Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2) by Stephen King

Release Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Scribner
Series: The Shining series, Book 2

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Dan Torrance witnessed many horrors as a child, but the worst took place at the Overlook Hotel. The memories and ghosts from that traumatic experience haunted Dan throughout his adolescence.Though his closest friend, Doc, taught him how to cope with some of the monsters, there were many left which drove him straight into becoming an alcoholic. After reaching his "rock bottom," Dan found himself in a small town where he battled his demons and came to terms with some of his past.

A young girl with an impressive "shining" stumbled into Dan's life and into the path of the True Knot, a group of wanderers who seek out those children with the shine and take it from them. Dan did his best to pass down the knowledge given to him by Doc, but when her own life was threatened by the True Knot members, Dan must face down everything from his past in order to keep her and others like her safe.

Review:
Books by Stephen King were among the first books I ever read on my own and will continue to find places upon my shelves. Many of his books are among those I consider my favorites. This book was definitely a treat to read. Not only did it answer many of the questions surrounding the fate of Danny and his mom after the events of The Shining, but it also maintained its own edge and relation to the current generation while visiting the past.

It was a bit difficult to get close to a few of the characters in this book. Some were written with sharp edges like many of the True Knot members. Others were decent people in the core of their being but had made so many bad decisions that the consequences wrapped around them like a thick, prickly skin of sorts. Most of the time, I was rooting for Dan despite the erratic behavior and the dumb decisions. Over the course of the novel, he proved time and time again that he was much more than a guy with a little something extra.

I think a lot of the True Knot members were interesting as well. There's no telling what they would have been if their natures hadn't been destroyed by their "turning" and assimilation into the wandering gang. Many of the members had unique gifts of their own. Rose was the most powerful and possessed many gifts including telepathy, locating others with her mind, invading a person's mind and charming others into doing what she wanted. Snakebite Andi was able to put people into a deep sleep whenever she wanted. Like a traveling carnival of horror, they possessed nicknames and gifts to suit their needs.

For much of the book, there was the typical back and forth between characters in different locations that I've come to expect with King's work. Within one chapter, there might be four or five mini-chapters and the actions of the characters in one affecting the characters in another. It was a little confusing during the middle of the book when there was a lot going on both with the characters and in the world itself. But things became much clearer as the story continued to unfold. The action and steady pace of the novel kept me turning the pages even when I needed to stop!

Overall, this was a really good book. It held many answers for lingering questions as well as new questions for the future generation to answer. I truly hope that we might see one more appearance from Dan Torrance before it's all said and done. If you love a story that's a little more out there than usual or filled with weirdness one expects of Stephen King, don't hesitate to pick up a copy of this book.

Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2) by Stephen King is currently available for purchase at many retailers, both in-store and online. It can be purchased in a variety of formats including hardcover, paperback and Kindle. Click the link below to visit the book's page at Amazon.
Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2) by Stephen King

April's Hopes and Dreams

Once again we have transitional weather. It's not hot enough to warrant using the air conditioner, yet not cold enough to keep the furnace working. Extra blankets heaped upon my bed keep me comfortable during the dips in temperature and a fan to keep the air circulating. All the joys of moving from winter into spring!

Despite the ups and downs in weather or the allergies, spring means a better chance of getting many things crossed off my to-do list. I fell behind on a lot of projects while fighting two bouts of the flu and colds galore. I hope to get caught up in several areas including reading/reviewing, my community project and a few secret craft projects.

I had to set aside my editing on NaNo12 for a while. It was frustrating me because I noticed many scenes that weren't exactly how I pictured them in my mind as I wrote them. My attempts to correct them weren't helping at all. Before I threw the whole thing away, I put it aside. After a few months of working on a few short stories and a couple of poems, I felt ready to pick NaNo12 back up.

The biggest of all news is the upcoming one year anniversary of CoWA! I've been mentioning a couple of giveaways. The prizes of those will be a $25 Amazon giftcard! More information and rules will come in the last Currently Reading post of this month (last Wednesday of the month). I might have a couple of other things up my sleeve but you'll have to wait and see.

Okay, back to work! Wishing all of you a wonderful month full of progress, positivity and fun times.
Until next time,
Kay B

Cold Mourning: A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery by Brenda Chapman

Release Date: March 1, 2014
Publisher: Dundurn
Series: Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery, Book I

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Kala Stonechild accepted the new position within the specialized Ottawa crime unit because she needed a change of pace from her life up north. Besides being the new recruit, she was the only woman and aboriginal on the force, drawing snickers and hushed remarks along the way. Determined to prove her worth, she buckled down when the unit was handed a murder case involving one of the city's rich and more prominent businessmen.

