What Are You Reading Monday?

So last week was suckish. I got sick and so did the kid. We both feel fine but we are still  holding on to the sniffles and the coughs. I sound like a 12 pack a day smoker, which sucks. Anyway, needless to say after I started  to feel better I was flailing about trying to catch up with work.  Not a lot of reading was done last week. *pout*

So this week I am going to make up for it! BIG TIME! Yay!

To Be Read:

• Soulless-Gail Carriger (finish)
• Siege-Rhiannon Frater
• Ashes-Ilsa J. Bick
• Let the Right One In-John Ajvide Lindqvist
• Eve-Anna Carey

Maybe I'll have a bout of productivity and read more!? Who knows? :)

What are you reading?

Quick Review: Destined for an Early Grave

About:
 Her deadly dreams leave her in grave danger Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they've fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it's time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She's having visions of a vampire named Gregor who's more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn't know about. Gregor believes Cat is his and he won't stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor's hold over her. She'll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she's ever faced . . . even if getting that power will result in an early grave.

My Review:
 I really like this series. I really do, but this installment left me feeling a bit...meh. Cat and Bones kind of didn't sparkle as much as they usually do. I think the arguments where a bit forced and didn't really make sense to me. Now don't get me wrong, the PLOT was still really good. I just afraid that the main characters didn't do it for me this time. I hate to say that, because I usually love the CRAP out of Cat, but there was something missing.

I do wonder how the events that take place in this book are going to effect the next few books! Some really interesting shizz goes down in Destined for an Early Grave, but all in all I think this one is not my favorite of the series. I'm hoping it's just a hiccup in what has been up until now a delicious treat of a book series!

Review: Fighting to Survive

About: 
 Picking up where The First Days ends, Fighting to Survive features the further zombie-killing, civilization-saving adventures of a pair of sexy, kick butt heroines and the men who love them. A hundred or so survivors of the zombie plague have found tenuous safety in the walled off center of a small Texas town. Now the hard work of survival begins—finding enough food; creating safe, weather-resistant shelter; establishing laws; and fighting off both the undead who want to eat them and the living bandits who want to rob and kill them.

My Review:  
This series is so full of win it's practically bursting with fruit flavor! I cannot begin to tell you how much I LOVE these characters. Jenni and Katie are swiftly becoming my favorite female characters of all time..OF ALL TIME! They aren't delicate little daisies waiting for a man to save them, they save the men! That's awesomesauce! They are tough, but that doesn't mean they aren't feminine. They are sexy, tough, and smart!

Rhiannon Frater has created a cast of characters and a world that is compelling and terrifying. I am loving the story progression and the fact that it is so unpredictable. This fact makes it sooo worthy of attention, in a market where there are only a few writers capable of drafting a story that doesn't feel..well...done. You don't know what's going to happen. You don't know who will make it to the end. You don't know. THAT makes my zombie geek happy beyond belief!

The character and story progression in this, the second book, is quick and exciting. So much happens and there is so little time to adapt, that it creates a sense of urgency and overwhelming tension. You feel like you are a survivor along with the characters. Jenni and Katie go through some MAJOR life changes in this one! They grow and look forward, but there is also time and space to reflect on the past. This complexity really impressed me.

The side characters are starting to develop a sense of solid identities as well. Jason and Travis are getting fleshed out, although I did feel like more attention could be placed on Travis' past, but that's just nit picking. I will go on record here and now for saying that Nerit needs to be my grandma or at least that tough old lady that lives next door to me! If she dies I will cry! The bad "living" guys are so bad they could be mistaken for zombies! I felt so much disgust for Shane and really wanted to slap Blanche..omg. I rage just thinking about her!!!

Basically, read this series. I cannot recommend it enough!

Book Club Read: The Testament of Jessie Lamb

About:
 A rogue virus that kills pregnant women has been let loose in the world, and nothing less than the survival of the human race is at stake. Some blame the scientists, others see the hand of God, and still others claim that human arrogance and destructiveness are reaping the punishment they deserve. Jessie Lamb is an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl living in extraordinary times. As her world collapses, her idealism and courage drive her toward the ultimate act of heroism. She wants her life to make a difference. But is Jessie heroic? Or is she, as her scientist father fears, impressionable, innocent, and incapable of understanding where her actions will lead? Set in a world irreparably altered by an act of biological terrorism, The Testament of Jessie Lamb explores a young woman's struggle to become independent of her parents. As the certainties of her childhood are ripped apart, Jessie begins to question her parents' attitudes, their behavior, and the very world they have bequeathed her.

