John Saul - The Right Hand of Evil

106. The Right Hand of Evil by John Saul (1999)
Length: 427 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 9 November 2013
Finished: 14 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2001
Why do I have it? I like horror and John Saul is a new author for me.

For the Conway family, moving into their ancestral home in Louisiana after the death of an estranged aunt promised a fresh start for them - a completely new beginning. Situated in the small town of St. Albans, the sprawling Victorian house seems to swallow up the sunlight. Surrounded by dense woods and a stifling sense of melancholy, the residence has sat abandoned for the last forty years. 

Deep within the cold cellar and etched into the very walls, is the long dark history of the Conway name - a grim bloodline tainted by suicide, strange disappearances, poisoned by voodoo rituals, and rumors of murders. Such a house has developed a life of its very own - an eeriness which is palpable, dwelling in the shadows and biding its time.

The Conway family knows nothing of the soul-shattering secrets that snake through generations of their past. They do not realize the terror that awaits them. For with each successive generation of Conways there ultimately comes a hellish day of reckoning...

I do have several books by John Saul on my bookshelf, but I believe that this is the first book by this author that I've read. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The book was extremely well-written, the plot captured my attention and held it all the way through the story. I will say that I found the story slightly repetitive at certain points - at least in my opinion. Overall, though, I give this book a definite A! and look forward to reading more from John Saul in the future.     

A! - (90-95%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Edna Buchanan - Miami, It's Murder

105. Miami, It's Murder by Edna Buchanan (1994)
The Britt Montero Mysteries Book 2
Length: 244 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 6 November 2013
Finished: 9 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Edna Buchanan as an author.

Miami is a city teeming with life and with a restless energy that is undeniable. A city where the skies are always blue and life and death are seldom simple. Miami is also the home of Britt Montero, a feisty, charismatic Cuban-American crime reporter.

In Miami, It's Murder, Britt is investigating a series of bizarre deaths involving sex, electrocution, and freshly poured concrete. With a retired, terminally ill detective as her friend and source, Britt probes the unsolved rape and murder of a little girl, which ultimately may implicate the rich and powerful front-runner in the governor's race. She also follows the trail of a terrifying serial rapist who ambushes career women in the bathrooms of the gleaming downtown skyscrapers that spear the Miami skyline.

This quest takes her from the sterile and antiseptic police crime lab with its forensic experts, into the dark heart of Santeria - a blood-fueled religion linked to spells, symbols, sacrifice, and the occult. Enraged by Britt's stories, the rapist escalates his violence and focuses his obsession on her. Stalked by the shadowy rapist, on the trail of a serial killer, Britt comes ever closer to learning the shocking truth as tensions mount and the stories intersect with edge-of-the-seat suspense and an astonishing conclusion.

This may be the second or third book that I've read by Edna Buchanan and I've enjoyed them all. In my opinion, this book was very well-written, with likable characters; and an action-packed, intricate plot that led in directions that I wasn't expecting. I give this book an A+! Edna Buchanan certainly knows her stuff as an author.

A+! - (96-100%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Warren Smith - The Strange Ones

104. The Strange Ones by Warren Smith (1972)
Length: 190 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 5 November 2013
Finished: 6 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2001
Why do I have it? I like horror and Warren Smith is a new author for me.

This book is filled with various true accounts of personal brushes with the unexplained: incidents of parapsychology; the paranormal, unexplained disappearances at sea, anomalies of medicine and the occult. While I certainly enjoyed reading most of these stories, I must say that this book wasn't entirely riveting to me. I found that the stories, while interesting, just weren't as detailed as I would have preferred. I give this book a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Barbara Gowdy - Falling Angels

103. Falling Angels by Barbara Gowdy (1989)
Length: 199 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 1 November 2013
Finished: 4 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 September 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Barbara Gowdy is a new author for me.

The year is 1969, and somewhere in an Ontario suburb, the Field family's fragile domestic peace is slowly coming to an end. The three Field sisters - Norma, Lou and Sandy - are each just trying to find their own place within their very eccentric, often miserable, sometimes hilarious family. However, the looming shadow over all of their lives is the tragically suspicious death of the family's first-born son - a secret which is never spoken of, but is nonetheless pervasive.

The Field household is ruled by Jim Field - a philandering, heavy-drinking used car salesman - who is keen on the militaristic discipline of his children, and on keeping up appearances for the neighbors. Despite his poor treatment of his wife, he is still oddly protective of her, insisting that his daughters watch her all the time.

