Buddy Read February 10th Fuzzy Navel by J.A Konrath

[Mary Beth]

Lauren and I will be reading Fuzzy Navel tomorrow Friday February 10th. Would love it if you can join us.

[Mary Beth]

I am at 25%. Harry just makes me giggle. (view spoiler)[I hope he doesnt believe that Jack would have sex with him. He just cracks me up. I dont think he actually thinks that something is wrong and Jack needs help.

Alexandra Kork is back and knew right away that she couldnt of been dead. She is a monster. Jack is in a lot of trouble.

Then we have the new character James Munchel who is one crazy monster also. Killed 10 cops and Jack got away and saw his face. So now he is on the way to Jack's house. That is going to be interesting with Alex there. Wonder what is going to happen next! (hide spoiler)]

[Sandy]

I have been waiting for you to catch up to me! Yay!

[Mary Beth]

Hey Sandy! Are you on this book or on book 6? If you are on this book read it with us!

[Sandy]

I am on Fuzzy Navel - have had it from the library waiting for you to get there. Will start tomorrow!

[Mary Beth]

Awesome! So glad that you are going to be reading it with us.

[Sandy]

Can someone remind me how to conceal my spoilers - I noticed that you are doing that on this thread.

[Mary Beth]

Yes sure! < spoiler > your comment < / spoiler >

But you dont put any spaces in between, it all goes togethor like an email address.

[Sandy]

so (view spoiler)[my comment spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Sandy]

ok I guess that works ! cool! Thanks!!!

[Mary Beth]

Hey Sandy I guess you can do it that way also.

I noticed that my example missed the / .

Try it like this the same way you did it.

< spoiler > your comment < / spoiler >

With no spaces.

[Lauren]

It's great to be reading with you all again :0)

I'm listening to the audio so I'm probably going to be slower than you all.

Anyway, there are no chapters so I'll post the time stamp instead before my spoiler:

Up to 8:22 PM - Alex is (view spoiler)[asking Jack questions and playing Russian roulette. I cannot believe she pulled out her own teeth. She is one sick puppy. (hide spoiler)]

As for the snipers - (view spoiler)[I think they may actually end up doing Jack a favor by going after her.

Also, I think that Swanson will end up turning on the other two. He's the only one with any functioning brain cells. (hide spoiler)]

Harry - (view spoiler)[I don't have the same faith in him a you do, Mary. He probably does think that Jack is willing to have sex with him. The man is a complete narcissist (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

OMG! Harry is (view spoiler)[Jack's half-brother. Could things get any worse for her?! (hide spoiler)]

Mr. Friskers - (view spoiler)[I seriously love that psycho kitty! (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki Willis]

I will be starting this soon. I will join in when I do!
Just a fun series to read.

[Mary Beth]

Glad you will be joining us Vicki! It is a fun series to read! It is really good.

I am at 50%.
I couldnt believe that either Lauren. My jaw dropped when I found that out about (view spoiler)[Harry being Jack's half brother.

That sounds so awful putting staples on Jack's head and now they are giving her a transfusion with Harry's blood type O same as hers. I hope she ends up being OK. Sounds terrible!

Swanson doesnt seem to want to be there and just maybe he will start to defend himself.

Loved how Harry knocked Alex out. He always seems to be there for Jack.

Agree about Alex being a sick puppy, her teeth how disgusting!
I wonder who is going to be saving them from Munchel and the gang. It could be Swanson. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

I'm also at 50%.

Alex - (view spoiler)[While I do think that she has a completely warped mind and her moral philosophy has some flaws in it, she does have a point about some people being born evil. Not everyone who has been abused becomes a psychotic killer and there are people who have committed terrible crimes and have never been abused. The killers of Jamie Bulger always come to mind when this issue is raised. (hide spoiler)]

Harry - (view spoiler)[He certainly has his moments, doesn't he?
He really comes through when Jack needs him even if he whines about it. In a way, he negates Alex's theory about people who do good being self-interested. Harry is definitely self-centered, but he does good despite himself. (hide spoiler)]

Swanson - (view spoiler)[I'm waiting for him to turn on the other two. (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

Alex- (view spoiler)[I agree Lauren, just because she is abused does not mean that she has the right to act like a psychotic killer. To tell you the truth I agree people are born evil but I think its more than that, they have mental disorders and need meds to cure it. They have to be mentally unstable. Once they are on their meds they can have a normal life and they are fine. There is a mental illness called Psychotic depression and without their meds they can become killers. Thats what I think is wrong with Alex. I know I am probably thinking to hard into this. (hide spoiler)]

Harry- (view spoiler)[Yes I love Harry! He has really grown on me. At the beginning I just thought he was just too weird but now I just laugh at everything he does. Its hilarious. He tries so hard to do good. Oh wasnt it funny when Jack threw that hot pie meaning to hit Alex and hit Harry? I do agree Harry is very self centered. (hide spoiler)]

You can read the above spoilers but now I am at 65%

Swanson- (view spoiler)[He just got shot and they wont even help him. So who is going to help them now and Alex is back into action with a vengeance. I wonder what is going to happen next? (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

Skipping the 65% spoiler - not there yet :0)

Alex - (view spoiler)[I agree that many people kill because they are mentally ill, especially someone with Paranoid Schizophrenia or someone who has had a psychotic break.

However, there are others who are just pure sociopaths like Alex. If someone is mentally ill then they don't know right from wrong and it mitigates their actions. But Alex knows exactly what she is doing and she knows that it is wrong. She just enjoys killing and is evil. (hide spoiler)]

Harry - (view spoiler)[Yes, I loved that scene and after Mr. Friskers had had a go at his tender bits too, lol! (hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

Just saw this!! Sounds good!! I thought you guys had given up.

[Mary Beth]

Great Kirsten! Nope havent given up. This is such a good series. I will probably be finishing this up tonight but will still comment until we are done discussing. Glad you havent read this one yet and will be discussing again with us. Glad to see that the gang is still reading it.

[Mary Beth]

Alex- (view spoiler)[I was trying to think of the word socialpath last night and was too tired to think of it. I agree. Alex does know right from wrong and see her as a true sociolpath. What do you think though makes someone a sociopath. Do you think they are born with it and it is in their genes that make someone a killer. Or do you think that some kind of abuse kind of changed their whole makeup and changed them to being a sociopath having no feelings at all and they are just unrealistic evil people.
I think we are all born with feelings and that a person that is very weak might end up as a sociopath, and a person that is strong and finds other ways to deal with it dont end up being sociopaths. (hide spoiler)]

Mr Friskers is just as funny as Harry.

I think this was about 75%
(view spoiler)[Now they are all on the same team including Alex in a big shoot out against Munchel and the other guy. I cant believe they actually trust Alex. She will turn on them in a minute. (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

I am at 86%
Lol! (view spoiler)[Harry has the barrel of the gun on Munchels forehead and saves the day again. Munchel pees his pants lol!
Munchel tells Harry hes a cop. Harry points at Jack and says shes the cop. I am no longer a cop due to not following the rules. Jack stops him and they handcuff him to the workbench.
Oh No! Munchel finds a gun. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

Kirsten *Make Margaret Atwood Fiction Again!" wrote: "Just saw this!! Sounds good!! I thought you guys had given up."

Nope. Just took a short break :0)
Glad you've joined us, Kirsten!

[Lauren]

@Mary -

Alex - (view spoiler)[I actually subscribe to the belief that someone is born a sociopath. Like some people are born with allergies, sociopaths are born without the ability to sympathize and empathize with others. They cannot conceive of the pain, physical or emotional, that another person might feel. This could explain how someone who grows up in a loving family could become a heartless killer.

However, not all sociopaths are killers. My understanding from psychology courses is that this is the difference between a psychopath (someone who cannot control themselves and kills because they have a need to do so, which is a mental illness) and a sociopath, who might kill if someone got in their way.

Alex is somewhat of a mixed bag. She is certainly a sociopath and cares little for the pain she inflicts on others, but she was also abused and grew up in a dysfunctional family. Moreover, there is might also be a genetic factor to consider. It could be that her sociopathic tendencies are genetic and were triggered by the abuse. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

I'm done.
The tension and suspense in this one is off the charts and it made for very exciting reading. It isn't as gruesome as the earlier books. I wonder if Konrath is toning that down?

I've read reviews from people who are annoyed by the cliffhanger ending. I think I would be more irritated if the enxt book wasn't out already.

I also saw that Konrath is continuing the series. Book #11 is on his list of upcoming books -

[Sandy]

Lauren wrote: "It's great to be reading with you all again :0)

I'm listening to the audio so I'm probably going to be slower than you all.

Anyway, there are no chapters so I'll post the time stamp instead befo..."

Yeah I believe that (view spoiler)[these killers are going to help Jack get away from Alex. I can't believe that Alex would make Jack pick her mother and her fiancé to play the roulette game. Talk about your tense scenes. I just don't get the fiancé's issue with Jack thinking that maybe he spilled the beans about her address. Get over it. Really how can he be hurt - that didn't ring true. The Psycho is making her choose, making her guess and she guesses that the fiancé is maybe a bit too nice and he get hurt? Come on!(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Sandy]

Lauren wrote: "OMG! Harry is [spoilers removed]

Mr. Friskers - [spoilers removed]"

well drop my jaw on the floor too Lauren!!!!

