Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 84

BOOK REVIEW: MR. MONSTER by Dan Wells

MR. MONSTER
Dan Wells
Tom Doherty Associates
Ages 14 - 18


In I Am Not a Serial Killer, John Wayne Cleaver saved his town from a murderer even more appalling than the serial killers he obsessively studies.

But it turns out even demons have friends, and the disappearance of one has brought another to Clayton County. Soon there are new victims for John to work on at the mortuary and a new mystery to solve. But John has tasted death, and the dark nature he used as a weapon---the terrifying persona he calls "Mr. Monster"---might now be using him.

No one in Clayton is safe unless John can vanquish two nightmarish adversaries: the unknown demon he must hunt and the inner demon he can never escape.

MY REVIEW:

Even better, more intense and gruesome than the first book in the series, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER. John Wayne Cleaver killed a demon only to discover there is another tormenting his town. A new killer is torturing young women and leaving their bodies for John to find. But John must also battle his own demon and a deep, dark desire to do what the demon does: hurt people.

Perfect for fans of Stephen King (MISERY) and Thomas Harris (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS), MR. MONSTER is deliciously disturbing blend of nightmare and reality. A warning: not only is this book graphic, but it is also addicting. I couldn't put the book down even though it gave me the heebie jeebies. Wells is simply a master. I cannot wait to read book three.



CONTENT REVIEW:

Profanity:  None
Sexuality:  Mild
Violence:  High

BOOKS I PLAN TO READ IN 2017

There are so many books on my shelves yet to be read, I hardly know where to begin! But there are quite a few that top my list. I normally set a goal to read around 50 books a year. I haven't quite reached that goal the past couple of years. And this year I've decided not to set a specific goal. While I want to read (Always!) I also want to spend more time writing. So I'm going to focus on reading just the titles of most interest to me. Here are the first 10 books I intend to read in 2017:





What is the first book on your 2017 TBR list?

MY FAVORITE READS OF 2016

It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. I set a goal to read 50 books this year, but fell short by 12. Only read 38 this year, several of which I especially enjoyed. Here are my top 5 reads of 2016, not in any particular order. To read my review of the book, just click on the title:

I AM MALALA


MISERY


SALT TO THE SEA


THE STORY OF SEEDS
 
A LONG WALK TO WATER

FREE BOOK!!! PREJUDICE MEETS PRIDE by Rachael Anderson

 Don't miss this fabulous freebie! Grab your copy of Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson today!!    Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael AndersonAfter years of pinching pennies and struggling to get through art school, Emma Makie’s hard work finally pays off with the offer of a dream job. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to make a cross-country move to Colorado Springs to take temporary custody of her two nieces. She has no money, no job prospects, and no idea how to be a mother to two little girls, but she isn’t about to let that stop her. Nor is she about to accept the help of Kevin Grantham, her handsome neighbor, who seems to think she’s incapable of doing anything on her own. Prejudice Meets Pride is the story of a guy who thinks he has it all figured out and a girl who isn't afraid to show him that he doesn't. It’s about learning what it means to trust, figuring out how to give and to take, and realizing that not everyone gets to pick the person they fall in love with. Sometimes, love picks them.

BOOK REVIEW: I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells

I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER
Dan Wells
Tom Doherty Associates
Ages 14-18

John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it.

He's spent his life doing his best not to live up to his potential.

He's obsessed with serial killers, but really doesn't want to become one. So for his own sake, and the safety of those around him, he lives by rigid rules he's written for himself, practicing normal life as if it were a private religion that could save him from damnation.

Dead bodies are normal to John. He likes them, actually. They don't demand or expect the empathy he's unable to offer. Perhaps that's what gives him the objectivity to recognize that there's something different about the body the police have just found behind the Wash-n-Dry Laundromat---and to appreciate what that difference means.

Now, for the first time, John has to confront a danger outside himself, a threat he can't control, a menace to everything and everyone he would love, if only he could.

MY REVIEW:

My daughter has been raving about Dan Wells' series for years. John Wayne Cleaver is a sociopath teenager who struggles to keep his inner monster under control. In the first book of the series, John becomes obsessed with the gruesome murders happening in his home town and is, at first, convinced they are being stalked by a serial killer, something he knows more about than most "normal" people.

But when he witnesses one of the murders and discovers that the criminal isn't completely human, John decides to go to war with the monster, partly to protect any future victims from harm, but also to satiate his own monster within.

I avoided reading I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER for a long time because, well, I thought it was about a teenage serial killer, and that isn't really my cup of tea. Boy, was I wrong. This book was amazing! I NEVER read books in two days, but this one set a new record for me because I honestly could not put it down. The characters are brilliant, the plot unusual and unique, the villain complex and more human than even the protagonist.

The moment I read the last page, I grabbed book 2, MR. MONSTER, off my daughter's shelf and dove right in. Wells' book is a tantalizing journey into the psyche of a sociopath with a conscience, and a monster with a heart.



CONTENT RATING:

Profanity:  Mild
Sexuality: Mild
Violence: High

BOOK REVIEW: INFERNO by Dan Brown

INFERNO
Dan Brown
Knopf Doubleday
Adult Fiction

Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon awakens in an Italian hospital, disoriented and with no recollection of the past thirty-six hours, including the origin of the macabre object hidden in his belongings. With a relentless female assassin trailing them through Florence, he and his resourceful doctor, Sienna Brooks, are forced to flee. Embarking on a harrowing journey, they must unravel a series of codes, which are the work of a brilliant scientist whose obsession with the end of the world is matched only by his passion for one of the most influential masterpieces ever written, Dante Alighieri's The Inferno. 


