"Misery" By Stephen King

Title: Misery
Author: Stephen King
Published Year: 1987
Pages: 338

I saw the screen adaptation of this book before I ever even realized there was a book by the same name. I knew Stephen King had written books, but I also thought that he just had some stand alone movies at the same time. Thank goodness I am learning my mistake and I am taking the time to read his works that I have not gotten to yet. One of the best things about watching the movie first in this case for me is that while reading it, I kept visioning Kathy Bates saying the lines of her character from the movie. It made the book move quicker and more enjoyable for me. Now I want to go back and find my own copy of "Misery" on dvd and watch it for a little bit of comparison work.

I just also have to say that I love King when he writes a book from the point of view of a writer, it is what he knows best about after all. In Misery he doesn't rely on supernatural elements to terrify the reader. He relies on the psychotic tenancies of an overzealous fan that needs to be checking into a mental hospital. This overzealous fan in this book takes hostage a writer that she swears she is his absolute number one fan of. When she gets a hold of the latest edition of the book series that stars her favorite character and the ending of the book does not as she wanted to, she holds the author hostage. Misery is his tale of living in her prison where any one move could be the wrong one and could end his life.

"Most Talkative" By Andy Cohen

Title: Most Talkative
Author: Andy Cohen
Published Year: 2012
Pages: 273
Genre: Memoir

Enlightening and humorous all in one, Cohen knows how to pack a punch. This is his story of how he went through life which started out a closeted gay Jewish boy. I have watched Andy on Bravo many times which he is an executive of that network and have felt intrigued with him each time I watched him. I am still fascinated by the man and after reading this memoir of his, I continue to be fascinated by him.

Nothing is out of bounds in this book from him telling his nearest and dearest he was gay, travels through Europe during college and how he came to where he is in the entertainment world it is all here. I have watched the Housewives he mentions throughout the book only a few times, but after reading this I am a bit more curious about them.

His light hearted way of writing about the various things that have happened in his life make me want to go back and review some of these and look at them from his perspective which he shares in this memoir.

Witty and fun, it is worth the read and I am so glad I have fallen in love with Bravo and Andy.

"Don't Call Them Ghosts" By Kathleen McConnell

Title: Don't Call Them Ghosts
Author: Kathleen McConnell
Published Year: 2004
Pages: 255


I now understand why I started this book and then put it down. I only recently picked it up and drove myself to finishing it. I was hoping for a good ghost story, but what I ended up with is more of the author telling their personal life story with some unusual events happening during it.

Strange things seem to happen in McConnell's house that she and her family move into. When these strange things start happening, she then decides to try and investigate what is actually going on in her home and who these spirit children may actually be.

There are more things that I didn't like about this book then things I actually did like about this book. McConnell has a tendency to start down one path, then lose focus and end up on a completely different path. At times there were instances where I was wondering where I had been taken and why since the path I started on never got to its destination.

Disorganized and random thoughts is the best way for me to describe this book.

"Mortician Diaries" By June Knights Nadle

Title: Mortician Diaries
Author: June Knights Nadle
Published Year: 2006
Pages: 135

I now have a completely different look on death and how the planning of what to do with a person's remains after they die can affect their whole family and friends. This book is a real eye opener about making sure you get the things done in life that you want to and that you let the people in your life know how you really feel about them. They could be gone tomorrow and you'll never have the chance to make amends if that is what you want to do.

The author grew up on a small farm in Idaho and death was nothing out of place there. When she got older she decided to go into mortuary services school since there weren't many other options for women at that time period. She has worked in many funeral homes, both small and large ones. This book is a collection of stories that she encountered along the way. There are stories of people that plan their own funerals, to ones that the deceased parents didn't realize until it was too late that they needed to make amends with their own children.

It is very moving and touching and at times I wanted to cry, but luckily I was able to hold back. I did have to put the book down a couple times to think about the section of the book that I had just read. Don't worry about there being anything really gory in it, the worst part of that is at times there are discussions of what a body looked like after death, nothing obscene.

"When the Wind Blows" By John Saul

Title: When the Wind Blows
Author: John Saul
Published Year: 1981
Pages: 348

I'm finding a recurring theme in this Saul book and the last one I read about letting the past stay the past. In each one a closed down business is being looked into reopening it (both industrial) and each had a horrid history. Some people say its better to leave it to the past while others are looking forward to the business reopening to help out a struggling town.

As in other Saul books this also introduces superstitions of the local natives that have graced the area for longer than any other human being. In this one the legend that plays a major role is the idea of "water babies". The local Indian population would take their stillborn children and lay them to rest in a cave hidden in the area in order for them to wait until they can be reborn again.

Strange things happen in the small town that this legend is based in, and an old mine is planning on being reopened by the richest family in town. The problem? There are family secrets hidden there as well.

In a story where nothing is as it really seems, Saul takes the reader on a journey full of mystery and intrigue. There are parts that can make your stomach turn due to the actions of the characters, but like with his other books it is hard to put down once you get rolling through the pages.

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" By Mark Haddon

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Published Year: 2003
Pages: 226

A captivating and quick read and its not just about a dog either. Haddon's book takes on the view point of an autistic teenage boy. I have personally worked with autistic children, teenagers and adults and I have to say what he showcases here brought many memories of those people flooding back.

Christopher the lead character is autistic and he finds the body of his neighbor's dog dead with a garden fork through it body. Of course he wants to know what happens and decides to investigate. The investigation leads to other findings of lies he has been told in his life.

Haddon is amazing as he takes real life events that many of us struggle with and puts them in the perspective of an autistic teenager where these life events are even harder to comprehend and deal with. At times I found my self wanting to cry and Haddon tugged on my heart multiple times throughout the book. I wanted so badly to smack the people in young Christopher's life that didn't help him and were seeming to give up on him.

If you think you have it rough, read this book, it puts things into a whole new perspective.

"The Hunger Games" By Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Published Year: 2008
Pages: 374

This falls under the category of "I read it because a lot of people told me it would be good". However despite all the hype I did not get all the hype. It is the first of three books in a series and since it leaves unfinished without reading the next one I will continue to read the series. I have read other books with the same type of situation that are far better works. Some people may say this is because it is a young adult book, but I have read numerous other young adult fiction and enjoy them.

The Hunger Games takes place in post apopolycptic America. The country has been split into 12 different sections each one has its own product they produce for the rest of the country. There was a time in the past when the people revolted against the people in the capital, the capital of course came out the victor and then created the Hunger Games which happen once a year. Each section is required to send one boy and one girl to compete in them. These games were created to show the people of the nation that the capital is in control. At these games the children sent there must fight to the death to have one victor. In this book a girl saves her younger sister by offering herself for the games. She goes to the games and the book is her story of what happens.

I personally do not have anything else to say about this book except it was a struggle for me to get through the book. It took longer for me to read it than it should have. Like I mentioned earlier I will continue the series since I was left with unanswered questions. I guess in that respect the author succeeded.