My "Sorry-For-Not-Reading-More-Quickly" Post

My apologies for dropping the ball on my reading this past month.  It's been absolute craziness with working two jobs, starting summer baseball, beginning to teach Zumba® classes, coaching soccer, the busy summer traveling (which has already begun!), and not to mention the fact that I have been slightly under the weather these past few weeks. 

I found this eCard while browsing Pinterest... Thought this would apply to some of those folks who are reading blogs such as this!

It's now officially the start of summer.  Go outside and enjoy some reading time! :)

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend (Matthew Dicks)

"Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend" by Matthew Dicks is a different kind of book - one that really requires you to wrap your head around it.  When I first saw the book, I was intrigued by the cover.  Then, when I found out that it was an autism-themed book, I knew I wanted to read it.  I don't know why I have the sudden fascination with fiction books about autism - possibly because it's a very talked about topic or maybe because it's seen very frequently in schools.  Regardless, it's a very interesting topic and I love how these fiction books help to raise awareness, inform their readers, and put you in the minds of the individuals. 

 

This book is different from the other fiction books with an autism theme.  Whereas books like Mockingbird or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime are told from the perspective of someone with autism, this book is told from the perspective of the imaginary friend of a child with autism.  Strange, right?

 

Budo is Max's imaginary friend.  Max is different from his classmates.  He needs his routines, he doesn't enjoy the company of others, and the whole school situation makes him uncomfortable.  Budo makes it very clear in his memoir that he likes Max's regular classroom teacher, Mrs. Gosk, but doesn't like Mrs. Patterson, one of the support teachers who helps Max throughout the week.  Budo discusses what goes on in Max's day-to-day life, and then they go on a bit of an adventure together. 

 

I liked the book because it gave a new perspective to a child with autism.  Telling the story from the child's perspective, it's hard to see 'everything' - because that's not how they see things.  A child would miss the obvious social cues or wouldn't understand why certain things are happening.  With this book, Budo is able to give honest opinions - you know, being the loving and loyal imaginary friend that he is. 

 

It took a bit of getting used to in the first few chapters, but it was a very neat concept (regardless of whether or not I was completely 'into' the plot in the second half of the book).  Budo, who is so real to his friend Max, is able to share his story while also sharing Max's story.  It's the story of a child and his imaginary friend as they are both growing up.  (Imaginary friends can also be very smart creatures, if you imagine them to be this way...  Budo happens to be very smart and he is very well aware that as soon as his friend Max stops believing in him, he will no longer be alive as an imaginary friend.)

 

I recommend it.  It was interesting.  It was different.  It kept me entertained.  It was a very neat concept. 

And it continues to spread autism awareness. 

Safe Haven (Nicholas Sparks)

I spent the beginning of my long weekend completely consumed in my most recent read, "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks.  I'd seen the movie when it came out in theatres, so I was doing this one backwards (with the book before movie or movie before book debate!)  (I'm also a bit late on this post - my apologies!)

Let's start with the book.  It's the story of Katie, a girl who moves to a small town to get away from her past life.  In her old life, she was in an abusive relationship until she finally gathered the strength to leave.  Her husband, also a police officer, is doing everything he can do to find her now that she has disappeared.  In her new life, she meets attractive and friendly Alex, who is a single father to two kids.  They hit it off but she is still reluctant to start anything new because of her past. 

 

Now remember, I'm a sucker for love stories.  I loved the book - it's such a cute love story and the characters are so easy to get attached to.  Going back and forth between Katie's story and her husband's search for her kept the book suspenseful for the readers.  I motored through it, and, like I said, spent my entire sunny Saturday sitting outside with this book. 

 

Now, flash over to the movie.  I saw the movie first in this case and loved it.  Another great Nicholas Sparks book turned movie.  After reading the book, though, I wonder to myself why they had to change some of the things from the book while making the movie.  I know that movies often have to seem more "Hollywood", so they add and change things to make the story more "big screen" friendly and suspenseful.  I did feel like the story in the book would have been equally as good on the big screen.  (But what do I know about film-making, right?!)  All in all, the themes are basically the same and I would have to say that although they are slightly different, I liked both separately and tried not to compare them to each other too much. 

 

If you're the love story type like me, or if you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, this one won't disappoint.  It's a good summer read and I'm quite happy that my relaxing weekend was spent with this one. 

