"My Sister's Keeper"

Part 2

As the story continued on more and more came out regarding the reasoning Anna wanted to stop her body from being used as a guinea pig, and not for the reasons all of us would imagine. My first instincts were that she was being selfish, or needed attention even, which is really ignorant on my part because who wouldn't do anything to save their sisters life? It was hard to read how much both of these sisters have gone through as well as the rest of the family, always thinking this was it. But like all other stories there is always something that you thought you had figured out and a twist is brought in, this story not being any different.

This story is the true meaning of sisterly love, and showing that beyond all other reasons Anna did love her sister and would do anything to save her life, even if it meant doing what her last wishes were. It was sad to see the pain and suffering everyone went through to get to a point where the truth was told. And to end in such a way, that it has us asking why?

I don't want to give to much away because I think everyone who wants a story that is heart touching should read "My Sisters Keeper" and know that sometimes even though letting someone go hurts, you just have too.

Happy Reading!

"My Sister's Keeper"

Part 1

What would you do if your child was dying and the only way to save her was to create a "perfect" genetic match? Would you create another child through a petri dish for a 20% chance, or for any hope for that matter? And once that child was born and saved the other child how would you explain to them why they were conceived because eventually they will figure out they are donor to save the other child. Would you realize also that you push everything and everyone but the sick child to the side, causing everyone to feel isolated towards you? And how about the child that is sick could they feel the resentment that goes along with all of the hurt feelings from the siblings?

All of these unanswered questions start the story of a family who's 3 year old was diagnosed with terminal Leukemia and the only way to save her life is for a genetic match of bone marrow and the closest would be a sibling, and unfortunately their son is not a close enough match. So pushing aside all other things decide that having a specialist make their child in a petri dish holding up the hope that this person will save their daughters life, not understanding the consequences. When Anna is born, it's not all the fuss of a new baby, but it's to make sure you get that cord blood to the right place and pushed her aside to go check on their sick child, while also pushing aside their child at home. Then when that helped Katie, she got sick again she needed something else, and then her kidneys failed and they expected Anna to give up one of hers. Not asking but basically consenting without thinking of anything but Katie. Not that Anna wanted Katie to die, but she wanted the choice to think of the consequences of her own life if she did give her kidney. And the other part of the family was falling apart too, Jesse was living over the garage basically drinking, smoking and doing drugs and as long as he stayed out of trouble his parents left him alone because in his eyes he was no good to them. Then he started down the path of getting attention or thrills by lighting fires that his father has to go put out on abandoned buildings, since his Dad is a Firefighter.

This story is sad because now the daughter, Anna feels she wants to have the right to say no, so she contacts an attorney who represents her and her family now completely thinks she is doing it to kill Katie when in all reality all she wants is a choice to decide if it's right for her own body. Not having her parents make that choice as their could be consequences down the line. When her parents get served the papers her mother is totally misunderstanding the point and sure her daughter is acting out for attention and once again not listening. Katie is turning for the worse but her life isn't Anna's responsibility it's all in God's hands which her Mother is definitely forgetting.

As this story continues I am hoping it will show her Mother the true meaning of listening and not forget she has her entire family and that faith needs be her priority. Saving one child and leaving two behind lost, possibly hurting another physically is not the way. We all have our stories of our lives, and no medicine or person can decide our faith and only God have that power to save our lives.

Happy Reading!!!

Our next pick is......

"My Sister's Keeper"

By: Jodi Picoult

This excerpt came from here:

Anna came into the world via in vitro fertilation, so that she would be a genetic match for her older sister Kate, who was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia when she was 2 years old. When Anna was born, her cord blood was donated to Kate, but when the leukemia returned, Anna then had to donate blood and bone marrow. When Kate's kidney's fail, Anna is expected to donate one of her own, but she hires a lawyer to be medically emancipated from her parents and gain the right to make the decision herself. Her lawyer, Campbell Alexander, works for her pro bono.

I really had a hard time finding a synopsis for this book with all the publicity but can't wait to start reading!!!

Happy Reading!

"The Girls From Ames"

The rest of the story...

Well I have to say this book has been kicking my butt, we have been reading since May and finally last night I finished it! It's definitely not what I expected and pretty choppy and hard to follow at times, but in the books defense that could of been my fault since I was reading 2 other books with it.

This story, after reading the entire book was reflecting back on the twenty-some years that these 11 friends have come together and stayed together through thick and thin. They have had death, disease, losing husbands and children and so much more, and in the end they had each other whether it was an email or a hug from the closest Ames Sister they could find.

I know in my life I have had a lot of friends who have helped me through a lot of times, and I have kept the same Best Friend since we were 13 years old and we have our moments, and sometimes we don't talk for days or weeks but when we get back together it's like we have never been apart. That's what this story is about, the true friendship that women need to feel complete, someone who is always there for them through the good and the bad. Now I am not saying my loving husband isn't my best friend in other ways, but not in the way that both Terri and I have been through it all, and we continue to grow as time goes and when I am old and cranky she will be there to push my wheel chair or vice versa.

I hope in your lifetime, like the Ames Girls and my best friend you too find someone as special as that.

Until next time.......

"The Girls From Ames"

Part 1: Chapters 1-5

This is the story of eleven girls that lived in a place called Ames, each has their own unique story and unique way of ending up as an "Ames Girl". It was a clique but not one they intended but of course everyone saw them that way. The story begins, with the girls getting together for their annual reunion of once a year they all come together at someone's house for a weekend, even though some miss their families it's a time for them to renew the friendships that have fizzed out over the year.

This first part focuses on Marilyn, Karla, Kelly and Shelia who even though Kelly and Karla had some bad blood they somehow come together to bunk together at these events and in a way ground each other. One being very motherly and out of place without her kids, while the other is trying to get back the 20 years of her life spent married and unhappy. Even though their lives are so different they need each other to balance themselves out, and both to find a way to continue the connection that could very easily been lost between friends over the years. Many of the girls see Karla as a whiner and Kelly as to much of a partier but they need different personality to make the group go round.

Marilyn was the one that spreads the pictures out and kept the scrapbooks of all the thinks the girls had done over the years. She continually takes pictures and keeps notes to never forget who they were, are and will become. Marilyn's father was a confident to many of the girls and to the community, only wanting the best for everyone. She always had a looming thing that she was born because of her brother's death that the family never really got over, but yet moved on...if that makes sense....She respected her Father and tried to abide by his rules and when she messed up, she was more disappointed in herself than her father ever could be which is why he normally didn't punish her. I like to think of Marilyn as the glue of the group because by taking pictures and old letters, it kept them all weaved together in a sense to show why they are and always will be friends.

Finally, Shelia suddenly died at the age of 22 a very mysterious death. She lived life and and with her Father dying at the age of 47 it hit her family hard, but her Mother kept things in line as her Father would of wanted her too. Shelia went off to college and met a man they called Bud Man, and was out drinking when somehow she fell but no one really knows if she was pushed and being the second tragedy in Mrs. Walsh's family, she didn't push it As many as the Ames girls who could afforded to come to her funeral did, but the 5 that didn't never felt closure and started questioning how she really died, only Mrs. Walsh didn't want to pry as it was over and she didn't want to open old wounds so the mystery still continues as no one really knows how Shelia dies, and the group went from 11 to 10, but Shelia will never be forgotten.

To me this a great story about friends who no matter how far or close they are, they always keep in touch. I have always said if you can meet one person who is a true friend then your life is complete. I have been Best Friends with Terri since we were 13, and even though we don't always agree or don't call everyday no matter what like the bond of the Ames girls she is one person that I'll have in my life for the rest of my life. That to me is more important than anything, someone who has seen you at your worst and best, and no matter what will do anything for you that's what true friendship is and that is what these 11 Girls always have had and always will.

Until our next section...

Happy Reading!!

Kel

The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship

For our next book...


From the coauthor of the million-copy bestseller The Last Lecture comes a moving tribute to female friendships, with the inspiring story of eleven girls and the ten women they became.

Meet the Ames Girls: eleven childhood friends who formed a special bond growing up in Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eight different states, yet managed to maintain an enduring friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, a child’s illness and the mysterious death of one member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the deep bonds of women as they experience life’s joys and challenges -- and the power of friendship to triumph over heartbreak and unexpected tragedy.

The girls, now in their forties, have a lifetime of memories in common, some evocative of their generation and some that will resonate with any woman who has ever had a friend. Photograph by photograph, recollection by recollection, occasionally with tears and often with great laughter, their sweeping and moving story is shared by Jeffrey Zaslow, Wall Street Journal columnist, as he attempts to define the matchless bonds of female friendship. It demonstrates how close female relationships can shape every aspect of women’s lives – their sense of themselves, their choice of men, their need for validation, their relationships with their mothers, their dreams for their daughters – and reveals how such friendships thrive, rewarding those who have committed to them.

The Girls from Ames is the story of a group of ordinary women who built an extraordinary friendship. With both universal insights and deeply personal moments, it is a book that every woman will relate to and be inspired by.

About the Author
Jeffrey Zaslow is a Wall Street Journal columnist and coauthor, with Randy Pausch, of The Last Lecture, the #1 New York Times bestseller now translated into 41 languages. Zaslow attended Dr. Pausch’s famous lecture and wrote the story that sparked worldwide interest in it. The Girls From Ames also grew out of one of Zaslow’s columns

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

First off I would like to apologize to our readers. My book reviews are not as eloquent as Kelli's. We really need to urge her to write her own book!

The Five People You Meet In Heaven is an quick and easy read that makes you think about your own life while reading it. It is about the simple things that make your life what it is. Things that you would not normally even think about or the people that you meet in passing that truly touch your life or you touch theirs.

It is an interpretation of how heaven looks like through the eyes of the main character, Eddie. On the basis of five different encounters, Eddie learns the lessons of life, sacrifice, anger, love and forgiveness. The book begins with the end. After detailing the last moments of Eddie's death, the author then explains how heaven looks like through Eddie's conversations with five people he knew in life: the Blue Man, Captain, Ruby (and his father), Marguerite (who is his wife) and a little girl by the name of Tala. From each of these characters, Eddie learned something in his death what he could not have understood in life.

It is a story of closure and a story of purpose, of making sense out of the twists and injustices of life and of finding meaning in the small interactions that happen every day.

I hope that you all take a moment to read this book, it will truly change the way that you perceive your everyday lives.

Until our next read...

Adriane

Our next Book.......

"The Five People You Meet in Heaven"

I choose this book as a recommendation from a friend, so here it is our next big pick!!!

Amazon.com Review:

Part melodrama and part parable, Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven weaves together three stories, all told about the same man: 83-year-old Eddie, the head maintenance person at Ruby Point Amusement Park. As the novel opens, readers are told that Eddie, unsuspecting, is only minutes away from death as he goes about his typical business at the park. Albom then traces Eddie's world through his tragic final moments, his funeral, and the ensuing days as friends clean out his apartment and adjust to life without him. In alternating sections, Albom flashes back to Eddie's birthdays, telling his life story as a kind of progress report over candles and cake each year. And in the third and last thread of the novel, Albom follows Eddie into heaven where the maintenance man sequentially encounters five pivotal figures from his life (a la A Christmas Carol). Each person has been waiting for him in heaven, and, as Albom reveals, each life (and death) was woven into Eddie's own in ways he never suspected. Each soul has a story to tell, a secret to reveal, and a lesson to share. Through them Eddie understands the meaning of his own life even as his arrival brings closure to theirs. Albom takes a big risk with the novel; such a story can easily veer into the saccharine and preachy, and this one does in moments. But, for the most part, Albom's telling remains poignant and is occasionally profound. Even with its flaws, The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a small, pure, and simple book that will find good company on a shelf next to It's A Wonderful Life. --Patrick O'Kelley

From Publishers Weekly:

