36/100

Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I read The Girl Who Stopped Swimming and I wasn't really impressed. I decided to give Joshilyn Jackson another try, and I think that will be my last.



I liked how the book started out. Teenager Hazel Crabtree, runs from home and gives birth at Bernese's house, even though no one knows she is pregnant. Bernese's sisters Stacia and Genny are there for the birth and deaf (and almost blind) Stacia decides to steal the baby.



Then the book fastforwards 30 years and the baby is now 30-year-old Nonny Frett. There has been an ongoing battle between the Fretts and the Crabtrees. I think the whole book I was kinda thinking, "what is the point?" There is a weird bug museum. Weird doll heads. Weird feuds. I honestly just was not feeling it at all.


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35/100

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I started reading this book, I thought it was going to be hokey. It was talking about how this woman could create dishes, using plants, that would alter their moods. Oye. But as it turned out, I really wound up liking the book.



Claire Waverly lives in her little town that she has always lived in and runs a catering business where she influences peoples moods through plants in the food. One day, her sister Sydney shows up at her door with her daughter Bay. Sydney swore she would never come back, but because of an abusive relationship, she went back home. Claire can tell something is up but the sisters do not talk,as their relationship is rocky.



Eventually, the sisters work together to create a better relationship for themselves and their love lives. I really liked the character, Evanelle, who would basically get visions of what people "needed" and she would give them this object, even though they didn't really know why they needed it.




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34/100

The Other Queen: A Novel by Philippa Gregory

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I felt like this book was going back to a regular Phillipa Gregory format in a way, so it was better than the last one. But it was still only 5 CD's long and I think that is a good judge of quality for these books.

This is the story of Mary Queen of Scots and her feud with Queen Elizabeth. I recognized a lot of the voices from previous PG books so that was good, although maybe a little confusing.

More and more PG's books make you despise the Tudors and most of the people surrounding them. Your heart goes out to all that suffered because of them. However, I didn't think this had as much depth as, say, The Other Boelyn Girl or The Boelyn Inheritance.


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33/100

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Warning: This whole review is basically one big spoiler alert.

Going in, I knew this was the book in the series that most people loved, or hated. I was one of the lovers. I thought it was the best in the series, maybe because it was the most grown up.

We start off with Bella and Edward planning their wedding. They get married, go on a honeymoon, and FINALLY have sex. Unfortunately, Edward is a little too strong and winds up injuring Bella, so he decides they can't do it anymore. Before long, Bella starts to feel ravenous and then nauseous. Uh oh. Sure enough, Bella is pregnant with a spawn.

The baby turns out to be too strong for Bella and is basically killing her. She needs to drink blood to stay alive. Eventually, they need an emergency C-section to get the baby out and Bella is on her deathbed. Edward injects her with his venom to turn her into a vampire.

I think I liked this book because there was more action than the other ones. I am still not a fan of Jacob and I found his portion a little annoying. I also thought the ending left a lot to be desired as it was kind of a whimper instead of a bang. But at least they lived happily ever after.


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32/300

The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book was given to me by a coworker who recommended it, so I thought I would give it a try. It is the story of a high school senior who accidentally kills a girl while she is driving. The girl and her mother never had the best relationship, and this sort of takes off after the accident and how their relationship is now basically in ruins.

I liked this book because it kept me turning the pages, but I felt like a little something was missing. It was a quick read, and I would recommend it to others.


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31/100

A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars
I tried this as an audiobook after someone recommended it and I just couldn't get into it. It was too much like Lost without any of the sexiness and excitement. It took place in Ireland and I found the narrator's accent to be incredibly annoying.

It is the story of Sandy Short, a woman who is obsessed with finding things. She even runs an agency to find missing people. One day she is running and poof! she is lost. She winds up in a place where all the missing things go. Think the land of left socks with no rights. It was just too out-there for me, and I think my mind was too preoccupied to pay enough attention to it.

I gave it a 1 because after the library emailed to tell me my new PG audiobook was in, I returned it about 3/4 finished.


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30/100

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
After I finished this book, I thought about what I would write for a review and realized I wasn't really sure how this book possibly took up 600 pages. All I really remember is the climax. Hmm.

I liked this book better than Twilight, but probably less than New Moon. Jacob continues to treat Bella like absolute crap, even forcing himself on her, and she continues to feel torn between him and Edward. It is starting to get old.

Edward tells Bella that in order for him to make her a vampire, she must marry him. She says they must have sex first so she can experience life fully as a human. I don't think this is too much to ask, but it hasn't happened as of yet.

Bella's arch nemesis Victoria is killed without even much of a whimper. The Volturri show up and don't really do much. There is a lot more violence in this book with vampires being ripped limb from limb. Other than that, a lot of the same ole vampire-werewolf drama. The last book is up next and I hope it resolves everything somewhat neatly.


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