The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)

The Fault in Our Stars is the story of Hazel, a 16-year-old girl who has cancer and is always hooked up to an oxygen tank.  She thought she was lying on her death bed when she was 14-years-old, but by some miracle, the tumours in her lungs have shrunk.  Her life is anything but ordinary - she doesn't have many friends, she can't do many things alone, and she isn't the happiest of children. While she is still alive, she is by  no means healthy.

Hazel then meets Augustus at a group therapy session - a boy who is of similar age, who is attractive, smart, in remission, and who is interested in her.  Their friendship grows throughout the novel and Hazel starts to experience life and the ups and downs of true friendships.

I thought it was a very well written young adult novel.  I know that it has been a very successful novel, and I will say that it definitely tugged at my heartstrings a bit.  You start to get attached to the characters and you feel like you're on their journey with them.  You root for the relationships between people, and you desperately hope that their lives with turn around and finally have more good news than bad. 

The two teens featured in the book (Hazel and Augustus), are not normal teenagers.  They seem much more mature than what they are and they speak in a much better dialect than you would expect from a teenager.  Maybe a bit unrealistic, but I'll let it slide because it was a cute love story and because I think there were a few good lessons for the young adults and teens who will read this book.

I may have shed a few tears (so be prepared if you take on this one), but it was a fast read and I think it's a good book for teens.  You learn about empathy and about how sometimes, it's ok to not be strong.  There are many quotable quotes throughout the novel, and I really hope that readers will read this and start to appreciate the experiences and situations that they are given in their lives. 

Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)

I need to be careful what I say about Gone Girl, because I don't want to give anything away!

Nick and Amy are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary when Amy suddenly disappears.  We don't know what happened to her - is she missing, was she murdered - but we do know that Nick is the prime suspect in the police investigation.  This book alternates between Amy's past diary entries and Nick's current experiences to lead the reader to the outcome of this scenario. 

This book had me in a reading spell and I loved reading the ups and downs of the investigation and of Nick and Amy's relationship.  There were no lack of twists and turns in this book, and it was another example of an author truly allowing the readers to get into the heads of the characters in the book. 

The only thing that I wasn't too fond of was the ending (*sigh*).  I'm going to pretend that I'm reading it all over again - and this time, I'm going to forget that the last three chapters ever happened and turn the book into a "create-your-own-ending" book. 

So, while this blog post about "Gone Girl" is quite short, I highly recommend this one.  (I kept it short because I assume everyone will want to go out and read it - no spoiler alerts!)  It was a good read, it kept me guessing, and it captured me in the world of some truly twisted characters. 

127 Hours - Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Aron Ralston)

We've all heard about the movie "127 Hours", right?  This guy, Aron, is out alone adventuring when he gets his arm stuck between a boulder and a wall.  He's stuck there, by himself, for 127 hours.

 

This true story, written by Aron Ralston, describes everything that happened before, during, and after this incident.  (Spoiler alert: He survives - after all, he was able to write the book!)

 

I started reading the book, and then, a few chapters in, decided that I wanted to watch the movie.  I thought the movie was very well done, but I also felt like I wanted to know more.  I felt like I was missing information about the whole story.  (And I was really hoping that the book would answer those questions.)

 

This book exceeded my expectations and answered all of the questions that I felt were unanswered after watching the movie.  As far as the book itself is concerned, it included so many details during those 127 hours - how he decided to drink his water to maximize his resources, his thought processes for how he was going to try to get out of his situation, what he recorded on his video camera and photographed for his loved ones back home (when he was thinking that he was going to die), and everything that he saw and felt while he was stuck.  As well, he includes so many details in what his friends and family members were doing back home in their search for Aron and details about his rescue and recovery (both of which were not included in the movie).

 

Throughout the beginning of the book, he also goes back and forth from his present situation (him being stuck) to past adventures he has had with his friends or family.  Now, let this be stated - I think Aron is extremely brave for having done what he did and survived this situation (and for not letting this accident affect his active lifestyle).  However, I just need to point out that many of the past situations described by Aron in the book could have ended similarly, with him stuck in a (different) bad situation.  (He even talks, at one point in the book, about a friend who is no longer on speaking terms with him because Aron was the encourager that got them into a dangerous and life-threatening situation involving an avalanche.)  He's a risk-taker (something which I don't know very much about!), and while this was definitely a chance situation in 127 hours, I hope that he has learned to tone down some of the risks that he takes on while out adventuring. 

