Book Through Thursday: Oh, Horror!

What with yesterday being Halloween, and all . . . do you read horror? Stories of things that go bump in the night and keep you from sleeping?

Anjin and I ventured out to a local restaurant last night at the nearby plaza. A stage had been set up in the quad area, and there were children in various costumes running about. My favorite was the little girl of about four in a kimono who had to stop every few steps to do the twist. Maybe not really the twist, but what looked like her version of it. A miniature Winnie the Pooh made several passes by our table, usually not on his own two feet. There was also a little Strawberry Shortcake who brought back memories of days gone by.

As we were leaving the restaurant and crossing through the quad, the winners of the costume contest were being announced. Everyone was a winner. That brought to mind the costume contest I once entered when I was a child. There had been winners and runner ups back then. Those were the days when everyone was not a winner. Hey! I'm actually of an age now where I can annoy young 'uns by saying "Back in my day . . . !" Is that really a good thing?

Where was I? Oh, Halloween, yes. Being as it is just my husband and I and our sometimes rambunctious animals who will not tolerate costumes, Halloween is pretty much just another day for us. Wake up with the alarm, groan and moan and remind the cat what the meaning of nine minutes of snoozing really is supposed to be about, and finally to wake up and drag myself through the steps of getting ready for work. Of course, I completely forgot the Halloween candy sitting in the chair by the kitchen door. The candy I was supposed to bring for the afternoon potluck. Oh well. I managed to remember to take it today. Just what everyone needs too. They all are bringing their leftover candy to work so they will not be tempted to scarf it all during a moment of weakness. I am not sure bringing the candy to the office where we all spend the entire day really helps. What if Susie over there brings something rather tasty? Cee sure was going after those whoppers I brought in. Too many bowls of candy lying around does not help one's diet.

Halloween was not completely an average day. There was the office potluck and the pumpkin carving contest. Other than that, it was business as usual. I started singing Christmas carols towards the end of the day to drive my coworkers mad. It could have been worse. I could have danced down the aisles.

I suppose I should answer the question, shouldn't I? Do I read horror? Yes, actually I do. I am not a huge fan of the slasher, gory type horror, but I do love a good psychological thriller.

I decided a couple of years ago that I needed to read some of Stephen King's books and a few by Dean Koontz just to see what the fuss was about. While I doubt I will read all of King's books, I do plan to read a few more than just the two I have read so far.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's books have been labeled as horror by some (I tend to think of them more as thrillers), and the three I have read by them, I really enjoyed. Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series was a favorite of mine for a while there. Does that count as horror? The Witching Hour by Anne Rice is one of my favorite horror novels. I know not everyone likes Anne Rice's writing style, but I am really drawn to her books. I have only read a handful, but I would like to read more of her books eventually (if I had a quarter for everytime I said that, eh?).

I enjoy subtle creepiness like the kind in Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian and Bram Stoker's Dracula. John Harwood's The Ghost Writer is probably one of my favorite ghost stories. A gasp, sitting on the edge of my seat or pacing the room, are all reactions I welcome when I read a book that offers up a taste of fear or suspense.

Horror novels themselves do not keep me from sleeping at night. I have no compunction about reading them before bedtime. It is not unusual for whatever book I have been reading, regardless of type, to seep into my dreams at night, however. Perhaps if I lived alone I might be more affected by a horror novel. Fortunately, that is not the case and so I can read to my heart's content.

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I thought about asking you about whether you were participating in NaNoWriMo, but I asked that last year. Although . . . if you want to answer that one, too, please feel free to go ahead and do both, or either, your choice!

I told my husband over dinner last night that I had started writing a book. When I say that, I mean it very loosely. I am not really writing a book. Well, maybe eventually it will turn into one, but probably not. That is not my goal at this point in time anyway. He told me that I was not supposed to start until the next day, the start of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). While I may not be participating in NaNoWriMo, Anjin surprised me by saying he is giving it a try. Unofficially. I have not grilled him yet on what he has in mind, but I sure want to!

