Alasandra's Reading List ~ February

1. The Confession by John Grisham - When a white cheerleader (Nicole) goes missing an innocent 18 year old African American High School football player (Donte) is harassed and tortured by the police until he confesses. The confession is used in court where the lawyer for the prosecution and the judge are having a torrid affair to convict. The DEATH PENALTY is handed down even though a body was never found. Now a white serial rapist (Travis Boyette) who has just been paroled is claiming to have killed Nicole, but the Court of Appeals doesn't believe him and the Governor refuses to stay the execution until Boyette can lead them to the body. The Court of Appeals refuses to accept the affidavit of the sole witness against Donte (Nicole's on again off again white football playing boyfriend ) stating that he lied about seeing Donte throw Nicole's body into the river because it arrived 7 minutes late. Donte is executed!!!!!!! Boyette then leads them to Nicole's body which he buried in another state and the State of Texas declares Donte INNOCENT after MURDERING him.
2. The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore - a melancholy book as Drizzt is speaking with Hralien (a moon elf) centuries after the events in the book take place,  Bruenor, Wulfgar, Regis & Catti-brie are long gone. Wulfgar chooses to return to Icewind Dale alone and seek out a place with his tribe. Colson is returned to her Mother in Auckney. Bruenor discovers a city where orcs and dwarfs lived in peace. Bruenor leads a party to kill King Obould. But after learning that King Obould wants peace and that it was Grguch that was responsible for the attack on Mithral Hall and the Moonwood, Bruenor saves King Obould's life and makes peace with him. Tos'un ( a drow) proves his loyalty to Drizzt, Bruenor & Hralien and finds a home with the moon elves.
3. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin - you can read my review here.
4. Reprisal by F. Paul Wilson - Carol's "baby" is all grown up and sets out to destroy Father Bill's life. Rasalom discovers that Glaeken is an old man and assumes he is powerless to stop him from destroying the world as we know it.
5. True Grit by Charles Portis - I much prefer the movie version starring John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn. Mattie Ross is a most unlikable heroine with her self-righteous attitude and opinionated ways. One has to admiring the lengths she went to to bring her Father's killer to justice, but I found the book tedious and unbelievable. I also found the ending very upsetting as all the horses were killed.
6. Forbidden Faith The Secret History of Gnosticism by Richard Smoley - An interesting book. Hard to follow unless you have at least a basic understanding of the subject.
7. Running Blind by Lee Child - The FBI blackmails Reacher into helping them catch a serial killer, but they aren't pleased when the identity of the serial killer is revealed as one of their own. 

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

A classic tale of horror. Catholic Rosemary moves from the mid-west to New York where she marries Protestant Guy Woodhouse. Her family pretty much disowns her and the one person she can depend on falls into a mysterious coma when he tries to warn her of the danger she is in. Too late Rosemary discovers that the Bramford houses a coven of witches who want her baby. Her plans to escape or thwarted by Guy. Told her child is dead Rosemary becomes suspicious when she hears a baby crying, but when she is reunited with her child she realizes he is a monster.

