For readers around the globe. :)

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Cinderella

Everyone knows the classic Cinderella tale. But Charles Perrault and Camille Rose Garcia give us a little bit of a twist to the story we know and love. In this short illustrated classic, we still see Cinderella and her evil stepsisters. We see her hard work and her dedication to helping her family, including her terrible stepsisters. We see the fairy godmother and the magical pumpkin carriage. She loses the slipper and she wins the Prince. But what could possibly be different? The illustrations! From what you see on the cover, this classic has a darker feel than other versions of this tale. Every illustration of Cinderella has spider webs and the stepsisters have very exaggerated, unflattering features. Although it is a new approach to this very lovely classic, I think it still did the story justice!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Psycho

What can I say? Psycho is a classic! Written in 1959, this novel reads so quickly that you hardly realize that it's over. Going into this book, I didn't realize there was a movie or the spinoff show, Bates Motel. I can honestly say the book is ALWAYS better. We get into the mind of all of the characters in Psycho: Mary, Lila, Sam, Norman, and even Norman's mother. The plot unfolds when Mary steals 40 grand and takes off to see her fiancé Sam. But she only makes it to the hotel, and is never heard from again..... So why haven't they gone to the police? Why haven't they questioned Norman? We know what Mother does, we know what Norman is doing, and we know the snooping of Lila and Sam. Everything falls together so perfectly that I have to applaud Robert Bloch for the amazing novel he has created in such a different time compared to today.
Psycho will not disappoint!

Meet the man who inspired it all: Ed Gein

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The First Phone Call From Heaven

Mitch Albom truly created another masterpiece.
In the small town of Coldwater, Michigan, several people are beginning to receive phone calls claiming to be from their deceased relatives and loved ones in Heaven. Everything is brought to attention when Katherine Yellin speaks out in church saying her sister has called her and wants everyone to know what Heaven is like. What Katherine does not know is she was not the only one to get a phone call. Small time news anchor Amy comes to Coldwater to cover the story only to become lifelong friends with Katherine. Sully Harding has just been released from prison when these calls start coming in and he begins investigating. No one can ACTUALLY call from Heaven. Police Chief, Jack Sellers starts getting calls from his son who was killed in Afghanistan. But the question is, should he tell his ex-wife? Tess Raferty got a call from her mother saying that there is no worries in Heaven, just peace. She should tell everyone that. Coldwater blows up over the phone calls from Heaven. Visitors from all over have come to witness the phenomenon, but what is really happening? Is it real?
Mitch Albom created such an amazing novel that you will have to find out that answer yourself. The way all of the characters find solace in one another is exactly what the novel needed. 

Looking for other books by Mitch Albom?

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Born Evil

Hadden Clark was born evil. But don't let the title description fool you, this is not a story of "A real-life Hannibal Lecter." This is a story about Hadden Clark and his misfortunate childhood that led him to split personalities who kill for the fun of it. Supposedly, Hadden has killed around 15 young girls between the ages of 6 and 30. In Born Evil, we watch Hadden's life laid out before us. The abuse from his mother, his wrecked home life, and his time spent in the military. To Hadden, all things fall apart. That one tragic afternoon when Michelle Dorr wandered into Hadden's brother's yard changed everything. Charging Hadden with Michelle's death took much longer than charging him with Laura's death did. Laura and her family employed Hadden and he still ruined their lives.
Honestly, this novel takes place more in the court room and behind closed doors than it does telling the actual details of the crime. Born Evil may not be the fastest paced read, but it is still quite intense.