Blood Magic by Jennifer Lyon

Don't pay any attention to the amount of time it took me to read this book. I've been really busy lately.

  I love going to my mom's house as she quite frequently sends me home with something new to read. Last time, it was this book and some Heather Grahams. I have never read anything by Jennifer under this pseudonym; I have previously known her by the name Jennifer Apodaca, author of the Samantha Shaw Mystery Series. (Which I love)

  I was a little iffy when my mom tried to pimp the story to me. It's about witches and demons and slayers and sex magic. And I was like "Ohh boy". I'm not usually into fantasy-type stories (ohh they call it paranormal romance), that said- some of my favorite stories are fantasy; ie. The Lord of the Rings, The Mists of Avalon, The Winter of the World Trilogy, and The Circle Trilogy. Hey, I like sequels and guess what? THIS ONE HAS ONE.


  Blood Magic is about a young woman who learns she that she is a witch and people want to kill her for it. There are a small handful of men who know what she is, and are sworn to help her, but they have an "itch" to kill her too. On top of all this, she has a week to master her newly found powers and cure a sweet little girl of a deadly curse. And then there is love and trust issues.

  If I had to make one complaint, it would be the cheesy love scenes, or more the dialog therein. Sex scenes in books never work for me because I get caught up on the "nobody says that" !!! When's the last time anyone said they wanted to "touch your sweet desire??" Really. Girls, you will never, ever have a man say that to you because straight men don't talk or think that way. And when you go from thought processes like that to "balls slapping", it just doesn't work for me.

  I just had to get that off my chest because it seems all romance books write that crap. A good book draws you in and you're no longer a spectator, but a participant, and nothing sucks more than suddenly being thrust back into the audience when your mind rebels to a campy line and screams "Who says that?"

  That said, I really, really liked this book and I can't wait to read the next one. This should prove to be a series that has at least 4 to 5 books total, I think, based on the character formula she has set up. I'm going to have to raid my mom's book piles (can you believe she doesn't really have a functioning book shelf???) and see if she's got the next one, Soul Magic.

Happy Reading!

Breathless by Dean Koontz

I am a little apprehensive about this book. The back synopsis makes me hopeful of an epic thriller like Strangers, but then I see that it's only getting 3 1/2 stars and the little voice in my head says, "Ehhh, here we go again." I wouldn't even be reading it now if it weren't for a coworker who offered it to me knowing that I'll finish it long before she gets a chance to start it.....

..... Despite what I said, I really, really wanted to come back and say that this was a phenomenal book. It wasn't. I really don't think that there was a single new idea in the whole story. The same old formula... There was a super dog, something not of this world, a psychopathic killer, a man making amends, a girl fighting her past, and, of course, I think someone's falling in love.

This story didn't work for me. It bounced around too much to allow the reader to form any bonds to even one of the characters and it was hard to keep certain characters straight. And the ending was a half-assed attempt to tie it all up.

Strangers worked so well because the layout of the story gave the reader time to truly know each character; each was unique and well written, and had a purpose. When they finally all came together it was thought out and well executed. Not so in...... Breathless. (Wow, I had to think of the name. Then I was like, "why did they call it that?" Ohhhhh.... that's lame!)

The Seance by Heather Graham

"A chill falls over Christina Hardy's housewarming party when talk turns to a recent murder that has all the hallmarks of the so-called "Interstate-Killer" murders from fifteen years before. To lighten the mood, the guests drag out an old Ouija board for a little spooky fun . . . and that's when things become truly terrifying.

Summoned by the Ouija board, the restless spirit of Beau Kidd, the lead detective -- and chief suspect -- on the original case, seeks Christina's help: the latest killings aren't copycat crimes, and he wants his name cleared. Back in the real world, cop-turned-writer Jett Braden is skeptical of Christina's ghostly encounters, but his police sources confirm all the intimate details of the case -- her otherworldly source is reliable, and the body count is growing.

The spirits are right. The Interstate Killer is still out there, and Christina's life is hanging in the balance between this world and the next." ~ back cover synopsis

*  *  *

The third page had me laughing out loud, by the fourth I was tearing up and, soon thereafter, flat out crying.

This is the perfect mix of ghost story meets murder/mystery. It was action packed and tender in all the right places. I totally thought I had it figured out, from early on. Then, at the last minute, I thought it was someone else... And STILL had it wrong!

 I love, love, love Heather Graham!

Check it out at Amazon.com !!

Happy Reading!

The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall

When I got the idea for this blog, I kind of thought I wouldn't go back and do books I've read in the past but in posting a recent rant about books and movies to my other blog, I can't help thinking that this is really an exception. Usually I am horribly disappointed in the screen adaptation of books and prehaps this is an exception because I read the book after I saw the movie. Maybe this is simply an example of a really crappy book made into a really phenomenal movie.

If you have seen the movie The Ultimate Gift, stop there. This is a really heartwarming story that follows a careless, well-to-do young man as he reluctantly tries to fulfill the terms of a will so that he can claim his inheritance. He has twelve tasks to complete before he can claim the prize which turn out to twelve steps to becoming a better person. I laughed, I cried, and when it was all over... I truly did want to be a better person.

The book tells the same tale, but through the eyes of the lawyer who executes the will, doling out the tasks step by step, and determining whether the heir has met the terms outlined in the will. The problem I had with the book is that the lawyer, of course, doesn't experience each task but merely consults with the youth as he comes to check in at the end of each mission. The book is dry and lacks the depth and feeling of the movie.

If you really must have the full experience, I would recommend reading the book first as to lessen the let down when comparing the two. So often you'll look to the book to lend deeper meaning and insight than the movie can give... That just isn't the case here.

Apparently many people don't agree with me. You can go to The Ultimate Gift website and order your own Ultimate Gift experience. It sounds like a kind of neat thing...

Tis the season to think about others and reassess ourselves. This is a great movie to get you going in the right dirrection. And you can always use the book if you run out of wrapping paper.

Joshilyn Jackson's Next Release!!

I  LOVE Joshilyn! My mom just emailed me the info last week! I can't hardly wait!

Backseat Saints will be out June 2010!

Visit Joshilyn's site!!

Just Getting Started

I am notorious for having a bad memory. I can never remember titles, authors, plots, or character names. Maybe this is because I usually plow through my reading at ungodly speeds and staying up late just to finish. My reading patterns come and go, but in a good stint I have been known to read 6 to 8 books a week. When I finish a book I like, I put it back on the shelf and know that in 6 months I can go back and read it again and it is sometimes like a whole new story! Maybe if I keep a little journal I will remember the stories a little better. Maybe I'll be able to stear someone to a good book or author, or warn you away from the not-so-worth-while ones.

Maybe someone will recommend new ones to me!!

Anyway, it is what it is. Feed back is always welcome!!