"At the time of his death, Eddie was an old man with a barrel chest and a torso as squat as a soup can," writes Albom, author of the bestselling phenomenon Tuesdays with Morrie, in a brief first novel that is going to make a huge impact on many hearts and minds. Wearing a work shirt with a patch on the chest that reads "Eddie" over "Maintenance," limping around with a cane thanks to an old war injury, Eddie was the kind of guy everybody, including Eddie himself, tended to write off as one of life's minor characters, a gruff bit of background color. He spent most of his life maintaining the rides at Ruby Pier, a seaside amusement park, greasing tracks and tightening bolts and listening for strange sounds, "keeping them safe." The children who visited the pier were drawn to Eddie "like cold hands to a fire." Yet Eddie believed that he lived a "nothing" life-gone nowhere he "wasn't shipped to with a rifle," doing work that "required no more brains than washing a dish." On his 83rd birthday, however, Eddie dies trying to save a little girl. He wakes up in heaven, where a succession of five people are waiting to show him the true meaning and value of his life. One by one, these mostly unexpected characters remind him that we all live in a vast web of interconnection with other lives; that all our stories overlap; that acts of sacrifice seemingly small or fruitless do affect others; and that loyalty and love matter to a degree we can never fathom. Simply told, sentimental and profoundly true, this is a contemporary American fable that will be cherished by a vast readership. Bringing into the spotlight the anonymous Eddies of the world, the men and women who get lost in our cultural obsession with fame and fortune, this slim tale, like Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, reminds us of what really matters here on earth, of what our lives are given to us for.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Happy Reading!

"The Shack"

Chapters 4-18

I have to say this book was a great read and really starts to make you think.

As you can imagine Mack does go to the Shack, the place where his daughter was murdered and finds something he could not of imagined in a million years. His friend lets him borrow his Jeep and he gets his hiking gear together as well as a gun, he is hoping he doesn't have to use. But to his surprise when he gets there, it is still the same place he had found almost 4 years ago but then something happens...he falls and hits his head and the world around him changes right before his eyes. And everything he thought of God and Jesus are somewhat a totally different then what he was told and believed. There were 3 of them, God himself, Sanjua and Jesus all working together but yet three separate people or "spirits" that had a plan for Mack.

My first reaction was that they were there to lead him home to be with Missy, and then it was maybe she is still alive and they will lead him to her but neither were true. They each had a purpose to show him the light and that even though he was a believer, they wanted to show him he had to truly forgive before he could heal and that the damage from not forgiving was hurting his older daughter Kate, who thought Missy's disappearance was her fault. They allowed him to make peace with his Father who he had so many hard feelings for, for so many years and Mack's heart was finally finding some peace but now it was on to the biggest challenge of all....trying to find forgiveness for the worst possible thing that could of happened, the death of his youngest child by a child murderer.

It was amazing to me that after all that Jesus, God and Sanjua taught him he finally got it and realized that by not forgiving, he was only leaving his heart unopened and his daughter to suffer also. So as you can imagine he did find that forgiveness and in return they showed him where to find his daughters body.

As with any good book there is always a twist, and in this one I never saw this coming but he finally "woke" up in a sense and started home to tell his family of what had just happened, but as luck would have it he was in a serious car accident with a drunk driver who ran the light. As it was happening I was thinking how can this be it, they just took him back to have him help his family find forgiveness and now he's gone? But of course that was not the case.

He was taken to the hospital and my a miracle he was alive and ready to explain his story but at first it was blurry and he wasn't sure it happened until his wife Nan was at his side and it started all coming back, so he finally got to his wife and kids, especially Kate who finally admitted she felt it was her fault but now Mack truly lost it and explained it was never her fault, it was all God's Plan.

After he was released from the hospital, they went back to the "Shack" to try to find Missy. Of course it was almost to much for the family when they went back but with Mack's directions her body was found and enough evidence was there to find the killer, and also allow the other four families to find their loved one's bodies.

I guess what learned from this story is that without truly forgiving someone your heart will be closed, and without an totally open heart you are not letting God in 100%. It also showed me that even the bad things that happen and it seems like it's not fair, it's God's Plan and World not ours. We have to take each moment and realize it could be our last, love our families and hold onto the one's that mean the most to us. Plus the perception of God isn't always as what we take it to be, and have to be open to new ideas and know that one day those that we love that have gone, we'll all be together again for all eternity.

Until next time.........

Happy Reading!

"The Shack"

Part 1: Chapters 1-4

I told Adriane last night that I guess even though I posted the synopsis, I didn't really read what the book was about. Or I did and it didn't even comprehend what it was because as I kept reading, I never saw what happened coming! This has been an easy read, one that I didn't want to stop reading but because I am a faithful book club member, did...but it was hard not to move on!

Anyways, with that said the story begins with Mack taking his family on a vacation to the outdoors without his wife, Nan as she has to work. So he takes his 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy and they camp for the week, and they are having a fantastic time. Meet new friends and Mack has what I see as a revelation with God as he prays that his life is so good. His kids have found friends, he has met people that are really good people and they all are really enjoying themselves. Until the last day when the two older ones want to take the canoe out, just one last time and something goes wrong...the canoe tips and he has to leave his younger daughter in the campsite coloring while he uses his old lifeguard skills to save his older son and daughter from drowning. In the meantime after things relax, and everyone is OK he goes back to the campsite to find his daughter Missy, missing. Thinking she just wondered off with her new friends or went to the bathrooms panic sets in but he is still in the mindset of finding his daughter. Then the reality starts to set in as she is nowhere to be found and her friend is found at the showers without her. They continue their search and get the Park Ranger, and Police involved.

They split up and start searching, start talking to other campers until they find someone who saw Missy or someone who resembled her in a green truck, the person pushed her down and now they know that she has been kidnapped. With this new knowledge they go back to the campsite to find her shoe, and a lady bug stickpin with five dots on it. Now with a kidnapping of a child the FBI get involved. Unfortunately the FBI has no good news, this is the MO of a serial killer that has been out of the news. He stalks for children who are left unattended and then he kills them, but they never find the bodies or any evidence and other than the serial number on the lady bug that is left as well as now there were 5 dots which means that this is his fifth body.