[Sandy]

Lauren wrote: "Skipping the 65% spoiler - not there yet :0)

Alex - I agree that many people kill because they are mentally ill, especially someone with Paranoid Schizophrenia or someone who has had a psychotic b..."

I so wanted (view spoiler)[ the cat to save the day when Jack and Alex were fighting. Really the part where the cat attacked Harry was just the comic relief needed in the story at that point though (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Sandy]

9:56 PM - NOOOO! (view spoiler)[ I can't believe the author killed off Herb! I so wanted him to go crashing through the bay window like he planned. And why wouldn't he have a spare gun like Jack does even if it wouldn't reach the entire way. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Sandy]

9:28 PM - I think it is so funny (view spoiler)[ how Harry is talking to Mary and getting to know her and helping her out with Jack after she gets winged in the head. Mary is one tough cookie! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

@ Lauren

Thanks so much for your insight.
Alex - (view spoiler)[I always wanted to know what made someone a killer and I agree with everything you said. I finally understand why someone like Alex would kill someone for no reason. I kind of went to much into depth over this but I was so curious (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

Lauren wrote: "I'm done.
The tension and suspense in this one is off the charts and it made for very exciting reading. It isn't as gruesome as the earlier books. I wonder if Konrath is toning that down?

I've rea..."
I finished it too!
Lauren I felt the same way! I couldnt put it down last night or the night before! Glad to know that there is another book coming out. I think Konrath is toning it down a little.

The ending- (view spoiler)[ When I got to the part where someone close to Jack died, I had to read it again, I thought I missed something. It would be awful if we had to wait for the next book. I still want to know who it was. (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

@ Sandy
I felt the same way. I thought for sure that (view spoiler)[the cat was going to attack Alex but what I love about Konrath is right when
you get to the dark suspenseful parts he makes it humorous. I have never read anything like this before that makes you laugh during those dark parts. (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

Sandy wrote: "9:28 PM - I think it is so funny [spoilers removed]"

I agree Sandy! I think Jack got her toughness from her Mom.

[Lauren]

@Sandy

Latham - (view spoiler)[I agree. It was a logical guess that he might have spilled the beans given that he isn't the suspicious type. He overreacted and played right into Alex's hands (hide spoiler)]

Harry - (view spoiler)[Yeah. I really didn't see that one coming! (hide spoiler)]

Herb (only if you've finished) - (view spoiler)[Somehow I never thought he was really dead. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

@Mary

Alex - (view spoiler)[I also always think about these philosophical questions regarding good and evil, nature vs. nurture. They are so interesting (hide spoiler)]

The ending - (view spoiler)[My money is on Latham. He contributes absolutely nothing to the story and even though he is in the house the entire time, he is barely mentioned. (hide spoiler)]

Love Jack's mom too - she's one tough cookie!

[Sandy]

Pessalano - (view spoiler)[ Ewww! what an awful way to die!!! Not sure I really wanted him to die that way but really made me realize how truly awful Alex really is. The mental picture is really gross though. (hide spoiler)]

OMG - The ending - (view spoiler)[ I am so ticked - personally I think the author wanted to have someone die but didn't know who to select so he left it this way as a cliffhanger (hide spoiler)]

I am so glad - not to be gruesome (view spoiler)[ that Meunchel got it in the end - if anyone deserved to die he certainly did. What an evil man. (hide spoiler)]

The cat - (view spoiler)[ finally the cat gets into the act. I was so hoping that cat would have done something nasty to Alex too - that was a bit of a let down (hide spoiler)]

I really like the way the author wrote in the first person all the time and had the clock and person at the top of the "chapter". What a great way to do a quick paced book. It made the book go so much faster and easier to read and really let you get into the head of the characters.

[Sandy]

Lauren wrote: "@Sandy

Latham - [spoilers removed]

Harry - [spoilers removed]

Herb (only if you've finished) - [spoilers removed]"
Herb (view spoiler)[ so glad he wasn't (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

@Lauren- (view spoiler)[I thought it might be Latham also. I think that is why the author didnt make Latham into a character that you would fall in love with. It all makes since now.

Also love to discuss questions of good verses evil also. (hide spoiler)]

[Mary Beth]

@ Sandy

(view spoiler)[Sandy I agree! I hate when authors use cliff hanger endings. It really makes me want to read the next book though.

Pessalano- Yes not a nice death at all, he got what he deserved though. Yes Alex is one sick puppy!

Yes Muenchel was one evil man.

Was really happy Herb was still alive. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

I agree that all the snipers got what was coming to them.

Are we reading Cherry Bomb together next month or do you prefer April? Either is good with me.

[Mary Beth]

I would like to read it next month. Maybe towards the end of the month?

[Sandy]

next month for sure for me too