Butchered by Bradley Convissar

Butchered by Bradley Convissar

Year Published: 2012

My Rating: 5 stars

794 Kindle = 36 pages

If you want a real gory scare, this book is for you.
It's two short stories, so the book is fairly fast to read.

The Butcher..
When a serial killer kidnaps his latest victim, little does he know what she is capable of.
He cages her and expects her to be scared shitless and scream, which is exactly what he wants. But this lady is different.
She explains why and proves it.
What will happen to him in the end is priceless :)

Drop House..
When two brothers and their cousin raid a drop house for illegal aliens expecting some kind of escape route that the illegals are taking to gain their freedom in the country. What they find is horrifying and totally unexpected.

I loved both stories!! This is the first time for me to try this author and I'm glad I did. The cover of the book really grabbed me and for $0.99 for the Kindle I thought it was worth the try.
If you have a quezy stomach I don't recommend this though ;) But if you are a horror fan this will be a refreshing short read.
Although I don't read a lot of horror and I do get scared easily plus my stomach doesn't digest easily.. I do love something like this every once in a while.
Therefore I'm going to check some other books by the author, actually I just downloaded 2 of his books that are free on Amazon today.. Better start there :)

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Finished this on 31 December 2008, this was my 55th book of the year!

Published: 2003

Pages: 288 pages

5 stars

This is the third book in the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampires) series and it was GREAT, better the the 2 previous ones combined, it was so fast to read the pages just flew. So gripping, exciting and fun of action.

Sookie's boyfriend Bill gets kidnapped, Eric tells her some secrets she was not happy to know then sends a friendly werewolf (with a crazy ex-girlfriend) to help her find him. ACTION, ACTION and more ACTION!

Of course, Sookie gets in some trouble, Eric to the rescue, looking for Bill, Sookie not sure he is still her boyfriend, financial troubles, more action :)

Can't wait to start book 4 !!!

These are my reviews for the books I read from this series in order:
1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
2. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Other Reviews:
Beth f @ Beth fish Reads
Alaine @ Queen of Happy Endings
Sundcarrie @ Dark Novels

"B" Is For Burglar by Sue Grafton

Published: 1985


Pages: 320 pages


5 stars


The second book in the alphabet series featuring the private investigator Kinsey Millhone.


She is approached by a Beverly Danziger who is looking for her sister Elaine Boldt to sign some formal papers, so Kinsey is hired to find her. She thought it would be easy, only to find herself in a missing persons case upgraded to solving a mystery of the death of the missing lady's neighbor.


Fast paced interesting twists and turns. Very enjoyable fast read!


"B" Is for Burglar was awarded the 1986 Anthony Award for Best Novel at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, in Baltimore, Maryland. The novel also won the 1986 Shamus Award for Best Novel from the Private Eye Writers of America

Other points of view about this book :)

Erika Lynn at Kiss My Books

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 2002

291 pages

5 stars

This is the second in the Southern Vampires series featuring Sookie Stackhouse.

It starts with a 'friend' of Sookie turning dead in a police car, then she gets hired by the Dallas vampires to help them find a missing 'brother'. A lot of adventures in both Dallas and Bon Temps with some Eric thrown in.

Very good fast read, I had trouble putting the book down, the adventure builds up and you just have to know what happens. In addition to Eric being a main character in this book makes it even better than the first one!

A recommended read for those who enjoyed the first book. It seems this series is getting better and better :)

These are my reviews for the books I read from this series in order:
1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Other Reviews..
Alaine @ Queen of Happy Endings
Another review @ Books And So Many More Books
sundcarrie @ Dark Novels
Fyrefly @ Fyrefly's Book Blog

Many Bloody Returns (Anthology)

Year published: 2007

(368 pages)

5 stars

Although I didn't expect I will enjoy short stories since I haven't been reading many for a while but this was an awesome collection.

I just loved it! It was so much fun!!

It consisted of 13 stories so I kinda wrote a note about each one.. It was hard to pick a favorite, since I really enjoyed them but my least
favorite were #2 and #10

1. Dracula Night by Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse is invited to a party where the guest of honor would like a taste of her.I liked it very much although since I only read one book of the series it kinda had some spoilers that I didn't care to know about! They should have warned me! More Eric :D

2. The Mournful Cry of Owls by Christopher Golden

Vampires are a myth, Shtriga is the real deal!!This story was ok although not good enough for me.

3. I Was A Teenage Vampire by Bill Crider

A birthday party with a vampire as a guest of honor turns sour. Nice!

4. Twilight by Kelley Armstrong

Nice new idea for vampires, they have to make an annual kill to live another year! One life lost, one year gained :)

5. It's My Birthday, Too by Jim Butcher

A Harry Dresden short story fighting some vampires with his brother vamp Thomas.I never read any Dresden books, so I guess I would have understood it more if I did, I just might start reading them. It was action filled fun!