 

It was a bit tough to get into during the first couple chapters, but it was worth it.  This is not my typical type of read, but I was impressed with his writing, his memory of details, and his story. 

 

For those who liked the movie, for those who enjoy outside adventure, and for those who enjoy reading true stories, I would highly recommend this one. 

The Awakening (The Vampire Diaries) - L.J. Smith

The Awakening by L.J. Smith is the first novel in "The Vampire Diaries" series.  (I've looked it up, and I'm still not really clear on how many novels there are in the series.)  I know that The Vampire Diaries has been a bit hit on TV lately, so I thought I would give the first book in the series a try. (Also note that I haven't really kept up on the TV show since the end of the first season.)

This novel seems to be the introduction to the concept of "The Vampire Diaries."  Elena is a young girl who seems to be very popular and in demand among her male classmates.  When Stefan moves to town, she chooses him, but for some reason, unlike every other boy in the area, he doesn't show any interest.  Eventually, Elena and Stefan become a couple (once we figure out why he was avoiding her) and things seem to be going well, for the most part... Until weird things start happening around town and Stefan becomes the prime suspect. 

In terms of plot, there wasn't all that much happening in this novel.  I guess because it's part of a longer series, the relationships and characters are being developed to prepare for future novels.  By the end of the book (spoiler alert), Elena basically finds out that Stefan is a vampire and that his brother, Damon, is also lurking around town somewhere.  (For those who have seen even one episode of the TV show, this is no shocker.)  That's all that happens.  It's safe to say that I was a bit disappointed with the plot.  The novel also leaves you without a real ending, so I can only assume that it must blend right into the second novel.

That all being said, my expectations could be a bit skewed.  I've enjoyed what I've seen of the TV show, so maybe I was just expecting a little more from the novel.  The show seems to bring weekly excitement, so I was expecting a little more action in the novel.

It was definitely a young adult book and I think that the content and writing style would appeal to a younger audience.  (As an educator, I think that having books that appeal to a younger audience are important.  And although there are many Young Adult books that I am also interested in, I do know that I'm not the target audience and there will be some, like this one, that don't really appeal to me.) 

My recommendations for this book?  If you're a pre-teen, or a young teen, you will probably enjoy it.  As for everyone else, it's not on the top of recommended reads.

Handle with Care (Jodi Picoult)

I recently finished reading Jodi Picoult's novel "Handle with Care."  This novel was about a young girl, Willow, who was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), a rare genetic bone disorder that results in many bone breaks and fractures.  This disorder affects an individual for their entire lives and there is currently no cure.

Willow, though she is a very smart young girl, will always be small, will always have an unusually high risk of breaking bones, and will always require care or help from someone else.  Since Willow's mother, Charlotte, has been unable to work since Willow was born, her family is having a hard time covering the living costs for Willow, who constantly requires hospitalization, wheelchairs, and accessible vehicles.  After an incident while on vacation, a lawyer brings up the fact that, perhaps, Charlotte's doctor, Piper, should have been able to see early detection signs of OI in the fetus.  This early detection could have led to the termination of the pregnancy before any of these problems or costs became a problem for the family.  The book discusses the ups and downs of what occurs during this lawsuit.
 

When I was reading this book during my lunch break one day, another teacher walked in and asked what I was reading.  When she saw "Jodi Picoult," she said, "Those are always sad ones."  I must say that this book is no exception, since it does deal with such a serious subject.  Willow, though young, is smart enough to know that her mother is involved in a lawsuit where she is continuously saying that she wishes Willow hadn't been born.  I can only imagine how this would affect the home life in the O'Keefe's residence.  Charlotte's marriage is falling apart since her husband can't understand why his wife is putting their children and family through this experience, her friendships are ruined since she's suing her best friend (who also happened to be the doctor), and her other daughter, Amelia is also suffering as part of this torn household.  I always find that these kind of books require you to be in the mood to read something "deep." 

As with many of Jodi Picoult's novels, each chapter was written from the point of view of a different person.  One chapter would be from the point of view of the lawyer, whereas another chapter could be from the point of view of Willow's sister.  I find this helps the reader to get "in the heads" of the various characters in the book.  It's not centered on just the people directly involved in the lawsuit, but also on other people who are affected by it. 

Another thing I liked about this book was how it informs us about OI.  I always find books interesting when they are dealing with a medical condition that I know nothing about (kind of like how I enjoyed Left Neglected by Lisa Genova, and felt like I had learned a lot about Left Neglect while reading the book).  It's a great way to look into the lives of people who are dealing with different health challenges and raise awareness on these issues.  In this case, I had never heard of OI before reading the book, and I feel like I understand more about the challenges that face an individual with OI after having read it. 

I enjoyed reading this Jodi Picoult book.  It dealt with serious, real issues, and though I'm not sure that I would have handled things the same way as the characters in the book, it's fiction.  If you're a fan of Jodi Picoult books, this one won't let you down.

Mockingbird (Kathryn Erskine)

I picked up the book "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine as I was browsing the books at the local library. I was initially in the "E" section looking for the next Janet Evanovich novel in the Stephanie Plum series, but instead fell upon this gem of a book. I judged it initially by the spine of the book, then by the cover (I know, how can you decide based on the spine of a book that you want to read it?!). It was a small book and had an interesting cover. While reading the blurb about the book, I decided that since the story was told from the point of view of a child with Asperger's, it was worth a read. 
 

The story is told by Caitlin, a young, elementary school aged girl (at the junior level, for all my Ontario teacher friends) who has Asperger's. Everything that she is dealing with in her world are things that would be challenging for any child, let alone one who has difficulty understanding emotions and the fine lines between what is right and wrong. Caitlin's family consisted of herself, her father, and her brother, Devon - that is, until Devon was killed in a school shooting. Caitlin doesn't know how to deal with the loss of her brother, her dad is an emotional wreck, and she doesn't have Devon there to help her through it anymore. She decides that she needs to find "Closure" for herself and her father.
 

I really enjoyed reading "Mockingbird." It was a short, easy read, but I found it really gives you a good look into the life of someone with Asperger's. Similar to "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime," (by Mark Haddon) the language in the book follows the thought processes of the child and really opens your eyes to the situations that some of these individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) deal with on a daily basis. Being an educator, I have learned a lot about ASD since doing my Bachelor of Education, but I find it's books like these that really help you put yourself in the shoes of someone else.
 

I would definitely recommend this book! Read something different and put yourself in someone else's situation. It won't take you long to motor through this book and I guarantee you will look at things a little differently after having read it.

Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)

I just finished "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. I read it more based on an "I need to grab something really quickly to read right now as I'm rushing out the door" instead of based on a recommendation or high praise. I remember that this book was getting quite a bit of publicity a few years ago, but I didn't read it at the time.

 

"Tuesdays with Morrie" is a true story told by the author, Mitch Albom, about one of his college professors. He became quite close to his professor, Morrie, during school, but then didn't keep in touch after graduating. One night, while flipping channels, he sees a show that features Morrie being interviewed because he has been diagnosed with ALS. Mitch starts to revisit and reignite the relationship between himself and Morrie, knowing that Morrie is in the final chapters of his life.  He visits Morrie every Tuesday to discuss everything from marriage to death to culture.

 

Immediately after finishing the book, I checked out the reliable goodreads for the thoughts of other readers. As with all books (or TV or movies, for that matter...), there are obviously those who are going to love and those who are going to hate. Many individuals thought that the book was very good and shed some good light on important life lessons, whereas others thought it was terrible (though this was mainly because of the readers didn't enjoy his style of writing).

 

What did I think? I agree that there are many good "life lessons" in the book. There were many quotable quotes that I jotted down while reading, and some questions or comments in the book that made me question some of the decisions that I am currently making in my own life or make you think a little deeper about the relationships you have with your friends and family. 

 

"Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?'" (Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie)
 

This being the second Mitch Albom book I've read (the first one being "The Time Keeper"), I will say that I enjoyed "Tuesdays with Morrie" better than I enjoyed "The Time Keeper." This book was a little easier to follow and dealt with 'real situations.'

 

If you're looking for a book to help put things into perspective, this may be a good book for you. Who better than someone who knows that they are dying, to tell you what they look back on in their lives and wish they could have done differently? (Morrie did seem like a very well-respected teacher and friend, and you have to look at some of his qualities as you read and hope that you can be a little more like him.) As I said, there are many quotable quotes and many things to make you stop and think about whether you are living your life in the best way that you can.

"There is no such thing as 'too late' in life." (Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie)

The Death Cure (James Dashner)

I finished reading "The Death Cure" by James Dashner - and almost a month later, I am finally getting to writing about it!

