Started Reading: January 30, 2008
Finished Reading: March 9, 2008

This is probably one of the better fairy-tale retelling I’ve read (I remember reading one retelling of A Little Mermaid and the story was so awful — I can’t, for my life, remember the title or the author). It took me a long time to finish this because the first part was a bit dragging for me so I stopped, and read other books, until I read it again today. The best parts were when the Beast was finally in the picture — though I wish there were more about him to read. I felt the same with Sunshine, where I wanted to learn Constantine’s POV because he had become such an interesting character. The same with the Beast.

Although the characters in Beauty are more fleshed-out, seeming to be more three-dimensional than two, the story or plot itself didn’t veer away from the original fairy tale. The ending was too hurried for my tastes, with everyone just coming to the castle and everything resolving on its own. Nevertheless, as a whole, this book was very nice. Probably not something I’d reread, but it was a simple enough story that I enjoyed.

I read this last month (one of the few I actually read) and I really did love it. It tugged on my heartstrings. Kleypas writes Liberty’s life so well that even I could feel hurt or sad or happy for her.

I could feel the tension between her and Hardy and I understand how he changed and influenced her. I admire Liberty for all the sacrifice she’s done for her sister that of course, I was rooting for a happy ending for her. I like Gage. Even if he’s not my favorite “hero” of all time, I could not help but like him as he tried to help Liberty and her sister (he and Liberty’s sister were pretty cute together).

I’m pleased with how things were resolved in the end although I do think that a bit of it was too hurried. Then again, it might have been good not to add any more drama.

Started Reading: January 21, 2008
Finished Reading: January 22, 2008

Naturally, I couldn’t stop myself from reading the sequel. This, too, was all right, though the last part of the book confused me a bit at first.

I’ve not much to say since…I’ve read this in a rush because I couldn’t study until I finished it and I had to finish revising a paper for the next day. I can’t remember whatever complaints I’ve had - if I had any. It’s not my favorite but it didn’t bore me. The resolution was a bit disappointing to me, though I can’t explain why right now. Heh.

Started Reading: January 20, 2008
Finished Reading: January 21, 2008

This was a pretty good book. I’m not entirely in love with series books because they take forever and I don’t like waiting. But I feel like I’d keep on reading the novels about Lily and Rule and their other friends in this little world created by Wilks. I haven’t really read any “werewolves vs goddesses” stuff. Lily is a very strong character with a mysterious (and interesting) grandmother whose history I wouldn’t hesitate from reading. And she’s a female cop (a role I don’t see often cast to a protagonist in novels).

Her bond with Rule was also well-developed that you’d know it’s not just a physical bond. She and Rule had to work together and trust each other. So I’m very satisfied with how they became a couple. The plot was good and even the minor characters had past and personality that they don’t seem so flat.

I’ve been rereading some chapters in Eclipse and New Moon. Yes, I’m still hung up on my initially-favorite pairing, Edward/Bella and how Bella ruined it for me.

Despite the fact that OTL’s (a.k.a. One-True-Love’s) is, to a degree, idealistic, it is real, it can happen. Bella and Edward’s relationship was as pure as that in my eyes when the series started in Twilight. Even loving each other to the point of unhealthy need doesn’t scare me off (I sort-of like reading about those kinds of relationships, actually. Because it is something that I cannot really relate to by experience, it becomes interesting. Almost beautiful).

When Jacob entered into a major character’s role, I didn’t really mind it so much, since Bella was actually using him in New Moon so I couldn’t really hate the guy. I just didn’t like the fact that he stole the spotlight from Edward, but that’s a purely biased opinion. And I understood his lack of maturity (he was still, after all, two years younger than Bella and more than a hundred years younger than Edward) that I mainly ignored him in Eclipse - especially with Edward back into the picture. So, no, even though Jacob was a jerk, he didn’t ruin the story for me.

My biggest, biggest peeve is Bella. Selfish, selfish, Bella. I hate the way she has changed from the first book. Some change is good, but hers is one of the worst. x__x; And saying she also “fell in love” with Jacob just ruined Eclipse for me. It just wiped out all the EdwardxBella moments that I enjoyed before her “confession”. Bella, Bella, Bella, you’ve been acting like a bish that I’m disappointed that Edward fell in love with a girl like you. T__T I feel Edward had been terribly betrayed by her indecisiveness and fickle feelings. Being human is not an excuse, at least she knows that. I still hate, hate the words, “I love you more,” that she said to Edward after acknowledging she was “in love” with Jacob, too. I can’t, can’t accept the fact that she’s in love with two men. For me, there should only be one - love in that way.

I wish I could delude myself that the Twilight series stopped at the first book.

His gains in heaven are what they are.
Yet some say Love by being thrall
And simply staying possesses all
In several beauty that Thought fares far
To find fused in another star.

- Robert Frost, “Bond and Free”