Her boss, Jacques Rouleau has his own personal struggles that he pushed to the side in order to keep the unit running as long as he can. With Stonechild's help, the cases on their docket took an interesting turn and left them with more questions than answers. Will they be able to pinpoint the killer before it's too late?

Review:
I was granted permission to read a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a honest, fair review. The book began with a terrifying image, a parent's worst nightmare. I thought for a moment that I was reading the wrong book, but forced myself to keep going. That preliminary chapter, though horrible, played a role later in the story and was actually a really interesting plot twist to the entire story.

As a reader, I rode along with Kala Stonechild as she made her transition from working in a small time police department in Northern Canada to the faster-paced, larger Ottawa police department. Not everyone in the unit is as welcoming as one would expect, but it became clear that their small unit was much like a family in many ways. I enjoyed how the author allowed us to peek into the characters' lives without dumping a lot of information on us all at once. I believe that helped me to empathize with a couple of the characters and the massively hard decisions they were forced to make.

There was plenty of action throughout the entire novel. From the first page, the pace was steady. Time was given to allow the reader to absorb all the details and small clues sprinkled throughout the pages, but there were so many possibilities. Even I had trouble trying to pinpoint exactly who I thought was the killer because there were always two people who fit at any one time - even after new details emerged! In the end I was only half right about the ending. Truthfully, it was a little refreshing not to have it all figured out by the middle of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The many suspects, the layers of secrets and the other cases being investigated at the same time made for a quick, entertaining and engaging read. I'm glad to see that this is set as the first book of a possible series. I'd love to see what else Stonechild and Rouleau get themselves into. If you're looking for a book to keep you up late into the night as you try to weave through the webs of lies, deceits and betrayals of the rich, this is the book to help you along the way.

Cold Mourning: A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery by Brenda Chapman is currently available at many online retailers in either paperback or Kindle formats. You can order a copy from Amazon by clicking the link provided below.
Cold Mourning: A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery by Brenda Chapman

Currently Reading

Another week, another sinus infection. I am beginning to really dislike transitional weather periods. I'm trying my best to read whenever my medications don't put me to sleep. However, that means I wasn't able to finish a book this week. Between this and trying to finish my other projects, I've been spread a little thin. Let's focus on finishing over the next seven days.

The only good point in the week is the continuation of editing NaNo2012. I'm nearly at the halfway mark. It is clear that I need to do a bit of expanding in a few scenes and give a couple of characters more of a reason to do the things they plan. Otherwise, the story's flow will be choppy. I'd rather not have that if I can help it. Here's hoping for a few more chapters done this week as well!


Working on these this week;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Hush by Stacey S. Campbell


Worrying me no more are;
None.


Still planning my giveaways for next month. Be watching for the last Currently Reading post of this month. It will have all the details for the the two giveaways. Might even be a third if all the pieces fall into place. I sincerely hope your week is a great one.

Until next time,
Kay B

The Adversary: The Sundering, Book III by Erin M. Evans

Release Date: December 3, 2013
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Series: The Sundering, Book III

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Farideh had one mission in life - keep her twin, Havilar, safe from whatever life threw their way. Of course, this included making pacts with devils and working for a wizard who was trying to discover a way to single out the Chosen among ordinary folk. No matter how rough or narrow the path became, Farideh walked further down to ensure Havi's safety. She'd walk straight into the Hells if necessary.

After disappearing for a number of years per one of her pacts, Farideh found herself in the middle of a much larger scheme between devils that could cost her way more than her simple soul. As her family and friends rally to rescue her, a sudden turn of events launched them all into a battle where the lines separating good and bad were blurred. Can she continue to protect her sister without damning herself? Will she be able to stop the madness of a wizard once the full truth is revealed?

Review:
Book III of the six-part Sundering arc began with a bang - literally and in several ways. Within the first couple of chapters, the main characters are introduced and immediately thrown into action. The story captured my attention quickly with the early action and the use of twins as the main characters. It was interesting to see the strength of the bonds between Farideh and Havilar as well as the affects of those bonds in both positive and negative manners.

As with the previous two books of the Sundering arc, the events of this book were able to affect the world of Toril while examining the current happenings contained within one part of the world. While the story stood well on its own, there were several noticeable threads connecting it to the other novels in the series. Nearing the end of this book, I wondered exactly how the entire arc was going to end and whether any of the characters I've met along the way would survive. I must admit, I felt close to the characters in this book because the author did a wonderful job in creating in-depth characters with the capacity to make mistakes, seek redemption and change their paths as we often do in real life.

