To-Read Tuesday 8.16.2011

 Posted by  Special Features, To-Read Tuesday
Aug 162011
 

If you could read only ONE book from your to-read list, what would it be and why?
What are you looking forward to? Is it a sequel? Have all of your friends read it and you’re tired of being the odd one out? Is there a movie being released that is based on the book? Are you in love with the cover? Leave the link to your To-Read Tuesday blog post or just tell us which book you would read and why in the comments below.

Shanda

I Don’t Want to Kill You by Dan Wells.

I can hear everyone now- “You haven’t read it yet??” I have been meaning to read this book for so long. It has been sitting on my shelf for months. I finally realized that I think I’m in denial about the awesomeness of this series being over. If I haven’t read the last book, it hasn’t ended for me yet, right? I know. Time to rip off the Band-Aid.

Sheila

Heart of a Hero by Marie Higgins

I want to read this book because I started it last week, and I really want to see what happens.

Mindy

Beyonders by Brandon Mull.

I really loved the Fablehaven series and I’m excited to see what this one is all about.

Don’t forget to tell us which book on your to-read list you have been dying to read!

I Don’t Want to Kill You by Dan Wells

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Apr 272011
 

I Don’t Want to Kill You

Author: Dan Wells

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

Published: April 2011

ISBN: 978-0-7653-2249-4

Hardcover: 320 pages

First of all this will be a short review. I can not say much about this book that won’t give anything away in the other two. If you haven’t read I Am Not a Serial Killer or Mr. Monster then you need to read those before this one.  I admit I was seriously freaked out to read these books, (see my review) but I wanted to finish my Whitney reading.  Yes, they are scary, a bit gory, and nothing I’ve ever read before.  But, that is what makes them as good as they are and unique.  I love reading a book and after awhile, taking a break, then realizing that my mouth has been hanging open for who knows how long.  That’s what it was like to read this final book.

**Possible Spoiler Alert**

John has been through a lot in the past few months.  Killing and speaking to demons is almost like brushing his teeth.  More mysterious things are happening in town that he and a friend try to figure out.  Young girls are killing themselves and local public figures are being killed.  John suspects everyone, but what he gets he wasn’t expecting.

**Spoiler Over**

This is was my favorite book of the series.  John really comes to terms with himself and learns a lot, not only about himself, but the people in his life.  Some shocking things happen, a couple things I anticipated, one huge thing I didn’t.

4 1/2 stars out of 5.

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Mar 162011
 

I Am Not A Serial Killer

Dan Wells

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

Published: April 2010

Hardcover: 271 pages

ISBN: 978-0-7653-2247-0

FTC FYI: I borrowed from the library

Mr. Monster

Dan Wells

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

Published: October 2010

Paperback: 287 pages

ISBN: 978-0-7653-2790-1

FYC FYI: Borrowed from the library

This review of mine will in no way replace Hillary’s brilliant review from last year. I just wanted to let people know what I thought. I had been scared to read these books for awhile. I even told the author that when I met him last year. But with Mr. Monster up for a Whitney this year, I knew it was time to break down and read them. I read them both in just a couple days. Yes, they are scary, gory, and disturbing. That being said, they are also fascinating and very well written. I am shocked to say that I am looking forward to book three, I Don’t Want to Kill You, which comes out March 29, 2011.

In I Am Not A Serial Killer, we meet John Wayne Cleaver, a 15 years old who lives above a mortuary, who is obsessed with serial killers, dead bodies, and fires.  Oh, and is also a sociopath. John works at the mortuary with mother and aunt Margaret.  He even ties serial killers into reports he writes for school about “historical events”.  Because of one of those reports, he is sent to Dr. Neblin, a physciatrist .  John goes every week to his appointments and tell Dr. Neblin about his rules.

  1. I will not hurt animals
  2. I will not burn things
  3. When I think bad thought about someone, I will push the thoughts away and say something nice about that person
  4. I will not call people “it”
  5. If I start to follow someone, I will ignore them as much as possible for a full week
  6. I will not threaten people, even implicitly
  7. If people threaten me, I will leave the situation

Things in town start to get exciting for John, dead bodies show up around town with pieces missing.  He is even more excited when they come to the mortuary.  Don’t get me wrong, John has issues.  Serious issues.  But, he really doesn’t want to hurt anyone.  He finds things out about the murderer, and oh boy, hold on for a nail biting, crazy ride.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT:

I really liked what the author does with killer.  Instead of making the killer life-like, he goes a different way and I was really relieved about that.  I know relieved is a weird word, but it was nice to not have the killer too real.

As for Mr. Monster, I can’t give too many details about this book because it will give too much away.  This is one is just as scary, and even more murderous.  Just as well written as the first.

I Am Not a Serial Killer tied for Best Novel at the 2009 Whitney Awards.

4/5 stars for both.

Teaser Tuesday – January 26, 2010

 Posted by  Special Features, Teaser Tuesdays
Jan 262010
 
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
Shanda’s Teaser:

“Interrupting the silence, she questioned without thinking. ‘Hey, Brax, other than your father, why don’t you have any pictures of your family up?’ She studied him curiously.
He had to give Kennedy some credit. She definitely didn’t miss much, and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.”
Divinely Designed by Rachel Renee Anderson, page 61
Sheila’s Teaser:

“I see dead bodies all the time in the mortuary,” I said, “and I think that that’s fine- Mom and Margaret have worked there for years, and they’re not serial killers.So I see lots of live people, and I see lots of dead people, but I’ve never actually seen a live person turn into a dead one. I’m…curious.”

“And the scene of the crime is the closest you can get without committing a crime scene yourself?”

“Yes,” I said.

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells
Leave your teaser in the comments!