The Book Collector

The personal library of a 20 year old and all her literary findings.

[thebookscollector]

"Yet as they walked through the woods, it was difficult for Hank to think straight - maybe because Clifford was making squishy sounds with every step he took and repeating, 'I'm gonna die of pneumonia, I just know I am.'" In a small, farming town in Indiana, someone's rumored to be living in the Old farm house on Old Man Crupp's land. When 15 year old Hank and his skittish friend Clifford go to investigate, they discover a generations worth of lies, murder and revenge. This has been one of my absolute favorite books since I was 10. It would be considered a children's book, but I tell everyone to read it. It's got a little romance, a strong farming foundation, and of course, ghosts.

[thebookscollector]

“This world can only give me reminders of what I don’t have, can never have, didn’t have for long enough.”

It’s so rare to find a creepy, thrilling book, but Shutter Island was a great find. It has a good plot, complex characters, a perfect twist at the end that will have your heart racing. It promises to be everything you could want from a thriller! My tip: don’t watch the movie first!

[thebookscollector]

So this week I'm posting a day late, and I'm going to talk about a trilogy instead of just one book. The Infernal Devices is one of my all time favorite series's, and definitely my favorite of Cassandra Clare's. It ties in very subtly with her other series, The Mortal Instruments. Now for some reason everyone got all hot and bothered over The Mortal Instruments, and left these three gems in the dust. Why? No idea. The Infernal Devices are set back in the 1700-1800's, and can be called prequels to The Mortal Instruments. These books feature three main characters: Tessa, Will, and James (or Jem, as he's known to his friends). It also has one of the all time best bromances to be written since The Hardy Boys Casefiles (which I'll talk about later). This trilogy is an emotional roller coaster and very addictive. Read with lots of chocolate.

[thebookscollector]

"It's Thanksgiving Day for cats, but only if they stay dead." In my opinion, this is one of Stephen Kings best books (my favorite being Christine of course). When the Crandall family moves to the beautiful Maine countryside, they have it all. Two cute kids, a cat, good neighbors - everything is going great. But after Ellie's gray kitty gets run over, it all goes down hill. Pet Sematary has blood, guts, creepy crawlies, and a little bit of just plain super disturbing - just what you'd expect from Stephen King!

[thebookscollector]

"And where is Mr. Rochester? He comes in last: I am not looking at the arch, yet I see him enter. I try to concentrate my attention on those netting needles, on the meshes of the purse I am forming - I wish to think only of the work I have in my hands, to see only the silver beads and silk threads that lie in my lap; whereas, I distinctly behold his figure, and I inevitably recall the moment when I last saw it; just after I had rendered him, what he deemed, an essential service, surveyed me with eyes that revealed a heart full and eager to overflow; in whose emotions I had a part." - Jane Eyre, Chapter 17 This is quite possibly, my favorite book. It is the only book I have read more than twice, and the only one of it's genre to stay in my mind clearly. Jane Eyre has a very bittersweet taste to me. Jane and Mr. Rochester find each other, but they seem to go about the most painful of ways to do so. There's love and heartbreak and suffering and mystery; Jane learns to love Edward in spite of his personality flaws, and Edward loves Jane in some indescribable way of his own. This might not be a book for the guys, but I think most of the ladies out there would enjoy it. It is indeed, a great classic.

[thebookscollector]

"Keep you secrets, keep your silence. It's better than the truth." So far "Queen of the Damned" has been my third favorite book of the Vampire Chronicles by Anne (the first being Prince Lestat and the second being Interview with the Vampire). It follows several of the oldest vampires in existence, and slowly tells the whole story through their personal experiences. It tells us how Akasha and Enkil became the Mother and Father of the vampire race, and how Those Who Must Be Kept have been hidden for so long. It dates from the times of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt to right here and now. I don't believe in spoilers, but I will say that Ms Rice brings back our beloved Lestat and all of our favorite characters from the other books in the series. For me, it was not as easy a read as Interview with the Vampire, but still in my top 25. All in all, I consider it to be a great book!