BOOK RATING

TITLE -A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

Marcia Willett is just an awesome writer! This is the second book I've read of hers and I didn't want either book to end. I can't wait to read the next one! If you love Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, you've got to read Marcia Willett. Start with First Friends and then read this one.

QUOTE FROM A BOOK

"TO ME, FAIR FRIEND, YOU NEVER CAN BE OLD...FOR AS YOU WERE WHEN FIRST YOUR EYE I EYED, SUCH SEEMS YOUR BEAUTY STILL"

TITLE - A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE HOUNDS OF ARDAGH
AUTHOR - LAURA J. UNDERWOOD

ON SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10

=

10

The Editor and I met Ms. Underwood in Memphis at a Science Fiction Convention and then talked with her again in Tulsa. I bought three of her books in Tulsa. This is the first one I've read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Full of mages, ghosts, demons, etc. I e-mailed her after I finished it and she replied saying that she is working on a sequel. I'm excited!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - DEAD AND GONE
AUTHOR - CHARLAINE HARRIS

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This is the ninth book in the "Sookie Stackhouse" series and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved it. I especially liked that the whole book was set in Bon Temps (I'm not sure that's spelled right) and Ms. Harris didn't add a bunch of new characters. It was like coming home to an old friend. The series based on these novels "True Blood" starts in one week and I can't wait.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - OVER THE EDGE
AUTHOR - JONATHAN KELLERMAN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This was Kellerman's third book and is the third in his Alex Delaware series. I'm reading them in order and this one was better than the other two. He seemed to really come into his own with this book. It really held my interest. It was written well and I'm looking forward to his next book which is not in the Alex Delaware series. It's a stand alone and I'm really curious to see what it's like.

OH, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND NOW, I THINK!

So about a month ago, I saw this video by “Peter Bjorn and John” called “Nothing to Worry About” and I just thought it was like one of the craziest videos I'd ever seen. I couldn't really figure out what was going on so I showed the video to The Editor and he too was just bewildered. Today, on my lunch hour, I was outside reading my current book. Over the Edge by Jonathan Kellerman. The following is a quote from the book that I think must explain the video The Editor and I viewed.
Watch the video and then read the quote. What do you think?




“Last year, when I was in Tokyo, I saw an exhibition of street dancing by these Japanese youth gangs that dress up like fifties greasers. They're called zoku - tribes. There are several rival groups, and each one stakes out its own turf in Yoyogi Park on Sunday afternoon. They come on like hoods in black leather, sneering and posturing, set down ghetto blasters with cassette decks and dance to Buddy Holly tapes. It shocks the older generation, which, of course, is the whole idea. But if you look closely, you can see that there's nothing spontaneous about any of it. All the dances – every movement and gesture – are rigidly choreographed. Every gang's got its set routine. No deviation, not a trace of individuality. They've turned rebellion into a Shinto ritual.”

I GOT THE MOTTS!

I forget that the Editor is so much younger than me sometimes. He doesn't know what I mean when I say "I got the Motts" because he doesn't remember the commercials. When I was a kid, Motts ran this series of commercials where children would trade things for Motts applesauce. So when I get something valuable (like directions to somewhere we're going, or tickets, etc.) I always say -- I Got the Motts. Do you guys remember this commercial?

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE BRAMBLE BUSH
AUTHOR - CHARLES MERGENDAHL

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This book was written in 1958. This book had so many twists and turns.....it shoved me to the left.....it shoved me to the right....finally, at the end of the book, it spit me out. It was about a small town -- skeletons in closets. I didn't think at first I was gonna like it but Charles Mergendahl's writing drew me in. It was like watching a train wreck...I really didn't wanna keep going but I couldn't stop.

I wanted to think about the book a bit before leaving a book rating. Here's what I've decided. The same kind of life changes that happen now happened in the 50's...it's just that back then, they were not accepted in society and nobody talked about it. This book had everything in it....love, hate, jealousy, pornography, lust, adultery, etc. I wouldn't want to read this book again....it wore me out.....but I'm really glad I read it.

QUOTE FROM A BOOK

TITLE - THE BEST OF THE BUBBAS OF THE APOCALYPSE
AUTHOR - SEVERAL AUTHORS (SHORT STORIES)

"Cousin Merv got towed off fer sleepin' with cousin Yerlin. Never did understand why she didn' have ta go ta jail, too. Jim Bob said it had somethin' ta do with her bein' sixteen an' underage.
Till then I didn' know there was an age limit on sleepin' with yer cousin."

