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Showing posts with label Dean Koontz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dean Koontz. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 01, 2022
Top Ten Tuesday: To All the Books I've Loved Before...
Feeling listy? Be sure to join in the TTT fun by visiting That Artsy Reader Girl, then making your own list, and hopping around the book blogosphere to share the love. It's a good time, I promise!
Top Ten Authors I Used to Love, But Haven't Checked In With Recently
- in alphabetical order -
1. Piers Anthony—I went through a brief sci-fi/fantasy phase in high school in a futile attempt to impress a boy. SFF has never been my favorite genre, but I did fall in love with Anthony's Incarnation of Immortality series. It's been years since I've read it and occasionally I get the hankering to revisit it just for nostalgia's sake. Now in his late 80s, Anthony is still publishing books. He's had a remarkable career, even if I haven't kept up with it.
2. Mary Higgins Clark—My dad introduced me to Clark's clean, compelling murder mysteries when I was in junior high school and I quickly became a rabid fan. In the ten or so years before Clark's death in 2020, my enthusiasm for her books started to wane. They just didn't hold my attention like they had in the past. Still, I'll always love Clark for those many nights her books kept me up way past my bedtime racing through the pages, desperate to see what was going to happen next.
3. John Grisham—Like Clark, Grisham's books from the 1990s kept me absolutely spellbound. His newer titles just haven't had the same spark for me. I did tackle The Reckoning a couple years ago, but that one was such a disappointment that I haven't picked up a Grisham book since and don't plan to do so again.
4. Stephen King—When I was a teenager, horror was the only genre it was acceptable to be seen reading in public. Horror was cool, so I read a lot of it. King was my go-to guy for spooky stories long after high school. Apparently, I've gotten much wimpier with age because I can't handle his books now. They're just too gory and too disturbing for this old lady with her delicate constitution!
5. Dean Koontz—Like King, Koontz is an author whose books I devoured back in the day. I'm still a fan, even though I haven't read anything of his since Odd Thomas a number of years ago. I really should pick up the next book in the series one of these days.
6. Jodi Picoult—Up until about House Rules in 2010, I inhaled everything Picoult wrote. Her stories sucked me in, kept me turning pages, and made me think. I tuned out about the time she started writing YA novels with her daughter since those didn't interest me. She's published a handful of novels since then that I probably should check out eventually. I'm not rushing, though, which is weird since I used to be such a devoted fan.
7. Christopher Pike—Pike is another author for whom I went absolutely crazy in the 1990s. He was my hands-down favorite, even though he never did answer any of the fan letters I sent him as a teenager! As of a few years ago, he was still writing scary books for teens. I wonder what I would think of his creepy tales now?
8. Ann Rule—I used to read a lot of true crime back in the day. Rule's books are well-researched and interesting, so I flew through a number of them in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These days, I just can't stomach the genre, which is ironic since it's gotten so crazy-popular!
9. John Saul—This is another author I adored during my horror-reading phase. His last novel was published in 2009, but I haven't read him since high school (which was a looonnnggg time ago).
10. Adriana Trigiani—I've long loved Trigiani's warm, Italian-themed women's novels. For some reason, though, I haven't picked up anything by her in about a decade. I really need to check out her newer books as I'm sure I've missed out on some good ones.
There you have it, ten authors I've loved in the past but haven't really kept up with in the present. Have you read any of them? Which authors fit this category for you? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. Please note that I will be out of town from tomorrow until Saturday, so you won't see comments from me until I return. Thanks for your patience.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, April 06, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: Seaside Reading is Just Beachy
I don't like my Top Ten Tuesday posts to be negative (or environmentally irresponsible), so I'm going to have to twist this week's topic of Books I'd Gladly Throw in the Ocean into something more friendly. How about Books I'd Gladly Read By the Ocean? In truth, I'll read anything by the sea, even if it's not really a "beach read," but for today's list I'm going to stick with some of the lighter reads on my TBR, the kind that would be perfect to enjoy while sitting on the sand listening to the waves crash nearby. Because of my pale skin, I can't lounge on the beach without a sunshade and copious amounts of sunblock, but it would be worth it to relax with these reads by the shore.