Cows, Chickens & Bees: Karen E. Olson On Tour

When I began this blog at my husband's urging, I figured I would be lucky if anyone other than my husband would read anything I blogged about. I never expected that anyone would ever really take an interest in what I had to say, and yet here you are. I truly do appreciate you taking the time to stop in and visit, whether you do it regularly, once or twice now and then, or even just this once. I consider you to be a part of my blogging family.

I love to talk about and discuss books. And I most especially like to sing the praises of books and authors I enjoy, sharing them with other readers who might be interested. And so I was ecstatic when author Karen E. Olson first approached me about being a part of her virtual book tour. My first thought was she must be crazy. She couldn't really be asking me, could she? The person who stands behind her husband and encourages him to do all the talking when we come face to face with an author? The woman who stares dumbly and mumbles something unintelligible when asking for an autograph? Really? Once I got over my disbelief, I was thrilled. I walked down the aisles and halls at work grinning from ear to ear.

It was not just because any author asked me to be a part of her tour. It was Karen E. Olson. This is a woman who has impressed me on two levels, both professionally and personally. I thought her first book, Sacred Cows, was terrific and have been tooting its horn ever since. There was no doubt at all in my mind that I accept her invitation.

Karen will be a guest on my blog on November 7th, just a day after the release of her third Annie Seymour, crime reporter, mystery novel, Dead of the Day. I am very much looking forward to this event and hope you will stop in and say hello. I will be posting reviews of both Secondhand Smoke and Dead of the Day that week as well. Karen will be making several other appearances on her virtual tour between November 5th through the 11th. I hope you will join me in visiting her many stops along the way.

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson
William Morrow, 2008 (ARE)
Mystery; 372 pgs

Completed: 10/28/2007
Rating: (Very Good)

First Sentence: She might have been staring out to sea, at the blurred line where the gray water meets the gray sky.

Reason for Reading: I requested to preview this book through Harper Collins First Look Program. It sounded like something I would enjoy reading. This is my second selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: I love it when I discover an author whose book I am reading makes me want to rush out and buy every single book the author has written. From the very beginning, I was swept up into Robinson’s world, feeling very much like I was in the thick of the investigations into two brutal murders. One being the murder of a paraplegic woman whose throat had been slit and was left to bleed to death out on a cliff overlooking the sea. The second murder involved the vicious rape and murder of a young college student who only that night had been out clubbing with her friends.

Detective Annie Cabbot and her team in Whitby must sift through the past to uncover a motive of why someone would want to kill Karen Drew, a woman confined to a wheelchair and unable to communicate. The victim herself is not at first who she appears to be. Meanwhile, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks back in Eastvale, North Yorkshire leads the investigation into the death of nineteen-year-old Hayley Daniels, digging deeper into her life and friendships. The two cases could not be more different, and yet, when another body is discovered not far from where Hayley Daniels had been raped and murdered, there are too many coincidences to ignore.

As the sort of series reader who prefers to read series books in order, I always feel like I am missing a little something by way of back story when I start a series in the middle, or in the case, with the most recent book published (or soon to be as the case may be). That isn’t to say that Peter Robinson did not fill in the blanks—he certainly did do that. I think anyone who starts with this book will feel no sense of loss in that regard, although if you are like me, you will want to go back and dig a little deeper.

I was quite charmed by the character of Alan Banks, and enjoyed reading about him in action. He always seemed to have a handle on the situation even when at loose ends. He was generally calm and obviously intelligent and skilled at his job. His need to relax to music was something I could relate to. More than once I have turned up the radio on my way home after an especially difficult day at work, letting the music wash over me. I quickly related to Annie Cabbot, obviously talented in her field, but also someone that was struggling with personal issues that were a result of her own insecurities and past hurts. I wished I could reach through the pages and give her a big hug on a couple of occasions. There were several other, more minor characters that were easy to like, and who I enjoyed getting to know. I look forward to going back and getting to know them even better in the earlier books of the series.

Friend of a Devil is riveting and suspenseful novel that only becomes more interesting with each turned page. Not only did I feel like I was along for the ride in the investigations, but Mr. Robinson also made me feel right at home both on the seaside in Whitby and in the town of Eastvale. His use of pop culture and ability to step into the psyche of his characters made it all the more alive in my mind. This is a very well written mystery novel, and I am definitely hooked.

