The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allen Poe

Started: 9/26/06
Finished: 9/28/06
Year: 1999 (originally written 1838)
Genre: Literature
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "A stowaway aboard the whaling ship Grampus, Arthur Gordon Pym finds himself bound on an extraordinary voyage to the high southern latitudes. Poe's remarkable novel recounts the "incredible adventures and discoveries" of Pym and his companions. There is mutiny, appalling butchery, and the "exquisite horror" of cannibalism; premature burial within an impenetrable seaborne labyrinth; a corpse-ridden ghost ship, gigantic polar bears, and uncharted islands peopled by barbarian hordes.
"It was Poe's unique genius, however, that imbued this Gothic adventure tale with such allegorical richness that readers have been fascinated ever since. In his illuminating introduction and notes to this new edition of Poe's masterpiece, Richard Kopley reveals hidden layers of meaning involving both Poe's family and biblical prophecy."
Opinion: Not one of Poe's best works but certainly still enjoyable. I've always enjoyed reading Poe's works and as Halloween nears, it's only appropriate to read one of them. There is a lot of adventures in this short novel and Poe's descriptions work like always.

Shattered Justice by John Philpin

Started: 9/23/06
Finished: 9/25/06
Year: 2006
Genre: True Crime
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "The Crowes' neighbors in the peaceful middle class community in San Diego's North Country were shocked by the savagery of the crime-a young girl murdered, stabbed repeatedly in her own bed in the dead of night. The lack of any evidence of forced entry led the Escondido police to their inevitable conclusion: someone in the family was responsible for 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe's slaying. The investigation quickly zeroed in on the victim's older brother, Michael, and two teenage friends-three loners who enjoyed inhabiting dark fantasy worlds of quests and violence. Through efficient, by-the-book police work, the boys were broken down and ultimately confessed. The only problem was the detectives had gotten everything wrong...
"Shattered Justice is the riveting and disturbing true account of a horrific tragedy and the terrible crime that followed-a nightmare of four innocent lives shattered, one by a killer's blade, three by obession and twisted law."
Opinion: Not of the best true crime books that I've read but worthy none the less. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf.com next month.

A Secret and A Bridal Pledge by Andrea Edwards

Started: 9/19/06
Finished: 9/22/06
Year: 1995
Genre: Romance (Harlequin Special Edition)
Grade: B
Reason for reading: needed something mindless
Blurb (from back cover): "Although in a witness-protection program, Amy Warren fought to keep her independence- a battle that pitted her against U.S. Marshall Mark Miller. His protective instincts warmed Amy's heart and made her think of long-lost dreams. But Mark's steely gaze set Amy's nerves sizzling with defiance-and unleased strange memories of a past love. Somehow she felt she'd known Mark before...Would this be their chance at forever? Or would they spend the rest of their live searching...for a love that could outlast time?"
Opinion: This book started off with a great prologue but was kinda lost and then felt rushed at the end. The passion between Mark and Amy was exciting and only slightly unrealistic. But it did want I wanted it do to-make my mind not focused on the real world.

The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld

Started: 9/15/06
Finished: 9/19/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "In 1909, Sigmund Freud arrived in New York for what would be his only U.S. visit. Upon return to Vienna, he rarely spoke of the trip, but referred to Americans as "savages" for the rest of his life. What befell the great genius during his journey to these shores?"
"Inspired by this still-debated questions, Jed Rubenfeld has woven an exquisitely plotted novel already drawing international acclaim for its blend of classic crime, historical characters, and tantalizing ingredients ranging from Shakespearean puzzles to psychological mysteries."
Opinion: This was just a great fictional read about Freud's factual trip to New York City. I highly recommend this book to any fans of psychological mysteries. Jed Rubenfeld has added a different look at psychological thrillers by putting the founder of psychoanalysis into a mystery. For a complete review, check out MyShelf.com next month.

Long Time Gone by J. A. Jance

Started: 9/11/06
Finished: 9/15/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "A former Seattle policeman now working for the Washington State Attorney's Special Homicide Investigation Team, J.P. Beaumont has been hand-picked to lead the investigation into a half-century-old murder. And eyewitness to the crime, a middle-aged nun, has now recalled grisly, forgotten details while undergoing hypnotherapy.
"It's a case as cold as the grave, and it's running headlong into another that's tearing at Beau's heart: the vicious slaying of his former partner's ex-wife. What's worse, his rapidly unraveling friend is the prime suspect.
"Caught in the middle of a lethal conspiracy that spans two generations and a killing that hits too close to home-targeted by a vengeful adversary and tempted by a potential romance that threatens to reawaken his personal demons-Beaumont may suddenly have more on his plate than he can handle, and far too much to survive."
Opinion: I really enjoyed reading this book. It had plenty of conflict and mystery. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf.com next month.

