Acquisitions

Tonight I was planning on finishing up the reviews for books I read in 2013. I want to get them done before I finish any books in 2014. I’m hoping that will give me a fresh start and hopefully I will keep up with my reviews.

However as I’m sitting here online and looking at books ….. I’ve bought some.

Almost Eleven: The Murder of Brenda Sue Sayers [Kindle Edition] by Harrell Glenn Crowson

Almost Eleven is the documentation of the January 7, 1965 abduction, rape and murder of ten year-old Brenda Sue Sayers in the small town of Brawley, California. Imperial Valley’s biggest crime is detailed through volumes of official records and interviews with witnesses, relatives and investigators.

Serial killer Robert Eugene Pennington not only murdered Sayers, but was a suspect in killing Dorothy Minor-Hindman in Fresno and possibly fifteen other innocent victims from coast to coast including one victim attributed to the Boston Strangler.

Extensive research provides the reader with details of Pennington’s life before and after his encounter with Brenda.

Hitler’s Last Secretary: A Firsthand Account of Life with Hitler [Kindle Edition] by Traudl Junge

In 1942 Germany, Traudl Junge was a young woman with dreams of becoming a ballerina when she was offered the chance of a lifetime. At the age of twenty-two she became private secretary to Adolf Hitler and served him for two and a half years, right up to the bitter end. Junge observed the intimate workings of Hitler’s administration, she typed correspondence and speeches, including Hitler’s public and private last will and testament; she ate her meals and spent evenings with him; and she was close enough to hear the bomb that was intended to assassinate Hitler in the Wolf’s Lair, close enough to smell the bitter almond odor of Eva Braun’s cyanide pill. In her intimate, detailed memoir, Junge invites readers to experience day-to-day life with the most horrible dictator of the twentieth century.

The Shining by Stephen King

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shiningFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 1977
Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Inc., NY
Type: Fiction ~ Library Book
Pages: 447
Read: 12/20/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥

This is the first time I have read this book. I know that seems odd, but it is not really a book that interested me very much. I guess you could say I was curious, having heard so much about it, to see if it lived up to the hype. Also it has been the big topic of conversation on many of my book forums because King has written a follow-up to the shining (Dr. Sleep).

Since it is such a well known book I won’t give a summary, just to say that everyone I spoke to said it was the scariest book they had ever read. All through this book I keep thinking, so when does it get scary. I kept waiting and it never happened. There were things happening that were supposed to be scary, but for some reason, they weren’t. A spooky hotel with bushes that come alive, a dead woman in a tub that isn’t really dead. I guess I heard too much or read too many spoilers that I didn’t get scared.

Watching Jack Torrance spin apart is an event in itself and the writing is above par. There is no doubt Stephen King is a brilliant writer and also a possibly (most likely) twisted individual. I was more frightened by Cujo, make that I was absolutely terrified by Cujo, I have never looked at Saint Bernards the same since I read it. It is not King’s writing I find fault with, I just didn’t find this book as terrifying as I was led to believe it was.

The Zodiac Killer by Brenda Haugen

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ZodiakTerror and Mystery
Format: Hardbound
Pub. Date: 7/15/2010
Publisher: “Compass Point Books”
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime ~ Library Book
Pages: 96
Read: 12/12/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥

From Goodreads:

“In the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer terrorized the area near San Francisco, California, killing at least five people. The killer mailed letters to newspapers written in code, daring police to discover his identity. He taunted the police and spread fear around San Francisco and beyond. Would the police and the public, working together, find this terrifying monster?”

This is one of those crimes that has not and will probably never be solved. There were never even any suspects. This book is very short, and the font is large along with many pictures. The way it is written, I almost thought it was geared toward children, except for the subject manner. It is designed for “Reluctant Young Adult Readers”. It gives a very basic description of the crimes committed. It follows the crimes chronologically and is not graphic in its descriptions. If you want a very basic understanding of the Zodiac Killer this book will give it to you.

The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

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Dragonriders of Pern #1-3
DragonRidersFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 1971
Publisher: Nelson Doubleday
Type: Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 832
Read: 12/8/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

This is a re-read for me. I read these books many years ago. So long ago that while I remembered the general theme of the books, I couldn’t remember the details. As it turned out, many of the things I remembered about these books, weren’t in these books. That doesn’t mean that what I remembered wasn’t in one of the books, there are many books Anne McCaffrey wrote about Pern. You can see the list on Fantastic Fiction.

To get back to the book, The Dragonriders of Pern is an omnibus containing three novels: Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon. It is the story of the Planet Pern and the red planet that sends silver deadly thread every 250 years when it gets to close to Pern. In all likelihood it always sends thread, it just when it’s orbit is right the thread reaches Pern. At the beginning of the book it has been 400 years since thread has fallen on Pern, there is only one Weir with thread-fighting dragons and the lords don’t want to support (tithe to) them because, “thread is never coming back”. Obviously thread does come again, otherwise what would be the point of the book?