There were quite a few fight scenes, each with some brilliant moves made by the characters involved. While I enjoyed the energy and story movement they provided, I really found the lingering consequences of the scenes more important to the overall story. It was in the precious seconds during the fighting that snap decisions were made. Often they led to repercussions with devastating results. However, the unique mix kept me turning pages to find out what else was in store for everyone! And yes, there were a number of moments when my heart broke. I felt especially bad for Farideh because she continually tried to do the right thing and yet it kept turning out wrong. I began to believe she was being haunted by Murphy's Law!

All in all, I really liked this book and I was glad that my request to view it at NetGalley had been granted. It held a bunch of surprises throughout the story and not only in the usual places. I was swept up in Farideh and Havilar's world, coming to think of them both as long-lost friends. I can't wait to find out what will happen in their next set of adventures. There were quite a few open doors in the story that I'm interested in searching as well. If you love action, fantasy and some good-natured sibling rivalry tiefling-style, then you must put this book on your TBR list!

The Adversary: The Sundering, Book III by Erin M. Evans is currently available at many retailers in hardcover, mass market paperback and Kindle formats. You can click the link below to purchase a copy of your own at Amazon.
The Adversary: The Sundering, Book III by Erin M. Evans

Bonyo Bonyo: The True Story of a Brave Boy from Kenya by Vanita Oelschlager

Release Date: April 1, 2010
Publisher: Vanita Books
Illustrators: Kristin Blackwood, Mike Blanc

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Bonyo Bonyo was born into a small village in the land of Kenya. As poor as his family was, Bonyo still had a happy childhood with the other children in the village. When tragedy strikes his family, Bonyo was determined to go to school in order to become a doctor. He wanted to help others.

He began on the road toward his goal only to discover that his parents weren't able to pay for his education. With the kindness of strangers and a courage from deep within, Bonyo makes the dangerous trek miles away to attend school in a neighboring village. But is it enough to achieve his dream of becoming a doctor? Will he be able to help those in his village and beyond?

Review:
Because I'm a sucker for true stories, I requested this book from NetGalley. I was able to read through it very quickly as it's a fairly short book. The book was geared toward children, specifically those eight years-old and younger. That didn't stop me from enjoying the inspirational message of the Bonyo's story. I would encourage sharing the message of hard work and determination with everyone and especially children.

Since the book presented the life of Bonyo to the reader, it was told from his point of view. His childhood and family life were spoken of as well the catalyst for his desire to become a doctor. I felt sad that Bonyo had to go through so much in order to go to school. The truth of how little they had hit me and I realized just how lucky many children in thriving First World countries were. As the story progressed, the underlying messages of perseverance and determination shown through the passages.

The story was told in such a way that children would be able to understand and yet kept true to the essence of the overall story. Both good and bad days were shown as well how Bonyo decided to handle the situations. I thought the illustrations were beautifully drawn and on point with the story. Each turn of the page revealed another fantastic illustration to emphasize the point the author was trying to convey. So many colors, bright and dark, could easily capture the child's attention and allow the words to sink into their minds.

Overall, the story's message is one of hope, determination and the courage to chase after one's dreams. I think everyone needs a reminder of that now and again - especially adults. Though book is geared toward children, I honestly enjoyed its simplicity and the message that hard work pays off in the end. If you're looking for a wonderful teaching tool that is a fabulous story as well, I would recommend you add this book to your child's collection or even to your own collection. 

Bonyo Bonyo: The True Story of a Brave Boy from Kenya by Vanita Oelschlager is available at many retaliers including Amazon. You can purchase a copy in hardcover, paperback or Kindle forms. Clicking the link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
Bonyo Bonyo: The True Story of a Brave Boy from Kenya by Vanita Oelschlager

Currently Reading

Another month begins. Another season takes hold. Now that it's April, the weather should stay on the warm side. Knowing this region, however, I believe we may get a surprise cold snap a time or two before Winter officially leaves the building. It's this transitional period where it's not hot enough to warrant using the air conditioners but not cold enough to use the heat any longer. Time to pile on the blankets, just in case.

I've been battling various illnesses for the better part of the last three months. For whatever reason, my system has decided to host any sinus, flu or cold bug that came to visit and offered hospitality for an extended stay. Finally feeling more like myself, I'm hoping to push through the tired feeling in order to get caught up on a number of things - especially reading. My goal for the year is 120 and so far, I'm behind by 5 books. Time to kick it into high gear!


I've got my eyes on these books;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere


No longer on the list;
Fractal Standard Time (Chronopticus Chronicles #1) by Michael Galloway
Fire-Heart (Tales of Alterra, The World That Is #2) by C.S. Marks


There are some exciting things coming for the blog. May brings the one year anniversary and I'm planning to do at least two giveaways. So you'll have come back often to find out how to enter and what's up for grabs. In the meantime, I wish you pleasant days and nights filled with many wordy delights. Do you have a favorite season? If so, which one is it and why? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time,
Kay B