Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer :(

I have been putting this off long enough. First it took me forever to read the book, then we didn't get our library copies in for almost a month after the release date (GRRR!), and well...I didn't want what I had to say to affect your view of Breaking Dawn (especially since I was part of the hype!). So hopefully everyone's read it by now. If not -- stop reading now...this review will contain spoilers.

The first part of Breaking Dawn was going great. Edward and Bella got married. Jacob danced with her (awww). They went on their honeymoon. Everything's happy with a fairy tale ending. Then Bella gets pregnant. And things just flat out got weird. I don't know if it's because she had just written the sci fi book, The Host, or what it was. Either way...she went off on this bizarre tangent and I wasn't buying it.

I don't know if it was the bad writing (sorry but it was), the bad editing (sorry again but it was), or the bad plotline (really sorry but it so was). I just could not wrap my head around it or make it make sense. I kept asking myself logical questions about how such a thing could happen or why Meyer wrote it into the storyline. I kept thinking she was trying to get some sort of message across about political and religious things that I'm not about to go into.

In short, I couldn't just read and forget that I was reading a story. During the first three novels, I found myself completely enraptured by the story and the characters. I loved Bella, Edward, and Jacob. I cried with them and forgot that they weren't real. But with Breaking Dawn, I couldn't fall into the story in the same way.

Then we came to part two of the book: Jacob's voice. While I loved hearing Jacob's voice for the first time, it was out of character for the series and let's be honest -- it got boring. I kept having to force myself to continue. In fact, at one point I was ready to take it back to the store (but that would have messed up my nice collection on my bookshelf) and I was determined to see it thru to the end.

I almost wish I hadn't finished or even started....I thought the story started to wind down around 500 pages, only to be picked up again with the threat of the Volturi. Then it was like reading a whole new book. Suddenly it was the Stephenie Meyer from the first three books writing! It was intense and exciting. And the fact that Jacob imprinted on Bella's daughter made everything make so much more sense. But when it came down to the final scene in the clearing, it ended abruptly and with no real climax. It was a huge let down.

I was extremely disappointed. It was like Stephenie Meyer threw this book together in a hurried fashion with little thought to the flow or action or character development. It left on a sweet note and showed us a stronger Bella, but still it wasn't enough for me. I expected more. Sorry if you loved it. That's wonderful and that's what I wanted for myself! I wanted to love it. I wanted it to be everything I expected, but it just wasn't.

Finally!

Breaking Dawn is finally here....so I will post my review as soon as I have time. We'll see how long that is.

Rumors by Anna Godbersen

I've finished reading Breaking Dawn. Actually I did several days ago, but I've been trying to hold off on posting a review until OUR copies come in. And they haven't yet. It's been out for a week and a half, and we still do not have our copies for the library. *hrumph* I am not a happy camper. Thanks to the hype of the book and our successful release party, there's about 40 people waiting for those books. So I'll refrain from spoiling any secrets until our copies show up. To be continued...

On the other hand, I never did post a review for Rumors by Anna Godbersen. It's the 2nd book in the Luxe series (first book being The Luxe--clever, huh?). If you haven't read the first one, you should. I picked it up because I loved the cover. I'm such a sucker for a pretty cover. It's a historical romance with gossip and intrigue and secrets. Think Gossip Girl but with more depth (these are thick books!) and they're also set in the 1800's. Give or take a 100 years.

Rumors again has the draw of an alluring cover, and it picks right up where The Luxe left off. It's suspenseful--flashing between the rich society of Manhattan and the rural beginnings of the California oil rush. It was heart wrenching though. I got nearly to the end and the author did something that angered me so much that I wanted to throw the book away. But I didn't. It's just that I usually get very attached to the characters, and when things go awry I tend to forget that it's just fiction. Signs of a good book. It's a light and yet very juicy read. Even for someone who doesn't like historical fiction (yes, that'd be me), I'd still give it a try.

Shhhh...

I'm still reading Breaking Dawn *sigh* So many other things to do....I will maintain my blog silence until I finish. I'll post my review of Rumors by Anna Godbersen, the second book in The Luxe series. So far...they've both had one thing in common and that is at some point I wanted to throw the book across the room (for very different reasons though!).