6. Grave-Robbed by P.N. Elrod

It's about the undead detective Jack Fleming from the Vampire Files series. I liked him so I'll check his series.A girl comes complaining about her sister trying to communicate with her dead husband, and gets carried away.

7. The first Day of the Rest of Your Life by Rachel Caine

Nice theory about vampires being protectors. You sign a contract with one and earn his protection. NICE! Can I have Eric ?!

8. The Witch and the Wicked by Jeanne C. Stein

A caterer/self employed/witch gets herself in a predicament when she enhances her night cream with vampire ash. Interesting !

9. Blood Wrapped by Tanya Huff

Since I love Blood Ties (the TV series) this is the author who wrote the books that the series is based on. This was a short story about some
of the main characters, but since I didn't read the series I guess I tripped on some spoilers .. But it was refreshing.. mmm Henry the vamp :)

10. The Wish by Carolyn Haines

A mother looses her twins in front of her eyes and then gets angry with death for taking them. Not bad!

11. Fire and Ice and Linguini for Two by Tate Hallaway

A witch and a vampire meet an energy sucking demon. Nice and cute!

12. Vampire Hours by Elaine Viets

A soon to be dumped wife seeks refuge in turning to the dark side and considering revenge!! VERY GOOD!

13. How Stella Got Her Grave Back by Toni L.P. Kelner

Stella the vampire went to check on her grave on her birthday only to find someone else buried there. A bit of mystery here :)

Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas by James Patterson

Date Published: 2003

304 pages

5 stars

This book is amazing!! I just can't start to say how much I LOVED it!!
It so romantic and sentimental, it just tears your heart.I never knew James Patterson wrote other that crime books, this is a first for me and I have to admit although I love his crime books
this is even better if that is even possible!He should definetly write more romance, he really knows his stuff..

Now for the story..
Katie and Matt are in love, so naturaly she is expecting a marriage proposal very soon. Instead he shocks her out of the blue by breaking up with her. Devestated and crushed she receives a package the next day with a Diary.

The story is basically of what this diary contains, it's so beautifully written you will just love the characters.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Date Published: 1991

My Rating : 4 stars

896 pages

One of the best romance stories I've read in years. It reminds me of A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux.

The beautiful love story of Jamie and Claire :)

It starts with a 27 year old nurse called Claire Beauchamp in the year 1945, childless but happily married to Frank Randall and living a quiet life in post war Scotland.

One day she goes investigating a plant she sees in a stone circle, when she suddenly gets pulled in and finds herself in the year of the Lord 1743 about two hundred years prior her time.

She encounters Frank's six-time great grandfather Jonathan Randall otherwise known as Jack Black. Then gets kidnapped or rescued by Dougal McKenzie's men where she meets the young Jamie a wounded lad of 23, being a nurse she helps him and they take her to their lands.

Meeting the chieftain of the McKenzie's, Colum McKenzie she is assigned as the physician of the clan.

A lot of events happen, and we meet so many people but the main thing is Clair somehow marries young Jamie and a passion ignites like no other. This is where the story really starts.

Such a love story that is so filled with innocence and passion that has to touch you to the core.

Being a wanted man, her Jamie flees for his life and Clair trying to rescue him, after he rescued her a number of times.

A very heart warming story that grips you till the end, at times I just couldn't put the book down, I'm sure to continue in this series because I can't wait to know what happens next.

I strongly recommend this book, although I gave in 4 out of 5 stars. Why I did that? Well that is because there were a couple of times that I was annoyed in some events or beliefs that I didn't care for but that is entirely personal other than that is was flawless.

Did I mention it was such a love story?! Oh, I did!! It also had a sense of humor, well Jamie's in particular and Claire. I caught myself smiling and shaking my head a number of times ;)

The best of the book is the last part, the events are fast and the details are just so graphical you just need to know what happens and FAST!

Other Reviews:
Lilly @ Reading Extravaganza
Smash @ Great Books and Fresh Coffee
Jess @ Barney's Book Blog

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis

4 Stars

Heard it as an audio book on my Ipod..

I think it would have been better to read it since I enjoy reading more than listening.. I might even read it literally very soon.Nice childrens tale of an adventure at sea!!

This is the third book in the series that I read and it was fun.

While Edmund and Lucy are staying with their cousin Eustace, Peter is getting reading for enterace exams for the University amd Susan is travelling through America with their parents.

One day they go though an adventure with their cousin Eustace on board the Dawn Treader, after being drawn through a painting on the wall of the ship.. They meet King Caspian and pass by different islands with exciting creatures.

Although Eustace was a bit of a mean kid in the beginning he get's to mellow out as the story enfolds!

Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

Date Published : 2004

310 pages

4 stars

Three different cases happen in different times.. A little girl just disappears leaving guilt and grief behind, A woman goes mad and does the unthinkable, and a young woman gets brutally killed.From all these cases, relatives seek a private detective Mr. Brodie to help each in a different way.

The disappearing girl's family want to know what happened to her. The mad woman's sister is looking for her niece and the murdered girls's father wants to know her killer.

The story entwines together in a very nice way, the chapters go around the characters in a way that makes you understand all three stories together. VERY CLEVER!

I liked all that but the ending was quite not what I expected, although some things were expected but the ending was just too fast and not complete to me.. I expected more since it's supposed to be 3 cases. But overall it was a very good book. That's why I gave it a 4 out of 5.

This was the first book I read by her, I was impressed with the style of keeping up with the 3 stories, and it was not hard to get into each one.

What happened was I went "Waaaaaah!!" when I discovered that it's finished I kept turning the pages thinking maybe there is a page I forgot or skipped.. then I was LOL at myself!!! So it kinda took me by surprise :)

BTW This is one of the books that I won with the gift certificate from Amazon given to me by PBT..

The Complete Poems of Sarah Orne Jewett by Sarah Orne Jewett

2 Stars

I can't believe I finished a poetry book!! If it wasn't for LIO* and the monthly tag for November in PBT** I would never have considered it.

Well, I'm glad the book is done and over with, can't say I liked it but I did like a few poems..

"Two Mornings", "In a Christmas Letter", "Sheltered", "The Spendthrift Doll" & "The Little Doll That Lied".

That is why I gave it the 2 stars for those handful of poems.

* LIO = Lay It On Challenge

** PBT = Play Book Tag

2nd Chance by James Patterson

Date Published: 2002
400 pages
#2 from the Women's Murder Club series.

5 Stars

When a little black girl gets murdered in a massacre, Lindsey Boxer is assigned to the case. Before they solve the case, more hits happen, some fatal..

The madman they are after seems ruthless and very dangerous.. Are his targets randomly picked or is there a pattern?

She teams up with her Women's Murder Club girlfriends who together try to catch the killer.

Action packed thriller, that keeps you turning pages just to know who the killer is.. I loved it!

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 1990

My Rating: 5 Stars

175 pages

(Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 1)

Aurora Teagarden is a librarian who is interested in real murders that occurred in the past, she formed a club with some of the residents of Lawrenceton who are equally interested.

They meet every month to discuss one of the cases in detail.

On one of thier meetings a fellow member gets brutally murdered and then a series of murders follow. Everyone suspects everyone while the killer is having his fun.

I enjoyed Aurora and her personality, it's the first book in the Teagarden Mystery series and I'm sure to continue reading them. A fun and fast read..

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 2001

My Rating:5 Stars

292 pages

This is the first book in the Southern Vampires series "Sookie Stackhouse"

I've heard so much about this book being recommended so I thought I would give it a try, and now I'm hooked!!

It's a story about the "gifted" waitress Sookie that befriends a Vampire, in a world where vampires are acknowledged legally and are living among humans trying to "mainstream" that is to blend in with them.

She encounters some adventures, some deaths and a lot of fun..

It was a fast fun read that put a smile on my face, well actually made me grin like an idiot in a room full of people.. I loved it and will be continueing the series as soon as I can.

I highly recommend this book :)

It was made into a series "True Blood" and true it's based on the story, it is bit different but good all the same!

Other Reviews:
Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm
Alaine @ Queen Of Happy Endings
Sundcarrie @ Dark Novels

Love-Slave To The Sheikh by Miranda Lee

If you like predictable so-called romance with some bondage, kinky slave stuff and woman domination you might like this book. I surely did NOT..

I regard it the first WTF of 2008 for me. Although I finished the book because it was short and I wanted to see if it gets any better, I can't say I recommend it and I'm surely not gonna read for this author either, unless she has a recommended book from someone I trust.. otherwise there are so many authors who I love to read for.. total waste of time for me !!

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

From the mountaintops, the ocean looked like a crumpled blanket in turquoise with stains of dark blue..

I was skeptical before reading this book and kept putting it off for so long, because I didn't know what to expect by reading the memoirs of a prostitute, for that is what I thought a Geisha is!!

I was so mistaken, it starts with a 9 year old girl torn from her family and sister to be raised in a foreign city with complete strangers.. The horrors she faces, the hardships she endures, the practice she works hard on, to emerge as a Geisha. And not just any Geisha but one of the most successful and popular one too.

It was so passionate, so close to your heart you can't not love this girl and feel for her all the way.. It's like she is talking to the reader.. I felt for the poor girl and it was like she is talking to me and pouring her heart out.. It was just so hard to put down.. I always wanted to know what will happen next!!

