I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Vampires and werewolves! That’s the rage now and I swore I would not read any books or see any movies in this genre. Then I picked up “I Am Legend” without realizing what it was about. Ok, it wasn’t that bad. It was written in the 1950’s and is set in 1976 – 1979 so it has the whole cold war apocalyptic theme running through it. There has been another world war and a mutant virus has spread throughout the world turning the Earth’s population into vampires except for one man, Robert Neville. The story follows his plight from just trying to stay alive and sane to possibly discovering a cure for the epidemic and ends with a surprising ironic twist unless you have already read other books of this genre or seen movies like “The Omega Man”. But I guess in 1954 this was pretty scary stuff. One odd thing about  this book was the author’s negligence in accounting for technological advances in his future world. The cars still had starter buttons and manual chokes. Now that is scary.

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "Fires" from "Baby Darling Doll Face Honey" by Band of Skulls

Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly by Robert Dalby

“Nothing in life, no trial, no heartbreak, no triumph, no aspiration was ever pointless or wasted energy. It was never too late to discover what you were actually born to do in a particular lifetime.” – Hale “Mr. Choppy” Dunbar Jr.

I’m a sucker for books set in small towns and will read just about any genre if it has a small town setting or a southern flavor to it. This book is probably considered “chick-lit” but it was an easy and relaxing read.

Set in Second Creek, Mississippi, “Waltzing” is a cute story  about the local Piggly Wiggly being driven out of business by the national Megamart chain and the local ladies group’s plan to save it. It includes a whole cast of crazy small town characters from the ladies’ group, the Nitwitts, to the store owner, Mr. Choppy, to the eccentric  mayor, Floyce Hammontree, to the town’s most eligible bachelor, Powell Hampton. Mix all these and more together with a little romance, mystery,  humor and intrigue and you have got an enjoyable story with a few twists and surprises.

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "Rock Steady" from "Bad Company" by Bad Company

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

“All I ask is that you pick up your shit so you don’t leave your bedroom looking like it was used for a gang bang. Also, sorry that your girlfriend dumped you.”

Thus begins one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. Having just being dumped by his girlfriend of 3 years and no place to live, the author, 28yr old Justin Halpern moves back in with his parents. On a whim, he starts tweeting some of the outrageous things his father says. This leads to a huge following and a book deal. The book itself is a combination of short stories about the author’s life and bits of sage and wisdom given to him by his father. Even though his father has a rough exterior and no qualms about using foul language around anyone, underneath is a man with a big heart and a strong love for his family.

If you are like me, you will start laughing from the introduction and keep laughing all the way to the last page. But in all that laughter, make sure you don’t miss out on the excellent advice and life lessons given throughout the book.

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "Tightly" from "Blacklisted" by Neko Case

A Special Place: The Heart of a Dark Matter by Peter Straub

A disgustingly disturbing book that I wish I hadn’t read and would not recommend to anyone.

12 year old Keith Hayward’s Uncle Till has taken him under his wing and has decided to mentor him so he can follow in his uncle’s footsteps…as a serial killer.

Enough said.

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "Everyday I Have the Blues" from "American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1966" by Memphis Slim

The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld

In the spirit of Erik Larson, Jed Rubenfeld has woven a fictional story of intrigue and suspense around an horrifying actual event, the 1920 bombing of Wall Street by unknown terrorists. The novel revolves around three main characters, WWI veteran Dr. Stratham Younger, NY Detective James Littlemore, and Colette Rousseau, a French radiochemist. While strolling down Wall Street, their world explodes when terrorists use a horse and buggy loaded with explosives and shrapnel to attack America’s financial heart. What follows is a gripping tale of political suspense, international intrigue and the discovery of mankind’s darkest secret, the unstoppable instinct to wage war and face death.

There are multiple story lines running throughout the novel at the same time. Littlemore’s pursuit of the terrorists from New York to DC, only to discover that the FBI has already decided with little evidence that Italian anarchist were to blame. A US senator, in a storyline which disturbingly mirrors our government’s response to the 9/11 attacks, distorting the evidence to point to Mexico in order to save US oil interests in that country. Younger and Colette’s travels to Austria in pursuit of Colette’s missing fiancée. A US business man does whatever it takes to keep control of the world radium market. Even Dr. Sigmund Freud and Madame Curie make appearances throughout the book. All these facets in the story can become tiring at times to the reader but the author does an excellent job of tying them all together in the end for a very compelling and satisfying read.

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "You And I" from "Hear Me Now" by Secondhand Serenade

Postmark by Samantha Chase

In an upscale neighborhood on the outskirts of Washington DC, everything appears quiet and peaceful from the outside but on the inside it is a different story. Someone is breaking into vacant houses and vandalizing them. This is the least of Johanna Hamilton’s worries because her ex-husband, Rick, is stalking her and sending her threatening letters. On top of that, someone is abducting and murdering little girls who closely resemble her daughter. Are the break-ins and abductions related? Could Rick be involved?

Enjoy the race against time as Detective Dan Whitmore tries to connect the dots between the burglaries, letters, and abductions before the killer can get to Johanna and her daughter. In a style similar to Mary Higgins Clark but racier, Samantha Chase has woven together a thrilling tale of mystery and suspense. 

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "Freak Out" from "Outside" by Tapes 'n Tapes

Troublemaker: A Barnaby and Hooker Graphic Novel, Book 2 by Janet Evanovich, Alex Evanovich, Joelle Jones, and Andy Owens (Nov

I just reread my review of Troublemaker, Book 1 and realized I never really said anything about the story itself. Both books feature Alex Barnaby and Sam Hooker. Sam is a NASCAR driver and Alex is his mechanic and spotter. Throughout both books they battle with the voodoo underground of Florida to recover a wooden statue of a ancient voodoo master which was stolen from a local museum. The supporting cast of characters add to the humor and adventure of the story. The artwork is bright and entertaining. As I stated in my earlier review, this is an excellent light and quick read. Enjoy.

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to "Hysteria" from "Absolution" by Muse