The Relentless Reader

~Reading~

I started A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last night. I haven’t read it in ages. It’s on my Classics Club List and on my 2013 TBR Pile Challenge list. 2 birds, 1 stone. Win!

~Listening~

There isn’t much music going on around here lately. Does American Idol count?

~Watching~

I recently started watching Doctor Who. I’m on season 2. Thank you Netflix. Thank you from the bottom of my nerdy little heart. It’s so cheesy and awesome. Also, David Tennant is deliciously hilarious.

Hello Doctor. I adore you.

~Learning~

The other day I watched The Dark Ages from The History Channel. It was fascinating! What a time to be alive. If you lived longer than 6 months that is. It wasn’t the most pleasant of ages. You can watch the trailer here.

~Feeling~

I’m feeling COLD. It’s 4 degrees right now. That’s better than the way below zero stuff we were getting but I’m ready to start bitching about how hot it is instead.

Hey winter? Suck it.

~Anticipating~

I recently won Aesop’s Fables from The Book Garden and Bleak House from Lost Generation Reader. I’m looking forward to their arrival.

Muahahahaha!

~Wishing~

My son got me hooked on The Walking Dead. While he was sick we watched the first 2.5 seasons in the span of a few days. (That’s about the only way he’ll spend time with me. He’s 14. He doesn’t think his mom is cool anymore. Sniff.) Now I have to wait a whole week for each episode. Boo to that! I wish it was on daily. I can’t get enough of the disgusting perfection of that show.

~Loving~

Interacting and chatting with fellow book lovers is the best thing that has come out of my decision to blog. I have the best pals on Twitter and Facebook. I appreciate those of you that read and comment on my ramblings here. You make me feel all smushy and gooey inside. I want to hug you. Is that weird?

Seriously.

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: March 2013

Categories: Murder, Literary, Mystery

Source: William Morrow

Description:

Moving and suspenseful, Lisa Ballantyne’s The Guilty One is a psychological journey about the darkness in all of us that explores how we are all tied to our pasts, and what it means to be guilty.

Solicitor Daniel Hunter is called to defend 11-year-old Sebastian, charged with the murder of a young boy on a London playground. While examining Sebastian’s life in order to save it, Daniel can’t help but be transported to his own difficult youth spent in foster care and how the one he trusted the most was the one who betrayed him…

My Thoughts:

Do you ever finish a book and feel like you were hit in the heart repeatedly with a cast iron pan? Yea. This book made me feel like that. In a good way though, I promise!

Daniel is a solicitor defending an 11 year old from a murder charge. Sebastian is smart, sweet, and absolutely CREEPY. I really couldn’t decide whether or not he was guilty. The courtroom scenes are realistic but not boring. I was fascinated by those chapters.

In alternate chapters we learn about Daniel’s own traumatic childhood. He was shuttled to and from different foster homes until he was finally taken in for good by a woman named Minnie. Sadly, he was unforgivably betrayed by Minnie and hasn’t spoken to her in years.

Daniel sees himself in Sebastian and defends him vigorously. Will it be enough? You’ll have to read it to find out! No spoilers here folks, move along.

The Guilty One is an incredible story with some of the best characters I’ve ever read about. I can’t stop thinking about them. It’s twisty and turny and has a fantastic ending.

Also? Kids + Creepiness = Awesome

The Relentless Reader

I Have Been… 02/21/13

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne