Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Currently Reading

I apologize for the lack of reviews during this month. November is the hardest month for me to live through for a number of reasons. It all boils down to the fact that I lost someone closest to me and I am still sorting through the rubble of that day. Therefore, I try to keep enough things around to distract me. That didn't work this year.

So, I've weathered most of the storm and back in the work chair. I've got a few things lined up to finish while everyone's enjoying their Turkey Day in the US. As far as NaNoWriMo, I'm way behind but putting in a long night of writing tonight to get caught up. I'm getting the hang of tying up that inner editor. That allows me to write what I want to get on the page without editing at the same time. The bulk of the story is there for me to fine tune afterwards. 


Going to work through these books;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga


Crossing off the following titles;
None - yet. :(


I know not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving or if they do, it's not this week. However, I do wish you all a wonderful week filled with moments of thankfulness for all the good things. Despite the dark times, there is hope. Sometimes it hides from us for a little while, but it's always there.

Until next time,
Kay B

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Currently Reading

Busy Kay is not a reading Kay. Unfortunately, I have had my hands full trying to figure out a way to work on everything that November is throwing at me. I tried a number of tricks to get ahead on the reading and got lost within the books. That ate hours away that I'd assigned to writing. Now I'm behind on my NaNoWriMo project for this year. It's a never-ending juggling act but one that I'm grateful to encounter.

We've had our first snowfall here in the area. Everything has its own little white blanket. The streets and sidewalks are clear now. We'll see how long that lasts when the forecasted storms rumble this direction. I will admit that the cold weather makes for a time of increased writing for me. Whether that writing is any good or not, I'm not sure. I'm just glad to be putting words on the page after a long, long drought.


Can these be finished?
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans



On their way are;
None - yet.


November is more than halfway over. That doesn't bode well for those of us who are behind in our NaNoWriMo projects. But I have faith that with some doubling down of concentration and lots of snacks and chocolate. Time to get to work!

Until next time,
Kay B

Monday, November 17, 2014

I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga


Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Series: Jasper Dent series, Book I

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Jasper "Jazz" Dent was an unwilling celebrity in his small hometown of Lobo's Nod when the law discovered his father was the worst serial killer in history. With his father convicted and behind bars, Jasper spent the last four years trying to live a "normal" teenage life while living with his grandmother. His two closest friends, Connie and Howie, kept him ground when the dark thoughts threatened to overtake him.

When bodies began piling up in the small town for a second time, Jasper couldn't shake the feeling that his special knowledge was important to the investigation. If he didn't help, more people would die and the blood would be on his hands. What he didn't know was how far the killer would go to protect his work. Can Jasper find the killer without giving in to the dark desires? Will he be able to survive at all?

Review:
A late-night scouring of the available titles at NetGalley led me to requesting this title by Barry Lyga. Intrigued from the beginning, I was glad to discover that this book didn't disappoint. I often wondered what became of the children born to those so evil. This book took one of the paths available and explored as many nooks and crannies as possible. From the beginning, it was apparent how special of a kid Jasper truly was. I do mean special in a weird and intriguing way.

Most of the book was centered around Jasper and his attempts to find his place within the small, backwoods town that he called home. Being a teenager was hard under the most normal of circumstances, but when you were the son of a famous serial killer, life was unbearable. The only bright spots in his life were his girlfriend, Connie, and his best friend, Howie. They kept him centered when the lessons his father taught him threatened to push him over the edge. While dealing with all this, a gnawing feeling that a second serial killer at work in their town kept him awake at night and in trouble with the local sheriff.

Right away the conflict within Jasper and with the world around him permeated the story. It was a bit odd to start reading and see a teen with night-scope binoculars watching police investigate a body found in the middle of a farm field. There wasn't much of a change in pace as it was full on from the first chapter. Each interaction between the characters dropped tidbits of information that kept me turning the pages. Not only did this book explore the theory of nature versus nurture in relation to Jasper going up to be a serial killer or not, the entire story explored the meaning of family and whether being bond by blood was the only acceptable definition of family. Now, I don't give spoilers in my reviews if I can help it, but what happened at the end of the book threw everything on its head.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a refreshing twist on the serial killer genre and put a spotlight on the part of a serial killer's life that's often fallen by the wayside - the family. I liked how honest Jasper was with himself about the desires and remorse that he felt and the lengths he went to in order to stay grounded. It was admirable to see him face down his inner demons and use his knowledge to help instead of destroy. I'm anxious to see how future books play out and whether Jasper is ever tempted to take that one little step into the darkside. If you love a twisting, turning, strangely enduring and unique type of serial killer story, I would definitely put this book on your TBR list!

