I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really good book in the way it explored a person's humanity. Who hasn't entertain thoughts of killing someone they hated at one time or another? We all have, except we also know (most of the time) that we wouldn't actually do it, that we're just venting on our frustrations.

Jasper Dent however, has to second guess himself all the time. Whenever he gets mad enough to feel rage, he thinks that he must be a bad person because he's thinking of killing the other person. I felt for him, and I thought he was a very well-adjusted person despite his upbringing and all the bad things he's had to go through.

Even the manipulation that he does to other people when he's trying to get something he wants, which he thinks is a bad thing, is actually pretty normal. Most people do it, consciously or not, and some are just better at it than others.

This book gives a very interesting glimpse into the psyche of a regular human being who's normal but worries about every little nuance of his thoughts and character, just because of his genes. We all are mad, in our own ways, some more than others, but worrying about being mad can actually drive you mad, don't you think?

The story itself is pretty thrilling and suspenseful. The stakes get pretty high as the body count rises, and we want Jasper to catch the bad guy before more people die. I've always loved stories about teenage sleuths, and I love the extra dark element that Jasper's character has. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

So I know Halloween’s over, and Christmas is coming, but somehow I’ve been in the mood for horror and ghost stories. Which is really stupid, because now that there’s only me and DH at home, and it’s winter and it’s dark by 5pm, and DH works most evenings and I’m home alone…

What’s *even* more stupid, is that I’ve borrowed books from the library about true ghost stories in ALBERTA! Which is where I am now.

Why do people scare themselves? =P

Normally I read books really, really fast, and it’s all short stories, so I *should* be reading them really fast anyway, but because of the timing; I have to only read the ghost stories during daytime and only when DH is at home, it’s taking me ages to finish.

Actually, it’s taking me ages to even start!

I feel like I should go to the library where there many more people other than myself and stay there and read until they close so I won’t be alone.

Hmmm….good idea, actually… except that I still need to cook and clean and eat. =P

I need a dog or a cat to keep me company. I miss my doggies back in Malaysia. =(

The Mist by Stephen King

Another Stephen King novel this year! =) I got interested in this book because I read on a website somewhere about best and most unexpected movie endings and the movie for based on this book was listed as one of them.

So anyway, it made me really curious to watch the movie, but I wanted to read the book first.

Luckily enough, I found the book in a sale not long after visiting that particular website (which address I forgot).

As with most Stephen King books, it was thrilling and scary, never really knowing what was in the mist. The buildup of the book was incredible and I read anxiously to find out what would happen next.

I anticipated the ending, but I realized also that the movie and the book isn’t always identical, and it wasn’t. The book didn’t end the way the movie did (the website gave spoilers, so I knew what would happen), and in fact, ended by not ending, something I noticed with a few of King’s earlier books.

But it was a great read anyway. Not my favorite from King, but great nonetheless. I watched the movie after I finished the book, and while I prefer the book to the movie, I loved the movie’s ending a whole lot more!

The Moth Diaries by Rachel Klein

I bought this at a recent book sale, I forgot which, there were so many book sales lately.

Anyway, it intrigued me because it was written in the form of a young boarding schoolgirl’s diary, and it’s supposedly about her obsession with her friend, Lucy, and a girl named Ernessa whom she thinks is a vampire.

I’m not sure if I missed it, but I think this is another one of those books where you never learn the narrator’s name. If I did miss it, and someone knows her name, do let me know!

Anyway, what I like about this book is that you could say it’s a vampire story, but then again, it could also be a story about a girl with a psychological disorder. You never really get any proof or certainty, not even from the narrator herself. She’s sure Ernessa is a vampire, but she never sees anything certain or finds anything to prove it without a doubt.

I just found out that there will be a movie based on this book coming out in 2010. I think it would make a really great movie if they can stay true to the book instead of trying to cash in on all the vampire hype these days and making it a full-fledged vampire story. Let’s see what happens.

Thinner by Stephen King

As most of you know by now, I’m on a Stephen King binge this year. I’ve read four this year, (not counting another two yet; The Long Walk & The Running Man) and have a lot more of his books in queue!

I bought this book because I remember my cousin Allison telling me about it many years ago. I remember she said that this book really freaked her out.

Perhaps it’s because she hadn’t read his other books at the time? Or maybe there’s just something that stood out to her in this story? I gotta ask her one day.

Anyway, she told me that this story was about this man who was cursed by a gypsy to keep getting thinner and thinner everyday until he wasted away. It didn’t matter how much he ate, he kept getting thinner.

Thinner doesn’t compare to the other King books I’d already read, but still, King is an amazing storyteller, and the story was thrilling and more than a little creepy, as his books are wont to be. It’s definitely worth reading, and the ending is great, though I can’t tell you much else or I’ll give it all away!

The Shining by Stephen King

This is my year for King’s books! Having just read Gerald’s Game, which in my opinion is the most thrilling King book, The Stand, which is the most epic and my favorite King book, now I’ve just finished reading The Shining, which is the scariest King book!

While many of King’s books are scary in the thrilling sense, none of them scared me to the point of sleeping with the lights on. This book did.

Yes, I slept with the little light on, right after finishing it at 4am in the morning. I even woke my husband up so he could accompany me to the bathroom, which adjoins the bedroom!

I can’t help it! Monsters, serial killers, and apocalypses don’t scare me. Ok, they do, but not much. Ghosts, on the other hand, freak me out! Yikes, I can’t even write this review without getting the shivers!

Ok, very briefly now, this book is about a little boy who has the sight, called the “shining”. His father is hired to be the caretaker for The Overlook Hotel, and of course, as with every respectable hotel, it has its share of ghosts. However, The Overlook’s ghosts are a lot more sinister and dangerous than your average ghosts. So what do you get when you put a boy with the “shining” in a hotel full of malicious ghosts? A really horrifying story!

Although this was an amazing book, I’m not going to re-read it anytime soon, I can tell you that!

The Stand by Stephen King

 

Having just finished Gerald’s Game by Stephen King and The Host by Stephenie Meyer, I was in the mood for more horror and apocalyptic stories.

 

There’d been many Stephen King fans who have said that their favorite King book is The Stand, and I happened to have had this book on my shelves for a while now.

 

I realize that I’ve never really bothered to find out what his books are about, only buying the ones whose titles are familiar because of their popularity. So it happened that I had no idea what this book was about.

 

My copy of The Stand is the Uncut, Extended Edition, which is great, because I prefer to know the whole story, and is divided into three parts.

 

The first part talks about the plague and its effects, the second part talks about the aftermath and how they try to rebuild, the third part is the showdown between the forces of good and evil.

 

This book didn’t have the intensity of Gerald’s Game, and it was slow at parts, but it was nevertheless still exciting. I love the characters, and I felt their loss, their pain and confusion, their uncertainty, their fear. It’s one of the scariest, saddest, and most tragic story I’ve ever read, but at the same time, so full of hope, strength, courage, and love.

 

I believe there’s a film based on this book, and I’d be interested to watch it too. I finished this book two days ago, and I still think about the characters and wonder what happens to them.

 

It may sound strange, but the truth is, I find myself missing them as if they were real, actual friends that I haven’t seen in a long time, and I really wish they would get back in touch, or at least, I wish someone would tell me if they’re alright. 

 

That’s probably why so many people have said this is their favorite King book. I barely remember the characters in his other books, but I think the ones in this book will stay with me for a while.

Gerald’s Game by Stephen King

 

Ever since I read a teaser about this book from Nicholas at A Gentleman’s Domain, I became so curious that I just had to read it.

 

I started looking for it all over, every bookstore I went to, I looked all the shelves with Stephen King’s books, and they always had Stephen King’s books. Just not this particular one.

 

I finally found it, a couple of weeks ago, at Kinokuniya in KLCC, a place I seldom ever go. I bought it immediately and started reading it as soon as I arrived home.

 

Whoa, was it intense! I’d read a couple of King’s books before, and I know this isn’t one of the more well-known ones, but so far, it’s been the most intense one for me!

 

Like Nicholas, I won’t say much except that this book is about a woman who’d been handcuffed near to her husband’s dead body and unable to escape. What I love about it is how King uses psychology to create the horror instead of relying on gory and bloody scenes.

 

Oh, there’s blood and gore, alright, but the masterpiece is in the way he describes what goes on in her mind while she’s handcuffed and stuck in the same room with her dead husband. We all know how our minds can play tricks on us.

 

Still, I have to say that while I like the psychology angle, my favorite part of the book was the “wrist” scene. You’ve got to read this to find out what I mean, I’m afraid, but let me just say that no movie scene could ever replicate how King writes that scene in the book.

 

I read this book in bed beside my husband, and let me tell you, my reaction while reading that scene piqued his curiosity so much that he wants to read the book now. He’s not much of a reader, and it’s a chore to get him to read even a short storybook, so him getting interested in this book is a miracle!

 

Read it, but only if you’re a fan of horror, and only if you’ve got a strong stomach.

 

I’ve just finished reading Twilight by

Stephanie Meyer, and I’m too lazy to write a proper review, so here’s my review in a TT! =)

 

 

 

1. I thought the book was much, much, better than the movie. The movie was quite ridiculous, but the book wasn’t bad at all.

 

2. I ordered the book before I watched the movie, but I watched the movie before the book arrived.

 

3. It’s really good l had already ordered the book, or I wouldn’t have bothered to read the book at all after watching the really bad movie.

 

4. If I was Stephanie Meyer, I would be really angry at the way they destroyed the story in the movie.

 

5. Honestly, I think the movie might have hurt the sales of her books, as I really wouldn’t have bought her book if I had watched the movie before I ordered it.

 

6. I’m glad I did read the book though, because I really enjoyed it, and I think Edward Cullen would make a wonderful vampire boyfriend!

 

7. I really like the whole vampire family too, I think it would be really cool to have a family like that.

 

8. I especially love the baseball scene, both in the movie and in the book. It was the best part.

 

9. I am really envious of Bella. Why must she be the one with the special smell? =P

 

10. I would definitely want to be a vampire too, if my boyfriend and soul mate was one.

 

11. I wonder what’s going to happen next in the other books in the series, I want to know what happens next with Bella and Edward!

 

12. I had hoped that I would find the book as ridiculous as the movie, because it would’ve saved me some money if I didn’t need to buy the rest of the books in the series!

 

13. Although I haven’t read the other books yet, I’m pretty sure the Twilight saga is going to be one of my favorite vampire stories!

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

 

I’ve seen so many great reviews about this book and have been intrigued for so long, but nothing prepared me for how incredible the book was and how terribly graphic the detailed description of the protagonist’s burns were.

 

And guess what?! I read more than 400 pages before I even realized that the protagonist/narrator was never named. That’s how engrossing the book is!

 

There are many stories within this book, but I believe the main theme is about beauty and how it is only skin deep. The thing about the protagonist is that he used to be beautiful before he got burned.

 

He had smooth, beautiful skin, and handsome features, an amazing body that he used to please the many women who found him attractive… but he was ugly inside. He was an unhappy, self-centered, manipulative, hedonistic bastard.

 

Then he got burned, and he became the ugliest man he could possibly be on the outside. Burn scars everywhere, on his face, on his body, his hair burned off, his features misshapen, his limbs burned or cut off… and he was still an insufferable bastard.

 

But he meets a mysterious woman, who claims to have known him many centuries ago, and she tells him stories, about other people, about who he used to be when they knew each other before. He thinks she’s crazy, but she’s the only friend he has, since all his friends deserted him after he turned into a gargoyle, so he tolerates her, and he listens to her stories.

 

As time goes by, the protagonist slowly becomes a decent human being. Davidson writes the protagonist’s change almost as if he was a butterfly emerging from his cocoon. His metamorphosis is due to the mysterious woman who stays with him and tells him stories, but there is more to her than meets the eye too, as we find out further in the book.

 

I devoured this book completely! From the moment I read the first sentence, it was almost impossible to put down, and although there has been a lot of positive response to the book, I wonder why it’s not more popular! If I had a book club, I would definitely recommend reading this book for it, it would be great for discussion! What a fantastic read!

IT by Stephen King

Date Started: 15th Feb 2007
Date Finished: 27th Feb 2007

Rating:

So I finally finished my second Stephen King novel. It took me a considerable while, being 1114 pages long, and I was reading it during CNY, which of course limited my reading time with all the open houses and all.

