Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Product Description: When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

First lines: No one is staring at you, I promised myself. No one is staring at you. No one is staring at you. But, because I couldn't lie convincingly even to myself, I had to check

My thoughts: I liked this one much more than I liked Eclipse. I liked that Bella grew up and the teenage whining stopped, at least after the wedding. I found it irritating when Bella kept whining about the great car Edward got for her. It was also irritating for her to keep whining about having to marry the love of her life. I just couldn't understand that. Generally I am a fan of the Happy Ending. I got that here. But it was not without disappointment along the way. The book could have been tightened up, it was way too long, made that with stuff that added nothing to the plot. Some of the character's personalities changed in mid-stride and became people I barely recognized. Well, enough. I'm glad I read this series after all the talk about it. It was fun escapism.

Quote: "It was not going to be the end of the world. Just the end of the Cullens. The end of Edward, the end of me. I preferred it that way – the last part anyway. I would not live without Edward again; if he was leaving this world, then I would be right behind him."

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

About the book: Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob --- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

First line: I ran my fingers across the page, feeling the dents where he had pressed the pen to the paper so hard that it had nearly broken through.


My thoughts: I'll have to say that Bella is even more annoying in this book, if that is possible. Edward comes off as a conrol freak and Jacob has a moment as a sexual predator. I didn't even like Charlie in this one much. At 600+ pages there was plenty of time for Bella to whine about stuff, demand her way then change her mind. The danger to everyone was just a short aside to all the posturing. I know this seems very negative and most of you who read will have loved this book. Sorry. I listened to this and if I had been reading it I would have done a LOT of skimming. I would have enjoyed it a lot more is it had been tightened up and some of the angst taken out. With that said, I have to see what happens so I'll be listening to Breaking Dawn next.

Rating:


Quote: "The worst part is that I saw the whole thing -- our whole life. And I want it bad, Jake, I want it all. I want to stay right here and never move. I want to love you and make you happy. And I can't, and it's killing me." (This is Bella talking to Jacob.)

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Product Description: Every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written-in one special volume-from the New York Times bestselling author. New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her "spunky" (Tampa Tribune) Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written-together in one volume. Stories include "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky," and "Giftwrap."

Quote: Bubba the Vampire and I were raking up clippings from my newly trimmed bushes about midnight when the long black car pulled up.

Why this book you might ask: I'm a fan of the series.

My thoughts: As I've said before I'm not into short stories much, but I wanted to read these since I like this series. The 5 stories were:
"Fairy Dust" In which Sookie is asked to help find a murderer.
"Dracula Night" Eric Northman is a frantic fanboy? Well he is hoping that Dracula will visit his party this year.
"One Word Answer" The begining of the story about the death of Sookie's Cousin Hadley.
"Lucky" Can luck be used up? Read and see.
"Gift Wrap" Sookie is alone at Christmas but it turns out to be one of the best.

The only problem I found was that the stories were short (HAHA) and there weren't enough of them.

Links:
Charlaine Harris Interview

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Ace (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0441017835

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Product Description: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.



Quote from the book: "You don't think of me as a delicate flower in comparison to you?" When I laughed again, he pressed, "Okay, what words would you use then?"I leaned back in the seat, thinking, as Sam looked at me doubtfully. He was right to look doubtful. My head didn't work with words very well—at least not in this abstract, descriptive sort of way. "Sensitive," I tried.
Sam translated: "Squishy."
"Creative."
"Dangerously emo."
"Thoughtful."
"Feng shui." (p. 207)

Why this book, you might ask: I picked this book up to read because I've seen so many reviews of it on different book blogs.

My thoughts: This is one of the few YA books that I have read so I wasn't sure if I would like it or not. It was at heart a love story, girl loves paranormal boy. Sam and Grace, the main characters were sweet and likable. I enjoyed new look at werewolves: it's cold weather that causes them to change into wolves instead of the full moon bringing it on. They are wolf for the winter and human when it turns warm.

This isn't fast paced page turner, rather it is a romantic, angst-y story with some suspense.
I found myself skimming through the middle of the book. The second half kind of took off and was very entertaining. The characters did work well together and were developed. I can see why it would draw the YA crowd. Over all I liked it, it is one that I will remember just because it is so different from what I usually read.

Links:
Maggie Stiefvater's site.

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 392 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (August 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545123267
ISBN-13: 978-0545123266
YA, teen, warewolf, paranormal romance