Currently Reading

Just not enough hours in the day to do what I need and read as well. I was able to get a couple of books finished that were among those I'd won from giveaways. Fulfilling the requirement of reading and reviewing these makes me feel as though they're a bit of a higher priority than the others that have languished on the reading list for long periods of time.

Eventually I will have the charity project near completion. Of course, then it will be right in the middle of NanNoWriMo time and I'll have to get those all important words in for the day before I can think of reading. It looks like this last half of the year is going to be filled with a lot more activity than I'm used to! But we'll find a way to make it work.

I've been in the middle of:
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Blood Flats by Edward Trimnell
Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio
Anonymous Sources by Mary Louise Kelly

I'm finished with:
Tantra (The Anu Files #1) by Adi
The Conditions of Love by Dale M. Kushner

Summer vacation is nearing its end here for the kids. They're about ready to start back to school in a week or so. Will that increase or decrease your reading time out there? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,
Kay

Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1) by J.R. Rain

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Six years after being attacked, Samantha Moon's life has seen its fair share of changes. Going from marital bliss to barely knowing herself in relation to her family would make anyone cranky. So would the intense cravings for blood that she could had to contend with alongside PTA meetings, after school activities and laundry. She may be a vampire but she is also a wife and mother.

No longer able to maintain her day job, Samantha became a private investigator. Her latest client is a mysterious defense attorney who wants her to find the person responsible for nearly assassinating him in broad daylight. Accepting the assignment leads her down the path of discovery - both for her client and herself. Are the answers worth her life? Samantha has no choice other than to find out. It's the private investigator in her.

Review:
Not only did I find this book to be enjoyable, it was a quick read that never lost my attention. So many books have explored the vampire genre that I am often times reluctant to pick them up. Not only did this book break out of the usual vampire mold, but it did so while maintaining and paying homage to some of the beloved aspects of the old school vampire mythology such as the blood drinking, daylight issues and possible death on various levels. The author's take on a fledgling vampire's "coming of age" was really refreshing as much as it was entertaining.

Given the life changing aspect of becoming a vampire, the author explores the various what-if questions that come with the transformation. Does one stop living their usual life the instant the change takes place? How does the change affect family and friends? These questions and more are asked and pondered throughout the novel. And while the answers are readily given, the main character is able to do a lot of internal reflection to find the answers which feel right within herself. That's something that anyone in this day and age can relate to on many levels.

With plenty of action, the story takes the reader from high to low and back again. To me, it was definitely a fun ride and possibly a guilty pleasure. If you're looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary in terms of the vampire mythology without crossing completely over, this is the book for you!

Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1) by J.R. Rain is available in either paperback or Kindle form. The paperback was originally released in April 2011 by Lulu.com publishing. Both forms are available for purchase at Amazon.com at the link below.
Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1) by J.R. Rain

Needle by Craig Jordan Goodman

Rating:  3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Being born and raised in New York, Craig Jordan Goodman had an advantage on all those dreamers who flocked to the city during the 1990s and early 2000s to make their dreams of stardom come true. He had the musical talent to make his music career dream a definitely reality until he began down the path of becoming heroin junky.

Alongside his good friend, Perry, Goodman follows the dope-bricked road as it leads him further and further into a world of desperation, sacrifice and near-deadly consequences. In his honest and brashly descriptive memoir, he admits his faults, insecurities, and poor decisions. As it was his friend who introduced him to the drug, Perry also helped to lead him away from an almost certain death.

Review:
I fined memoirs to be interesting, moving and often times, truly inspiring. This book fulfilled those qualities and then some as I dove into the world of a city and drug that I had absolutely no idea about. To me, the most refreshing quality of the book was the brash honesty that Goodman puts forth as he writes about everything in his life from his own hypocrisy in drug use, the rise and downfall of his music career and the levels at which he went in order to obtain his fix.

Although there were moments of clarity and amusement, the overall journey with heroin was an intensely dark one for the author. Most disturbing to me was the level of detachment that I felt the author had toward the end of the book. He was not only detached from the severity of his situation in any regard, but he appeared to be detached from any and all human interaction unless it was absolutely necessary. This was a complete 180 degree turn from the beginning of the book where he was closely tied to a wide circle of people. A harrowing portrait of how isolating drug use can become, the story of the author's life serves as a wake-up call to those who are ready to listen.

While I couldn't relate to much of what the author had been through in terms of the drug use and related consequences, the emotions stemming from the isolation and despair came across in such a way that anyone could have empathized with him. It's truly a remarkable turnaround to see that the author is now living the type of life is meant to life and doing something positive with his time and energy by giving abused and abandoned dogs a second chance. The proceeds from his book sales go to help fund programs to help eliminate animal cruelty and homelessness among animals. If you're looking for an honest depiction of life in the midst of addiction, this book gives a truly honest portrayal.

Needle by Craig Jordan Goodman is currently available in both paperback and Kindle form at Amazon.com. A portion of the proceeds does go to help end animal cruelty and homelessness. A sequel to the novel, Needle, is set to be released toward the end of the year. The book can be purchased at Amazon by clicking the link below.
Needle by Craig Jordan Goodman

Currently Reading

Oh, this past week and upcoming week are going to be pitiful in the books read department. I have to set aside more time to get more accomplished on the crochet project or else the kids at the local behavioral center won't have their hats and scarves on time. It pains me not to read a little bit each day so I have only been allowing myself a couple of hours to read during daylight hours. Most of the day has been spent turning balls of yarn into warm hats or scarves.

I can't really read the actual, physical books during the night as the light often disturbs my husband's sleep. But what's sleep when you're knee deep into a paranormal romance book? I mean, really! Unfortunately he brings home the paychecks so I have to be good and let him get some sleep. That's when I tend to read the ebooks. However, I've not been able to do that much either. So this week has only one read book in it. Next week doesn't look too promising unless I'm able to speed through the crochet. We'll just have to wait and see.