Anyway, it was well worth the read. If I had to describe it in one word, it'd be 'epic'.

Here's dictionary.com's definition:

ep·ic
–adjective Also, ep·i·cal.
1. noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style.
2. resembling or suggesting such poetry.
3. heroic; majestic; impressively great.
4. of unusually great size or extent

IT definitely is all of the above, other than no.2... =P

The thing that amazes me most, is that King managed to take a really lousy storyline, and turn it into the most amazing story. I mean, come on, a monster from long ago who preys on kids and eats them? How cliche is that? Granted he wrote this story back in the 80's, so it probably wasn't *so* cliche then. But after reading and watching so many horror stories and getting really bored with the same old same old, this book is really something new.

Written more than 20 years ago, and still much better than most horror stories today. And like I said, it's a *really* lousy storyline. He made it good. He made it intense. He made it an epic.

The last time I described a book this way was after I had read The Count of Monte Cristo. Now that, was an epic. But The Count of Monte Cristo had a great storyline! And IT had a really bad one. Again, I have to exclaim at what a great writer King is!

I'm really wondering why I had such a hard time reading his novels before. I must get them out again and read them.

Cell by Stephen King

In my previous post, I reviewed this book as one of the best horror novels I've ever read, and I said that I could see why, from this book, that Stephen King is considered a master storyteller.

However, I realized that many veteran Stephen King fans are saying that his current books are not as good as the ones he used to write. Having never read any other of his books except this one, I guess I'm not expert enough to compare.

I'm currently reading a classic SK book though, so pretty soon I'll be able to judge.

But honestly, regardless of how good or bad his older books are, I really think the way he crafted this book is damn good. Forget about comparing his older books with this one, just compare it with any other horror writer and you won't be able to deny his genius. Note the way I keep saying SK *crafted* this book, rather than just merely wrote it. It's a craft, it's a masterpiece, and SK is a fine artist.

I don't get people who say the book isn't good. It might not be as good as his older ones, but if it's better than the others, it's still pretty darn good. If you were never an SK fan, or into horror novels at all, I'd get it when you say you don't like his work. But if you were always a horror fan, tell me, even if his writing has degenerated, where are you going to find another better horror writer?

As I said, I haven't read his older books, so I'll come back with my thoughts when I'm done. But in the meantime, if you think what I've just said is crap, and if you can point me to better horror writers, then please feel free to enlighten me.

Well, I'm a little late with my reviews...*sheepish* Sorry! As the books I read piled up, I kept putting reviewing off, which is obviously a bad idea, because they pile up even more. LOL!

So I decided to just write a sorta general review of the books I've read since I last blogged, and then after I've caught up, I'll write 'proper' reviews for the books I'll read in the future. I can't remember much about the earlier books I read anyway, which normally happens when I don't blog fast, so I've learned my lesson and I'll blog asap next time. =P

Anyways, here are the books I've read since the last time I blogged:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Date Started: 14th Dec 2006
Date Finished: 16th Dec 2006

Rating:

Well, this was a fun read, as Neil Gaiman's books usually are. His books are always a little mixed between reality and fantasy...the lines are always a little blurred, and that's exactly what I love about them. His books are portals into another world, reading his books are like opening the doorways and staring right into a fantastic world.

Reading Anansi Boys, I was torn between screaming in frustration at all the misfortune faced by Fat Charlie, mostly caused by his brother, Spider, and laughing my head off at how ridiculous it all was. Everything works out in the end, but the journey is so exciting, so unbelievable, so stressful, you just have to sit back and let it take you wherever it's going.

Enjoy the ride, Gaiman is always a joy to read, and this is another one of his gems.

Cell by Stephen King

Date Started: 16th Dec 2006
Date Finished: 18th Dec 2006

Rating:

Would you believe this is my first Stephen King novel? I've always wanted to read his books, and I've tried many times, but never managed to finish one. My first purchased King novel was Dolores Claibourne, which I bought a long long time ago, and couldn't get into. I tried Carrie, and It, and his Dark Tower series, but never finished any of them, until now. It's not that his writing is bad or anything, it just happened that I never finished a single one.

