Book Fifteen

Lawrence Sanders
MC NALLY'S DARE
G.P. Putnam (2003)

Good, quick read ... though definitely not Sanders' best. I'll read him again nevertheless.

Book Fourteen

John Sandford
CHOSEN PREY
G.P. Putnam (2001)

For a "typical" psychological thriller ... this one had a different enough ending to earn it a mention as a good read!

Book Thirteen

Stephenie Meyer
BREAKING DAWN
Little Brown & Company (2008)

Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age
The child is grown and puts away childish things.
Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.
- Edna St. Vincent Millay


Needless to say, I'm sad that it's over ... it's been a wild ride with the Cullens ... Edward and Bella ... werewolves and the Volturi. Stephenie Meyer did a wonderful job of knitting together all the loose ends ... making all the pieces fit ... and bringing the saga to an end in a way that satisfied the reader.

I feel like I've been on vacation and am back with wonderful memories ...

Book Twelve

Stephenie Meyer
ECLIPSE
Little Brown & Company (2007)

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of deire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

- ROBERT FROST

Again ... just when I thought I had the story figured out ... I realized that I didn't have a clue! Werewolves and vampires ... who'd have thought I could stay interested for three whole books?

Onto the next and last of the series ...

Book Eleven

Stephenie Meyer
NEW MOON
Little Brown & Company (2006)

The second book of what's been called the "Twilight Series" ... and once again Stephanie Meyer does not disappoint. Some plot twists are forseeable ... but just when you think you've got the book figured out ... she takes you down another winding trail and the story changes in ways you'd never imagined.

As with Twilight ... these are books that the big screen could never do justice to ... too many layers to get the full flavour into a 2 hour movie.

Onto the last book of the series ...

Book Ten

Stephenie Meyer
TWILIGHT
Little Brown & Company (2005)

Edward and Bella ... what a love story. Even though this novel was penned with young adults in mind ... I couldn't help but be carried away by this uniquely gripping and unusual love story. Stephanie Meyer's made me feel all of Bella's emotions ... and made me marvel at the sheer power of her love for Edward ... and as for Edward ... I mean who wouldn't fall for a breath-takingly beautiful vampire?

Can't wait to see what happens next ...

Book Nine

James Patterson & Howard Roughan
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
Hachette Book Group USA (2007)

Okay ... so it breaks my heart a little to trash this book ... because James Patterson did do some of the writing or all of the writing or none of the writing. This book was absolutely terrible. Bad plot ... unsympathetic characters ... under-developed characters ... you name the flaw and it can be found in this novel.

Only the opening quotation was worth remembering: "Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness" - Yousuf Karsh

Book Eight

James Patterson
CROSS
Little Brown & Company (2006)

Another great Alex Cross novel ... facing the Butcher ... one of Patterson's most twisted killers. I think what I love about Patterson's writing is that though it follows a certain formula ... you can never be absolutely sure of the ending ... and his writing style has a certain "show don't tell" quality about it - all his characters have quirks and eccentricities that make them come alive to the reader ...

Though I have a host of other books available to read ... I think I'm going to continue the Patterson marathon and read "You've Been Warned" next ...