Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Panther by Nelson DeMille.

Cover of The Panther


Hello Everyone,

I know it has taken me a long time to complete this novel and to be 100% honest, I am still about 200 pages away from the end. Unfortunately, I left it at my grandmothers house and was unable to get it back until a few days ago. I will go ahead and post on it, considering I am a good percentage through the book and I don't give up the ending anyways.

John Corey and his wife Kate are anti- terrorists agents. Their job is to make the Homeland safe, and so far they have. However, in order to keep our country safe, we must keep Al-Qaeda out of the Middle Eastern countries. One of these countries, Yemen, is on the brink of being overrun. With a weak government, territorial tribes all over the landscape, and Al-Qaeda the new kids on the block, Yemen doesn't seem like a safe place to live. And to top it all off there is a panther on the loose.

Al-Numair, the Panther, is on a mission to destroy America. He has decided that John Corey and Kate are perfect candidates to murder and show how great he is.

Trying to destroy the Panther, John and Kate are shuttled to Yemen to track this man down and arrest him, or terminate him, whichever comes first.


If you enjoy this kind of novel, you will probably enjoy the book. I have mentioned before, that it is the latest book in the series. I highly recommend you read them before reading this novel. I myself found this book to be a little dry. The previous five books are great, but this one just seems to have a lot of plot setup, and not enough action. However, I think the end is going to be great,and I am looking forward to finishing.

I will not rate the book now, but when I finish it I will place it in this blog. I will notify you when I do so.


On a local note, tomorrow is the annual Christmas tree lighting in downtown Caldwell. Take your family and friends and go have a good time. The tree is located by TVCC on Blaine street. While you are there you can go get a couple books at The Rubaiyat and buy some delicious coffee at The Bird Stop. The Bird Stop is also having a benefit concert for Joe Wheeler. Music will be preformed by the local talents Marshall Poole and BlooVooDoo. Feel free to go down and have a good time.

Well everyone, have a fantastic afternoon. I will try to post a few more times before turkey day, but if I don't have a Happy Thanksgiving!




Sunday, November 11, 2012

Seven Patients by Atul Kumar

Hello Everyone,

This morning I finished my first novel on my Kindle, called Seven Patients. Before I begin discussing it, I wanted to mention that it is not available in hardcover (as far as I know).

The story begins with an introduction to Rajen Mok, a third year medical student who begins his internship at a prestigious hospital. The book revolves around Rajen working at various areas of the hospital.

The book is a mere six chapters, each having a short story affect (meaning they aren't connected as a regular novel is). They are loosely connected and all have the same characters, with a few additions here and there.


The book is written fairly well. There is not a huge dramatic ending, or a romantic twist to it, but it does keep you reading and is enjoyable. The book has a lengthy medical vocabulary with definitions in the back to inform the reader. All in all I will give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars. For a four dollar novel, with no need to hurry through it, it would be a good casual read.



There are a few other features about the Kindle I didn't previously know about. When you finish your book, you can be directed to a page where you can review the novel,and see what others thought of it. It will also show you the most highlighted areas of the novel.  You can also X-ray the novel, which shows you where the characters are in the novel and how often they appear.


I know this was a short post, but I promise I have a lot more good reads coming your way. There are also a few events coming in the future you may want to place on your calender.

Everyone have a great Sunday and Keep Reading!

Friday, November 9, 2012

The Amazon Kindle Fire





Good morning Everyone,

As most of you know, I hurtled into the technology world of reading by purchasing my first e-Reader. A few weeks ago, I went to Best Buy and bought a Kindle Fire.
Today I will be reviewing this device specifically.

To start off, the screen is about 7 inches large ( rough estimate, don't quote me on it), and is colored.
When you first open the Kindle you are given a brief overview of how to work your device. It is quite helpful, and very short.

As you discover the settings, you can adjust the volume for your device, and the brightness. You will also be able to change Wi-Fi settings.

Once you are ready to go, you can browse easily through your games, apps, books, music, and videos. When you begin browsing the store, you will be able to find some  free books to get you started. You will also find that new releases are cheaper than the shelf price at your local new bookstore.

When you enter a novel you are reading, you can adjust the font, the font size, the background color (personally I prefer sepia because it is not as bright), how wide the margins can be, or whether you want the text to speech. You can also "bookmark" pages that you would like to refer to later. When you bookmark a page you can go through Notes and see where you marked (may be good for those of you who would like textbooks).
The larger screen allows your gaming experiences to be more enjoyable. Angry Birds is ten times more fun than your phone.

One major downside to the Kindle (or any device) is the battery life. That is one feature that books will always prevail in. The Kindle's battery life is fairly long, but when you need to charge you are unable to do anything on your device. You must wait for it to charge before you can continue reading.

My Kindle does not have 3G capabilities. I chose not to buy the devices with the 3G because I am almost never in a place that does not have Wi-Fi. You can however play your already downloaded games and books without Wi-Fi if needed.

When you purchase your device, I recommend that you also purchase a carrying case (range from 20-50 dollars). This will save your device if you drop it. You may also consider buying a pen to use instead of your fingers. Screen protectors are also something to consider.

All in all, I think the Kindle Fire deserves a 9 out of 10.

I chose not to buy the Kindle Fire HD, because I don't think 40 extra dollars is worth it. With my Kindle Fire, the case, and the pen, it cost me 215.00. The Kindle Fire HD itself is 200.00.

The Nook I hear is a good buy, but I don't know anyone with it, and I was skeptical to purchase one. I also would rather have Amazon as my book provider rather than Barnes & Nobles.
Comparison of the Kindle Fire and the Nook Color

If you are still curious about e-Readers, please browse around the internet. Consumer Reports is a great source for information, and I used it personally to help make a decision. If, after browsing the internet and talking to friends, you cannot make a decision on whether you want one or not, don't buy one. Regular books may be your best option.

I hoped this helped you, please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions about the Kindle Fire. Everyone have a great morning!

Keep Reading.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Nelson DeMille's Plum Island

Hello Everyone,

I haven't yet finished The Panther ( it's getting there), but I thought I would talk about the first book in the series and see what you guys think.

John Corey is introduced as a retired NYPD homicide detective who was shot in the line of duty. He convalesces to Plum Island for a break. Little did he know that two of his friends were shot dead. Considering that both of the victims worked at the offshore animal disease research site, it was rumored that germ warfare was involved.

With his vacation in the garbage, he pursues the killer. In turn, he finds himself.


The book has a lot of interesting features. All of the jokes are from a mans point of view, and thus, it is more or less a man's series. Most men will think it's hilarious, and most women will think it's childish and immature. Don't let the jokes fool you, it is filled with action and suspense. The characters are priceless, and you will never be able to forget them once you meet them.

This book is one of my favorites in the series and is a favorite among every book I have ever read. I suggest you give it a try if you enjoy mystery. I give Plum Island a 4.5 out of 5.


Next up is my review on my Kindle Fire. I should have it up by Monday, but no promises. As a side note, the interview I promised by Amy Perry has been postponed due to technical difficulties. Unfortunately I do not know how to post it on the blog after I have recorded it. I am currently working on resolving the issue. If you have any tips, they are greatly appreicated!!

Everyone have a great weekend, and Keep Reading!!