My Review: 
This book was thoroughly thought provoking. The premise is unsettling and was well presented by Jane Rogers. Jessie Lamb is a normal girl growing up in a world that is changing. Women can get pregnant, but they die. The babies too. Scientists are trying to figure out what is going on and how to stop it, but at what cost? Girls. Girls are either volunteering or being coerced into becoming "sleeping beauties" and thus basically killing themselves for the good of human kind.

This book brought up so many questions in my mind as I read along. Jessie Lamb starts to doubt her world and grown ups in general. Why should she go to school and be a doctor if humans are on the way out? Why should the world keep going in the same direction? What can young people do to stop it? Why are women always punished for man's faults? This is what I mean by thought provoking.

There is a slight twist, or at least I think that is what it is intended to be, but I guessed it pretty early on. Normally that sort of thing would be a strike against the book, but it didn't annoy me at all. I'm not going to give out spoilers, but it makes the first part of the book all the more intense.

I am so very glad that I read this book and got a chance to read it. I hope that my review has piqued your interest, as I highly recommend this one! It's stark and intense, but in the end there is hope. Even if it's just a little spark of hope. It's still there.

This book releases on May 15.


This book will be discussed on Linus's Blanket today!

Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon

 

I know, I know..another one? YES! It is friggen KNOWN

that you cannot participate in TOO MANY read-a-thons, PLUS this one is hosted by my buddy Michelle!  So it starts 4/23 at 12am, which I will still be drooling on my pillow at that hour, but immediatly after I wake up and coffee up I'm going to start reading! The jist of this is that you will have to read at least 1 horror themed book during the weeklong event. I think I can manage. :)

Here is my list:



Yup, I am set! I am going to also try to finish up Soulless by Gail Carriger, but I don't know if that counts? Anyhoodle, this is my plans for the week. I'm gonna keep rolling with my roll ;)

RAT: Picturrific Challenge

We were asked to pick a picture that makes you think about your current read. My current read is The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers. I picked this picture because the story revolves around a mysterious virus that kills all pregnant women and their babies. The scientists try to develop ways to keep human's from basically becoming extinct by means of a sort of IVF.

RAT: Challenge *Book Puzzle*

(this one is a bit abstract...more like what are they preparing for?) 


I know it's a bit easy but I'm not very creative lol

RAT: Introductory Questions

Introductory Questionnaire

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?Alabama  

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I'm pretty much stoked about all of them! I'm looking forward to cracking into Fever the most though!  

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? LOL I am probably going to say my muffins. I made banana nut muffins yesterday! :) 

4) Tell us a little something about yourself! This is my 3rd or 4th readathon! I'm 31 and married. Love books, and have a fondness for all things horror! :)  

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? As stated before this is not my first attempt at reading, this time though I've made preparations that may help me read the whole time or close! PLUS, my son is going to read with me! :)

Read-a-Thon: Update Posts

It's the starting line! I'm ready and caffeined up! I have a full belly and a big ole stack of books! It's now officially time to get this party started! I'm gonna aim for a goal of about 15-20 hours this time! I barely made it to 14 hours last 'thon, but this time I'm gonna make my goals...

Let's Go!!!!!
Update 1: 7:00am-9:00am
Book:

Fighting to Survive by Rhiannon Frater

Start Page: 143
Finish:  250
Thoughts: So far so good! I'm tracking my actual time reading, and how many pages! I think I'm off to a great start! :)
Blogs Visited:
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges:
Introductory Questions
Pages Read this Update: 107

Update 2: 9:00am-11:00am
Book: (finishing) Fighting to Survive-FINISHED, Destined for an Early Grave (started)
Start Page: 250 (FTS)/ 1 (DFEG)
Finish: 364 (FTS)/ 8 (DFEG)
Thoughts: Another productive block! I hope to keep up the progress! :)
Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page 
Pages Read this Update: 122
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive, 

Update 3: 11:00am 1:00pm
Book: Destined for an Early Grave (started)

Start Page: 8

Finish:72
Thoughts: I took a few breaks for lunch and to hang out with the kiddo! I'm planning on going full throttle again this upcoming block!
Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page 
Pages Read this Update: 64
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive, 
  

Update 4: 1:00pm 3:00pm
Book: Destined for an Early Grave (started)
Start Page: 72
Finish:184
Thoughts: I am chugging through DfaEG, and am almost finished! I've started to get a bit yawny, but me and the kidlet got up and wiggle butted a little bit and giggled like maniacs! That was fun!
Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page 
Pages Read this Update: 112
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive, 

Update 5: 3:00pm 5:00pm
Book: Destined for an Early Grave
Start Page: 184
Finish: 320
Thoughts: I am starting to feel a little tired, but I've been getting up and wiggling with the kid again. A little bit every hour! I'm almost done with DfaEG! Then it's on to book #3!

Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page  
The Weird Sisters 
Ereader Habits
Pages Read this Update: 136

Books Finished: Fighting to Survive, 

Update 6: 5:00pm 7:00pm
Book: Destined for an Early Grave (FINISHED) The Testament of Jessie Lamb
Start Page: 320/ 1
Finish: 355/66
Thoughts:  I managed to finish another book! Yay! This one I'm reading is kind of cerebral in a way, so it's a change of pace. It's keeping me awake too, so even more yay!
Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page  
The Weird Sisters 
Ereader Habits
Pages Read this Update: 101
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive,Destined for an Early Grave,

Update 7: 7:00pm 9:00pm
Book:  The Testament of Jessie Lamb
Start Page: 66
Finish: 151
Thoughts:  Getting very tired at the moment. Gonna make a pot of coffee soon.

Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page  
The Weird Sisters 
Ereader Habits 
Mid Event Survey
Pages Read this Update:85
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive,Destined for an Early Grave,


Update 8: 9:00pm 11:00pm
Book:  The Testament of Jessie Lamb (FINISHED) Soulless
Start Page: 151/ 1
Finish:240/ 6
Thoughts:  I am feeling incredibly tired. I think this hour may be my last. I'm going to go slowly. Have a late night snack and some tea, see if that perks me up!

Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page  
The Weird Sisters 
Ereader Habits 
Mid Event Survey 
Picturrific 
Pages Read this Update:95
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive,Destined for an Early Grave,The Testament of Jessie Lamb 

Update 8: 9:00pm 11:00pm
Book:  Soulless
Start Page: 6
Finish: 10

Thoughts: I'm out of steam. I cannot stay awake any longer.

Blogs Visited: (Running Log)
Dewey's Read-a-Thon
Challenges: (Running Log)
Introductory Questions 
Turn to A Page  
The Weird Sisters 
Ereader Habits 
Mid Event Survey 
Picturrific 
Pages Read this Update: 3
Books Finished: Fighting to Survive,Destined for an Early Grave,The Testament of Jessie Lamb


Final Totals
Books Read: 3 total
Pages Read: 823
Hours Read: (Total hours) 12 hours


Final Thoughts: I had a great time! I read 3 books in 12 hours which is AWESOME SAUCE! I know I said I would try for 15-20 hours, but I ain't no spring chicken anymore! I am sleepy and therefore I will sleep. I do wish everyone still reading the BEST OF LUCK! Happy reading and good night!

Dewey's Read-a-Thon!

It's tomorrow! I'm so excite! I have sorted out my stack of books, and am in the process of getting other shizz done so I don't hafta do it tomorrow! Woot! So if you haven't already signed up..whataya waiting on? Hit the button up chere ^ and get yourself signed up! You cannot miss this fun!

Here is my stack! I reserve the right to change it up of course, but this is the preliminary stack.

Yes I know it's upside down but still..you can see I have a LOT of diverse reading ahead of me. I have a few read-a-long books that I may throw in there to spice it up all classic like..Yeah. :)

I can't wait for tomorrow! My start time is 7am, so I'm going to go to bed pretty early tonight to get as MUCH sleep as I can sleep. :) Happy Thoning!

Review: The First Days

"The morning that the world ends, Katie is getting ready for court and housewife Jenni is taking care of her family. Less than two hours later, they are fleeing for their lives from a zombie horde.


Thrown together by circumstance, Jenni and Katie become a powerful zombie-killing partnership, mowing down zombies as they rescue Jenni’s stepson, Jason, from an infected campground.


They find sanctuary in a tiny, roughly fortified Texas town. There Jenni and Katie find they are both attracted to Travis, leader of the survivors; and the refugees must slaughter people they know, who have returned in zombie form.