Nan comes down to the site and finds Mack not only physically exhausted, but mentally and to my surprise is that he oddly calm and collective. So the search expands, they find evidence of the truck and come to a shack which the FBI and Police go into first, what they find is that of a pool of blood of the little girl who unfortunately is thought for dead, and once again no evidence other than hers. It sad to see, a Father have to go through such a horrendous ordeal and a family be torn apart by a monster. This is where the story begins, a family planning a memorial and almost 4 years later getting a letter from Papa or God as we all know him, but he is not sure if it's for real or if someone is toying with his emotions but it's something that he has to find out for himself....and the story continues, will he go by himself or have the police look into it??

So many questions, and now you can see why it was so hard to stop at that particular spot!

Until our next stop....

Happy Reading!

Introducing our next pick by Adriane:

Editorial Reviews:

Review"The Shack" is a one of a kind invitation to journey to the very heart of God. Through my tears and cheers, I have been indeed transformed by the tender mercy with which William Paul Young opened the veil that too often separated me from God and from myself. With every page, the complicated do's and don't that distort a relationship into a religion were washed away as I understood Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the first time in my life. --Patrick M. Roddy, ABC News Emmy Award winning producerFinally! A guy-meets-God Novel that has literary integrity and spiritual daring. "The Shack" cuts through the cliches of both religion and bad writing to reveal something compelling and beautiful about life's integral dance with the Divine. This story reads like a prayer--like the best kind of prayer, filled with sweat and wonder and transparency and surprise. When I read it, I felt like I was fellowshipping with God. If you read one work of fiction this year, let this be it. --Mike Morrell, zoecarnate.comWhen the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of "The Shack." This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" did for his. It's that good! --Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, B.C. Product DescriptionMackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!


Happy Reading!!

A Walk to Remember

Part 2 & 3

Landon Carter's life changed the minute he had his first contact with Jamie and it wasn't until she asked him to be the lead in the play, he realized that his life would be changed forever. Jamie wasn't someone he ever thought he would like, let alone fall in love with her.

The play is coming up and although he hopes it is going to be a success, he is hesitant for the one huge scene with Jamie, with the Drama teacher not saying it was "marvelous" he is not sure that he is ready, but the big night comes and Jamie comes out and that's when everything changes. She takes his breathe away, and that's when for the first time in his life he is in LOVE! The play is a huge success and now it's over and all the afternoon walks and rehearsals are over, and he can't believe how much he is going to miss it. Even Eric, his best friend comes to the second showing of the play! Landon never would of thought his friend would of even come the first time.

So now it's time for Jamie to ask for her favor from Landon, and she decides to have him collect all the cans she has around town and to count the money. Although Landon thought the play was the favor, he figures it's for a good cause the kids at the orphanage. As he is collecting he is realizing how mean he was to Jamie over the years and how little money she really collected to give something special to the kids, so he takes all the money he has saved up and the money collect to come up with almost $300. This allows Jamie to buy each of the kids, something to remember. Jamie and Landon go to the orphanage to pass out the presents and spend Christmas with the kids, after all the wrappings were torn off and kids were asleep, Landon gave Jamie her gift a beautiful brown sweater to replace the one she always wore. To Landon's surprise, her gift was her Mother's bible she cherished so much. At that moment, he knew that was the most special gift she could of ever given him and that he would cherish it for the rest of his life.

Then something happened, Jamie started to not look good and started missing school which meant Jamie finally had to tell Landon she was dying of Leukemia and there was nothing the doctors could do. This devastated Landon as he knew there was such little time left, he took the Bible and started to read it and pray for a miracle. Everyday after school he would go over to Jamie's to look for answers with her in her Bible and they would read scripture, hoping for a miracle that unfortunately never happened. Then it finally comes to him, what he has to do...he asks for Jamie's hand in marriage, something that he truly wanted to do as they both have pronounced their love to each other and before she passes on, it's the one thing he can do to make her dream come true. Even though Hegbert is a little hesitant, he agrees to marry them and Jamie somehow makes her dream come true by walking down the aisle slowly. They are married by Hegbert, with his Father standing by his side. The Father that hadn't been there for him most of his life, now has made sure Jamie had all the comforts she needed medically at home. It was a day Landon would never forget and to this day, still wears his ring on his finger to remind him of his one true love.

This was the love story of two people who fell in love and were unfortunately one was taken to soon, but for the other the heart never repaired itself from being broken so many years ago.

I myself, thought this was a great and easy read that I would recommend to anyone. So if anyone wants to read a true love story, this one that you'll never forget!

Happy Reading!

"A Walk to Remember"

Part 1: Chapters 1-4

Landon Carter starts his Senior Year of high school unsure of what to expect, he knows that he doesn't want to take a challenging class because this is the year to have a little fun so he signs up for Drama. And to his surprise he and another boy are the only to males in the class, this story is about a man who reflects on the best year of his life and everytime he thinks about it, he can recall that year word for word.

Jamie is the Pastor's daughter that Mother's died at childbirth and her father Hegbert never really got over it. Jamie is a kind soul that relys on God's word and works through his eyes. She donates her time whenever possible and prays for everyone to see the light, she is a one of a kind and sees good in everything and everyone. Landon on the other hand is the typical Senior kid who only wants to have fun, and will do it at anyone's expense even Hegbert because why not?

So Landon's father who is a Congressman and lives in Washington, D.C. ninety percent of the time decides Landon needs to do something to pep up his college application to his father's Alma Mater, the University of North Carolina. So his father asks him to run for Class President, which of course Landon has no interest in but ends up running to please his father. Since he is best friends with the star jock of course he wins the race, and now has to head up the Homecoming Dance which he realizes that he has to find a date because being the President means you have to attend. So he begins calling potential dates, but of course he has waited to long and now the only possibility is Jamie, who yes he sees in a different way then before but knows he is going to hear it from all his friends. The next day he goes through the motions of going to her house and asking her to the dance, which to his surprise she says YES! He is sure Hegbert is not going to be happy, but knows that he will only want his daughter to be happy and asks Landon to come early the night of the dance. Landon shows up a half an hour early, to only have Hegbert give him a lecture on making sure this is not a ploy to hurt and embarrass his daughter. Of course he tells Hegbert it is not his intention and they off are their merry way. Jamie and Landon dance, talk and have fun until Landon's ex-girlfriend shows up and he is accused of staring at her by her boyfriend. Of course Jamie jumps right in and saves the day, only defusing the situation. Then the ex-girlfriend gets sick from the alcohol she has consumed and Jamie and Landon are forced to clean up the mess and take her home.

This is when Landon really sees Jamie in a totally different way, a way that even in the hardest situation she just walks into it and lends a helping hand. This to me is the real beginning of what is about to erupt into a totally different relationship that Jamie always saw coming, but Landon never thought could be possible until now. And now Jamie is asking him for a favor by playing the lead in the play. He feels obligated to do it after what Jamie has done for him, and now his friends are harassing him but for the first time it really doesn't bother him.

This story is a true story of kindness and I think true love that will evolve into something Landon never saw coming. I think Jamie always knew Landon was special and finally she can prove it by showing him the "light".

Onto the second part!!!

Happy Reading!!

A Walk To Remember

For our next book I have chose A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks. I watched this movie years ago and absolutely loved it and since books are always better than the movies I can only imagine how good it will be.


Amazon.com Review
In the prologue to his latest novel, Nicholas Sparks makes the rather presumptuous pledge "first you will smile, and then you will cry," but sure enough, he delivers the goods. With his calculated ability to throw your heart around like a yo-yo (try out his earlier Message in the Bottle or The Notebook if you really want to stick it to yourself), Sparks pulls us back to the perfect innocence of a first love.

In 1958 Landon Carter is a shallow but well-meaning teenager who spends most of his time hanging out with his friends and trying hard to ignore the impending responsibilities of adulthood. Then Landon gets roped into acting the lead in the Christmas play opposite the most renowned goody two-shoes in town: Jamie Sullivan. Against his best intentions and the taunts of his buddies, Landon finds himself falling for Jamie and learning some central lessons in life.

Like John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, Sparks maintains a delicate and rarely seen balance of humor and sentiment. While the plot may not be the most original, this boy-makes-good tearjerker will certainly reel in the fans. Look for a movie starring beautiful people or, better yet, snuggle under the covers with your tissues nearby and let your inner sap run wild. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Sure to wring yet more tears from willing readers' eyes, the latest novel by the bestselling Sparks is a forced coming-of-age story concerning a pair of unlikely young lovers. In a corny flashback device that mimics The Notebook, 57-year-old Landon Carter spirits himself back to his fateful senior year in high school in Beaufort, N.C., when he was an archetypal troublemaking teenager of the 1950s, changed forever by an unexpected first love. Jamie Sullivan, the Bible-toting minister's daughter, with her drab brown sweaters, spinster hairstyle and sincere, beatific advice, is the obvious target of high school ridicule. Despite conspiring in Jamie's derision, class president Landon, desperate for a date for the homecoming dance, finds himself asking Jamie. Afterwards, Jamie asks him to participate with her in the metaphor-laden school Christmas play (Jamie plays the angel). Landon endures the taunting of his friends and forms an uneasy friendship with Jamie, which is carefully supervised by her father. The teens visit needy orphans, give Oscar-worthy performances in the school play and share dreams watching the sunset. Landon realizes he's in love with Jamie, but, of course, she is hiding a devastating secret that could wring her from Landon's arms forever. Now tortured by his knowledge of what will be her terrible fate, he must make the ultimate decision that catapults him into adulthood. Readers may be frustrated with the invariable formula that Sparks seems to regurgitate with regularity. Although the narrator declares, "My story can't be summed up in two or three sentences; it can't be packaged into something neat and simple that people would immediately understand," this is the author's most simple, formulaic, and blatantly melodramatic package to date. Agent, Theresa Park, Sanford Greenburger Associates.

Happy Reading...

** Spoiler Alert **

"Three Cups of Tea"

Chapters 8-23

Greg continued on his journey by meeting his wife Tara, and getting married after 6 days and then leaving to go back to do his work. She supported him in everything he was doing so even though he was gone for months, she stood by him. He continued through the hard times with his biggest supporter and friend passing away, and him making sure he saw the school that he gave them money to build the first school. He took care of him and was there to the end, meanwhile now they had a child to care for and moved to Montana to be closer to Tara's family. He had an office downstairs and started the CAI and was determined to continue on with his work. He worked many hours and took little pay to do it. He was a man of his work and wanted to inspire all around him, and did.

Unfortunately times began to change, he was kidnapped and taken hostage for a small while but thankfully after considering who he was and if I remember right the help of his friends, he was released and thanked for all that he does. Although he truly thought this was one of the moments, he was a goner as not many people get released from such a situation. Then times continued to change and 9/11 happened while he was out of the country. They were closing borders and his passport was ripped, so that made it not authentic so now he had to get a new passport which wasn't easy in those times, plus continue to make people trust him while trying to flee for his life. Americans weren't at the top of the Muslims list and even though he was working with them, when Afghanistan was invaded it made it even harder and he saw what we all knew that reporters were making up stories to make things more interesting. But Greg was more determined than ever to make things right, and to make the American people as well as all people realize that educating women and children was the best way to avoid terrorism.

So he continued on even with all the obstacles that he had to overcome, to continue his work and Parade magazine featured him on their cover story which caused many people to open their eyes and hearts to want to help. This was a fragile time that I think most Americans wanted to help fight terrorism in most any way. The article helped the CAI and people wanted to do more, so the money finally came through and for the first time Greg was able to pay his people and rent a space that was so badly needed. This article was the change that he needed and everything fell into place to continue his work of building schools and helping other countries, which I feel in turn helped us by educating those who otherwise might fall into the wrong hands.

So if you are looking for an inspirational story, this is definitely worth the read but can be dry at times. I personally can't say I thought it was a bad book, just something different that I am not sure I would ever read again but with that said, I think that's what Adriane and I set out to do was to broaden our horizons and to expand both our love for reading.

Happy Reading!!

Until our next book........not sure what we have in store yet, but it will be coming soon!!!