If you want to join in the TTT fun, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Top Ten Books I'd Gladly Read By the Ocean
1. Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien—Fun, frothy mysteries are perfect for seaside reading. This is the seventh and newest installment in one of my favorite cozy series. In this one, Lana Lee—who manages her family's Chinese restaurant but can barely boil water—enrolls in culinary school on the sly. When the teacher ends up dead one day, Lana finds herself investigating yet another homicide.
2. You Have a Match by Emma Lord—I'm always up for a DNA discovery story and this YA one sounds like fun. It's about two long-lost sisters who come together at summer camp to figure out why they never knew about each other. Sounds like a 21st Century The Parent Trap. Yes, please!
3. Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee (available May 4, 2021)—I've talked about this YA historical before, but that's because it's the 2021 release that I've been most anticipating. The story concerns Valora and Jamie Luck, a pair of estranged British-Chinese twins who are trained acrobats. Valora sneaks aboard Titanic with plans to first reunite with her brother, then convince an American circus owner to hire them. Of course, her plans are about to go horribly awry...
4. Hems & Homicide by Elizabeth Penney—I just heard about this cozy series set in an apron shop in a quaint seaside town. This first installment has Iris Buckley moving to Maine to help her grandmother run the store. When she finds a skeleton in the shop's basement, an amateur murder investigation begins.
5. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith—Rom-coms always make for good beach reads. This one, which revolves around two food truck chefs competing for a coveted parking spot at a Maui beach, sounds super cute.
6. A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott—Lark over at Lark Writes...About Books and Life raves about the American Wonders historical series. The first installment is set at the Grand Canyon (practically in my backyard) and concerns a woman who is determined to do the surveying job her deceased father was hired to complete for the Army. She's stunned to discover that the project leader is the man she once refused to marry. Sparks fly as the project is threatened and the pair must rely on each other in order to survive an expedition that grows more dangerous by the minute.
7. The Other Emily by Dean Koontz—Koontz's newest is a little darker than my other picks today, but it sounds too intriguing to pass up. It's about David Thorne, a man who is grief-stricken over the disappearance—and presumed murder—of the woman he loves. When he meets the alluring Maddison Sutton, he can't help but be drawn in by her flirty attentiveness. Most surprising is how similar she seems to David's vanished love. Is Maddison really Emily? Or is she a convincing dead ringer playing a cruel and sinister game?
8. Murder's No Votive Confidence by Christin Brecher—Another cozy series opener, this one stars the owner of a Nantucket candle shop who comes under fire when the centerpiece she created for a wedding is used as a murder weapon.
9. A Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin—Every summer, Perry Soto looks forward to escaping sweltering New York City to relax at her godmother's seaside cottage. Ama plans to gift the house to one of her three goddaughters, but all of them—Perry included—have secrets that could keep them from the inheritance they all want.
10. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron (available October 5, 2021)—I'm a big Cameron fan, so I'm looking forward to this historical YA novel about Eva, a young woman who flees Berlin with a horrifying secret, one so potentially explosive that both the Americans and the Soviets will kill to get it. While those governments are searching for Eva, she's on the hunt for an escaped Nazi with whom she has a score to settle.
There you go, ten novels I'd be happy to enjoy while relaxing on the shore. Have you read any of them? What books would you tote to the beach? Which do you want to throw in the ocean? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: 2020 Book Releases Still to Come, Part Two
Before we get to my favorite weekly meme, I want to share some great news! For the second year in a row, I have been selected to be a judge for round one of the Cybils Awards. This go round, I'll be on the panel for middle grade fiction, which is absolutely thrilling for me. Haven't heard of the Cybils? It's an annual literary awards program created by bloggers that recognizes children's literature based on both literary merit and popular appeal. Public nominations will run from October 1-15, so if you've read an awesome book for young readers this year that was published in the U.S. or Canada between October 16, 2019 and October 15, 2020, you can nominate it for a Cybils Award! Authors, illustrators, publishers, etc. can even nominate their own books, although they have their own nomination period. Check out the Cybils Awards website for more info.
I don't know about you, but my favorite Top Ten Tuesday prompts are those to do with seasonal reading lists. It's always fun to see what other bloggers are planning to read, which titles they're excited about, and what's up-and-coming in their review queues. I'm going to twist the topic a little bit today (shocker!) to continue chatting about 2020 book releases that are still to come. If you missed Part One, shame on you! Just kidding—you can check out last week's list here. Part Two is another mix of forthcoming novels from various genres that I'm looking forward to reading soon-ish.
As always, if you want to join in the TTT fun (and you do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, where our host, Jana, can give you all the deets on this weekly meme. Lots of bloggers join in, so it's a great way to spread the love across the book blogosphere by finding new blogs, visiting old faves, and, of course, grabbing some great reading recommendations for your TBR pile mountain mountain chain.
Top Ten Novels Coming Out in Fall 2020, Part Two
1. Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell (available October 13, 2020)—I generally enjoy Jewell's books and her newest domestic thriller, about a neighborhood in crisis after the mysterious disappearance of a young woman, sounds intriguing.
2. You Know I'm No Good by Jessie Ann Foley (available October 13, 2020)—Foley's Sorry For Your Loss was one of my favorite reads of 2019. Her newest sounds equally as compelling. It concerns a 17-year-old girl who starts acting out in response to a scarring trauma. When she's whisked away in the middle of the night to a boarding school that's supposed to straighten her out, she'll have to confront her demons in order to change her life for the better. Although the plot sounds a little generic, I'm excited to see what Foley makes of it.
3. Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron (available October 13, 2020)—I'm not always a fan of books about magic and special powers, but this one, set in the Jim Crow South, appeals. It's about a Black teen with a boatload of real-life troubles who's also grappling with the maturation of her magic abilities, which have been passed down through generations of Black women since the days of slavery. Sounds compelling.
4. The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn (available December 8, 2020)—I first heard about the deep sea divers of Jeju, South Korea, from Lisa See's sweeping novel, The Island of Sea Women. I'm definitely up for reading more and this debut sounds like one I'll like.
5. The Key to Fear by Kristin Cast (available October 13, 2020)—The Key Corporation protects everyone from a rampant virus that spreads through touch. When an infected patient escapes during the watch of a young nurse, she breaks the corporation's strict rules to go after him. The patient, of course, knows secrets about the Key Corporation that could shatter its control over the population; naturally, he—and now his nurse—find themselves in the crosshairs of the most powerful organization in the world. Can they save themselves from a ruthless enemy? How about the world? Yeah, yeah, I know this is the plot of like every YA dystopian novel ever, but still ...
6. The Green Lace Corset by Jill G. Hall (available October 13, 2020)—This dual-timeline novel concerns two women living in San Francisco 135 years apart, connected by the titular garment.
7. Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan (available October 6, 2020)—When it comes to historical novels, I usually don't read anything set before the American Revolution, so this one, set in "a time long forgotten" may be a little outside my reading comfort zone. Still, the story, which concerns a tight-knit community and the way it changes irrevocably after it's invaded by outsiders, sounds interesting. I'm not sure why this one appeals to me, but it does.
8. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (available September 29, 2020)—Between life and death, there lies a great library filled with numberless books, all containing a story you can potentially live. Given the opportunity to jump into another life (or two or three), would you? This premise fascinates me!