I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga is currently available at many retailers in various formats including hardcover, paperback, audio-book and digital including Kindle. The link provided below leads to the book's Amazon page.
I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Currently Reading

I'm still alive. At least I think I am. When I decided to take a week to take care of a few real life issues interfering with my reading and reviewing, I didn't intend on battling some kind of chest/sinus congestion at the same time.  That kept me from reading, setting me even further behind. So, I am going to push the reading bit even while I'm forcing my NaNoWriMo to move forward as well.


To be read;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans


Finished;
I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga


Though I've been out of action for a bit, I hope you all have been having productive NaNoWriMo times so far this month. Lots of time left to conquer this goal. Let's do it together!

Until next time,
Kay B

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Currently Reading

 When I thought most of my busy days would end on Halloween, I was so very wrong. Not only am I still busy into November, but my prioritizing skills are being tested time and again. On top of all this, my chronic illnesses have decided to rear their ugly heads. My movements feel as though they're slowed, like I'm swimming through caramel or honey. Every little thing I do takes so much more time than I want it to take.

On the plus side, I'm making headway into NaNo2014. I'm slightly under the average word goal for today. With an hour of solid writing time, I might be able to pull ahead of schedule. I don't know how the story's going to end or what's going to happen until I write it out. Yes, I have a general idea what's going to happen, but sometimes the characters take off on their own. I have to chase them down to figure out what comes next. So we'll have to wait and see.


Happy to see these books on top;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga


Sorry to see these go;
Casting Shadows Everywhere by L.T. Vargus


As a great way to end the year, the first annual Give A Granny drive that our community project held this year met its goal! In fact we collected over 500 granny squares. Now the hard part comes into play. We get to edge them with a binding color before sewing them into blankets for the nursing residents. What do you all have planned for this month?

Until next time,
Kay B

Monday, November 3, 2014

Small Break

Due to a number of reasons, I don't have book reviews ready for this week. I am in the middle of several books. Now that I have time to finish them, I will begin posting once again next Monday. Currently Reading will still be available this Wednesday.

I'm so sorry for the break in reviews. Unfortunately real life has decided to get full quicker than I anticipated.
Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Until next time,
Kay B

Sunday, November 2, 2014

November's Hopes and Dreams

Oh, yeah! It's NaNoWriMo time!

November is such a bittersweet month for me. There are quite a few personal tragedies that make getting through the month hard in a number of ways. Though many say that time heals, I haven't found that statement to be accurate as of yet. So, I've learned to distract myself through projects such as NaNoWriMo or the Brown-Brooks Project, which is currently making afghans for the residents of a local nursing home.

However, doing NaNoWriMo hasn't always been a positive distraction. Because I was working on a manuscript during the time in which I lost someone very close to me, it took a few years before I began to pick up the pen and write again. Using the computer to write didn't help either. I felt stuck behind this huge brick wall with a flashing neon light. The message it kept delievering? You can't do this. You can't do this.

Over and over, I saw this until I actually believed it to be true. My writing wasn't going anywhere anyway. I had one poem published in a vanity press collection. What kind of writer doesn't get published? I would jot down beginnings of stories, half-written poems or just names and descriptions of characters. Nothing changed until 2012. Something clicked inside me and a story came tumbling out. I thought it would be something to do with the loss I was feeling, but it was something else entirely. Winning NaNoWriMo in 2012 gave me the push I needed to continue looking into other things such as a local writing conference and getting a few articles published in a local literary magazine.

All it takes is a step out of that comfort zone. No matter the big, neon signs saying negative things. No matter the unsettling feelings that taking the step brings with it. You can take that step toward making your dream come true. Whether it's writing a novel or becoming a recording artist, you have take those first steps. Conquer the brick walls in your way and keep moving forward.

Anyone else out there doing NaNoWriMo this year? How's it going so far?  I know it's only a couple of days into the month. Should have about 3000 words by now. Let's do this together!

Until next time,
Kay B