CBR Book #9: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Ben Mears is a writer who has decided to return to a home he knew in his childhood. He plans to visit Jerusalem's Lot to exorcise the demons of his past and to create a best seller for his future. Mears hopes to rent the dilapidated Marsten House that stands over the town, overseeing the evil that men and women do in their daily lives. Unfortunately, the Marsten House has already been rented to a pair of antique dealers from out of town. Straker and the unseen Barlow have come to the town of 'Salem's Lot to start a new venture, but it may not involve antiquities.

People: Don't write in library books

I am working on Salem's Lot for CBR. I've been reading since I finished Rosemary's Baby. I am on page 47. I'm hitting the wall a little early here! I can usually fly through King's books, but not this time. I may cheat on King with another author for a while 'cause I'm a book ho.

Anyway,about the post title. Of the last four books from the library, three had writing and underlining in them. Come. On.

CBR Book #8: Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

(I don't want to get all spoiler up in this bitch because I don't know who has seen the movie or read the book.) This book troubled me as a feminist in the way that Rosemary was treated and the ways that she reacted to those around her. Rosemary acquiesces to almost all of those around her, including her husband Guy and their neighbors the Castavets. Even when her friends, her instincts, and her own body are telling her that something is amiss, she ignores them in favor of Guy , Dr. Saperstein, and the Castavets. That made me crazy as I was reading. I understand that this book was written by a man and in the late 1960s, but it still annoyed me.

CBR Book #7: Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker

The Monster at the End of This Book is awesome. In it, Grover the furry blue monster begs you not to turn another page, lest you bring him face-to-face with the monster waiting with the last words. Ropes are tied, walls are built, begging is employed, but all to no avail. You reach the end of the book only to find that lovable, furry Grover was the monster at the end of the book. Read that book instead.

CBR Book #6: The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

Chris MacNeil is an actress filming on location in Georgetown. She lives in a rented home with her daughter Regan, housekeepers Karl and Willie, and Regan's tutor/Chris's secretary Sharon. This book also introduces us to a Jesuit, Father Damien Karras, who believes he is losing his faith.

CBR Book #5: Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard

Jackie Burke is forty-four years old, married three times, and stuck in a dead-end job as an airline stewardess for Islands Air. Jackie begins bringing money from Freeport to California for Ordell Robbie, the man to see about getting a gun in Palm Beach. ATF agent Ray Nicolet and FDLE agent Faron Tyler want to bring in Ordell Robbie. Ordell wants to be sure that his business isn't threatened in any way so he goes to see bail bondsman Max Cherry about bonding out one of his associates. Ordell hopes that this associate will stay quiet and is willing to make sure he stays that way permanently. Add in Ordell's recently released convict buddy Louis Gara, Ordell's stable of women, $550,000 and you have Rum Punch.

CBR Book #4: When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris.

I know I already reviewed a Sedaris book, but I promise this will be the last one for this Cannonball Read cycle. Probably.

Cannonball Read Book #3: Rant by Chuck Palahniuk

"My head's working overtime to swallow the mess of this." That line perfectly sums up my feelings about Rant. I picked up this book because Palahniuk's name was on the spine. I didn't read the synopsis on the inner flaps. After reading the book and the inner flaps, I don't think they would have prepared me for what was hiding inside the virus-illustrated covers.

Cannonball Read Book #2: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Heart-Shaped Box came to my attention through a comment diversion at Pajiba. It was something about the scariest books that Pajibans had read and this book was mentioned more than once. Although the book didn't scare me, it was definitely a hell of a read and highly enjoyable.

Cannonball Read Book #1: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

When I was younger, probably about seven or eight years old, my cousins and I would climb trees in our grandparents’ yard. One particular tree had enough large, sturdy branches that we could all fit in it at once, making it perfect for playing Monchichis. One afternoon, we had finished playing Monchichis and we were all climbing out of the tree. I decided it would be an excellent idea to jump out of the tree, which is something I’d done many times before. This time, I jumped from the tree and stopped halfway to the ground. My jacket hood had been hooked on a short branch and I was stuck. My cousins ran into the house to get the adults because this was the 80s and parents actually let their children have fun without watching them every second of the day. The adults all ran outside to see me hanging from the tree by my jacket. There was much laughing and taking of pictures before anyone attempted to help me out of the tree. I can relate to David Sedaris’ writing.