December's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. December's Book of the Month is: 

Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity by John Glatt

Published as: Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity in May 1999

Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime

Birth Name: John Glatt

Born: in London, England

Canonical Name: John Glatt

Pseudonyms: None

Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity by John Glatt was the sixty-eighth book that I read in 2011. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since December 16, 2011 and it took me two days to read. This book is definitely a keeper for me!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

December's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. December's Book of the Month is: 

Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity by John Glatt

Published as: Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity in May 1999

Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime

Birth Name: John Glatt

Born: London, England

Canonical Name: John Glatt

Pseudonyms: None

Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity by John Glatt was the sixty-eighth book that I read in 2011. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since December 16, 2011 and it took me two days to read. This book is definitely a keeper for me!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Danielle Steel - Full Circle

71. Full Circle by Danielle Steel (1984)
Length: 323 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 28 December 2011
Finished: 31 December 2011
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 February 2011
Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.


Tana Roberts comes of age during the turbulent times of the '60s. She begins a journey which will lead her from New York to the South during the height of racial tensions. A thoroughly modern young woman, Tana desires everything that life has to offer. Most of all, she wants a career and is willing to sacrifice anything to get it. It's not until much later in her life that Tana discovers she can have it all - love, career and peace of mind as life for her comes full circle.


I did enjoy this book but like many of Danielle Steel's books that I've read lately, I found that the story line was a little far-fetched at times. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows for the characters. I give this story a B+!


B+! - (89-94%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Norah Lofts - Gad's Hall

70. Gad's Hall by Norah Lofts (1977)
Gad's Hall Series Book 1
Length: 282 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 24 December 2011
Finished: 28 December 2011
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 December 2011
Why do I have it? I like Norah Lofts as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

The women of Gad's Hall have kept an unutterable secret safe for a century; now, one hundred years later, the repercussions of that secret come to light in the present, and affect the current occupants. I had read this book and its sequel about ten years ago but had totally forgotten the plot. However, I believe that the first book is probably better then the sequel. I give this book an A+!


A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

J. D. Christilian - Scarlet Women

69. Scarlet Women by J. D. Christilian (1996)
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Started: 19 December 2011
Finished: 24 December 2011
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 February 2011
Why do I have it? I enjoy historical mysteries and J. D. Christilian is a new author for me.


When the young wife of a prominent attorney goes missing in 19th-century New York, he hires the police's best investigator Harp to find her. Found in a warehouse sometime later dressed in the missing woman's velvet ball gown is a prostitute who has had her throat cut. Harp must discover who the prostitute is, why she is dressed in a ball gown and where the attorney's wife has gone. Along the way, Harp must talk to the demi-monde of society, criminals and must deal with the police themselves who don't want the case solved.


I really enjoyed this book. It had a very good plot and I give it an A! 


A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

John Glatt - Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity

68. Evil Twins: Chilling True Stories of Twins, Killing and Insanity by John Glatt (1999)
Length: 288 pages
Genre: True Crime
Started: 17 December 2011
Finished: 19 December 2011
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 December 2011
Why do I have it? I like true crime but had never heard of any of these cases before.


There are many studies involving the separation of twins at birth where they grow up to live astonishingly different lives. However there are true cases where, if one twin turns out "bad", the other will follow them down the same destructive path. This book is a compilation of twins committing evil acts against others or each other as jealousy and anger spark seemingly from the womb. I have to say that I enjoyed this book as I had never heard of any of these cases, so I give the book A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

A. J. Gallant - Madman in the Mirror

67. Madman in the Mirror by A. J. Gallant (2001)
Length: 230 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 16 December 2011
Finished: 17 December 2011
Where did it come from? Many thanks to A. J. for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 December 2011
Why do I have it? I like horror and A. J. Gallant is a new author for me.


What do you do when a serial killer raises you from birth to be just like him? Henry has lived all his life in his father's shadow of terror and serial murder with the tacit understanding that he was being groomed to continue the "family business". Having witnessed his first murder as a toddler and actively participating in his father's murder sprees as an adult, Henry tries in vain to battle his inner demons and break free to go out on his own.


As an adult, Henry is struggling with the knowledge that his father's actions as well as his own have driven him literally insane - hearing voices and seeing images of horrific crimes in mirrors. Even when Henry eventually kills his father, he can not escape the anger and vengeance that he creates in one of his earlier victims; as the spirit of the dead man reaches out from beyond the grave to exact his own brand of revenge.


I have to say that this book was strange, extremely strange, and of course, being concerned with the life and actions of a serial killer, very, very violent. That being said, I did enjoy it even if truth be told, I probably wouldn't have chosen to read this book for myself. It certainly was different and not like any book I'd ever read before. It held me spellbound and at attention all through the story and I give it a solid B+!


B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight