Omens, by Kelley Armstrong

As I sit here mumbling and grumbling to myself over Amazon.com’s failure to deliver Stephen King’s new book to me on time, I figured I’d take the opportunity to share a few thoughts on this interesting little book that I picked up at the library last week.  (Technically, at 496 pages, it’s not so little, but the ‘interesting’ descriptive still holds!)

The central character in the book is a young woman named Olivia.  Early on, she discovers that her wealthy folks are not, in fact, her biological parents.  Instead, she’s the spawn of a couple of notorious serial killers.  She sets out on an adventure to a spooky little burg called Cainsville to find out the truth for herself, and exactly what that truth means.  This is when the book really started to get interesting.

Cainsville is a very small community where strange things seem to happen.  There was nothing over the top – more like a sordid cast of characters who, perhaps, knew a little more than they should have about everything.  There were gargoyles, black cats, ravens – all that Halloween-y stuff.  Then, of course, there was also the obligatory hunk, namely Gabriel Walsh, who you could never fully figure out.  He’s a local attorney who has more than his share of naysayers.  The question remains, however - is he a good guy or a bad guy?  Most times, it was hard to tell.

At nearly 500 pages long, you would think this one took a while to read.  Not so.  I borrowed it on Friday night, and finished it Sunday morning.  (Of course, that doesn’t say much for my social life, does it?  Oh, that’s right – I’m married.  Therefore, I don’t *have* a social life!)  This was a fast-paced novel, with concise, relatively short chapters, which I l-o-v-e!!! 

When I finished the book, I was a little disappointed – I had questions!!  Where are my answers?!?  Then, I read the teensy little print on the cover that stated ‘A Cainsville Novel.’  i.e. – there will be more to come.  Whew, I can relax now.  (Of course, by the time book 2 comes out, I’m sure I will have forgotten every single element of this book…story of my seemingly-elderly life.)

Before picking this up, I knew nothing about the author, Kelley Armstrong.  Apparently, she’s the proud mama of a popular fantasy series called Otherworld.  I almost wish I had known that previously, so I would’ve had a better idea of what I was reading.  The first time the ravens started appearing out of thin air, I was thrown for a loop, since the bulk of the story came across as simply suspenseful, contemporary fiction.  In general, I’m not a huge fan of the fantasy/paranormal genre, but this was highly entertaining.  I would be interested in hearing what Armstrong fans think of this one, in relation to her other efforts.  I’m tempted to pick up the first book in that other series, just to compare.  Of course, that’s only once I finish reading the 947 books I still have sitting in my living room, waiting to be read.  *sigh* The life of a book hoarder…           

3.5 Stars

The Shining, by Stephen King

This was a book I’ve been meaning to read for years now.  I never saw the original movie, but I *did* see the television miniseries that aired several years ago, with Rebecca DeMornay and Steven Webber (that guy from Wings – anyone remember that show?), and was quite underwhelmed.  In fact, I couldn’t understand how any part of that story could be deemed scary.  It just seemed…silly.  I was advised by my wise mother (always listen to Mom, kids) that I NEEDED to read the book.  After nearly two decades, I finally listened to her.  (I’ll be honest – it was the appeal of the upcoming sequel, Doctor Sleep, that sucked me in.  But, don’t tell Mom that!)  I eagerly downloaded Mr. King’s early masterpiece to my Kindle, and hunkered down for a long read. 

For those of you who don’t already know the gist of The Shining, it centers around the Torrance family – Jack, Wendy, and son Danny – and a famous Colorado hotel, called the Overlook.  Jack is out of work, and decides to take a job as caretaker for the hotel during the long winter months, when it’s closed for the season.  In a nutshell, the family will be cut off from civilization until the warm weather returns.  Sounds like the perfect setting for a horror story, doesn’t it?

The book was fairly easy to get into, although I admit I was a little bored early on.  I’d say I wasn’t fully engrossed until somewhere around the halfway mark.  That’s when inanimate objects started to come to life, and all that other good, spooky stuff!  Unfortunately, most of the iconic frightening elements of the story were already familiar to me – not necessarily from the movie, but because they’ve become a part of pop culture.  For example, do you know anyone who’s not familiar with the word ‘redrum’ by now?  But, if I had come across it here for the first time, I’m sure it would’ve supplied a shiver or two.

The Shining was just the ticket for me.  I like horror stories and scary, creepy stuff, but I’m also a big-time scaredy cat.  (In high school, I bought a book about Jack the Ripper, and had to leave it in my parent’s room between readings, because I was too scared to have it nearby.  Yeah, *that* wimpy.)  This had just about the perfect level of eerie happenings for me.  A true horror fan, in today’s day and age of blood and gore, may be a little disappointed.  (Remember, this book was written in 1977, when people were still afraid of Vampires.  Little did they know that the future held Robert Pattinson – ewwww.)  For those of you brave souls who think The Shining is for wimps, may I recommend a little book called Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill (who just so happens to be Mr. King’s son)?  If you want a book to scare the holy bejesus out of you, that’s the one to get.  (I got about a third of the way through before I gave it away.  Being a married woman, my parent’s bedroom was no longer accessible, and I couldn’t find another hiding spot that was safe enough.)

I’m glad I finally read this classic.  My copy of the sequel should arrive next Tuesday, and hopefully, I won’t have to give that one away, either.  I’ll let you know!  ;)

 4 Stars

Where the $#^& have you been?!?

She's alive...she's alive!!!!

Just barely...

So, it seemed as if I fell off the face of the earth, didn't it?  I sorta felt that way, too.  In actuality, I was just in Disneyworld.  I think I mentioned previously that the house of mouse is my favorite place, didn't I?  If I didn't, I'm telling you now.  Walt Disney World is utopia.  I want to live there.  No, not in Orlando, Kissimmee, or any of the other surrounding towns.  I want to live *in* WDW.  I'll take a room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge - club level, please.    A girl can wish, no?  Anyway, the hubs and I spend around two weeks a year in our favorite world, and we just returned from 2013's major jaunt last week.  While it physically hurts to get back to real life, here I am.  To soften the blow, I naturally picked up a good book.  So, that review is coming right up.  I'll try my best not to disappear again.  It's just so hard when you're spending time in Fantasyland.