Book #16: That Summer

Title: That Summer (second book in the "How to Deal" edition)

Author: Sarah Dessen

Date started reading: Jan. 31, 2012
Date finished reading:  Feb. 1, 2012

Publish date: Originally 1996, "How to Deal" edition 2003
ISBN: 978-0142501030
Number of pages: 205 in "That Summer." 486 in entire edition

Official summary: "For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister -- the always perfect Ashley -- is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future." (http://sarahdessen.com/book/someone-like-you/)

How I obtained the book: Received through the Paperback Swap book club. (I had to pay to mail a book to another member in order to receive a credit to request this book)

Memorable quotes:

• "It’s funny how one summer can change everything. It must be something about the heat and the smell of chlorine, fresh-cut grass and honeysuckle, asphalt sizzling after late-day thunderstorms, the steam rising while everything drips around it. Something about long, lazy days and whirring air conditioners and bright plastic flip-flops from the drugstore thwacking down the street. Something about fall being so close, another year, another Christmas, another beginning. So much in one summer, stirring up like the storms that crest at the end of each day, blowing out all the heat and dirt to leave everything gasping and cool. Everyone can reach back to one summer and lay a finger to it, finding the exact point when everything changed. That summer was mine."

My commentary:

• I'm a huge Mandy Moore fan, so I, of course, watched the "How to Deal" movie years ago (and a ton of times since). I loved the movie for many reasons. But I never knew it was based on books until a month ago when I was in a book store and spotted Mandy's photo on the cover of a book. I went home and searched the author's website for the title "How to Deal," which I didn't find. I was confused. Finally I went back to the store and looked at the book, which has a note from the author explaining that the movie was adapted from two of her books ("Someone Like You" and "That Summer). She says that the books were different stories with different characters, so it wasn't even like the movie's characters existed in both books. I was confused. After reading the first book, it's making more sense to me overall

Buy on Amazon.com: How to Deal: Someone Like You/That Summer (Movie tie-in)

Book #15: Someone Like You

Title: Someone Like You (first book in the "How to Deal" edition)

Author: Sarah Dessen

Date started reading: Jan. 29, 2012
Date finished reading:  Jan. 31, 2012

Publish date: Originally 1998, "How to Deal" edition 2003
ISBN: 978-0142501030
Number of pages: 281 in "Someone Like You." 486 in entire edition

Official summary: "Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years, sharing secrets, clothes, and crushes. People know Scarlett as the popular, flamboyant one; Halley’s just her quiet sidekick. Then, at the beginning of their junior year, the balance shifts. First, Scarlett’s boyfriend Michael is killed in a freak accident; soon afterward, she learns that she is carrying his baby. For the first time, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it’ll never break  – because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever. Sarah Dessen’s poignant, funny voice has earned her raves and legions of teenaged fans." (http://sarahdessen.com/book/someone-like-you/)

How I obtained the book: Received through the Paperback Swap book club. (I had to pay to mail a book to another member in order to receive a credit to request this book)

Memorable quotes:

• "I took a deep breath, and all I could see in my mind was Michael, a boy I hardly knew, whose death now seemed to mean everything."
• "All the milkshakes in the world weren’t going to get me out of this. So, just like that, I lost the end of my summer."
• "Life is an ugly, awful place to not have a best friend. When I pictured myself, it was like just an outline in a coloring book, with the inside not yet completed. All the standard features were there. But the colors, the zigzags and plaids, the bits and pieces that made up me, Halley, weren't yet in place. Scarlett's vibrant reds and golds helped some, but I was still waiting."
• "A tall, hairy man in a polka-dot shirt ... was buying four cans of potted meat, some air freshener, and two cans of lighter fluid. Sometimes you don't even want to think about what people are doing with their groceries." ~ Halley talking about a man going through her line at the grocery store she's a cashier at
• "My best friend Scarlett had traded a kiwi fruit for her heart." 
• "P.E. became the most important fifty minutes of my life." 

My commentary:

• I'm a huge Mandy Moore fan, so I, of course, watched the "How to Deal" movie years ago (and a ton of times since). I loved the movie for many reasons. But I never knew it was based on books until a month ago when I was in a book store and spotted Mandy's photo on the cover of a book. I went home and searched the author's website for the title "How to Deal," which I didn't find. I was confused. Finally I went back to the store and looked at the book, which has a note from the author explaining that the movie was adapted from two of her books ("Someone Like You" and "That Summer). She says that the books were different stories with different characters, so it wasn't even like the movie's characters existed in both books. I was confused. I'm still confused. Maybe after I finish reading both books inside this edition, I'll understand it all better. I watched the movie again before starting this book just to get a refresher course on the storyline
• I figured I could use a little break from all the supernatural books I've been reading, so I decided to go with this book. I'll be back to the world of vampires and witches and so on in a few days...
• When I first picked up this book, I was confused about why "Someone Like You" came before "That Summer" in this edition. "That Summer" was actually published before "Someone Like You" originally, but now it makes sense. It seems like a lot of the movie was adapted from "Someone Like You," so it makes more sense that it comes first. 

Buy on Amazon.com: How to Deal: Someone Like You/That Summer (Movie tie-in)

Book #14: Witchlight

Title: Witchlight (Book #9 of the Night World series. Book #3 of the third omnibus edition)

Author: L.J. Smith

Date started reading: Jan. 28, 2012
Date finished reading:  Jan. 29, 2012

Publish date: Originally 1998, omnibus April 2009
ISBN: 978-1416974529
Number of pages: 239 in Witchlight, 752 in full omnibus

Official summary: "Keller is a seventeen-year-old shapeshifter, a panther, who goes by her last name only. She’s an operative for Circle Daybreak and her mission is simple: find the third Wild Power who can fend off the Apocalypse. Keller does find Iliana, and much more, as well: a dragon in the shape of a human, and her own liege lord Galen. So, she learns: dragons walk the Earth again, even if in disguise. And Iliana is as far from a serious Wild Power as Keller can imagine. A love triangle quickly develops between the handsome princely Galen, the exquisite but bubble-minded Iliana, and Keller — who counts herself out with her favorite saying, 'I’m just a grunt.' Life has surprises in store for the cynical, embittered Keller, and her opinions of both Galen and Iliana are in for a radical change." (http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/author/booklist)

Book trailers:

How I obtained the book: Received through the Paperback Swap book club. (I had to pay to mail a book to another member in order to receive a credit to request this book)

Memorable quotes:

• “I don’t want your respect. I want your obedience.” ~ Grandma Harman
• “People die. Beauty fades. Love changes. And you will always be alone.”
• “Love is weakness.” ~ Keller 
• "You put on a good show, but the truth is that you're brave and gallant and decent. ... Your soul is straight as a sword." ~ Galen to Keller
• “People die ... so love them every day. Beauty fades ... so look before it’s gone. Love changes ... but not the love you give. And if you love, you’ll never be alone.” ~ Galen

My commentary:

• This series sure got better in the third volume. It packed a lot of action into these last three books. It's really sad that the 10th book has never been printed. There's all this build-up in books 7, 8, and 9 to the end of the world, but it ends up going nowhere because the final book was never released. L.J. Smith says the final book will be released sometime in the near future, but I doubt it ever happens. Honestly, I can't see how story-wise it will work because the books kept saying the year 2000 would bring about the end of the world. 2000 came and went without the final book being released. The omnibus editions were published in 2008-2009 and still no final book. There was a preview to the final book at the end of this omnibus, saying it was coming soon, but that was in 2009 and here it is three years later and it's still not done. I just don't expect it ever being released. I don't think there will ever be an ending to the series and no closure to the story... unless the publisher fires L.J. Smith from this series too and lets a ghostwriter finish it up (like what's happened with the Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle series)
•  I was a little surprised by the end of this book. I don't think I should've been, but I was. 
• One of my favorite things in the book was how Iliana's baby brother keeps referring to Keller as "pretty kitty" in baby speak. It's like the kid could sense that she was a shapeshifting panther. It was a very cute thing

Buy on Amazon.com: Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight

Book #13: Black Dawn

Title: Black Dawn (Book #8 of the Night World series. Book #2 of the third omnibus edition)

Author: L.J. Smith

Date started reading: Jan. 26, 2012
Date finished reading:  Jan. 28, 2012

Publish date: Originally 1998, omnibus April 2009
ISBN: 978-1416974529
Number of pages: 245 in Black Dawn, 752 in full omnibus

Official summary: "Maggie is the picture of an ordinary human teenager. Yet when her brother’s lovely girlfriend reports that he has been killed in a mountaineering accident, she knows it is a lie. The chase leads her to discover an entire community of human slaves ruled by vampires in the hollow of a Washington mountain. There also, she finds Delos, the second of the Wild Powers, the vampire ruler of this kingdom where she is a slave — and her soulmate. Her modern clothes cause the other slaves to hail her as a messiah come to bring them freedom. Can even level-headed Maggie deal with her arrogant soulmate and an entire kingdom to be freed?" (http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/author/booklist)

Book trailers:

How I obtained the book: Received through the Paperback Swap book club. (I had to pay to mail a book to another member in order to receive a credit to request this book)

Memorable quotes:

• “Strong-willed and compassionate: that’s a real recipe for disaster.” ~ Sylvia
• “Love is for weak people. It’s a delusion. And it can be deadly.” ~ Delos

My commentary: This was a really good book, better than several of the previous ones. It was very action packed.

Buy on Amazon.com: Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight

Book #12: Huntress

Title: Huntress (Book #7 of the Night World series. Book #1 of the third omnibus edition)

Author: L.J. Smith

Date started reading: Jan. 25, 2012
Date finished reading:  Jan. 26, 2012

Publish date: Originally 1997, omnibus April 2009
ISBN: 978-1416974529
Number of pages: 237 in Huntress, 752 in full omnibus

Official summary: "Jez, with flaming red hair and silvery blue eyes, is the epitome of the wild teenage vampire, riding her motorcycle and chasing skinheads through the woods. She and Morgead regularly challenge each other for leadership of the gang, and Jez believes — naturally enough — that the handsome, dark-haired vampire hates her. But suddenly the world changes for Jez. She discovers that she has no right to the Night World, because one of her parents was human. Now Jez has turned into a vampire huntress, and one with a special job: find one of the four Wild Powers who can fight off the Apocalypse, the end of the world. To do so, though, she must challenge her dearest enemy once again for the leadership — knowing that she has only half-vampire Powers." (http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/author/booklist)

Book trailers:

How I obtained the book: Received through the Paperback Swap book club. (I had to pay to mail a book to another member in order to receive a credit to request this book)

Memorable quotes:

• “Rule Number One of living with humans: Always wash the blood off before coming in the house.” ~ Jez
• "Ghouls weren't smart, but like the Energizer Bunny they kept going and going."
• “Are you going to try to kill me now? Or is the engagement just off?” ~ Jez 
• "Fear was good; it added that extra spice to the taste. Like SweeTarts."
• "She could look human, she could act human, but she couldn't be human."

My commentary:

• I find it relatively humorous that people have been so vocal in their annoyance with the "Twilight" series for having vampire Edward get human Bella pregnant when there are all sorts of book series, "Night World" included, in which vampires can procreate. Some series have types of vampires who can procreate amongst themselves, and then there are some where vampires and humans can have children together. In "Huntress," Jez is the daughter of a vampire father and a human mother. Frankly, I think people should be more annoyed with the fact that the "Twilight" vampires sparkle in the sun instead of the fact that Bella gets pregnant.
• "Huntress" has made me be less bothered by the series' soulmate principle. It was getting so old because in each book, there are two characters who discover that they're soulmates against the rules of the Night World (meaning a vampire with a human or a witch with a human). Jez and Morgead being soulmates even though they start out hating each other and Jez's absolute denial that it's possible that they're soulmates is an interesting change of pace.