Adriane and I read this book, not as a Book Club book but she had read it first and then while I was visiting her in GA, I saw she had the movie and then it came about that her and Kenny had read the book which peaked my interest....so to make a long story short, I borrowed the book and read it in 3 sittings, and also watched the movie with Adriane.

So with that said, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is in a relationship, married or not as something that opens your eyes to how we take the one's we love for granted, expecting them to always be there. And I am not going to lie, when I watched the movie first, I saw my life in a way right before my eyes and how my relationship has evolved over the last 13 years. Now don't get me wrong I love Bryan with all my heart, but we take each other for granted in so many ways and I can see our path crossing the same one that Cat and Caleb had. It's easy to let life and so many other things get in between our lives, and it gets easier to do once you have children. Now Bryan and I are not religious people, but we believe that God has a purpose for each one of us and only one thing is guaranteed, that one day it will be your day of reckoning and hopefully when that day comes we will be ready and strong enough as a couple to get through the hard times.

I guess I could post about the book and what it's about like we normally do, but actually what I would encourage anyone who is looking for a good book that has wonderful meaning, is pick up a copy of "Fireproof" and read it independently or as a couple because it's definitely worth the time. And in my opinion a book that you won't be able to put down, and if you have read or do read it, let me know what you think. Did you love or hate it? Do you think it has a good meaning to help in relationships? Just curious what everyone else thinks.

Happy Reading!!!

Background

Just wanted to let you know that Haley changed the background. She said St. Patrick's Day is better than spring since it is up next. Hope you like it.

**Adriane, Don't read unless you have completed the first part**

Three Cups of Tea

Part 1: Chapters 1-7

This book has been an inspiration to me because it so far has shown that one Man can make a difference.

It starts out with Greg climbing the K2 for his sister, Christa who has learning disabilities from what I remember as a vaccine reaction that she never recovered from. She died just before her 23rd birthday when her Mom and her were going to make a trip to celebrate. Since Greg and Christa were so close, Christa spent a month with him every year and he taught the independence no one else would give her, he wanted to honor her with climbing to the top of K2 and leaving the special necklace he had bought for her. But unfortunately he didn't make it to the end, he got lost off the trail with his guides and supplies ahead while he was stuck at dark trying to find his way back to them. He decided to do what he had too, to survive and found a place to stay until morning when he could get himself back on track. He was an experience climber and knew what he had to do to survive the weather, so he did the best he could and actually fell asleep for a period of time until finally it was daylight again! He finally finds his crew and they end up going back down the mountain as Greg was not in the greatest shape and his crew decided that was best for him, so he took the defeat and started back down the trail.

Once he was back, he wondered into a small village where he met the kindness people who had nothing but shared everything he needed to him, even as a stranger. They knew he was an outsider but still opened their hearts to him and shared a cup of tea with him to help him recover from the hardship of trying to climb K2. This few days opened his eyes to what the rest of us didn't want see or think about, how these families had hardly nothing but gave everything and that the children were given an opportunity to learn but no where near what they should of been. A teacher was out of the question as it was way to expensive to have one even once a week, so the children gathered and were given the lessons only to write their math tables in the dirt with a stick and definitely no chairs or paper were available. This appalled Greg, only wanting to do more so as he returned to the United States he was a quest to start a school as he promised for these students as they wanted to learn and didn't have the facility to do it in. So he lived in his car, he worked shifts as a nurse no one else wanted and saved as money as he could to make the school happened for what he thought he could do for as little as $12,000. Then he began writing letters to everyone he thought would listen, and it was funny to read him using an old fashion typewriter until they introduced him to the "computer" and he could write all his letters in a couple of days.

To his surprise people started to respond and he finally got the $12,000 he needed and he was off. He left his life behind, sold his car/house and told his girlfriend he would be back and things would be different as he would make a difference and he would start to live a normal life. He found locals who helped him wheel and deal prices for the things he needed, he begin learning about the culture by learning the religion and dressing like everyone else. When he got all his supplies he found a truck to transport the materials and he was off on his intended journey to build a school, now he just had to find reliable laborers to help in continue the most important part of his journey...building the school as he promised.

It has been amazing to me to see someone so dedicated to something that he promised and actually followed through with it. You don't see that very often, and the symbolism of the offering of the tea which showed that people respected him and what he was doing.

Until our next stop.....

Happy Reading!

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time



From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships, this book will win many readers' hearts. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Bookmarks Magazine
While critics agree that Three Cups of Tea should be read for its inspirational value rather than for its literary merit, the book's central theme, derived from a Baltistan proverb, rings loud and clear. "The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger," a villager tells Greg Mortenson. "The second time, you are an honored guest. The third time you become family." An inspirational story of one man's efforts to address poverty, educate girls, and overcome cultural divides, Three Cups, which won the 2007 Kiriyama Prize for nonfiction, reveals the enormous obstacles inherent in becoming such "family." Despite the important message, critics quibbled over the awkward prose and some melodrama. After all, a story as dramatic and satisfying as this should tell itself.

I believe this is the first nonfiction book that we have read.

Happy Reading...

"Breaking Dawn"

Book of Bella

I have to say this last part of this final book in the series I had very high expectations, expectations to have everything, every piece of the puzzle answered and I have to say they did but in an unusual way that left me thinking "really, this is how it's going to end"?? I am not saying the series wasn't great and I couldn't put the books down at some points, but after all the drama and nail biting experiences through the last month I thought for sure the ending was going to be a fireworks display, and it was just there....but let me start with the story........

Bella's transformation had begun and things had gone so smoothly that Carislie had never seen anything like it. Bella could control herself, such as on the first hunt with Edward she smelled human blood but was able to control herself to not hurt them. Then when they came back she was able to hold Renesme without attacking her and she showed Bella her talents which was showing Bella what she saw, and/or missed. But backing up just slightly, Jacob had imprinted on Renesme and Bella was outraged on how he could do that to not only a baby, but to her child! Although it continued to be hard Bella kept her urges to a minimum and things were happening to her as a newborn vampire that no one had ever seen. Renesme was continually growing and already talking, and turning into a beautiful half vampire, half human.

Then the unthinkable happened and Inria saw Renesme and for revenge went back to the Volutri to tell them what she saw, so now they are in attack mode as the Cullen's had broken a rule. But as it turned out and events began to unfold as Alice saw what was about to happen, Inria was the one that was wrong and was punished for her revenge, and burned. But not until Bella's new power of protecting those with a shield, and showing the Volutri that Renesme was special. A vote was taken, and Renesme was saved when Alice came back to show them there are more than just Renesme in this world who have not hurt any humans. So as fast as the Volutri had tried to attack they were off and the Cullen's and the other vampires around the world were saved. And Bella, Renesme and Edward lived Happily Ever After.

Yes, I know I left out quite a bit, but those who haven't read the books yet I couldn't spoil everything! I have to say this series was not something I would of ever picked up on my own, but I have to say and I think Adriane feels the same way, it was definitely worth the time and a good read! I would definitely recommend the series, but in my opinion "New Moon" was my favorite of them all, and this final book was my least favorite as the ending was very disappointing.

If you are looking for a good series that is different from what you normally read or like these types of books, The Twilight series is definitely the right choice!

Happy Reading!

Book of Bella

Being the final book in the series I really had no expectations on what was going to happen, other than the fact that I knew Bella was going to change into a Vampire one way or another. The Book of Bella starts out with their engagement and the luxuries of being Edwards fiancee. She is driving a new car that she found out wasn't even offered in the United States, but she had one and now as she hated to be the center of attention, she was! Then it was the day of her wedding, another day she was not looking forward too as again the attention she would receive, but in the end Alice made everything perfect! And Jacob even showed up, but unfortunately it ended badly with Edward having to step in and make him leave. It just shows that Jacob even though he has been defeated will never give up, at least not easily. Then it was off to their honeymoon, with no information of where they were going only that Alice had packed her bags and she was off. Off to a beautiful island that Carislie had bought for Esme, and they were going for a week, two weeks or months it really didn't matter as they had no reason to return. Money wasn't it an issue, graduation was over so it was just wedded bliss for the newlyweds. Until the unthinkable happens, Bella becomes pregnant with what they are unsure of what the baby is, a vampire or a human or a little of both?

Book of Jacob

Jacob is still lost without Bella and was hoping to have her come with him, not marry Edward...the bloodsucker. But then something happens, he goes to visit Bella one last time and finds her in a position, one he never thought he would see....she was pregnant. He couldn't believe it and goes back to the Pack to have Sam say they have to get that child before it destroys everything. But Jacob knows what that means, it means that to get the child they will have to take Bella's life too. So he decides to do the unthinkable and leaves the pack to go to the Cullen's house to help protect Bella and the unborn child from the Pack, and then Seth decides he wants to help along with eventually Leah. Now it starts to get complicated because of course Bella is in a lot of pain as the baby continues to grow at a rapid pace, and Jacob is unsure what Sam's plans are so he is constantly on watch with Leah and Seth's help, but he starts to mingle with the Cullen's and they have a sort of peace for now, which is truly hard for Leah but Seth after his fight with Edward starts to blend in with the Cullen's life. It ends up the Pack for now is stepping back because without the three of them they are to weak for the Vampires, plus the Elders have decided against it for now. Edward and Jacob come up with a plan, let's trying feeding the baby blood to see how it reacts to see if they can help Bella regain some of her strength or at least try to save her life, and surprisingly it works and to Bella's surprise she actually has a sort of taste for it. Finally it's time, time for the birth and re-birth of Bella as a Vampire. All goes well as Edward begins the process as soon as Renesme is born and it goes a lot smoother than anyone can imagine. It has finally happened, Bella and Edward can finally be together forever, the change is done!

Onto the Second Book of Bella.............

Happy Reading!!!

The Final Book in the "Twilight" Series....

"Breaking Dawn"

Amazon.com Review:

Great love stories thrive on sacrifice. Throughout The Twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse), Stephenie Meyer has emulated great love stories--Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights--with the fated, yet perpetually doomed love of Bella (the human girl) and Edward (the vampire who feeds on animals instead of humans). In Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final installment in the series, Bella’s story plays out in some unexpected ways. The ongoing conflicts that made this series so compelling--a human girl in love with a vampire, a werewolf in love with a human girl, the generations-long feud between werewolves and vampires--resolve pretty quickly, apparently so that Meyer could focus on Bella’s latest opportunity for self-sacrifice: giving her life for someone she loves even more than Edward. How close she comes to actually making that sacrifice is questionable, which is a big shift from the earlier books. Even though you knew Bella would make it through somehow, the threats to her life, and to her relationship with Edward, had previously always felt real. It’s as if Meyer was afraid of hurting her characters too much, which is unfortunate, because the pain Bella suffered at losing Edward in New Moon, and the pain Jacob suffered at losing Bella again and again, are the fire and the heart that drive the whole series. Diehard fans will stick with Bella, Edward, and Jacob for as many twists and turns as possible, but after most of the characters get what they want with little sacrifice, some readers may have a harder time caring what happens next. (Ages 12 and up) --Heidi Broadhead

Happy Reading!!

Chapter's 18-27
"Eclipse"

Boy, did the last part of this book really have me going. I started reading and couldn't put it down!!! Slow start ended up with fast ending, I thought I was really going to be disappointed but it sure showed me!

Bella finally graduated and now it was time to fight the newborns and Victoria, but first they had to get Bella's scent so she went through the woods part way with Edward and part way with Jacob, and spent the night in a tent in the woods. Edward protected Bella inside and Jacob and Seth took the outside until the weather turned for the worst and the only one who could save Bella from freezing to death was Jacob. What was ironic was how calm and collective Edward really was considering his fiancee was so close to a man/werewolf who was so totally in love with her, but he knew she would freeze if not. So when they woke up things were said and minds were read, until in a way Jacob and Edward came to an agreement with Bella. Edward gave time for Bella to say goodbye, but it only ended up with Bella figuring out she did have feelings for Jacob only to know that her true love was Edward. This crushed Jacob, but in a way it was a relief I think to know that he wasn't just infatuated with a girl that had no feelings for her, but she knew what she had to do.

