Wow!!!!
Ann Rule takes us on a thrilling journey of the life and death of serial killer Ted Bundy. Being friends with a serial killer isn't the easiest thing in the world. But Ann didn't find that out until much later... Oh, Ted Bundy... what can I possibly say about this American icon that hasn't already been said in this book? I had several problems with this book but it had absolutely nothing to do with the author. Problems such as the diagnosis that they gave Ted Bundy which I felt was completely bogus and only used so that he could not use the insanity plea in his trials. I feel very conflicted however about the relationship between Ann and Ted. She doesn't explain until "The Last Chapter" that she held hopes for him to still help the world in the way that she first knew him to help people. She explains how she doesn't understand and cannot comprehend how someone can hurt an innocent victim and not feel remorse for it. Perhaps this is why she continued to send him money even in prison and why she continued to correspond with him even after his conviction. She wanted to use him to do good in the only way that she knew how. Whereas in the beginning I believe she was simply in denial that someone she called her friend could possibly be such a monster. As for Ted Bundy himself oh, I feel that he ultimately got what he wanted. Control. He was able to convince everyone that he was "the baddest son of a bitch around" and that he was the most monstrous of serial killers. By manipulating the public the way that he did he was able to victimize people that he hadn't even touched yet. When we as a populist think of Ted Bundy we think of fear. That is his legacy. and in my opinion the legacy that he wanted for himself. But anyways enough about my thoughts on the book. Let's talk about the nitty-gritty. The book was masterfully written as with most of Ann Rule's works. Her profession has allowed her to write these true crime novels in such a way that the layman can understand and follow but she still uses the police and detective crime jargon. She makes it easy for her readers to follow along and even makes her books exciting by turning the facts and evidence into a storyline. She is without doubt America's number one true crime novelist. I enjoyed this book immensely. although I already knew a lot about Ted Bundy there is still so much in this book that I did not know and was eager to learn. My self-studies in the field of psychology made this book more than fascinating for me. I don't think we realized when Ted was convicted how rare a jewel he actually was. And when I say that here's what I mean: it is so positively rare that we get a serial killer the likes of Ted Bundy. It is even rarer to get a serial killer the likes of Ted Bundy caught alive and held in captivity where we could possibly study him and learn from him. I truly wish we would have kept him alive and not giving him the death penalty. I understand that this statement may piss a few people off but it is my personal opinion. I could honestly go on and on about this book but I will refrain from doing so. LOL 😜 Please read this book if you have not already. I think this is one of those books that everyone should read no matter who you are, no matter where you come from. Ted Bundy is a study and not only American history but human history itself. Because you never know when you might meet a Ted Bundy yourself.
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Outstanding!
"In eighteenth century London, porcelain is the most seductive of commodities; fortunes are made and lost upon it. Kings do battle with knights and knaves for possession of the finest pieces and the secrets of their manufacture. For Genevieve Planché, an English-born descendant of Huguenot refugees, porcelain holds far less allure; she wants to be an artist, a painter of international repute, but nobody takes the idea of a female artist seriously in London. If only she could reach Venice. When Genevieve meets the charming Sir Gabriel Courtenay, he offers her an opportunity she can’t refuse; if she learns the secrets of porcelain, he will send her to Venice. But in particular, she must learn the secrets of the colour blue… The ensuing events take Genevieve deep into England’s emerging industrial heartlands, where not only does she learn about porcelain, but also about the art of industrial espionage. With the heart and spirit of her Huguenot ancestors, Genevieve faces her challenges head on, but how much is she willing to suffer in pursuit and protection of the colour blue?" Nancy Bilyeau's poised and polished writing style brings the 18th century to life! Her word usage and grammar structure really bring the characters to life and let you feel as if you are there in Genevieve's head. Stunningly descriptive and gorgeously written you can not only see the China patterns but smell the paint on the porcelain! I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I thought that the story was well written and well-thought-out. I thought that the descriptive powers used by the author were just utterly amazing. It's been a long time since I've read a book by an author who can write in this manner. Although I didn't read the other books in the series I did not feel as though I was lost. The story just jumps right in and carries you away! Brilliant! I would definitely recommend this book to everyone as I enjoyed it so much. I would especially recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and strong female characters. Good read!
Courtney Summers takes us through the story of a young girl who has run away from home with the thought of seeking revenge for the death of her younger sister. She is searching for the man responsible for her murder and so much more. Will Sadie complete her self-made task? And a better question, will anyone ever see Sadie again? This book is written in a very interesting way. There are two main perspectives in this book. One comes from Sadie herself and the other comes from a radio show host who interviews pertinent people to her case. As the book switches back and forth between the two perspectives you get a feel for both Sadie and her little sister Mattie as well as the people surrounding them in their lives and the people that Sadie comes in contact with in her relentless search for the man responsible for Mattie's murder. although the book switches back and forth between the two perspectives it is not difficult to follow the storyline. This is actually a very easy read. I personally thought this book was good but I'm just going to leave it at that. I don't quite understand all the hype over this book because it wasn't outstanding per se. It was written very well and forms a very unique perspective of the storyline. There were several parts where I felt like I just wanted the story to get on with it and get to the point. I felt that some parts lagged along a little. I also felt that the ending, though interesting, left the reader wanting. I felt that for a story such as this the reader needs a little bit more closure at the end instead of what we got which was "maybe" and "could be". I didn't dislike the book enough to give it a thumbs down however. And I would definitely recommend this book to people who like young adult and thriller books. Interesting...
Charlotte Davis is not your average teenager. She practices self harm in the form of cutting. Glasgow gives us an intimate look into the life of this lonely and distraught teenager who is torn to pieces in more ways than one. I personally think this book should come with a gigantic trigger warning. But I guess if the cover and title doesn't do that in itself then you're just fooling yourself. Although this book was very well written and obviously carefully thought out, I think that it was a bit too long for the subject matter. It got very tedious and boring in the second half. This book was very personal for me. It triggered a lot of emotion and memory out of me. Without going into too much detail, I can relate very much to the protagonist in this book. But I think we all can in our own ways if we can remember what it's like to be a teenager and even imagine what it's like to be a teenager in Charlotte's life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is curious about mental illness and self-harm. |
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