Fast-paced and exciting, filled with characters who grab your heart, The First Days: As the World Dies is the beginning of a frightening trilogy. "

My Review: 
This book, you guys! Omg! If you have visited my blog before, then you know I LURVE me some zombies. In fact, as I type this out I am wearing my I <3 Zombies shirt, right now. I cannot get enough of those reanimated corpses! The end. I also cannot express my love for kick ass heroines either! I love it when the CHICKS are the bad-asses! I really do, it gives me the bouts of the squees. So needless to say when I read the summary of these books I was very excited. Female protagonists? check! Zombies? check! Excellent writing? check check and oh yeah..check! 

Katie and Jenni are awesome! They both have their issues and probably wouldn't have met up before the zombies came around. They come from different worlds. Katie is a lawyer and a lesbian  with a beautiful wife and a pretty darn near picture perfect existence. Jenni is a battered wife and mother. She's timid and scared and with good reason. Her husband is a dick that beats her and her stepson. They meet up after the world dies. Katie comes to Jenni's rescue and thus begins our friends adventures.

The characters are all pretty awesome! The male characters are just a little bit underdeveloped in comparison to the females, but they still feel real. I know my favorite guy is supposed to be Travis. He's sweet and a good guy, but I find myself wanting to read more about Juan. I love Jenni and Juan's interactions. Their playful bickering reminds me of my relationship with my husband!

All in all this story is one of the most realistic tales of people living through the zombie apocalypse that I have read in a long time. I could not put it down from start to finish! I am hungrily devouring the sequel! Stay tuned for that review! :)

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser comes from my current read: 

"So maybe he  was a fool to enlist with scarcely a question in some mad enterprise to stop and even madder enterprise. But the alternative was the grind that would grind on until it had ground him down." pg. 96 (ARC) from BZRK by Michael Grant.

Blog Tour: Kingdom on the Edge of Reality

 

Book Summary:

Sometimes it's funny how fast things can change, and sometimes it's not...

Welcome to Albert Keane's beautifully designed medieval kingdom nestled in a completely isolated river valley in the Canadian wilderness. Peaceful, happy, and prosperous, it takes nothing from the modern world, not so much as a single clock.

There is a castle, of course, and a monastery. There is even a pitch dark, rat-infested dungeon - because you simply have to have one if you are trying to rule a feudal kingdom!

Farmers work the land, artisans ply their trades, monks keep school and visit the sick, and nobody (well, almost nobody) misses the modern world at all.

So why has Jack Darcey - actor, wanderer, ex-competitive fencer - been tricked and seduced into paying a visit? And why hasn't anyone told him that the only way to leave is a perilous trek across hundreds of miles of trackless wilderness without a compass or a map?

Because a tide of fear and violence is rising from the twisted ambitions of one of King Albert's nobles, and Albert's fortune teller believes that Jack could turn the tide - if he lives long enough ... 

 

Gahan Hanmer Bio:

Gahan Hanmer enjoyed a colorful career in the theater as actor, director, designer and technician, and also wandered extensively searching for love, happiness and truth. He unintentionally became a grown-up raising two beloved daughters and now lives in the high chaparral desert of California.

My Review:

At first glance, this didn't look like it would be my cup of tea. I got this wild notion that this would be a book that I would enjoy though, so I requested a spot on this tour. I'm so glad that I listened to my gut!  The concept is a bit far fetched, but it certainly is an interesting one. The writing is flowing and very natural. I could see this being a pretty good movie actually, which I hardly ever really say. 

I think that Gahan Hanmer has a wonderfully creative mind when it comes to character and storytelling. Jack is a great character! He's got depth and personality that I just kind of instantly felt connected to. He's smart and loyal and a well crafted figure. He's balanced. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. Flawed but deep down he's a pretty good guy. 

Great storytelling, wonderful characters, and even better writing makes this a book that I'd definitely recommend! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

Paperback
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
Price: $14.95
ISBN: 9781937293642
Pages: 360
Release: April 2, 2012

What are you Reading?

Just gonna toss these at the wall and see what sticks! :) My book choices this week (in no particular order) are:

• BZRK-Michael Grant
• Scored-Lauren McLaughlin
• Temp by A.E.Mayer
• Fighting to Survive by Rhianon Frater

Book Tours and Future Reviews:

•  The First Days by Rhianon Frater (upcoming review)
• The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality by Gahan Hanmer (blog tour)

Upcoming Events:

 I am so excite ya'll! I have the WHOLE ENTIRE WEEKEND off work! I will have my snacks stockpiled, my caffeine stockpiled, and my BOOKS! Oh dear me I may go positively bonkers with excitement! I highly doubt that in my old age I will be able to read for the whole day, but I will try the hardest that I can! Did I mention that I'm super excited about this?! HMm?!

Weekend Stuffs

This week has been wacky and I mean that in a stressed out, hair pulling, sleeping whenever I can, wonky sort of wacky way! I mean I think yesterday I looked like this:

Anybloggin, I didn't get a LOT (okay who am I kidding right?) of reading done. I am enjoying The First Days by Rhiannon Frater and I'm almost finished with it. My weekend is going to be interesting. I work only Saturday this weekend, because...*Drumroll*

My son is turning 8 years old tomorrow! *Sobs* My little boy is growing up! We aren't planning a huge party or anything, but both of us are off work so we are going to be hanging out with him a LOT. We are baking his cake tonight and decorating it tomorrow. We are going to let him pick out his presents and what he wants to do. So I doubt I'll have spare time to read, but as always I will have a book on me!  I never leave home without it.

So that's my plans. I have a book tour read to get done, plus I want to finish TFDs and post my review! I think I foresee a caffeine overdose in my future!

**Ps-Just in case anyone was curious, I have been working out everyday this week! I am feeling slightly addicted! :) Good addictions are so hard to come by I think I'll nurture this one.

What are you Reading Monday?

Yes, yes, I know I'm super late to post this! Blame my new Weslo elliptical machine for taking from 7pm to about 1am (ish) to put together! Ha! The box said, "Simple instructions!" Liars! Anyhoodle, This morning my husband got the kidlet ready for school and I slept in a smidge. I woke up and worked out on it. It kicked my butt, so I guess the score is elliptical machine 2 and Melissa 0. I'm thinking I'll score when I lose about 20lbs, yes?

Onwards to the reading plans for this week. I have hit a slump. I'm reading sooooo slowly lately, so I took my trusty dry erase calendar that I have my books scheduled on and erased this week. WHAT THE FLAGNARD?! Yup, this week is going to be a free (read) for all. I have a lot of books that I have been DYING to read and I have put my review copies ahead of them, rightfully so, but it's caused a bit of a slump. So, I will read whatever I choose and whenever I choose. I do have ONE goal though, and that's for the Monster Pick Your Thon, event going on right now. I will read and review at least 4-5 books this week. I don't care what they are, as long as I read! :)

Monster Pick Your Thon

My my my, I really needed this! I have been doing pretty lousy on the reading and the reviewing lately! I blame ...well I can only really blame myself. So this is perfect timing! Starting today I will be focusing on reading and getting reviews scheduled up!

This is a week long event and each day will have a challenge or something to that effect. Today's is to set out goals. Easy peasy.

My Goals:

• Catch up COMPLETELY on read-a-longs
• Read and schedule reviews for 5 books (or more depending on how crazy I get this week)
• Tidy up some things around the blog. 
• Read at least 1 hour per day (aim for more of course) 

There you go! I think this is a do-able list! 

Blog Tour: Titanic 2012

TITLE:  Titanic 2012

AUTHOR:  Bill Walker

PUBLISHED BY:  Cemetery Dance Publications (EBook)

                           Bill Walker Designs (POD Print On Demand) 

ISBN:   

ISBN-10: 0615592392

ISBN-13: 978-0615592398

GENRE:  Mystery/Romance

SYNOPSIS:   

Best-selling mystery novelist Trevor Hughes has no idea that attending his twentieth reunion at Harvard will forever change his life.

Persuaded to go by his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Dr. Julia Magnusson, he meets up with three old friends: Solly Rubens, a self-made Wall Street millionaire; Ken Faust, a successful software entrepreneur; and Harlan Astor, New York real estate tycoon and the glue that holds their circle together.

That afternoon, over drinks at the Harvard Club, Harlan drops his bombshell: He is doing what James Cameron did not -- he is rebuilding the Titanic, and sailing the ship on the hundredth anniversary to honor those who died, including his great-grandfather, John Jacob Astor IV. Only Trevor is intrigued by Harlan's audacity. Touched by his friend's interest and concern, Harlan invites him on the maiden voyage to serve as the official chronicler.

On April 10, 2012, Trevor journeys to Southampton and, along with the hundreds of handpicked passengers, boards the Titanic. He is awed by the immensity of the ship and the feelings that well up in him. His friend has made his grand dream a reality.

During the journey, armed with his iPod Touch and a miniature wireless camera hidden in his glasses, Trevor interviews both passengers and crew, eager to learn the reasons why they chose to sail on the reborn ship.

Nearly every one of them claims to have been profoundly affected by Cameron's film, wanting to recapture the magic for themselves. And some of them are dying -- their last wish to be on the maiden voyage of the new Titanic.

Trevor is touched that his friend has allowed these people to come aboard, and is unprepared when he meets Madeleine Regehr, a beautiful, free-spirited woman who resists his entreaties to be interviewed, intriguing Trevor all the more. Slowly, and inexorably, Maddy draws him out of his shell, allowing him to love deeply and completely, for the very first time in his life.

But Trevor soon discovers a darker purpose for the voyage, a purpose that threatens to destroy him and the woman he loves. In a race against time that pits friend against friend, Trevor must stop the unstoppable or risk a horrific replay of history...

AUTHOR BIO: 

 A graduate of Emerson College's prestigious film school, Bill wrote and directed his first feature film, Pawn, while still a student. After graduation, he co-founded Newbury Filmworks, Inc., an award-winning production company renowned for making high-quality corporate films and commercials.

In 1990, Bill relocated to Los Angeles, and began a freelance story analysis career for various studios and independent production companies, while devoting his spare time to the writing of novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is also a highly-respected graphic designer, specializing in book and dust jacket design. He has worked on books by such luminaries as: Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. In addition, Bill is a member of the Authors Guild.

He has won awards for his screenwriting, his two short story collections for Mid-Graders, Five-Minute Frights and Five-Minute Chillers, are perennial Halloween favorites, and his first novel, Titanic 2012 was enthusiastically received by readers. His second novel, Camp Stalag was released in 2001. Bill lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Debbie, and their sons, Jeffrey and Brian.

 Excerpt from the book

EXCERPT:

