Growing stronger at the broken place

Ernest Hemmingway's ~ A Farewell to Arms~

"The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places."

May you go strong at the broken places.

~Secrets to the Grave- Tami Hoag p449~




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The (not so) wild zone- Joy Fielding

Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The Wild Zone, a South Beach (Miami Beach, Fla.) bar filled with lusty men—specifically, charismatic personal trainer Jeff Rydell; his cute visiting half-brother, Will, a Princeton graduate student; and Jeff's married best friend, Tom Whitman, a dishonorably discharged Afghanistan war veteran with some serious problems—provides the starting point for bestseller Fielding's nonstop thrill ride. A sexy bar patron, Suzy Bigelow, inspires the trio to make a wager on who can bed her first, and they even ask Jeff's live-in girlfriend, a Wild Zone bartender, for help. Suzy chooses Will for a platonic date, which has some distinctly unpleasant repercussions that involve not only wide-eyed Will but desperate, gun-loving Tom, whose wife takes their children and files for divorce. Fielding (Still Life) combines a fast-paced plot with top-notch character development to create an atmosphere of brooding unease that explodes in a wonderfully wild resolution. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


++++

This is the worst book ever written by Joy Fielding. The 3 male characters are arrogant and shelfish and I couldn't continue reading and had to skip to the end to read the ending.

Unfortunately this paragraphs irks me terribly.

"You have anyone from Singapore?" Tom had heard about how strict they were in Singapore, where they throw you in jail for jaywalking and doled out hundred of lashes for just spitting on the street. Shit, hadn't they almost execute some poor American kid for scribbling harmless graffiti on a wall? You had to figure their women would be pretty submissive."
~ page 319

Urgh. Typical stereotyping and demeaning to our women.




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Karin Slaughter

I first spotted "Broken" at page one in vivocity. The back excerpt looks interesting and I proceed to search Amazon and NIL catalogue for books availabilty.

I was surprised to find out that she written almost 10 books! Hoping to get hooked on her books ala Karen Rose and Lisa Gardner, I decided to pick "Fractured" to get a feel of her writing and I'm hooked!


Fractured


Undone


Broken

Featuring Will Trent, Faith Mitchell and Sara Linton from her first Grant County series.
So many books to read so little time!

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Now reading: The search by Nora Roberts

Product Description from Amazon:

"The #1 New York Times-bestselling author presents a riveting novel where a canine search and rescue volunteer fights danger and finds love in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare...

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands..."

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Criminal Minds and so much more

Criminal Minds 5 is showing on Fox now and I'm eagerly following every episodes. I watched the first few on the  flight to Perth earlier this year and I'm so glad that I do not have to wait any longer :)

Just watched 2 episodes of True Blood season 1 on DVD. Hmm.. very adult like, lots of cursing and blood and sex. Let's see how I feel after a couple more ep. Doesn't grip my attention but I'm compelled to know what happened next. so it's ok so far.

Also watching:

1. Castle 2 (Diva Universal -Ch 522)

2. The Mentalist 2 (Ch 102)

3. CSI: NY 6 (AXN- Ch 511)

4. CSI: Miami 8 (AXN- Ch 511)

Finished Ghost Whisperer 6 on Ch 102. Wondering if it is the last season.. everything is wrapped up nicely and the shadows and shinning are explained. GW always makes me cry.

In the US, fall TV season is always the highlight. In Sg, we'll have to wait around 6-8 months after the 1st ep debuts. Of course if you opt for Mio TV, you can watch it almost 1-2 weeks or couple of days after it's telecast in US. I'm in no hurry and I will wait though cliff hangers always makes me angsty for awhile. heh.

Oh ya, I'm watching re runs of The Closer 1 on Diva U. Fun to watch it all over again and see how their unity and loyalty for the team begins. (debut 2005). Every time I watches a crime series, I wished for such a working environment. Where everyone has your back and how their bosses are the super nicest people in the whole world where you will undoubtedly do anything for them, such righteousness and clam.

