Heartless - Book Review

I completely missed a book review for my #26in2011 so I've completed 10 books with 16 more to go in 2011. If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the original post I wrote about this here. In the meantime, lets get on with the show.

A week or so ago I decided to have luxurious bath and read. It's one of my favourite guilty pleasures and on this night I decided to crack into one of the books I picked up at the annual book sale from the Cambridge Public Library. I picked up a couple of paperbacks for 50 cents so even if I didn't like the books I figured it wasn't a big deal.

As you know from reading my other reviews, that my tastes are pretty varied but I tend to always stay on the fiction side of things. I'm hoping that this book was not based on true events because I ended up staying up half the night until the book was finished. I was sitting on the edge of my seat reading it the entire time. I was completely lost in the story and needed to have it resolved or else I wasn't going to sleep.

The book is Heartless by Alison Gaylin. I've never heard of this author before and have never read her books but I was really trapped in the story.

It's a suspense kind of horror book based in Northern Mexico. I had the pleasure of going to Mexico 10 years ago before I moved to Alberta and was able to get a grasp on the culture of the people in the book and the look and feel for the surroundings. I think I may have already put my own take on the landscape before even reading so perhaps that was why I was so easily drawn into the story. Based around a somewhat sleepy town with some gruesome history, there is no way to really know what's going to happen and why until you read further and peel away another layer of the story.

It's twisted, slightly dark, mildly religious and cult like. Yet it's also delicious and interesting.

It's a really good book and I won't give away too much of the details but if you want a book you HAVE to read in one sitting due to the creepy content, this one is a good choice.

The Secret - Book Review

If there ever was a book that highlighted how amazing a kiss can be in, it would be my 9th book in my #28in2011 - "The Secret" by Julie Garwood.

As I mentioned in my first post about #26in2011, Julie Garwood is one of my favourite authors of all time. Therefore it shouldn't come as a complete shock to anyone that on a snowy day in April (yes snow... in April!) I would want to reach for a book that I know I'm going to enjoy. The Secret has never disappointed.

It's a historical romance set in the Scottish Highlands during the early 1200's. So of course you have dashing lairds and family feuds. The Secret focuses on two of Julie Garwood's favourite clans - the Maitlands and the MacLean's.

What is really great about this story is that it really builds. The tension and the passion build as the story you get further involved in the story. Julie Garwood does a wonderful job of describing those in the story so that you really feel that you are there with them and experiencing everything written on the page. The story his a hot one but really makes me appreciate what I already have.

The only issue that I have is that when the secret was revealed, the story ended a little too easily. The dramatic confrontation you felt it was building into was short and didn't really crest as I was expecting. Even still I felt satisfied and fulfilled with the way the story ended.

I devoured this book, as I do with many that I read, in a few short hours and in one sitting. It was an easy read and if anything, all I wanted to do was kiss my husband at the end. Lucky for me he was obliging. So if you are looking for a book that might get your heart palpitating, I really do recommend this one but don't be surprised if you are thirsting after a nice long kiss to leave you senseless when you are done.

Sisterly love

My sister went into the hospital this week. She's been having a rough go and I think everything caught up to her.

She blacked out last weekend and wasn't waking up. My niece was the only one with her when it happened and rather than call me, she called her cousin out of town to come in and take my sister to the hospital.

In so many ways I feel like I'm to blame for the rift in our relationship. If I just tried harder. If I just spoke up more, or tried to spend more time with them they would think of me as someone they could count on. It's not that I wouldn't come if there was a true emergency, it's that they never think of me.

I'm not as helpful nor am I as involved in their day to day lives. My life is busy, but at the same time it's not. I try and include my family in my life, but get a lot of excuses and a lot of "Some other time". I try not to get upset that they are missing out on my life, but I feel bad that I'm missing out on theirs.

Before I met my husband I was intrinsically attached to everyone in my family. I spent all my time with them. I didn't really have friends of my own that I hung out with on a regular basis but when I met my husband, I suddenly found myself being drawn into hanging out with people my own age who had similar interests to me. I found they really wanted me to spend time with them and enjoyed talking to me about me and what I was interested in. I think my friends find it hard to believe that I'm the quiet one in my family in that I can be quite loud and boisterous.

I miss my family though. I miss just being able to spend time with them doing nothing. Sitting around and watching tv or comparing notes while we people watch at the mall. I didn't really have to pick up the phone or email them in that I could just come to their house, walk in and make myself at home. Now it's more we only visit during birthdays and holidays.

My sister and I used to be really close, spent every weekend together. Over time we both got busy doing other things and before I knew it, I didn't have a clue what she was into or even what music she likes. We used to laugh together and just generally be together. We'd shop, we played baseball together. Here we are a few years later and I'm not even on the quick call list in her house and I can count the number of times she's been to my house on one hand.

I wish that things were different, but I have no idea how to go back. Or how to change things so that we are closer again. All I know is that she is my family, my blood, and I will always love her and her pain will always be my pain. Even if I'm not the first one she calls.