Currently Reading

So many good books in my Kindle, so little time to read them all. Especially when life decides to throw some roadblocks in my way. Not only do we still have the flu flying around our neck of the woods, but we also have chronic conditions that decided now was a good time to come visit. I do wish they'd go away since they've visited. I've got things to do!

Within the past week, I've been able to make some headway on a couple of projects. One is a super secret blanket for someone special. Single stitch takes a while to finish a large blanket. However, it's warm, toasty and perfect for the frigid temperatures we've been having lately. The other is a story I've been hesitant to write. It's been poking me in the ribs the past few days, so I finally gave in. I let the characters speak. Now, I can't get them to hush so I can work on the editing. I suppose it's a good thing. We'll have to see where it leads.


Keeping me company once again are;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Bridge to Destiny by April Marie Libs
Queen Mab by Kate Danley
The Undertaker's Daughter by Kate Mayfield


Leaving me high and dry are;
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
Liesmith: Book 1 of the Wyrd by Alis Franklin


This post is later than usual today, as you may have noticed. I've been playing phone tag with doctors while trying to finish a few things. Hopefully, I won't have to worry over all the phone calls and then direct my focus back to the books and stitches.

Until next time,
Kay B

The Vines by Christopher Rice

Release Date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: 47 North
Author Website: http://www.christopherricebooks.com 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Having wealth, power and privilege didn't guarantee a happy life as Caitlin Chaisson found out when she caught her husband cheating. Rage and desparation drove her to the edge, but something deep within her family's homestead pulled her back. Buried underground were the ghosts of ancient wrongs never made right. They feed on the Caitlin's rage and doling out punishment as they see fit.

Blake Henderson was Caitlin's best friend since they were small children, but he didn't speak to her for over six months when he first tried to tell her about her husband's cheating. With his own share of tragic memories, he returned to her side when there's a terrible accident at her home. Not knowing the source of the accident or the horrible things that had been released, he walked headlong into something out of a nightmare. Can he conquer his own rage and hurt before it consumed him?

Review:
Okay, I admit it. I love creepy books. I saw this novel offered at NetGalley, read the description, and requested to read it because of the creepiness that it promised. Much of the novel takes place on an old plantation near New Orleans where the ancestors of Caitlin Chaisson grew sugar cane and used slave labor. As the story continued, the entire history behind the house, the yard and betrayal was revealed in some pretty head-scratching, gruesome ways. Long buried secrets, no matter how deeply laid to rest, always find a way to return to the surface at some point.

The cast of characters within the novel were a diverse lot. Men and women from both ends of the economic and social spectrum came together in a stereo-typical way for a Southern plantation. In a way the plantation itself and the roles each of the characters take were also main characters at times. Though the events of the novel take place in rapid succession from the very beginning, the author was able to present characters that were unique and very much flawed. Not one was a shining example of true good. Each of them carried the weight of their own darkness, deeply buried secrets and decisions they wished to undo. Yet, I found myself rooting for a few of them to outwit the murderous spirit that threatened to destroy their lives.

From the outset much of the pace was quick - almost non-stop. Once the magic was set into motion, there was no going back. As the vines fed on the blood and rage offered, more and more people became offerings for the sinister source of their power. Soon the forces from the past and the present battled for the future of the plantation and all those who call it home. There were plenty of scenes where the action or revelations propelled the story forward at a steady pace, but I did feel like the story stalled in a couple of places. I'm not sure if it was the repetition of certain information (no spoilers!) or just a lull in the action. Either way, the story quickly recovered each time and moved headlong into the ultimate showdown.

Overall, I enjoyed the book as much as I anticipated. Spooky yet elegant settings combined with emotional whirlwinds that humans bring with them provided a lot for the imagination to digest. Even with its dark, murderous history, there's something rich and decadent about the setting of New Orleans and its oldest buildings. This book brought the right mix of horror, history and drama for me. If you're looking for a glimpse into the dark realm of possibility or a side trip into the supernatural, then this book is definitely one that should be on your TBR list.

