Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

I went out and bought all four novels in Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series. At first I felt like I should have bought the first one first, maybe I wont like. Someone told me that it was a bit too much for one's brain to fathom and I might not like Dan Brown's style. Boy were they wrong. I am glad I bout the entire series.

God! It has been two or three days and my nose has been buried in Angels & Demons. I literally read from the second I wake up till the second I fall asleep. It is one heck of a page turner. Mind blowing!

Illuminati? Conspiracies? Murders? Science vs religion? Wow! I have never taken interest in the subject, but after reading this novel I think I'll read into it.

I'm not sure if the plot is based on truth regarding the Illuminati brotherhood and all. Nevertheless, how the events uncoiled and "truths" about the brotherhood were revealed was amazing! It was written smoothly and it is well thought out.

Dan Brown is a genius.

I actually had to stop at certain points, put the book down and just paused for a few second to think of what just happened. It is very engaging and captivating, the reader is continuing to read to find out what is going to happen, always thirsty for the unraveling of breath taking information.

There was a lot of action as well, which made my heart race as if I was watching the events rather than reading it. Also, the amount of symbology and signs was extraordinary. I find signs and symbology very interesting and sometimes I take interest in them in my reality, so reading a novel over flowing with them was very exciting. Awesome!

I thought the language would be a problem. I thought Brown would be using vocabulary that would have me whipping out my dictionary a few times per page. But that was not the case at all, fortunately.

Over all, it was, again, a mind blowing experience to read Angel & Demons, as I'm sure will the case with the the next three novels.

On to number two!

Tease by Immodesty Blaize

A Jackie Collins wannabe. Same style, although I felt that Collins portrayed the glamorous life of celebrities better.

Another novel about celebrity life and the life of glamour, with a hint of action. Although I hated the constant show up of the word "babes", which is more irritating than the original "babe".

The characters were well depicted. Readers could easily hate Rex and feel sorry for Tiger, like wise with the rest of the characters.

It was longer than it should have been. Too much, unnecessary, details. Again, even though I was stuck somewhere boring with nothing else to do, I would have never read it till the end. 

Immodesty Blaze's Tease, also, should have been a movie script, with all the tiny chapters in the middle of "the gloved hands" and the last chapter explaining everyone's happy ending and deserving demise.

It was a bit predictable as well. I could make out who the mysterious person with the gloves is, the truth about Sienna's family tie with Tiger and the whole Richie and Blue debacle.

I wouldn't recommend it. Unless you are into cheap literature, then go right ahead.

Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins

This is the first novel I read for Jackie Collins. I was under the impression that she's a great writer and all. I bought Poor Little Bitch Girl 5 years ago, along with 3 other novels by Collins, and I hadn't gotten around to reading any of them until this past weekend when my cousin came over to borrow something to read from my mini library. She picked out one of Collins's novel and I thought well, I paid for them, I've got them, I should read them. I picked this one by random and read the back cover, "murder" was the word that interested me.

What a disappointment.

Annabelle was supposed to be the major character, with her movie star mother being the murder victim. But, it was very evident that Denver stole her thunder. I felt like Collins spent more time and detail on Denver's eventful life more than any of the other characters.

Language wise, a lot of profanity. Not appreciated. I mean a few cursing here and there is alright, but this was too much.

It seems that all the male characters are looking to get laid and all the female characters are looking for money. It was all about sex and money. Although, thank god the sexual details were at a reasonable level.

I liked how each chapter jumped from one character the other and how the stories unfolded gradually. The style in which Collins wrote the novel made it feel like it was originally a script turned into a novel. Especially in the end when the author gave us insight in how each character ended up, it felt like the end of a movie when they do the same before the end credits.

The bad guys got a bad ending, the good guys got a good ending, the villains got away and the lovers got a happy ending.

Very movie-like.

I wouldn't recommend it. If I hadn't been stuck somewhere boring with nothing else to do, I wouldn't have chosen to read it till the end.

Sins of the Flesh by Colleen McCullough

The fifth and final book in the Carmine Delmonico series by Colleen McCullough. Its sad to say that, due to her death last January.

Starved and castrated young men, "Shadow Women" and a psychopathic murderer; cases that make the mind wonder in all directions.

Sins of the Flesh had something different about it in comparison to the four books prior to it. I'm not sure what it is, I think there was difference in the language or the way it was written. It wasn't as engaging as the previous books either.

In any case, it was well written and as soon as it started to become engaging I couldn't put it down. As usual I always had my speculations on who the murders were, but this time I was far from being close to who the culprit is.

I noticed that McCullough went back to neuro related cases and scientific facts, just as her first book of the series was related to as well (On, Off).

The Prodigal Son by Colleen McCullough

Crimes that involve poison are truly the worst. I am sure we all suspected Jim, but holly crap that ending!

What was different about this book that I didn't find in the previous 3 was the humor. I had a bit of a laugh quiet frequently, actually. It was a change, but likeable.

It was understandable that someone would finally break in such a way, everyone has a final straw indeed. Especially a good person who lets themselves be a door mat to a loved one, gladly. Nevertheless, everyone has a breaking point. It was actually a relieve to see that breaking point achieved.

I'm trying not to give anything away though.

Sad to say that one book of this amazing series is left for me to read. I also just found out that Colleen McCullough died last January.

RIP MCM :)

Truly a great writer.

Naked Cruelty by Colleen McCullough

Yet another great novel by Colleen McCullough!

To be honest, I saw it coming, the identity of the Dodo, I mean. Though McCullough knew how to make the reader doubt his/her own speculations.

What I really admired about this book is that even though it is about rape and murder, it wasn't full of sexual scenery. Which would have turned me off, to say the least. Thank God it contained the minimum amount, just enough to be relevant to the plot.

That ending though, WOW!! Did not see this one coming. I had to read that last paragraph 3 times to make sure I read correctly! What a cliff hanger!

I wonder if Helen's new founded self satisfaction is going to reappear in the next 2 books... Would be nice to find out how that works out!

Desdemona was slightly out of the picture in this book, which was a change from the previous 2 books of this awesome detective series!

An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough

Colleen McCullough’s An Indecent Obsession is one heck of a plot twist roller coaster. Set during World War 2, the novel follows the life of one Sister Honour Langtry, and her battle fatigued army patients in Ward X. located in the Pacific, Ward X is the kind of place where army men have been sent for going “troppo” at a certain point of the war, but are not too critical to be admitted in a mental asylum. Sister Langtry, also called “Sis” by her patients, is, or was, a nurse on the battlefield, but has been repositioned to take charge of Ward X. Being the only one to take charge of the ward, without anyone to help her with her duties, the patients have, each, grown to be fond of Sister Langtry in his own way. Because it is her duty to take good and close care to her patients, each one of them has been attached to her in one way or the other. That is why when the last patient, Sergeant Michael Wilson, was admitted to the ward, about the same time the war was closing in on its end, the atmosphere in Ward X changed ad things twisted in tragic ends.

To be honest, when I first started reading the book, I was not that interested with going on further than the first five chapters. From the moment the reader is introduced to Sister Langtry, Ward X and the troppo patients –Luce, Neil, Nugget, Matt and Ben- to the point the reader is introduced to Michael, things aren’t very eventful. We do, however, get an insight into each character’s psyche and history.

Although the main character is, in fact, Sister Langtry, we still see things from the other patients’ points of view. Not only the major characters get to display their perspectives, but also the minor characters that have minor roles all through out the novel get their share of opinions.

What was really engaging was the author’s way of presenting pieces of the puzzle at the right time. McCullough didn’t drop each character’s life story and feelings at once. Everything was unraveled at different intervals of the plot. That’s why it makes the reader want to read on to find out why Ben was the most critical patient of all the men, or why Matt was worried about going home, why Luce acted the way he did, how strongly Neil felt about Sister Langtry, or why Nugget was always, and the biggest mystery of all, why Michael was sent to Ward X.

Far from the novel’s dull start, it turned out to be very eventful and full of a variety of insights. Just when you think things are settled and resolved, something suddenly happens.

While I was reading this fantastic novel, when a wild plot twist appears, I had to reread sentences to make sure that I have read them correctly. Or I would be shocked and would have to take a moment to fathom what I had just read. The plot twists hits you so hard, you cant believe yourself. That’s another aspect of McCulloughs style I was fascinated by, you’re constantly surprised by the information you find out bit by bit about the characters and the events, and by the constant plot twisting that catches you off guard. There’s also a constant thirst of wanting to know what’s the next surprise, and wondering when you’re going to find it.

I thought that McCullough’s novel would be another book about the war heroes and what not, but I was relieved to find out that it wasn’t at all. An Indecent Obsession is more about the inner battle within each character. But, it is mainly about the inner battle within Sister Langtry, torn between duty and love. It was also a relieve that the novel didn’t end up being another hopeless romance, or romance driven for that matter, the amount of love percentage within the plot was reasonable and wasn’t too much. It was mostly suspense, which was what made it interesting to read.

Too Many Murders by Colleen McCullough

Yet another McCullough novel feeds my appetite. After three years of reading the first book in the series (On, Off), I have finally proceeded with the rest.

Twelve murders in one day! Espionage, spies, USSR and communism! Its 1967 and the good stuff is happening. Its all up to Captain Carmin Delmonico and Holloman PD to unravel these mysteries, while making the sudden mingling of the FBI their advantage.

I really liked Too Many Murders, although I admit On, Off was better, in my opinion. But, still, McCullough's focus on detail and the unraveling of events wins over every time.

What was really done well and what made me thirsty to read on was the unraveling of events and secrets. McCullough does it professionally in all her writing. The amount of suspense and surprises is unbelievable!

I am always at shock and surprised all through out the book. The reader is given the chance to think about what is about to happen next and given the chance to make his/her own speculations. But, we are almost always at awe of what actually happens and what we find out in the end.

The plot was well structured and organized, not giving way to any confusions. The ending, though, came as a shock to me. I had thought that Stravinsky was going to runaway and come back, maybe, in another book, but when Captain Delmonico confronts her and gives her a chance to leave without a fuss my doubt were put at rest. But, of course, BAM... That closing sentence caught me off guard.

I am definitely eager to read the next book in the series.

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

If I had the option of giving it less than one star, I most definitely would.

Eleven Minutes was recommended it to me by a dear friend of mine, 7 years ago. Ever since, I have been looking for it everywhere, but I have only found it at a local book fair about a month back.

The only reason I continued reading this pathetic excuse for a "novel" is because it took me years to find it.

I'm pretty sure most of the readers loved Eleven Minutes because its by Paulo Coelho, whom they absolutely adore.

Again, over rated.

I wasn't surprised that I didn't like it, I was surprised; though, that I found out that his style of writing was so, you could say, unintelligent, although that's quiet undermining how bad it was.

I get that he was going for the character that becomes wise over time and philosophizes every aspect of her life, trying to understand why things are what they are, or how things work the way they work. But, Coelho only made Maria appear to be stupider and even more empty headed. Maybe even silly. He failed drastically in conveying any type of wisdom, or intellect, or even philosophy, in his narration or Maria's.

On top of that, he manages to go on too much, offering unnecessary details or explanations. Dear Mr. Coehlo, are you familiar with the phrase "less is more"? Apparently not. Whether it's the text between the brackets or the excessive justification in one sentence, Coelho fails to keep the reader engaged without interrupting, which is really annoying and a big turn off.

Although he tried to convey Maria as a strong woman who takes matter of her life in her own hands and creates her own fate, she actually is interpreted to be a submissive person. Giving herself to men for every night, claiming that she hates being a prostitute but has to for the sake of money. She could have found other ways to earn money, clean money, and keep her dignity she talks about, get the first ticket to go home to Brazil and deal with her life there. Maybe marry her boss who was planning to propose to her. I mean, that's all she wanted, right? A rich husband, children and money.

That's all she seemed to care about: money. Such a gold digger. Wanting to stay in Switzerland and hesitating to go back home because she was earning a lot of money; her first thought about Hart was if he was rich or not; talking about her boss in Brazil saying how she doesn't love him but thinking he is rich; even the Swiss guy who picked her up from Rio to take her as an exotic dancer in his night club in Switzerland, she thought of hooking him in and marrying him because he is rich. Its all money to her, not love, as she keeps going on and on about.

All this nonsense about love, losing the chance at it when she was a CHILD, not finding it ever again -until she met Ralf Hart. As a reader, I did not believe all the meaningless thoughts and realizations she had about love, wanting it, losing it, finding it, not even knowing what it is. All her past relationships seemed as though all she wanted out of them all was experience in sex, even that she failed to understand.

It was really sick how the idea of love was so undermined.

I don't think Coelho really knew or understood about what he was writing.

This experience makes me wonder, what should I do with the other 2 novels I bought, next to this one?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I swore I wouldn't read it because I believe that its over rated, as anything else these days, and because its just another romance novel.

In any case, to be fair,the book was engaging, I didn't want to put it down. It was well organized and well written. There is something about the first person narration that really hooks me. Anyway, I was right, it is just another romance novel, aiming at the hopeless romantics (such as myself).

What really pissed me off was that it is not realistic (yeah, it is fiction, but still we look for the reality behind the words we read). No guy would be as sweet to his girl as Augustus was to Hazel, it just doesn't happen.

Apart from that, Hazel and Gus sounded smart, too smart for their age. They even appeared smarter than their parents (and at the same level as Van Houten). Which I found pretty strange.

To be honest, I was touched, and I sneaked in a few tears here and there. Also, I loved the idea of death and it being present the whole time. But, in the end, I couldn't make up my mind if I actually liked it or not...