"Captain Cooked" - S.P. Grogan

"Captain Cooked" - S.P. Grogan

My coworker loaned me this book after she realized she had two copies. It's one of her favorite books, so she recommended I read it for my blog. The tagline on the cover says "Hawaiian mystery of romance, revenge... and recipes!", and I was interested. I've never read a Hawaiian novel, so this is a first for me. :)

 

I am not very far into the book yet. I'm only on chapter 7 out of 51, but it's already got a good setting for drama, and a little bit of mystery/action in it. The main character, Madison Merlot Dayne is in Hawaii videotaping her father, Jeffery Dayne, for an episode of his food tv show. The first chapter does a great job of setting up Madison's character. She starts off people watching in the airport while waiting for Michael, the hotel greeter, to help with her video equipment. She is thinking about the "beautiful" people she sees when Michael walks up. Instead of the typical greeting of "hello", she is kissed on both cheeks from Michael. At first her mind lingers on romance and instantly hops to conclusions about a possible romantic affair in Hawaii. Then Michael says that the kisses are from her father, and the readers are introduced into her personal drama involving a lack of romance.

 

So far in the book, Madison seems a little bit whiny, but I get the feeling that her character is going to be doing some personal building throughout the book. I can see her getting into a crazy adventure, and winding up in love with a Hawaiian native. I don't know what will happen yet, but that is the feeling I get.

 

There is a bit of a political side to this book. In the first few chapters it talks about a political strike in Hawaii. There is one group that wants Hawaii to go back to having a King and Queen. There is another group wants Hawaii to be part of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The last group are essentially there to fight for Hawaii rights because they "need" to have something to fight for.

 

It's still pretty early in the book to decide if I like it or not. It's got some certain potential, but the writing style is not quite developed in the first few chapters. It seems simple, with a lack of clear direction at this point. I'm hoping that it picks up though, because I certainly see the potential of where it can go. :)

"Yukon Murders" - Don G. Porter - Part 2

I finished "Yukon Murders" by Don G. Porter today on my lunch break. I was so surprised who the murder was! Since I promised never to give away the endings, I won't say who it is, but I will say that I couldn't have planned a more surprising and fitting ending.

My overall opinion on "Yukon Murders" is that it a wonderful, captivating book. It is a good blend of Alaska culture, with enough action to keep non-Alaskan readers enticed. The book has so many interesting sides of Native Alaskan living that you find yourself wondering if you could live in the conditions that they consider "normal". When reading from Alex Price's point of view, they started to seem livable and normal to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially to people who live in Alaska and are familiar with the different cities/towns/villages that call this great state "home".

"The Woman in Black" - Susan Hill

"The Woman in Black"

I borrowed this book from a friend of mine after we watched the movie featuring Daniel Radcliffe. I must say that this is one of the instances where reading the book first might have been a good idea. The movie really doesn't follow the book... at all. :/

 

Aside from not following the book, I was not really impressed with this book. I am about a chapter away from being finished with it, and I have yet to really get into the book. The pace is slow, and the build up takes forever. You have to get about two-thirds into the book before the Woman in Black is even mentioned. The first two-thirds of the book tries to build up to this suspense, and then the only horror action that happens is the sound of a rocking chair in a nursery. I'm sorry, but that's way too much build up for too little excitement.

 

Although I was not particularly impressed or interested in this book, it does not mean that someone else would. This is a good "beginner book" for people who do not typically read horror and suspense, but wants a little introduction to those two types of books. For someone like me, who's spent most their life reading horror and suspense, this was just too slow and dry for me. 

"Yukon Murders" - Don G. Porter

"Yukon Murders" - Don G. Porter

The author of this book, Don G. Porter, is actually a cousin of a coworker that I work with. This book is published by a small publishing company, M&B (McRoy & Blackburn). From what my coworker said, he sells his books out of his truck at craft fairs and the Alaska State Fair. From reading this book, I can faithfully say I wish he sold his books through a larger venue because I would love to purchase another one from him!

 

My coworker suggested I read this book because one of the buildings the Section I work for has done work on the building in the past. So, after hearing that, I couldn't wait to read it! It certainly is a good read for anyone, not just Alaskans.

 

"Yukon Murders" is based in Western Alaska, in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The main character, Alex Price, is a bush pilot. (For my non-Alaskan followers, a bush pilot is someone who flies small puddle-jumper plains to remote locations in Alaska. Sometimes they bring supplies for the village people, sometimes they do others jobs.) Alex Price works closely with the police on occasion, and this time it's involved him transporting murder victims in body bags. For the small villages, death is common, but murder is not. The book opens with a murder committed in a small general store, buy a nameless visitor, who sets the mood for the rest of the tragedy that happens throughout the book.

 

I am currently on chapter 10 out of 24. I've been reading it on my lunch break and I'm always sad when I have to put it down. The book is written in a very free feeling way. I feel like I'm listening to Alex Price telling me stories of his past. To me, it almost feels like I'm listening to an old friend recapping his life. With this style, I feel relaxed reading this book, and excited when they mention a location I've been to. :)

 

My overall reflection on what I've read so far is that this is a very well written book, and I cannot wait to finish it. I have not read many books written by small publishing companies that I have liked, but Don G. Porter has a knack for it. I am very thankful that my coworker introduced me to his book, and has given me the joy of letting be borrow one of the signed copies to read.

 

**If you are interested in learning more about Don G. Porter, here is the link to his website. http://www.dongporter.com/



"Pirate Latitudes" - Michael Crichton

"Pirate Latitudes" - Michael Crichton

 

To give an introduction into my personal interests, I LOVE pirates. I love reading about them, watching movies about them, costumes, pictures, everything! I've even got a tattoo design for a half sleeve involving a ghost pirate ship in a crazy ocean. So, when I saw this book, I had to read it. If it says "pirate" in the title, it's a guarantee I'll pick it up and give it a try.

 

I am currently on chapter 6, and, unfortunately, I am not impressed with this book. I have no idea what is going on. There is a ton of monologue, none of which has remotely touched on anything pirate based. The first 6 chapters has pretty much been Governor Almont complaining about his new secretary not being at port yet. He discusses how he does not like to go to hangings, despite it being in his job description. There is also mention of the plaque in London, and how he needs female servants to serve in his house. That's it.... that is the first 6 chapters.

 

This book is extremely slow going. There has been no action yet, no conflict, no romance, and no pirates. I'm pretty disappointed, especially because a lot of my male friends talk highly about Michael Crichton books. I was expecting action, adventure, and pirates. Instead I've got a whiny Governor, and a secretary with a anxious wife.

 

So far, I'm not sure I would recommend this book to a lot of people I know. If you like monologue books, or if you're looking for something that will take forever to read, and you can stomach slow going dialogue, then sure, pick up this book. Otherwise, I would say try a different Michael Crichton book and hope it's better. 

"The Bell Jar" - Sylvia Plath

"The Bell Jar" - Sylvia Plath

 

"The Bell Jar" is about Esther, a simple girl in the 1970's who won a fashion magazine contest and was sent to a whole other world, New York. She stays in a women's only hotel with 12 other girls that won contests, including her roommate Doreen. The prize of the contest is that they all get jobs in New York for a month, expenses paid and free stuff galore. This was a chance of a lifetime, a chance to meet people in the field that they wanted to write about. Esther would soon find out that life in New York is nothing like she'd ever experienced before.

 

I am currently on chapter 4, out of 20, and I am pleasantly surprised by the tone of this book. When I first picked it up, I thought that the writing style would be a little less captive, a little slower paced. Instead, "The Bell Jar" is written from a first-person point of view. You are not given the name of the main character until the 3rd chapter. It is written to resemble a young woman, of around age 20, and does a fantastic job. Myself, being 25, can see myself saying and thinking some of the very same things that the girls in this book are saying and thinking.

 

So far the book is highly based around fashion, formality, and finishing school types of events. Those things are not particularly entertaining things for me to read about, but I am still enjoying the book for what it's worth. There are some unexpected moments, usually revolving around Esther's interactions with Doreen, that keep the book entertaining. It's an interesting diary-like book, and a fairly easy read. The chapters are short, and the language is plain. I'm reading it as a wind-down book before bed. 

"Shadow Divers" - Part 2

I am finishing up reading "Shadow Divers" by Robert Kurson and I am still as enticed and amazed by it in the same way I was when I started. The duo is deep in their investigation to find more information about the shipwreck they found. The search even takes one person to Washington D.C. and then to Germany to talk to an old Nazi soldier for his personal account.
With as much excitement I can express towards a book, I highly recommend this book to anyone. It's got a combination of emotions tied to it, as well as some unexpected friendships, to keep the reader captivated.