Forever Odd

Forever Odd

Dean Koontz

4 out of 5

Since I did not enjoy the first book in this series, until its very end, I surprised myself by picking up this one and realizing that I enjoyed it quite a bit more.

Odd really endeared himself to me in this one. From the beginning with his story about Elvis to the end where he will do what it takes, even if it is his own life, to help a friend. That is what Odd does, and with the help of his loved ones in the town of Pico Mundo, Odd will forever be treasured by his band of friends and the readers of this series.

Odd Thomas does not consider himself a hero, he just has the ability to communicate with the dead and has a built in magnet that draws people, whether alive or dead, to him. Odd's a good person so when his childhood friend disappears, Odd uses his ability to find him, not realizing that this journey will take him to an old abandoned casino and the evil Datura, who is determined to use Odd's gifts to further her own wicked goals.

The ending leads right into what appears to be the third installment of the Odd Thomas story. That in itself looks very interesting. Just imagine Odd as a Lay member of a religious order with Elvis along, since Elvis knows that this is his way home to his beloved mother.

I am glad that this series is starting to grow on me, I had been a fan of Dean Koontz with his original books, and I am glad that I can once again look forward to reading more.

Switching Time

Switching Time : A Doctor's Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities

Richard Baer

4 out of 5

Whenever I read a book involving multiple personalities, The Minds of Billy Milligan, When Rabbit Howls, etc, my first response is always - no way, they have to be making this up. However, with this book, Switching Time, Richard Baer makes the trauma that Karen Overhill endured come across as convincing and with her experiences explains how a multiple disorder takes form and how each part of the main, takes on the duties that it was designed for.

The reader is first introduced to Karen during her first meeting with Baer first in January 1989, when she came to his Chicago office complaining of depression and suicidal feelings. During her initial meetings, she begins to recount her bouts of lost memory. Ending up in locations that she does not remember, total strangers that seem to know her, waking up in the morning and her house cleaning is done. As time and therapy progress, Dr. Baer begins to suspect that there is a personality break and with time and hypnosis, 17 individual personals are introduced and explain their individual function in Karen's life.

Parts of the story are hard to fathom, how can a personality break off when Karen is a mere infant herself. How can an infants mind separate horrific childhood abuse and break off to develop an alter to take the abuse? If that is possible, it just does not make sense to my mind.

As each personality comes forward, letters are written and pictures are drawn that show how individual each "person" really is. By the end, the reader has come to know each child and adult and when they are integrated, it is like watching a friend leave. Not all personalities are likeable, not all are beneficial, but by the end, Karen is integrated into a whole person that just might be able to handle all that has happened and to one day be able to acknowledge and accept what had happened to her.

Though the middle bogged down a bit and parts seemed a bit too repetitious, over all the book was quite interesting. The study and science of multiple personality disorder, or dissociative identity disorder, are still debated, but books like help the lay person to understand how the trauma of early abuse can cause the mind to break into parts to deal with the whole.

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases


The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Cases

Michael Capuzzo

ISBN: 9781592401420

Publication Date: August 10, 2010

"It's books like this for which the phrase 'page turner' was invented. This deeply compelling work of nonfiction details the lives and interests of the men and women who founded the Vidocq Society, a group of forensic specialists dedicated to solving of cold case murders.

So Far This Year

Total Pages Read 9882
Fiction 13
Non-Fiction 4
Mystery (All Genres) 28
New Authors 28
Audio 9
Young Adult 1

Total Books Read 46


JULY BOOKS

Paper Scissors Death - Joanna Campbell Slan
Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death - MC Beatson
The Cruellest Month - Hazel Holt
The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Ree Drummond
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt - Beth Hoffman
Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear
The Long Quiche Goodbye - Avery Aames
Grounds for Murder - Sandra Balzo
Secondhand Spirits - Juliet Blackwell
A Glimpse of Evil - Victoria Laurie


SO FAR ON MY CHALLENGES:

Cozy Challenge: 13/10 COMPLETE
First in a Series: 12/12 COMPLETE
ARC Challenge: 6/12
Support Your Local Library: 25/25 COMPLETE
Chunkster Challenge: 2/6
Reading From My Shelves Challenge: 13/50

This year my challenges will count in multiple categories.