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Recently in Aja's 2009 Reading List Category
Welcome back, book fans! It is my fervernt hope to get caught up with reviewing last year's
books so that I can also discuss this year's books...you know, before the year is out. With that
in mind, I'm hoping to either have longer reviews or more frequent. We'll see how it all plays out.
Until then, here is the next batch of awesome and/or approaching terrible books.
52. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bible! by Jonathan Goldenstein. (Humor)(B-) The catch with
this book is that you have to have a sense of humor and you have to have a pretty good working
knowledge of the bible. That makes this book somewhat exclusive to non-religious people who
have a sense of humor.
53. Skin Trade by Laurell K Hamilton. (Fantasy) (C) I've invested a lot of time in this series.
Enough that I figured spending four hours on her latest book made more sense than not. And
there were definitely some parts that I really liked. I'm pretty sure. But I'm a college educated
woman who, not to toot my own horn, is pretty intelligent. And I couldn't remember who was who
and what they looked like and where they came from and why I was supposed to care. For, like,
three-fourths of the characters in this book. Okay, so, Haven used to be called Cookie Monster
and he has blue hair? And he worked for the mob. So he can't get involved with the cops. But he
is her tiger to call? Wait, no, that's Crispin. Who is Crispin? Did I meet him. When? I liked
Auggie. He worked for the mob. Is he in the same area? Why didn't I see him? Where am I?
How am I not myself? Why is this so complicated? I need to make a diagram.
54.The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. (Young Adult/Historic Fiction) (A) This book is amazing! I
read it for Young Adult book club and we all agreed it was so well written. My rule of thumb,
though, held true: no happy endings in Nazi Germany. I cried through the last three chapters of
this book. (Sidenote, not the only time I cried.) And yet, I think it brings up a pretty good point.
At what point do we hold people responsible for going along with the crowd? When they do it
without question? When they question but do not act? When they act but not hard enough? I do
not have any answers. I recognize that there is always shades of gray but also that we like to
soften history. We like to make our actions more palatable. This is a well written story that
depicts almost every side a person could be on during that time. Tragic but ringing truth.
55. The Sisters 8: Annie's Adventures by Lauren Baratz-Logstead with Greg Logsted and Jackie
Logsted. (Children) (B+) (Sorry to 180 on subject matter.) This was light, cute, and meant for a
younger reading set than I normally gravitate towards but I've always loved books/stories about
large, unconventional families. A set of octuplets find that their parents have gone missing (Are
abducted? Been killed? Who knows?) They DO know that a mysterious person has
communicated with them that they must each develop a special skill that will come in to play to
save their family!
56. The Sisters Grimm: 1 by Michael Buckley. (Children) (B+) Now this, while still younger, is
only a bit younger. It deals with more adult fare that is written superbly. If you are a fan of fairy
tales you might give this a try. Tough as nails "orphans" (who find out what happened to their
parents if not where they are being kept for rescue) aren't going to be fooled by anyone. Of
course, the giant didn't exactly trick them. He just picked up the car with Granny in it and walked
away. They can't turn their back on the only family they have left but they also know NOTHING
about the family line of work: fairy tale detective sleuthing. YES!
57. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. (Graphic Novel) (Unable to rate due to personal bias). This
really captures exactly the feel it was going for - I just didn't appreciate it. I have trouble
witnessing people be humiliated and I will forever be haunted by the guy they set-up thinking he
was going to meet someone who he might connect with. We all want that in life. To connect, to
be loved, to love in return. And he'd done all the right things. He looked normal (actually, nearly
precisely like my dad which might be why it was hard on me) he was thoughtful to bring a flower,
and he waited in case she was just running late. I still tear up thinking about it. WHY. WHY.
Sorry. Like I said, haunted. I'm not sure I would recommend reading this unless you like
depression and/or your awkward teenage years.
58. Guide to the Ghosts of Lincoln: 3rd Edition by Alan Boye. (Sci-fi, Fantasy and Horror) (D)
OH, man. You'd think this would be awesome, right? Ghost stories. TRUE ghost stories. True
ghost stories set right here in Lincoln! And yet...I had some serious issues with the editing.
There was a lot of devolving into how the author was intricately involved in some aspect of the
story.