The Vines by Christopher Rice is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in paperback, audio-book or digital formats. The link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
The Vines by Christopher Rice 

The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Gift #1) by Jim Stovall

Release Date: June 15, 2001
Publisher: David C. Cook
Series: The Ultimate Gift series, Book 1
Author Website: http://www.jimstovall.com/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
When Red Stevens died, he was at the patriarch of a very wealthy family, having made his fortune from lots of hard work in both the oil and cattle fields. His surviving family members gathered around the large conference table and awaited the reading of Red's will by his long-time friend and lawyer, Theodore Hamilton. Each of the family members received their portion of the wealth, along with certain conditions, except one - his great-nephew, Jason Stevens.

In order to receive his inheritance known as the Ultimate Gift, Jason must meet with Hamilton on the first of the month and find what lesson he needed to learn to move onto the next month and lesson. After a rough start and struggles of will, the wisdom of Red's lessons soon became clear to Jason and those on the journey with him. Will he be able complete the year-long test that Red laid before him? Will Red's hopes for the future of his family be gone with his death?

Review:
My mother-in-law and I watched the movie during Christmas years before I knew it was based upon a series of novels. When I saw this book offered on OHFB, I decided to see how well it related to the movie, but I would also keep an open mind about the differences should they present themselves. The biggest difference between the two was the perspective in which the entirety of the story was told. While the movie was able to focus on all of the characters in depth, this book followed Jason's journey from Theodore Hamilton's point-of-view.

Even though Mr. Hamilton was the guide or narrator of the story, Jason Stevens and his journey to complete the twelve tasks over the course of a year were the primary focus. He's a spoiled young man who hasn't had to do much in order to make ends meet. In order to save his life and help him make something of himself, his great-uncle's last wish directed Jason's stubbornness toward the tasks of learning the simple truths and pleasures life has to offer. There was as much to learn about Red and Theo as there was about Jason. Since the story was written from Theo's perspective, we're privy to his thoughts most of the time. Red offered his thoughts in video-taped messages that were played at the beginning of each session with the lawyer and at the end of Jason's journey, should he make it.

The book was a fairly quick read once the chain of events were set in motion by Red's death. Monthly tasks were covered within one or two chapters. Unfortunately, there was a bit of repetition a few chapters about how much of a great guy Red was to Theo and how at any time the process can be stopped if Theo wasn't satisfied with Jason's performance in the goals. Even had I not seen the movie beforehand, I still would be frustrated that I wasn't able to see more of Jason's transformation from the surly, spoiled kid into a more mature adult within the book. There's so much emphasis on the journey and the lessons that to not see more of the transformation was a letdown in some ways for me.

Overall, the book was a light, inspirational read. It was especially fitting for reading during the Christmas season. Though it lacked more depth in a few areas, it presented good cases for honesty, hard work, love and giving that aren't forgotten in our busy world. The message came home without a lot of over-the-top sappy stuff that some books use to move the story along. If you're looking for a decent delivery of some good messages, please pick up a copy of this book and share it with those you love.

The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Gift #1) by Jim Stovall is currently available at many retailers, both online and local. It can be purchased in various formats including hardcover, paperback, audio-book and digital (Kindle). The link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Gift #1) by Jim Stovall  

Currently Reading

Welcome to 2015!

This year, I have so many goals I want to meet. There's so much that I didn't get to last year and it makes me want to push myself much harder than I know I should. Of course, I am not going to give up on this wonderful blog and all the lovely books sitting here and wanting to be read.

Along with putting myself on a reading schedule, I've also began setting aside one hour a day to put words on the page. Last year I was sneaking in some writing whenever I could. That wasn't working for me because I always felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. Now it's the perfect time to try something new. 

Awaiting my attention are;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
Bridge to Destiny by April Marie Libs


Finished the following lovelies;
The Vines by Christopher Rice


These new changes aren't resolutions. Even I fail to keep those - not matter how many lists I make. So, they're goals for me and something definite that I can handle with enough pressure to cause me to really buckle down and do the work. What's one or two of your goals for this year?

