I know I know... always a vampire novel (#54)

I finished yet another book before the year is up. This one was very special because it was not only a Christmas gift from my husband but it was also personalized. The book is titled Vampire Kisses and my husband and I were the stars of the book. Also in the book was my close friend, Michele and my cat, Peanut Butter. Because the company who makes the book only asked for one pets name, my husband used our dogs name when asked for a restaurant name... McFly's.
Though it was a lot of fun reading a book that I was in, it was a bit corny. I found it hard to picture my husband as the main character because he  didn't have nearly the same personality. The Michael in the book was way too old fashioned to be my husband and also... way to suave. The main character... me... was easily believable because, not only did she look like me but she was a book worm who spent most of her time at the library reading and studying. Michele is nothing like the character that was portrayed in the book, except that she was a really good friend. I felt like they were always trying to show off the fact that it was personalized by constantly saying what each character looked like every time they mentioned them. Regretfully there were no real good love scenes or "vampire" scenes. I did enjoy reading it because I had really wanted it mostly for the novelty of it. (Though the picture above is a paperback.. my husband got me the hardcover)

Another day, another vampire novel (#53)

The Morganville Vampires series just gets more and more intriguing as it goes on. I finished the fourth book, Feast of Fools and I really want to continue on to the fifth but the next omnibus doesn't come out until March... so now I have to decide whether I will wait or if I will just buy the next few books separately. Decisions, decisions. But I know that it will be way too hard to wait so the decision should be easy enough... I'll end up buying the next books now.
Seeing as the year is not up yet, I have managed to read one extra book so far and will probably be able to finish at least one more before January first. My goal from now on is to read 52+ books every  year. 52 will be my  minimum and with any luck I will be able to complete more than that.
Right now I am reading a personalized vampire novel my husband had made for me for Christmas. In the book I am a human and my husband's character is the very pale skinned, mystery man that I am drawn to. One of my cats is in the book as well as my best friend. My husband also used my dogs name when asked for the name of a restaurant. Its quite humerus reading about myself in a fictional setting.

Book 52 of 52

I completed the challenge... and may even be able to squeeze a couple more books in. I am very proud of myself right now. I had so much going on this year with work, school, interning and life. But even with all of that happening I managed to complete the challenge. I will definitely do this every year now, trying to get more books in each year. If I am able to do this... I may actually make a dent in the books I own. Sometimes I wish I could just quit work, quit school and just sit home and read 24 hours a day. Especially since it seems there will always be more books that I want to read than actual time to read them in.
I have now read the first three books in the Morganville Vampires series. I am very invested in these books now. They are a bit short compared to what I usually read but Caine doesn't allow that to get in the way of creating exciting, emotion filled books. She manages to write thoroughly without making the readers feel like there is just too much going on in a small amount of time. That seems to be the issue a lot of the time when authors write shorter novels. In an attempt to add all the details they have thought of, the book becomes a mess of confusion and craziness that ends up making the book seem silly.
I find that as I am reading these books, anytime the plot thickens or a conclusion is coming, I can actually hear intense music in my head, like in a tv show or movie, telling you that what is happening is not good and cannot end well. I can't wait to continue the series and start up the fourth book. And since I have the omnibus, I can do that very easily.

Book 51 of 52

I can't believe there is only one book left to my challenge and that it is already the end of the year. As a kid you always think the summer goes by way too fast... well, once you are an adult... the whole year goes way too fast.
I just finished reading the second book in the Morganville Vampires series, Dead Girls Dance by Rachel Caine. I really love how she writes, she draws me in to every aspect and makes me want to stay inside the book and never return to reality. This can be very difficult when you are writing about such as scary world as she is. The vampires in these books are not the ones you take to school dances or lay in an open field with in the middle of the day. They are out for blood and only blood. They rule the whole town and if you don't have Protection, you better watch your back and stay in doors when it gets dark.
I hope as the series goes on that Caine delves deeper into the history of the town because I would love to know why it is only Morganville that has vampires. How did it end up being this particular town that became infested with them? Why haven't they attempted to infiltrate other areas?
All of my reviews lately have had a ton of spoilers in them because I just can't wait to discuss them with someone but no one I know has read them... so I think I will stop here so I don't go over board with the spoilers.
As you can see I like to buy the omnibi of series when available. It lessens the amount of books I buy so instead of having 10 billion books, I only have 5 billion books. Great plan, huh?

