A Time To Kill, John Grisham

I'll admit it right now, I am a product of see a Grisham book to movie film, and then read the book scenario. A Time to Kill, Runaway Jury... yep, that's me. I did read the Pelican Brief first. I think my issue is all the legal stuff. I know the book picks up in places so that encourages me to plug on, but I did not seem to have the issue with A Time to Kill.

To give the film some time, I think their cast was perfect, more so after reading the novel. Even with the differences in the characters, the actors still translated and followed me in my mind. They also did well with the script in translation.

However, with the movie, I felt the trial to be more heartfelt; and Jake to be more of a down to earth, I do good things for good people kind of guy. When in the book, he is really an arrogant lawyer trying to get ahead. Carl Lee, is portrayed with a real viable insanity defense in the movie, however in the book, is clearly using a bogus excuse to stay out of jail.

All in all though, I did thoroughly enjoy the book. My heart went out to Hailey family as well as Jake and those effected by the racism of the south. It is something that I don't feel I can quite bring myself to fully understand, I was raised where racism does not have a vast impact in how a person is viewed, nor did my family encourage discrimination. As a child, I always found racism a little mind boggling, and when I come across a person who is racist, I find it just as boggling. Rape is an issue I have not experienced and do not wish to. To experience that as a woman is devastating. To experience it as a child, I can't even imagine. To be near someone who has had to deal with it is hard enough. There is a helplessness in that, let alone going through it first hand. The book, although about a trial, gives one some food for thought on tough issues that exist even 20 years after the book was written.

Controversial Trial Tidbit: enlightening

Copy Cat, Erica Spindler

I think I have every Erica Spindler book in publication. This is why I purchased this one. I found it in cleaning my books after my move, it was placed in the need to read spot.

I don't know why child killer mysteries are a hook, line, and sinker scenario. Maybe because it sets up an already devastating stage for murder. But it does grab us.

I have to admit, that I predicted most of the ending. A little disappointing. With Spindler, you either know every aspect of the story, but don't know where the cards will fall... or you know nothing at all. Maybe I've read too many books. Maybe I've read too many of her books? doesn't matter, I will continue to devour them as long as she continues to write them.

All in all, good book. Attention getting, but still edge of your seat.

Say it loud, say it clear: Thrilling

Series Spotlight: The Belgariad, David Eddings

The Belgariad is hands down one of my absolute favorite series of all time. I can't tell you how many times I've read and re-read these books. I recommend them to all who ask me for a good science fiction novel. I discovered this one through my aunt as well. We were in Borders once upon a miserable day, and she asked me if I liked fantasy novels. Which I responded with yes, so she handed me Pawn of Prophecy and said it was her treat. I have loved them ever since.



The series consists of 5 books telling the epic journey of Garion, his aunt, his grandfather, and a few personalities they pick up on the way. Essentially, the Orb of Aldur has been stolen, it needs to be returned, and these are the people to do it. Eddings is a phenominal writer, and handles character growth in Garion very well. The story is well thought out and highly involved, besides, who doesn't love reading a book that takes you to another world, time, and place.



My favorite part of these books are the very definate personalities of all of his characters. The books make me laugh every time I read them, and that is a quality necessary for a great book. Hands down, of all the characters in all the books following Garion, my favorite is Silk. He is laughable, but has flaws that make him lovable.



Eddings does not leave you with just these five books following these characters. He later created another five book series, The Mallorean; plus three books based on the two series, Polgara the Sorceress, Belgarath the Sorcerer, and The Rivan Codex. All of which I have absorbed, except for the Codex.



The Belgariad is for lovers of fantasy for sure. Like Tolkien? Read Eddings.

Five Words for Five Books: Have the next book ready!

" Any time there's something so ridiculously dangerous that no
rational human being would even consider trying it, they send for me. "

~Garion

The Soul Catcher, Alex Kava

I'm seeing a theme with references to the local Bargain Bookstore. I found Alex there along with her kick ass FBI agent character, Ms. Maggie O'Dell. I think I found Split Second there, which was still a really great book, I was not entirely sure why it was in the store, but who cares, I found a phenomenal series to dive into.

The Soul Catcher was already on my shelf, it has been for years. And it has already been read two or three times. By far my favorite Maggie book thus far. So why did I pull it off, dust it off, and read it over again? I was wandering Borders shortly after my aunt returned from England and in the New Paperback section: all of her already published books. So I hunted her down in the mystery section, she had a new paperback that I did not currently own, that I recently bought, and is waiting to be devoured. When I did find the new paperback a couple weeks ago, I found a new hardcover as well... voila... Maggie!! she's written two books in between the Soul Catcher and this new one, the first was great, the new one I have no doubt will be as well. Alas, why I am reading it again.

The test of a really great book though? Even though I know the ending and have read it 3 or 4 times, when I get to that cataclysmic ending, I can still gasp in shock. Or get angry at Tully and Gwen, root for Racine with Kathleen, and sit on the edge of my seat with Maggie in that last scene. Whatever it is that invokes some kind of emotional reaction that includes shock. This is what makes this book so readable to me. Not all of Kava's books have this effect on me. Though I don't remember if I've really read the rest of them as much as this one. Like I said, my favorite, hands down, no questions asked.

A thought occured to me during reading this once more. That it was taking me longer than normal to read. I was still enjoying every moment. Still getting a little more out of her hints than normal. But I started it in the end crunch of the semmester. My concluding thought: that at the end of every semmester, I should read a great book that I have already read. I will not have the urge to get to the end, I already know it. I will not be lost if I put it aside for awhile to write a paper, I have the story already in my head. I can take my time a read it during breakfast if I so please, and then go back to homework.

I am sometimes perplexed at why I adore Maggie so darn much. She's not exactly the most uplifting character in the world. Actually, she's quite depressing with her alcoholic tendencies. It is not the case of watching a train wreck. I think it might be that she is admirable. Although she has less desirable traits in your heroine, she is a brilliant individual... who doesn't seem to care if she's brilliant or not. Tully is a great counterpart to her sarcasm.

I'm not going to describe it in one word this time. I don't think I could. I would come up with a different word each time that I read it. How about a phrase?

Love at first read.


:)

You Could Do Better, Stephanie Lehman

Bargain bookstore buy. But it was more towards the middle of my 10 point scale. I pulled this out of my pile of books started but not finished. It was placed in the pile not because it was boring me, or irritating me, or I just wasn't in the mood... but because it was the book I had at Fashion Bug that I read on my breaks. I cleaned out my box when I quit my job there, shoved it all in a medium size bag from the Bug, and threw it in the back seat of my car. It sat in that bag with my dishes that I had used at work for two months when I cleaned my car and found it (thank god I cleaned the dishes after use :P ). It was then moved to my bedroom floor for another two months... and then, to the infamous pile. I picked it back up... well, I think I needed that quirky fun romance, or what the cover percieves to be a quirky fun romance.

I did enjoy the quirky nature of Daphne and her ever present problem of, "I love my boyfriend, but we've dated so long that he's lost what I loved about him, and he's blind to my needs anyway." Sex out of obligation... never fun. I loved when she looked up sex tips online, and then tried to get the fiance to do the same to recieve the great oral she had given him returned to her. I thought it was hilarious that her biggest reservation with settling down and moving to the burbs was that she didn't know how to drive. Living in NYC will do that to you apparently.

Love the best friend. Taffy is BFF of champions and everyone needs to find their Taffy.

Of course finding a wealthy, famous, television producer to sweep you off to the Hamptons and off your feet... far fetched, but cute. The story was more about her doubts with the fiance and her crazy ex-model sister than a quirky romance with a television producer. But she did have that personality that I look for in the quirky romance... and it sufficed the mood I was in at the moment.

Not phenominal, but if you want a quick easy read with a girl who would rather stare at a tv screen than her man with a few quirks inbetween, Daphne Wells is your kind of girl.

Summery available in a closed captioned one word answer: fun

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evie, Marianne Stillings

Living on the assumption that you get what you pay for has never led me astray. My ex bought milk at Dollar General once and wondered why it went bad so rapidly. See first line. Okay, so I never expect greatness out of books from the bargain bookstore. I love it. I found Laurell K. Hamilton at the bargain bookstore. Not her best novel, but I found her there. This is possibly the same case

Midnight is not the best romance novel I've read. Not the worse, but I did struggle through it. It was long and agonizing and not what I expected. Judging from the back cover blurb, I was hoping for a witty, cute romance that sent me smiling after putting it down. What I seem to have gotten was a cheesy, medeocre-ly written bad romance story with some mystery to boot that left me going, duh.

I not only predicted the killer from the get go, but also guess that Evie's father was not Thomas, but was definately the butler.

My aunt and I have these moments where we discuss our readings and authors we love. I was telling her my frustration with the book and she said it is not one of Marianne's better novels. She had assumed that I had grabbed the book off her shelf. Low and behold, the book is sitting in my living room and has been since I moved in. Her collection never ceases to amaze me. She said that her writing does mature and this being her first book, we decided we forgive Ms. Stillings for the falling short :). I will probably pick up the next in her little "series" and dive into that as well.

I suppose if you want cheesy romance, and cut too short "love" scenes Midnight is the book for you otherwise....

Remember it cause you'll be screaming it later: amateur

Featured Author: Phillipa Gregory

My discovery of Gregory was not through the novel to film transition of The Other Boleyn Girl. I was visiting my aunt's once upon a time and we were talking about history. I have had a strange facination with Henry VIII for the longest time, begining with me reading the Dear America series that was incredibly popular when I was younger. They had a princess spin off of the series and Elizabeth was one of the first that I read. I was intregued with the idea of a man so powerful that he could be feared by all, because he could kill all at the drop of a dime.

Anyway...

We were discussing it, and she mentioned that I might like this novel. I didn't borrow it. But about a year later, I stumbled across it in a book store and decided to give it a shot. I think I was like fifteen and it took me about a year to complete it. I admit it! It was subject to being placed to the side and not read for a period of time. But any other book by her has not had this treatment.

It is not frequent that I indulge in buying one of her books. I tend to budget myself in my trips to the book store, and her books are usually a decent chunk of my budget. But when I do go in that direction, I am rarely disappointed. She is a great author to fall back on if you have little to read.

And imagine my excitement when I heard they were doing a movie, on her best book in my opinion. And then add that it had two of my favorite actresses, who played both parts exceptionally... *film-gasm*

I can see someone finding Phillipa a little less appealing. Historical. Fiction. Draaaaaaaag, right? No, never. Phillipa always has scandal and intreigue. I recommend her to anyone who wants some scandal & intreigue as mentioned before, but also a love story. Because there is generally one hiding somewhere in her novels, and many of them are touching.

Favorite Book thus far: The Boleyn Inheritance (not her best book, but my favorite)

""Jane," I said quietly. She opened her eyes, she had been far away in prayer.
"Yes, Mary? Forgive me, I was praying." "If you go on flirting with the king
with those sickly little smiles, one of us Boleyns is going to scratch your eyes
out."" — Philippa
Gregory (The Other
Boleyn Girl)

The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown

Okay, so I'm five years behind on this one. But I like the advantage of me waiting. Five years ago, I was in high school. Five years ago, I did not have the education on art and religions that I now do. Seeing as I am studying both subjects... this is the perfect time for me to throw myself into this book. I do however, feel that the amount of time is also a disadvantage for the book. At the time, it was played off that the theories in the book were truth, when really, I know that Mary Magdelen and Jesus did not have an affair, and she is not portrayed in the Last Supper. My belief in the affiar is not because of my faith, actually, I think if there were a direct decendant of Christ, my faith would be strengthened and I would feel that I would be a little closer to him myself. However, I highly doubt that he got married... Sorry Dan Brown and Kevin Smith.

I love and hate Brown's style of writing. The cliff-hangers at the end of every single chapter... gah!! It makes me want to skip all the Silas scenes to get back to Sophie and Langdon. Silas though, is becoming a little more interesting. I also think this is a tad tedious. Because he leaves you hanging... and it could be a great climax... but then he falls short of the delivery that deserves a cliff-hanger.

Overall though, I was a little disapointed. There was a tone of hype for this INCREDIBLE novel, and I found it a little UNincredible. I did not guess that Teabing was the culprit. I actually thought it was Fache the entire time. As for the infamous cop, definately not. a. fan.

I found myself using google as a tool in this one though. For reference to the pieces of art. My aunt loves the scenes in the Louvre. She tells everyone that the escape bathroom... she's been there. lol.

It is rare to find a book so centered on art. At least in my opinion. I think that's what kept my interest, the references to the paintings, the history, the religion, architecture, etc. love it. I loved forming the images in my mind and traveling there with Sophie and Langdon.

The end, where Sophie finds her grandmother did definately bring a broad smile to my face. And the Star of David bit was genius.

Four syllable sum up: dis.a.point.ing

New Moon, Stephanie Meyers

I can never go into a bookstore without getting an impulse buy. I originally went to get a cheap book for the purpose of my Egyptology paper. I ended up in the Young Adult section after finding it.





As a continuation of Twilight, I had to force myself to not start it right away and finish reading Killing Floor. I have a bad habit of starting books, and not finishing them. I have piles and piles of books, that are half read that I go back to read a few chapters, then get the book I really want to read *enthusiastic nodding*. Unfortunately, upon the end of Killing Floor, I had an essay due. Priorities, priorities.

I thought this was a vampire series... this is what I was told by multiple people. Werewolves?!?! hallejuah. Werewolves as the mortal enemy of Vampires... love it.

Meyers using a page per month to represent time passing... phenomenal. it required you to act in accordance with Bella. Time slipping like the pages of a well read book. Stronger point than if you were to just say four months later...

I have to say that I am not a fan of suicidal Edward. Though the theme of Romeo and Juliet worked really well for the book.

I have not decided how I feel about Jacob just yet. The entire time he was chasing after Bella, I kept saying to myself, "no, no, no... she's Edwards!" and rooted for him to return. It makes me wonder what will occur if Bella does join the Cullens though, stay tuned folks. This one could be a wild one

By far my favorite moment of this installment was Edwards proposal. Marry me, and I'll change you. I love that she's willing to give him eternity and her life, but not sure if she can marry him. Ha.

