What's a girl to do when her choices of guys to date are either a vampire or a werewolf? Teenaged Bella does not seem to make wise choices when it comes to boyfriends in this sequel to Twilight. The original book focused on Bella's relationship with her "good" vampire boyfriend, Edward. Nevertheless, in this novel, the vampires only appear in the beginning and the end; in the middle, the action grinds to a halt. The story starts out with Bella and Edward splitting up; Bella spends the next 100 pages or so mourning his loss. Gradually, the sullen teen rekindles her interest in a friend, Jacob Black, who lives on a nearby Indian reservation. Still depressed over Edward, she initially resists Jacob, and just about the time she wonders if she might be falling in love with him, she finds out he is not quite who or what he appears to be. The last portion of the book primarily focuses on Bella in a race against time, trying to locate Edward. Edward believes that Bella has died when she has not--ala Romeo and Juliet--and he is determined to end his vampire existence. Readers who have not read Twilight may find some of the references to previous relationships and plotlines hard to follow. This is an overly long novel with a minimum of action. The ending makes it clear that there is another sequel to follow.

While I can honestly say I am not the biggest Twilight fan, I did enjoy the story. However, it took me almost a year to pick up New Moon and I was sad. While the Jacob storyline pulled me in and captivated me to the point I couldn't put the book down, even though I needed to sleep, when Edward came back the whole story became somewhat pathetic and disturbing. Jacob was no longer important to Bella and her life was once again one-dimensional. I love Jacob and his protective drive with Bella...but also his softer side, which comes through just as much. Meyer did an excellent job with Bella's father as his character grew as a father and showed depth and parental intuitiveness.

I HATED the ending. It was like Meyer said, ok enough I need to wrap it up in the middle of nowhere. This book was definately a love/hate relationship to the point I'm not sure I can pick up the 3rd book in the series. I love Jacob and his protective drive with Bella...but also his softer side comes through just as much. He's always been my favorite.

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Greenwich Village coffee shop manager and amateur sleuth Clare Cosi is faced with her most perilous mystery yet in Latte Trouble, the third Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle (On What Grounds and Through the Grinder).

It's Fashion Week in New York City -- and Clare's shop, the historic Village Blend, is the location of a prestigious insider's party for loyal customer and iconic designer Lottie Harmon, who is about to launch a collection of coffee-inspired accessories aptly named Java Jewelry. But the event, which is attended by the city's most zealous fashionistas, goes terribly wrong when a customer is poisoned and dies from cyanide in his latte. A barista, who coincidentally was recently dumped by the victim, is arrested and charged with murder. But Clare knows in her heart that her employee is innocent and begins to investigate the people surrounding the enigmatic Lottie Harmon. When Clare uncovers a scheme to blackmail one of Lottie's business partners and then that partner suddenly turns up dead, she knows that there is trouble brewing…

The Village Blend is hopping... with death and a dear friend being accused of murder. Clare takes it upon herself to try and clear Tucker, her barista's, name. While her friend, the infamous Detective Quinn is busy on a personal matter, she enlists the help of her ex-husband and mother-in-law to help solve the crime. Clare will delve into the high fashioned world and find out how dirty and underhanded the glamorous world really is as she searches for clues to who really was the target. Is it who died or was it someone else?

I really enjoy Cleo Coyle's writing and how she consistently brings it back to those you love and care about. While you were missing a good chunk of Joy and Detective Quinn in this book, they were still present, with their own issues that will be addressed at some point I'm sure. Coyle has toned down the coffee presence in this book, not explaining every step of making coffee, which was a delightful change. Overall, this was one of my favorite Coyle books. It was tight and flowed well. The book kept me engrossed all day until I finished it late in the evening.

At the end of Fuzzy Navel, J. A. Konrath surprised listeners with an agonizing cliff-hanger: One of Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels's loved ones is dead. But who? Listeners were left clamoring to know more.Cherry Bomb, the sixth Jack Daniels mystery, opens at the funeral. While Jack stands graveside, tears in her eyes, her cell phone rings. It's the killer, escaped maniac Alex Kork, taunting Jack, drawing her ever further into a twisted game of cat and mouse. Because while Alex is more than willing to kill random victims, Jack is her true prey. But which woman wants revenge more?

Cherry Bomb started out slow for me, but picked up speed and really held my attention. While it wasn't my favorite book of the series, it was definately in the top three. While Jack Daniels grieves, she must continue to try and protect those she loves. Can she? Only she has the ability to save them...one at a time. However, she cannot do anything about the senseless deaths of the other victims that fall prey to the sadistic Alex Kork on her path of revenge.