Book 50 of 52

The end of any book series can be a very bittersweet thing. Its always exciting when a new book comes out but when it is the last one it can be devastating. The end of a series I love is the end of a world that I have lived in, loved in and hid in when my life wasn't as exciting. I hate having to say goodbye to friends and that is what the characters become to me.
I have been following Vampire Academy since the very beginning. I fell in love with Dimitri instantly, was very intrigued with Christian and had a large attraction to Adrian. (I'm always a sucker for the boys). There were always a lot of ups and downs when it came to the girls... I liked Rose a lot but felt she could be immature at times, Lissa bugged me from time to time because I felt she was selfish. But I realized that she wasn't being selfish she had just been very sheltered and didn't know how to act any other way. Eventually she was able to break free and learn how to take care of herself, as well as her friends and now her people. I respected her a lot by the end of the series.
Although Richelle Mead is still the only author that is able to fully shock me (with all other books I am always able to guess the plot), I felt that the last book's shock factor was built up real well and then when the reveal occurred... it fell short. Tasha being the Queen's murderer was shocking and I never saw it coming but I felt the moment when everyone found out was missing something. You always want to be satisfied at the end of a book and at the end of a series but sometimes it is nice to have some things to wonder about. The things left unfinished in the book were a bit upsetting for me. I wish Richelle had given Adrian something, leaving him so completely devastated and with no one to turn to actually makes me worry about what will happen to him. Like I said... I get invested in the characters, as if they are my friends. As much as I loved Dimitri, I had also fallen for Adrian. You realize that he isn't as soulless as you may think at first, he just has something major affecting him and he doesn't know how to handle it. He's the type of male character that you want to take care of. I hate knowing that there wasn't anyone there to care for him in the end.

Book 49 of 52

There were several times that I began reading this book but never managed to read it completely. Unfortunately, every time I picked it up, another book I was waiting for would be released and I would end up putting it back down. I never got much further into it than the first chapter. And of course I started to read this on Monday and on Tuesday a book I have been waiting for came out. But this time I had gotten much farther into it and I couldn't bear to push it aside so I finished it before I started the new book.
In a world that has seen a very large number of young adult vampire novels in the past 10 years, somehow Rachel Caine actually managed to do something very different. I don't feel influences from any other vampire novels, movies or shows. She has her own mind and was able to create a whole new vampire world.
The Morganville Vampires is a unique series with very like-able, distinct characters. None of the characters gets lost in the story, or seems to hide behind the others. Each one has it's own personality and it's own story and you end up wanting to know more about each of them. It's very nice to find myself afraid of vampires again. I have been seduced by the idea of vampires ever since I was young but a big part of the seduction is the fear and forbidding feeling you get from loving them. This series brings you back to that fear. The Morganville vampires are not falling in love with humans and they are certainly not sparkling. (Don't get me wrong, I love Twilight, but its refreshing to read a "scary" book again).
One thing Caine has managed to do is bring me back to being 16. In fact, her writing reminds me greatly of many events I have lived. When the romantic scenes come up I feel the crazy fluttery-ness I felt when I was young and just experiencing these things for the first time. She brings you back to that first kiss with someone you really really liked and maybe even loved. She reminds you of a time when you were naive and thought that nothing else in life would matter but this one moment... the things that don't matter much anymore but that seemed perfect at that time. (the funny thing is... I started to write this last night, and in bed over night I had a high school dream).
I really can't wait to continue with the next book in the series. I want to follow these people through to the end and stand by them every time they need to battle the bad guys, I want to go back to Common Grounds with Eve and have some hot chocolate, I want to go to class with Claire, stay up late with Michael and flirt with Shane. Caine really knows how to bring fictional characters to life so that you fully invest yourself in their day to day lives.

Book 48 of 52

I'm very happy that LJ Smith and the creators of the Vampire Diaries show decided to write books from the point of view of Stefan. In the original books, I loved Stefan. He was so mysterious and sexy and then Damon was all that x's10. In the show I am fully in love with Damon and Stefan is ok but he bugs me a bit. In the new book... Stefan's Diaries: Origins... Stefan bugs the crap out of me. Hes such a coward and so willing to do whatever he is told. He is angry when he finds out that Katherine was able to compel him but for 17 years, that is exactly what his father had done, and he didn't even have any vampiric powers. I have always been seduced by the idea of living during the 1800's. In a time where men were gentlemen and women were ladies, dating was "being called on", and anything sexy was kept to the imagination unless you were married. But on the other hand... I would never go along with an arranged marriage. Love is what makes life matter. So for him to just go along with whatever his father wanted him to do, really makes me angry.
I loved the fact that this book makes you like Katherine through most of it. Even at the end when you find out that she had killed Rosalyn and deceived Stefan a bit, you still don't feel the overwhelming hatred that the original books and the show make you feel for her. This book really showed her human side and made you wonder who she was before she died, it made you think about the life she had once lived. I hope LJ Smith decides to write something from Katherine's point of view, starting before she was turned. 