Favorite Part: The author did an excellent job of balancing the main mystery story line with the personal side stories. I got to know many of the characters very well as I read the novel and came to care about them. The crime investigations themselves were fascinating to see unfold. I guessed one major piece of the puzzle about half way through, the final piece, but that did not hurt my enjoyment of the novel at all. It rarely does. How it all comes together is what I am drawn to the most.

Visit the author's website for more information about his books.

Miscellaneous: I hesitated before posting this review now. The book will not be released until after the first of the year, but two reasons compelled me to do so. The main one being that it’s been awhile since I last posted an actual book review and the other simply because I can’t keep mum about this great book. You may not be able to rush out and read this one, but you can perhaps try some of the earlier books in the series.

The cover above is not the same one one my copy. I actually like the cover I have better, but I could not find it online to share with you.

Friday Fill In #5

1. The last good thing that came in the mail was books!

2. This week I'm grateful for so much! With the fires raging through the state, I am grateful that not only I, but my family too, have been kept out of harm's way. I am grateful that my friends are safe. I am grateful for all the firefighters, volunteers and rescue workers who have and continue to labor long and hard to fight these fires.

3. White Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Cheesecake is the most delicious thing ever.

4. Selflessness inspires me.

5. I'm most happy when I wake up on a Saturday or Sunday, with the entire day ahead of me. I can snuggle under the covers for as long as the animals will let me, wake up early and spend a few quiet moments to myself, and spend the day just about however I want with my husband and my cat and dog by my side.

6. And all the roads we have to walk along are bumpy with potholes, hills, and rocks to stumble upon, but it is that journey across these roads that make us stronger and better people.

7. As for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to kicking up my feet and staying indoors and out of the smoky air, tomorrow my plans include something I have not quite decided on, and Sunday, I want to see a clear blue sky!

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Jaimie from Bell Literary Reflections is such a kind soul. I always look forward to her visits to my blog and very much enjoy my visits to her blog. And so I feel honored that she would nominate me for the Community Blogger Award. Her kind words made me blush! Many thanks, Jaimie. It is no wonder you were given this award as well.

Booking Through Thursday: Read With Abandon

Today’s suggestion is from Cereal Box Reader

I would enjoy reading a meme about people’s abandoned books. The books that you start but don’t finish say as much about you as the ones you actually read, sometimes because of the books themselves or because of the circumstances that prevent you from finishing. So . . . what books have you abandoned and why?

It is not often I abandon a book. More often than not, if I do, it is with the intention of one day going back to read that book. The books I do abandon with no intention of picking up again are few and far between. In order for a book to be banished from my ever-to-be-read pile, the book likely failed to interest me. I only ever give up on a book when I do not care about the characters or what happens next. I will not even bother to read the end because, frankly, I don't care. These are usually books that I find utterly boring for whatever reason. The writing, the story, the subject matter, or the characters . . . In these instances, I am unable to connect with the story or the characters, and I make the decision not to force the issue.

Sometimes I will start a book that I find boring after awhile, but I know I might like it at a different moment in my life--those are the books that go back on my shelf for a possible reading later. With so many books in my TBR collection, however, I have not had much of a chance to return to those unread books.

I have read books that get off to a slow start or may have boring patches that I do continue reading, and in these cases it's simply because I do care about a character and what might happen next. And for the record, let me clarify that slow and boring do not mean the same thing to me. Boring is something I am uninterested in. Slow just means that it is taking me a little longer to move forward in a book, through the text, than I might prefer. Being slow works well for some books and is a necessary effect. Some of my favorite books were books that required me to slow down, savor and read more carefully. Other books are meant to be inhaled and gulped down quickly.

I have no qualms about giving up on a book if it isn't capturing my attention the way I expect it to. However, I do not so easily give up on a book just because it may not get off to the best start. There have been too many instances where I end up being glad I took a chance and kept reading and hardly any when I have wished I had not wasted my time.