Contest at The Book Butterfly

The Book Butterfly is having a contest for As You Wish by Jackson Pearce, along with a signed bookplate. Click on the link to check it out: http://butterflybookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/contest-win-as-you-wish-signed.html

A Wonder

Oh my heavens....I find myself wondering how I am functioning at work with as little sleep as I am getting. I have been totally wrapped up in the books I have been reading lately that I just can't seem to make sleep a priority! lol Reading has always been something I use for various reasons to fill my life full of wonderment and to go to places I can only imagine being in...as I have gotten older, it has become so much more. Reading is no longer used only as an escape, but also as a way to learn and grow...to find depth and meaning within myself. Its a wonder that I haven't found this true pleasure in reading before, but I'm glad that I am now. It is well worth it to me to be among those who feel as I.

Happy reading everyone!

Fuzzy Navel by JA Konrath

Things are going well for Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels of the Chicago Police Department. She has solved some of the city's toughest and most high-profile homicides. Her personal life is finally in order. Her friends and family are safe and happy. And she just got a call that eased her mind like nothing else could: Alex Kork, one of the most dangerous criminals Jack ever arrested, killed herself while in jail. But things sour quickly when a group of vigilantes on a murderous spree decide to take down a cop and the people she cares about...and they turn downright awful when Jack discovers that Kork may not be dead after all. The next eight hours will be the worst of Jack's life. And that's saying something.

Well I am a huge fan of thrillers that suck you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. Fuzzy Navel is the fifth installment in JA Konrath's Jack Daniels series and he does just that with gut wrenching laughs and nail biting sequences that keep you from putting the book down. This is by far my favorite so far in the series and that says a lot. In a long evening, Jack is put to the test as she battles an old nemesis and also new enemies who are out to destroy her and anyone else close by. If you like books that keep you guessing, this is it, as the ending has a huge surprise that leaves hanging and wanting answers.

Zoe's Challenge

Pop over to Zoe's Book Review and post a comment. She is trying to get 100 subscribers and would like your help! http://booksaregolden.blogspot.com/

By Hook or By Crook by Betty Hechtman

Yarnaholic Molly Pink has become known in Tarzana, California, for her sleuthing skills, thanks to the help of her crochet group. But the latest mystery may be too much for these stitchers to unravel...

There's nothing the Tarzana Hookers love more than doing a good deed. They're so preoccupied with crocheting and selling scarves, teddy bears, and blankets to raise money for the local park that they don't even notice the brown paper bag at the end of the table--until it's too late to find its owner.

Unable to resist a good mystery, they open the bag and find a note that speaks of remorse, a diary entry of the sorry of parting, and a complicated piece of filet crochet that offers an obscure clue in pictures. The Hookers decide to leave the detective work up to Molly, but by the time she discovers the talented crocheter's identity, the mystery person has been murdered by a box of poisoned marzipan apples. Now Molly needs to help of her fellow stitchers, before the killer has time to create a deadly pattern of murder...

This is the third installment in the A Crochet Mystery series by Betty Hechtman. While Molly continues to find herself in predicaments with local law enforcement, she also cannot find any alone time to process the clues that she is gathering. Molly asks more of her friends to help her to solve this mystery as she searches out in Catalina for answers.

While this was not my favorite book of the series, I love the bond that is growing within the Tarzana Hookers, as the depend more on each other to help solve the mystery and protect each other... even from perceived fears. Even with a mystery to solve, charity donations must come first and Hechtman makes sure the reader knows the group is not falling short on its obligations to the community.

What wonderful charity groups Hechtman comes up with to donate to and includes the crochet pattern in the book. I tried the pattern in this book and found it very easy to follow and do. How fun is this to enjoy a book and make a Cuddle Blanket for a friend.

Tastes

Good morning! I'm an avid reader with eclectic tastes, however, I do not like anything that involves the supernatural (sci-fi, fantasy, vampires, etc). As I get older my tastes in books broaden and I find myself reading things I never would have thought I would have liked. As we speak, I find myself with a cozy mystery fascination. I just found them late last year and have become hooked. While I would still say I love my thrillers, I am fascinated by how smooth and simple a cozy is. There is no rough edges or the harsh reality of man that one must look at while reading a cozy. Its a simple mystery that must be solved.

I am currently involved in a series challenge and am reading myself to sleep every night (which isn't new). I have found myself reconnecting with old authors that I thoroughly enjoyed and finding new, fun filled ones, who crack me up: JA Konrath, Betty Hechtman and Meg Cabot just to name a few so far. While this challenge continues I expect that I will continue to fall in love over and over again with old and new authors.........until next time