The Closer 5

Can't say why I love this series but I just do. It's not shown on any cable nor free to air here but after picking up the 1st season on DVD, I'm hooked! I can finished 4 episodes in a sitting, well I can finish many crime series pretty quickly. Great show, can't wait for season 6 on DVD and more Fritzy and Joel (the new kitty).

Read the review here.

Karen Rose

I'm hooked on books by Karen Rose. Her stories are great and her writing believable. Sometimes I just couldn't put the book down and I'm determined to guess who the killer is. SOmetimes I get it, sometimes I don't, and when the killer is revealed, I would be "why didn't I see that?" She has 10 books and I'm on my 7th. What am I going to do when I finished all her books? Who should I turn to, to get my thriller fix? There are a few though, Lisa Gardner is on my list... so is Mary Higgins Clark, Joy Fielding and Jonathan Kellerman (though I don't really feel for his books now- I was reading all his works at one time)

Back to reading now. Buh-Bye! (from Silent Scream- now reading)

The best & most intelligent written TV Series in a long time

It is beautifully written. No over the top acting and very honest dilemmas and emotions that anyone can experience in their daily life. Current sex scandals and political backstabbing is part of the story line.

Can't wait for season 2. Read more on The Good Wife Season 1 - here.

Castle (S2) is back on Star World (501) today! Yay! =D

I chanced upon the episode by luck.. Didn't know that Castle is back on TV. Tuesday was supposed to be showing Mercy at 9pm. They should have some "shots" in between to inform viewers.

Anyway, Yay! =D

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I can see you

I haven't been reading much this month. Just started on "I can see you" by Karen Rose.

Current Reads - Black Hills

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite author and I have a lot of her books in my bookshelf. I waited for about 2 months upon reserving it at the library and I'm glad to finally read it.

Lil is not really a likable character, she's strong and passionate about what she does, running a wildlife sanctuary and Cooper is lost and has to deal with parental issues when he was a kid. The characters just don't draw me in, and it's a shame.. because NR has attractive and lovely characters although flawed and they are usually charismatic.

Will probably skip buying this in mass paperback to add on to my library. Hoping her next will be better.

I'm halfway through the book and am determine to finish it. Not reading as much as I like, only 4 books so far. And one trivia... there's a Lucius character in the book!

The Lodger

The Lodger is a great movie! It's full of suspense and the filming style is really the work of an artist. The dark, gloomy set, music and visual plays with the story line and created a film that was interpreted from the point of the viewers. From the start, I suspected who the killer was, but somewhere in the middle, I begin to suffer self doubt and wonders if it's too easy. Well, it was easy for me, but not so for the rest of the cast for they kept getting thrown off course and are deceived & misled by the murderer & clues.

Scenes were subjectivity played and viewers were encouraged to experience and feel what they want to feel. Scared, fear, sad, attracted, pity and even admiration for the murderer. Unlike Saw, blood and gore was not the lead, instead scenes were artistically filmed with intent of the murder that is happening. Through it, the viewers understand through the struggles, dragging of feet & blood trickling down the high heels, that the victim has died.

It's a great film! I watched mainly for Simon Baker (The Mentalist) but was amazed by Hope Davis the landlady. I hope for more art house film noir experience.

Amazon Review:

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Jack’s back, more or less, in The Lodger, a cleverly-plotted thriller-cum-horror story sporting a good cast and a nicely ominous vibe throughout. When Los Angeles Detective Chandler Manning (Alfred Molina) arrives at the scene of a prostitute’s grisly murder, the clues look awfully familiar. Seven years earlier, Manning had helped send to Death Row a killer whose M.O. was identical not only to this one, but also to that of the notorious Jack the Ripper, who terrorized 19th-century London but was never identified, let alone caught. Is this new monster, who goes on to kill several more defenseless hookers, a copycat? Or could it mean that the wrong man paid the ultimate price for the earlier crimes? Meanwhile, Joe and Ellen Bunting (Donal Logue and Hope Davis) rent out a room to a "writer" named Malcolm (Simon Baker), whose weird habits make him an obvious suspect. But there are several others as well, including Joe, who works as a security guard while Ellen nurses her active and rather twisted imagination, and even Det. Manning, a loose cannon type who may be a Jack the Ripper authority but whose life is a mess, what with an institutionalized wife and a daughter who blames him for her mother’s affliction. Adapted from a novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes, this tale was turned into a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock way back in 1927 and has been remade several times since. No one will confuse David Ondaatje, who wrote and directed this version, with Hitchcock, and those familiar with the genre will have little trouble predicting how it all turns out. Nonetheless, The Lodger is a good ride, guilty pleasure or not. --Sam Graham