9. Elsewhere by Dean Koontz (available October 6, 2020)—A father and daughter are unexpectedly handed a strange object by an eccentric acquaintance. Shockingly, it allows them to access parallel universes. A powerful stranger wants the object for nefarious purposes—our dynamic duo just wants to find their dead wife and mother.
10. Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins (available October 6, 2020)—Hopkins' first MG novel is a contemporary story in verse about a girl whose life is upended when her strange cousin moves in with her family. Hopkins' YA novels are raw and hard-hitting; I'm interested to see how this one compares.
There you go, ten more novels to look forward to in this latter part of 2020. Which 2020 releases are you looking forward to? Which have you already enjoyed? What titles are on your Fall TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, April 07, 2015
TTT: Where Are They Now?
So, I wasn't planning to participate in Top Ten Tuesday this week because I already posted a review today, plus this week's TTT topic is, well, tough. Some of the topics inspire dozens of answers to pop into my head, others just ... don't. Still, I didn't want to miss out on the fun, so I just twisted the prompt to suit my needs a little better. If you want to liven up your Tuesday a little, click on over to The Broke and the Bookish to get the skinny on how to participate. It's easy! It's fun! It will give you clear skin and firm thighs! Well, maybe not that last bit ...
Anyway, this week's topic is: Top Ten Characters You'd Like to Check In With. Since I could only think of ones I figured would be on everyone's lists (Scout Finch, Scarlett O'Hara, etc.), I decided to focus my list on characters whom I can check in with, but whom I've been neglecting of late.
1. "Bloody" Jacky Faber (Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer)—You've heard me rave on and on about how much I love Jacky. She's a fantastic, larger-than-life heroine who makes me laugh. As much as I adore her, though, I've only read half of the books in the series. I need to pick up My Bonny Light Horseman soon and see what crazy adventure Jacky's on this time!
2. Amelia Peabody (Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)—Amelia Peabody is more understated than Jacky Faber, but she's also a heroine who has great adventures. Her shocking actions/demeanor make me laugh. I haven't read a Peabody mystery in some time and might have to re-start the series so I can remember who's who and what's what. Or, I might just start where I left off (Book 5? Book 6?).
3. Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan)—Percy Jackson is one of my kids' favorite heroes. I enjoyed The Lightning Thief, but never moved on with the series. I think I need to drop back in and see what the young demi-god is up to these days.
4. Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis)—I loved The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I read it in elementary school. Why I never read the rest of the series, I really don't know. I've regretted it ever since and should really finish it up. I have at least two sets of the books on my shelf, so I have no excuses ...
5. Mel, Jack, Preacher & Co. (Virgin River series by Robyn Carr); Hank Cooper & Co. (Thunder Point series by Robyn Carr)—I love Carr's romance novels with their small-town settings and big-hearted people. I've read over half of the former series, but only the first of the latter. I've got some catching up to do, for sure!
6. Hannah Swensen (Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke)—Yes, I realize these are the silliest murder mysteries in the history of murder mysteries. I blame my friend Tara for turning me on to them. She's right, though, they're useful when you want to read a light, easy mystery that won't turn your stomach or tax your brain. Also, there are the recipes. So, yeah, I definitely need to pop back into this series to see what's going down with the cookie baker turned amateur sleuth.
7. Cammie Morgan & Co. (Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter)—I love this outlandish, warm-hearted series. It's just fun. The girls always have something crazy going on, so visiting them is a guaranteed good time. I need to start Number Three, Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover, soon.
8. Don Tillman & Rosie Jarman (Rosie series by Graeme Simsion)—The Rosie Project made me laugh out loud (many times) and root for this unlikely pair. I'm curious to see what happens to them next. Good thing I'm already on the library's waiting list for The Rosie Effect.
9. Odd Thomas (Odd series by Dean Koontz)—Although I was not happy with the ending of Odd Thomas, the first installment in this popular series, I enjoyed the book. Considering what happened to poor Odd in the first novel, I definitely need to check in with him and see if he's okay.
