Apologies

Only a couple of months into this blog and I find myself having to apologize for being absent and neglectful of my duties here.  Sometimes there are things in life that interfere with the fun stuff (by fun stuff I mean this blog) that you don't really mind- a child's sporting event, visiting new babies in the family, etc.  Then, there are things that interfere that you do mind- like being stressed out and sick.  So, that is my reasoning for not posting for a few days.  I have a lot to review, so here we go...

River Marked- Chapters 12 & 13(the end)
   Summary:
Mercy writes letters to her loved ones in case she doesn't survive their plan to kill river devil.  Adam and Mercy spend the day together.  Everyone who agreed to help shows up and they put their plan into action.  Adam tries to interfere with the plan.  Adam is effected by the death of Wolf; other die as well.  Mercy proceeds with the plan; things go wrong.  Mercy learns who woke the river devil and why; they try to kill her.  Mercy goes to the hospital to get fixed up, then she and Adam head home.  Mercy doesn't want people taking care of her while she injured, but Stefan gets through to her.  Mercy gets an unexpected visitor.

Room- Whole book
   Quick Summary:
The book begins with Jack's 5th birthday.  He gets his present from Ma, a picture of him she has drawn, and proceeds with his day as usual.  Their day consists of breakfast (which is carefully counted out cereal), playing Hum, watching TV, taking a bath, doing Phys Ed, taking a nap, playing other games, cleaning, and learning.  All of this is happening in a small garden shed that Ma was kidnapped and put into 7 years ago.  Jack explains everything outside of room as being part of outer space.  Jack starts asking more and more questions that are getting harder and harder for Ma to explain as she is trying to give him as normal a life as possible living in this small room.  Ma finally decides to tell Jack the truth about Old Nick, the man who is holding them captive and who Jack has to hide from when he comes into Room.  She also tells him that there is "real" stuff outside of Room and that Ma wants for them to get out.  Jack has a very hard time understanding and processing all of this new information Ma is giving him.  Ma decides to come up with an escape plan, Jack is hesitant.  Ma pushes the issue of needing to escape and Ma comes up with a courageous and dangerous plan that depends heavily on Jack.  Jack comes through, although not quite according to plan, and is able to lead the police to the shed so they can release his mother.  Then the adjustments begin.  Jack has to relearn the world that he has previously classified as Outer Space.  Ma is excited about their freedom and getting back to the world she knew and missed for 7 years; Jack is scared to be introduced to a whole new world after only knowing Room his entire life.  There are lots of complications and bumps in the road for both Ma and Jack.  Jack wants to return to room because there were strict rules and structure there.  Other people, her family and hospital staff and reporters, ask Ma difficult questions about her capture, survival, and raising of Jack.  They are both having trouble adjusting, but for two very different reasons.  Ma seeks some helps, has some setbacks and some progress and the two of them decide to take the difficult journey of recovery together.

Inside- Chapters 1-7
   Summary:
Peyton Adams is the Chief Deputy Warden at Pelican Bay prison.  She is meeting with Rick Wallace, an associate director of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Warden Fischer, Officer Frank Rosenburg, Senior Investigator of the Pelican Bay police force, Joseph Perry, an associate warden at Pelican Bay, and Simeon Bennett, an employee of Department 6, a private security company.  Rick wants to send Simeon into Pelican Bay undercover to investigate gang activity; Peyton is worried for Simeon's safety.  Simeon says he can handle himself and shares some of his history and experiences.  No one can come up with a better idea so it is decided Simeon will go in for Operation Inside.  Fischer puts Peyton in charge of the operation.  Upon reading Simeon's "bio", Peyton suspects she is being lied to and begins to investigate.  Turns out Simeon is Virgil and he has made a deal with CDCR to help at Pelican Bay if they will protect his sister, niece, and nephew from the gang he used to be in, The Crew.  Peyton discovers some information about Virgil.  Virgil flirts with her, they both draw some lines, they agree to work together.  Laurel, Virgil's sister, is confronted by a member of The Crew asking where Virgil is.  He threatens to kill her when she says she has no idea.  Peyton decides to load Virgil up on information about the members of Hells Fury, the gang he is investigating, to help him be successful.  Peyton and Virgil get to know each other a little better and Peyton provides him with information on Pelican Bay and Hells Fury.  Peyton admits she is attracted to Virgil but decides it is inappropriate.  Rick goes home for a day and gets into an argument with his wife about how much he works.  Peyton tells Rick she knows more about Virgil then he told her.  Rick feels they are doing Virgil a favor by offering him the "opportunity" to help them.