Killer View

Who: Amber
What: Killer View
Where: @ work
Why: 2nd in a sequence of books

Killer View is book number 2 in a (so far) 3 part series feauring Idaho Sherrif Walt Flemming by Ridley Pearson.

It's the middle of winter, it's ice cold, and the snow is over 6" thick in Idaho. When Walt gets a frantic 911 call in the middle of the night, he takes his Deputy (who happens to be sleeping with his ex-wife) and Randy Aker (a friend) out to the mountains to find a missing skiier. They split up, but the skiier is nowhere to be found, but his Randy turns up dead.

By morning, Randy's brother, Mark has been kidnapped.

Time is not on Mark's side. It's freezing and Mark has diabetes. Walt needs to find Mark, figure out what happend to Randy, and investigate a rape of a local woman. Then throw in an odd situation with ranchers burning most of their sheep. Is there a sheep version of Mad-Cow disease, or is there something wrong with their water source?

Of course, all 4 of these things (murder, kidnapping, rape, sheep) are related, and it's up to Walt, his deputy (who is sleeping with his ex-wife ... did I mention that already? Because Walt is thrilled with this discovery!), and the sherrif's photographer Fiona, who Walt has eyes for to figure it all out. Throw in an angry bear and you've got your self a murder/kidnapping mystery!
Now I need to head to the library to get the 3rd book in the series, which I believe is called Killer Summer.

Killer Weekend

Who: Amber
What: Killer Weekend, by: Ridley Pearsib
Where: at work
Why: Jonathan recommended it

Killer Weekend is the first book in a semi-series by Ridley Pearson. I say "semi" series, because you don't really have to read all the books to know what is going on. All the books use the same characters, but the events of one book don't really translate to the other book.

Killer Weekend is about an Idoho sheriff named Walt. The story starts 6 years ago with Walt saving the life of a young lawyer , Liz Shatler. Flash forward 6 years, and that young lawyer is now a District Attorney, and she's planning to announce herself as a presidential candidate.

Of course, with any presidential candidate announcement party, security will be tight, and people will be out to get them. Such is the case with Liz. Somebody is out to get her, and he's a crafty dude.

It all starts with a blind man, who's just pretending to be blind. He's really a hit man, who's got the perfect alibi for the crime he's about to attempt ... he's blind! He's a master of disguise. He's got 2 separate rooms at the hotel, he's got 2 separate disguises, he's even got contacts that literally blind him, so he's not "playing" blind, he really is blind.

His plan is simple ... plant a bomb inside his seeing eye dog (which isn't really a seeing eye dog in the first place). The dog will be able to get straight thru security, and the dog won't be denied since a blind man must have his dog. Perfect plan ... right?

Not with crafty Walt Flemming putting all the pieces together. This disguise master isn't working alone. Who in the small Idaho town is helping him?

I enjoyed this book much better than it's 'sequel', Killer View. This book took place over the course of 3 short days (a weekend - hence the name!), so it was a quick moving book full of action.

Steel Trapp

Who:  Amber
What:  Steel Trapp by Ridley Pearson
Where:  @ work
Why:  Jonathan let me borrow it

Steel Trapp is a tween-y book, which I really enjoyed!

Steven Trapp is a junior high student with a photographic memory.  If he sees something, he will remember the exact details for years.  His mother calls his brain a "steel trap", and the nick-name stuck. His brain is really remarkable

Steel and his mom are on the train from Chicago headed to Washington DC for a robotics competition.  Steel is no genius, but with his photographic memory, he has built a pretty sweet robot.

On the train, he noticed a woman enter the train, drop off a suitcase in the overhead bin, then leave.  Young, naïve Steel grabs the suitcase and runs after the woman.  The woman claims it's not hers, but Steel knows better.  His brain never lies.  He know what he saw.  Still the woman refuses to admit it, so Steel returns the suitcase to the train conductor.

Curiosity is eating him up … what is in that suitcase?  Why did the lady lie to him?  He manages to sneak back to the lost and found room on the train and peaks inside.  It's a photo of a woman tied to a chair!  Oh no - somebody is coming in the lost and found room!  It's a bad, bad dude, who was supposed to pick up the suitcase on the train initially.

And now the story gets into high gear.  We've got a kid with a photographic memory.  A girl traveling on the train by herself.  A bad, bad guy.  And now FBI is on the train.  And where is Steel's dad?!?

The chase for the woman in the chair and the bad guy with the suitcase continues thru out the train ride, and over the course of the 2 day robotics competition in Washington DC.  Who is this bad guy, and why is he kidnapping this woman?  And will the girl traveling alone on the train (also going to the robotics competition) play into the story?

Did I mention Steel's dad is missing?  I highly recommend this young-adult book.

The Kingdom Keepers

Who:  Amber
What:  The Kingdom Keepers
Where:  @ work
Why:  I've abondoned my Summer Fun Book Club literary masterpieces, but I wanted to keep reading something ...

This is a tween book, but I still enjoyed it. Heck, I enjoy all tween-y books, because they are such easy reads.

If you like Disney, you'll love this book. It features Finn, an Orlando teen who has been cast as a 'virtual tour guide' at the Magic Kingdom. He, and 4 other kids, have been turned into holograms. They are mini-celebrities at the Magic Kingdom. It seems like a cool gig, especially because the kids get free tickets when ever they want.

Then the funky dreams start. It seems like a dream, but it also seems real. Finn dreams he's at the Magic Kingdom at night, and a cast member Wayne is asking for his help. Finn needs to track down the other 4 hologram kids, and Wayne has a quest for them. Suuuuuuure.