MY REVIEW:

I've read all of Dan Brown's books, and my favorite is still ANGELS & DEMONS. I did like INFERNO as well. Like the other titles in this series, symbologist Robert Langdon is unwittingly drawn into a life or death race to interpret a sinister message before it's too late. This time, Langdon wakes up with amnesia, apparently already involved in trying to solve a mystery surrounding Dante's famous poem and a plot to destroy a third of the human race.

While the book lacked the intensity and gore of ANGELS & DEMONS, it did keep me turning pages. At times I thought I had everything figured out, but then another twist would prove me wrong. Brown is the master of cliffhangers. INFERNO is a worthy addition to Brown's lexicon, a thrilling romp through Florence & Venice, Italy, and a masterful lesson in art and historical literature. Not only is the book fun to read, but it is, as are all Brown's books, enlightening.



CONTENT REVIEW:

Profanity:  Mild
Sexuality:  None
Violence:  High

A Christmas Message

I know I sort of vanished a month ago. My mother-in-law passed away in November, and the weeks since then have been a bit overwhelming. Between grieving for a loved one and all the technical, emotional, and financial issues that come with that, I have also been busy grading final exams, Christmas shopping, cleaning house, and planning a trip to visit my daughter out of state. I haven't had much time to write or blog or do much of anything other than those things I just mentioned.
I'll be honest...2016 has been a hard year...for many reasons, which I will not go into now. I've struggled to climb out of what often feels like a deep, dark pit. But despite the challenges my family and I have faced, we have also been very blessed. Focusing on those blessings has helped me to see the "light" and to feel the Christmas spirit this year.
What am I most grateful for in 2016?
-- My Kids. I feel very fortunate that my children are all alive and healthy. Each is so unique, and it has been a joy (and sometimes a terror) watching them grow and develop. They are, without question, the #1 best thing in my life.
-- My Husband. We haven't had the easiest marriage, but we've stuck it out for twenty-four years. It's nice to have someone on whom you can depend when you really need it. And, I'm so grateful he's got a good job with good insurance. That he has gotten up at 4:30am every morning, 5 days a week for 24 years to go to work to support me and the kids is unbelievable. I'm very lucky to have him.
-- My Parents. It's been very tough losing my mother-in-law. All four of the grandparents have lived in our home for about a decade now. I have to say how much I love having my mom and dad close at hand every day. They help me so much with the kids, and are wonderful companions. I hope I have many more years with them.
-- My Dreams. Writing is my passion. I can't count how many times I have nearly given up on my dream, but then I always come back to it. I haven't fulfilled my dream yet, which is to actually make a living as an author, but I'm making progress. In 2016, I received two awards that helped to remind me to keep going even when things are tough.
-- My God. My faith has been tested this year, but God hasn't given up on me yet. I hope he never will. I am deeply grateful for his greatest gift to all of us, His Son, Jesus Christ. It is his birthday we celebrate on Christmas. Despite all the holiday traffic, and credit card charges, and stress, I hope we can all remember the true meaning of Christmas:

LAST CHANCE TO SAVE!!!

LAST CHANCE TO SAVE!!!
From November 11th - 19th, Spark Award winner   THE STORYTELLERS e-bookwill be on salefor just 99 cents!
And all visitors to the site can enter to win a $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD!
Stop by to check out all sixteen middle grade books on sale and take advantage of this incredible offer, sponsored byDragon Moon Press.
http://dragonmoonpress.com/middle-grade-sale/   

Book Review: THE CALL by Peader O'Guilin

THE CALL
Peader O'Guilin
Scholastic Inc.
14 - 17 years


THREE MINUTES

You wake up alone in a horrible land. A horn sounds. The Call has begun.

TWO MINUTES

The Sidhe are close. They're the most beautiful and terrible people you've ever seen. And they've seen you.

ONE MINUTE

Nessa will be Called soon. No one thinks she has any chance to survive. But she's determined to prove them wrong.

TIME'S UP

Could you survive the Call?


MY REVIEW:

Nessa's legs don't work well, due to a childhood bout of polio. This puts her at a disadvantage because she and all her classmates have one goal: to out run the Sidhe.

Adolescents all over Ireland vanish one at a time, without any notice. They are gone for three minutes and four seconds, and most reappear dead and severely deformed. But for the Called, those three minutes in the Gray Land equal an entire day, running for their lives, desperate to survive. Most don't.

No one thinks Nessa will make it. And she might not even make it to her Call because of Connor, who is determined to kill her first.

O'Guilin's world is one of the most creative and unique I've seen in years. His characters are so vivid, his villians so twisted, it's impossible not to get sucked into THE CALL. Once I opened the cover of the book, I could hardly put it down. A top notch thrill ride and worthy addition to the YA horror genre.

CONTENT RATING:

Profanity:  High
Sexuality:  Moderate
Violence:  High

99 CENT BOOK SALE!!!

From November 11th - 19th, Spark Award winner   THE STORYTELLERS e-bookwill be on salefor just 99 cents!
And all visitors to the site can enter to win a $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD!
Stop by to check out all sixteen middle grade books on sale and take advantage of this incredible offer, sponsored byDragon Moon Press.
http://dragonmoonpress.com/middle-grade-sale/