Buy on Amazon.com: Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight

Book #11: The Asylum

Title: Stefan's Diaries #5: The Asylum

Author: Listed as L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec, but it's really a ghostwriter

Date started reading: Jan. 23, 2012
Date finished reading: Jan. 24, 2012

Publish date: Jan. 2012
ISBN: 978-0062113955
Number of pages: 256

Official summary: "The hunters become the hunted. ... Driven from their hometown of Mystic Falls, both Stefan Salvatore and his brother, Damon, arrived in Europe looking for a fresh start. But Samuel, a wealthy and cunning vampire, has other plans for them. First he ruined Stefan’s peaceful existence and now he’s framing Damon for the most gruesome murders London has ever seen. United against their common enemy, Stefan and Damon are stunned when they realize that the source of Samuel’s rage lies in their past — tied up with the woman who forever changed their lives. Haunted by the memory of Katherine, the brothers find that their uneasy alliance is tested. Can they overcome their rivalry to defeat Samuel before he exacts his final revenge? Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine — and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began." (http://www.harperteen.com)

How I obtained the book: Pre-ordered from Walmart for $8.97 using gift card received as Christmas gift

Memorable quotes:

• "Before someone dies, their blood races, pounding through their veins, filled with everything that makes them human -- adrenaline, fear, the desire to live." ~ Stefan's opening diary entry
• "It's either kill or be killed in my world." ~ Damon
• "Sense and I don't mix." ~ Damon
• "How can I go wrong when I have the approval of vampires?" ~ Cora
• "What better way to fight a maniacal vampire than to think like one myself?" ~ Stefan 
• "Vampires remind Ephraim of leeches. And Ephraim knows leeches are good for spells, but not for company." ~ Ephraim speaking in third person

My commentary:

• The fourth book in this series (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #4: The Ripper) was absolutely awesome, and I've been looking forward to the fifth book ever since. This one continues with the concept that the Jack the Ripper murders in the late 1800's were committed by a vampire. I've always been interested in the Jack the Ripper murders, so it's intriguing to me partially just due to that, but the ghostwriter did a ton of research into the real murders and chaos surrounding them for the book. It is a good mix of real history with vampire myth.

Buy on Amazon.com: The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5: The Asylum

Book #10: The Passion

Title: The Passion (Book #3 of the Dark Visions series)

Author: L.J. Smith

Date started reading: Jan. 22, 2012
Date finished reading: Jan. 23, 2012

Publish date: Originally 1995, omnibus edition published in 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8956-1
Number of pages: 239 in The Passion, 732 in omnibus edition with all three books

Official summary: "Finally having found a weapon with which to fight Dr. Zetes, Kaitlyn and the others return to the Zetes Institute. But no one is ever exactly what they seem, and the triple-twist ending of the book has one of Kait’s suitors backing off, seeing the passion she shares with the other." (http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/author/booklist)

How I obtained the book: Bought for $4.99 from used book store. This was a publisher's remainder book, so it wasn't actually a used book

My commentary: I've decided my problem with this series is that I had too high of expectations. I kept seeing positive reviews and know that it was a best-selling series, so I thought it would be great. I've been relatively disappointed, but I might not have been had I not gotten my hopes up. I need to remember to keep my expectations low. Overall, I do like how "The Passion" ends. It was a great way to end a series. I don't regret reading the book, but I do wish I would've found a way to get it cheaper. I don't normally spend $5 on books, so whenever I do, I want to be really happy with them

Buy on Amazon.com: Dark Visions: The Strange Power; The Possessed; The Passion