Completed All Challenges . . . and Then Some!

It's hard to believe that the year is coming to a close already. 2010 is around the corner. Wow! In that time, this challenge has been a great incentive to read, read, read, as much as I can. Of course, being sick and then in my first trimester of pregnancy (yahoo!) has given me lots of time to lay around and read...because that's all I really can do and it helps take my mind off of how crappy I feel. Anyhoo, I've read 50 books since the last post, bringing me to 135 books (including audio, manga, graphic novels, YA and Adult titles, but not children's) and there is no way I can blog about them all now - so sorry! But I'll at least list them and maybe chat about some recent favs... Here goes!

When I last left you, the YA book, The Cabinet of Wonders, by Marie Rutkowski was on my nightstand, waiting to be read. Well, it was a thoroughly pleasurable read. In fact, I couldn't put it down! I great mix of fantasy, historical fiction, action, and adventure. In fact, this made it onto our school outreach book club list! It could definitely be read by tweens, too. The main character, Petra, is a wonderfully strong girl and it leaves you itching for a sequel. The best characters are certainly the tin animals, though, like Astrophil, the spider. What imaginative creations! I can't recall my rating system, but let's give it 5 stars out of 5. *****
Another star book this year was, Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater. A little bit, Blood and Chocolate, but not so graphic, lustful or adult, and a little bit Twilight, but more thoughtfully written, this werewolf book will have you crying by the end. Well, it had me crying at any rate. The descriptions are beautiful - they actually have you shivering with the cold. The exciting news is that Ms. Stiefvater is coming to our library to talk with our writer and readers club in December! Also, we've gotten news that the entire Wolves of Mercy Falls series has been bought for film rights!
Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia is another YA book that had me thinking this year. Although the ending was a little rushed, strange, and dangling, I loved the way that she showed the different viewpoints of the girls involved in this story about race, gangs, girls and bullies. Williams-Garcia does an excellent job creating her three main characters through first person narrative, and you get perspective and personality with a punch. A quick book and definitely a good pick for reluctant readers.
Mare's War, by Tanita S. Davis, was not at all what I expected. A great story about two teen sisters, who rarely get along, and their grandmother, Mare, an eccentric, fun-loving and anti-stereotypical 80 year-old. The girls' parents force them to spend weeks during one summer, traveling with Mare on a cross-country road trip for a family reunion. Along the way, they learn about Mare's past as a member of the Women's Army Corp during World War II, and about her struggles with overcoming poverty and race boundaries. But don't be scared - this is hardly didactic and the chapters alternate between the girls' points of views and Mare's. Mare is a wonderful character and the teens learn to appreciate all that she went through and why she acts and thinks the way she does.
Last, I loved this "oldie but goodie": Annie on My Mind, by Nancy Garden. It is a story of first loves and strong, enduring love, and yes, it is about two teen girls. Nancy herself didn't come out until much later in life, but she states how important this book was for GLTBQ literature. So much of the older stuff, she says, had depressing endings, with the main characters dying or even "becoming straight." She wanted a dignified story with a positive ending and a message about the "love" side of gay relationships that often gets lost or less attention. First published in 1982, the new edition that I read contained a great interview with Ms. Garden that explained her thought process behind the story and about the times. The book itself isn't too dated to be relevant today, and demonstrates just how far the GLTBQ community has come in the way of rights, respect and recognition.

So, that about wraps up this blog post. I hope to have my entire list of books on here before the end of the year and by then, I'll be ready for another 100+ books in 2010! :)
(Here's what I've read since August - ratings out of 4 stars max):

1. The Cabinet of Wonders, by Marie Rutkoski (CB – fantasy in historical setting – great!!) ***
2. The Possibilities of Sainthood, by Donna Freitas (CB – good!) ***
3. The Books of Umber: Happenstance Found, by P.W. Catanese (CB - fantasy/sci-fi-ish; great!!) ***
4. Scat, by Carl Hiassen (CB - not so great) **1/2
5. Anything But Typical, by Baskin (CB – good!) ***
6. The Rock and the River, by Kekla Magoon (CB – good!) ***
7. The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer (audio) **** excellent!!
8. Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia, by Marya Hornbacher (wow!****)Adult-non-fiction
9. Miki Falls – Book 1- Spring, by Mark Crilley (manga) **1/2. Not bad; kind of shallow.
10. Word Nerd, by Susin Nielsen (CB ’09) – awesome! ****
11. Dramarama, by E. Lockhart (Books 4the Beast) **** - very good!
12. Science Fair, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (CB ’09) - *1/2 – blah, story itself a bit funny
13. Miki Falls – Book 2 – Summer, by Mark Crilley (manga) **1/2; not bad, same as first one; reminds me of Twilight – forbidden love!
14. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, by Jeff Kinney (#3 in series) ***1/2. Still very funny!! J
15. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation: Volume 1: The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson (audio) **** - excellent! For older readers/listeners; very mature – wow – historical fiction
16. Good as Lily, by Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm (graphic novel) ***
17. Miki Falls 3 – Autumn, by Mark Crilley (graphic novel/manga) **1/2
18. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, by Alison Goodman (CB - **** - awesome!)
19. Alabama Moon, by Watt Key (*** -decent; kind of stretched out….)
20. Dope Sick, by Walter Dean Myers (for CSK mock awards; decent ***?)
21. Skim, by Tamaki and Tamaki (graphic novel; Books 4 the Beast; great! ****)
22. Coretta Scott, by Ntozake Shange and Kadir Nelson (ill). (CSK mock – not good enough for author award; maybe for illustrator?)
23. The Luxe, by Anna Godbersen (Books 4 the Beast **** - awesome!)
24. Burnout, by Rebecca Donner and Inaki Miranda (graphic novel-OK-**1/2)
25. Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis (***good! Historical fic)
26. Miki Falls – Winter, by Mark Crilley (not a bad series! Graphic novel; **1/2)
27. Token, by Alisa Kwitney and Joelle Jones (graphic novel) *** - good!
28. Jumped, by Rita Williams-Garcia (CSK mock awards) ****- very good!
29. Would You (audio) by Marthe Jocelyn (****very good! Sad/death)
30. Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, by Margaret Peterson Haddix (**** - great!)
31. Peace, Locomotion, by Jacqueline Woodson (for CSK mock awards – not bad! ***)
32. Sophomore Switch, by Abby McDonald (aspired to be more, but some of it just silly - **1/2)
33. The Way We Roll, by Stephanie Perry Moore (CSK mock awards; terrible *, not realistic actions/overreations/exaggerations/quick conclusions and changes)
34. Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman (***1/2 – great!)
35. Twilight Prisoner, by Katherine Marsh (sequel to Night Tourist – not bad but not as good; ***)
36. Sorcerers and Secretaries volume 1 (graphic novel) – (OK! **1/2)
37. Sorcerers and Secretaries volume 2 (graphic novel)- OK **1/2
38. Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater (**** - amazing! I cried!)
39. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Stevenson (audio – excellent! Husband enjoyed this one w/me! ***1/2)
40. The Wednesday Wars, by Gary Schmidt (audio – excellent! Very funny and easy to listen to ****; ending a little too perfect)
41. Hot, Flat, and Crowded, by Thomas Friedman (wow! Very, very good; **** - global warming; pg 118 to mark when I give this to others!)
42. Just Another Hero, by Sharon Draper (**1/2 – OK – some unrealistic dialogue/ teachers)
    
43. Life in the Fat Lane, by Cherie Bennett (***- decent; mom a little too stereotyped; liked that the ending wasn’t all pat; makes you think!)
44. Down Sand Mountain, by (our own local Steve Watkins!) (***-good, took me a little while to read it, but not the book’s fault)
45. Shooting Star, by Fredrick McKissack, Jr. (***1/2 – great book!-CSK mock awards)
46. In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan (audio) - very good – not completely veg-friendly ***
47. Mare’s War, by Tanita s. Davis (***1/2 – excellent) CSK mock awards
48. Annie on My Mind, by Nancy Garden (****-excellent – older book but still important and very well written)
49. The Girls (audio) , by Amy Goldman Koss*** - decent – short and well-written; diff viewpoints
50. Black Angels, by Linda Beatrice Brown (for CSK mock awards - ** - only OK – jumped around a lot between viewpoints w/out warning, even within a paragraph; ending a little too dragged out/sappy)
    

