Up Country by Nelson DeMille

Hey everyone,

We are taking a break from the 30 Day book challenge to discuss a book I have recently finished.  The reason I started this blog was to keep track of the books I have read and let my friends, family, and fellow readers know whether or not I actually liked what I've been reading.  So having finished a book last night, I figured I should post about it.

As I mentioned in a recent post, I've been reading a lot of Nelson DeMille books lately.  I started with Plum Island, read a bunch of books in that series, and then was told by Jack (future Father-in-Law) that I should really read Up Country.  I was prepared to jump right in to Up Country but then I found out that  a "prequel" exists.  I don't know what it is, but there is something that keeps me from reading a book if I know another book comes first.  Did I have to read The Generals Daughter before Up Country to know what was going on?  Absolutely not.  The only thing these 2 books share is the same main character.  There are a couple of other characters that are in the 2 books, but they aren't  big enough players in Up Country to really contribute to the story.  But I just couldn't bring myself to read Up Country until finishing  The General's Daughter.  I won't take the time to summarize The General's Daughter.  I will say it has probably been my least favorite of Nelson DeMille's books, but still good.  Anyways. . . on to Up Country.


Up Country follows Paul Brenner, who you meet in The General's Daughter.  Paul has recently retired from the Army, where he worked as a CID agent.  Don't know what a CID agent does?  Basically he investigates crimes within the Army.  Paul is trying to settle into retired life when his former boss Karl requests a meeting at the Vietnam Memorial. At their meetup Karl and Paul discuss their time serving in Vietnam and then Karl presents Paul with one last case: investigate a murder that took place 30 years ago during the war.  Paul isn't sure if he wants to accept the offer, and if he does, how he would even begin to solve this thing.  How do you solve a murder investigation when the only witness to the crime is a former North Vietnam soldier who might not even be alive?  If Paul does find this guy alive, why would "the enemy" offer any information?  Does Paul even want to return to a country that holds a lot of awful memories for him?  Paul agrees to go and has the quite the adventure trying to solve this case.  Along the way he meets Susan, an American who lives in Vietnam and was brought in to the case to serve as a translator and guide.  He also catches the attention of Colonel Mang, a Vietnamese cop that has it out for Paul from the moment Paul steps off the plane.  Susan helps Paul establish a cover as a tourist, but Colonel Mang isn't buying it.  He doesn't know what Paul is up to, but he won't rest until he finds out.  When Paul finally finds the one witness to this 30 year old murder, he isn't happy with what he finds out and has to decide what he is going to do with the truth.

I liked Up Country.  It's not my favorite, but it was good.  I think it was a little harder for me to relate to because I wasn't alive during The Vietnam War.  Even though I studied US History in school, my knowledge of that particular war is very slim.  Despite not being able to relate to Paul as he is visiting old battle grounds and reliving some of the toughest times in his life, the story itself is good.  There is action, adventure, and even a little romance.  I was maybe halfway through the book when I met up with Jack and told him I was reading it.  He again told me how great it was, but then said "The ending is disappointing".  I wasn't sure what to think of that.  Do I stop half way through?  The answer to that question most of the time is "No".  If I've already read 400 pages, I'm not giving up!  So I charged on and, I have to say, the ending does leave something to be desired.  I'm hoping that DeMille ended it the way he did to maybe, eventually write a sequel.  The ending does leave some questions unanswered.  To put my mind at ease I am assuming there will be a follow up to Up Country at some point.  I'm probably wrong, but thinking this way at least makes me feel better.

I will return to my 30 Days challenge tomorrow.  Until then Happy Reading!

30 Day Book Challenge Day 3: Favorite Series

Hello,
I'm back with Day 3 of the 30 day book challenge.  Whoohoo!!! The topic for day 3 is favorite series.  In my last post I wrote about one of my favorite series.  The Work and the Glory is great, but not my FAVORITE.  Being a child of the 90's and a teenager of the 2000's I bet you can guess what my favorite series is.  It's about a boy who is orphaned and has to live with his horrible aunt and uncle until a boarding school offers him a spot to come learn.  Can you guess what series I'm talking about?  I'll give you a minute to think.

Yes, yes I know. I'm so predictable.  Harry Potter is EVERYONE'S favorite series.  So many people would choose this as their favorite series that I probably don't even need to summarize it.  So instead of wasting time summarizing a series that almost everyone I know has read (or has at least seen the movies) I will instead share why this is my favorite series.