EXCERPT FROM A BOOK

TITLE - THE BRAMBLE BUSH
AUTHOR - CHARLES MERGENDAHL

There was no point in arguing with his wife. She had lived her entire life by the stars – had even married him because her horoscope had convinced her he was the right man. That had been years ago now, and he'd been the wrong man all the time. Everyone said he'd married her for her money. No one knew it had been her decision, and a wrong one, and someday her horoscope would prove it to her. Then she'd probably leave him penniless – a crippled old man who had been made wealthy, then poor again, all by the sign of Scorpio.

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - SMART WOMEN

AUTHOR - JUDY BLUME

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

6

This was a hard read for me. I didn't like this book until the last chapter. I was determined to finish it and I did like the ending. This was the third of the three adult books she has written. I reviewed the other two earlier on this blog. The first one, Summer Sisters, I loved. The second, Wifey, I really disliked. So I read this one in the hopes that it would be more like Summer Sisters. Alas, it was not. A book about women who have gone through divorce, are dating, and the effects their actions have on their children. I wouldn't want to read this book again.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - REVAMPED

AUTHOR - J. F. LEWIS

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

8

This was the second in a series. I enjoyed reading it. Loved the Mustang "Fang" that turned into a vampire. Fang would drive over animals and people....eat them while they were under him and deposit the bones in the trunk. he he he

QUOTES FROM A BOOK

TITLE - REVAMPED

AUTHOR - J. F. LEWIS

This is the second in a series about a Vampire named Eric. In this book, Eric's Mustang becomes a vampire. The Mustang's name is "Fang" and below are two bits from the book that I found pretty funny:

When Fang ran over a possum and it didn't come out the other side, I actually laughed.

Was I the only one in the world who had ever eaten an animal cracker feetfirst because it would theoretically hurt more?

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - WISH COME TRUE

AUTHOR - EILEEN GOUDGE

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

This was the third in a trilogy. I usually love her books but I didn't like this one as much. But I think it's because the relationship between the two sisters in the book reminded me of the relationship between me and my mother. Anybody else probably would have really enjoyed the book.

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - BLOOD TEST

AUTHOR - JONATHAN KELLERMAN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THRU 10:

8

This is Kellerman's second book. It was good. I'm not warming up to the lead character, Alex, like I did Faye Kellerman's characters in her series of books. But it was good and I'll read more of his books.

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - STAKED

AUTHOR - J. F. LEWIS

ON A SCALE OF 1 THRU 10 :

10

This is the first in a series from J. F. Lewis. The Editor and I met him at MidSouthCon in Memphis a month or so back. Nice guy. I really enjoyed the book. It's about a Vampire who owns a Strip Club. It's action packed. Not as funny as Charlaine Harris' vampire books. Lots of blood, etc.....I guess it's more how I think vampires would really act. I'm looking forward to the second in the series and I'll be reading it soon.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

TITLE - STAKED

AUTHOR - J. F. LEWIS

In the end, a friendship between a vampire and a human is like a friendship beween a dog and a chicken nugget. Sooner or later, the nugget is going to get eaten; the only real question is how may bites it will take.

The Editor and I met J. F. Lewis at MidSouthCon (the science fiction convention) in Memphis. This is his first book. I've just started reading it. Started out with a bang and is keeping my interest so far.

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - FIRST FRIENDS

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This book was good from the first sentence right through the last sentence. I didn't want to put it down and when I did have to put it down, I thought about the characters and wondered what was going to happen to them as if they were real. Love it with I find a new author. She's right up there with Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

TITLE - FIRST FRIENDS

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

QUOTE:

LOVE AND A COUGH CANNOT BE HID

QUOTE FROM A BOOK

TITLE - FIRST FRIENDS

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

"It would have been so much easier if Mark had been unfaithful to me or beat me up. Mental cruelty is so insidious. How do you explain to people what it's like to live with someone who chips away at your confidence, puts you down in public? It's so difficult to verbalize without sounding like a wimp. Eleven years of small, unrelated incidents calculated to keep you in your place. I realize now that Mark worked on the Gamesmanship principle – if you're not one up you're one down."

Sadistic Mama's Boy wasn't named Mark but Mark in First Friends really reminds me of him. The quote above from Marcia Willett's book explains to a tee what it was like being married to SMB....well, except I'm pretty sure he was unfaithful to me. At least, he tried with all my female friends but got turned down. I've always said, if he had to cheat on me, he shouldn't have tried in his own backyard!!!! For me, it was twelve years of small, unrelated incidents. I was lucky and got out of that marriage. I'm only halfway through First Friends but it looks like Kate (Mark's wife in the book) is gonna get out also! YAY FOR HAPPY ENDINGS!