59. Finger Lickin' 15 by Janet Evanovich. (Mystery/Awesomeness) (B+) Oh, man. See, the
classic debate is Ranger vs Morelli. And I have to ask myself, why just one? Why can't she love
both? This is pretty much everything you would expect from a Stephanie Plum story. Which,
since I love them, was what I had hoped for and received.
Going on, favorite quote of all the books happens in this installment. Lula: Fire! Fire! We're all
going to die! We gonna burn like we was in h*ll! (Needless to say, they did not die in a fire.)
Note: Next in the series, Sizzling Sixteen , was just released!
Editor's note: Okay, Aja-ers, here ya go! As promised, the much-aniticpated play-by-play of Aja's 48 Hour Reading Challenge. Just tuning in? Not sure where we're coming from? Not to worry: Aja's 2009 Reading List now has its own category in our blog...because some people just can't stop talking about books...and one of them is me! Love you, Aja! ~ Kirsten
FIRST DAY (1/2 Day)
 Well, I finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. I think, in terms of darkness, that I found it pretty on par with The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Now, I loved The Hunger Games. Both of these books have a handful of things I really like: gritty realism while in a fantastical setting, strong heroine's who take care of themselves, and a love story intertwined in a breakneck rush of run,run,DANGER,action,adventure,run,aaaaaaaah. I was pretty pleased with this read even though it's a bit darker. If you like zombies, moral and religious questioning about what is right in this world, or pseudo-historical settings: this book will rock your socks off. I give it an A+. (NOTE: sequels are now available!)
Next up is Glass Houses, by Rachel Caine. It's the first in the Morganville Vampires series. I read a short story from this universe in Many Bloody Returns, edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelnor. I was intrigued enough then that I went and bought this book. I should probably save it until later but I'm going to go ahead and start it now...
So, I just finished Glass Houses. Man, do I love vampire stories. I am totally aware that I went from zombies to
 vampires.
I don't want to give away any plot, but the Morganville Vampires series has quite a few clever moves. The town is run by vampires. You play by their rules or you don't play at all. Sometimes this means getting to leave (the further from town you go the hazier your memories become) and often it means you're dead. Michael, Shane, and Eve have been going it alone for a few months when 16-year-old Claire shows up. She's attending the college - planning to transfer to a bigger school when she's old enough that her parents will stop worrying - when pretty much everything goes wonky. She didn't grow up in Morganville. She doesn't know the rules, she doesn't know the players, and she can spare about $100 a month for rent. Glass House is the safest place for her. Which, you know, doesn't really amount to much in a town of vampires.
Also, I really enjoyed how the book set up different kinds of people. Does that make sense? Being human didn't make you good, being a vampire didn't make you necessarily evil, and there is a whole host of things in between. So far, though, this book hasn't fallen to the fantasy curse. This is a strictly vampire universe (yet?). Often, a series will start off with a specific creature for a few books and then suddenly there are also x,y, and z. Which can be done well, of course. Sookie Stackhouse comes to mind. If I get to read any more of this series I will have to let you know how that goes...
SECOND DAY (Full Day)
This is my first full day of reading and I am ambitious. I've got my snacks already chosen, have some people set to help me out with driving/lunch/etc. I am ready to do this!
 I just finished The Safe-Keeper's Secret and it was simply marvelous. It wasn't very long, only 222 pages, but it was paced beautifully. There were idyllic moments that spoke of the tranquility of the village. There were people who were good, people who were bad, and people who were just so normal. A barkeep who didn't want to hear people's confessions. A girl who would marry to please her father even though he would be gone long before her marriage would end. Little touches here and there that made this world just so complete.
Fiona is the daughter of the village's Secret-Keeper. Her brother, Reed, was delivered to the family home as a newborn on the day of her birth. He was delivered by the King's Secret-Keeper but no one knows for sure if he is really the King's heir. Fiona and Reed grew up together in a world that was partly obscured by the secrets that their mother must keep. That is what she is tasked with doing - hearing secrets and keeping them safe until it is their time to become Truth. (Side note, there are also Truth-Tellers who cannot lie except by omission. They can choose not to tell a truth that has become known to them but they cannot keep from the sudden knowing.) Intrigue definitely shadows every corner.
What I loved most about this book, though, was its portrayal of love. Damiana, Reed and Fiona's mother, loved both of her children equally. They knew it, every day, that she was dedicated to them. I come from a blended family and so I find it especially important when books acknowledge the power of love to unite. Blood is not the only thing that matters nor is it the most important. Shinn really captured that with this story.
She also tells a tale that doesn't require easy answers. Some things get wrapped up with a tidy bow while opening doors for new mysteries. That is far more reflective of life than a Happily Ever After. Actually, this reminds me of a phrase introduced to me by the book Happily After All, by Laura C. Stevenson. I prefer this ending for two reasons. As the book's protagonist argues, the characters go through so much. It is important to separate all they went through for the 'after all' while still realizing that there isn't a single instance of time after which all heartbreak ceases. It is just enough to know that, with love in your life, you can weather even the most brutal events to still find hope after...
Sexy by Joyce Carol Oates was not anything like I expected. It managed, by its own unique writing format, to
 capture the confusion I like to call High School. You infinitely understood how Darren is pulled in conflicting directions. He wants to be a good kid, do the right thing, but what that entails seems to be constantly shifting. You don't rat out your friends. On the other hand, how can you let a teacher get unfairly accused of crimes he didn't commit?
I was really worried, for about half of this book, that the overall message was going to be negative. It ended up being so much more complex than that, though. Darren thinks having his teacher, Mr.Tracy, "proposition" him is creepy, which it completely is, but at the same time he seems to recognize that the exaggerated labeling and response his community takes is just as bad. There are no easy answers here. Oates explores how subjective the truth is and where the line of morality lies. It was an intriguing read, all things considered, but I would place this at the higher end of reading levels. The read was easy but the comprehension required to understand the different levels of the book and the complexity of the issues? Definitely for older YA readers.
 I just finished Bones of Faerie, by Janni Lee Simner. I enjoyed it but probably would have liked it better if it wasn't on the tail end of another supernatural story set in the future but with the world living like it was 1830. It's a pretty specific genre and while I enjoy it in general it is the sort of thing that can feel repetitious. On the other hand, modern stories of the same type manage to almost always feel new and clever to me. This is probably a personal quirk.
Something fresh that Simner used in her writing was a love story that was not. Liza and Michael never declare love, they never make eyes at each other, and there is no happy-happy wedding at the end. Yet they are there for each other in the way that true friends can face any situation together. So, while they were partners in a very true sense the story never went into any detail on a relationship. Nor did it take a cop-out and try to rush in at the last second with a declaration of some sort. I'm still rooting for them, though!
Well, I've got to catch a few hours of rest. I think I slept for about 5 hours last night? I will probably do the same again though sleeping feels like such a waste of precious time! Still, 5 books down and 1,387 pages so far. I'm hoping to get another thousand done tomorrow. That's optimism for you!
THIRD DAY (1/2 Day)
Just finished All We Know of Heaven. And I definitely cried through a good portion of the first half. Maureen and
 Bridget were just fully developed characters. Mitchard didn't try and make either of them too perfect or ignore that humans have faults. Even though humans often try to idolize the dead, her characters had differing degrees of recognition. To what extent do we hold people responsible for tragedies? If they are responsible for one part does that make them equally responsible for the whole? This book does not give an answer but it does suggest a way to cope with the aftermath.
I knew that the premise for this was based in actual events but not what those events were. The acknowledgments discuss that there have been several cases like the one presented but that this is still a work of fiction. It gives, slightly, that mysterious shine of thiscouldhappen without making it a study of macabre events. I appreciate that in my sadness. It allows me just enough separation that I don't move from tears into heartbreak. If you're a sensitive reader you know what I mean.
I'm going to have to check out more of her work.
 I just finished 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. Now, I have had people rave about Maureen Johnson. I have had people link to her blog...you know who you are. I have to say that I understand now. You know how there are movies referred to as "chick flicks"? Right. This book takes the appealing properties from these story-lines - meet a handsome Italian man and go for coffee!- and puts a real world spin on them. Not quite as extravagant as Bridget Jones's Diary in the wacky scenarios department though. Virginia is witty, and vulnerable, and she loves her aunt despite the fact that she's a little bit flaky. I think my favorite quote, out of many that I actually texted people because they were that funny, was the touching note to her deceased aunt:
"You got me over here, made me do all of these things that I'd never have done otherwise. And I guess even though you were telling me what to do, I still had to do them on my own. I always thought that I could only do things with you, that you made me more interesting. But I guess I was wrong."