However, the book was touching. It said a lot for their love for one another, by having the Shakespeare theme. Who hasn't heard the tale, seen the movie, or read the play, right? We know about those star-crossed lovers who kill themselves. But Meyers used themes from the play that did not necessarily lead to their deaths. The separation theme. The triangle of persons involved theme. We'll see how true to the play this sticks with Paris/Jacob.

One word: Moving

Killing Floor, Lee Child

This is one of many classic cases with me. A situation that happens every year to a year and a half. My aunt goes through her books, places the ones she no longer wants in a pile, and if there are any that I want, I can take as many as there are. I've had this book for years, it sat in the back of a cabinet containing books I had not read yet. But in moving, my books had been removed and brought into a new light. The line on the back caught my eye, "All Jack knows is he didn't kill anybody. Not in their town, and not for a long time..."

This gave me the impression that something was going to come back and bite Jack Reacher in the ass. But there is no further reference to this line, except his emphasis on his military experiance.

I love the line: "Did you specialize? ... In the service?" "General duties, initially... that's the system. Then I handled secrets security for five years. The the last six years I handled something else." Let him ask. "What was that?" "Homicide investigation."

I found myself in a pattern though. Starting at roughly the middle of the book, where things begin to unfold, I would end up with the, "I bet it's..." syndrome. You know the one, where you're trying to figure out the culprit before everyone else thing. I have a friend notorious for hitting it right on the spot, particularly with movies. She never fails to tell me the ending to the movie, so I have begun to beat her at her own game and figure it out before her. When I read a thriller such as this, I find myself trying to beat the main character to the culprit.

Current Score: Jack Reacher: 0, Katelyn: 1

Granted, I read... a lot. I know the hints. There is always one person who's on the side of the good guys that turns out to be one of the bad. I didn't forsee who it was, but I knew there was one. I also had some previous knowledge about conterfeiting US currency that the average Joe (or Jane) would not necissarily know.

As for the romance between Reacher and Roscoe... It was sudden, in all aspects. Sudden to start and sudden to end.

I know this is the first of a series featuring Jack Reacher. However, I do not know how this will work out. He is in a small town, investigating a murder, the murder of someone from his personal life. So it makes sense that he sticks around and helps the investigation. But as to him being a professional wanderer, I don 't know how that will progress into a series. A free-lance homicide investigator? I might have to stay tuned just to figure out how Child works this one out. I have been warned though, that Reacher gets irritiating as the series plays out. Ebay will probably be my friend for this one.

I don't know that I would recommend this. Maybe if you're easily shocked. Maybe if you can get so lost in the pages of a book that you don't do the "beat Reacher to the punch" game like I did. It is a good story, Child just needs more subtle hints for the competative of heart. :)

Sum me up in a singular: PREEE-Dictable.

Psychopath, Keith Ablow

It was a bit of a jump, going from the "feel good" novel of Twilight, to a suspenseful tale of a serial killer. I thought perhaps when I started it that it was more of a mystery than an edge of my seat thriller. But still rather good. It's written by a forensic psychologist, and he not only knows his stuff, but can communicate it well.

A psychiatrist as the psychopath. a little typical. A little neverwracking as well. One person you are supposed to trust is one person that could trick you mentally and get away with murdering you. Nasty thoughts. Like I continue to say, people who study the human psyche and try to use their studies to aid others are mosre than likely hiding the issues they themselves have rather than facing them. How much easier is it to be the healer of children, a hero... than be the split personality serial killer.


The ending left me wanting a little more between Billy and Frank. I enjoyed watching the change in Billy. Added a little something to the book overall.

I recommend this if you want something a little typical, a little twisted, but with its own unique quality. It isn't typical in the sense that you've read this story, but with different characters. You have a motive the opposite of what you would expect from that kind of killer.



One word synopsis: Suspensefull

Twilight, Stephanie Meyers

I bought this because I kept hearing these amazing things about the series. From my best friend. From classmates. Online. People my aunt went to England with were raving about the series. Apparently it is being placed as a film as well. I'm a sucker for vampire stories anyway :)

I found it absolutely delightful. For the most part, it was the tale of a romance between Edward and Bella. You get a little more action towards the end, which is what I personally prefer with any vampire novel. But mostly, it seems to be a good base for the love between the characters we might be following for some time.

In addition, you have characters that you can relate to so well. You've got the man who's lived alone for years and is a hopeless cook. You have the boy that loves a girl, but knows he should stay as far away from her as possible. Then you have your heroine. Who tells fights for what she wants and tries to protect those she loves. I love when he tells her he loves her, and she response with, "I know." I have totally done that.

Two thumbs up for the ending as well. The feeling reminds you of good morning sex. You're not only satisfied, but you are left aniticipating, wanting, and not able to wait for the next session.

Describe it in one word: Fab-u-lous!