If you, like me, have dreams of publishing a novel some day, you've probably read a few books about writing. More than a few. Probably tons. I know I have. Some writing tutorials are better than others, obviously, even though most cover about the same material. Still, I'm always interested in finding new and different techniques to deal with old and perplexing problems. Since plotting is something I pretty much suck at, I picked up Plot & Structure by mystery/suspense author James Scott Bell, hoping for some good advice. I didn't learn anything completely new from it, but it still offered a few gems.

I don't agree with everything Bell says, of course. I mean, seriously, is the following paragraph really "one of the greatest opening paragraphs in any thriller you'll ever read" as Bell seems to think:

"At two-thirty Saturday morning, in Los Angeles, Joe Carpenter woke, clutching a pillow to his chest, cllin ghis lost wife's name in the darkness. The anguished and haunted quality of his own voice ahd shaken him from sleep. Dreams fell from him not all at once but in trembling veils, as attic dust falls off rafters when a house rolls with an earthquake." (From Sole Survivor by Dean R. Koontz)

Yeah, I don't think so either.

Overall, though, I found the book helpful. Not monumentally so, but enough that I enjoyed the reading experience and found it to be a good use of my time. It even helped me write some killer back cover copy for my soon to be bestseller (hee hee). Now, if it could just help me shape my scary-bad rough draft into something that's at least readable, if not publishable, then, well, I'd really be singing its praises.

(Readalikes: similar to The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall and How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey)

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for a couple uses of mild language

To the FTC, with love: I bought Plot & Structure with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.

(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Mr. Monster, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, I Am Not A Serial Killer. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

In I Am Not A Serial Killer, Dan Wells' disturbing debut novel, 15-year-old John Wayne Cleaver kills a murderer. He doesn't want to kill anyone. Not really. Even if he does have dark, violent thoughts. Even if he studies serial killers obsessively. Even if the dead bodies that arrive in his family's mortuary fascinate him a whole lot more than they really should. John's a sociopath, but he's not a killer. At least he wasn't until he came face-to-face with a foe so unbelievable, so formiddable, that the only way to save his town from more grisly murders was to tap into his violent side and take out the monster. Only this monster wasn't human like Ted Bundy or the BTK Strangler. And this monster, apparently, brought along some friends. At least that's what John comes to believe when dead bodies start turning up once again in his hometown.

Mr. Monster begins with a murdered woman discovered in an irrigation canal. John can't be sure it's the work of another demon, but what else makes sense? As other victims are found, John studies the crimes for evidence of an otherworldly killer. His interest in the killings, coupled with his presence at one of the crime scenes, raises the suspicions of Clark Forman, the FBI agent in charge of investigating the killings. Even though Agent Forman finds John's obsession strange, he can't deny the usefulness of John's uncanny ability to get inside the head of a killer. John can't deny it either - hunting down the killer satisfies the hungry need of his inner demon, who he refers to as Mr. Monster. As much as John resists tapping into the side of himself, he has to unleash it in order to truly understand who - or what - is stalking his little town.

The closer John gets to discovering the identity of the murderer, the more perilous his situation becomes. Not only is the killer hunting John, but unleashing Mr. Monster is making John dangerous to himself and everyone around him. Can he control his inner demon long enough to save the town once again or will this new round of murders finally put John over the edge?

Like Wells' first book, Mr. Monster is a deeply disturbing portrait of a boy at war with himself. John's violent thoughts are jarring, while his deep commitment to being a good person makes him complex and even sympathetic. Like I've said before, the most intriguing aspect of this series is its premise, which basically says that no matter what instincts we may or may not have been born with, the decisions we make are ultimately up to us. It's a fascinating concept, the exploration of which makes for some consistently compelling reads. Still, John's constant thoughts of death, combined with some pretty graphic, violent scenes in the book's finale, make Mr. Monster so dark and disturbing, I could barely stomach it. It made me think; it also made me want to vomit. And take some Prozak. So, yeah, I'm definitely on the fence about these ... Have you read them? What do you think?

(Readalikes: I Am Not A Serial Killer and I Don't Want to Kill You (available in the U.S. on March 29, 2011) by Dan Wells; Wells' work also reminds me quite a bit of Stephen King's)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for mild language, mild sexual content and graphic/disturbing/violent images

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

If you're like me, you get dozens of book recommendations every week from various places - friends, family, book blogs, newspapers, magazines, publisher emails, etc. - so many that you can't possibly run out and read them all right now. Maybe you prioritize, reserving titles suggested by your sister ASAP, but sticking Uncle Bob's recommendations on the end of your TBR list. My husband is my Uncle Bob (not literally - eeewww). To hear him tell it, I reguarly ignore his book suggestions. Maybe he should take a page out of our oldest daughter's book: the other day, she said to me, "I wish you would read the books I ask you to read so that we could discuss them." Result? Instant guilt. I plucked the story under discussion right out of her hands and began to read it. And you know what? I'm going to pay more attention to her suggestions because Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine really was ... enchanting. Perhaps I should now read a pick from "Uncle Bob" just to see if I get similar results.

At first glance, Ella Enchanted didn't seem all that great. The cover's nothing special, the writing didn't make me gasp, and the story seemed ho hum. Until I got going. Then, I realized how unique and interesting its premise really is. The story goes a little something like this: As an infant, Ella receives a "blessing" from a mischievious fairy that compels her to always be obedient. The spell works, so well that if Ella's mother urges her to eat, she does so until commanded to stop. So total is her obedience that the "blessing" soon becomes a curse, one the tricky fairy refuses to undo. The curse is irritating, for sure, but only a minor convenience as Ella spends most of her time with her mother and the family's housekeeper, both of whom know about the spell and would never exploit little Ella. All that changes, however, when Ella's 14 and her mother dies. That's when a scheming Lady sets her sights upon Ella's father or, more specifically, on the riches that seem to be his. Her two daughters, equally as conniving, soon discover Ella's secret. Unlike Ella's early allies, they have no trouble taking advantage of her. Soon, Ella becomes little more than a servant to her new stepfamily. Her only hope lies in breaking the curse that forces her to obey even the vilest of commands. But that will not be an easy task; indeed, it may be impossible. Can she find a way to free herself or is she doomed to a life of toil with only the cinders to keep her company?

Interesting concept, right? And, as Ella searches for a solution to her predicament - encountering gnomes, giants, knights and, of course, a prince, along the way - the story becomes downright charming. It's fun, clever, and entertaining. I ended up enjoying it immensely.

When I shared my enthusiasm for Ella Enchanted with my daughter, she popped a fist on her hip and said, "See? I told you so!" And she did. Result: Lesson learned. Next time my daughter suggests I read a book, I will do it. Promptly. As for "Uncle Bob?" Let's just say, Man's Search for Meaning is now at the top of my TBR mountain.

(Readalikes: Other Cinderella retellings)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: G

To the FTC, with love: I borrowed this book from my daughter, who received it, I believe, as a birthday gift from her great aunt.