Chapter One

  The furor in the media had just died down when Solly’s call came that rainy midweek day. I’d been hiding from the wolves of the fourth estate for nearly three weeks, holed up in my book-filled condo/prison in Charlestown, unable even to slip outside for a breath of fresh air without some cookie-cutter reporter, with a paint-by-numbers smile, sticking a microphone in my face and asking me the same tired question: "What was it like?"
As if the whole of my experience could be quantified in a sound bite.
Truth was I was avoiding everyone, even Julia and her earnest attempts to help me sort through the miasma of doubt and pain.
Sweet Julia.
We’ve been on-and-off again for the last five years. And I hadn’t seen her for the better part of a year. I¬¬ guess she thought now was as good a time as any to mend fences. Christ, if she only knew....
And what was worse, the book I’d promised my publisher, the one that was supposed to chronicle all I’d been through, lay like a beached whale on the shore of my imagination. I was standing at the bay window overlooking the harbor, watching the rain sluice down the glass, wondering if I would ever have the courage to write again, when my gaze shifted to the pile of DVDs lying in a scattered heap on the teakwood coffee table.
My eyes filled with tears yet again.
"I’m so sorry, Maddy," I groaned, knocking my forehead against the cool glass. "I’m so goddamned sorry."
"You have a call," the computer intoned in a quiet contralto, making me wince. Even the goddamned computer’s voice reminded me of Madeleine.
"Who is it?" I asked, expecting to hear it was yet another call from the Globe. Hometown reporters were the worst, the most ravenous.
And then I remembered I’d instructed the computer to screen all calls, allowing access to only a select few.
"The caller has an Identity Block in place. Shall I take a message?"
I sighed.
To hell with it. I had to rejoin the human race at some point, even if I felt as if I no longer belonged in it.
"Put it through," I said, making my way over to the sleek MacBook Pro sitting atop my writing desk. The screen came to life and Solly Rubens’ round face filled the screen. His saturnine looks were etched with concern, an expression that somehow looked ominous on him.
"Hey, Hughes, you okay? How are you holding up?"
The tiny "picture-in-picture" in the upper left-hand corner of the screen showed me what Solly was seeing, rendering his question moot.
I looked as if I’d taken the cook’s tour of Hell: blue eyes¬¬--red-rimmed and puffy--surrounded by dark circles, sandy hair greasy and disheveled, three-day growth of a patchy red-flecked beard, and the same clothes I’d worn since Monday. I looked sixty-two, instead of forty-two. All in all, I presented a picture about as far as one could get from what Boston magazine had called: "The World’s Most Eligible Author."
"How the hell do you think I’m holding up?" I said, staring back at Solly. His eyes blinked rapidly and I debated whether or not to instruct the MAC to disconnect, when he spoke again.
"Aw, man, I’m sorry. I really put my foot in it, didn’t I?" he said, trying to appear contrite. "Listen, I know we’ve never been the best of pals, but we had some good times back in school, didn’t we? I mean, Christ, we’ve been through a hell of a lot since Harvard. You a hotshot writer. Me hittin’ the big time. I still can’t believe it’s been a year--"
"What do you want, Solly?"
His porcine eyes darted somewhere off-screen, then riveted onto mine.
"Ken and I thought you should get out of the house, maybe meet us at the Harvard Club. What do you say?"
"I don’t want to talk about it."
"You gotta talk about it sometime," he said, his Brooklyn tenor rising in pitch. "You’ve been avoiding us for weeks, you look like crap, and everybody--and I mean everybody’s--been trying to find out what the hell happened out there. And what about Julia? You shutting her out? You treatin’ her like dirt, too?"
I resented him bringing her name up, only because I knew he was using her as leverage, and not out of any real concern for her feelings.
Not that I was any better.
"She’s none of your business, Solly. Leave her out of this."
"All right, I’m sorry. But you know I’m right. You gotta get on with your life, for Christ’s sake. If you’re not gonna do it for yourself, do it for Harlan."
I leaned forward, my nose practically touching the screen. "Where were you when Harlan needed the three of us? Huh? Where the hell were you when the chips were down? Taking Karen to another Broadway show?"
Solly’s lips compressed into a thin angry line. "Okay, I deserved that. But Ken and I have a right to know what happened."
So, that was it. Like everyone else, they wanted to know the truth about Harlan’s death--wanted to know all the gory details. Christ, they were no better than the goddamned muckrakers slinking around my front door. And why was it so important to Ken and Solly, anyway?
Would it bring Harlan back? Would it bring any of them back? Why the hell couldn’t they just leave me alone?
And then, all at once, the anger passed, as if someone had thrown a switch inside me. Suddenly, I wanted very badly to tell someone--anyone. And perhaps it was more than fitting to do it where it all began.
"All right," I said. "I’ll meet you guys at the club, Friday night at six."
Solly cracked a grin, revealing crooked yellow teeth. "It’ll do you good, Hughes, you’ll see."
"Maybe.... But drinks and dinner are on you."
He chuckled.
"My pleasure. See you there."
The screen went dark, and I sat there for a long moment, wondering if I shouldn’t blow them off. And then I realized Harlan would want me to go. I doubted very much, however, once they heard the whole story, it would be any pleasure for any of us....

My Review:  

I very much enjoyed A Note From an Old Acquaintance, so when I heard that Bill Walker was asking for reviews for his next book I jumped at the chance! I have to admit I'm like the only person in the world that probably isn't a huge fan of the movie, BUT I am very intrigued by the story. The tragedy of that night in 1912 has captivated many, including me. 

I was swept away from the start, by Bill Walker's writing talent. His characters are crisp and lively, if not a bit sad and depressing at times. The plot is thick with mystery and wonder and does start to entrance you right away. The sprinkling of trivia and lines from the movie Titanic were a bit much (to me),  but it  fit the story as most of the main characters are big fans of the movie. So  I do think this helped to add to the plot, so I won't count it as a negative. It makes sense when you are reading.

I will only say that there was one flaw in this book, and that's how quickly the mystery unravels. The ending felt like it was a bit rushed and was a bit expected. Now with that being said I still enjoyed myself. I do think that this is another excellent example of Bill Walker's writing! If you enjoyed the movie and find yourself intrigued by the mystery and myth of that doomed ship, then you will enjoy this book too. 

 

DISCLAIMER

Every eBook received for review on the tours for Partners In Crime are given in exchange for an honest review. The eBooks are sole property (copyrighted) of the author and should not be sold, distributed to, or exchanged among other people not part of the tours, nor should they be listed on file sharing sites. Failure to comply with this disclaimer, will result in removal from all future tours.