This book was made for every girl who watched the movies or read the books where it turns out your estranged dad was actually a prince, or a pirate, or your mom was secretly a superhero (is this last one a movie or book? Seriously, get on that). Even more so, because it turns out that your aunt was a little bit crazy but even more brilliant and you can be shy but an adventurer on an exotic island, and for a little bit, while reading this, you are the special someone being sent throughout the world to learn just. how. magnificent. you. are. truly.
(Sorry for the structuring. I find it hard to communicate my emotions without hand gestures.)
IN CONCLUSION
13 Little Blue Envelopes was the perfect book to end on because it felt, with the whirlwind tour, that I was revisiting important themes I found in my other readings. Here Virginia learns about self-reliance just as Mary did in The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Now Virginia can truly face the weight of loss like Maureen and Bridget in All We Know of Heaven. She meets a reflection of Joyce Carol Oates' Mr. Tracy in Olivia's repression.
Virginia meet's the social outcast musician punks who are fast, true friends (with romantic interest) that remind me of the family by choice created in Glass Houses. She leaves on a journey, even though it is exhilarating and frightening and exhausting and so enormous you cannot wrap your head around it. While it is not as physically dangerous and for vastly different reasons, this is the central story-line (a journey fraught with peril and a chance at love) from Bones of Faerie. And lastly, but certainly not least, 13 Little Blue Envelopes reminds me of the book that touched me most. The Safe-Keeper's Secret, with its discovery of family you never knew was there to be looked for, is the most important thing Virginia learns. It can help you find where you belong, knowing who you belong to, and with those two things guiding you? You can do anything.
Just to ratchet the sappy-meter just a bit more, I have to say a few things about what this weekend has meant to me. The whole point was to not feel guilty about indulging in something you love. To have the chance, when so often we do not, to say that something you truly love is the most important thing to concentrate on. I love reading. I love the stories. I love crying when it is heartbreaking and laughing when it is absurd. I love texting a truly amazing quote to a friend and calling up someone to say, "You have to read this!" I love getting the chance to pass on a book to one of my younger siblings. (I'm the dork that writes a message in the front first, so you'll always remember.) So I took the weekend off and let me tell you...
Friday afternoon I went to the grocery store with my mom. One half of the cart was for her and one half was for me. I bought crackers and cheese, an expensive pomegranate/mango juice concoction that was delicious, fresh fruit and vegetables, a cube of soda. I helped her pick out a cantaloupe that was going to be carved into a tiki-head for a luau themed surprise party. I love my mom, she often drives me crazy, and I spent time with her in the daylight! And then I read. For hours in a row. A whole book. It was beautiful.
I got up and got to do it again. (Inset hand gestures.) It was like my life was blessed. I love where I work. I love the work that I get to do. I also loved vegging out in my pajama bottoms, drinking cherry limeade and talking about books I loved. How cool was this on a Saturday? I'll tell you how cool. Followed by more reading, a bit of sleeping, and a morning where I sat next to my dad. I read a book, he read a newspaper, and the sun filled the room with a practically magic sparkle.
I had another break, received an awesome book of quotes by the by, and was eating lunch at a buffet while reading. How? My sister got me stuff. She knew I was getting down to the wire and wanted to finish at least one more book before all was said and done. For the past five hours I've been reading in bed while eating chocolate stars. Chocolate stars were the treat of choice from my grandmother and I figured while I was indulging myself I might as well go all out. Nostalgia and calories cancel each other out. (True story.)
So, yes, I read about long ago times and times that might come to pass, and how the tube passes work in London and journeys and people who reveled in life. It was glorious, distracting, hard work and important. It was so important to me. Thank you.
Editor's Note: We're back on track with regular doses of Aja! Still catching up? Check out Part the First, Part the Second & Part the Third in our archives. And click away for more info on MotherReader's 48 Hour Book Challenge! - Kirsten
 41. Many Bloody Returns, edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelnor. (Fantasy/Anthology) (A+) I got this because there was a Sookie Stackhouse story in it. BEST DECISION EVER. I now have a ridiculous amount of authors to look into. As you'll see below, Jim Butcher was one. I also have the Vampires of Morganville series on my nightstand. Too many good things to read. I liked the diversity of subject matter.
42. Storm Front, by Jim Butcher. (Fantasy) (B+) So, uh, the previous book had a story by Jim Butcher in it. And everyone's been telling me to read Harry Dresden. So, I read the short story, fell in love, and here I go.
