So here’s the story…. in the midst of the Twilight series, Eclipse to be exact,  Bree is one of very few newborn vampires introduced by name.   Ten pages later she is killed off during the war between the evil vamps and the Cullen/Werewolf battle.  In this book, the short second life of bree tanner, Bree is already a newborn when the pages open and this is told from her point of view up until where she meets Bella and well… you know…. dies…. again.

I’m not giving anything away, seriously…. it’s in the title!

Honesty time.  I did not remember Bree Tanner from the  book.   I had to go back and find her.  Bree was a back ground character at most, and I never imagined I would see or hear from her again, obviously – because I forgot she ever existed.  ;D

When I heard about this book coming out I was really excited.  I thought it was brilliant of Stephenie Meyer to bring in another book that could add to the already phenomenon that is all things Twilight.  (I could only dream that J K Rowling would try such a book!) Once the book was out I snatched it up from the closest B & N and brought it home waiting for the right time to read it and this week with the opening of Eclipse, I knew the time to read was now.

Honestly time again.  I didn’t love it.  And… here is why:  I am not really a vampire reading fan.  Yes, I read the Twilight books and yes, I enjoyed them… but to me that was not a vampire read.  The Twilight series to me is  a YA love story.  It involves a High School, a new girl who is attractive, a hot guy, and a second hot guy – that are both interested in the new girl. The fact that ones a vampire and one is a werewolf, that is just a new twist on an old story.  One I really feel is an incredible idea.   They don’t really go into any detail of killing, in fact the Cullen’s hunt animals – not humans.  Yes – there are “baddies” but you don’t really see too much of what they are doing, as this is Bella’s story, told from Bella’s perspective.  If Bella doesn’t see it – it may as well have not have happened.

I personally have a tough time with the whole blood sucking thing and no offensive to Bree, after all that is the way that her and her kind roll.

I think this book is going to be loved by many that enjoy the true vampire reads.  Stephenie Meyer made a smart move by publishing the book and from what I have heard the book has done well, and I am very pleased to add that the book sales that donate $1 of the purchase price to the Red Cross (which is also such a brilliant idea), has raised over 1 Million dollars for the Red Cross International Response Fund.

Amazon Rating

I have updated my Book Journey map to include the short second life of bree tanner

When in Forks, Washington – I am told by a coffee connoisseur, that Espresso Vivace Roasteria is the place to go for a great atmosphere and an awesome cup of coffee.

192 Pages

Cover Story:  If a cover can be perfect – this would be one that is.  Seriously, an hour-glass filled with red sand, representing how quickly time is passing and running out?  Once again – brilliant.

I bought by copy of this book from Barnes & Noble

I saw a review for this book at Natasha’s blog, Maw Books.  Her review and her gushing over the book, Dovey, and the author, caused me to quickly reserve this at my library….

~Sheila

Dovey Coe us 12 years old and is wise beyond her years.  She spends much of her time doing things with her brother Amos, who is deaf, but certainly not dumb.

And Dovey Coe is not liking Parnell Caraway hanging around her very pretty, older sister Caroline.  He isn’t good for Caroline, she senses that, and she sees how Parnell weasels his way into her families good graces, and it looks like he may even be making his way into Caroline’s heart as well.  As angry as all of this makes Dovey…. she still swears she did not kill him.

I didn’t give away anything here that you can’t read on the back cover.  It’s true…. Parnell does wind up dead.  And it is also true that Dovey is there when it happens.  What this fast paced story is about is centered around this plot as told by Dovey Coe.

Dovey speaks in a distinct twang that I found really added to the story.   While her family doesn’t have much, they make do with what they have and are not lacking for anything.  Parnell Caraway however comes from the flip of this scenario…. he is one of only a couple of kids in town who actually have seen and owned a dollar bill.  He has a car and nice clothes.  Parnell is used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Caroline Coe.

It weren’t a pretty picture out there on the porch.  Oh the stars was shining, and the crickets was playing their little tune, and the breeze washed the good smell of honeysuckle across the evening.  But the pleasure of all that was ruined by the sight of Parnell Caraway’s arm around my sisters shoulder.

I really enjoyed this read.   I couldn’t help but love Dovey’s character, this strong, intelligent,  little girl.   I have not read this author before, but I am certainly interested in seeing what else she has to offer.

My Amazon Rating is here

Book Journey Map has been updated to include Dovey Coe

If you are going to hike the Appalachian Mountains, then you will need to stop for coffee here

181 pages

Simon and Schuster

Cover Story:  I like it, it helps me picture Dovey as when you hear her voice in the book, I tend to forget she is only twelve.

I picked up this book on loan from my public library.

Imagine with me for a minute….  you have a Grandmother who owns a priceless vintage clothing collection and she has just passed it on to you.  Suddenly boxes are arriving on your doorstep every day like Christmas and you are opening up treasured gorgeous dresses from different periods, 1790 – 1995… dresses that will make you drool.  And then imagine among the Dior and Chanel, there is a book – a book that tells the story of each dress…. and the book itself is almost a bigger treasure.

♦    ♦    ♦    ♦    ♦

Now – you don’t have to imagine.  What I just described – is this book.  THIS BOOK.  Author Charlotte Smith did inherit these dresses and the book, and this book is the stories that Charlotte discovered about the dresses.  In this beautiful hard cover and oddly heavy book (which seems appropriate for what is between the covers) are pictures of dresses and with each picture…

is a story…

For the record, I am not a girly girl.  I prefer jeans and t shirts, to dresses and skirts.  I would rather be a part of a floor hockey team then go to a fancy dance…. but….

occasionally…

I can’t say that some of the dresses did not make me picture what it would be like to own such a beautiful piece.  I poured over the pages and like a teenager does with a fashion magazine, I went through and picked out a few of my favorites.

I loved the stories behind the dresses.  The parties, the heads that turned, the ones that got the guy – and kept him.  Some of the dresses have been to ballrooms and danced with people who’s names you will recognize;  others made their way to weddings, and travels….  and you wish that you could have gone with the dress.

This book is a keeper.  A treasure that I will take off the shelf time and again.

~Sheila

Book Journey’s map has been updated to include Dreaming of Dior

Cover Story:  Very eye catching and has a quality about it that you not only feel, but you can see before you ever pick the book up

I received this book from Simon and Schuster