Boo, the party's over....

The party is over, and I'm exhausted! But it was completely worth all the hard work, the stressing out (I even broke out in hives for this one--yikes), and begging I had to do. The girls from The Bella Cullen Project were super sweet and played great. They even did an encore! Definitely not something you see everyday at the library :)

Ally, Chandler, and Tori all signed autographs, sold cd's, and chatted with all the VERY excited teens that came. I felt bad that I had to finally kick everyone out, but I was ready to come home and crash! Don't hold it against me please--I was weak with hunger.

So thanks to everyone who came (75 at last count!), thanks to the band, thanks to the band's moms for helping out, thanks to my volunteers who helped out, and thanks to all my co-workers that helped me bake a ton of cookies. Oh, and thanks to a very kind librarian for lending me a check so that I could buy a couple of CDs for the library and me (Apparently stopping at the ATM was not on my party "to do" list--oops. I will pay her back though!).

Also, I'll make sure and post a link to the pictures once I figure out how to get them off the camera. I was not the official picture taker, so I'm not sure how many are even on there. We'll all just have to wait and see! Now off to read....and then sleep.

Breaking Dawn Pre-Release Party

Need I say more? Actually I don't have time to say more....

The Bella Cullen Project & MTV

I have exciting news!! The Bella Cullen Project (who will be performing at our Breaking Dawn Release party) is playing at the Arlington Public Library's Central location next week on Wednesday, July 2 at 7pm.....and wait for it, wait for it...MTV is FILMING them!! For more details, visit their website. And come on out to support the girls if you can :) I'll definitely try to be there.

Drowning in Books & Programs

Okay, I survived my first big teen program of the summer. Too bad I spilt red food coloring all over my hands and pants after repeatedly warning the teens to not spill it on the carpet or themselves. Guess I forgot that I am the clumsy one!! Oh well....it came out of my pants, but if you see a librarian walking around with a reddish-pink hand--feel free to snicker. I haven't been able to get all the dye off yet. Go me!

Now to start planning the next major program (my favorite one!), my Breaking Dawn Pre-Release Party. Quite the mouthful, I know. I couldn't come up with a better name. But I'm obsessed with the Twilight saga and Stephenie Meyer and Buffy (ignore that one), so this one will be so much fun for me!! Plus, the Twilight fan-band, The Bella Cullen Project is coming to play! YAYYYYY! I truly am a book nerd.

But I'm getting off-topic and I did have a point to this blog. I've got 6 teen books sitting on my desk waiting to be read (and about 6 more on hold). The problem with being the teen librarian is that I order the books, so I know what's coming in and I get really excited....and put them all on hold. Then when they come in all at once, I have a stack of books to read. You may think librarians and booksellers just sit around reading all day (or maybe I just think people think that). Unfortunately, I usually only have time to read on my lunch break. One hour to cram in all my reading for the day. It's not enough time!!!

At the moment, I'm halfway thru Ink Exchange. Suprisingly, I'm loving it so much more than the first one. It's just getting really good....now if only I had the time to finish it.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Okay, so I'm a little behind because teen summer reading just kicked off on June 1. I went and MET Stephenie Meyer. Beyond words! I got my copy of the Host and Twilight signed for me....and I got a copy of Twilight signed to give away at my lib's Breaking Dawn Party. Who shall be so lucky to get it? We'll have to wait and see.

Anyways, I just finished reading an amazing book called Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Think George Orwell's 1984, but with terrorists and Xboxs. The book is set in the not too distant future just after another terrorist attack. The main character, Marcus gets picked up for being a suspected terrorist. He's held by the Department of Homeland Security and tortured for information that he doesn't have. When he's finally released, he finds that San Francisco has turned into a military state with Big Brother watching even more than before. Tracking everyone's every move.

The paranoia and the fear are so realistic. Not to mention the technology, which apparently isn't too far-fetched. This book makes you really think....How much of this could happen? How much already is? The torture is realistic, I must warn you. It will make you squirm and cringe to the very last minute. This is a thrilling book with tons of gadgets and technology and romance, but it's an important book. It makes you really think. You can't miss this one, especially if you're a fan of Scott Westerfeld or the Uglies series.

And now onto the next one....Wake by Lisa McMann.