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THE TWILIGHT SAGA:
The Official Illustrated Guide
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Source: Personal Purchase

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 524 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316043125
ISBN-13: 978-0316043120

SUMMARY:

Fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling Twilight Saga will treasure this definitive official guide!

This must-have hardcover edition–the only official guide–is the definitive encyclopedic reference to the Twilight Saga and provides readers with everything they need to further explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. With exclusive new material, character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more, this comprehensive handbook is essential for every Twilight Saga fan.

MY THOUGHTS:

The Twilight Saga is the series that captured my interest in reading again.  I am a huge Twilight fan and own the whole series mainly because of that fact.  When the Official Illustrated Guide was set to release, I new I would have to own it to add to my collection.  Even though I purchased the book on release day,  I just recently had the chance to sit down and read this installment in the series.


I loved all of the illustrations by the talented artists that was within the pages of the book.  They were greatly detailed and fit the descriptions given perfectly.  If you are not a fan of the characters in the movies, the pictures in the book give you a better understanding of the images within the authors mind.  I also enjoyed the details that author provided with each character in the series.  We got so much more back story for each character than what was given in the original books.  For example, the author shares Alice’s life before turning into a vampire and how it came to be.  It showed us her family in descriptive words that made the characters come to life in my mind. We also get to read a thorough timeline that involves important events through out history.  We begin with the original vampires and eventually end up at the end of Breaking Dawn.  I loved how the author was also interviewed in the beginning by a fellow author and touched on questions that I have wondered about myself.


The book has certain sections that separate things as well.  We have a section about vampire lore, the Cullen Coven, all other vampires mentioned in the book, The Wolves’ and their family trees, The Humans and The Volturi Coven, and even a section on most asked questions to the author.  If that is not enough, we also get to enjoy fan art that was submitted at the end of the book from fans all over the world.  


I was very pleased with this Official Guide for the series.  I am not usually a fan of these, but the author included almost everything you could imagine in the book.  If you are a Twilight fan then you are definitely going to want to add this to your series collection!


MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL
Ten Years Later
Author: Francine Pascal
Source: Library Loan

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312667574
ISBN-13: 978-0312667573

SUMMARY:


Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood. 

MY THOUGHTS:


I remember back when I was in high school, the Sweet Valley High series was the series of choice for teen girls.  I was addicted to them and whoever had the most books in the series was the ultimate fan in our town.  Everyone knew who Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield were even if they were just characters in a book.  At that time in my  life, Sweet Valley High was my drug of choice.  I couldn’t get enough of them!  I had to see what scheme Jessica was going to come up with next and what drama would unfold on the pages between the covers.  Then as I got older, I got involved with other things and lost the addiction to the series.


When this book came out, I was thrilled to be able to recapture that feeling I had whenever a new book in the series came out!  I finally got my hands on a copy and dived into the drama and angst that this author likes to create for her characters.  So many things have changed in the lives of the Wakefield twins.  I couldn’t believe that Todd was not with Elizabeth anymore! Jessica and Elizabeth are not speaking to each other as well.  Instant conflict within the first few chapters. The author provides flashbacks to fill in the gaps that we have missed, but it still didn’t feel right to me.  For some reason I just couldn’t picture the character developments that the author gave to us.  After reading so much of the series earlier in life, I had in my mind a perfect picture of what the out come should have been.  Then with this book, the author throws my fantasy away and creates another one. 


While it was nice to reminisce with the Wakefield series and friends,  this book was just okay for me.  It wasn’t what I was expecting and at parts it seemed to drag on.  While it had a nice ending that was sweet and romantic, as a long time reader of the series, it wasn’t the one I was wanting.


MY RATING: