Book Review - The Bride Collector

I don't usually read books about serial killers but Ted Dekker is an amazing author. I picked up the book in the bookstore and flipped through the pages and couldn't put it down.

It has some psychological aspects that deal with a mental hospital and schizophrenia patients. Since I have a degree in psychology, I found these elements interesting.

I probably won't read another Dekker book for quite a while - since these "true-to-life" crime stories are a little too real for my taste. I prefer my vampire, werewolves and zombies any day to horrible things that can really happen.

But, I have to admit that Dekker can draw a reader in right away and keep them hanging on to the words to the end of the page(s).

How 'bout you reader? Read any good books lately?

REBECCA by DAPHNE du MAURIER - Book Review

Okay, Rebecca is a classic and I’ve even seen the Alfred Hitchcock movie – maybe 30 years ago. This mystery-movie was filled with shadowy suspense and intrigue; however, the book is an entirely different beast.

Du Maurier fills the story with beautiful settings, scenes and thoughtful reflections but, for me, it was rather slow. I actually had trouble getting through the entire story.

I was half-way through the book when my book club met to discuss it – and I can usually read a book in a day or two. But, nowadays, life competes with my reading time so the story has to be quick-paced to keep my attention.

Maybe I’m a little ADHD – but Rebecca would not be on MY list of “must reads”. I know there are going to be a lot of people who disagree with me because, like I said, after all, it is a classic and the book that du Maurier is most known for.

I'm not saying anything to knock Daphne du Maurier. She is a beautiful wordsmith and able to get the reader “into” the story but, for me, it was just too slow.

Another odd thing about this book is that du Maurier never names the main character. It's not until after she marries Maxim that she becomes Mrs. de Winter but she is always overshadowed by his first wife: the beautiful Rebecca – so much so that she never has a name of her own.

By the time the second Mrs. De Winter (the unnamed MC of this book) comes down the stairs for the ball, I knew what she’d be wearing and what would happen – so no surprise there. And, by the time Maxim revealed the truth to her, I knew what he was going to say – so no suspense or mystery there for me either. And, without Hitchcock’s wonderful cinematography, I found the book lacking.

Maybe in the late summer of 1937, when Daphne started to write Rebecca, life moved at a slower pace and weaving words in a wonderful mesmerizing way was enough for most readers but, like I said before, it was too slow for me and I found my mind wandering away from the story.

But, if you are looking for a quiet, slow, literary read of an old classic, perhaps Rebecca is just the book for you. And, the last third of the book IS interesting - especially if you've stuck with it to get here.

Here is one more review, in case you want a second opinion.

LAMENT by Maggie Stiefvater

LAMENT
By Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Flux Books

Okay, to be honest, when I first read it was a story of homicidal faeries, I wondered . . . how scary can little leprechaun-like lads and lassies really be?

But don’t let my foolish folly ruin this story for you, because I was way off course. This isn’t your typical kid’s fairytale that takes you on a journey to another world. Lament takes place in our world with modern-day settings. And, this story is filled with romance, suspense, and mystery, with just a slight touch of magic. And, if that’s not enough reason to read Maggie Stiefvater’s debut novel, let me give you three more reasons:

1) She’s an amazing storyteller;
2) The book is full of music and mayhem; and best of all
3) Did I mention the romance???

I like stories that are dark and sinister but realistic too. It has to seem possible and believable no matter what the characters may be. I grew up reading Poe and King and, as far as I’m concerned, Maggie is following in these giant’s footsteps. She makes the impossible . . . possible and the Celtic folklore read like legacies more than legends.

I loved the Twilight series and Maggie has managed to commingle her story and love-triangle in much the same way as Stephanie Meyer wrote of Bella, Jacob and Edward.

Maggie has taken Deirdre, Luke and James and woven the same type of wicked web we readers are looking (and hoping) to get snared into.

And I hadn’t even thought about it until now but my sons are Jacob and Luke – but that is only a little bit of the reason I liked these two characters so much. In Twilight, Jacob was the good guy. In Lament, you’ll have to read the story to figure out whether Luke is the good guy or . . . not.

You will have to decide if you are Team Luke or Team James, this time. And, I can assure you, it won’t be any easier.

Deirdre starts the story with kategelophobia, yeah. . . you’ll have to look that one up . . . or read the story to figure it out. But in the end, . . . or wait you’re going to have to read the story. I don’t want to give any spoilers but let me tell you, if you’ve been watching True Blood on HBO, or recently finished the Twilight series, Lament should be the next thing on your list.

VIOLET RAINES ALMOST GOT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning
By Danette Haworth

I read this book Saturday night and thought it was super cute. I loved spunky Vi. And with the teaser on the jacketflap, of coral snakes and alligators, who wouldn’t want to read Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning?

It was 162 pages of awesome attitude twirled into a fun-filled story.

I enjoyed the fish fries, which brought back childhood memories for me. My own Dad hunted and fished to feed us kids. With 9 of us, he had too. But, I hated watching the fish get cleaned, just like Melissa.

I could totally relate to Vi’s jealousy. When I grew up with my best friend, who lived across the street, I too, just like Vi, was jealous whenever new girls came into the picture. I felt left out some times but never considered how my friend felt, when I was hanging out with my sisters and brothers or other friends.

I especially loved Vi’s word collection. Taradiddle, magniloquent, jubilant, and serendipity were all great, but my own personal favorite was a word my mom and grandma used to use all the time: persnickety. Now, isn’t that a cool word for a kid?

The tree cave was a cool idea and the bridge crossing was always hanging around in the back of my mind.

All around, a very fun story.