This week, I'm working my way through:
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Blood Flats by Edward Trimnell
Tantra by Adi
The Conditions of Love by Dale M. Kushner

The books on the completed shelf are:
The Suburban Abyss by Cathryn Grant


One of these days, I'm going to finish the top two on my list. I feel so bad for taking so long with them but I have to get the giveaway wins read and reviewed as well. So many books, so little time!!

What are you exciting to read this summer?

Until next time,
Kay

The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
While life in a small, rural town is often thought of as quiet and a pleasant way to spend one's last years, it is very often buried in complexity as one moment or event can impact others. The town of Roma, Kentucky is no different in that regard. When an eighth grade girl stumbles upon a dark, terrifying secret, she becomes fascinated with the find enough to keep it hidden from the townspeople.

But those kinds of secrets have a way of coming to light no matter how hard people try to keep them buried. After a series of seemingly unrelated events draws the attention of the authorities to the body, a whole set of characters are touched by the secret. With their beliefs challenged, each of them soon realize that their lives will never be the same. They have choices that must be made. 

Review:
Having won this book in a Goodreads.com giveaway, I could not wait to crack the book open once I got my hands on it. I have to say that it is definitely an engaging book, full of twists and turns that lead the reader right up to a conclusion that I honestly didn't see happening until it actually happened. I very much enjoyed the way the author introduced the cast of characters in the book. There were quite a lot of them that played major roles at different points in the story and minor, almost supporting roles in other areas.

It was interesting to see something as simple as a missing person story bloom into a rather intricate and scarily accurate depiction of small town life in certain parts of the book. That alone made me want to turn to the next page in order to see what other secrets were going to come out in the wake of all the upheaval as neighbor began to turn on neighbor.

There were many central characters in the story. I believe the author did a wonderful job of giving each one their own unique voice and distinct character flaws. They ranged from eighth grade adolescents trying to find themselves to middle aged married couples with doubts to old-time factory workers looking back at their lost youth. I believe it's the convincing mixture of the characters as they wove in and out of the central story that makes this book a really good read.

The air of mystery is maintained throughout the book although we're given glimpses of what happened or what could have happened through the thoughts of a few key players. At the same time, we're shown how the weight of everything begins to drag down family members, causing cracks in an otherwise strong foundation.

By the end of the book, we know the answers that we had been pondering all the way through. The consequences of the actions for each of the characters are also shown to us. The ripple effect upon the town continues long after all the t's have been crossed and i's have been dotted. If you're looking for a really good down home kind of mystery, this is definitely the book for you!

The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones is published by Touchstone Publishers and was released in February 2013. It's available everywhere in hardback, paperback, Kindle and audiobook forms wherever books are sold. The book can be purchased at Amazon.com at the link below.
The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

Trapped: A Novel of Terror by Jack Kilborn

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
In a last-ditch effort to create good memories before the closing of their behavioral center, Sara and Martin Randhurst packed up their latest charges and take them to a secluded, alledgedly uninhabited island for an overnight camping trip. Since the teens all come from the city's streets, a night in the country will be a huge change for them.

It also happens to be a last chance for Sara and Martin to work through their own marital problems that have been compounded by the center's loss of federal funding. What starts off as a fun-filled day begins to turn into something much more sinister as long buried secrets and monsters in the dark are forced out of their hiding places. It's a tale so full of horror and craziness that it's hard to be believed when told by the survivors - if there are any.

Review:
I literally could not stop reading this book after I began with the author's note. It intrigued me that the author chose to include both the edited and first draft versions of the story in the ebook or Kindle form. For a word nerd like me, that's kind of like getting two books for the price of one. I did end up reading both versions of the story but I am limiting my review to the edited version as it's the one most readers will encounter.

Right off the bat we're introduced to the horror of the story. The story only builds in the horror and creepy departments from that moment onward. I love the fact that the author included a variety of character backgrounds into the story. The author did a good job in differentiating the way the teens acted and the way the adults acted in the various scenarios in which they found themselves. Each one of the teens were giving a realistic backstory that wouldn't be hard to find within the population today so it made it believable in that aspect as well. The story moved like a well-oiled machine.

Once it picked up steam, there was no way to stop the ride until the very last sentence. I was kept guessing all the way through with all the sub-plots and interestingly connected layers that the author brought together. I honestly didn't see the end coming to a lot of the characters' journeys and that made me want to keep turning the page. In a way, everyone gets what they deserve in this book. Despite the sometimes gory descriptions, I wholeheartedly recommend this book if you're looking for a good what the *bleep* kind of book to get you through the night. Just remember to lock all of your doors before starting.

Trapped: A Novel of Terror by Jack Kilborn was first published in November 2010. It now is available in paperback, audio book and Kindle form and can be purchased at Amazon.com at the link below.
Trapped: A Novel of Terror by Jack Kilborn

Currently Reading

How come it's easier to whip through ebooks than real books? Oh, I know! Because I'm up all hours of the night and can't turn on the bedside lamp without waking up the hubby. Still, I manage to get through a few books, including two of the books I won through Goodreads giveaways. Plenty more to be read are sitting beside me, however. I need to get my read on!

This week I'm reading:
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Blood Flats by Edward Trimnell
The Suburban Abyss: A Novel by Cathryn Grant
Tantra by Adi

Books that I've finished include:
Last Train to Omaha by Ann Whitely-Gillen
Unseen by John Michael Hileman
A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener

If you're staying indoors due to the heat (or cold depending on where you in the world you are), what books are you hoping to tackle this coming week?

Until next time,
Kay