Book 47 of 52

Finally finished up book 10 of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I think one of the things that took me so long was getting into the idea of who Eric's maker was. The only thing I liked better in the show than in the books is this point. Seeing Eric and his maker in the TV show gave Eric a lot more depth and emotion, it brought out his human side. I can't wait to see what else happens in the series and in the mean time I will read the short stories about Sookie.

Book 46 of 52

Another book down. And still a book a head of the game. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris, book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I loved it. Still LOVE Eric, not so fond of Bill. Cannot wait to see what happens next

Book 45 of 52

Another Sookie Stackhouse novel down and two more to go (until the 11th one comes out). I am already half way into the 9th book but still didn't get to blog about From Dead to Worse. I find it very hard to constantly review books in a series because to me they all add up to one story and most of what I say for the first couple of books, holds true through out the series. Unless the writing style changes drastically or the author decides to collaborate with another author on one of the books. In this case Charlaine Harris has stayed very true to her writing style and has kept the books just as entertaining as when she started to write the series. I enjoy these books very much and read each one in only a couple of days (if I had time I would be reading a book a day).

Book 44 of 52 and reflections on the year

 I cannot believe this year is almost over. So much has happened, a lot has changed and so many great things have been brought into my life. I am now married to the love of my life, I have a new niece and nephew, I am getting closer to finishing school and because of that I had the opportunity to work at an amazing place, I am finally getting some of my health issues taken care of (even though the side effects have sucked). I managed to keep up with my reading and I believe I am still on track with the 52 books in 52 weeks, and somehow managed to begin learning about 5 new craft mediums.
Among all the great things that have happened there have also been some losses. I've had to say goodbye to an amazing woman who I never really got to know as well as I would have liked, I lost a cat I have known most of my life and a dog who I loved dearly. I also lost the first kitten I have fostered in a long time. I've taken a few risks and played it safe on many occasions. My knowledge, book collection and neurosis have all grown.. the good and bad in those are debatable. It has been one hell of a year and its not quite over yet.

My nephew Riley Phoenix

My husband with our niece, Holly Nola

RIP Wally Man

Lori, Carl and Carol (Carol, you will be missed greatly)

RIP Bubba

RIP Pixel, I only had six days to love you

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just finished reading All Together Dead, the 7th book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I am still really enjoying the series but I felt like a lot of this book was all filler material. There were a lot of major events that took place but the rest probably wouldn't have been missed if it had been left out.  

Book 43 of 52

One of my favorite authors is Ellen Hopkins... she may not write science fiction or fantasy but I have always loved her writing and story lines. She writes all of her stories in verse which makes it easy to read a very long book in only a couple of days. Fallout, her latest book, was amazing.

Book 42 of 52

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare took me forever and a day to read. The Mortal Instruments is a wonderful series and I am enjoying it a lot but it is very slow moving at times. With my busy schedule I just don't have the time to really sit down and fall into a book and it is even harder to do when the book is so slow. The characters are awesome and the world they live in is beautiful. I look forward to continuing with the series but I'm hoping for a little more action in the coming books.

Book 41 of 52

The final installment of the Hunger Games, Mockingjay, was just as amazing as the first two in the trilogy. I was worried when I began reading it because I couldn't help but wonder if Collins would still have the same amount of shock factor that she put into the first two books. But I was not disappointed. There were just as many moments for me when I dropped my jaw, got goosebumps/chills, or became completely immobile for a minute while trying to take it all in. Collins has created a world so unbelievable that you can barely wrap your mind around it and yet it feels like something that could maybe happen one day. Like Plutarch says in Mockingjay... "But collective thinking is usually short-lived. We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction."
It seems it may only be a matter of time before the human race takes things a step too far.
I have a million more things I need to say but since I just completed the book like 10 minutes ago... I still have some reflecting to do.

Book 40 of 52

I have been slacking really badly on my book reviews. I finished book 40 over a week ago and have finished another book in the meantime as well.

I am enjoying the Mortal Instruments series, it is a bit slow moving at times but is a great story. I wish I had written this before finishing the 41st book because I can't think about anything else right now. Maybe I will come back in a day or so to finish up this review.

Book 39 of 52

Its been about a week or so since I finished City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare but I have been way too busy to sit down and write this. I enjoyed this book but it was a bit slow moving. There was not a lot of action and way too little suspense. The world Clare created is very detailed and extremely interesting. The characters are all very distinct and well developed and easy to love. I felt a lot of Harry Potter influence while reading.

Book 38 of 52

Blue Noon is the last book in an excellent trilogy. I enjoyed this series very much, right up until the very end, I mean....What is the point of saving the world if you can't be with the one you love?

Scott Westerfeld writes young adult fiction that is geared toward females and one thing about his writing that I admire is the fact that he knows what it takes to captivate a teen girl when she reading... the love interest. As a young girl no matter what genre you prefer to read, it all comes down to the relationship that is presented. And it doesn't change as you get older... I'm 25 and I still look for romance in my books. The problem with some male authors is that they just don't realize how important it is for us to have that element. I have always been pleased with the relationships that Scott creates. As women, it is all too easy to fall in love with the male lead in any story, the fact that he is fictional makes him even more appealing, and Scott seems to understand that.

But I never expected that Westerfeld would end on such a depressing note with this series. When you love seeing a couple together in a book, you never imagine that the author won't allow them to be together (unless of course you are reading Shakespeare.)  Though the plots and overall idea of the Midnighters was very interesting, I had banked a lot on Jonathan and Jessica's relationship, as well as Rex and Melissa's. These two pairs were completely different from each other but made each of the characters "existence" so much easier to bear. For every amazing aspect of their world there were at least two more bad elements to deal with.

Besides all the "lovey dovey" (as Michael would put it) stuff another major facet of these books was the powers that each of the Midnighter's wielded. Dess is a polymath and even though her explanations of the extreme mathematical processes made my head spin, she also got me started on some weird behaviors... like counting long words to see how many letters are in them as well as calculating certain numbers I come across to see if they are darkling-friendly. I can't help but laugh at myself when I catch myself doing these things.
Jonathan's power was definitely the most appealing to me. Technically it isn't flying but a lack of gravity that makes it so he can jump very high and stay in the air longer than you would expect. The funny thing is, when i dream of flying, it is exactly how Scott describes Jonathan's ability in the books.
Even in the last book I still didn't feel as though Jessica's ability was emphasized enough. She was supposed to be such an integral part of the book, needed by the other Midnighters, fully despised by the darklings and yet she seemed to just blur into the background. The only thing that made her stand out was her relationship with Jonathan.
I adored Rex's character but his power was nothing too exciting for me. Melissa for me was the opposite, her ability is what made her special not so much her personality. And of course the way they needed each other just made them both more interesting. Being together since they were so young gave them a very strong connection.

Book 37 of 52

The Midnighters trilogy by Scott Westerfeld is excellent so far. I wish it was a longer series and didn't end after only three books. The second book, Touching Darkness, is my favorite thus far which brings me to the irony of the review I am about to write... the review I wrote about the first book focused all on the positive and most of what I have to write for this review will focus on the negative. But if you read my review of The Secret Hour, you probably realized that what I spoke about most was the theory of the world Scott had created and not of the book itself. Now I will be writing about some points I feel the author could have improved on.

I loved this book, it was much more fast paced than the first book, it had more action and the main plot of the story stood out much more but I felt like the moments of suspense and aventure could have been built up much better. When the story would reach a point that seemed important, it felt as though it passed right by and was not given the emphasis it deserved. Some of those moments even confused me a bit because he actually did build up to it and then the revelation fell short and didn't seem as important as it was made out to be.
Another thing that bothered me was that the main character, Jessica, didn't feel as distinguished as many of the others. Through out both books she just seems like a random person you would meet on the streets. Her special ability isn't given the weight that the other midnighter's abilities seem to have. She is supposed to be the heroine of the book with the power that has the potential to keep them all safe, and yet the times when Jessica is the most interesting is when she is "flying" with Jonathan. Each character of the book is well developed and compelling in their own ways but our heroine seems to have less flare than even some of the secondary characters. She is forgettable. Even as she "saves the day" the entire scene feels too quick and bland.

I know this review makes it seem like I was not very intrigued by this book, but that's not true. I am really enjoying this trilogy very much. The story itself doesn't fall short, there are just a few areas where the writing could have been improved. And I hate saying that because I really do love Scott Westerfeld's work.

