Later, At the Bar by Rebecca Barry

So, in addition to my previous read, I've also read the above. (No relation to my previous reads author.) Later, At the Bar started out as a really funny, easy-to-read, page-turner. It takes place in a small upstate New York town were everyone knows everyone else. Each chapter focuses on one specific person in the town and just sort of delves into his/her life. It's really a novel made up of a bunch of little vignettes. (Good concept.) The characters are certainly well-developed and easy to picture because the author is great at descriptive detail but in all seriousness, I was a little drunk (not in a good way) on all the drunks. Every character was a raging alcoholic that either cheated on every person they had ever been involved with or, well, no...they were all drunken cheaters. This book got great reviews and I'm just not getting it. I mean, I'm a gal who enjoys a drink here and there (Monday through Sunday) but come on! Put the bottle of whiskey, beer and gin down, sober up and live a better life. It was depressing, really. I will give the author credit in being able to write well but, my God, there is more than one way to write a character other than drunk. Read at your own risk.

Final Scream by Lisa Jackson

I am now onto a "romantic thriller mystery": Final Scream by Lisa Jackson. I've not read this author before but my sister Anne has recommended her (and maybe my mom too). Anyway, this particular book is about Cassidy Buchanan, a journalist haunted by the unsolved mysterious fire that destroyed her family 17 years ago. She returns home after more mysterious fires begin only to find herself in danger when the killer decides he doesn't want her to uncover the truth. Sounds scary, huh? I'm up for a good mystery/thriller!!! I'll let you know if it's worth the read.

Update:  Well, I finished Final Scream by Lisa Jackson. It sort of sucked. If you remember, it was a murder mystery dealing with arson and family secrets. Trouble was, most of the characters were so abominable that they deserved to die in the fire with the two victims (who, really, got what was coming to them). In the end, or rather mid-way through the book, I started just reading the first line of every paragraph and really, I didn't miss anything. I have another of Jackson's books and I'm betting it's just as good (sarcasm). I'm thinking I'll be passing on her from now on.

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

So during my hiatus from the blog, I actually completed only one book: The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. This is a disturbing novel about a 50ish woman and her flawed relationship with her mentally challenged, agoraphobic (freak) of an 88-year old mother. On the day the novel starts, the daughter, goes over to her mother's house to check on her and ends up "accidentally" on purpose, smothering her. What follows is about 48 hours of the daughter trying to first cover up the murder and then running from her actions. Needless to say, I was glad to finish the book and in fact nearly put it down for good many times. Weird, depressing and not really recommended.

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark

My new read is going to be a little "lighter": I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark. If you aren't familiar with her, she is a mystery writer and her books are always thoroughly enjoyable and always a quick read. This one is about a woman who marries a man that is of questionable character.

I give this book 1 1/2 out of 4 stars. I just feel like Mary (considering I've read every one of her books, I have the right to be on a first name basis with her) has gotten to the point recently where she's just cranking books out to crank them out or God forbid, collect the royalties? Her recent books all have similar plots: Adults who have suppressed memories of events from their childhood that leads to murder and/or their near death. They are all the same and I'm sort of over it. Now that doesn't mean I'll give up on old Mary. I'm just going to pray that she gets a new idea and goes with that - even if it means she doesn't publish within 6 months of her last novel.