The Chosen by Edward Lee

Started: 9/4/06
Finished: 9/10/06
Year: 1993
Genre: Horror
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Restaurant manager Vera Abbot has come to The Inn to embark on the job of her dreams. But from the day she arrives, her dream turns into a harrowing nightmare. She hears strange footsteps, sees faceless figures in the dead of night...and is tormented by erotic dreams in which a hideous stranger makes love to her.
"The past never dies. It only sleeps, waiting to unleash a new cycle of bloodshed and terror. For The Inn is a breeding ground for unspeakable atrocities. And now the time has come for Vera to be initiatied into its secret world of depravity and horror-whether she wants to or not!"
Opinion: Not the best horror book that I've read. Way too much sex even though it played it's part. It was a quick paced read despite how long it took me to read it (been busy with Barnes and Noble University classes). But for a quick horror read it can be enjoyable.

One for One by Madelyn Dohrn

Started: 9/1/06
Finished: 9/3/06
Year: 1990
Genre: Romance (Silhouette Special Edition)
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "When tiny Tony was suspended from elementary school, single mom, Joanna Parker was sure the man behind the deed-principal Scott Hartman-was a monster. Who else would kick out a kindergartner?
"Breathing fire, Joanna stormed the school...where gentle, gorgeous Mr. Hartman gave the situation his undivided attention. He prompted Joanna to let him befriend Tony, generously providng a much-needed father figure. As for the mother's figure...well, virile Scott promised Joanna the kind of tutoring she'd only imagined in her wildest fantasies!
"Undone by her own heated impulses, fumbling on the quicksand beneath her every expectation, Joanna struggled to gird herself-remembering the last time she'd expected endless love...and been left with lonely loss."
Opinion: Another good romance-predictable but well written. Almost brought me to tears. A believable relationship between Joanna and Scott. Also how Tony adjusts throughout the book is almost dead on. A great quick read.

Make Me a Match by Diana Holquist

Started: 8/30/06
Finished: 9/1/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Romance
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: Review for MyShelf.
Blurb (from back cover): "Cecelia Burns's To Do List
"1. Pick out wedding dress and ignore psychic sister who says I'm marrying the wrong guy.
"2. Really ignore her when she says the right guy is some stranger named Finn Concord, who's dying, and this is my last chance to experience my One True Love of a lifetime. Ever.
"3. Okay, fine. Find this Finn guy, tell him he's dying and split. Quick.
"4. Stop staring at him...even though he does look pretty good for a guy who's on his last legs. Oh god, those unforgettable eyes...those strong arms. And those kissable lips...
"5. Take a deep breath and remember that psychics lie too, just like everyone else.
"6. Then again, maybe there is something to this One True Love business after all. There's only one way to find out..."
Opinion: I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. I had fun reading this book and am looking forward to writing up my review for MyShelf. Enjoyable characters and good story line...if you believe in that type of thing.

Teratologist by Edward Lee and Wrath James White

Started: 8/30/06
Finished: 8/30/06
Year: 2003
Genre: Horror (novella)
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com book
Blurb: There is no posted blurb on this book. It's basically good vs. evil-trying to find God in the madness.
Opinion: You really need to have a strong stomach or a very poor imagination to make it through this book. Or really openminded. Luckily, I'm of the openminded variarty and even though some of the graphic details of this book have left a strong mark on my brain, I enjoyed this quick read regarding good vs. evil. Sometimes it's amazing what a character would have happen in order to find God.

Women Who Kill by Ann Jones

Started: 8/19/06
Finished: 8/29/06
Year: 1981
Genre: Sociology/True Crime
Grade: A
Reason for reading: picked it up at a used book store in VT-I enjoy true crime and thought that this would be a good book to read.
Blurb (from back cover): "When battered and abused women began to fight back-and kill-men began to fear that this would become an epidemic. Some felt that women were getting away with murder. But were they? They were not. In fact, in many cases their punishment was harsher than that of men.
"But this book is much more than a description of battered women who kill in self-defense. It is a social history and a fascinating story of women on the edge of society-women driven to kill for a multitude of reasons. Here are tales of crime and punsihment that reveal hard truths about American society and women's place in it."
Opinion: One of the best books I've read this year. Very detailed history of women who have murdered others and the punishments that they were forced to serve. Also contains some feminist history of how many women fought to get equal punishments for the same crime as men. I highly recommend it.

