New Moon

This was even better than Twilight. The storyline really picks up, and the author developed Jacob's character really well. I don't want to spoil anything, but it was definitely a good sequel! Maybe even better than the first one. I think I read it faster anyway. Now I just have to track down my own copies (I borrowed the first two) of the last two books. Hopefully they are just as good!!

Plot: I can't give anything away!!

Read: Nov. 17-30

Next Up: The Virgin's Lover (another one by Philippa Gregory)

Twilight

I was skeptical about reading a vampire novel. I hate all things scary/gory/gross. But this, I liked. It was much more about an unlikely love story than about gross vampirey things. The book reads very quickly. Try it!

But beware...there are four in the saga and they will suck you in!

Plot: Bella Swan falls in love with her soul mate Edward, who happens to be a vampire.

Read: Nov. 6 - 16

Update: I saw the movie with my sister-in-law (who read all four Twilight books in about a week) and I thought the movie was almost as good as the book. It was good in its own way without deleting too many important parts or changing the story. Now that I have read all the books, I'm really curious how/if they will do them all as movies.

Next Up: New Moon (the 2nd book)

The Queen's Fool

I adore Philippa Gregory books. I love learning about the Tudor monarchy. After reading the description of this book, I felt sure it wouldn't live up to her other books. But I was very wrong. This one begins shortly after Henry VIII dies and covers the reign of his son Edward, the coup d'etat of the Lady Jane Grey, and the sad reign of Henry's daughter Mary. It also gives you an idea of how Jews lived through the tumultuous Tudor times. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.

Plot: Hannah Green, an undercover Jew, becomes a Fool in the Tudor court and witnesses the rise and fall of Edward, Lady Jane Grey, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

Read: October 2008

Related Books: The Virgin's Lover (next chronologically) and the Boleyn books, which come before it

Next Up: Twilight

Something Borrowed

My friends gave this to me right before my wedding and I finally got around to reading it. I was expecting a silly chick lit novel, but it had a lot more depth to it. Giffin really developed the characters and managed to have enough plot twists to surprise even me, a self-proclaimed end-of-the-book spoiler.

Plot: Young attorney accidently sleeps with best friend's fiance and falls in love.

Read: September 2008

Next Up: The Queen's Fool

Related Books: Something Blue (the sequel)

PS - these books are along the same lines as the Shopaholic books (smart & sassy) but no one can ever compare to Becky Bloomwood!