Dracula by Bram Stoker

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this. And by the twentieth page I was scared. Really scared. The beginning is so dark and inescapable that I had to stop and remind myself to quit holding my breath. The middle is still tense but not nearly as quivering as the beginning of the book. It is written as a collection of newspaper articles and journal entries in the first person of many characters so you get personal with the all the main characters. And the ending is gallant, bloody, and unsure. I rave Bram Stoker, he did honor to the strength of femininity. It is a long book and it took me even longer being ill in the middle of it but it was such an adventure, such a great adventure.

J.L.Wills

The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern abridged by William Goldman

I was excited about this book. I've loved the movie since I was a child, love to watch it still with my daughters. But I was dissappointed. Not disappointed enough to close it and put it away. I loved the story enough that I was determined to get through all of William Goldman's excerpts to get back to the story. I think, it must be the format he wrote it in. He just threw in his own paragraphs, stopping the story and explaining about this or about that. I was very interested in what he had to say but I didn't want to necessarily stop the story to read it, sometimes for 5 pages or so. I would have enjoyed reading it at the end of the book. And in the last excerpt I have to agree with Stephen King, Goldman did botch it up. I didn't want to read Goldman's thoughts every few pages, I wanted to read a crisply edited Morgenstern story. I wanted to be enchanted in the tale of true love and high adventure. Not stop every heartbeat to learn about Goldman's battle getting this published. I'm just...disappointed. It makes me want to edit it myself. But Morgenstern is priceless and I did enjoy his story, ever so much more than the movie. My advice is, if you read this book ignore the italicized Goldman, ignore it until the very end. Then go back and read what Goldman had to say once you've enjoyed your adventure. I still give it three stars because in this book is my only access to the original Morgenstern tale. And I'm assuming because of the Morgenstern Estate's dissapointment in William Goldman we will never see Buttercup's Baby, at least not any time soon.

J.L.Wills

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

I read this book nearly nonstop through 498 pages and finished in a day and a half. I enjoyed every moment of it. Let me tell you first that this is not a great piece of literature. Meyer was repetitive with her description so much that I fear the next books will wane on my nerves and not be nearly as enjoyable, I do hope she comes up with something better than "stone cold skin." The plot was not clever nor brilliant but it did stay edgy and surprising. The characters are enchanting...but, something is lacking there. There just wasn't much character development. I would have enjoyed to delve more into the darkness, sadness and aloofness of Edward before he became so lighthearted with his love for Bella, it would have given me more joy to see the transformation more clearly. The book was written in first person, which is easier to do for a new writer, but this is where we were hindered at really seeing that development in Edward, or any of the other characters...if they changed at all which I'm not sure of. Regardless, I give the book four stars. What woman doesn't love to read about such a fairytale perfect, strong, protective, radiant, intelligent, and self-restrained man. It's simplicity makes it a fast and enjoyable read. It's sexual tension is just sizzling. This book is hot, hot enough to fade away it's imperfections and keep you stalking along with vampires, thirstily lapping up every drop of blood.

J.L.Wills

Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat

This book is truly an adventure. Great for dog lovers, great for animal lovers, great for any naturalist. Adventures like this, written first-hand, have so much knowledge to share and are so exciting that you don't even realize how much wiser you become as you tag along with the author into a world hardly explored and so misunderstood. I'm sure that this will get a reread from me and I encourage every one to read this who has a dog, it is a beautiful picture of their primal heritage.

jlw