Alasandra's Reading List ~ January

1. A Nose for Justice by Rita Mae Brown -  (Thumbs down) I found this book tedious. There are several important social issues mentioned in the book the main one being water, how we use it and who has the right to control it (water rights) and the other being The Fly Girls (Women Airforce Service Pilots) who are still considered civilians and therefore not entitled to the pay and benefits given to the men who served in WWII. Ms Brown's desire to educate us on these issues interrupted the plot. She also had a lot of extraneous characters who were not necessary to the plot and did not spend much time on character development. And as a dog lover I found her use of King (German Shepherd mix) and Baxter (wire-haired dachshund) troubling. I just hope if any dog haters read the book they will remember this is a work of FICTION.
2. Night Shield by Nora Roberts - Boyd Fletcher  busted 13 year old Jonah Blackhawk for running an unlicensed gambling establishment, but instead of sending him to juvie, Boyd took an interest and turned Jonah's life around. Now a successful businessman with his own chain of clubs Jonah will do anything for Boyd. Including allowing Allison Fletcher to work undercover in his club, but Jonah never planned to fall for the charming cop.
3. Night Moves by Nora Roberts - Maggie moves into a fixer upper in a rural area and hires Cliff Delaney to help with the landscaping. Everything is going great until a skeleton is discovered when Cliff digs out a gully on the property to create a pond.
4. A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith ~ you can read my book review here. Excellent book I highly recommend it.
5. Bad Blood by John Sandford - When Bobby Tripp discovers who murdered his friend Kelly Baker, he takes matters into his own hands and kills Jacob Flood. But before he can reveal why Deputy Crocker kills him. Before Deputy Crocker can be questioned it appears he committed suicide but Virgil Flowers suspects he was murdered. Soon Flowers begins to suspect the deaths are connected to "The Church" (World of the Spirit) all the victims except Tripp attended.
6. Storm Prey - When the leader of a motorcycle gang plots to rob the hospital pharmacy with one of the doctors he never imagined that one of the gang would accidentally kick one of the pharmacy workers to death, or that his brother would be spotted by Weather. In an attempt to limit the number of people who can tie him to the robbery he hires a skinhead to take out two of the robbers and Weather. Now Lucas and Virgil are on his trail, but the body count just keeps getting higher. 
7. The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott 
8. Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts - Parker's plans for her life go out the window when she fall for bad boy Malcolm Kavanaugh, but then she realizes he is just what she wants.
9. Animal Magnetism by Rita Mae Brown (autobiography) - An amusing look at her life. I doubt I will read any more of her work. I just don't like her writing style.
10. The Freemasons by Jasper Ridley - Enjoyed the book. You can read my notes here.
11. Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy - an enjoyable yarn although the book is rift with errors. Mainly using the wrong persons name. I am also miffed that he unnecessarily killed off one of the good guys.

Alasandra's Reading List ~ December

1. Third Degree by Greg Iles ~ First Warren Shields finds out he has an inoperable brain tumor and will die at 37. All he wants is to provide for his wife (Laurel) and two kids. Then in an attempt to warn him that his partner is framing him for Medicare Fraud, Nell sends an email telling him to look for something hidden in his home and he discovers his wife in cheating on him. When Laurel refuses to tell him her lover's name he snaps and holds his family hostage. Meanwhile the lover rethinks his decision to stay with his wife and kids and makes a desperate attempt to save Laurel. Terrible book the one decent person in the whole book dies while the cheaters get to live happily ever after, after destroying his life.
2. Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts ~ Book Three in the Bride Quartet. Laurel convinces Del he should stop treating her like his sister.
3. Don't Blink by James Patterson & Howard Roughan - Nick Daniels will do anything in order to report THE TRUTH. So when he is conveniently seated next to mob lawyer Vincent Marcozza when Torenzi kills him, he is elated to discover he has Torenzi's whispered words on tape naming mob boss Eddie Pinero as the man who ordered the hit on tape. But then he starts to wonder if his being there and getting "the evidence" on tape wasn't just a little too convenient. Now somebody wants him dead before he finds out the answer. Can he stay alive longer enough to get the story.
4. The Sister by Poppy Adams - I didn't care for this book. The story is told from 70 year old Ginny's point of view. When her sister Vivi returns to the ancestral home after a absence of almost 50 years Ginny begins to recall things from their past. One gets a sense right away that there is something not right with Ginny (In an online discussion group several people speculated Ginny had Asperger's Syndrome from the information provided in the book). There is her obsession with time, her lack of emotion, the way she refers to her parents by their first names (Clive and Maude), Maude's belief that Ginny was responsible for Vivi's fall from the bell tower (a fall that destroyed Vivi's ability to have children), Maude's accusation that Ginny ruined Maude's life, as well as  the mysterious Dr Moyse's interest in Ginny. Once Vivi returns home she seems determined to tell Ginny some family secret and asserts their parents had no right to keep Ginny's condition from her. Finally forced to confront the way her sister used her to have a baby and then forgot the baby when it didn't survive Ginny poisons Vivi. The narrative is disjointed and none of the questions (Did Ginny push Vivi off the bell tower? Who killed Maude? What is wrong with Ginny) raised are answered.
5. The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson - you can read my book review here. I highly recommend this book. (Non-Fiction)
6. Cross Fire by James Patterson - Alex Cross and Bree Stone say I do. Kyle Craig is loose and out to kill Alex. Agent Max Siegel works closely with Alex to bring down the Numbers Killer as well as the Patriot Snipers. Fast paced, the only question is will Kyle Craig succeed in his quest to kill Alex. After all he is closer then even Alex imagines. 
7. Nightshade by Nora Roberts - Colt Nightshade is looking for his friends daughter who is being held by some unsavory characters who make "adult movies". His best shot at finding Liz is to work with detective Althea Grayson, but will she cooperate. 
8. Night Moves by Nora Roberts - Ry Piasecki carries Natalie Fletcher through a burning building but can he mend her broken heart.
9. Road of the Patriarch by R. A. Salvatore - After winning Artemis Entreri's  heart Calihye attempts to kill him. Jarlaxle's plots gets himself, Entreri and the dwarf Athrogate banished from the Bloodstone Lands. Artemis returns to his childhood home and confronts is past. Artemis chooses to part company with Jarlaxle and Athrogate and to return to Calimport and Dwahvel.
10. Turning Angel by Greg Iles - When Husband Stealing S*** Kate Townsend is murdered Penn Gage sets out to prove his childhood friend isn't the killer even though he was having an affair with the underage girl. Unfortunately for Penn the real killer is willing to kill again and again to keep his secret.
11. Tripwire by Lee Child - A dying Leon Garber promises the Hobies he will find out what happened to their son who disappeared in Vietnam. Running out of time he hires a detective to find Reacher. But Victor Truman Hobie doesn't want to be found and he is willing to kill to keep his identity a secret. But Reacher is willing to die to save Jodi Garber (Leon's daughter).
12. Daniel X Demons and Druids by James Patterson (Young Adult/Teen) - well there weren't any Druids in the book. But Daniel did travel back in time and meet the young boy Arthur (you know King Arthur) and Merlin (who is another alien from Daniel's planet). Merlin & Daniel join forces to defeat Beta. Who knew Stonehenge would prove so useful. Daniel's usual pals are behaving a bit unusual to Daniel's surprise.  Hints that future books will reveal what is going on with Dana and Willy.
    