Now that I've finally finished one of his novels, I can see why he's so successful. This book is a work of genius. The storyline is basically similar to all those zombie movies which are so popular recently, but the way he crafts the book is amazing. Most horror movies or books try to scare you with gory and suspenseful scenes, and then shock you when something suddenly jumps out of the closet, King builds up horror slowly, logically - yes, logically- and it scares you because you think, oh my god, this could actually happen.

Reading a King novel for the first time, I finally understand why he's so popular. He's a master at his craft, and I can't wait to read more. I'm getting out all my other King books, and I'm going to finish them this time.

Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch

Date Started: Fall 2006
Date Finished: Spring 2007

Rating:

I bought Book 1, 2 and 3 many years ago, I believe it was in 2001, and I've read Book 1 and 2 many times before. I started Book 3 but didn't finish it.

Recently I read them all again, and I was awed by what I got out of them. I believe my understanding of the world, life, and my views have changed since I last read these books, and reading them again brought me to another level of understanding.

In my humble opinion, this book is a must-read, whether you believe in a God, or in many Gods, or Goddesses, or if you don't believe in a God at all, it doesn't matter. There are a lot of hard truths in the books, but whether it comes from God, or from Neale's subconscious, or even if he made it all up, there is a lot of wisdom in these books. Read it, and you will never feel alone again. You will live your life differently and see everything with new eyes.

Children Who Have Lived Before by Trutz Hardo

Date Started: 26th Dec 2006
Date Finished: 28th Dec 2006

Rating:

I've always wondered about reincarnation. I definitely believe in it, but my curiousity about life and beyond always lead me to read books like these.

This book is a collection of case studies of possible reincarnations. I believe anyone with an open mind and a desire for truth who reads this book will have no doubt about the possibility of reincarnation any longer. All these cases can't be hoaxes, and there is just no other explanation for the behaviour and knowledge of some of these reincarnated souls.

If you have an interest in reincarnation, or if you're looking for more evidence to support the theory, read this book for yourself.

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

Date Started: 11th Jan 2007
Date Finished: 13th Jan 2007

Rating:

This was an easy book to read, obviously. I thought I'd read it because it's a classic children's book, and it's being made into a movie with Dakota Fanning, who I really like. But hype aside, it's a wonderful children's book. I love Charlotte and I thought she was the kindest, bravest, wise, and intelligent soul.

A lot of it was hilarious, all the antics of the characters, both human and animals, were exaggerated and 'caricaturized'. But it was also sweet and heart-warming, touching and a little sad too. Read it if you love animals, miracles, comedy, and a good story.

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

Date Started: 20th Jan 2007
Date Finished: 24th Jan 2007

Rating:

I was taken in by the storyline; four men and one women journeying into the living body of a man? A great story if I ever heard one. Asimov is known for his futuristic tales, most notably I, Robot, which was made popular recently as a movie, but while his name is a recognized one, I've never read any of his books.

This book was made into a movie about more than a decade ago, I didn't watch it either, but as I said, the storyline hooked me.

What hooked me even more, was the way he made the voyage exciting for readers. A journey into the living body of a man? Definitely an interesting story, but how do you make it less of an anatomical lesson and more of an action-packed adventure? Well, how about if the fate of the entire world lies in the success of that journey! Hooked yet? Yeah, me too. So I read it, and I loved it.

Panic by Jeff Abbot

Date Started: 24th Jan 2007
Date Finished: 26th Jan 2007

Rating:

It's weird, I remember I enjoyed reading this, but thinking back now, I don't remember much about it.

I remember the basic storyline, but not much of the details although this was the most recent book I read. I guess it's a good beach read, a thriller, but not something you'd ever read again for anything other than a 'one-night-stand'.

It's exciting and quite plausible, and definitely scary, discovering your mother dead and finding out that your whole life was a lie. It's a great story, without much of a foundation, sort of like a beautiful person without much of a personality. You'd be fascinated with the way the person looked, and you could probably spend hours marvelling at the perfection of that person's features, skin, and hair.... but probing for something deeper would leave you entirely empty-handed. It's still well worth looking at though.