Book 36 of 52

I haven't exactly stopped purchasing new books but I have decided that, no matter what new books I get, I need to try and read the ones that I have had for a long time and still haven't read. The books that have built up unread are not forgotten because I am not interested in them, but because it is very easy to get excited about something new thats right in front of you. When I think back to when I bought the forgotten books, I realize I had been just excited about those as well. And now they deserve the chance to be remembered. So I am now reading all the books that got left behind.

I decided to start by continuing with one of my favorite authors, Scott Westerfeld. After reading his Uglies series back in October of '07, I went out and bought a bunch of his other novels and series. I have already read Peeps, The Last Days and So Yesterday, but his Midnighters series had been pushed aside as other books became available. A few days ago I finished the first book in the trilogy, titled The Secret Hour.

Westerfeld has an amazing mind. He is able to come up with original and unusual worlds that pull you in and actually cause you to dream about living there. Could you imagine having an entire hour every night, where the whole world is still and silent except for you and maybe a significant other. An entire hour where the ability to fly is not just a hopeless wish, and rain stops in midair until you touch it. Every person in the world is in a catatonic state but left unharmed while you get to live your secret second life.

To me, that idea would be a dream come true. A quiet, romantic world for just myself and the one I love. Wow! But of course, this all sounds too good to be true, and it is. What kind of story would it be if there wasn't something there to ruin the fun. Something evil, a bad guy, a villain... that's where the darklings come in. They turn the dream of flying into a nightmare, they cut each passionate kiss short, every embrace is interrupted... but that's life, it is never easy and never fully undisturbed. All fiction needs some sort of reality to pull everything into perspective. Scott Westerfeld is a master at fabricating elaborate unreal worlds that make you envious of his characters but he knows that all good things must have a counterpart, something to excite and scare the reader into second guessing their ideal existence and bring them back down to earth.

Book 35 of 52

I can't say enough just how much I enjoyed this series. The writing and plots keep you on the edge of your seat. It had a real horror film feel to it... many times I jumped while reading if someone suddenly spoke to me. I like books that scare me. I never once was able ...to guess how the book would end. I will definitely read Sara Shepard's other books.

Book 34 of 52

Just another excellent book in this series. Books have become very predictable for me. I can always figure out what is going to happen before it happens and who did what before it is revealed. But Pretty Little Liars has kept me on my toes since the first book. I can barely keep up let alone guess what is going on. Every time I am certain I have figured out who killed Ali and who A is, something occurs that proves everything I think is true couldn't possibly be. Only one book to go, I wonder if that is definitely the last one or if she plan to write more.

Book 33 of 52

This one took me a little longer than the others have, solely because I had a bunch of other things going on last week and didn't have much time to read. The series is still excellent and Shepard still knows how to surprise her readers. Can't wait to read Heartless. Its too hot to write any kind of real review.

Book 32 of 52

Another Pretty Little Liars novel down, 3 more to go. I'm still really enjoying them. After how the last one ended I was worried as to how she would continue the story and was afraid she would start all new plots that had nothing to do with the first four books, but my fears have been put to rest. She managed to keep the story fresh and exciting and was able to keep the same basic plot without it feeling like she was pushing for it to work. I hope they continue to be this good. I will admit that I am not very happy that Ezra is gone now, I hope he comes back into it at some point.
It gets a bit weird at times reading the series and watching the TV show at the same time. I have managed to not get confused between the two but I think that is because they are very different. I enjoy the show because it brings the characters to life (especially Ezra) but there are certain changes that have been made that I feel will ruin the story a bit.

Book 31 of 52

Sara Shepard is amazing at confusing her readers. She gets you to believe one thing and then proves that it could never have been. I had gone back and forth on who I believed was -A but my original theory ended up panning out. Though Shepard did make me second guess myself many times, I found I was correct in the end. But this isn't really the end, still four more books to go (and of course she could always write more). I don't know that I believe Ian to be Ali's killer, though. And the way Shepard writes, makes me think that I am correct to doubt him. Can't wait to find out.