As I've mentioned before, my mom always has a book in her hand.  Us kids could all be watching t.v. and mom was reading on the couch.  She read to us until we were old enough to read and then she read with us.  I attribute my love of reading to my mom and the example she set for us.  Reading has always been a part of my life.  I read Little House on the Prairie, The Baby Sitter's Club, and Box Car Children (all highly recommended for Elementary aged kids).  Then Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came out.  Confession time:  I actually did not like this book the first time I tried to read it.  I checked it out from my school library in 6th grade and actually returned it before I finished it.  Even now I find the first couple chapters of the Sorcerer's Stone slow and hard to get through.  But I push through it because I know of the magic that lies in wait (pun intended).  I gave it another chance later and am so happy I did!  This is the first series I remember staying up late reading because I could not go to bed without knowing what happened.  I went to a midnight release when book 6 came out because I couldn't wait even an extra day or 2.  I HAD to know what happens next!  When the movies started coming out my friends and I would have in depth conversations about how the books were better (because they always are), and vent about all the stuff the movies left out that we thought definitely should have been in the movies.  (Hello, how can you leave Quidditch out of the 5th movie????)

I think the reason my generation loves Harry Potter as much as we do is because we were able to grow up with Harry Potter.  I was 9 when Sorcerer's Stone came out, probably 11 or12 when I first read it.  As the books were released, Harry Potter and I were basically the same age.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione were 3 more friends for kids my age.   Reading about the books was like hearing your best friends tell a story about their crazy adventure.  It really felt (and still feels) like you are hanging out with your 3 best friends.  And the world J.K. Rowling was able to create!  How can anyone read these books and not immediately want to go to Hogwarts, hang out with Hagrid, drink Butterbeer, and have Mrs. Weasley yell at you? What kid wouldn't want to fly a broomstick, play Quidditch, and go hang out at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?  Reading these books really lets you escape into a world that is every kid's dream!
With all the turmoil that can come with being a young adult, having these books as an escape was a dream come true.  Your best friend might be bad at you, you might have gotten a horrible grade on a test, or your crush started dating someone else.  But you had another Harry Potter adventure to turn to, and, even better, Harry was going through some of the same things! But Harry lives in a wizard world with spells, magical creatures, and legit bad guys, so it made it even better (to read, maybe not experience).

Harry Potter helped an entire generation get through a lot of tough times.  It helped promote literacy and showed that reading can be fun and books are cool!  I only wish that every generation had a series of books like we were lucky enough to grow up with.  Getting excited about a book being released, rereading the series from start to finish so that everything is fresh in your mind, waiting in line with your money in hand, and running home to find a cozy spot to guzzle up the newest adventure, this was the life!  These are the things I wish kids (and lets be real, adults) experienced on a regular basis.  This is what Harry Potter provided.  We need more books and series like Harry Potter!

I have read the series through, start to finish, countless times.  Any time a new book was coming out, I read the series over again. Any time a movie was coming out, I read the series again.  Every summer, just for fun, I read the series over again.  It's been a couple of years since my last read through, and I think I'm experiencing some Harry Potter withdrawals.  I think this proud Hufflepuff needs to get to reading some Harry Potter!!!

30 Days of Books Day 2

I'm already behind on my 30 days!  Yikes!  In an attempt to not feel stressed about being almost a week off, I've decided to officially declare here and now that I most likely won't be posting daily.  With my work schedule and sharing a computer at home, I just can't commit to daily posts.  So with that declaration declared I bring you Day 2.

Today's topic is "a book you have read more than 3 times".  This was a hard one for me because most books that I have read more than once falls into another topic we will cover later, such as favorite book or favorite series.  So I'm fudging this one a bit and going with a book I've read AT LEAST 3 times.  And that book is. . .

That's right.  The Work and the Glory Volume 1: Pillar of Light,  by Gerald N Lund.  I've read the entire series twice, and started them over again before moving to CT.  I ended up leaving my copies in UT because they took up a LOT of room and were VERY heavy.  So if anyone is in need of present ideas for me, here is a great place to start (hint hint Mom). 

This series follows the fictional Steed family while telling the story of the beginnings of the LDS Church (Mormons).  While a work of fiction, a lot of the events and people in the series were real.  I think this series is a great introduction to the history of the Church, and since it is written by a former General Authority, the book is historically accurate.  With so many books written about the Church that tell half truths or even outright lies, it's nice to be able to recommend a series that I know tells the CORRECT story.

In Pillar of Light we are introduced to the Steed family: Benjamin and Mary Ann and their children- Joshua, Nathan, Melissa, Rebecca, and Matthew.  They live on a farm in Palmyra, NY.  Benjamin ends up hiring Joseph and Hyrum Smith to help with some chores around the farm.  Joseph eventually shares his experience of the First Vision with Nathan, who in turn shares this with his family.  The Steed family finds themselves at odds with each other.  Mary Ann and Nathan find that Joseph's experience resonates with them, while Benjamin is less than thrilled and Joshua outright opposes this new religion.  Love and religion are at the forefront in this book.  What is more important: the person you love more than anything in the world or the beliefs you hold so strongly?  Do you have to choose between them?   If so, how?  When husband and wife hold different beliefs, how should younger children be raised?  Pillar of Light introduces us to these struggles that the Steed family face.  You will have to continue to read The Work and the Glory series to see how they make out.

On a more personal note, some might find it odd that I am recommending a book that is so firmly based in a religion that I no longer practice.  There is a simple explanation: I grew up in the Church.  It was a huge part of my childhood.  And the history of the Church is so interesting to me.  I took classes at BYU devoted to the history of the Church.  And not because religion classes were required, but because I wanted to learn more about it.  I hold no ill feelings toward the Church, or anyone that practices it.  It's just not for me, right now.

With all of that being said, there is another reason why I would choose to post about this book.  I chose this book because it is a book and a series that tells a GREAT story! You get invested in the characters.  Your heart breaks when they experience pain.  Your heart soars when the seemingly unthinkable, but absolutely joyous, happens.  Gerald N Lund is a fabulous story teller that tells a fabulous story that I think makes the history of the Church, Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young easier to understand.

So if you have ever wanted to learn more about those "Weird Mormons" and "That Crazy Joseph Smith" definitely check this book and series out!  I highly recommend it!

New Year, New Post - 30 Day Book Challenge, Day 1

Hi Everyone,
It's been 2 years since my last post.  Obviously I've read at least a little bit over the past 2 years.  What I haven't done is write about it!  I have a hard time finding time to read, let alone write about what I read.  A new year brings the perfect opportunity to rededicate myself to reading and this blog.

I found an interesting list of book related questions/topics that I thought would be fun to share with everyone.  This list asks questions about books you love, books you hate, and everything in between.  I love hearing people's thoughts on books, and obviously I love sharing my own. So this adds a little spice to the mix as I look back on a bunch of books I've read, not just the ones I am currently finishing up.

The question of the day today is "What is the best book you read last year?"  What an appropriate way to start this 30 day adventure, especially since it's January!  I didn't read nearly as many books as I would have liked.  But the book that sticks out to me is Plum Island by Nelson DeMille. Plum Island was recommended to me by my future father-in-law.  He is a huge Nelson DeMille fan and is always checking in on whether or not I've read his books.  Plum Island was PHENOMENAL! Actually, every book I have read by Nelson DeMille has been pretty great.  If you are looking for a new author to read, definitely check him out.

Plum Island is a fictional book set at the actual Plum Island in NY and surrounding areas of Long Island.  John Corey is an NYPD homicide detective who is spending some time at his uncle's home while recovering from 3 gunshot wounds. After his neighbors are found murdered outside their home, John is recruited by the local PD to help solve the case.  His neighbors were scientists that worked at Plum Island and their deaths raise suspicion as more and more is uncovered about them.  John makes a visit to Plum Island and meets CIA and FBI agents, which really raises some red flags in his mind.  Why is the CIA involved in a small town murder investigation?  What is actually going on at Plum Island?  What were his seemingly innocent neighbors really involved in?  John uncovers this and more in Plum Island.

Since reading Plum Island I have continued with the John Corey series.  Plum Island is a great "stand alone" book and you could stop there. But I fell in love with the character and couldn't stop after one book.  John Corey is abrasive, sarcastic, and says what he thinks.  And for some reason I love that in a character and couldn't stop after one book.  I only have a couple more books to go in  series and have loved every single one.  Needless to say, my futre father-in-law made a fantastic recommendation and now I am recommending it to all of you.  So go grab Plum Island, give it a read, and let me know what you think!

Nighttime Is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark

Growing up I remember my mom always had a Mary Higgins Clark book in her hand.  Maybe not always, but she read Mary Higgins Clark a LOT.  As I have gotten older I find myself drawn towards Mary Higgins Clark as well.  It must run in the family.  Since moving to Connecticut I have gotten a public library card and have been checking out all of the Mary Higgins Clark books.  I don't know why but it just feels like something I should read in the winter.  Maybe I'm crazy but cold winter nights and mysteries just go hand in hand to me.  I've finished 2 of them now and must say Mary Higgins Clark is as good, if not better, than I remember.  Let's get down to business.

Nighttime is My Time is about a woman, Jean, who returns to her high school home town for a high school reunion.  Jean is a historian/college professor that is getting honored at this reunion, along with a few of her classmates.  Shortly before the reunion, one of Jean's old high school friends Alison is found dead in her pool.  No one thinks much of it, except for Jake, a high school student who is covering the reunion for his school paper.  Jake has realized that since Jean and her friends graduated from high school an uncanny amount of students from that class has turned up dead, all of supposed tragic accidents.  When Laura, another friend of Jean's, turns up missing while attending the reunion, Jake is the only one who thinks that maybe something fishy is going on.  Combine Laura's sudden disappearance with a string of murders happening in surrounding towns AND the surprising number of people who have died in Laura and Jean's graduating class. . . there must be a serial killer on the loose, and he or she MUST be targeting the reunion party.

I really enjoyed this book.  Mary Higgins Clark provided a multitude of characters that COULD have been the killer.  At the end of every chapter I was convinced someone else was the guy.  The story moved really quickly and was just a fun read.  There were added elements of suspense that made you want to scream at Laura and Jean to JUST STAY AWAY!!!!  Nighttime Is My Time really pulled me in to the story and let me escape for a few hours.  And that is what a book should do!

I have one more Mary Higgins Clark book I need to blog about before I return to the library this weekend.  I actually have 3 more books I should really attempt to finish by then as well.  For some reason I really hate checking a book out at the library and not reading it.  Obviously I can check it out again whenever I want, but I feel like I have failed at a goal when I don't finish them all.  Maybe that's just me? 

The Shining by Stephen King

I HATE scary movies.  I have no desire to voluntarily get scared for 2 hours of my life. (side note this also applies to haunted houses, haunted forests, haunted anything.  This does NOT apply to watching Ghost Hunters.  I absolutely love that freakin' show).  But for some reason I have always had this desire to watch The Shining. I don't know if it's because people are ALWAYS quoting it or because it seems to be a "classic" scary movie or possibly because Ghost Hunters did an episode that took place at the Stanley Hotel (supposedly the inspiration behind The Shining).  Whatever it is, the movie has always been something I want to watch.  Let's be real though, I just watched this fan trailer and I couldn't even ACTUALLY watch it.  The movie is just too scary for me.


 Fast forward to September.  My book club decided to read a scary book for October in honor of Halloween.  Who does scary better than Stephen King?  That's kind of his thing, right?   We finally settled on reading The Shining.  I was pretty stoked, but a little apprehensive at the same time.  If I can't even watch the trailer to a movie based off a book I would probably have nightmares reading it right? The imagination is a powerful thing and I was worried that it would conjure up images even worse than the movie depicts. But I knew I HAD to read this book and what better excuse than a book club to do the deed!

It ended up taking me longer to read than it should have.  Not because Stephen King isn't a brilliant writer, or because the book wasn't good.  I told myself I could only read the book during the day so that I wouldn't get too freaked out right before bed.  I was really terrified that I would end up having some creepy nightmare and John would have to soothe me back to sleep.  Luckily that didn't happen :)

A quick synopsis for you:  Jack Torrance takes a job as a groundskeeper/maintenance man at the Overlook Hotel located at the top of a mountain in Colorado.  He is responsible for all maintenance to the hotel and grounds during the winter off-season.  He moves his family (wife Wendy and son Danny) to the Overlook.  Jack ignores the advice of Ullman, the hotel manager, to maybe let his wife and Danny stay behind because of how remote the hotel is once the snow starts.  People can go stir crazy without access to the outside world and crazy things can happen to stir crazy people.

Danny, who is 5, has a gift that he and the hotel cook call The Shining.  Danny essentially has "visions" that somewhat tell the immediate future.  The hotel cook has them as well.  The 2 of them realize that their gift also gives them the unique ability to communicate with each other without speaking.  Using their gift, the cook tells Danny to be on alert at the hotel and to call him if Danny ever needs anything.

For the most part things start off well for the Torrances.  There are a few odd experiences, but Jack, Wendy, and Danny explain them all away.   Until more and more unusual things occur.   Eventually the hotel comes to life and leaves them with very limited options and no forseeable way out.


The book was really good.  When I sat down to read it I really got into the story.  But I have to say it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be.  Don't get me wrong, there is some freaky stuff that goes down. And there are some creepy mental images that one gets while reading the book. But it's not a story about boogy men or serial killers or even scary clowns (don't get me started).  There aren't psychos hiding around every corner (for the most part) waiting to jump out and kill you.  I think I was expecting something a lot scarier because of all the hype from the movie.  I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  But a little disappointed.  I think if I had read this book before the movie came out it would have been better, or at least more "scary" to me.  Unfortunately the book and movie both came out well before I was born so the hype of the movie is something I have always known.

Horror is definitely not a genre of book I read ever.  And to be honest I probably won't ever read it again .  I think The Shining was well written and the story was captivating.  But I'm just not a fan of horror.  I'm glad I read it. But  I probably won't ever bring myself to see the movie.  This image is all I need:

Jack Nicholson really can be a creepy guy. Brilliant actor, but creepy

. 

Until next time!

~Tara

P.S. after finding this picture I realized I don't remember Jack actually saying "Here's Johnny" in the book.  It really is unfortunate since it's THE MOST popular line in the movie.  But don't let that deter you.  The part of the book that I imagine this is from is plenty creepy and disturbing even without "Here's Johnny"

A Time to Kill by John Grisham

2 summers ago John and I randomly watched the last half of A Time to Kill on TBS in a hotel room in Denver.  I loved the story and really wanted to watch the entire movie.  Then, last summer Sycamore Row by John Grisham was chosen as a book to read for book club.  I loved the book, the characters, and John Grisham’s writing style.  I got sucked in to the story in a way that any good book should do.  I knew at that point that I could really become a fan of John Grisham if I just read more books.  

My book club decided to read A Time To Kill.  One of the regulars of the club highly recommended John Grisham and I knew that I really liked the general story line.  So we decided to read it.  Oh my goodness it was SO good.  The movie is excellent.  But the book is even better!  I loved this book.  It hit on a lot of hot topic issues of the 1980’s South.  And, in light of recent events, hot topic issues today.  It really gets you thinking about how you would react to a very sensitive situation. 

In A Time to Kill, Carl Lee Hailey kills 2 men that have been charged, and admitted to, raping and beating Carl Lee’s 10 year old daughter.  Before the 2 men even go to trial Carl Lee hides in a utility closet of the courthouse and shoots them with an M-16 as they walk past him.  In the process of shooting these men he also shoots a deputy who ends up losing his leg as a result.  Carl Lee at no point denies the fact that he plotted to and did kill these men.  The entire city was outraged by the rape, but now they don’t know how to react to Carl Lee taking the law into his own hands and killing the men responsible for raping and beating his daughter.

On top of it all, Carl Lee is a black man who killed 2 white men in a VERY Southern town in Mississippi.  There are many racists in this town.  There is a very slim chance of Carl Lee getting a fair trial for no other reason than he is black and most of the county is white.  This is where Jake Brigance, Carl Lee’s lawyer, comes in.  He has to figure out a way for Carl Lee to get a fair trial, all while dealing with death threats towards himself, his family, and his employees.  Jake has to come up with a way to defend Carl Lee effectively when Carl Lee at no point wants to deny the fact that he did indeed kill these men.

The story that Grisham tells of Jake’s struggles to defend Carl Lee when all odds are against him is so intriguing.   I couldn’t put the book down (except when I had to because a customer walked in to work. . . work really gets in the way sometimes J ).  I HIGHLY recommend this book to pretty much anyone.  Grisham does use the “n” word a LOT, but it is all in context of the setting of the book.  At the time and place the book was set, a LOT of people used it and didn’t see anything wrong with it.  If you are offended by it, I would not read this because it is pretty prevalent from page 1.  Other than that it is a GREAT book that everyone should read.  While the book is a bit dated (written in 1989, set in the early 80’s as well)  I think the overall issues the book presents are still relevant in society today.  Would Carl Lee have even gone to trial if he were white?  Should he have taken the law into his own hands?  Should he face the death penalty?  What would you do if your daughter got raped and beat by 2 men, causing her to not be able to have children, especially since these men confessed to their crime?  These are the questions that Grisham makes you ask yourself as you are reading his story.

I would also recommend watching the movie.  It stars Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L Jackson, and Kevin Spacey, just to name a few.  Here is a trailer: 

I am officially a fan of Grisham. I actually went to DI (the local thrift store) and bought pretty much every Grisham book I found.  I am obsessed.  I just hope he doesn’t disappoint me from here on out.

Next up for book club is Ender’s Shadow.  I’ve had this sitting on my bookshelf for a few years now and am excited for an excuse to read it.  I am also reading a book that I borrowed from my little brother: Wings of Fire.  I have to finish it soon because he wants it back to reread.  Also, I am FINALLY almost done rereading Harry Potter.  As usual Netflix got in the way (Pretty Little Liars is ADDICTING).  I started reading them BEFORE my trip to Florida in MARCH!  And I am now almost done with book 6.  Seriously I don’t know why it has taken me this long except for Netflix.  Typically when I reread them I finish in like a week.  Oh well, I own them all so it’s not like I need to be in a hurry to finish them.

Happy Reading!

~Tara