His severely depressed wife Mary - a one-time dancer - has escaped into apathy and alcoholism a long time ago. Whenever her coffee cup is empty, her daughters rush to fill it with whiskey, for they realize she is living precariously in the wake of what happened to her baby son. 

Each of the teenage daughters has her own way of coping with her dysfunctional family. They try to make their own experiences while struggling with their family duties and concern for their mother. The eldest daughter Norma is the most responsible member of the family; quiet, subdued and selfless, she overburdens herself with domestic tasks and responsibilities, patiently putting up with her father's antics. She is also the only one intent on keeping the memory of her brother bright, determined to discover the secrets surrounding his death.

The middle daughter Lou is the polar opposite of Norma. Lou fights for her autonomy within the family. She is the tough-talking, rebellious wild child; standing up to her father and loving her mother, even as she despises Mary's weaknesses.

The youngest daughter Sandy is not as responsible as Norma, nor as rebellious as Lou. Sweet-looking Sandy devotes herself to becoming a perfect woman; with her own naive sense of femininity and sexuality. 

Each sister goes through her own rite of passage. They turn to drugs, sex, and schmaltzy fantasy - but repeatedly to one another. And, even after her death, the sisters still turn to their mother, and to the unusual love they discover their father still holds for her.

I must say that while this book dealt with some seriously dark issues, I found that there was a thread of humor running throughout the story that I could totally appreciate. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - the story was well-written, easy to follow and the characters were sympathetically drawn. I give this book an A+! and look forward to perhaps reading more from Barbara Gowdy in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)         
    
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

David Bell - Cemetery Girl

102. Cemetery Girl by David Bell (2011)
Length: 389 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 29 October 2013
Finished: 1 November 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 28 October 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed The Hiding Place by the same author in the past.

Tom and Abby Stuart thought they had everything: a perfect marriage, successful careers, and a sweet, beautiful twelve-year-old daughter named Caitlin. Then one day Caitlin vanished without a trace. For a while they grasped at every false hope and followed every empty lead, hoping that Caitlin would be found safe. But the tragedy ultimately ended up changing their lives, overwhelming them with guilt and dread, and shattering their marriage. 

Four years later, Caitlin is found alive - dirty and disheveled yet eerily calm. She won't discuss where she was or what happened. And she is fundamentally changed by the ordeal. 

When the police arrest a suspect connected to Caitlin's disappearance, she refuses to testify against him. So the Stuarts are faced with a devastating choice: Let the man who may be responsible for destroying their lives walk away, or take matters into their own hands. And when Tom decides to try to uncover the truth for himself, he finds that nothing that has happened can possibly prepare him for what he is about to discover. 

In my opinion, this book was absolutely excellent! The story was extremely intriguing and captured my attention right from the beginning. It was a poignant book for me to read as well - fast-paced and well-written, holding my attention throughout the entire book. I give David Bell's debut novel a definite A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up For October at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out October with 753 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 744 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Paperback Swap, Amazon, Bookmooch and an author.


Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Sands of Time by Sidney Sheldon 
- The Resort by Bentley Little 
- Summer House: A Novel by Nancy Thayer  
- The House by Bentley Little 
- The Hiding Place by David Bell 
- An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer
- Belonging: A Novel by Nancy Thayer 
- The Hanging Tree: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash
- Going All the Way by Dan Wakefield

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- Penny Press/Dell Variety Puzzles Magazine: 24 Pack by Penny Press/Dell Magazine Publications
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 1 by Edgar Allan Poe
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 3 by Edgar Allan Poe
- Superb Crosswords Magazine Jumbo Issue: Volume 125 by Kappa Press
- Penny Press On the Go Sudoku Magazine: October 2013 by Penny Press
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 4 by Edgar Allan Poe
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 5 by Edgar Allan Poe
- Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe
- Edgar Allan Poe's Complete Poetical Works by Edgar Allan Poe
- The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson
- The Haunted by Bentley Little
- The Island: A Novel of Terror by Will Overby
- Me and Emma by Elizabeth Flock
- Freddy's House by David Jester
- Welcome to Moon Hill by Anthony J. Rapino
- Tortured Memory by Lawrence Gold
- Five, Six...Grab Your Crucifix by Willow Rose
- The Spook House by Paul Emil
- The Darkness of Shadows by Chris Little
- The Druggist by Todd Croak-Falen
- Great Kitchen Secrets: As Seen on TV by Chef Tony Notaro
- The Park by Shane Jeffery
- Where the Teddy Bears Have Their Picnic by C. M. Adams
- No Cure For Murder by Lawrence Gold
- Ghosts by John Banville
- Cemetery Girl by David Bell
- Chain of Souls: Salem VI by Jack Heath and John Thompson
- The Demon Signet by Shawn Hopkins
- The White Door by G. J. Owens
- Scars on the Face of God: The Devil's Bible by C. G. Bauer
- They Only Come Out at Night by F. Kearney
- Bad Apple by Clay Held