The Closer & Castle

I love watching crime series, enjoyed how analytical and composed the polices detectives and investigators remains in times of danger and how in some episodes, the criminals out smart the investigators and escaping from the arms of justice.

Some criminals are so cocky and mean and so senseless in their violence that I wished they are shot instead of being arrested and further wasting the entire nation's times and resources. 

The Closer is one series that I've enjoyed watching on DVD with hubby. It's old fashioned interrogation and detective works. No mind boggling machines, DNA and computer ( We laugh when Tao swabs a suspect for gun powder residue- very unlike how our CSI teams does it). The interaction between the cast is very believable and human, the jokes are funny and I love how they do it with deadpan humor. There's only 15 episodes in this series and I'm so sad to complete it. I want MORE!

It's into season 4 and I hope hollywoodclicks would continue bring season 5 in.

Another new series to talk about. CASTLE. Chanced it on Starworld (CH18) and I'm hooked!

Here's a review from Amazon:

Amazon.com

One of the best shows to emerge midway through the 2008-2009 TV season, Castle has a cast and a sense of humor that set it apart from the normal police procedural. Nathan Fillion plays Rick Castle, a bestselling author of pulpy crime novels who's called in to assist the New York police when a serial killer begins committing copycat murders based on situations in his books. Castle helps crack the case, then decides to kill off his longtime character and create a new one, named "Nikki Heat," and research her by shadowing Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). Much to her irritation, he pulls strings with the mayor's office to embed himself in the department, and helps her solve a wide range of whodunits, including a woman drowned in a bath tub full of motor oil, another frozen and suspended at a construction site, and a corpse stuck in a clothes dryer. To alleviate the grim proceedings, Fillion is in his element as the wisecracking Castle, while adding another ray of sunshine is Castle's impossibly likeable teenage daughter, Alexis (Molly Quinn), who lives with Castle and his mom (Susan Sullivan), a former Broadway star. Castle's circle of poker buddies includes veteran TV writer-producer Stephen J. Cannell and author James Patterson playing themselves. Like many (or most) he-and-she cop shows, there's an element of "Will they or won't they…?", but the beautiful Katic keeps Castle at bay by radiating cool. Clearly she's a woman who wants to separate herself from her emotionally draining and predominantly male job, so it makes it all the more enjoyable when she momentarily steps out of that mode, such as an impromptu appearance at his book signing. Much to the relief of Fillion fans who feared their man was a show killer after the aborted runs of such shows as Firefly and Drive, Castle was renewed for a second, full season. --David Horiuchi

The writing is good, lots of twist in each episodes and I enjoyed Castle's (Nathan Fillion) quick witted humour and sardonic jokes. And I think Det Kate is so pretty! Actress Stana Katic kinda of reminds me of The OC's Misha Barton when I first saw her. The characters are what make or break a series.

I'm so thankful to know that there's a season 2 because season 1 has only 10 episodes and it ended last Thursday.

There's also a book out - Heatwave by Richard Castle (to tie in with the show)

Here's a video highlighting season 1.

There's another detective series on Tuesday (CH5) at 12am. Titled Women's Murder club. It's not a great show adn it was cancelled only after 13 episodes. Loosely based on James Patterson's books characters, it tries to hard to be a soap series/ police drama. Each episodes are peppered with love stories of each characters and the highlights of the police cases are very few. I'm not to bummed that it was cancelled, but I watched it just for fun.