Until next time,
Kay B

The Search for Anne Perry: The Hidden Life of a Bestselling Crime Writer by Joanne Drayton

Release Date: June 3, 2014
Publisher: Arcade Publishing
  
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
From the beginning of the book, the journey of Anne Perry's publishing career was chronicled from the rocky start which left her destitute at times to the peak of her success. Everything in between was also examined, including the plots to her various series of books and the intimate friendships which grew out of her advance in the publishing world. What no one expected was that an incident from Anne's past would put everything into jeopardy once again.

In her youth Anne was known as Juliet Hulme, one half of a teenage duo that was involved in a scandalous murder in New Zealand during the 1950s. As this part of her history came under scrutiny, everything she'd worked so hard to attain and change within herself threatened to fall apart once again. The book examined the aftermath of this revelation as well as Anne's reaction to her darkest secret being laid out for everyone to see.

Review:
This book was another good find from OHFB and kept me entertained through another round of the flu. I honestly didn't know anything about the author, Anne Perry, or her various crime novels before I began this book. However, I did know some basic facts of the murder case which took place in New Zealand decades prior. It was a little hard at first to reconcile the fact that the crime writer was the same young girl who committed such a crime. The author not only attempted to show the stark differences between the adult Anne and the teenage Juliet, but she also explored the years shortly after the murder took place and the imprisonment of both girls. For most people, the case usually ended with the verdict and little thought was given to what comes after it.

Though the book began with the bombshell revelation about her past to her publisher, the central figure in the book was definitely Anne Perry. From her quiet second beginning and finding herself among the Mormon faith to the rocky start of her writing career, it was apparent that she was very much removed from the teenager who had made a grievous mistake. She safeguarded that dark secret as much as possible, more to protect those she loved than to protect herself. It was stated in several places that the anxiety about her past drove her to delve deeper into her comfort zones and explore things through her writing whenever possible. Mixed with the examinations of both past and present were the various plots of her books. Though they obviously were included to show a correlation between Anne's thoughts and feelings of her past with those of her future, there were quite a few times when I became lost reading about the plot of her books and distracted from the life of Anne herself!

For me the book had moments where the pacing was steady and I was always ready to keep turning those pages. However, there were also bits of the chapters were I felt like a lot of time had been given to the characters in her books instead of Anne, her colleagues, friends or family. I was glad to see that when the author wrote about the crime, the trial which followed and the imprisonment of both girls, she didn't sensationalize any of the events which took place. In fact, the author offered views from both sides of the aisle as well as the girls' own thoughts about what was taking place. It was quite clear that the author spent a lot of time researching and going through the various documents as she investigated the life and times of Anne Perry.

Overall, I quite liked the book. There was a message of hope and redemption through much of the trials and tribulations that Anne often wrote about in her own novels. She truly tried to be a person deserving of the second chance that she'd been granted after her release from prison. She also didn't try to invalidate the gravity of murder and the harm it caused for many people after the fact. She accepted responsibility for her actions time and again over the years. By the end of the book, one was left with a sense that the girl who found herself involved with something that escaped her grasp and comprehension wasn't the woman who began writing novels as a way to right social wrongs and spread a message of hope.

The Search for Anne Perry: The Hidden Life of a Bestselling Crime Writer by Joanne Drayton is currently available at many retailers. Copies can be purchased in various formats including hardcover, paperback, audio-book and Kindle. The following link will take you to the book's page at Amazon.
The Search for Anne Perry: The Hidden Life of a Bestselling Crime Writer by Joanne Drayton

January's Hopes and Dreams

Happy 2015, everyone!

Starting this year off with a cold wasn't how I pictured my new year, but reality often differs greatly from our hopes. Though it wasn't what I expected, it has allowed me a small bit of downtime to really pack in some reading. I have been able to knock a few books off my TBR pile (which were subsequently replaced by gifts from others). So, it's not too bad.

This year looks so promising in a lot of areas. Plenty of exciting books are on the market or about to be put on the market. My poor Kindle is going to stage an intervention at any time if I keep piling the books on there. I truly can't help myself sometimes. Reading is one of those times. Writing used to be among that list, over much of the last year, it wasn't. I'm hoping to rectify that in this year.

