Do you recommend this book? I recommend this book to readers who want a story that will have them intrigued from the beginning and keep their attention until the end. Readers who enjoy psychological thrillers would enjoy this the most.

This is my Psychological Thriller for the 08/09 Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

The Lucky One
by Nicholas Sparks

Published: September 2008
Pages: 326
Rating: 5/5

Is there really such thing as a lucky charm? The hero of Nicholas Sparks's new novel believes he's found one in the form of a photograph of a smiling woman he's never met, but who he comes to believe holds the key to his destiny. The chain of events that leads to him possessing the photograph and finding the woman pictured in it is the stuff of love stories only a master such as Sparks can write.

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I went to the book signing for this and I finally sat down to read it after finishing all the books I had from the library.

Anyone who enjoys Nicholas Sparks novels would enjoy this one. Another timeless love story and another ending that will make your heart swell with emotion. I will admit, this ended a bit differently than I expected.

Everyone knows to expect a death or some other tragedy in each Nicholas Sparks novel, but it's rare that it happens to someone that you don't really have a lot of hope for anyway.

This is a wonderful read, and it was refreshing for me to read it after reading so many thrillers & mysteries lately.

Review for The Long Walk by Stephen King

The Long Walk
by Stephen King (written as Richard Bachman)

Published: January 1999
Pages: 384
Rating: 5/5

Finally available in a single volume edition under Stephen King's name! In the near future, a young boy has been one of 100 selected to take the Long Walk--a deadly contest of endurance and determination, in which each step can literally be your last. Follow the contestants' tortured footsteps as they struggle with each other, and themselves, to survive the race. Includes the Introduction "The Importance of Being Bachman". Vintage King, this harrowing tale was originally published under the Richard Bachman pseudonym.

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I read this book about 5 years ago and since then, I would occasionally think about it in passing. I saw it at the library and I had to check it out and re-read it.

The simplicity of this story just adds to the horror of it all. A young teenage boy is chosen as one out of 100 to compete in the Long Walk. The contestants have to walk until only one is still standing. No breaks, three warnings before they "buy a ticket", and they have to keep up a 4 mph, or better, pace.

After the third warning, the contestant is shot. Therefore, there is much more than the Prize on the line. The Prize is everything you want for the rest of your life. Enough to entice these young men to risk the chance of dying.

I'm going to count this as my futuristic thriller in the 08/09 Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for Hungry Eyes by Barry Hoffman

Hungry Eyes
by Barry Hoffman

Published: November 1998
Pages: 272
Rating: 3/5

She remembers feeling the eyes watching her huddled there, naked and vulnerable, in an iron cage in the twisted man's basement. But now she's free. And she isn't vulnerable anymore. She is one with the power and need to close those eyes.

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This is the disturbing story of a ten-year-old girl named Renee Barrows who is kidnapped, held prisoner and tortured by a sadistic pedophile for the purpose of photographing Renee's terrified facial expressions. Her tormentor is eventually caught & put behind bars, but Renee is left feeling haunted by his eyes.

Several years after Renee's suicide, a Vigilante is killing sexual predators that slipped though the fingers of the judicial system. Reporter Deidre Caffrey is assigned to the story and sees the message NO MORE HUNGRY EYES scrawled on a mirror at the death scene of yet another Vigilante victim.

The book quickly becomes a cat & mouse game between Deidre and Renee, who is now assuming the identity of Shara Farris.

The point of view switches from Shara to Deidre and back again as they try to out-do one another. This makes for a very interesting read... one that will have you wondering what happens next.

I'll count this one as my Inverted Mystery for the Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for Chosen by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

Chosen
by PC Cast & Kristin Cast

Published: March 2008
Pages: 320
Rating: 4.5/5

Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird's adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey's mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn't have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn't get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey's horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…

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This was better than Marked, but not quite as good as Chosen. I loved it, though. I can't wait to read Untamed (patiently waiting for it from the library).

I read this in one sitting... I just could NOT put it down. Definitely a good read!

Once again, the repetition of things that happened in the past books gets to be annoying, but you learn to ignore it.

I'm really in love with the style of writing, it's very informal... as though Zoey is telling her story directly to you.

Zoey has really developed as a character after reading this book, and I can't wait to learn more about her and the other characters. Once again, this one had me laughing & crying!