Guilty Pleasures-Laurell K. Hamilton ( May 2011)

This is my 2nd book for May 2011.  It is Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton.  This is the 1st book of a siries called Anita Blake Vampire Hunter.  The series takes place in a parallel fantasy world where vampires, shape shifters, werewolves, faeries, etc. exist. Her night job, and primary source of income, is the legal profession of re-animating the dead. As an "Animator" in a parallel St. Louis, her job entails using magical abilities to bring temporary life to dead bodies in order to question them for legal purposes. She is a necromancer, which allows her to control the dead, including vampires and zombies, but not ghosts and ghouls. She is also a licensed vampire hunter/executioner, with eventual empowerment as a Federal Marshal. In her world this profession involves tracking down and killing vampires who have murdered humans. She is also held in retainer for the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team (RPIT, pronounced Rip-it), which investigates supernatural crimes committed involving magic, vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures.
A strong protagonist in the series, Blake is very direct, flippant, and highly competent in the professions she is involved in. She is trained in judo, kenpo and knows how to use several weapons, but is most efficient with guns (as the series begins, the Browning Hi-Power is her carry gun of choice, though later in the series she switches to the Browning BDM). She is also a devout Christian which often creates moral dilemmas for the character. She is currently of the Episcopalian faith, having left Catholicism since the Catholic Church has excommunicated all animators. She is of mixed heritage, her mother having been Mexican and her father's family German.  Loved the book starting on the 2nd Book soon.  4 out of 5 great reading and looking forward to learning more about her.

May 2011 Dead Reckoning By Charlaine Harris ( Spoiler Alert)

 I have not had much time to read in the last couple months but I got back in it and started May off with a bang.  :)

This is the 11th Book in a Sires called The Sookie Stakckhouse Novels AKA True Blood.  This book was no let down I loved it just as much as the rest.  I am a die hard Eric fan so at one point I wanted to throw my book at something In this book Sookie learns more about her fairy side.  She also has more Sups trying to kill her.  She finds a way to break her bond to Eric. ( Does she do it?) Im not telling.  Eric leaves her.  Why? Im not telling. And the new top dog in Louisiana Victor is no longer a problem. Oh what happened? Im not saying.  If I give you all the details you want read it lol.  This was a great book but like the rest it was to short and left me wanting more so I here I go waiting another year for book 12 so I can see what is next.  Oh well at least June 26th Season 4 of True Blood is on HBO :)  Until next time good reading peeps. Book easy 4 out 5 but only because I have to wait a year to get some more of the story.... LOL

February Read.....

One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1) 

One for the Money was the only book I was able to read during my very very busy month of February.

It is the 1st of so far 15 books. It is about a Jersey Girl  who once was a buyer turned Bounty Hunter.

All in all it was an ok read.  3 out 5

 

Remember Me? By: Sophie Kinsella

Book #3 of 2011 and #3 for January.  #3 was Remember Me?  By: Sophie Kinsella.  January has been a great month of reading.  This book was a could not put down. Can you imagin waking up one morning to find out you have forgotten the last 3 years of your life?  Well in this page turner Lexi does just that.  Through out the book she is struggling to find out who she was and what she finds she may not like.  Waking up thinking your single and poor to find out you have gotten married and became rich.  Yes Lexi does this.  You must read it to find out what all she finds out about herslef and who she had become in 3 short years.

The Pact ( A Love Story)- By: Jodi Picoult

The Pact ( A Love Story) By Jodi Picoult was my 2nd book of 2011 and my 2nd Book for January.  I finished this one in 2 days also.  It was a great read and leaves me wanting more of Jodi's writing.

 Jodi Picoult opens THE PACT with a bang, whose reverbrations are felt throughout the entire book. One could easily acquire whiplash of the fingertips, reading at a steady pace to try to discover what was behind the so-called pact that Chris & Emily made. Emily is dead, so only Chris can answer that, & why is he so reluctant to tell the true story?

How many of us have experienced a love such as the one these youngsters share, & why would they choose to end it rather than continue sharing it? Growing up in comfortable middle class families, Chris & Emily have been together literally since birth, & as is pointed out, have lived almost as Siamese twins until they matured enough to begin dating. The dead Emily is almost deified by her family, but who knew what really went on in her sensitive, artistic mind? The live but physically & emotionally wounded survivor, Chris, is suspect. Charged with Emily's murder, he is instructed by his hot-shot lawyer to tell no one the 'truth', not even him.
By examining numerous moral issues - truth, honesty, the law, the sanctity of marriage, abortion, the gifts of life & death - to list a few, Picoult gives us enough fuel to feed a literary discussion for years. There are never tidy answers for the questions these topics raise - only more questions, opinions, & no one is ever 'right' or 'wrong'. One thing is certain: the thoroughly stimulated reader will not put this book down without knowing its characters very well, or having some opinions of his own.
Will "the truth set him free"? Or is he telling the truth?  You will just have to read it to find out.

January 2011

Change Of Heart By: Jodi Picoult

   January Reading 
This was my first book for 2011.   It was picked to be our book club book of the month and I finished it in 2 days.  It is a heart warming story of faith, love, grief and a multitude of emotions.  Jodi couldn't have done better if she tried.  If you are emotional person like me you will tissue off and on through out the book.  Your main characters are June, A grief stricken Widow and mother who has a life of lose of love and heartache.  Michael, starting out as a Math manager in college turns Priest after serving on the jury on a death penalty case.  Lucius, A gay prison inmate that is severing life for killing his partner for cheating on him.  Maggie, A Jewish community lawyer with low self esteem looking for passion in work and relationships.  All of these lives are brought together by one man who will turn their lives on their heads and cause them to question their faith in all aspects of their lives.  Some seem to think he is a triple murder of his step father a cop and the cops young step daughter.  Some the messiah who goes by the name of Shay Bourne.  Shay is serving time on death row and awaiting his execution day with only one request.  It is not to be saved but to be hung so he can save his heart and give it to a young girl dieing of a heart condition named Claire who happens to be the little sister and daughter of the Child and cop that was killed.  I give this book a 4.5 out 5 ....If I read a million books in 2011 this one will be hard to top.