Book Review ~ Earth is Not Alone by John Knapp II

The Emryss Chronicles

Since this book is targeted for teens I asked my boys if they would like to read it. My 19 year old took a pass, but my 21 year old read it and and pronounced it passable.

I find Knapp's switching between the past and present annoying. Also he refers to Jonas Harwell as Michael Hammond Jr's Step-Father which is INCORRECT.  A STEP-Parent is someone who is married to one of your biological parents. The only way Jonas Harwell would be Michael's Step-Father would have been for him to be married to Michael's Mother, which he wasn't. Jonas Harwell is Michael's adopted Dad. He adopted Michael after his parents were killed in a car crash that also claimed the life of Jonas' wife. Also the adoption seems a bit POINTLESS as Michael lives with his Great-Aunt.

Dr Jonas Harwell is the preacher at Grace Missionary Alliance Church (the plot is frequently interrupted by a sermon or prayer from him), besides adopting Michael he is also the legal guardian of  Triana Simms (Alien). Both Michael and Triana have Marvin Cample (Atheist) for a teacher. The book opens with Mr Cample accusing Michael & Triana of cheating due to them both turning in similar folktales from Emryss. At this point Mr. Cample doesn't know Triana is an Alien, much less that Emryss actually exist. A secondary plot involves the Earth being hit be an electronic magnetic pulse frying all the electronic gadgets on earth. The United States is living under a barter economy.

The folktales they turned in are shared in their entirety and are rather enjoyable. In fact for me they were the most enjoyable part of the book.

The character development stinks. I never felt a connection with any of the characters and could have cared less what happened to them.

If you want to be preached at and told how wonderful Christianity is this book is for you. If you want an enjoyable read I recommend you look elsewhere.

