Trisa's Reading Room

The Vision

2006-07-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Heather Graham's latest novel, "The Vision" takes place during a salvage diving expedition, when Genevieve Wallace has a vision that uncovers a serial killer that is way too close for comfort. I actually didn't see this one coming.

Killer Takes All

2006-07-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

In Erica Spindler's "Killer Takes All", role playing games are taken to a new level after ex-detective Stacy Killian discovers her friend murdered next door. While she unofficially investigates, she draws the killer's attention. Unsatisfying not only for the wacked identity of the killer at large, but also for the lack of justice. You just never know about kids these days.

lost boy lost girl/In the Night Room

2006-07-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

I read these books out of order...I have a knack for finding series books and starting nowhere near the beginning. In any case, this story begins with "lost boy lost girl" by Peter Straub. It sucks to be author Tim Underhill. His sister in law commits suicide, his nephew disappears, and his investigation into matters clouds the veracity of his current best selling novel.

"In the Night Room" contains a story within a story, yet the one I was interested in turned out to be secondary and fictional. The worlds of fantasy and reality collide. Fiction becomes reality, as far as the strange candy fetish can carry it.

Confused? Yeah, me too.

The Girl's Guide to Being the Boss (Without Being a Bitch)

2006-07-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Those of you who've known me a while, know of my reputation as a first rate bitch, and can appreciate the appropriateness of this book. "The Girl's Guide to Being the Boss (Without Being a Bitch)" by Kimberly Yorio and Caitlyn Friedman, gives practical advice for the female manager, nothing you haven't heard before, but told as only women can tell it. If you're a female manager, I highly recommend you check this one out!

After Midnight

2006-07-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

In "After Midnight", by Teresa Medeiros, Caroline Cabot sets out to discover for herself if Adrian Kane is indeed the vampire the society ton believes him to be. This book is absolutely not memorable. It's so forgettable that I was half way through it a second time before I remembered I'd already read it.

If you see this one on the bookseller's shelf, pass it by.

Chesapeake Blue

2006-07-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

This is the fourth installation to the Quinn saga. In "Chesapeake Blue", by Nora Roberts, we follow the youngest Quinn brother, Seth, on his journey of self discovery and his hunt for love. But his mother, Gloria DeLauter is back again, and we find that she's been blackmailing Seth for years. In true Quinn fashion, they circle the wagons and take care of their own, adding Seth's soon to be wife into the fold.

While I was curious what would become of Seth, this story just didn't ring true to me. And his debutant flower-shop-owner girlfriend was downright irritating.

I don't like things left unfinished, however, so while I don't agree with the way things were done, I would have read this one even if he'd joined the circus and married the bearded lady. Addiction can be such a bitch.

Grimm Memorials/Grimm Reapings

2006-07-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

I originally picked up the sequel and was intrigued by the story, so I decided to hunt down "Grimm Memorials" by R. Patrick Gates, and start at the beginning. It's a tale of satanism, cannibalism and twisted fairy tales. The neighborhood witch, who lives in a funeral home, must sacrifice many of the town's children and some of the adults for her Samhain (Halloween) rituals, in order to become immortal. (I promise, that's NOT what the back of the book said, cuz I wouldn't have bothered if I'd known.) A quick thinking young boy, we can call him Hansel, doesn't want to die, and manages to escape by pushing the witch into her own crematorium oven.

But there's no happy ending. There's the sequel, "Grimm Reapings". Thirteen years later, we are reunited with Hansel and his sister Gretel, their mom and half brother, who happens to be posessed by the witch's spirit. See, she didn't die all those years ago. Her rituals only partially completed, her consciousness was put into a prolonged coma deep inside the mind of the baby, who was born the day after the tragic events culminating in the witch's death. With the onset of puberty and his first wet dream, the witch awakens, determined to seek revenge upon Hansel.

The brother tries to bring things full circle, by sacrificing himself in the same oven, but the witch finds yet another host, a young girl, with psychic abilities far surpassing her own. Everyone dies, except Hansel who is left paralyzed.