10. Ruth Galloway (Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths)—Okay, so I just barely left this English archaeologist, but I'm ready for another visit to the salt marshes she loves so much. Especially since the first novel ends not in a cliffhanger, but in an intriguing twist. I definitely want to see where it leads!
So, there you have it. I'm obviously horrendous at completing series. The worst thing is, I feel like I've left all these characters hanging, like they've just been suspended in time until I open their books and release them. When will I stop neglecting these poor story people? Hopefully soon. Which fictional characters have you been ignoring? Which are you still wondering about? Who would you like to catch up with? I'd love to see your TTT list.
Happy reading!
*All book images from Barnes & Noble
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Innocence: I Didn't See That Coming
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Sometimes the jacket copy on a book is so succinct, so scintillating in its simplicity that it's absurd to try to rewrite it in my own clumsy way. I'm not much for reinventing the wheel, so I give you the professionally-written plot summary for Innocence, Dean Koontz's newest mystical thriller:
He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching.
Lovely, right? I think the text offers a perfect boiling-down of a novel that's actually very difficult to describe. Like Koontz's popular Odd Thomas books, Innocence is a mix of mystery, mysticism and otherworldly suspense. It's a strange tale, confusing at times, beautiful at others. Overall, it held my interest while making me very curious to see just what made the main characters so repugnant to society. The answer was one I really did not see coming. At all. I loved the big reveal—it surprised and delighted me, while making me ponder my own beliefs. I didn't adore every aspect of this novel, but overall, I enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, and adult subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Friday, January 24, 2014
Odd Thomas Strangely Charming, Surprisingly Thought-Provoking
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Pretend you're me (Congratulations, your life just got infinitely less exciting!). You're (voluntarily) attending a 2-day long academic conference at a prestigious university, despite the fact that you're really not all that interested in the subject of the meeting. Your husband, however, cannot wait to absorb everything being said. You (gracefully) agree to accompany him rather than lounging at the hotel, book in hand. Aware that lots of great information will most likely be shared at the conference and you really should pay attention, you resist the urge (barely) to pack along the hardcover novel you've been reading. Also aware that the speakers might just bore you to tears, you sneak in your Kindle (you know, so you can look all brainy while you secretly read something more suited to those—like yourself, but unlike all those around you—with only average intellectual ability. When you listen to the first speaker and, about 10 minutes into his address, realize you haven't understood a word he's said, do you (a) give yourself a mental slap and vow to pay closer attention or (b) give up and find a good book on your contraband (not really) Kindle. If you chose A, you know me too well (scary) or maybe it was just a really obvious choice. Whatever. The point is, I started reading Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz while sitting in a classroom at the University of Notre Dame. And I'm pretty sure I didn't hear another word spoken at the conference, so absorbed was I in the adventures of the book's quirky title character.
I just can't find a way to properly explain this book, so I'm going to let the cover copy do the talking:
"The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidante. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain amount of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time's different. A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.
Today is August 14.In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares - and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.
Compelling, right? It totally is. Although the novel does get gory and disturbing, it's also intriguing, exciting and surprisingly thought-provoking. I love Odd, who's got a strange charm about him. I do have some major issues with the ending of this book, but I can't talk about it without spoilers, so I'm going to have to keep mum, darn it. Besides the unpleasant twist at the end, I enjoyed Odd Thomas. A lot. Probably too much. And now I need more—good thing there are lots of sequels!
(Readalikes: Koontz's books have always reminded me of those by horror master Stephen King; also other novels in the Odd Thomas series)
Grade:
(Readalikes: Koontz's books have always reminded me of those by horror master Stephen King; also other novels in the Odd Thomas series)
Grade:
If this were a movie (and I hear it will be soon), it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence/gore, sexual innuendo, and adult themes
To the FTC, with love: I received a free, finished e-book of Odd Thomas as part of a review I did for Livrada. Thank you!
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