Alasandra's Reading List ~ February

1. The Confession by John Grisham - When a white cheerleader (Nicole) goes missing an innocent 18 year old African American High School football player (Donte) is harassed and tortured by the police until he confesses. The confession is used in court where the lawyer for the prosecution and the judge are having a torrid affair to convict. The DEATH PENALTY is handed down even though a body was never found. Now a white serial rapist (Travis Boyette) who has just been paroled is claiming to have killed Nicole, but the Court of Appeals doesn't believe him and the Governor refuses to stay the execution until Boyette can lead them to the body. The Court of Appeals refuses to accept the affidavit of the sole witness against Donte (Nicole's on again off again white football playing boyfriend ) stating that he lied about seeing Donte throw Nicole's body into the river because it arrived 7 minutes late. Donte is executed!!!!!!! Boyette then leads them to Nicole's body which he buried in another state and the State of Texas declares Donte INNOCENT after MURDERING him.
2. The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore - a melancholy book as Drizzt is speaking with Hralien (a moon elf) centuries after the events in the book take place,  Bruenor, Wulfgar, Regis & Catti-brie are long gone. Wulfgar chooses to return to Icewind Dale alone and seek out a place with his tribe. Colson is returned to her Mother in Auckney. Bruenor discovers a city where orcs and dwarfs lived in peace. Bruenor leads a party to kill King Obould. But after learning that King Obould wants peace and that it was Grguch that was responsible for the attack on Mithral Hall and the Moonwood, Bruenor saves King Obould's life and makes peace with him. Tos'un ( a drow) proves his loyalty to Drizzt, Bruenor & Hralien and finds a home with the moon elves.
3. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin - you can read my review here.
4. Reprisal by F. Paul Wilson - Carol's "baby" is all grown up and sets out to destroy Father Bill's life. Rasalom discovers that Glaeken is an old man and assumes he is powerless to stop him from destroying the world as we know it.
5. True Grit by Charles Portis - I much prefer the movie version starring John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn. Mattie Ross is a most unlikable heroine with her self-righteous attitude and opinionated ways. One has to admiring the lengths she went to to bring her Father's killer to justice, but I found the book tedious and unbelievable. I also found the ending very upsetting as all the horses were killed.
6. Forbidden Faith The Secret History of Gnosticism by Richard Smoley - An interesting book. Hard to follow unless you have at least a basic understanding of the subject.
7. Running Blind by Lee Child - The FBI blackmails Reacher into helping them catch a serial killer, but they aren't pleased when the identity of the serial killer is revealed as one of their own.