Alasandra's Reading list ~ April

1. Siege of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore ~ Madam Baenre leads her drow army to Mithril Hall.
2. Free Fall by Fern Michaels - Yoko gets revenge on her Father before the Ladies of Pinewood are captured by the authorities. 
3. Witch & Wizard by James Patterson  (teen) - I highly recommend it for any of you who are looking for a gift for a pre-teen or young teen. Wisty and Whit Allgood are on the run from the evil regime. If they are caught they and their parents will be executed for being witches and wizards.
4. Vision in White by Nora Roberts -Seems like for a stuffy English Professor Carer Maguire has the right moves to win Mackenise Elliot's heart.
5. Passage to Dawn by R.A. Salvatore - Drizzt and Cattie-brie have made a life aboard the Sea Sprite, then a doppelganger turns their world upside down, when he attacks Captain Deudermont. The friends set out on a quest that leads to their returning to Icewind Dale where they are reunited with Bruenor and Regis. Together they must fight the Crystal Shard and Errtu, if they win Wulfgar will be restored to them. 
6. Harbingers by F. Paul Wilson -A spear has no branches. Can Jack stop the Ally from taking everyone he loves.
7. Bad Attitude by Sherrilyn Kenyon - BAD gets J.D. Steele out of prison to stop an assassin, but can he do it  when the assassin turns out to be a member of his family.
8. Bloodline by F. Paul Wilson - Jack discovers his possesses oDNA and must stop a killer who is determined to purify his bloodline and father the "Key to the Future". 

Thirteen Books I read Recently

Thirteen Books I Read Recently

1. Blasphemy by Douglas Preston ~ A bunch of Christian Fundamentalist create a mob intent on destroying Isabella (the most expensive machine ever built) and killing the scientist. With the help of some American Indians most of the scientist are able to escape.
   
2. The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - Palmer Lloyd is willing to pay anything to have the red meteor as part of his museum collection. He hires Eli Glinn to bring the meteor to New York. Unable to admit defeat Glinn will risk everything to complete his mission. Then McFarlane one of the few survivors of the ill fated expedition will discover that it wasn't a meteor at all............. (I sense a possible sequel)
   
3. Smash Cut by Sandra Brown - A real page turner. Paul Wheeler was gunned down in an elevator who hired the killer? His nephew who expected to inherit his fortune or the lovely young lady he was spending his time with.
   
4. Storm Cycle by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen ~ When Tavak is trapped in an Egyptian tomb he emails the only person who can help computer whiz Rachel Kirby. Can the dynamic duo find Peseshet's tomb before the bad guys do.
   
5. Deadlock by Iris Johansen ~When Emily Hudson is kidnapped only one man can save her. Can he win her heart too?
   
6. The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson - The first in the Repairman Jack series. He is awesome, I am looking forward to reading more. Jack wins back his girlfriend by saving her daughter from an ancient curse.
   
7. Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell - How the English won against all odds at Agincourt thanks to the archers.
   
8. The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child - The immured anchorite sends the Agozyen out into the world in order to find the next Rinpoche. Pendergast must return the Agozyen to the monastery before the world is destroyed, and thanks to Constance Greene's secret when all appears lost Pendergast will receive help for an unlikely source.
   
9. Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson & Richard Dilallo - I didn't care for this book.
   
10. Riptide by Douglas Preston and Lincol Child ~ Sir William Macallan designed "The Water Pit" a deadly vault to hold the pirate Edward Ockham's treasure on Ragged Island. 30 years ago Malin Hatch's brother died on Ragged Island, his body was never recovered. Now Captain Neidelman is offering Malin a chance to recover his brother's body if he will allow the treasure hunter access to Ragged Island. But what if St. Michael's Sword is deadly to posses? Will anyone escape from Ragged Island alive?
    
11. Thunderhead by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child ~ This is the novel in which Nora meets Smithback for the first time. Nora receives a letter from her Father 16 years after his death telling of a lost Anasazi city he discovered. With the backing of Ernest Goddard she assembles an archaeological team and heads off into the wild to hunt for it. But the city turns out to hold a deadly secret.
    
12. The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra ~ Great Book!!!!!! " A religion of love has moved alarmingly in the direction of hatred, although outright hatred may not be preached from the pulpit. What is preached is self-righteous intolerance."
    
13. Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston - Sally & Tom Broadbent (from The Codex) are featured. While riding in the desert Tom hears gunshots and finds Stem Weathers shot in the back. With his dying breath Stem begs Tom to take his notebook to his daughter Robbie . Hoping to find a clue to Stem's identity in the notebook Tom takes it to ex-CIA agent Wyman Ford to decode. They then begin to search for the T-REX the code reveals but can they manage to stay alive with Stem Weathers' murder after them as well as a rogue government agency that wants them dead.