Book: The WVU Coed Murders

 Book: The WVU Coed Murders    

Author: Geoffrey Fuller and S. James McLaughlin

Pages: 416

This is my 106th read for the year

This is the story of two freshman at West Virginia University who were murdered in 1970.  Mared and Karen were found in the woods beheaded after hitchhiking near their campus.  After 63 years their murder has never been solved.  The cops at the time worked with suspects that seemed to fit the murders, but they were all dead ends.  As the years went by, the case got colder and colder.  After 100s of interviews and looking into all the suspects, the murderer was never caught.  Enter Geoffrey and Sarah who thought they might be able to use the modern age to open the case and find out what happened to these young women.  In 2021, they started a podcast about the murders and then wrote this book and still came up empty handed in the end.

This was an okay book.  I am glad I read it because my parents actually were at WVU as students in 1970.  I was curious about the case, and was hoping that because of the podcast and book that the murder was finally caught.  But he wasn't.  The book is a bit dry - delving deep into the ins and outs of the case, but more interesting than dull overall.  I am glad I read it even if the ending was not what I was hoping for (the murder being solved)

Stars: 3

Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: No Man's Land

 Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: No Man's Land

Author: Stephen King

Pages: 136

This is my 105th read for the year

Boulder Colorado is quickly becoming a home to those who have settled there.  The power is turned back on.  The people have started to clean up the town - burying all the dead and turning off all the appliances that were left on when the people died.  The leaders have chosen people who need to go west to spy on Randall Flagg and his crew.  Nadine approaches Harold to encourage him to follow his true self and come with her west to Randall.  But before they leave Boulder, they have one last task to perform.

This is the next to last book in this Graphic Novel series.  Still being well told through Graphic Novel form.

Stars: 4.5

Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: Hardcases

 Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: Hardcases

Author: Stephen King

Pages: 136

This is my 104th read for the year

The next installment in the The Stand Graphic Novel series.  Mother Abigail and her group have arrived in Colorado and are starting to organize.  They form a committee that will help make the rules for their new settlement.  Meanwhile - Randall Flaggs group is also gathering in Las Vegas.  The Trashcan Man has burned Gary Indiana to the ground, and is now on his way to Las Vegas to help Randall Flagg burn the whole world to the ground.

Another good Graphic Novel in this series.  

Stars: 4.5

Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: Soul Survivors

 Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: Soul Survivors

Author: Stephen King

Pages: 136

This is my 103rd read for the year

In the 3rd installment of The Stand Graphic Novel - we meet Tom Cullen.  A disabeled man that Nick comes across on his travels who he convinces to come along to see Mother Abigail.  People who have dreamed of Mother Abigail start to show up at her house in Nebraska and she tells them they must head west to Colorado.  Mother Abigail discusses how she is afraid of what Randall Flagg is up to and they are soon going to have to unite against him.  Meanwhile, Stu and Frannie realize they have feelings for each other which upsets Harold.  Larry meets Nadine Cross who, when Larry asks if she ever dreams of Mother Abigail, states she doesn't dream.

This was another good installation.  It didn't advance the story as much as I expected it to since there are only two more graphic novels.  I am wondering if it is going to start to skip ahead more.  But this one was again well written.

Stars: 4.5

Book: The Stand Graphic Novel Volume 2: American Nightmares

 Book: The Stand Graphic Novel Volume 2: American Nightmares

Author: Stephen King

Pages: 144\

This is my 102nd read for the year

The plague has wiped almost everyone out.  Stew Redman, Nick Andros, Larry Underwood, and Frannie Goldsmith start heading out to see if they can find answers.  But they are not the only ones looking for survivors.  Randall Flagg is starting to build his army.  He is starting by getting Lloyd out of jail.  Stew and his friends are having dreams of an old lady in a corn field and of a bad man who they fear.  Something is coming, and the sooner Stew, Nick, Larry and Frannie can find others to unite against Randall Flagg, the better.

This is the second installment of The Stand Graphic Novel series.  I liked it as much as the first.  They are quick reads, but nice to see one of my favorite books played out in graphic novel form.  Even though it is just touching the surface of the much deeper story, I don't find it is missing much with so much visual information.  Looking forward to the next one.

Stars: 4.5

The Stand Graphic Novel: Captain Trips

 Book: The Stand Graphic Novel: Captain Trips

Author: Stephen Kind

Pages: 160

This is my 101th read for the year

A accident at a secret army base in the desert has caused a plague that is killing people faster than anything that has ever been seen before.  eople think they have the flu and in a few days, they are dead.  There are some people, though, that aren't getting sick at all.  Stew Redman - one of the original people who was exposed - has never gotten sick and has been under observation at the base ever since.  Others - Like Larry and Nick and Frannie - are all burying those they love, but are not getting sick themselves.

Meanwhile - evil is waiting patiently in the shadows in the form of Randall Flagg.  As the world burns, Flagg is biding his time making his way to Las Vegas to meet those who will soon follow.

This is my favorite Stephen King novel, and when I saw they made a graphic novel version - I had to check it out.  I love seeing stories played out in art, and this one did not disappoint.  I am glad I read this one and look forward to completing all 5 graphic novels that make up the story.

Stars: 4.5

Book: The Country of the Blind

 Book: The Country of the Blind

Author: HG Wells

Pages: 30

This is my 100th read for the year

"In the country of the blind, the one eyed man is king".  Or so thinks a mountaineer named Nunez who stumbles upon a completely blind community living in the mountains.  He believes that he can overtake them since he is sighted, and quickly finds out that isn't the case.  Before Nunez got there, the valley where the blind townspeople live was completey cut off from everything else.  A disease had struck them early on in their settlement and over time, every new baby that was born was blind.  As Nunez falls into the community, and falls in love, he starts to doubt if he really needs to be sighted or he is truly the disadvantaged one.

This was a pretty good book.  And really short.  I always struggle with short novels - as you have heard me say many times in the past.  Always leave me wanting just a little bit more.  Just as I was getting into the story with Nunez and his acceptance of the Bind community, it abuptly ends.  I would have liked the story to go on a bit more to be satisfied.

Stars: 3.5

Book: The Wishing Game

 Book: The Wishing Game

Author: Meg Shaffer

Pages: 304

This is my 99th read for the year

This is the story of Lucy Hart.  A young teacher's aide who is struggling to make ends meet.  Lucy had a childhood where her parents gave her to her grandparents when her older sister got sick.  Never wanted by her parents or sister, she has been estranged from them her whole life.  When she was young, she found the Clock Island books to be a place she could escape.  Once she actually ran away to the real Clock Island in search of the author - hoping she could live with him.  

As an adult, Lucy has been reading the Clock Island books to another lonley little boy named Christopher.  A student at her school who is in foster care, Lucy wishes she could adopt Christopher.  However - she doesn't have the money or stable homelife to do so.  When the author of the Clock Island books invites a certain group of people to his island to participate in a contest, Lucy knows this is her chance to get the money she needs to adopt Christopher and get her life sorted.  But the contest isn't easy, and Lucy doesn't know if she will be the one who wins.  However - during the contest she finds that there are still good people in this world who have compassion for those are are less fortunate.

This was a pretty good book.  The best way I can describe it is as a warm hug from beginning to end.  There isn't really a bad guy.  The author tries to make a few people a little "off" but in the end, the main characters of this book are inheritenly good.  Lucy's parents are never more than mention in this book - never become characters.  So I think that is why the book stayed so light.  Even with the heaviness of her past, it never distracts from the main point of this book - Lucy and Christopher getting to be together.

I recommend this one.  I think it is well written, an easy read, and light hearted enough to sneak into your TBR pile.

Stars: 4

Book: The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes

 Book: The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes

Author: Suzanne Collins

Pages: 528

This is my 98th read for the year

I want to start this review by saying that I read this book back in 2020 when it came out HOWEVER - I somehow never blogged about it.  We moved shortly after I read it, and maybe I just forgot?  I searched for it the other day to see how I felt about it the first time I read it and was surprised to find I missed writing about it.  So here we are.  I decided to read it again right before I went to see the movie and was pleasantly surprised that I remembered more about it than I thought I would.

This is the Prequel to the Hunger Games book and the story of Cornelius Snow.  It is the 10th Hunger Games.  The Capital is still trying to recover from the war.  This year, the game makers decide to bring in top students from the capital to be mentors of the tributes from the districts.  If the mentor's tribute wins the games, they can win a coveted prize, and Cornelius is desparate to win.  His family has struggled since his parents died and they need the money that is offered from the games.  When Cornelius gets assigned to Lucy Gray from District 12, he feels his chances of winning are slim.  He decides to do everything in his power to help Lucy win and in doing so, discovers something about himself  - that his desire to win trumps all.

I liked this book.  I am a big Hunger Games fan, and am always happy when an author takes us deeper into their world to help explain how characters became the way they were.  It is a well thought out story of Cornelius and the beginnings of the Hunger Games.  The way they were in the beginning is very different than they play out in the most recent books when it is 65 years into the future.  I actually would have liked to have seen Collins take Cornelius' story a bit further to when he actually becomes President and when he starts to treat the tributes "better" (for lack of a better term) in regards to the lead up to the games.

Great book - both times.  

Stars: 4

Book: Iron Flame

 Book: Iron Flame

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Pages: 640

This is my 97th read for the year

WARNING - If you did not read The Fourth Wing (and plan to) - skip review

When we left off in the first book, Violet had just discovered that her brother, Brandon is alive.  On top of that - Violet also knows the real secret that has been hiddne for centuries.  No able to share everything she knows with her friends at the War College, Violet sets out to find everything she can to keep everyone safe.  And alive.  Violet also needs to learn how to control her power.  The stakes are so much higher now that even thought Violet and her friends are still students, a real war is coming and everyone must work together.  Dain has betrayed Violet, but can she look past that to defeat what is coming?  Will Violet and Xaden ever trust each other fully?  

This book was just okay.  I mentioned in my review for The Fourth Wing that I might be a little too old for YA now.  The cliffhanger in The Fourth Wing was so good, though, that I decided I at least had to start the second book.  I did end up finishing it, and AGAIN - good cliff hanger.  What to do when the next one comes out?  Who knows.  I understand she is going to write 5 books so I think she will lose me eventually.  Anyway - the good for me in these books are the dragons and the banter between them and between them and Violet.  That is about it for the good for me.  I don't really care for Violet.  The sex is WAY over done (think 50 shades of gray smutty), and the dialogue and writing could be better.  Also - I didn't care much about the death that occurs at the end of this book.  Character never made an impact for me, but the book drew it out like this was the biggest deal to date.  I disagree, but that is just my opinion.

If you are a big fantasty fan, young, and like smut - this book is for you.  Otherwise - there are better written 600 page books.

Stars: 3

Book: Never Enough

 Book: Never Enough

Author: Jennifer Wallace

Pages: 320

This is my 96th read for the year

The author takes a deep dive in the book into the pressures kids face these days related to getting ahead.  Some starting as early as elementary school - they feel like they are in a race to pack their schedules with top classes, tons of extra cirricular activites and multiple sports just in hopes of securing a spot in a top college.  What has happened is an increase of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and even self harm.  Parents are not helping.  Social media is not helping.  Kids are hearing from every angle that no matter what they do - it will never be enough.

I am glad I found this book.  I actually attended a talk the author gave in relation to college admissions, and then read her book.  I have two juniors in high school and we are in the thick of a college search.  And this book gave me a chance to take a step back.  Parents tend to get wrapped up in the college search right along with their kids and see the pressures that kids are under.  Kids have so much pressure today and feel they don't matter unless they do "xyz" - whatever that may be.  They feel like their accomplishments are what define them.  

One of my favorite quotes from the book is this: "“our kids are absorbing the idea that their worth is contingent on their performance—their GPA, the number of social media followers they have, their college brands—not for who they are deep at their core. They feel they only matter to the adults in their lives, their peers, the larger community, if they are successful.”

Parents need to stop putting kids on their shoulders to get them above everyone else.  I want my kids to know that where they go to college WILL NOT MATTER.  I want kids who decide not to go to college, or go into a trade, or go on to work that they are worth every bit as much as that kid who went to Harvard.  College, and life, are what you make it.  

My kids will find their people.  They will find their way.  And yours will too.  Check this book out to gain some perspective.

Stars: 4.5