Tomorrow They Will Kiss by Eduardo Santiago

Started: 8/14/06
Finished: 8/20/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Like her native Cuba, Garciela Altamira is beautiful, defiant, passionate, and constantly threatened with some kind of trouble.
"Far from her tropical home, toiling in a New Jersey doll factory, Garciela longs for the same happy ending that seems always to come in her beloved telenovelas-a kiss powerful enough to erase the sins of her past and the haunting memory of her homeland.
"But how can she forget when she lives among the ghosts of the little Cuban town? With Caridad and Imperio-two women Garciela has known since girlhood-by her side in the factory, it seems she'll never be free of her past, never truly able to pursue the possibility of love she finds quite unexpectedly in the cold, gray New Jersey winter.
"Tomorrow They Will Kiss is a novel as irrestible as gossip, as addictive as soap opera-a tale of love pursued at any cost, of how friendship and history unite us for better or worse, and of the hope for that redemptive kiss capable of reconciling estranged lovers and countries."
Opinion: A pretty good story that focuses on 3 different main characters. A relatively quick read. For a complete review, check out MyShelf.

Marley & Me

Started: 8/12/06
Finished: 8/14/06
Year: 2005
Genre: Memoir
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: I love animals and people have recommended this book.
Blurb (from back jacket): "John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
"Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound steamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women's undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry. Obedience school did no good-Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, 'Don't hesitate to use these.'
"And yet Marley's heart was pure. Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley shared the couple's joy at their first pregnancy and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pieced the night. Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things. Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn comes in many forms.
"Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans."
Opinion: I can see why this has been a best-seller for several months. Any animal lover would love to read about the crazy and sweet Marley. I cried. I laughed. I imagined Marley's antics. Marley actually reminds me of Ramon's border collie, Oreo. A definite must for any animal lover.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Started: 6/23/06
Finished: 8/13/06
Year: 1968
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com and trying to read up on classics
Blurb (from back cover): "War and Peace, probably the greatest novel ever written, stands alone in its vast scope and minute detail, its immense diversity and final unity. Set in the years leading up to and culminating in Napoleon's disastrous Russian invasion, the novel focuses upon an entire society torn by conflict and change. Here is humanity in all its innocence and corruption, wisdom and folly, painful defeats and enduring triumphs. Here is the seemingly effortless artistry of a master capable of protraying with equal power the clash of armies and solitary anguish of the heart. Here, finally, is a view of history and personal destiny that is perpetually modern."
Opinion: I am glad that I read this classic and continue to find myself amazed that I liked it as much as I did. I'm not one for historical books but for some reason, this book gripped me. I probably will not reread it due to its length but if there was an occasion to reread it, I might do it.

Laguna by Michael Putegnat

Started: 8/8/06
Finished: 8/9/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for Myshelf
Blurb (from back cover): "What happened to Octavio Paredes?
"Thunder rumbles over the Laguna Madre on the Texas Gulf coast, echoing through the hallways of Congress and the canyons of Wall Street, shaking the foundation of a century old ranching dynasty.
"John Magne, a powerful fourth-generation ranching patriarch, is faced with a financial crisis. He must transform an environmentally delicate coastal bay, the Laguna Madre, into a natural gas field or lose everything. Descended from a long line of masters of influence and manipulation, he deftly executes a plan that reaches deep into Washington and state house politics and New York investment banking.
"Against Magne's overwhelming political power, stands one unwilling and unwitting ex-government worker, with a deep aversion to conflict and a record of running from it...and five women, each on different missions, all converging on a shocking conclusion.
"Laguna is a mystery set in our times, where lies, power and greed are the new religion and love is an accident. It is a world where truth is irrelevent, redemption impossible, and murder is just business. Or are they?"
Opinion: I've been reading War and Peace and needed to get some review books read so picked this one up to break up War and Peace. A little choppy but great action throughout the book. For a complete review, visit MyShelf.com next month.

The Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Started: 7/17/06
Finished: 7/23/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "An FBI agent, rotting away in a high-security prison for a murder he did not commit...
"His brilliant, psychotic brother, about to prepetrate a horrific crime...
"A young woman with an extraordinary past, on the edge of a violent breakdown...
"An ancient Egyptian tomb with an enigmatic curse, about to be unveiled at a celebrity-studded New York gala..."
Opinion: This was a first Preston and Child read for me. I have some of their others in my huge TBR pile. I found it very entertaining and contained all the things that make horror/suspense/thriller books good. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf.

A Groom for Red Riding Hood by Jennifer Greene

Started: 7/16/06
Finished: 7/17/06
Year: 1994
Genre: Romance (Silhouette Desire)
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "When Mary Ellen Barnett found herself facing a church full of guests and no groom on the way, she did what every self-respecting woman would do-she ran! And foolishly ended up in a wilderness town just crawling with big, burly, single men!
"Steve Rawlings just couldn't figure out what a woman who didn't want a date was doing in a town filled with wolves-of the two-legged variety. But since Steve had the biggest eyes of all for this Little Red Riding Hood, he decided it was his job to shelter her from the hungry pack and claim her for his own."
Opinion: A quick read. Very predictable romance. The chemistry between Steve and Mary Ellen was almost believable. Wish that I could have seen the wolves in person but due to the descriptions, I have a fairly good idea of how cute they were.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Started: 7/15/06
Finished: 7/16/06
Year: 1982
Genre: Fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: attempted the series awhile ago and decided to give it another shot, booksfree.com book
Blurb (from front page): "This heroic fantasy is set in a world of ominous landscape and macabre menace that is a dark mirror of our own. A spellbinding tale of good versus evil, it features one of Stephen King's most powerful creations-the Gunslinger, a haunting figure who embodies the qualities of the lone hero through the ages, from ancient myth to frontier western legend.
"The Gunslinger's quest involves the pursuit of The Man in Black, a liasion with the sexually ravenous Alice, and a friendship with the kid from Earth called Jake. Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, here is stunning proof of Stephen King's storytelling sorcery."
Opinion: Still not high on my books that I like. I like it enough to continue with the series but probably will never buy for myself. Definitely a quick read and entertaining.

Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst

Started: 7/13/06
Finished: 7/15/06
Year: 2006
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf
Blurb (from book jacket): "Laura is awakened in the middle of the night by her teenage daughter, Cassie, who has barely spoken a word to her in months. Following Cassie up to her attic room, Laura learns her daughter's shocking secret.
"Abby's wedding day was one of the happinest of her life, when the shame of her past fell away and she could finally make a fresh sart. But lately she has been consumed by doubts. Can she really stay in this marriage?
"In the glory days of her celebrity, Juliet could barely get out of a limo without flashbulbs going off in her face. Now she's lucky to get the lead role in an infomercial. By Hollywood hasn't seen the last of Juliet Jansen.
"What do these people have in common?
"They have all been seleced to compete on Lost and Found, the daring new reality show. In teams of two, they will race across the globe-from Egypt to Japan, from Sweden to England-to battle for a million-dollar prize. They must decipher encrypted clues, recover mysterious artifacts, and outwit their opponents to stay in play.
"But the rigors of competition are not the only challenges. Will Laura be able to heal her fractured relationship with Cassie before she loses her altogether? Will Justin and Abby be able to spread their message of faith, or will their love pale in the limelight? Will Juliet betray her only friend to make her dreams of superstardom come true? And can any of the players keep their most painful secrets hidden even as the show's creative scheme to revel them to the world?
"What started as a lark turns deadly serious as the number of players is whittled down, temptations beckon, and the bonds between partners strain and unravel. The question now is not only who will capture the final prize, but at what cost."
Opinion: As a fan of reality shows, I really enjoyed reading this book. However it was very much like reading The Amazing Race in a book. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf next month.

Haunted Spouse by Heather Allison

Started: 7/12/06
Finished: 7/13/06
Year: 1993
Genre: Romance (Harlequin Romance)
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "Normally, architect Jared Rutledge wouldn't be caught dead designing a haunted house-he considered them 'frivolous structures.' But then he was asked to build one to raise funds for a physical rehabilitation clinic, and he agreed to do it. After all, how hard could it be?
"Before long, he realized that building a haunted house could be an absolute nightmare. And when things started to go wrong, Jared was forced to ask for help. that meant calling the Scream Queen, Lizzie Wilcox-a renowned haunted house designer who just happened to be his ex-wife!"
Opinion: Loved the different concept of an architect who designs haunted houses. Enjoyable romance (yes, predictable). A good quick read.

A Merry Band of Murderers edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns

Started: 7/10/06
Finished: 7/12/06
Pages: 311
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery/Short Stories
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "A Merry Band of Murderers is more than a compilation of short mystery stories from some of the genre's finest writers. It is also an exploration of music. Conceived by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns, the collection is staged in two acts: the first is a non-fiction discussion of short stories, mysteries and music; and the second is a compilation of musical short mysteries.
"Act I opens with an essay by Bishop explaining the role of the short story in mystery writing and a separate essay by Burns discussing writers who play, sing, and compose.
"Act II is more whimsical. There are 13 music-centered stories from authors Rhys Bowen, Tom Corcoran, Jeffrey Deaver, Mary Anna Evans, Jim Fusilli, Rupert Holmes, John Lescroart, Val McDermid, Bill Moody, Peter Robinson, Nathan Walpole and, of course, the editors themselves. Each story is accompanied by a short introduction, song lyrics, and an interview with the writer."
Opinion: Great concept and a lot of fun to read. This was an advanced reader copy so I didn't get the pleasure of listening to the CD that will be accompanying this when it is released in September. For a more complete review, be sure to check out My Shelf next month.