No. 104: New Moon and New Moon Movie Review

New Moon by Stephanie Meyers

I went to see the New Moon movie this weekend so I had to read the book to see how close they were to each other. When a book I love gets made into a movie I want them to be as close as possible. That is one of the problems I had with the Twilight movie - they left out my favorite parts and added in some new parts that I didn't like as much.

But this movie, oh, it was soo good. Very similar, in fact, as I was reading the book again I was happy to see many of the lines in the movie taken directly from the book. There were a few changes and additions, but nothing that irritated me. Actually, I liked that instead of just hearing Edwards voice Bella could see him (anything to get a little more Robert Pattinson into the movie is something I can get behind)

A big surprise to me for the movie is that I actually liked Jacob Black. I pretty much hated him in the last three books of the series and I thought it would taint my ability to enjoy this movie. But it did not at all. Perhaps the amount of time he was shirtless had something to do with it - holy six pack Batman :) Very difficult to remember that he is only 17. I also had strong feelings of affection for the rest of the wolf pack and their shirtless tenancies as well!

I did not have strong positive feelings for Kristen Stewart, the actress that plays Bella though. She really was dreadful - maybe not as bad as in the first movie, but the girl cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She is really nothing like what I pictured Bella to be - I almost didn't even care if she was completely depressed and zombified - I mean, who can tell, her when she is so zombie like as a general rule. But, even her tragic, tragic lack of acting ability could not ruin this movie for me. So, to summarize - I loved the movie and I am going to see it again as soon as possible. And maybe again after that.

As far as the book goes - I think this is the third or fourth time I have read it - I actually really liked it. I don't think I liked it as much in my previous reads. Perhaps it is my fond memories of a shirtless (but VERY young) Jacob Black that improved my opinion of this book, or maybe I just like the book. It is hard to say, but I am eager to read the rest of the series now - these books are addictive to me!!!

I am trying something new with my next post. I have been reading a new series that has 8 or so books in it, I have been reading them pretty much in a row and since I have not been posting they are all running together for me. So I am going to finish up the series and then do one big post for the whole thing. I can tell you right now though, this is like nothing I have ever read before. It is weirdly compelling but also extremely inappropriate - I kind of wish the series would end so I could know what happens and be done without reading more. Pretty weird.

No. 103: His Lady Mistress

His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls

This was yet another FREE book for my Kindle! I seriously love free books!!!

However, this book had many of my most hated plot points:

1. The MMC wants the FMC to be his mistress, and then, if she agrees, he holds the mistress thing against her later.
2. The FMC is a young woman in a vulnerable position which makes the mistress option an option.
3. EVERY SINGLE BIT of drama in this book is created by a misunderstanding. Literally - if the characters every really carried on a meaningful conversation instead of being so secretive, oblivious or irrational there would be no excitement.
4. The MMC is a complete jerk - so mean to the FMC - but she looooves him and keeps taking him back and then BAM, he does it again. But it is because he is afraid to love or some such nonsense OR because she used to be a mistress so she is inherently untrustworthy and duplicitous.

Despite all of this, I actually kind of liked the book. I was able to look past some of the not so good stuff to actually care about the characters to some degree, particularly the FMC. I was pretty annoyed with the MMC most of the time, he was a serious jerk for the vast majority of the book. I am glad it wasn't any longer though because I think one more fight based on a minor misunderstanding and it would have lost me. I probably won't read more books by this author unless there are more free books - this was fine, but not really to my taste,

This is Amazing!!!

I found this interview, of a woman who read 462 books in one year. That is amazing! I would love to be able to do that - can you imagine? Of course, she is a book critic so reading is her job, but still!!!

Of course I am CERTAIN that she reads actual literature and not romance novels, but now I have something to aspire to.

I really identified with her assessment of her reading style. I would say mine is similar - reading a passage at a time more than a word at a time. But I am not sure I am quite as speedy as her. Typically, a 300 something page book takes me somewhere in the neighborhood of 2ish hours. Depending on how good it is, I always read faster when the book is good - which is both awesome and frustrating. Because obviously if a book is good I want to finish it so I know what happens, but I also want to enjoy it for as long as possible because it is so good.

No. 102: Rogue's Challenge

Rogue's Challenge by Jo Barrett

This is the second in what I have termed the Challenge Series. It involves the rich nerdy scientist that the FMC from the last book was hired to protect before she went back in time. I had a real likability issue with this FMC Jenny, she was stubborn to the point of being intractable, very annoying, she demeaned the MMC's intelligence constantly, and she was one of those irritating "I don't believe I am beautiful" girls but yet every guy is in lust with her and she needs constant protection to keep some unsavory character from abducting her based solely on her beauty. I kind of hate that. So, when Ian, whom I had come to like very much in the last book, somehow finds all of these faults to be not incredibly annoying but rather endearing - well, it was too much for me to accept. I know where the author was going, at least I think I do, that nerdy girls who are not necessarily conventionally attractive deserve to win Prince Charming (Ian's nickname in the series) but when the nerdy girls are unbearable to be around, I am not buying it.

And there is the other matter of the villain. He follows her back in time with the intention of kidnapping her to force her father to rightfully acknowledge that he invented a medication. But then when Jenny diminishes the importance of the medication it seems like the guy is crazy and the whole villain part of the story looses something. And it ended without ever really knowing why he was so crazy and what he thought was so important. I find that frustrating.

So I don't know if I will read more books by this author, I imagine if there are more time travel romances I will!

No. 101: Highlander's Challenge

Highlander's Challenge by Jo Barrett

This is a new author to me, but when I heard that she wrote time travel novels involving the Scottish highlands (one of my very favorite kind of books) I had to give her a try. Turns out this book is one of two interconnected books. So, I had a new author, time travel and a series all in one!

