It's been awhile!

Wow, a whole year has passed by already. Another summer is here, and I am hopefully going to be able to read more books than last summer. My new goal is 30 books. Lets Do it!!!!

books 13, 14, 15

Due to a serious illness that consumed my last month of summer, I wasn't able to get online to document my reading. I barely read to begin with. But I did get through three books before school started, and they were all part of a series. Melanie Wells has created a very interesting set of suspense novels. They are about Dylan Foster, a psychologist, who has attracted the devious demon named Peter Terry. He loves to terrorize her any way he can, and has done so in the three books of the series so far.

The thing I like most about this series is that it is not in the fantasy realm. It aligns with a lot of information from the Bible. I loved looking up some of the references, and actually got very creeped out from it. I believed for a little while that I was attracting a demon because of all the flies that seemed to pester me (if you read book 1, you will understand).

I didn't reach my goal of 20 books, however I feel very proud of 15 because the last month was taken up by a horrible sickness that left me paralyzed on the couch.

book twelve

Back in fall semester, there was this kid in my nonfiction class that thought the greatest idea for a book is to tell a story through a dog's eyes. I thought it was an amazing idea and wondered if it was even possible. Then this summer I stumbled upon a book that was just that! The Art of Racing in the Rain is a fantastic book that tells it's story through a mixed dog named Enzo.

I was immediately drawn in and fell in love with the dog myself, the way it thought and felt about it's owner. Garth Stein was very committed to his canine perspective, giving great insight on what a dog might think about people. In this case, Enzo was completely infatuated with the idea of being human. Even though he was an easy spectator to the many human flaws, it didn't stop his dream of becoming human and living life as man, instead of his best friend. I felt connected to this smart creature and lived his life with him.

In my opinion this book was perfectly written and makes me want a dog so badly.

Book Eleven

I have finally reached over the halfway mark of my featured goal of 20 books read this summer. Book eleven took a little more time because of its length. Pieces of my Sister's Life was a very emotional novel, as can be assumed knowing it is about two teenage girls who lost both their parents and live alone together. They fall in love with the same boy. There you have enough to know that drama is a huge factor. My only real problem with the book is that it took too long for me to get into the plot and feel a part of the story. There wasn't anything really juicy until 200 pages or so in. That isn't really good because most readers will judge a book by its first few chapters, and really committed readers the first 100 pages to make their decision whether they will finish a story or not. I kept reading it only because when it comes to something I started, I have to finish it. Just like how when I finish a book, I have to document it here on my blog, and wait at least till the next day to start the next book. It sounds a little ridiculous but it is hard for me to stop the story after I have read the last words. So to start a book with the last one still running through my brain isn't fair. By mid-way through however, I was deeply involved. I felt completely connected to the characters and felt their pain. It definitely was a great book to read since my bond with my sister is very strong. Thankfully we have not had any strife nearly as bond breaking as these two sisters in the story.

book ten

The sequel was a hit! The second story in the Patricia Amble Mystery series was definitely just as good, if not better than the first. Kill Me if You Can was a great thriller that kept me glued through the whole thing. The mystery was even better than the first. More drama than ever, but definitely stuff that kept me wanting more.

This time around Tish goes back in her past to her summer vacation spot she spent with her mother before she committed "suicide." She decides to take on a renovation project on the log cabin where she spent glorious summers with long lost family more than twenty five years ago. She decides not only to dig in the dirt of her own yard, but into her past as well, trying to connect the dots of her mother's tragic ending, and the family that was so called "evil". The story ends up with more murder, more secrets, and more romance.

This series has proved to be worth my time and enhanced my thoughts about trying out some fiction writing of my own. I always wanted to stick with poetry and creative non-fiction, but I might be able to get my story out better with some imagination. I guess in psychology that would be a form of projection, but is that really true if its throwing my life troubles on an imaginary character?

book nine

I decided it was time to start reading a series. The one I found only consisted of two books, but hopefully there are some more in the making because I thoroughly enjoyed the first. Nicole Young focuses her stories around the character of Patricia Amble. She has had a tough journey through life, but it definitely makes for an interesting life story. In the first book, Love Me if you Must, is a great mystery, but doesn't rely on too much suspense and thrills to keep a reader enthralled. Patricia aka Tish is a great gal with personality that will attract many admirers, as she does in the book itself. While renovating a Victorian home, the two male neighbors vie for her attention. It is a great love triangle to watch until a murder has the whole town buzzing and thinking Tish is a murderer. This first novel of the series is a great one! I am looking forward to reading the second. The mystery is not easily answered, and kept me second guessing. The love triangle kept my emotions in tuned. Just a great read. Hopefully miss Young can keep it up.

book eight

It took me awhile to get out of Shack mode to even want to pick up another book. I just couldn't get the lame reasoning out of my head that no book could get better than that; same feeling I had after I finished the Harry Potter series. It just felt like no book was worth my time. After a trip to a new bookstore, my reasoning was forced aside as I found some books that caught my attention. Book eight is a simple story that would touch anyone's heart. It was a quick read, even though it wasn't impossible to put down. Together, written by Tom Sullivan with Betty White, is a cute story about a strapping young man who loves anything athletic. After a horrible fall while mountain climbing, he becomes permanently blind. Well, you can just imagine the turmoil it causes the handsome guy, and he is on the brink of suicide. After a lot of convincing and pushing from loved ones, he goes on a trip to get a seeing eye dog. The furry companion changes his life forever. This is a good book if you are looking for a light read; nothing to heavy hearted, or makes you want to shoot yourself to stop the suspense of what is going to happen next. It is a nice story to engage other senses than just sight. The best thing about the book, is the cover. It was love at first sight for me, with the beautiful black lab.