 

The Death Cure is the third (and final) book in the "Maze Runner" trilogy.  (Check out the descriptions of the other two books here and here.)  In the previous two books, a group of kids is basically put through a series of tests and experiments by a group called "Wicked."  We find out that they are trying to find a cure for "The Flare" (which affects the brain and other systems in your body, eventually making you go crazy.)

 

In "The Death Cure," the children are told that it is the final stage of testing by Wicked - that at the end of this, there will be a cure for The Flare.  At an earlier stage of the experimentation, the memories of all of these children were removed.  Now, in this final testing stage, they are being told that they must have their memories restored in order to find the cure.  Thomas has begun to remember bits and pieces of who he thinks he once was and he is convinced that, despite what he may have previously thought, "Wicked" is bad and he must do whatever he can to save himself and the others around him. 

 

Having read this book 10 months after finishing the second book in the series, I found I was still able to follow the plot and understand what was going on...  I liked this ending to the trilogy, and while it didn't tie up everything that you may have hoped for in the trilogy, I think it left things at a point where you could draw your own conclusions about certain story lines.  (Other readers in the world of the Internet, however, disagree with me here - they found that there were too many things left unresolved and that there was so much more Dashner could have done with this final book in the trilogy.  Again, maybe this has something to do with me having removed myself from the characters and plot of the trilogy for long enough to forget the "little things" that were left unresolved.)

 

As far as action is concerned, there are some exciting points in this book, but the first two novels in the trilogy definitely contained more "Oh my goodness!" moments. 

 

I think this was a great Young Adult series - and I know that I have seen these books read by youth in numerous classrooms while supply teaching.  It was different enough from the Hunger Games (which was the series that initially led me to these James Dashner books) and I think it's the type of book that would appeal to youth of both genders. 

 

For those who did read this series and want more of Thomas and his friends - the prequel to "The Maze Runner" series, titled "The Kill Order", was released in August 2012.  Maybe this will help clear up some of the questions that people still have about "Wicked" and their trials... Knowing about why the experimentation started may help people understand why things ended the way they did!

Caper (Lawrence Sanders)

What a great book to start my 2013 bookstack!

This Lawrence Sanders novels is by no means a new release.  Published in 1980, it's another one of those books that you should judge by the cover when you say, "It looks worn out and old - lots of people must have read this!"

"Caper" is a mystery/suspense novel.  Jannie Shean is a mystery writer who is told that her writing is starting to seem unrealistic.  She's given the advice of getting back into touch with reality and reading about real experiences in the news before starting on her next novel.  Jannie figures she's got an even better idea - Why not plan a whole crime and then pull out at the last minute?  Jannie decides that, along with help from her friend Dick Fleming, they are going to learn what it really involved as they plan a robbery.  They must do everything from figure out how to get hold of firearms and who to recruit as extra bodies in the mission to how to cover up their identities so that once all is said and done, none of this can be traced back to who they really are.

From the very first chapters, this book grabs your attention.  As one of the characters says in the book, we are all set in our routines and we live our lives knowing that we probably have a tomorrow and that we most likely have a good idea of what will happen in our 'tomorrow'.  These two characters show you how their lives transform when they start to live outside of their comfort zone.  This unknown territory that they are "adventuring" is a place that many of us have never been (and will likely never be!).

I don't want to ruin anything at all about the book.  But I really liked it.  I loved the characters (even the bad ones that you're not supposed to like) and I loved how it kept you guessing.

If you're a fan of the mystery genre, I would highly recommend this one.  Even if you're not a fan of the mystery genre, I would recommend it.  It's not a scary one, I promise - it's not the type of mystery that keeps you up at night thinking that something bad is going to happen to you.  (You just think to yourself instead, "I'm glad I'm not in their position...")

My Top 2012 Picks

I'm a couple weeks late on this post, but here are some of my favourite reads of 2012.

When I look back at my 2012 list of books, there aren't all that many "Must-Reads" ... It seem that in 2012, I didn't spend my time reading literary masterpieces or classic novels - it was a year I spent reading recommended books, top books on the chart, recent releases or simple stuff to pass the time!  It's not about reading what people think you should read, but reading what you're in the mood for!

Instead of listing my top 5 books of 2012 (like I did for 2011), I've decided to pick a few categories and list my top pick for those categories.




Funniest True (or Mostly True) Books

Seriously... I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres

I read this book early in 2012 and remember reading it so quickly.  It was a hilarious read about nothing in particular.  It had me laughing out loud and telling everyone to read it if they needed a little "pick-me-up" in their day.  It's a book that I will honestly read again someday.  Buy this book here.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

 

A little more, shall we say, "adult" (or "inappropriate") than the other winner in the "Funniest True (or Mostly True) Book" category, this was a top pick for me this year.  Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess) is a hilarious blogger who writes about anything and everything that happens to her.  Her stories are exaggerated (or not, you make that call) and funny.  She takes ordinary (and some not-so-ordinary) situations and turns them into awkward and extremely memorable stories.  I read through this book at a crazy speed and really want to listen to the audiobook of "Let's Pretend This Never Happened", for the sole reason of hearing Jenny Lawson's expressions as she tells some of her stories.  Buy this book here.

Favourite Love Story

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

I'm a sucker for love stories and this love story was a beautiful one.  These two individuals went through so much individually before they tried to make it work out with each other.  Nicholas Sparks tells the story in a way that gives you enough information to see what is going on while keeping you guessing about how everything is going to unfold. I didn't want to put the book down once I started it (and I may have watched the movie "The Lucky One" a few times already...).  Buy this book here.


Most Talked About Series

"Fifty Shades of Grey" series by E.L. James

What would a 2012 list be without this series mentioned?  While it wasn't my favourite series, it was very talked about and popular in 2012.  I asked myself numerous times, "Why am I still reading this?"  Yet I continued to read it.  While I don't think it's any literary masterpiece, I remember my dad saying to me once, "You may say that it's not good writing.  But if the author can get you to ignore everything else that you have to do in your life right now and pick up that book instead, then it's got something."  So, E.L. James, although I'm embarrassed to say it, you get a pick on my 2012 list because I made it through the series in 2012 and so did so many other people.  Buy this series here.

Best Young Adult Book

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Dealing with difficult issues such as bullying, hate crimes, depression, and rape, Shine is a must-read for teens.  It was a book that was a bit difficult to read because of the content, but I think it deals with issues that need more awareness.  While I felt that the way some of these issues were dealt with in the book was unrealistic or different than the larger communities that many of us are used to, the issues are important and the content itself is worth a read.  Buy this book here.

Most Magical Book

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I've talked to a few people who just couldn't get into this book, but I loved it.  I thought The Night Circus was well written and told a story in a different, magical way.  If you're up for using your imagination and getting into a book that will make you think, give this one a try.  Buy this book here.

The Twilight Before Christmas (Christine Feehan)

The Twilight Before Christmas was another novel recommended by a friend.  It's the second book in the Drake Sister series by Christine Feehan.  I read the first book, Magic in the Wind, this past summer and didn't mind it, so I thought I would give this one a try as well. (I'm a little late in posting this since I finished it in December 2012, but better late than never!)

For those who don't know, this Drake Sister series is about seven sisters who have special witchcraft powers - one sister may be able to help heal someone who is ill and another can use her abilities to calm someone down.  The Twilight Before Christmas is focused on the love story of Kate Drake and Matt.  He has always had a thing for her and she has always thought that they were two people who were too different to be together.  As they are trying to figure out these differences between them, they unlock a 'cloud' with some evil behind it.  This 'spirit' is out to ruin Christmas for the community and the Drake sisters need to figure out what is going on and how they can use their powers for good and stop it.

It took me a lot longer to get through this book than it did to get through the first one in the series.  I was reading it on my eReader and, again, mostly during lunch breaks.  I wasn't as interested in the relationships being formed between Kate and Matt or in the story behind the "magic" in this book. 

It wasn't necessary to have read the first book in the series to understand what was happening in the second.  The same characters are involved, so the knowledge from book one can help you with the relationships between the characters, but the storyline is independent of the first book.

I remember being told that "The first book is ok.  It gets a lot better the more books you read in the series!"  I may put these back on the shelf for a bit and try the third book eventually, once I have read a few books that are on my "to-read" list! 

Would I recommend it?  Well... I liked the first book better than this one.  If you're looking for a very easy to read love story, try the first novel in the series before reading this one.  The overall writing reminds me of a slightly more adult version of Twilight.  You can make the call once you see her writing style and meet the chracters. 

"My imagination provides a wonderful adventure without the risk or the discomfort." (Christine Feehan, The Twilight Before Christmas)