Alex Cross - Along Came a Spider

A few years ago a friend recommended that I read the book "You've Been Warned" by James Patterson and a few months ago I finally got around to it. The book was so good that I thought I would look into more books by James Patterson. I decided to start with the Alex Cross series, mostly because I knew the first book had been made into a movie and it seemed interesting enough.
I finished reading "Along Came a Spider" yesterday and the ending was so far fetched that I had to blog about it. I won't get into too much detail to avoid spoiling it for anyone who plans to read it. Basically a character in the book is sentenced to death by lethal injection for kidnapping. That's right, for kidnapping!!! I thought capital punishment was reserved for murderers and pshycopaths, not kidnappers! When they annouced the verdit for the charater I couldn't help my feelings changing from "this is a pretty good book" to "ok, this is so dumb!". To make matters worse they executed this person in what seemed like a few short months from the verdict. Not sure how it all works over in Washington D.C. but in California it takes wayyyyy longer than that to follow through with an execution! People here have a better chance of dying of natural causes. Oy.
Anyways. I did enjoy the book but that ending slightly ruined it for me. It would be been more realistic to me if this person received a life sentence. Or perhaps I just need some insight on the justice system in Washington D.C.???

Oh and ONE more thing.... As I recall the actor who plays Alex Cross in the movie was Morgan Freeman. Can you say total MISMATCH! He does not fit the charater description AT ALL! If they make anymore of the Alex Cross movies I hope they pick someone better to fit the roll. Like Will Smith, Cuba Gooding Jr., or Denzel Washington. Anyone but Morgan Freeman...ick.

http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_alex_cross.php

THE NOTEBOOK

"Somewhere," muses Noah Calhoun, while sitting on his porch in the moonight, "there were people making love." The Notebook, a Southern-fried story of love-lost-and-found-again, revolves around a single time-honored romantic dilemma: will beautiful Allison Nelson stay with Mr. Respectability (to whom she happens to be engaged), or will she hook up with Noah, the romantic rascal she left so many years ago? We're not telling, but you have two guesses and the first one doesn't count. Decades later, after Allison develops Alzheimer's, her beau uses "the notebook" to read her the story of the great love she's plumb forgot.

I think watching the movie first and so many times made this book difficult for me. I kept comparing the characters and how different they are. I appreciate the characters more in the book than in the movie because the book captures their pure and everlasting love. In the movie I always felt the relationship to be dysfunctional and wondered why Allie was so drawn to Noah after being engaged to such a great guy. Now seeing the story through Nicholas Sparks eyes I can understand. This was a good book, I just wish he had gone into more detail of their years together.

The Help

Ok, so its been a long while since I've posted to this blog but this does not mean I haven't been reading. I keep better track of my books on goodreads.com. 

I went on a cruise in May and brought this book with me - The Help. I saw the movie trailer in the theater and thought it looked really cute and wanted to check out the book before the release. I read almost the entire book in the week I was gone and would of finished it except I was in the Caribbean and well, who wants to read nonstop in the Caribbean? This was probably one of the best books I have read in a long time, maybe even since Twilight!!!

The book is about a black maid in the 1960's in Mississippi and a white girl who together write a book with all black maids stories about working for white families. They describe the good, bad, and the ugly in great detail but change all names to protect identities. It was just so interesting to read about the Civil Rights movement and how horrible blacks were treated back then (which wasn't even that long ago!). The only thing I didn't like about this book was how it ended. I won't give anything away but I felt the author could of gone into greater detail about the characters after the book was released. I almost felt like she was tired of writing so just jotted down a few details and then called it quits. Although, maybe I just felt this way because I enjoyed the book so much and just didn't want it to end. Either way it is a must read! 

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High School Kick

I'm in this kick right now where I want to read and re-read suggested high school books. So far I've recently read Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, and Catcher in the Rye. I feel these books are suggested for good reasons and in high school I either skimmed through the books or never really appreciated them, so I'm giving them a second chance. Next I would like to read Lord of the Flies and To Kill a Mockingbird. Anyone have some good suggestions I could add to my list before I'm over this kick?

The Hunger Games Trilogy

I recently read this trilogy, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I bought these books because of all the publicity they were receiving on facebook and goodreads. Everyone who wrote reviews about these books made it sound like the next Twilight hype, so naturally I had to investigate. I have to admit that in the beginning I was a little apprehensive reading a story about children from ages 12-18 killing each other as "sport". If you haven't read the books yet don't let that discourage you, they really are intriguing books. I think what captivated me the most was, like Twilight, these books also have a love triangle. One girl torn between two guys who diligently fight for her attention and returning love. What can be better than that? Throw in some blood and a corrupt government and you have The Hunger Games! My final opinion: Thumbs up, must read!

A Thousand Splendid Suns

This is the book I started today: "A Thousand Splendid Suns". I've also read "The Kite Runner" by the same author however, I really hope that this book is less graphic. Deke has already read this one and says its "read-worthy", we'll see. I've read 5 chapters today and so far my favorite line from this book is: "A man's heart is a wretched, wretched thing. It isn't like a mothers womb. It won't bleed, it won't stretch to make room for you. I'm the only one who can love you." Now, I don't agree with this quote but I found it amusing nonetheless.

So far I'm pleased with this book. I really do enjoy reading about people in the middle east, it leads me to believe that the Muslim culture is sorely misunderstood. That's all for now... I'm going back to my book.

Series...

My favorite series include, Harry Potter, Narnia, and Twilight - I know its juvenile but they're so good! I loved Harry Potter because they're so mysterious and magical (obviously), I loved Twilight because, well, it's a sappy romance. (and for all you twilight haters, all I can say is: don't knock it till' you try it!), and I loved Narnia because of all the biblical parallels wrapped into a geniusly well written fantasy. The next series I would love to read is Lemony Snickets, A Series of Unfortunate Events. Has anyone ever read them? Are they good? I'm thinking about going to my favorite used book store on Main Street in Placerville to hunt out the box set. In the meantime I am currently re-reading The Voyage of Dawn Treader (#5 from the Narnia box). The movies comes out in a few months and I want it fresh in my brain!

Reading is a means of thinking with another person's mind; it forces you to stretch your own.

I've decided to start this blog for myself more than anyone else. Ever since the end of my last marriage I have become enthralled with reading. It kinda helped me escape the world I didn't want to know anymore. Since then it has just become a passion, I love to read, it is my favorite pastime.

Some people collect stamps, some coins, as for me, I collect books. I like to have everything I have read on my bookshelf. When someone offers for me to barrow a book that they suggest I graciously decline but do take the suggestion and buy my own copy. This blog will virtually keep track of my bookshelf since I don't really do so in person.

I wish I would of started this blog years ago to create a better accurate account of the books I have read; better late then never right? So for now I need to play catch up, hopefully Deke can help me remember the order of the books I have read!