Like I said I read this book many years ago. I remembered I liked them. I didn’t remember Lessa’s thirst for revenge, her vindictiveness and quarrelsome nature. All of these factors go toward building her character, making it complex rather than cardboard. Anne McCaffrey does a masterful job of creating a believable world with a very real population. Despite the total length of the omnibus each part is a quick read. For me the story carried me along and even though I ‘knew’ the ending it was an enjoyable (re)read for me.

2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,800 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 30 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

A new feature on my blog

From time to time I’ve tried to keep a list of books I’m reading on my blog, I never seem to keep it updated though but I keep trying. My latest attempt comes from the Goodreads site. They have a little widget that keeps track of the number of books you’ve read and what percentage of your annual goal that is.

Down in the left sidebar is a box with the title: Reading Progress:. I’ve listed the books I’m currently reading and the percentage completed. I have three ‘devises’ I read on: an iPad, an e-reader and iPhone. I have a different book on each, the iPad I keep at home so that is what I read when I’m at home, the phone and e-reader usually depend on which one has more of a charge or what I feel like reading. Those two devises are for when I’m out and about.

So here’s hoping I keep this box updated. If not one day you will notice that it has just disappeared.

Unanswered Cries by Thomas French

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UnansweredcriesA True Story Of Friends, Neighbors, And Murder In A Small Town
Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 1991
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime
Pages: 402
Read: 11/29/2013
Rating: Really liked it ♥♡♥

When Karen Gregory was attacked in her Florida home, she screamed. Her scream was heard by more than a dozen neighbors and if was audible for several blocks. Yet no one called the police. Her body was discovered thirty-one hours later and the trail was cold. There were things about this case that puzzled detectives. There was a note left on a car in the driveway, detectives wondered why the police were not called since there was blood and broken glass outside the front door. Also the evidence pointed to a violent struggle, but the house was neat and clean. There were bloody footprints and a white lace teddy was missing.

Some of these questions are answered and for others the detectives had to draw their own conclusions. Mr. French brings all these to our attention. He also chronicles the effect the murder had on Karen’s friends and relatives, showing how a murder affects more than just the person killed and therefore how cruel an act it is.

A very compelling book from start to finish.

Murder in Little Egypt by Darcy O’Brien

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murderinlittleegyptFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 1988
Publisher: Running Press
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime
Pages: 352
Read: 11/26/2013
Rating: Really liked it ♥♡♥

In December 1984 Dr. John Dale Cavaness was charged with the murder of his son Sean. The community was outraged and rose to his defense. What they didn’t know was that for years he had terrorized his family and his employees. He made disastrous financial investments and was a womanizer. No one spoke out because everyone was afraid of him.

Seven years earlier Cavaness’ first son was found dead of homicide in the woods of Little Egypt. That murder has never been officially solved but many believe Cavaness is responsible for it. This is the story of what happens when greed is greater than the love a man has for his children.

Meticulously researched and compelling written this is a fascinating account of the history of the area in Southern Illinois known as Little Egypt and the life of Dr. Cavaness and his family and how he was able to hide his predilections for power and money from almost everyone. I recommend this to true crime fans.

Acorna’s People by Anne McCaffrey

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acorna3(Acorna #3)

Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 1999
Publisher: HarperTorch
Type: Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 416
Read: 12/03/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

Filled with adventure and wonder, Acorna’s People continues the enthralling saga of Acorna, the beautiful, brave, and kindhearted creature known as the Unicorn Girl.

Acorna has found her people and is back with them, but its not what she expected. Even though she is no longer an outsider due to her horn and differently shaped hands and feet, due to growing up with humans, she doesn’t fit in and even offends some. Her attempts to make amends fall flat since some even mistrust her. Then a crisis occurs and Acorna’s offers to help are rebuffed.

Once again Acorna and her friend save the world. It might seem that these would get repetitive with the expected crisis and resolution, however McCaffrey manages to keep it rather fresh by introducing new characters and new scenarios. She also conveys very well how isolated Acorna feels, even with her own kind there is a disconnect.

Another entertaining quick read.

Acorna’s Quest by Anne McCaffrey

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acorna2(Acorna #2)

Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 1998
Publisher: HarperCollins
Type: Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 384
Read: 11/25/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

At the end of the last book, the children on the planet Kezdet were being liberated, enrolled in school and are learning actual trades. This next installment involves Acorna wanting to find her own kind, humanoids like her. There are practical as well as sentimental reasons for this. Her “Uncle” Calum believes he knows the general area of space where they will find her home planet. The two of them set off to find it, rather impulsively since it appears everyone else doesn’t want them to go and end up on a planet they were not planning to go to. This lands them smack dab in the middle of a armed conflict.

Meanwhile, the Linyaari appear with a warning about the Khleev and in doing so discover that a little girl they thought was dead is alive, but missing. Acorna needs to be found and something needs to be done about the Khleev, who are coming and are deadly.

Once again we have Acorna acting impulsively, this time she drags Calum along with her. We meet some old friends and foes and discover new friends and foes. The action is fast paced. The characters are again not well developed, you have good, who are very good, and evil who are very evil, and the ones who are good as long as it profits them. But still this was an enjoyable read.

This could almost be considered a young adult book, but there is some violence and adult situations in it.