a Book Review

Tonight I am posting 2 book reviews that I put up on a book site I belong to. This series I have started by Chelsea Cain is very good, but the lead Archie Sheridan has me bugging. He is such a pitiful character, addicted to pain meds thanks to what baddie Gretchen Lowell did to him, and just a mental mess, it still is upsetting me.

Heartsick
Chelsea Cain

Detective Archie Sheridan has been after the Beauty Killer for 10 years. In a sick twist he is lured and then held captive by the very beautiful but psychopathic Gretchen Lowell and tortured for 10 days. Brought out of his retirement by another serial killer who is murdering sophmore girls, Archie is a tormented soul. Addicted to pain meds, he lives in a haze most of the time. Sadly, he can no longer live at home with his wife and children even though he loves them so, and he is most at peace after his Sunday visits with Gretchen.
Each visit he hopes to learn the location of another of the over 200 victims she has dumped. When she tells him, she then follows with the horrific details of what she did to them. It is for this reason that he can't find it in him to stop seeing her. He wants the family's to have closure and their loved one back.

A reporter, Susan Ward, is assigned to follow Archie and do a profile on him, while he conducts the investigation, dubbed the After School Killer. It is an intense read, with some very sad asspects, between what's become of Archie's life and the girls who have been murdered.
Well worth the time, and I will definitely be continuing the series with Sweetheart next.

Sweetheart
By Chelsea Cain
Psyco Thriller
Let me preface this by saying, I never ever should have kept reading till it was so late. Once I saw I only had about a hundred pgs left, I just stayed up. The results were such a state of agitation that I couldn’t fall asleep. This book had me so wound up, that even now I’m still pissed.

Archie is a blooming idiot!! And yes I am projecting my peeves onto him. Another crop of bodies are turning up in the park, and Archie is going to find out who did this. He has moved back home, even though he is faking through his teeth and is far from happy. Still popping the pills, and no longer seeing Gretchen for their weekly visits, the only light is that he is seeing the psychologist whose home Gretchen Lowell rented and then lured Archie too in book one. Which, quite frankly is a little freaky too.

The spillover from the first book is Molly Palmer, a stripper who was once the Senator’s babysitter for his children. The rumor is that the Senator had an affair with her but nothing was ever proven. Susan is the reporter who is trying to get to the bottom of the story and have the Senator outted once and for all.In the midst of this, Gretchen has been “raped” in prison and she’ll only talk to Archie. This is found out during his daughter’s birthday party, and his wife pleads with him not to go, one more day won’t matter. Of course he can’t not go, it’s the love of his life! When he gets there, her arms are bruised, she has four broken ribs and a broken collar bone. He is furious and sickeningly enough, jealous that someone else was with her. He entwines his fingers in hers, and the whole thing makes me want to vomit. When he steps out to get more info, his ever present partner Henry who never lets him go see her alone, tells her, “amazing how he didn’t touch your face.” Usually Gretchen ignores Henry but this time she zings him with her remark along the lines of let’s see who wins Archie in the end.

Needless to say the whole thing was a ploy by Gretchen knowing exactly what this visit would prompt and she manages to escape. I’ll let you see how she does it. Truly his wife Debbie should have just done her in, somehow she could have gotten Gretchen to agree to see her since Gretchen is also a megalomaniac and wouldn't have been able to resist that, and just kill her once and for all. I don’t know, a baseball bat to the head like Donny from Inglorious Bastards, that would work well. I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if some psychopathic bitch is going to get my husband.

Yes, I will read the book 3 to see what poor stupid pitiful Archie does next. Sadly I can’t resist, for Gretchen has weaved her web around me and I’m ensnared as well.

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I finished one of my submissions for the MM book, but I can't share it here, since it can only be never before seen pieces. I am truly happy with it though, so you'll have to take my word for it ;) Oh and if you haven't seen Inglorious Bastards, rent it, it was great. Went to see Cop Out tonight with Hubs, the one with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, hysterical!! It was awesome to see some of Brooklyn in it, like Spumoni Gardens, which I blogged about during my summer posts on going home!

I'll try to get some form of scrapping on her during the week in the meantime, enjoy the rest of your weekends!

Odd's And End's

I finished my little tag for Elaine's layout and it's cute. I actually used some plain white paper in my cricut and I cut about 5 or 6 throw-aways so I could get the tag itself and the little circle to match up before putting in the cardstock. I did it!! I don't have a circle punch so I had to do it this way. I really should invest in the punch ;)

I glimmer misted the tag with sunflower and then tangerine, stamped it with my stampin up stamp, glimmer misted and stickled the flowers and stuck my pic on the back.

Now some book news -

I've been taking a reading detour. The last couple of books I've read weren't paranormal romance. They were thrillers. Thrillers have always been my true love. The more horrifying the better. I adore psycho thrillers the best. Hannibal Lector is just divine, the Prey series by John Sanford are excellent, and I just finished the first in a new series. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain. The lead is Detective Archie Sheridan and the baddie is psychopath Gretchen Lowell. This woman is off the hook insane. The things she does to Archie once she traps him are horrific, and she still holds sway over him after she gives herself up and is in prison. Every so often she'll let him know where another of the over 200 bodies she got rid of is along with what she did to them. She is one very bad mamma jamma. I've never read a book where the bad man was a woman, and I loved it!!

The other book I read was The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais. This was a great detective thriller. The lead character is private eye Elvis Cole. He is just too funny, and his partner, Joe Pike is quite a character as well. They both have their own books, and I plan to read through them and get to know these guys better.

I also read Water For Elephants. What a wonderful story about a young man named Jacob Jankowski. His parents die in an accident and he leaves Vet school on the cusp of graduating, he was unable to focus to take his exit exams. He hops a train and discovers it's a circus train. The book goes back and forth from past to present, where Jacob is now in his 90's and a widower in a nursing home thinking back on his life while in the circus. Very poignant story. I really enjoyed it.

I will be reading First Drop Of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost. I'm excited to start it, I've read the first 60 pgs in a teaser they had released and Spade is a great character. I liked him in the Night Huntress series so I'm looking forward to getting to know him and Cat's friend Denise better. Ms. Frost has created some fantastic characters and I encourage anyone who hasn't read her books yet to get going, Bones is amazing and the whole series is fantastic!!

I hope you enjoy my mini reviews, maybe be tempted to pick one up at the libray. Oh Oh, I forgot, if you don't have a problem letting your books go, here is an awesome sight were you can swap books and only pay shipping for them which is pitance! Paperback Swap is just awesome for avid readers who want to save a buck! Just click on the word ;)

Well, my next project will be some submissions for the Memory Makers book. I'll also start on Melissa's 5 things I can't live without cj. Hhhhmm the wheels are turning already....

The Early Bird Catches The Worm

Hee Hee, I really didn't need to do a lay out this week, since it's my subject that's up, but what the hey. I was feeling really creative so I tackled Miss Elaines cj -

Four Things On Your Welcome Sign

Well as you could imagine, we don't have no ordinary welcome signs in the Calvanico household!! I loved doing this layout, and in honor of my scrapping sorella(sistuh for those of you who no gabeesh Italian), I tried to do a little vintage spin on it. Guess what paper I used Elaine? Mariposa from DCWV, and my retro stack. The pretty butterfly is the Mariposa the other is retro. Some gorgeous paper! I also employed my cricut for the butterfly on the bird cage of page one, and the little border on the bottom of the 2nd page. Of course I used stickles and glimmer mist, some distress stamping, can't do much without ole Timmy Boy ;) . I just love my glimmer and sparkles. Yes I am Mrs. Bona Sera as my Mom and Aunts used to call me.

I didn't do my tag yet, I don't even remember what it was, I have to go back and look. Here are my pics. I tried something different. I scanned the layouts as well as taking a pic since they're 8x8 they fit in the scanner. I also used my photoshop to make the little signs. Just went to an online catalog, saved the pic then put my little statements on them. Aren't I brilliant :)

I think my journaling sums it up perfectly. We do love all who enter our home, and there isn't much we wouldn't do for those who fall under our umbrella of friends and family. I made my journaling look like a little card that closes and is held in place by the border on the bottom. It came cute, I like it, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I hope Elaine likes it too!

3 Must Haves When Traveling

Here are my layouts for Kathi's cj. My 3 must haves? Well, my kindle is my best friend, with that little baby, any book I want is a click away. Love love love it. I don't think I'll ever tire of saying that! Next, make-up! I'll go without clothes before not having my make-up. That is my life line ;) Last but not least, luggage on wheels. That's right you read correctly. My daughter Desirae said "no toothbrush, I gotta have my luggage on wheels!" LOL. Yes, I can buy a toothbrush anywhere, but this luggage is a life saver. Tromping through an airport to a connecting flight having to CARRY luggage, been there done that, oh my aching shoulders and arms. This is the only way to travel case closed.

My pictures of the layouts and my little travel trunk sign in tag -

With a little photoshop magic, I cut out the trunk and pasted my pic from our cruise right on there. I love that program even though I don't use it to it's full ability at all.

Daily #'s Circle Journal Sign In Page

Okay, I did my sign in page. It's just a plain page, wanted it to resemble a book page. The little book I made with my cricut cursive 101 cart. I think it came nice. There I am reading one of my most favorite series, the Sookie Stackhouse books! Everyone can make their book however they like, it doesn't matte to me. All books are different, big, small, hardcover, soft, so whatever you do works in my book, ha, pun intended!

See, simple, not too gaudy or glitzy, so not me ;) but it's what I was going for. Now I get to start on Kathi's. Things we just can't travel without. Hhhhhmmmm, I know several....

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today is my Dad's birthday. He would've been 73. I miss him so terribly, not a day goes by that I don't shed a tear for him. He was such a presence, what a fantastic personality he was. I miss his "how do" when he'd answer the phone and his funny jokes. Dad couldn't wait to tell me some piece of gossip and my brother's called him Henry Hill from Goodfella's. I get that trait from him too, heehee. When something bad happened he had a knack for making me laugh when I would've yelled at anyone else.

I no longer even try to figure out the why's of life, all I know is that my Daddy is gone and my heart is broken, but I persevere and think about his happy happy face, such a smile my Dad possessed, and so handsome too. He was a wonderful Grandpa and his Grandchildren adore him and miss him much.

Pictures from my Dad's 70th surprise birthday party in 2/07. He thought he was going to Aunt Toni's surprise 60th and vice versa. He didn't know we were coming, it was wonderful. The memories will be cherished forever!

You can listen to Celine Dion's song Immortality #73 on my playlist. The BeeGee's wrote it for her in memory of their brother Andy. It's a beautiful song.

We hid in the back behind everyone so he didn't see us right away. The man on the right with the gray jacket smiling is my Dad's best friend from when he was a little boy, Frank, and that is his wife Joan on the left with the gray black and white jacket. They were brothers, not friends.

Dad could cut a rug, and he loved to dance!

Mom, Dad, me and my brother Matthew standing, my brother Thomas sitting. Poor Matthew, everyone thinks he's Tony Soprano. He says "I'm not getting anything outta it!!" Heehee!