Not very satisfying reading, folks, and it took a long time to get through them. But I didn't learn, I got yet another book by this author. Quoth the raven, Nevermore.

Venus Fix

2006-07-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

I love series. I get wrapped up in the recurring characters. It's like reading about old friends you ahven't gotten to visit in a while. "Venus Fix" by M.J. Rose, brings back sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow and her boyfriend Det. Noah Jordain, as they seek the answers to internet sexcapades resulting in death for several young women.

Noah needs to develop a flaw or two. Some sort of edge that will make him more realistic. He's good looking, highly intelligent, plays the piano, can make a gourmet meal out of tuna fish and spaghetti o's, and is tender, sweet and totally focused on Morgan's needs. Sorry, but none of the guys I dated were like that. (Of course, that may be why I'm still single...hmmm.)

There was a twist at the end, and it left me feeling a little flat. Female serial killers are rare, and I don't think you'd become one in response to a tragedy. If so, we'd all go apeshit and the world's population problem would be no more.

But the core story about the internet sexcapades is interesting, and since you get updates Noah and Morgan along the way, it's worth the read. I am hoping Morgan develops a spine, a maternal backbone, and puts her daughter in her rightful place before the next story comes around. If I had not come home when I was that age, my short life would have been over, and my afterlife a very unhappy one.

My apologies

2006-07-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

Forgive me, please, for my neglect in updating this site. It's not that I haven't been reading lately, I just have been caught up in life and haven't taken the time to blog. Now, however, I am on vacation in sunny Holiday, Florida, with the goal of finally catching up on several months worth of books. Enjoy!

Blood Memory

2006-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

This book is not for the faint of heart. It's about child molestation and murder, so if you're easily offended, you might want to skip this one. And it's over 800 pages long, so if you're a casual reader, this one's not for you. If you're like me, and books are your drug of choice, this one is a definite must read. It's well researched, well written, holds up despite it's length, has a satisfying ending without coming across as "twee", and knows when the story is done and it's time to call it a wrap. I hope there are more adventures in store for forensic odontologist Cat Ferry, the married-to-another-woman father-of-her-child Det. Sean Ragan, and her possible new love interest Dr. Michael Wells.

Midnight Mass

2006-04-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Whenever I stumble upon an F. Paul Wilson book that I haven't read, I get terribly excited. Not that I've read all his work; his stuff is just damned hard to find! While it's not one of the Repairman Jack novels I've missed, I was thrilled to find "Midnight Mass." And even more thrilled to realize it's a vampire book! A fallen priest, a nun, a rabbi and a lesbian team together to reclaim the local Catholic church that has been defiled by blood thirsty vampires. Everything you ever read about a vampire, all the myths about flying, garlic, crosses....it's all true. This particular set of vampires is set on world domination. Can the human race survive? I'm not telling, so if you can find a copy, I suggest reading it. If you can't find one, maybe I'll let you borrow mine.

Manitou Blood

2006-04-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

Picture the cover...close up of a fanged vampire superimposed above the NYC skyline. Graham Masterton's "Manitou Blood" held the promise of being quite possible as cheesy and campy as "Goblins". Surprisingly, it held up pretty good. I was particulary intrigued by the idea that vampires can step into mirrors and reflective surfaces to avoid the sun and as their secret transportation network.

Graham's vampires don't have fangs however, so I'd normally have a bone to pick about the misleading cover. But thanks to Laurie Breton's explanation of the timeline involved in creating book cover artwork, I'll just assume the artist was told, "Dude, it's about a vampire in NYC. Yeah man....and there's, like, blood everywhere."

Vampirism as a sexually transmitted disease? Why not...theories I've read thus far include nanos, aliens and evolution. And of course, it's passed on the female line (even though I can't name a female vampire....wait....I take that back, Anne Rice had female vampires, but I don't know their names.)

I'm going to look up some more of this guy's stuff and see what else he's come up with. I just found his ending to be a little abrupt. You've got the good guys fighting the bad guys, and the half vampire female sex kitten killing her father, the deranged, widowed vampirologist...And that's it. End of story. In this instance, I wanted a little bit more.