43. Dogs and Goddesses, by Jennifer Cruise, Anne Stuart, and Lani Diane Rich. (Romance/Fantasy) (C+) Cute book but not a lot of substance. Since there was so much going on I didn't really get a feel for any of the guys with which they fell "in love".
 44. Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr. (Fantasy/Young Adult) (A) Faeries. Girl forced to pretend they don't exist/she can't see them. Plus all the "do as I say, wait, no I didn't mean literally" aspects of a fey court. I want to read the rest of the series, of course, but I somehow ended up with two copies of the first book rather than a copy of the first and second. I know. Totally me.
I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about how 'Young Adult' is something of a misnomer. There are lots of books that fall into the young adult category that people would hardly realize because these books are amazing, compelling reads. I think a lot of people think of young adult reading as the novel equivalent of Disney's The Parent Trap (either version but most likely the remake). This is far from the case. It is a genre as mixed as any other. Some things are better for younger reading levels, some address more childlike problems, and others address the biggest issues possible. Remember The Book Thief? It was a One Book One Lincoln choice that most bookstores and libraries put in the fiction section. Guess what? Young adult book. This is why most of my genre markings have young adult second to its primary focus. Wicked Lovely, for example, is fantasy first and foremost and then a young adult selection.
Next up I'll be sharing my 48-Hour Book Challenge selections/thoughts/experiences from last year. You'll note I introduced the subject of it last year while doing it. Now you'll get the results of it too. Spoiler: 48 hours of reading was FANTASTIC.
Editor's Note: Aja's back, and as funny as ever! For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for this next installment, please inhale while accepting my apologies for the delay. Now, exhale. Good? Great. For those of you who missed the beginning of the list, check out Part the First and Part the Second to get up to speed! - Kirsten
Dearest Indigo Bridge Bookers,
These books have a little bit more information attached to the highly recommended section. As always, I've graded them based on an entirely arbitrary scale that should hopefully still convey which I thought were AWESOME. Bolded titles are the best of the best. (I restrained myself from making a Men in Black joke there.)
 31. Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel. (Graphic novel and autobiography) (A+) I love Bechdel's work. The world that she can convey in a handful of panels is so dead-on, so intense, so achingly similar to my own that I do not exaggerate when I say her work haunts me. Her art is well done, her narrative, the setting and pace delivered in this graphic novel is pitch perfect. I cannot more highly recommend it. Amazing.
32.The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. (Fiction) (B+) The characters were complex, you cared deeply for them in sorrow and happiness, with an ending that wasn't wrapped up in a neat, little, perfect bow.
33. Moresukine: Uploaded Weekly From Toyko, by Dirk Schwieger. (Graphic novel and autobiographical journal) (C+) A German man, who writes his webcomic in English, was living in Japan for a few months working and asked his readership to send him on missions to then illustrate.
Note: This was a pick for graphic novel book club.
34. The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale. (Young adult and fairy tale) (A) I hope I'm
 not ruining anything by telling you that, yes, the prince is exactly who you think it is. Surprise, everything turns out all right! Yet there are definitely darker aspects to this story - something that was traditionally being withheld from YA of yore but is making a comeback. Authors are realizing that teenagers deal with crazy, heavy stuff all the time and are now writing to reflect this. At the same time, Hale avoids being edgy for the sake of being edgy. She's conscious of how social class structures would have worked at the time while also recognizing that very similar goings-on happen in today's society. Sorry, I'll stop writing my own book on this. (I have now read the entire series.)
35. Veronica, by Nicholas Christopher. (Science fiction) (B+) A few phrases that describe this book: keys that open doors that only exist long enough for the key to unlock, stairs that transcend space and time, time that transcends space and time.
36. Dead and Gone, by Charlaine Harris. (Fantasy) (B-) While a worthy addition to this series, Dead and Gone wasn't the best or worst of the bunch, rather a safe middle ground.
37. Shakespeare's Landlord, by Charlaine Harris. (Mystery) (B-) I'll need to read a second book in this series to make a firm decision on it, but as is: This is a real world with no vampires, etc and the main character is one part house cleaner, one part martial arts expert, one part amateur detective. What could go wrong?
 38. The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm, by Nancy Farmer. (Young adult) (A) This is a different style than I normally read. I loved it. I'm used to more structured books, while this had a feel of folklore. I would be interested to see if any of her other books are similar in nature, and if not, find other books that have the same feel. The Giver was like that, for me. It was a book steeped in the setting and told from the people experiencing the awe of directly relating to their culture. Does that make any kind of sense? Plus, mutant super power detectives. YES.
39. 1,001 Cranes, by Naomi Hirahara. (Kids/Young Adult) (C) There are boys, bad decisions, and a whole lot of questions that no one in her family will answer.
40. My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult. Every part of this book was awesome (if a little stretched ie arsonist plotline) except for the last two chapters. Those two chapters do not exist for me.
Note: I've been told that the much hated ending of the book was changed for the movie. Still, I boycotted the movie just the same. Many others quite enjoyed it.
Editor's Note: Hey, Indigoers! Installment number two has arrived, as promised. Look for more Aja goodness next week - and check out Part the First if you missed it - Kirsten
16. Hanging on to Max, by Margaret Bechard. (Young adult) (C) All I can say about this is that I should have read the ending before I A. bought it and B. read it. (Hint, the title is misleading.)
 17. Gossamer, by Lois Lowry. (Kids) (B+) The young boy already being so messed up at so young an age, the mother being hopeful that she could get her life back on track, and the dreams of what was, what might be, what could be...It was beautiful and haunting.
18. The Walking Dead: Days Gone Bye (Volume 1), by Robert Kirkman. (Graphic novel and science fiction) (A-) Its got some stellar art, a very far-fetched plotline (lone guy in a hospital filled with zombies who survives and finds a trapped, live horse to ride), and the encampment's portrayal? Spot on.
19. Emma, by Jane Austen. (Classics) (B) About 1/3 through I had to call my friend and confirm each of Austen's characters to their Clueless counterparts.
20. U.S. of Eh, by can't remember. (Humor) (D) NOT AS FUNNY AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN. All about Canada's secret control of the U.S. It should have either been actually funny or walked a completely straight line about Canada secretly
controlling the U.S. It waffled too much and I found myself easily setting it down.
 21. Elsewhere, by Gabrielle Zevin. (Young adult) (A) A 15 year old girl dies, ends up in Elsewhere to live her life over...in reverse, and must still learn all those important, hard lessons.
22. Shakespeare's Secret, by Elise Broagh. (Kids) (C) I, uh, had some problems. I'm willing to disbelieve up to a certain point. This just kept throwing fantastical coincidences one after another. So, I kind of stopped caring because it was pretty obvious these weren't real people in the slightest. I'll give it props for thinking creatively about "the real Shakespeare" and Anne Boleyn. It was cute and it was obvious why 8-12 liked it. It's just a shade too under YA for me to handle.
23. Rules of the Road, by Joan Bauer. (Young adult) (B) What was truly interesting was that this story, ostensibly about the travels Jenna takes with her boss on a six week store tour ,is actually about being a shoe salesperson.
24. Chesapeake Blue, by Nora Roberts. (Romance) (B+) This is the fourth book tacked on to what was originally a trilogy but manages to stand on its own as a good, solid read.
Note: I love Nora Roberts. To the point that I've been watching some seriously bad Lifetime channel movies based off of her books. I read her stuff a lot.
25. A Summer of Kings, by Han Nolan. (Young adult) (C) I have big issues with books that cross the line from a white person trying to find his/her path during the
 Civil Rights movment and that same person being the one to show everyone what that path should be.
Note: This was a Golden Sower nominee.
26. Tokyo Fiancee, by Amelie Nothomb. (Foreign fiction) (B-) The only issue I took with this book was A: it started throwing out Japanese things like a touchstone (Hey, I too know what okonomiyaki is and how to spell it!) and B: the female protagonist is kind of self absorbed.
27. Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. (Fantasy) (C+) Coming from a blended family, I liked the thought of a family together by choice and love.
28. New Moon, by Stephanie Meyer. (Fantasy) (B-) Meyer has a surprisingly sensitive and effective treatment of mental health issues but still sets a horrible example for how a young woman should interact with someone they love. (Co-dependancy issues.)
29. Eclipse, by Stephanie Meyer. (Fantasy) (B-) Turns out Jasper is a functioning member of the family - who knew?
30. Breaking Dawn, by Stephanie Meyer. (Fantasy) (C-) GROSS. Seriously. Like 90% of this book grossed me out. And I'm not even talking about blood and guts and stuff.
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