But the dreams don't stop.  Wayne still needs his help.  And why are the Pirates of the Caribbean animatronics figures walking around the park OUTSIDE the ride?  And they are holding laser guns from the Buzz Lightyear ride, that shoot real lasers that burn you?!?

Finn manages to track down the other 4 kids (who are all from different middle schools). They've all been having the same spooky dreams.   They all decide go to bed at the same time, and meet up inside the Magic Kingdom.  It's not a dream, it's real!

Wayne gives them an assignment.  The evil Disney characters are coming alive.  They are realizing their powers. Who knows what kind-of trouble they might get into.

The kids realize that because of the hologram technology, they have special powers as well. Will good triumph over evil?  Or will the story continue in Kingdom Keepers 2 (which has already been published)?  Ha ha ha.  I can tell you, the story is full of action and adventure, and it does have the kids capturing 1 evil character.  But every Disney fairytale has an element of evil, and the stories continue . . .

Eat, Pray, Love

Who:  Amber
What:  Eat, Pray, Love
Where:  @ the Saturn dealership
Why:  Book #3 in my Summer Fun Book Club

This was book 3 in my friend's "Summer Fun Book Club", which I have totally abandoned for the summer after struggling to get thru East of Eden (I made it about 25 pages).

This is a autobiographical book about 1 year in the life of the author.  She just got out of a horrible divorce, and she also had a crazy lover, so she's taking a year off to travel the world.  To be honest, Liz doesn't really seem like the victim of the divorce (she wanted the divorce) and she kept getting back together with the crazy lover.  Anyway, she's about to Eat in Italy, Pray in India and Love in Indonesia for 4 months each (4 months X 3 countries = 1 year).

First up, Italy. Liz has always wanted to learn Italian, the language of love.  What better way to learn a language then in Italy!  Liz is one of those people who makes friends very easily (which I'm pretty jealous of her).  She pigs out for the next 4 months, and has many fun adventures with new Italy friends.   Liz has planed to be celibate for this next year, so no lover in Italy.

Next up, India.  She was given an invitation to join some kind of monetary (I didn't fully understand it).  India is the total opposite of Italy.  Not much food, not a comfy bed, just praying and chanting 24/7.  She does meet many interesting people in India who are also looking for a little kick in the pants thru the power of prayer.

Next up, Indonesia.  She really has no plans here.  She visited once, and just wanted to spend more time here.  She falls off her bike, and goes to a local woman who is a master healer (although, no medical training).  She finds out this woman is dirt poor, but has adopted a bunch of adorable kids.  Liz makes it her mission to help this woman anyway she can.  She also meets a guy 20 years her senior.  She tries not to get romantic, but she just can't help me.  Celibacy is out the window!

I've left out a ton of details, because I would recommend this book to women everywhere.  Men, you'll be totally bored.  I was also kind-of annoyed by Liz.  I mean, who really takes a year off from their life after a divorce?  She did touch on this subject, and made me feel like a jerk for being jealous of her.  But I stand by my jealousy!

To Kill A Mockingbird

Who:  Amber
What:  To Kill A Mockingbird
Where:  borrowed it from a friend at work
Why:  2nd book in the Summer Fun Book Club

Am I the only person who never read this book in high school?

I wasn't very pumped about reading an "old" book for my book club.  Honestly, I'm normally ot a fan of "old things" or "things that win awards".  Black and white movies - forget it.  Oscar winning movies - snooze patrol!  But, it's 1 book a week, so I had to get over it.

I actually really enjoyed this book!  It confused me for a while, because the back cover said, "something about a black man raping a white woman ...".  But after 7 or 8 chapters there was no word on the rape.  I was just about a bunch of kids playing and going to school.  Not that I was excited for a rape, but where was it?  And it's not one of these cute kids is it?!?

Thankfully, this book wasn't all about a rape, it was more about a family living in the 30's (I think?).  Atticus is the father, who is a lawyer.  He defends a black man (the N word is in abundance in this book) who is charged with raping a white hill billie girl.  The trial only lasts about 1 chapter.

Most of the book is about Scout and Jem, Atticus's kids.  They are normal, smart, inquisitive children.  Scout is a little girl, who is a total tomboy, which is really frowned upon.  She should be wearing cute dresses and drinking tea.  But Atticus (a single dad) is a super smart dude, and he's raising his kids to think on their own.

Read about their adventures before, during and after their father's trial.  Defending a black man is not the normal thing to do back then, but he stands up for what he believes it.

Read on!

Water for Elephants

Who:  Amber
What:  Water for Elephants
Where:  Cagan Crossing Library
Why:  1st book in the Summer Fun Book-a-week club

My friend Julie wanted to do a book club this summer for 2 reasons:  stop watching so much stupid summer TV and to read more books.  Even though I don't really read much at all, I decided to go for it.  Water for Elephants was the first book on the list.  I believe the author is Sarah Gruen (sp?).

I highly recommend this book!

The first chapter is awesome.  It details an animal stampede at a circus and a murder.  Oooooo.  Who is murdered?!?

Fast forward 70 years, and Jacob Jankowski is in a nursing home, miserable.  He's over 90 and bored out of his mind.

The chapters go back and forth talking about Jacob randomly joining the circus and working as a vet and then old Jacob in the nursing home.

I don't really want to give anything away, but Jacob has some crazy circus stories and he's dying to get out of the nursing home.  I'm not sure how accurate all these circus stories are from the 1930's, but I bet most of them are pretty true.  It sounds like a wild and wacky place to work!

I'm probably making it sound lame, but it's a great book!  I little romance, a lot of wackyness and a little drama thrown in.  I may have even shed a teeny tiny tear at the end.