It was so captivating, for me it was by far one of the best I've read this year and is added to my favorite list.. I'm sure to recommend it to anyone who listens.

I saw the movie.. and I was disappointed.. it is so unlike the book.. the emotions and turmoil is not evident.. it was way too fast, things are different .. even the end in the movie seems like an open end although the ending in the book is not.The movie does not allow you to understand the cultures, traditions and superstitions in Japan those days which are explained in detail in the book.. it nice to learn new things and I certainly did with this book..Some pictures from the movie..

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Date Published: 2001
368 pages

2 stars




I had high expectations for this book, but I can't say they were fulfilled!

It's a story set in England during WWII, Briony a 13- year old girl accuses her sister's lover of a hidious crime which he pays for, and eventually ruins his life and her sister's for that matter.It didn't help her either because years later she felt guilty and tried to atone for this crime/accusation..

I couldn't relate to any of the characters, Briony was a selfish brat of a girl thinking she's a know it all, her sister's love story is not the main event so not enough details for me to feel anything for the lovers, part 2 of the book was basicly the horrors of war which i'm not interested in reading.. It was a VERY slow read for me.. I had to drag myself to read it just to get points for the LIO challenge.. pathetic, right ?!

Anyways now I know 1 less author for me to read for.. I can't say I hated the book, at times it was ok but mostly it was slow and boring!!

If your in favor of open ended/war/lost love stories.. then indulge yourself with this book

Then I saw the movie and I was amazed how enchanting the movie is, you can feel the characters and hate Briony even more, if that is even possible!!

Here are some pictures of the movie..

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Year Published: 1977

My Rating: 5 stars

144 pages

A tale about friendship and how it changes your life and character.. Jess the young 10 year old boy meets Leslie the 10 year old girl who has just moved in the farmhouse close by.. becomes his classmate and then his best friend and queen.. together they set on adventures and create a wonderful imaginary secret world ..

Then tragedy strikes and they are torn apart but that summer encounter will live with Jess all his life

Very touching story that engulfs you to the very end.. In 1978, Bridge to Terabithia won the Newbery Medal.

Other points of view about this book:
Things Mean A Lot
Rhinoa's Ramblings
Musings of a Bookish Kitten
Quixotical
Nothing of Importance
She Reads Books
Stuff as Dreams are Made On
A Fondness for Reading

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice

It's a new way for presenting the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, from the beginning till the end it is quite different; the only similarity is that the prince awakens Sleeping beauty from her 100 year slumber.. how he wakes her and what happens next is a completely different story.

It's a quick read since you don't need to think or analyze or solve anything, the idea is that this prince and his mother the queen take in princes and princesses from around the world to discipline them in self control, they are either given to them by their families or won somehow. They are returned after serving a couple of years that is determined by the queen. Their "disciplining" is harsh and cruel although they keep saying it is out of "love".

As a fiction it's a fun read but to imagine anything remotely close to the torture happening is unthinkable, but they never do any real "damage".It was an interesting book.. I never read anything in this genre so it was quite new to me.. but I would like to read the other 2 books to finish the trilogy and know what happens to Beauty out of curiosity.

Eight Million Ways To Die by Lawrence Block

The fifth book of the Matthew Scudder series, it starts out with Kim Dakkanin -a prostitute- being murdered a gruesome murder and everyone pointing a finger to her pimp Chance. But when more murders happen it seems a pattern seems to take over, is it a serial killer killing ramdomly or is there some kind of connection ?! Very nicely written, some expected and some unexpected turns of events but a very good read non the less.

"Eight million ways to die in the Emerald city"

Barnes & Noble Sypnosis:

Matthew Scudder Crime Novel #5. "For those who yearn to walk those mean streets, no one provides a more satisfactory stroll than Lawrence Block" (The San Diego Union-Tribune).
A frightened hooker named Kim asked private investigator Matthew Scudder to help her get out of "the Life." Now she's dead, slashed to ribbons in a high-rise hotel.

The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich

This was a great easy and fast read.. It's a romance but not the usual kind.. They hate each other then have a predicament then fall hopelessly in love..I hate that!! No, in this romance they find that they love each other from the begining and deal with it.. very cute.. and Bob (the dog) is adorable !!

Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..

When the delightful, daffy Dog Lady of station WZZZ offered to take on the temporary job of traffic reporter, Steve Crow tried to think of reasons to turn Daisy Adams down. Perhaps he knew that sharing the close quarters of a car with her for hours would give the handsome program director no room to resist her quirky charms. He'd always favored low-slung sports cars and high-heeled women, but that was before he fell for a free spirit who caught crooks by accident, loved old people and pets, and had just too many jobs!
Loving Daisy turned Steve's life upside down, especially once he adopted Bob, a couch potato masquerading as a huge dog. But was Daisy finally ready to play for keeps?