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :)) 
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
- Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain
- Over the Edge by Jonathan Kellerman
- Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell
- Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul
- Everything Must Go by Elizabeth Flock
- A Rose For Virtue: The Very Private Life of Hortense, Stepdaughter of Napoleon I, Mother of Napoleon III by Norah Lofts
- Ghost Story by Peter Straub
- The Resort by Bentley Little
- Blood Brother: 33 Reasons my Brother Scott Peterson is Guilty by Anne Bird
- Blind Faith by Joe McGinniss
- Down to a Sunless Sea by David Poyer
- The House by Bentley Little (2 copies)
- Lightning by Danielle Steel
- Best Friends Forever: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner 
- The Hiding Place by David Bell 
- From a Buick 8: A Novel by Stephen King 
- The Search For the Girl With the Blue Eyes: An Unforgettable Venture Into the Shadowy World of Reincarnation by Jess Stearns
- A Little Death by Laura Wilson

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 9
Pages Read: 3,091
Grade Range: A+! to B+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was October. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up For October at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out October with 788 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 779 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Paperback Swap, Amazon, Bookmooch and an author.


Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Sands of Time by Sidney Sheldon 
- The Resort by Bentley Little 
- Summer House: A Novel by Nancy Thayer  
- The House by Bentley Little 
- The Hiding Place by David Bell 
- An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer
- Belonging: A Novel by Nancy Thayer 
- The Hanging Tree: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash
- Going All the Way by Dan Wakefield

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- Penny Press/Dell Variety Puzzles Magazine: 24 Pack by Penny Press/Dell Magazine Publications
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 1 by Edgar Allan Poe
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 3 by Edgar Allan Poe
- Superb Crosswords Magazine Jumbo Issue: Volume 125 by Kappa Press
- Penny Press On the Go Sudoku Magazine: October 2013 by Penny Press
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 4 by Edgar Allan Poe
- The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 5 by Edgar Allan Poe
- Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe
- Edgar Allan Poe's Complete Poetical Works by Edgar Allan Poe
- The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson
- The Haunted by Bentley Little
- Me and Emma by Elizabeth Flock
- Freddy's House by David Jester
- Welcome to Moon Hill by Anthony J. Rapino
- Five, Six...Grab Your Crucifix by Willow Rose
- The Spook House by Paul Emil
- The Darkness of Shadows by Chris Little
- The Druggist by Todd Croak-Falen
- Great Kitchen Secrets: As Seen on TV by Chef Tony Notaro
- Ghosts by John Banville
- Cemetery Girl by David Bell
- Chain of Souls: Salem VI by Jack Heath and John Thompson
- The Demon Signet by Shawn Hopkins
- The White Door by G. J. Owens
- Scars on the Face of God: The Devil's Bible by C. G. Bauer
- They Only Come Out at Night by F. Kearney
- Bad Apple by Clay Held

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :)) 
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
- Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain
- Over the Edge by Jonathan Kellerman
- Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell
- Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul
- Everything Must Go by Elizabeth Flock
- A Rose For Virtue: The Very Private Life of Hortense, Stepdaughter of Napoleon I, Mother of Napoleon III by Norah Lofts
- Ghost Story by Peter Straub
- The Resort by Bentley Little
- Blood Brother: 33 Reasons my Brother Scott Peterson is Guilty by Anne Bird
- Blind Faith by Joe McGinniss
- Down to a Sunless Sea by David Poyer
- The House by Bentley Little (2 copies)
- Lightning by Danielle Steel
- Best Friends Forever: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner 
- The Hiding Place by David Bell 
- From a Buick 8: A Novel by Stephen King 
- The Search For the Girl With the Blue Eyes: An Unforgettable Venture Into the Shadowy World of Reincarnation by Jess Stearns
- A Little Death by Laura Wilson

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 9
Pages Read: 3,091
Grade Range: A+! to B+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was October. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight