The Reading Spot

I forgot to tell you about a movie I watched the other day. It was Freedom Writers I loved this movie. It was interesting as a teacher and as a person. It reminded me a lot of Dangerous Minds with Michelle Pfiffer, but I think I liked this one better. I liked what she did with the students and made history come alive and relevant to them. I looked at my library and they have the book by them so I requested it so I can read it.
It is a based on true story account of a teacher named Erin Gruller who started her teaching career at a very tough high school in LA. It starts in 1994 when gang violence is extremely high and she is a first year teacher. She has very difficult classes where the students are all in one gang or another and the classrooms are just another turf to fight over. Because of a picture that is drawn in class to make fun of another student because of his race, it spurs a memory in her about the Nazis, the ultimate gang. Thus begins their journey to break down their gang lines and become a family. Awesome movie.

Strangers in Death by J. D. Robb
Technology may be different in 2060 New York, yet the city is still a place of many cultures and great divides. But as ever, some murders receive more attention than others-especially those in which the victim is a prominent businessman, found in his Park Avenue apartment, tied to the bed-and strangled-with cords of black velvet. It doesn't surprise Lieutenant Eve Dallas that Thomas Anders's scandalous death is a source of titillation and speculation to the public-and of humiliation to his family. But while people in the city are talking about it, those close to Anders aren't so anxious to do the same. With some help from her billionaire husband, Roarke, Eve's soon knocking on doors-or barging through them-to find answers. But the facts don't add up. Physical evidence suggests that the victim didn't struggle. The security breach in the apartment indicates that the killer was someone known to the family, but everyone's alibi checks out. Was this a crime of passion in a kinky game gone wrong-or a meticulously planned execution? It's up to Dallas to solve a case in which strangers may be connected in unexpected, and deadly, ways.

The latest installment in the gazillion book In Death series that I love. I enjoyed it. Not as much as some of the others but it was still good. We got to see some development between some of the secondary characters that I had been wondering about. The storyline was good. You pretty much knew who did it about a third of the way into the book but you followed Eve around to find out how and evidence to prove that this person did it. And as alway Roarke (sigh) was there to help. I love their relationship. And her thoughts about "girly" things cracks me up. Especially her horror at having to do "girly" things, makes me laugh out loud.


Spoiler (highlight to see)
This reminds me of the CSI episode that followed this same Strangers on a Train theme. And ironically enough, one of them was a stripper and the other was a well-to-do social wife.

Labels: futuristic, movies, suspense