Life Expectancy

2006-04-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Dean Koontz' "Life Expectancy" really took me by surprise. It was light hearted, comical and left me with a good feeling at the end. So not typical of Koontz.

Jimmy Tock is born following the precognitive pronouncements of his grandfather and Grandpa's stern warnings about 5 days to come in Jimmy's life. In a chance meeting in the hospital waiting room, Jimmy's dad meets an insane, psychopathic circus clown, whose wife is also giving birth. Chaos ensues, and events are set in motion for Jimmy to have multiple battles with a lifelong nemesis before coming to understand a secret about himself.

With all the gourmet food references, I found myself wanting to take notes and look up recipes. This is such a departure from Koontz' regular stuff that I find myself asking, "Is this really a Dean Koontz book?"

Ricochet

2006-04-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

I've read "Ricochet" by Nancy Baker Jacobs, and I've had time to ponder the title, and I still can't figure out what 'ricochet' has to do with the story. Annabelle Nettleton is widowed when she discovers she really doesn't know much about her husband Dylan. His home business turns out to be stolen money hidden in overseas accounts. His dead mother is really alive and staking out the house.

It was a relief to have the romantic tension go unrealized in this story. Let's face it, we all don't get to have mind shattering intimate encounters everytime we're attracted to someone.

I found the kidnapping of the neighbor's child to be just too much, as well as Annabelle's willingness to risk everything for that child. I would have personally taken me and my child and joined the Witness Protection Program.

Criminal Intent (edited)

2006-04-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

Again, I find myself apologizing for the lack of paragraphs. Through the infamous Blogger glitch, I cannot hit return and start a new paragraph. The back cover of Laurie Breton's "Criminal Intent" includes a blurb from the Romantic Times Bookclub that says, "Only seasoned armchair sleuths will guess the killer's identity." Not so. I figured out who the bad guy was really early in the story and kept waiting for a twist. But none came. (Laurie Breton points out that this quote was referring to her book "Lethal Lies", and not to "Criminal Intent" and that the villain in this book was never kept a secret.) It was nice to revisit Serenity, Maine and to check in on some familiar characters. But Robin Spinney/Annie Kendall's story of going underground because of knowledge she posessed was rather anti-climactic. Within a week of her arrival in Serenity, all hell breaks loose and it's up to Interim Police Chief Davy Hunter to save the day. The big secret? A sherrif was the driver in a hit and run where a teenage boy died. I'm sorry, but if I had the info that could prove something such as murder, I'd have to send it to someone, not hide it in the wheel well in the trunk of my Volvo.

Body Work

2006-04-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Fiona Brand's "Body Work" stars author Jane Gale. As a child, Jane witnessed her mother's murder and nearly died. Left with amnesia, she has written a blockbuster about a serial killer who keeps death masks of his victims. Her mother's killer reads the book and recognizes himself in her pages. Out to save himself, he seeks her out to finish the job he'd started 25 years ago. This book is, to quote Tom Cruise in TAPS, "the wrong execution of the right idea." The timeline jumps rapidly and I found myself confused as to which set of characters I was following. And some of it was just past the point of believability. Young boys being locked in a root cellar in Louisiana, for instance. We don't have root cellars and such here in the south, particularly not in the swamp that is Louisiana.

Thicker Than Water

2006-04-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

I branched out this week and read a mystery. In junior high I read a sizeable chunk of Agatha Christie, but gave up reading mysteries after I managed to solve one on page 4. OK, so maybe it isn't fair to hold it against the whole genre; it was an exceedingly poorly written story, but nonetheless, I don't often go for the mystery novel. The cover of Rett MacPherson's "Thicker than Water" had a haunting 3/4 zoom of an antique doll's face, so I picked it up. (All you publishers will be glad to know that sometimes the artwork really does influence the reader.) "Thicker than Water" is apparantly the third in a series of Torie O'Shea mysteries. Torie O'Shea is a small town genealogist who works with the town's historical society, and finds herself the sole beneficiary after the death of her boss, an incredibly wealthy, cold hearted 102 year old woman. As she sorts through Sylvia's effects, strange things start to happen and Torie discovers that Sylvia had secrets. (Can you live to be 102 and NOT have secrets?) Will Torie solve the mystery in time to save herself and her family? Will the pressure become too much for her to bear? Will the antagonist succeed in running her out of town? (Hint...it's a series, people...she'll probably come out on top.)

The Commitment

2006-04-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

Dan Savage strikes again, with his latest installment, "The Commitment", which tells the tale of his possible marriage to long time partner Terry Miller. Like Savage's other books, I found myself skimming past all the political fluff, trying to keep the narrative moving. I want to know about his adopted son, his dysfunctional family and his brain damaged, deaf and blind toy poodle. I don't really care for the pages on end explanation of the gay marriage issue. Do Dan and Terry tie the knot? I'm not going to tell, but you'll have to carefully read the ending to find out.

Anyone You Want Me To Be

2006-04-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

I used to read a ton of true crime novels. Lately though, I've moved past the genre. While house sitting for friends last weekend, I saw one on their nightstand that sounded intriguing. "Anyone You Want Me to Be" by John Douglas chronicles the actions of a serial killer whom I won't publicize or glamorize by naming here. This guy preyed on needy submissive women and thanks to the internet, found more potential victims than he could handle. The remains of 5 have thus far been found and identified and many more disappearances are suspected to by linked to him. As true crime goes, this book was lacking. Not to down play the grief of the families involved, but the book was boring. How can you tell the story of a serial killer into S&M and have a dull book? John Douglas manages to do so.

Missing Persons

2006-03-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting for months for Stehen White's Missing Persons to come out in paperback. I have been so anxious to read it in fact, that I spent 10 bucks on the paperback! I didn't even wait for it to hit the used bookstore.

And it was worth it.

Dr. Alan Gregory finds himself in yet another mystery. If something bad happens in Alan Gregory's Boulder, Colorado, you can bet your bippie that he'll be investigating it. Not in an official capacity of course, but the criminal element seems to beat a path to Alan's therapeutic psychologist office door.

This time, a teenage girl, Alan's business partner and one of his patients are missing, and Alan has to walk the ethical fine line of patient confidentiality with his best friend, police officer Sam Purdy.

If you can look past the too damn many references to Jean-Benet Ramsey, it's a really good read.

Inner Harbor

2006-03-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

Inner Harbor is the third installment of the Chesapeake Bay saga. The book focuses on Phillip Quinn, the youngest of the 3 original brothers. As the family business finds success, Phil finds his own love interest in visiting author Dr. Sybill Griffin.

Not that I don't think Phil deserved to find happiness, but I didn't like Sybill. It was too convenient for him to be Seth's biological aunt. It tied up the pieces just a little too neatly, especially since there's still one book to go. I found myself skipping over the Sybill sections to get back to the Quinn part of the story.

I hope the finale will be better than this one.

Rising Tides

2006-03-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

In part two of Nora Roberts' Chesapeake Bay series, Ethan Quinn realizes the love of his lifetime has been under his nose since he first came to St. Chris and joined the Quinn family. Grace Munroe, who cleans the Quinn house and works at the local pub, has carried a torch for Ethan just as long, and with a little guidance from Anna, Grace sets out to do something about the mutual attraction.

The Quinn brothers settle into the routine of caring for their youngest brother Seth amid rumors in town that Seth might be more than just another of Ray Quinn's lost boys.

This story held up to the promise of the first, and I'm eager to contine on.

Sea Swept

2006-03-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

For all you Nora Roberts fans, this one is worth the read. Sea Swept is the first of the Chesapeake Bay saga, and introduces you to the Quinn brothers. Can you say "Four Brothers" goes romance?

The Quinns were troubled youths adopted and raised by Ray and Stella Quinn in the small town of St. Chris. When Ray dies unexpectedly, he leaves behind unfinished business and his newest acquisition, 10 year old Seth, to be raised by his brothers. The saga addresses the difficulties the boys meet as they honor the death bed promise made to their father.

In the Irish trilogy, the lord of the fairies visits with the siblings as a portent of love on the horizon. In the Chesapeake series, Ray himself returns from the dead to have chats with his boys, to answer questions and steer them to happiness.

In Sea Swept, the oldest son, Cameron, known internationally as a jet set boat racer, learns to settle down, thanks in part to his young charge Seth, and also to Seth's social worker, Anna Spinelli.

As with all of Nora's books I've read, I particularly enjoyed this first one in the series, getting to know the characters involved and immersing myself in the daily life on St. Chris. Will the second installment be as good?

Body of Evidence

2006-03-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

This one is marginally better than In a Heartbeat, but not the best effort by Stella Cameron.

In Body of Evidence, members of a woman's only club are being murdered. It's up to one member and her ex-Army Ranger love interest to solve the crime. The local police, and even the mayor, are suspects. But no one expects the twist at the end when the woman's club founder turns out to have the biggest secret of all. That she's really a man and has duped the whole town.

This one was just lame. I hope my book shipment this month turns out better or I might have to cancel.

In a Heartbeat

2006-03-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

Ok folks, this one pushes the envelope of incredulity. Let's say you have a girl who survives being buried alive by a serial killer (Dave Matthews' pathetic song Grave Digger would be appropriate musical accompaniment right now). She relocates, changing only her last name, and is able to stay hidden. Yeah.

A few years down the line there's a copycat killer. Will he come after Lisa, too?

You betcha. After all, the original serial killer became an involuntary organ donor. The cells of said transplanted organs have cell memory. And the transplant recipient becomes...new life for the serial killer.

This one fails on so many levels, I can't impress upon you enough to steer clear of Rita Herron's "In a Heartbeat."

Killing Kelly

2006-02-16T20:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the run on paragraphs...yet another glitch with Blogger. My February shipment of books arrived last week! I was like a kid in a candy store. First thing I do is to rip open my box (which the mailman rudely left in the middle of the sidewalk!) to see what my free gifts are. This time I got an extra book, another purple wine glass (number 8 I believe) and a lucite key chain. It was like hitting the lottery, cuz underneath all that extra stuff where my 3 books! The first of which is "Killing Kelly" by Heather Graham. Soap actress Kelly Trent has a crazy stalker threatening not only her life, but, , her career. Her only protection is her ex-cop/dance coach turned body guard. Will she survive her current project, filming a music video? Or will the stalker prevail? This one is, in the words of my friend Bran, a "fluffy bunny" story. I enjoyed the romance part, but was disappointed on the suspense angle because I figured it out way too soon. But, unlike one book from last month, which has been abandoned at the mid-way point, it was at least finishable.

Gateways

2006-02-16T20:11:00.000-08:00

I was grocery shopping the other day and thought I'd treat myself to a new book. A lot of my books come from the used book store because I read so much that I couldn't afford my habit otherwise. And then I saw it. "Gateways: A Repairman Jack Novel" by F. Paul Wilson. I excitedly threw it into my cart and hurried home.

Seems I've missed a book or two in the series but thanks to the list in the front of the book, I have titles to look for. Sometimes, life is so good.

A bunch of Wilson's books tie together, pitting the Other against the Adversary, so if you pick one up, remember that Jack's reality is not your reality. Jack is a fix-it man. If you have a problem....a cheating spouse, a little blackmail in your closet, an embezzling accountant, a wicked creature from another dimension, you can call on him and he will fix it. This time around Jack goes on a road trip. His dad is in a car accident and Jack must go to Florida to get to the bottom of the situation. After all, can all the world's evils be based in the tri-state area? I think not. And F. Paul Wilson proves that point with "Gateways".

I was a little confused with some minor details, but like I mentioned earlier, I think I missed an installment somewhere along the line. But still, it was good to see what my pal Jack has been up to. And, looking at some of the dialog, I am starting to see what the future has in store for him. Will he be able to legitimize himself before the birth of his child? Or will he be forever tied to the Otherness?

Red Lily

2006-02-01T22:16:00.000-08:00

This one will probably shock most of my friends, so everybody find a buddy and hold hands. Feeling secure?

The first good book I've read so far was "Red Lily" by Nora Roberts. Yes, as well read as I am, I do give in to the occasional urge to read mindless fluff. Sometimes even I want a happy ending. And "Red Lily" gives you that.

It's the third in the In the Garden trilogy. (Yes, I've read them all.) Not quite as well written as the first two, not as much character development and interplay with those from the other stories, but it did tie things up nicely. In this one, the single-mom-step-cousin-in-law finally realizes she's crazy for the landowner's son, but you and I? We knew it all along, from way back in book one. And in true romance fashion, they get married and live happily ever after.

But before they do, the whole business with the ghost has to get resolved. She may be dead, but she's madder than hell and will not be ignored.

Give the trilogy a try. "Black Rose", "Blue Dahlia" and "Red Lily". If you've got even a smidge of romance hidden in your heart, you'll probably have a good time.

Goblins

2006-01-22T14:54:00.000-08:00

I knew this one would be bad. The cover has a menacing, Freddy Krugeresque, hunchbacked leprechaun stalking a castle by the light of a full moon. How could it not be terrible?

"Goblins" by Vincent Courtney, appealed to my daring-do side. I dare authors and movie makers to create something I will find scary. I had little hope for Goblins, but sometimes a little is all you need.

But come on. An Irish red-cap (goblin) impregnates an already pregnant woman with his spawn, causing the miscarriage of only the normal fetus. The baby goblin, once born, feeds off mother's milk and of course, blood, until it is strong enough to kill it's human family, and frame another human for the evil deed, therefore diverting attention from itself.

Yeah, noone notices the 7 month old toddler walking upright and stalking the cat.

If you're looking for entertainment, and have a week or so to spare, cuz seriously, you can't read much of this at one sitting, go ahead and give it a whirl. If you prefer something more selective, the phone book is probably better written.

Black and Blue

2006-01-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

The first week of the New Year, while coping with the murder of my cousin, I read my one and only selecton from Oprah's Book Club. I try to ignore Oprah's mandates for better living. I never really wanted to be Oprah. Her endorsement is usually enough to send me the opposite direction. But a friend had brought over a couple boxes of books, and I love books! I put a few aside to read and turned the rest into the used bookstore.

"Black and Blue" by Anna Quindlen, was one of the chosen few I kept for myself. It's about a battered woman who, along with her young son, leaves her abusive husband. With the help of a secret network, Fran is whisked away from her life in New York City and into the life of Beth Crenshaw in Florida. Does our heroine bravely start a new life apart from her husband?

You think so, all the way through about 7/8 of the book, until Fran/Beth's son Robert calls his dad. With their new identities and location compromised, does Fran/Beth go back into hiding to keep herself and her son safe?

Bear with me here. No, she doesn't. She chooses to stay in Florida, despite the absolute positive fact that the abusive husband (a cop) will find her. (Any sympathy I felt for her was shot to hell by this point.)

She'd started a relationship, had a job, and had decorated her apartment and didn't want to start over. So she stayed, fully aware that he was coming after her. When he finally shows up, nearly kills Fran/Beth and kidnaps his son, it's not a surprise at all.

In the end, although she's remarried and has another child, she's not a whole person, because part of her is with her missing son.

Should you run across this one on your bookstore shelf, pass it by. It's depressing as hell and is doubly so if you're dealing with any personal trauma. I should have followed my gut instinct and put it back in the box as soon as I'd seen Oprah's seal of approval.

Welcome to the Reading Room

2006-01-16T22:21:00.000-08:00

I've been wondering just how much I read in a year and thought it might be fun to keep track of it all, as well as to review what I've read so others can enjoy (or not) the books on my list. Stay tuned...the first book, Black and Blue, should be reviewed soon!