Three Great Titles

I was thrilled to read not just one, but three great YA books on a recent vacation. I really don't read much on vacations, except in the car, a talent that I'm coming to realize is quite useful. Not only does it whittle away the many long and often boring hours, but it gives me huge stretches of time in which I can finish entire books. Being able to be absorbed into a story without being distracted by traffic, music, and even my husband talking (which can go awry when he's asking for directions or needs change for the tolls), is a beautiful gift, especially when I know so many people who get carsick or headaches when they try to read in this environment.

At any rate, I had time to finish three entire books (OK, I had already read more than half of Heroes of the Valley, which is pretty long), all of which I will be voting "yes" for during our Cafe Book selection (Cafe Book is a popular public to school library connection program, where we read and discuss YA books during middle school lunch time). The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams (pictured above), is a beautiful but disturbing story of family and survival. Thirteen year-old Kyra lives on the Compound, a religious community whose leader dictates the word of god, including polygamy. Kyra finds out that she must marry not only a 60 year-old man with 6 wives already, but the man who is also her uncle. Instead of making this disgusting all over, Williams portrays the love and unity that Kyra finds in this community, showing how hard it is for people, especially children her age, to break free when things go terribly wrong, as it soon does for Kyra. Four stars ****. This wasn't too graphic, dealt with the religious aspect carefully and honestly, and touched on women's rights as well.

The Tomorrow Code, by Brian Falkner, was another four star **** hit for me. This sci-fi YA novel deals with time travel (in a way), humankind's relationship with the earth, love, family, animal rights, the past and the future in one mesmerizing story. The science part of the book isn't too complicated to understand, and is explained fairly well - it's believable. The ending was perfect - not too tidy, not too tragic and leaves the reader with hope. It had me racing through the pages, a nail-biting end. The only fault I could find with it was the beginning, where they are so easily let into the facility on the island, and the ending, where the main characters seemed to let go of their families a little too easily. Otherwise, loved it! There will be lots of topics for discussion with this book.

Last, and certainly not least, Heroes of the Valley, by Jonathan Stroud also left me happily satisfied. It is the story of legendary heroes who created a valley of families, who beat back the Trows (vicious creatures) and then vowed to live without fighting and battles. Yet they are stuck behind their stone walls, not leaving the valley for fear of the Trows beyond the walls. Halli, our young star, is born short and stubby and certainly not attractive. He grows up on the stories of the heroes and thinks the farming life in the valley is boring and restrictive. This four star **** fantasy was a little slow in starting, but once Halli started taking action instead of being sneaky and playing tricks, it flew by. I loved the way that Halli's character developed, especially as he realized the faults of the legends, and the limitations of his own dreams. A strong girl character, Aud, helps draw in female readers. The ending was superb - surprising but satisfying. Great high fantasy - may not appeal to non-fantasy readers, though.

21 more to go and Audiobook Challenge Complete!

It's hard to believe that I haven't blogged since January - ugh! My regular blogs are so much easier to keep up with...anyway, I have a good excuse...I've been reading!! :) Graceling is one of my favorites of the year and I just discovered this YouTube book trailer the other day. It's pretty good!

Meanwhile, I'm excited to announce that I've almost finished the 12 Audiobooks Challenge! I just finished Frances Mayes's Bella Tuscany the other day, number 10 for me. With my very short commute, it typically takes me a month or so to get through a book. Since I read and loved, Under the Tuscan Sun, and I was in the mood to for some armchair travel (I don't get much vacation time since I left teaching), this seemed like just the thing. However, the moment I put the first tape in, I groaned aloud. The lilting southern voice of the author rang out...and continued to read the entire book. There is nothing more jarring than hearing a southern accent read about life in Italy. It just didn't sound right! Her Italian is actually very good and her accent of that language didn't make me cringe a bit. After one or two tapes, though, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn't notice her accent as much and was drawn into the story. Although there is a lot of repetition when compared to Tuscan Sun, I still couldn't get enough of the descriptions of the people, the land, the food (I tuned out the rabbit's head and goose stew descriptions - blech!), and even the home rennovations. The only problem I had after that was when she commented on a, "retarded man dancing with his mother." That was pretty offensive. Who uses that term anymore? Three stars out of four ***. Here are some of the other titles I've been reading furiously:
Looks, by Madeline George (four stars! like poetry and playwriting together)

Forever Changes, by Brendan Halpin (four stars - amazing! I had tears rolling down my face)

What I Saw and How I Lied, by Judy Blundell (three stars - very good!)

Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel (this was one of the audiobooks - the full cast was great!)

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman (hilarious! four stars - really creative characters)

Rapunzel's Revenge, by Shannon and Dean Hale (two and a half stars out of four - just not impressive, although I think it's been rated higher by YALSA)

The Other Side of the Island, by Allegra Goodman (three stars - decent! reminded me of the Mysterious Benedict Society)

Princess Ben, by Catherine Murdock (the actual title is longer; two and a half stars; good premise but some parts were blah)

What I Talk ABout When I Talk AboutRunning, by Haruki Murakami (audiobook - not as good as I thought it would be; three stars ***)

A Child Called It, by David Pelzer (disturbing! not the best written book but a compelling topic - child abuse - and the most severe I've ever heard, except for The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls, which is way worse and much better written)

Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson (four stars - amazing! great, different take on slavery during the American Revolution - juxtaposing her desire to be free with the American colonists' fight for freedom...oh yeah, except slaves...)

Bog Child, by Siobbhan Dowd (just learned the author died this year(?); four stars - wow!; - teen readers will have to have knowledge of the IRA and Ireland vs England)

Beanball, by Gene Fehler (two stars; (written in free verse – many viewpoints – very short – not very deep/ a little predictable)

Artichoke's Heart, by Suzanne Supplee (three stars; good look at overweight/obesity and teens dealing w/this – great character but a little too easily solved)

The Leanin' Dog, by K.A. Nuzum (Wow! four stars; Beautiful and powerful; a bit quiet and more for younger teen readers)

How to Build a House, by Dana Reinhardt (four stars - great tale of maturity- definitely for older readers)

The Dead and the Gone, by Mary Beth Pfieffer (not that great- not enough action and characters didn’t seem too upset by all that was transpiring – reactions of the rest of the world not realistic – blah *1/2 stars - heard that her first one (Life as We Knew It) was much better)

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman (four stars - incredible! one of the best books I've read this year; unusual; great story of growing up; good for older children readers but also for all teens and even adults - can see why it won the Newbery!)

The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart (audiobook- I know this is a somewhat older title, but it was on my must-read list! loved the audiobook version - one reader did an awesome job of distinguishing the different characters; four stars!)

Puddlejumpers, by Mark Jean and Christopher C. Carlson (three stars; good in parts but rushed ending and faulty plot)

The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls (audiobook - see previous comments)

When the Black Girl Sings, by Bill Wright (**1/2 stars– not bad)

Janes in Love, by by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg (**1/2 – not bad – still stereotyped like its prequel, The Plain Janes, esp bad is the jock Jane and their gay guy friend)

Melting Stones, by Tamora Pierce (this is the first Pierce novel I've read - I think - three stars- not bad! still, found myself wanting to read the previous novel because it was referred to so much and the action sounded much better)

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins (four stars!! deserves the Printz! runaway hit of the year; original; like Survival for teens)

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow (great sci-fi similar to post 9-11; good for high school four stars!)

Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson (four stars - audiobook; great reader, great story!)

The Bone Magician, by F.E. Higgins (four stars...if you haven't read The Black Book of Secrets; this is a paraquel, not quite as good as Black Book, but still mysterious and creepy; Dickens-esque)

Ink Exchange, by Melissa Marr (****stars! great fairie fantasy; I hadn't read much faerie stuff before and really enjoyed this one; local author!)

Sovay,by Celia Rees (two stars; really disappointed in this one; I expected a really strong girl character and lots of great stage coach hold-ups, but this plot idea faded quickly and overall the plot went everywhere and no where; characters were hard to distinguish)

Me, the Missing and the Dead, by Jenny Valentine (three stars; great!)

Savvy, by Ingrid Law (orginal! three stars!)

Well, that's it for the moment. I've got lots more to post about. I'm on book number 80 right now (Heroes of the Valley) and looking forward to a small road trip to get more reading done. YA lit continues to amaze me!

Best Book of the Year?

I know it's only January, but I may have found my favorite book of the year already! I actually listened to it on audiobook, which was fabulous because Elizabeth Gilbert's voice is just so mellow and perfect for reading, Eat, Pray, Love (which, incidentally, I keep calling, "Eat, Love, Pray"). At any rate, the book's premise is this: a 30-something year-old New Yorker goes through a bitter divorce, depression, and general life questioning. She ends up on a three-country tour to find her spiritual identity. Italy is where she learns to eat again (she lost a lot of weight) and indulge in the pleasure of food and life. India is where she learns to pray, meditate, and find God while living in an ashram. And last, she ends up in Indonesia, specifically Bali, where she finds a balance between pleasure and prayer (I won't give away the complete ending).

I loved this book for many reasons. One, I am on a spiritual journey myself, to find what I believe, to learn to pray and meditate and discover my version of God. What I loved about Ms. Gilbert was her awareness that all religions and practices are just different paths to one endpoint. I can't quote directly at this moment, but I recall that she refers to a beautiful explanation (Hopi, I think) that religions are all different threads of the truth, which will eventually be part of one rope that pulls us all together. Or, as Pope Pius the XI, the Dalai Lama, and others state: our world's religions are just different rivers that all end up in the same ocean. So anyway, I am constantly becoming aware of different threads, or rivers, and finding beauty and truth in each one.

Second, I loved this book because her tone was so perfect for the audio version - it was low and mellow, sad and joyful, and not apologetic for her indulgences (which, as I've gathered from others, is something they did not like about this title). Finally, I enjoyed it because it made me appreciate and love all aspects of life - reminded me to stop and smell the roses - and to appreciate and love all people. Following A Year of Living Biblically, this was another winner! Four stars **** (out of four).

I was at work when I spied this title (Love the One You're With, by Emily Giffin (not Griffin - I'm always messing that up, too!). I liked her other works pretty well (Baby Proof, among others) so I grabbed this one. It was an easy read - passionate, realistic (relatively), and addresses that oft-burning question of, "the one that got away." Not bad - I could recommend this but won't go out of my way to tell others. Two and a half stars **1/2 (out of four), maybe three.

I'm reading Savvy, by Ingrid Law, at the moment. I actually picked it up several weeks ago but just found out that it made the 2009 Newbery honor list, so I figured I'd better hurry up and read it now before others requested it!

Finally. I finished a non-fiction spirituality book for the first time in months.
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible.

A.J. Jacobs, writer for Esquire magazine and NPR contributor, caught me with the premise: to try to live "exactly by the word of the bible," for an entire year. Knowing the wacky things that the Bible often proposes (or at least the human's interpretation of its words) I was fascinated to see what Jacobs would find out. I loved the way he went into this so open-minded (for an agnostic, that is pretty good!), and what he took away from it. He especially opened my own eyes as to the Bible's words, and how easily they can be interpreted in so many ways, depending on the reader's intentions and beliefs. It just reinforced my own spiritual beliefs (which are constantly evolving anyway), that people create and find the religious practices that fit their needs, and find God in their own way and that none of these ways is "the only one truth." Of course, laughing out loud every few pages didn't hurt, either! My only concerns were the discussion of animal sacrifice and his experience with the kaparot, where live chickens are swung around your head and then slaughtered in front of you and other humiliating/disturbing practices. Still, four stars for the insight and humility! ****