Book 30 of 52

Perfect by Sara Shepherd
You know a book is good when you don't even realize you are on the last page until you've finished it. That's what happened to me last night when I completed this book. I read the last line and stopped, leafed through the last couple pages containing the p...review to the next book and asked (out loud I may add) "its over? how? where is the rest of it?" While I read I often look to see how many pages I have left. But with Perfect, I was unable to stop reading long enough to check. 
I had guessed who Ali's killer was a book or two ago but I have a strange feeling that there may be twist there also. I still can't put my finger on who A is, though and it's driving me crazy. As for Hanna, I had just started to like her. Her problems still seem completely petty and high school-like compared to the other girls' issues but she is started to become a real person to me. She has been so spoiled and stuck up until this book and that for me is a complete turn off.

Book 29 of 52

I finished the first Percy Jackson book, The Lightning thief,  earlier today and I've been having a very hard time writing a review. I enjoyed it and was able to read the whole thing but I also found it very easy to put it down and walk away. I enjoy the absurd but I felt that every so often, something major in the book was too absurd even for me. It was also very predictable, I knew everything that was going to happen, way before it happened. It's a good book to pass the time but I'm not going to run out right now and tell all my friends to read it. I still haven't decided if I will continue with the other books or not. I'm interested to see how the movie came out though.

The Vampire's Assistant

When I finished reading the first three books in the Darren Shan series I watched the Vampire's Assistant right afterward. As a separate entity, the movie was pretty awesome. It was a good vampire story with a goofy side and it was pretty entertaining. But when you look at the movie as an adaptation of the books... it falls very short. The director didn't just make some changes for entertainment purposes, he changed almost everything. The kids were much older in the movie than how they were construed in the book. I love John C Reilly but he was not what I had expected for Mr. Crepsley. A big part of the book is how Crepsley is a lonely vampire but in the movie he is dating Madame Truska. The circus is described as being much smaller but in the movie it is huge with many more performers. Murlough and Mr. Tiny aren't in cahoots, at least not so far. Also, the way Darren Shan characterized Murlough really put a strong picture of him in your head. I saw a Wiley, odd, slightly crazy man who was very clever but in a psycho kind of way. I even had a voice for him... anyone who likes Buffy the Vampire Slayer will know who I mean... In season 7, episode 3 titled Same Place, Same Time there is a "monster" called a gnarl (he immobilizes his victims and then slowly pulls pieces of their skin off and eats them)... the voice of that monster is how I envisioned Murlough to sound. 

Book 28 of 52

I am really enjoying this series.  I was afraid it would be a bit Immature but it isn't. I have said before that Shan's writing is very reminiscent of RL Stine's writing but I am wondering now if that is because I have been gravitating towards books written by women and haven't read anything by a man in quite some time. I find it fascinating how easily you can tell if an author is male or female (especially when reading vampire novels). Take for instance, in the Cirque Du Freak books, it is not until book three that any kind of love interest is introduced. But if you have read any of the many female written vampire books that I have recently encountered, you will see that the love story is the main plot and is thrown at you instantly. I'm glad I am taking the time to read this series because it has brought me back to the reasons I first fell in love with vampires, werewolves, zombies and all other horror type books and movies. Don't get me wrong, I have come to really adore the modern vampire tales and theories but sometimes I get so caught up in them that I forget what good old fashioned horror is like. Even True Blood and the Sookie Stackhouse books, though they show the gritty, blood hungry, goriness of "life" as a vampire, they spend an awful lot of time on the romantic relationships of the characters. And I am definitely not saying that I dislike the relationship focus, on the contrary I love that part but it makes it very easy to forget the thrill of a good, nothing but horror, book.

Book 27 of 52

The more I read this series the more it reminds me of R.L. Stine. That to me is a good thing. I have always loved R.L. Stine's writing. Shan is able to write a story that is considered horror without being too extreme for a young adult audience but that is still intriguing for older readers. The plots are not what you expect for a typical vampire book, which I feel is positive. The author has many different theories about how vampires are made and how they "live", none of which I have heard any other author use. He has a very fresh yet somewhat old school outlook on vampirism. I am excited to continue with the series and also to see the movie.

Book 26 of 52

I hate to admit it but these books are actually pretty good. I managed to read the first book before the first episode had aired and of course that one episode covered all of the first book so I knew I had to read the next one quickly. But I had a couple of other books started first so I needed to wait, I only started this book Sunday and I had very little time to read it until Monday morning. But I managed to finish it before the show is on tonight. Luckily this series is very easy to read. I find myself getting very enthralled in these books. I'm not that fond of Hannah and I find it hard to put up with her parts of the story but I enjoy reading about the other 3 girls, especially Aria. I have so many theories as to who -A is but I still don't feel i know for sure. I guess I won't know for a while. I don't have book 3 yet so I will have to make a trip to the book store.

I thought I was going to continue to read the Sookie Stackhouse series now but I am afraid I will get myself confused since True Blood is back on the air. Even after only one episode, I can see just how different this season will be from the books (Just like the first 2 seasons).

Book 25 of 52

Its funny how obvious it is when a man writes a vampire novel as opposed to when most women write one. There were no sparkling, brooding teenager vampires and no love story to speak of... yet. Though this book seemed to be a little younger than I normally... read, I feel like the next ones will become a little more intriguing. The first part of the book where the freak show was described, reminded me of a Goosebumps novel (horror type novel for younger kids), but once they explained how a vampire is turned it started to feel more like a Fear Street novel (horror novel for older teens with more gore and fear to it). I loved Fear Street as a child and that's why I feel this series may get better. 
Shan has great new ideas about vampires and I think those factors will make this series more interesting. 
All in all this book was an easy read that kept me involved through out and I am looking forward to seeing how the characters grow and what becomes of Darren and Steve's friendship.

Book 24 of 52

I was worried that Stephenie Meyer wouldn't be able to portray what a "normal" vampire is like. I was afraid that it would end up sounding cheesy. But she did a very good job without going too far over the top. I tend to feel bad for the "villains" at times as it is and I love being able to hear the story from their point of view and being able to see their human side. My only issue is that with short stories and novellas... I always want more.

Book 23 of 52

Another day, another book. At least that is how it feels lately. I have been knocking them out very quickly.
The Sookie Stackhouse series has changed a lot, mostly in how it is written. The first couple of books had come up short and I was worried the whole series would be the same. I just completed book 6 Definitely Dead. The characters are well developed and extremely interesting and the plots keep you engaged through out the books. Though Sookie is an adult, she reminds me of myself in high school, or any other teenage girl for that matter. I could just picture her school books { I ♥ Bill  Eric  Alcide  Sam  Quinn. }
I do give her credit for not fully giving into each of these men, if they are all as good looking as they have been described... well... self restraint cannot be easy. I am very excited to see where these books go, what Sookie gets herself into next and which man she ends up with.

Book 22 of 52

Only 30 books left to go!

I just completed Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
I have continued reading the Sookie Stackhouse series because I am really starting to enjoy these books and I just can't bring myself to start anything else until I finish all ten books. Sometimes I feel as though Harris has so many ideas that she wouldn't be able to get them all out before this series ends so she shoves ten story lines into one book. But just when I start to realize how much she has going on and think that it may be too much, she begins tying up all the loose ends and you notice how nicely everything comes together. I have found it very easy to figure out who the villains are and what is to come but I have this issue with most fiction, I think because I read so much that it just becomes very predictable
I just re-read this and I realized this doesn't seem like a good review of this book. But I really did like this book.

Book 21 of 52

I DID IT!!! I am officially back on track. I just finished the 21st book of my challenge.
The Vampire Kisses series has been a bit disappointing from day one. It is much younger and immature than I normally like to read. I do enjoy young adult fiction but just because it is young adult does not mean it has to be callow and juvenile, especially today. Teenagers are in a whole new class these days and they can handle a lot more than they could in the past. Another thing that bothered me in this series was the stereotypes they used, I like old school thinking when it comes to vampires but the whole goth idea is a bit annoying.

After reading the first four books in this series I was almost ready to give up on it but then book 5 was awesome. I really enjoyed it. And then... book 6 went right back down to the level the first 4 were at and book 7 Love Bites was no exception. It felt very pointless to me. As I got closer to the end I kept thinking "is this going to come to something?" And the end just confirmed my worries that the book was pretty pointless. I have a word for books like this... I call them filler. I use the same word for TV shows also. Every so often it just feels as though an author or TV writer just needs some content to fill in an empty space. That's what this book was. Since these books are short and are easy to read... I will definitely continue reading the series as new books come out, mostly out of curiosity.

Book 20 of 52

I finished another Sookie Stackhouse novel, book #4 Dead to the World. This was definitely my favorite book. I feel like Harris has finally begun to fill in the spaces that seemed to be lacking in the first three books. One thing really disappointed me... I waited a long time for Sookie and Eric to... "wink, wink" ... and when they finally did... well it just wasn't what I expected. It would have been much better if it had happened while Eric was in his right mind. Sookie may as well have been with someone else entirely. Eric's appeal is mainly that he is the "bad ass", since he was a completely different character in this book, it was difficult to enjoy the intimate moments between him and Sookie.
After I finished this book last night, I, in turn, started another book. I decided to read the 7th book in the Vampire Kisses series. Though this isn't my favorite series ever, I have read the other books and they are short and easy to read. Now all I have to do is finish it before tomorrow is over and I will be completely caught up with my reading challenge.

Book 19 of 52

As you can see I am finally catching up to the point I should be at for my challenge. I am only one book behind now and I should be able to remedy that before the week is up.
Anyway... I just read Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard. I heard about these books a couple years ago and despite my age I am still a teenage girl at heart, so I have been wanting to read them. I finally read the first book because the show is coming out next week. I was afraid this series would be too young and immature but it turns out that it really isn't. It is definitely geared towards a more mature "young adult" reader. It took me less than 24 hours to read this book. Not only because it was an easy read but because I really enjoyed the plot lines and how each character had their own story to follow. I definitely recommend this book to all young adult girls and not so young adult women.

Book 18 of 52

Since I hadn't started reading these books before I started watching True Blood, I figured I would catch up before season 3 starts. I had felt as though the first two books were lacking something and I worried that it was only because I had watched the show first. Well... book 3 was also lacking something. It was good, but it was also a bit boring at times. So far this one is my favorite... I'm hoping the books continue to get better as I go along. I have to say that I absolutely love the fact that Elvis is a vampire and that he calls himself Bubba. Whenever he speaks in the book, I can't help but read his lines in a very "Elvis-Like" voice. I will admit that Harris writes very good "intimate" scenes. I only wish there were more  ; P 

Book 17 of 52

Book 5 of Vampire Academy came out this past week. For me, when one of my favorite authors has a new book coming out, it's like a holiday. The holiday ended this morning as I finished reading Spirit Bound. I thought I would be able to wait until December for the next (and I believe last) installment to come out but Mead has a way of ending a book in a way that leaves you both excited and infuriated. She is also the queen of plot twists. I have become very good at guessing what will happen in a story but Mead surprises me every time. There was a point in each of the VA books where I either threw it on the floor in surprised anger or just stopped and stared with my mouth gaping in shock at what happened. I absolutely love books like that.

Book 16 of 52

I had finally gotten into this series and was enjoying the plot and characters and then all of a sudden there was Burned. Not only am I not a fan of the whole Stevie Rae/Raven Mocker thing but the fact that the whole book revolved around the Otherworld and Zoey being stuck there got old very quickly. Which is why it took me so long to read. Hopefully Awakened will be better now that it is back to the norm.
Tomorrow, Book 5 of Vampire Academy comes out, Spirit Bound. I am so excited. I have been waiting for this for a while. 

Book 15 out of 52

Finished up book 6 from the House of Night, Tempted. It is definitely my favorite book in the series so far. I feel as though the authors finally figured out how to write a cliff hanger. And the end of the book has a great cliff hanger. I cannot wait to see what happens. And lucky for me, the 7th book just came out.  I'm so glad I hadn't continued reading this series sooner since i now don't have to wait to start the next book. I honestly do like most of the characters in the book (now anyway... I couldn't stand a few of them in the beginning). I hate to say though that I am not that upset to see Heath die... not that he wasn't a good guy but I always picture Zoey ending up with Erik or Stark. Heath is human and for me, the appeal of books like this are the vampires. I see plenty of human men everyday... I'm even married to one. Reading is exciting for me because I get to slip into bizarre and impossible worlds that could never exist in real life.
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Other than reading a lot , this week has been mostly stressful and a but painful and I cannot wait for it to be over... unfortunately I will be working all weekend. At least I have plenty of books to keep me sane.

Book 14 of 52

I have finished another book in the House of Night series, Hunted. The series has continued to get better and I cannot wait to see what happens. I have found that it is much easier to write a review for a book that you absolutely loved or completely disliked then it is to write one for a book or series of books that are simply ok, or that you are indifferent to. Although I am now enjoying this series, it has been neither mind nor life altering. When I disliked the series and found it difficult to continue reading, I was able to review it well. Now I find myself at a loss. I only have two books remaining in this series (that are currently available), should I continue on now or should I pick something else to read at this time. Hmm... not sure.

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On an exciting note, this past Friday, my husband and I went into Atlantic City and saw Paramore preform  live at the Trump Taj Mahal. It was by far the most amazing concert I have ever been to. I cannot wait to go see them again. August 6th at Jones Beach. Here are a few pics I took at the concert.