This is the first of the two, it involved Tuck - Amelia Tucker - who is employed as a private bodyguard for a rich and nerdy scientist. She is trying to protect her from kidnapping threats while they travel through Europe including ... Scotland! While they were visiting a castle, they made a wish in a wishing well and shortly thereafter Tuck was sent back in time to the 1400's. The first people she meets are Colin and Ian who are both (of course) ridiculously handsome guys. Then they are attacked and she kicks some butt, as she is wont to do. But Colin is suspicious about her appearance and the "coincidence" of the attack happening so soon after. She goes back to Colin's castle where she makes herself useful as a healer. And falls in love with Colin. And fights many of his men - because chicks can be as tough as Highlanders who have spent their whole lives training for war (or that is what we are supposed to believe) and even beats up Colin a time or two. The problem is, he is betrothed to another and also some evil outside source is trying to stir up a war. Also, there is an inside source trying to stir up some death by poisioning.

While I was glad to find another time travel romance to read, I had some issues with this one. I think in her efforts to make the FMC tough and yet interesting, she went to far on the tough side. I had a difficult time believing that the MMC would fall in love with her, she kept doing crazy things, acting irrationally, escaping and being generally a pain in the butt. So that was kind of annoying - but I think this is definitely my favorite of the two.

No. 100: The Untamed Bride

The Untamed Bride by Stephanie Laurens

100 books so far this year! Pretty exciting but I am behind where I was last year at this time. I just don't know if I have 40 something more books in me this year. Although, since I read 2 1/2 books today I just might!

This book is the start of a new series - The Black Cobra Quartet - and I have to say I am kind of into it already. A few summers ago, when I was pregnant with Ella, I read the entirety of the Cynster series and the Bastion Club series. Which is really saying something because that is a lot of books. And they were all starting to seem the same, and I decided I was pretty much Stephanie Laurens-ed out. But this book, while retaining a lot of the characteristics of her other series, has enough of a new twist to make them interesting to me again.

This book begins in India, which is an unusual location for a romance, in the years following the Peninsular war and the quartet - the MMCs for the series - are former Guardsmen now employed by the East India Company. Their mission is to destroy the Black Cobra Cult - a gang of vicious murders and terrorists. The FMC in this book is older than the traditional romance heroine who had been sent to live in Jamaica for a number of years following a scandal and her subsequent ruin. They meet and of course fall in love.

I have to say, I liked it very much and I am looking forward to the remaining 3 books in the series.

No. 99: Shape Up With the Slow Fat Triathlete

Shape Up With the Slow Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams

I have read this author's first book - The Slow Fat Triathlete - several times. She is very inspiring and motivating. This book is less about her personal story and more about tactics that can help you overcome the barriers that might prevent success in athletic endeavors. Since Aaron is making me do P90X - which is a super long and hard exercise program - I needed a little motivation. I think it worked! I got through a hard workout anyway. I can barely move my arms to type now, but I made it! Anyway, I would recommend either book by this author - even if you are fast or skinny!

No. 98: Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch

Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by BJ Daniels

I got this book for FREE from Amazon for my kindle. FREE! Of course, it wasn't a great book. But FREE! Anyway, the book starts when a ranch employee discovers human remains at the bottom of a well. Which is a pretty good beginning. But it seems like the author was trying to fit too many things in one short book. For example - mysterious bones of a murdered woman, the murder of a judge 5 years ago, an ex-fiancee returned to town as the new marshall, he left town because he was discovered in bed with her sister, the ex-fiance turned marshall's dad was the marshall at the time of the judge murder and he had suspect motives in solving the murder, also an abusive and potentially homicidal brother, a missing will and more. It was not a long enough book for all of the subplots and twists. And because the book was so full, for lack of a better word, everything felt really rushed and there was not enough time devoted to everything.

No. 97: Bed of Roses

Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts

I am totally disappointed by this book!!! The first one was pretty good, and then there was a LONG WAIT until this book came out. I was excited, but ultimately let down. There is something going on with Nora Roberts the past year or two - she just isn't doing it for me anymore. Which I think is a terrible shame because I LOVE LOVE LOVE so many of her books - all the Ireland ones, some of the witchy ones, the series with the adopted bad boys - all wonderful. But lately...

There were many problems I had with this book, aside from the super cliched (and not in a good way) plot where the only real conflict is that the FMC loves too much and the MMC is commitment phobic. Seriously, that is played out Nora, you need to come up with something new. Also, there is a fine line between witty, hip dialogue and over the top trying too hard dialogue. Unfortunately, this book seemed to be on the wrong side of the line - too many abbreviations and nicknames and little sayings. And it seems like Nora is trying to kill her poor characters by working them to death - the wedding business seems like too much work and a pain in the butt.

There are still 2 books left in this series - I can tell you right now where things are going. Laurel and Del - which has the potential to be interesting, and Parker and Malcom which I am undecided about. I will finish the series, obviously, but things better pick up or I will be strongly tempted to write my old buddy Nora a strongly worded letter.

No. 96: At Home in Stone Creek

At Home in Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller

Again I felt compelled to buy a LLM book despite the fact that I have not been liking them much lately. I have no idea why. This one was kind of boring, there wasn't really any drama or exciting or much of a plot in my opinion. No tension, everything resolved too easily and quickly. I didn't have time to work up the effort to care about what happened. It had potential - MMC was unhealthily attached to his dead wife, FMC was harboring Indian children that she had no legal right to, the brother has been having an illicit relationship with a saloon owner - but still, nothing. Kind of a bummer.

I feel like the last couple of books I have read have been disappointing, I need something really good to read now. I have three newish books to read, but they are in actual book form rather than kindle. I almost just bought them again on the kindle, but I restrained myself. I guess I will just have to read the old fashioned way - with a real book :)