I also finished Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer, which concluded the Twilight series. I think that this was my favorite out of the four, probably because Bella got married and got pregnant, two things I can relate to! I loved how Bella finally got vampire powers, a backbone, and an active role in what was going on around her. The conclusion was a little unsatisfying - lots of buildup and climax to a blah resolution, but Meyer isn't know for her fight scenes and honestly, isn't it good to have non-violent resolution to some things in life?? Three and a half stars *** 1/2

Slow Going

I feel like I've been reading every spare second of the day, but it seems that I've been reading lots of magazine articles and random chapters from non-fiction books more than I've been reading entire novels. Still, I've managed to get through two YA books over the past couple of weeks. Wish that they had blown me away, but can't say they did. First up, pictured above, was Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan. This was on my "to read" list, given to me by my employer several months ago. Or maybe it was on my Challenged and Banned List. At any rate, I could see why it would make some people uncomfortable, as it discusses (gasp!) love between two homosexual boys. Of course, if you actually read the book, it is more of the platonic kind, with little more than kissing discussed. The point of the story is the strength this one boy finds in his sexuality, and the strength he brings to others who are still struggling with acknowledging their feelings (or struggling with parents who refuse to support or believe in them). It's a decent read - some humor, some depth, satisfying but not perfectly tied up ending. I'd give it three stars (out of four). ***

Then there's this new one, published just last year (but interestingly enough, published in France in 2005): A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, by Valerie Zenatti. It is the story of a teen Israeli girl who decides she's tired of the fighting and bombs, and puts a message in a bottle in the Gaza Sea, to try to contact a Palestinian girl and find out what they have in common. Instead, the bottle finds a teen boy (Palestinian) living in the Gaza strip. Billed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, I had high hopes for this one, but little happens to the characters and little action actually occurs to invite suspense or create a climax. The author has the characters explain the history behind the Israeli-Palestine conflict, but sometimes it's too didactic. The teens communicate through e-mail and chat, which helps teens relate to the unusual setting (it is set in 2003) but the way that "fall" for each other is a little forced. Overall, I was disappointed - I was hoping to recommend this for our school-library teen book club next year. Two stars **
Meanwhile, I'm working on this adult non-fiction: A Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible, by A.J. Jacobs. I was on the hold list for a while, and since I've been reading (or skimming) so many other things, it's now almost due back and I'm not even a quarter of the way into it. But I'm determined to finish it this weekend. It is tongue-and-cheek at times, serious at others, and I can see that the author will be changed (not just physically - since he has to grow a FULL beard) but spiritually. It kind of mirrors my audio book of the moment: Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert (yup, still working on that). Well, that's it for now. Make sure to leave comments if you've read these titles - I don't need any more recommendations - yagh!

2009 Audiobook Challenge and Breaking Dawn

Last summer, I bought, "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, with the full intentions of reading it. I was feeling very spiritual (and wealthy) and so I splurged at Border's. However, I still hadn't gotten around to it (due to my ginormous YA "to read" list) when I saw the audio book version at the library where I work. I was in need of a new audio book for my (though short) drives around town and to work, and I thought this was a sign. Happily, I am thoroughly enjoying it - am on the 3rd disc in only two days- especially because of the author's voice. I normally find that authors who read their own books aloud just don't have the experience to do a stellar job, but Gilbert is stunning. Her voice is low and soothing, and I am caught up in her world of images, tastes, and desires every time I start the car. I am missing out on NPR, but I'll just have to (gasp) read the paper or check out CNN online when I am at the desk or at home. Can't wait to hear more! This is a perfect start to the 2009 Audiobook Challenge.

Meanwhile, I am finally posting those pictures of Charlie Swan, from the Twilight movie and (below) his look-a-like, Burt Reynolds. Eerie, huh?

And of course, I zoomed through Eclipse over Christmas and grabbed Breaking Dawn as soon as I could. I am totally hooked. This fourth book is by and far the best of the series. The switching of perspective between Bella and Jacob is a great way to keep from becoming too monotonous (as in New Moon) and it gives you a whole other take on Bella's actions. I can't put it down. It's one of those books that sucks you in and when you realize you have to stop, you are shaking your head, trying to clear it up and return to the real world. The first three were fine, but this one takes the cake...so far. I'm almost halfway through in 2 days!