100 Book Challenge Weeks 6 & 7
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Genre: Fantasy
At over 800 pages, this is a tome and explains why the film
version was released in two parts (something I only found out yesterday). It is
split into three “books” in the content pages, books one and three being from
Bella’s perspective, and book two from Jacob’s.
Although this was book four of the sage, it felt like I was
ready a whole new series. Bella was different, less whiney and childish, more
decisive and mature. The plot was more plausible and the action carried you
along at a clipping pace, building suspense and drama. Exceptionally well
written and impelling. Unlike the other books, this one made me wish for part
5, or perhaps the next saga.
Spoiler alert: Personally, I’d love to see a showdown
between the Cullen coven and the Volturi. There was such a peak in the action,
NOT having them taken down was a bit disappointing. Maybe there IS another set
in the wings?
Author: Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Genre: Crime/Detective/Police
Ty and Zane are back and this time they’re on vacation.
However, where “bad vacation” would mean my wallet is stolen or I lose my
passport, they give an entirely new definition to the phrase “vacation from
hell”. I reckon they’d welcome losing a passport, just for a break from
the beatings, bombs, and bullets.
This time we get to meet the Grady bunch, and they’re
nothing at all like the Brady bunch. One tough family, but honest and genuine
folk, who believe in tough love. Zane gets to understand Ty a little more as he
interacts with his interesting family, and Ty gets to grips with his feelings
for Zane.
A fair bit of emotional stuff is covered in this book, not
so much sex (my Freudian slip is grateful), and a ton of action to keep you
hooked.
They even end with a teaser for the next book. Bugrit.
Now I have to get it.
Author: Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Genre: Crime/Detective/Police
“Even Zane couldn‟t keep Ty‟s
wavering attention for very long unless he had something shiny to wave around.
Ty needed to be doing something or he began to go stir crazy.”
I LOVE that line. Well, those two lines. That’s exactly what
I’m like, shiny doesn’t keep me occupied for very long either. Lately I’ve been
working on finishing a project every
week. Of course, this keeps my projects REAL small.
Where was I?
Yup, I dug straight back into the next book in the series. This
time our intrepid and slightly battered heroes are undercover on a cruise ship,
masquerading as a gay couple who are international dealers. Of course, the
authors play this one up to the nines, doll!
Unfortunately, that’s the good part of this book.
It moved really slowly, and I didn’t find much police work,
which is odd for a novel about FBI agents. In fact, we jump from our main
characters being confused to a conclusion. How did we get there? Very
unsatisfactory.
An introduction to the next book was included in this one,
again. I didn’t bother to read it. I was too disappointed.
Author: Cybill Shepherd
Genre: Autobiography
Shepherd is a talented actress, renowned comic, and amusing
writer. However, here she is incredibly long-winded, writing with far too much
detail. By chapter two I was already wishing for the Readers Digest Condensed
version.
I loved her introduction, snappy and to the point and very
funny, and wish she had maintained that tone throughout the book. I suppose
that diehard Shepherd fans want every nuance of every memory, from her earliest
childhood to the modern day. It just felt like sitting through an old lady’s
interminable photo album, only without the photos.
“The Last Picture Show”, Shepherd’s introduction to acting,
had recently come up on one of the cable TV channels and Himself wanted to
watch it. I sat through it with him, relatively unimpressed (sorry, Cybill),
but when her autobiography popped up shortly after, I was interested enough to
get a copy. Her description of that movie held my attention because of the
connection, but even that was detailed almost beyond what I thought I could
bear and I found the book very hard going.
In the end, Shepherd herself admits to using humor to cover
sadness, and this book is inherently sad. I’ve been told there are three sides
to every story: his side, her side, and the truth. This is Shepherd’s “side”
and she defends her reputation with explanations and justifications. If all she
says is true, she’s one maligned and misunderstood lady, and I empathise with
her and all women who attempt to be so much more than they are in spite of the
chauvinistic control of men. But there were several times when I wanted to ask
“why did you stand for it?”
Would I recommend this book? Unless you are a major Cybill
Shepherd fan, no. Sorry, but no.
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