...since I last posted anything. Dunno where the time went...trying to get ready for Christmas and then Christmas passed in a blink of an eye. I was feeling pretty stressed out and experiencing tension headaches and dealing with sinus/allergy stuff too. And now it's almost the new year.
Anyways...so I finished up Tom Bedlam by George Hagen. It was a very good read. I was more interested in the first part of the book that dealt with Tom Bedlam's childhood. The second part of the book dealt with Tom as an adult and focused on his children. And there was a lot of "war is bad and crazy" and "bring the soldiers home!" stuff...bleh. I'm not "for war", but sometimes it's necessary to fight especially when the enemy brings the fight to you. And I'm glad and grateful that "the good side" won World War I...heh. I kind of guessed who Tom's lost older brother would be.
The next book I will be reading is Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen. It's a memoir...an immigration and assimilation story from the Vietnamese perspective. I just thought it would be an interesting read since I've had experience in my childhood from the influx of Vietnamese refugees in my schools. And I suppose I can relate to the Asian-American experience...heh.
Dexter in the Dark did not disappoint. It delve more into the psyche of Dexter and his Dark Passenger rather than focusing on the serial killer mystery. It's interesting where this book series will go with Dexter being daddy to two budding serial killer kids...heh.
Now for a change of pace, I'm going to read Tom Bedlam by George Hagen. I don't remember how or why this particular title got onto my reading list, but it seems interesting. It takes place in Victorian London and is supposed to be both "deadly serious" and "dead funny" according to one review. We shall see.
I finished Night Passage by Robert B. Parker a while ago and have since started on the next book in the Jesse Stone series, Trouble in Paradise. I was just too lazy to post at the time. Plus I have to really get a move on on all my reading since I've got 3 more books lined up before the next due date at the library! Anyways, I really enjoyed Night Passage and can see Tom Selleck portraying the character of Jesse Stone, Police Chief of Paradise in the TV movies based on the books. I think this book even makes a mention of Tom Selleck! But, Tom in real life is too old to be Jesse Stone in the book, since he's supposed to be in his 30's.
I'm already near the end of Trouble in Paradise. That Jesse Stone sure gets the ladies. He is still in love with his ex-wife who can't seem to stay monogamous with him, although she loves him too. He's already hooked up with the lawyer who used to be the Town Council. And in this book he hooks up with the real estate agent for Stiles Island in Paradise. And I know in the "future" he hooks up with P.I. Sunny Randall who is in another series by Robert B. Parker...heh.
Well, since I'm already near the end of Trouble in Paradise, I might as post the next book I will be reading. It's Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay. This is the series featuring Dexter, a serial killer with a code, who kills other serial killers or criminals only. This series is the basis for the Dexter show on Showtime, which I LOVE with a fervor I haven't had since The X-Files...heh. The show, although based on the Dexter books, really doesn't and won't be following the book storylines much I think. Well, the first season had some plot points taken from the first Dexter book, but I think it has since gone it's own way in the second season. There are only 3 books in the Dexter series so far.
In some city in Australia, mall Santas are being prohibited from saying "ho, ho, ho" because some idiot in charge down there thinks people may be offended by the word "ho?!" Really. Really? REALLY???!!! When Santa says "ho, ho, ho"...isn't he laughing? He's not saying the word "ho" and/or calling anyone a "ho." Haven't people ever heard of context??????? One mall Santa already got fired because he dared to say "ho, ho, ho" instead of "ha, ha, ha." What bullshit. Don't mess with tradition! Santa does not say "ha, ha, freaking ha!" And, really, if you are offended by Santa's laugh, you really need to grow some skin and get over your freaking idiot self.
Well, I had to return Flesh and Bones to the library because I couldn't renew it...because someone put a request in for the book. It's my own fault for taking so long to get started on it, but I'll pick it up another time. It wasn't catching my interest really.
Soooo...now I'm reading Robert B. Parker's Night Passage. This is the first book in the series featuring Jesse Stone, who is played by Tom Selleck (still HOT after all these years!) in the TV movies based on this series.
Wow...can't believe it's been about a week since I last posted. Thanksgiving passed in a blink of an eye and now it's rocketing towards Christmas! I haven't made much time to read, although I've finished Dead Watch by John Sanford a few days ago. While I did enjoy the story and how the main character is written, I couldn't help but be distracted by some of the political statements that I felt were probably more representative of the author's political views which therefore took me out of the story sometimes. Well, he did give both sides good and bad views...so...I guess it kind of evens out in the end.
I'm trying to get started on Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass. It's the next novel in the Body Farm series. When I say "I'm trying to get started", I mean that everytime I've picked up the book to read, I only get through a couple of paragraphs before I put it back down because I'm sleepy or I'd rather watch TV or something. I dunno...I want to like this series because it deals with forensic science stuff which I like, but I a lot of the dialogue drives me nuts because it just feels to me like people don't really talk like that!
Don't Say a Word by Andrew Klavan started slow, but then got really interesting really fast. The plot seemed convoluted to me at the beginning but you soon find out how everything connects together. I found the main character kind of wimpy and irritating, but he prevails at the end. I'm not sure if I want to see the movie version of the book. The main character is nothing like Michael Douglas as portrayed in the movie. Well, maybe I'll watch it some time just to see how where it differs from the book. Anyway, I enjoyed it and recommend other books by Andrew Klavan.
I am now reading Dead Watch by John Sanford who writes the Lucas Davenport series. I don't know if Dead Watch is a stand alone or if it will be a new series. But so far, it's captured my interest and I would definitely read any others if this is a new series.
Holy crap...this year is just whizzing by! I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving...and then following right behind it is Christmas. I am not ready!
One thing not going by fast enough is all the debates and jockeying for position by all the presidential candidates...both Democrats and Republicans. Ugh...I'm so sick of it all already. I've pretty much made up my mind a long time ago and barring anything drastic happening...I don't think I'll be changing my mind. Still, it feels like when it comes down to it...it's always who is the lesser of two evils? And that's who I'll vote for. (Gooooo Rudy!)
And what about the writers strike? Come on people! Compromise! You can't always get what you want so producers, give a little...and writers, take a little instead of a lot. Geez...I just want to watch my TV shows already! (I have to say Heroes is sucking this season. Booooo!)
I finished up Hyper-Chondriac by Brian Frazer pretty quickly. It was like reading a blog actually...a blog about someone's search for peace and calm. The stories were pretty amusing. The main thing I took away from the book is that you gotta find things that work for you...find a good balance between all those things...and sometimes it takes a long time to find it...like years...heh.
The next book I'm reading is Don't Say a Word by Andrew Klavan. I'm pretty sure this book was made into a movie with Michael Douglas. I haven't seen the movie so I don't know how true it is to the book, but judging by the description of the main character in the book...he looks nothing like Michael Douglas. I've enjoyed many of the books I've read by Andrew Klavan so I'm expecting to like this one too.
Hm...can't find a picture of the book...oh well.
Blue Screen by Robert B. Parker was another good read. This time Sunny hooks up with a character from one of Mr. Parker's other series, Jesse Stone, who is the Police Chief in Paradise, MA. I think there have been some tv movies made of that book series with Tom Selleck playing the character of Jesse Stone. I think I'll have to start reading that series as well...and maybe try to catch the tv movies. Tom Selleck is still pretty hawt.
Now for a change of pace, I'm going to read Hyper-Chondriac by Brian Frazer. It's a chronicle about this guy's search for inner peace and it's funny too.