The hard work of establishing a schedule began before 2014 ended. Each day I attempted an hour of writing, wading through cough drop wrappers and tissues at several points. Some of it was badly written but I've left it until the story is finished. Then I plan to add an hour of editing. Bit by bit I will conquer this particular demon of mine.

Not very many community projects are going to be on my plate this year. I am determined to fulfill the promise of making items for our local nursing home residents by the middle of the year. There are a great deal other promises I want to keep and crafts to make to fulfill them. One by one, they will be made. I have to learn to put my foot down and keep myself on schedule. You'll keep me accountable, right?

Here's to a wonderful 2015! May it be filled with wonderful things, learning experiences and brilliantly loving moments for you all.

Until next time,
Kay B

Serial Killers True Crime Anthology 2014 (True Crime Library RJPP #1) by R.J. Parker

Release Date: December 11, 2013
Publisher: RJ Parker Publishing
Series: True Crime Library RJPP, Book 1
Authors Included: R.J. Parker, Peter Vronsky, Dane Ladwig, Sylvia Perrini, Michael Newton  

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Those who step outside the bounds set by society captivated the masses for as long as the tales of their deeds were told to the next generation. Real evil began to infiltrate the usual bedtime stories about scary boogeymen, vampires or werewolves. Men and women who became obsessed, or some say possessed, by the desire to take the lives of others roamed the streets and blended in with average folk as they went through their everyday routines.

In this volume of the True Crime Anthology, several serial killers were explored from their birth and early childhood through their crimes and the aftermath. The novel included both men and women from both ends of the financial spectrum and from various parts of the world. Exploring the cases through police reports, court documents and even through the words of the killers themselves, the authors shine a light on the dark deeds without neglecting to remember the victims.


Review:
*Graphic Warning* - This novel explored subject matter that might be disturbing to some readers. It included pictures of crime scene evidence as well as statements made by the killers in written or vocal interviews.

This book was among one of the great deals that I found on OHFB - a site that I love for keeping my Kindle stocked with lots of different books. Since I was always interested in crime and crime-related stories, I knew the included photographs or statements wouldn't bother me. However, I must say that there was little, if any, censoring of either items in their related stories, but there weren't a lot of the photographs throughout the book either. Each of the authors covered a particular serial killer, or killers in a few cases.

They delved into the earliest known information about the serial killer involved and follow him or her through the years, the murders and the repercussions of their actions. Written and taped interviews were used alongside police evidence and court documents to try and find the answers to questions that plagued investigators and society alike over the years. Some of the killers in this volume of the anthology include people from hundreds of years ago to the early part of the 2000s. Some were rich, killing with impunity because of their station in life such as Erzsebet (Elizabeth) Bathory. Others weren't so lucky to come from wealth and made due with what they were given, including the Bloody Benders and Robert Pickton.

For me there wasn't much in the way of pacing for this book. Each of the chapters laid out the timeline for each of the killers without leading into the next. It was much like the chapter was its own case file. That made it easy to set the book down if I needed to take care of something else and come back to it later without feeling lost or confused about where I am in the book. The victims weren't forgotten in the midst of all the coverage of the crimes. Their names, faces and voices gave them more weight than much of the media did during their coverage. Not a lot of detail about the actual crimes filled the pages even though they weren't hidden either.

While I knew of a few of the killers listed, there were a few that I hadn't heard of before, making it an interesting read. Overall, I liked the book and found it interesting to see the evolution of many included killers as well as possible explanations for their methods of madness. I was also glad to see that very little speculation appeared in the various chapters. When it did, the author was sure to note what was speculation and what wasn't. If you're looking for a fairly comprehensive look at a small section of serial killers and what may have led them to do what they did, then this anthology is definitely one to consider!

Serial Killers True Crime Anthology 2014 (True Crime Library RJPP #1) by R.J. Parker is currently available at various online retailers in paperback, Kindle and audio-book versions. Clicking the link below will bring up the book's page at Amazon.
Serial Killers True Crime Anthology 2014 (True Crime Library RJPP #1) by R.J. Parker