Ah, a day off. Time to get laundry done, and make those cupcakes I've wanted for two weeks now, but have been afraid to try. Cause of the finger. But we have a new mixer now, a nice fancy one, so hopefully all goes well, when I get around to it. Also, I'm expressing my nerdy-ness by playing Star Wars Galaxies, a game which Mike got me into. Woohoo.
Anyways, last night, as for several nights, I've been experiencing insomnia. Didn't get to sleep till 4, and even then it was restless, fitful sleep. With odd dreams. But, on the plus side, I was able to finish a book (with my new LED book light, which is awesomely bright).
That book was The House on Tradd Street by Karen White. I've never read anything by her, and I just happened to pick up the book off the steps. My mom bought it on Amazon as part of their, "You bought this, so you'd probably like this" feature.
At first, I thought I was going to hate it. The main character is basically a Sandra Bullock type character. Single, almost 40, up tight successful business woman. And of course as skinny as a rail and can eat donuts without repercussion. Bah. But I stuck to it, because it gives me an ugly feeling to start a book and never finish it. I STILL think about a book I gave up on YEARS ago. But anyway...
The basic premise of the book is that this woman, Melanie, inherits this house from a man who's grandfather was a friend of her grandfather. Its an old house, which is what Melanie specializes in selling in the real estate world. But she hates old houses. Why? Cause she can see and talk to ghosts.
Before you scoff, she tries to hide this fact. And it's not overly ridiculous, like trying to watch the show Ghost Adventures or any number of shows like that. Every once in a while, throughout the book, she'll see someone no one else can see. But she tries to ignore it.
But she can't once renovations begin on this house she inherits. There is this long mystery attached to the house and the family, and all sorts of moving parts and whatnot.
What Karen White does well is creating this long line of suspense. Pretty much through most of the book, you're turning pages thinking "what'll happen?" You're just waiting for the break in the story, and for the characters to finally solve the mystery.
And part of my loves this book because I've always wanted an old house with mystery and intrigue so I could solve the ancient stories of the house. No such luck, yet...
Cons of the book: Melanie seems to have a turning point at the end of the book with another main character, Jack, who she keeps at an arms length through the whole book, but whom the reader is charmed by. But the publishers make the mistake of putting in the first few pages of a companion novel at the end, and she's right back to being her normal, stuck up self. So that was disappointing.
Also, there's another male character who you know is up to no good through the entire novel. And you except this big blow out. No. Only a punch in the jaw, and it's all over. I wanted an explosion. And the only explosion you get is one that crosses the line from mild fantasy elements to a full-blown spiritual spectacle, that I had a hard time accepting, because it was, shall we say "too easy."
But overall I'd say this book was pretty good and worth the read. Not all the characters are lovable, but at least she had the right frame of mind to put in a cute little fluffy dog, which no one can resist.