So Jacob went off to fight the newborns, and was hurt as Leah made a terrible mistake. All the while Victoria and her spawn found Bella, Edward and Seth and once again Seth and Edward had to save the day, but this time Bella did have some help by distracting Victoria and allowing Seth rip them apart. There was one newborn left, but Carislie wanted to try to transform it but of course the Volutri destroyed it knowing it would only cause more trouble in the end. It was a nice ending to see finally Bella wasn't being hunted any longer or wasn't in immediate danger.

Now it'll be interesting to see in the final book of the series, will she marry Edward or will she go to the other side of being with Jacob? Will she allow Edward to change her into a vampire? She is suppose to be enrolled at Dartmouth, will she go or just use that as a cover?

Once again so many questions unanswered, that is makes me wonder will the ending of the last book tie up all the loose ends or leaving us wanting more?

Happy Reading!!!

Part 2: Chapters 10-18

"Eclipse"

I have to admit in some sense this book has been a little slower to me, but glad now it's starting to pick up! Of course, when I wanted to read on it was time to discuss again...doesn't that always seem to happen Adriane?? LOL!

Someone has been through Bella's house when she was "kidnapped" by Alice, and not only can Edward not figure out who the smell is but also Jake isn't sure who it is. They are almost positive it's not Alice or the Volutri, but they find there are killers "newborns" that are in Seattle...could it be?? Are they connected to Victoria and trying to get vengeance for getting her mate killed?

Now it's time for the Werewolf Pack and the Vampires to come together to help save Charlie and Bella. As they know they are coming but don't know what direction or exactly when. Is this maybe a way that the Treaty is finally resolved and when they transform Bella there won't be a war between the wolves and the vampires?

I still wonder how much Charlie knows and he is not giving in, and when Bella told Edward about her idea of why the "newborn" got through the holes of Alice's visions why didn't Charlie show more interest in his reaction? Is it because he knows Edward and Jake are helping keep Bella safe? Once again so many questions!!!

I can't wait to continue on and finish, and will be sad when this series is over.

Happy Reading!!

"Eclipse"
Part 1: Chapters 1-10

I was so excited to get the 3rd book in the series as the second one was such a great read, that I couldn't put it down!! "Eclipse" has been the same, but in all honesty I think that it has been a little slower than the first two. Which I kind of expected from what I had talked to people about it.

It started as it's a couple of weeks before graduation and although Bella has decided to transform to save herself and her father from the Volutri, Edward as remembered in the last book proposed but she never really said yes or no. Now she is trying to juggle her relationship with the love of her life, Edward and her best friend, Jacob. Which is very difficult when they are mortal enemies, and would kill each other at any infraction. What is interesting is that the closer it gets to graduation, the more she seems to want to make amends with Jacob so that when she does change and leaves for good, she had her peace.

What I find interesting is now, who is after her ransacking her bedroom and why didn't Alice see them? Do they have powers or is it just as she suspected she is being asked to watch to many things at once and things are getting lost in the shuffle? Will she keep the Porsche, it seems Edward has forgiven her and is starting to realize that he can't completely control Bella. What was really strange to me is that Quil found his mate that is 2 years old, and I understand the concept of him protecting her until she is old enough to be with Quil but it still seemed a little creepy to me and Bella. I am also given the assumption that Jacob feels Bella is his soul mate too, which brings up another question of how can she be a soul mate for two mortal enemies?

How can she choose between the love of her life and her best friend? It'll be interesting to see how this turns out and if she becomes the vampire or stays mortal always watching her back, her back from the Volutri and Victoria....which Victoria has not been found yet, how long will it take and will the Cullen's find her or the Werewolf pack?

So much to wonder!!!

Happy Reading!!!

OUR NEXT BOOK IN THE STEPHENIE MEYERS SERIES:

"ECLIPSE"

From Publishers Weekly:

The legions of readers who are hooked on the romantic struggles of Bella and the vampire Edward will ecstatically devour this third installment of the story begun in Twilight, but it's unlikely to win over any newcomers. Jake, the werewolf met in New Moon, pursues Bella with renewed vigilance. However, when repercussions from an episode in Twilight place Bella in the mortal danger that series fans have come to expect, Jake and Edward forge an uneasy alliance. The plot patterns have begun to show here, but Meyer's other strengths remain intact. The supernatural elements accentuate the ordinary human dramas of growing up. Jake and Edward's competition for Bella feels particularly authentic, especially in their apparent desire to best each other as much as to win Bella. Once again the author presents teenage love as an almost inhuman force: "[He] would have been my soul mate still," says Bella, "if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger, something so strong that it could not exist in a rational world." According to Meyer, the fourth book should tie up at least the Edward story, if not the whole shebang. Ages 12-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

I can't wait to move onto the next book!!! I had to order mine since the stores around here don't have any copies on the shelves, so I will definitely be watching my mailbox for the next couple of days....waiting and waiting!!!!

Happy Reading!!!

"New Moon"

Finishing this book was the same as finishing the first one asking more questions and wanting to start on the next one!!! I think this second book was much more enticing then the first one, only because you already knew most of the main characters and that allowed more focus on the story than developing the characters. The thing that stinks is that I have to wait until next week to get the third book as all the stores around here are out of them...boo hoo!!!!

Bella continues to be lonely, hearing Edward's voices and making wonder when and how he will come back. And Jacob came out ended up being Edward's mortal enemy, but Bella's best friend. Which caused a lot of conflict to Bella making her choose the love of her life to her best friend. As Bella got more aware of how she could unconsciously bring Edward back into her life she continued on her daredevil ways, with the motorcycles, cliff diving and almost drowning to have Laurent almost kill her when she went back into the woods alone. That's when it became even more interesting, if that's possible because now Alice saw her future and thought she was trying to commit suicide and of course Jacob being enemies steered Edward to believe she had died. So what was Edward to do but go to Italy to take his own life, as now he had no reason to live.

Edward and Bella both heartbroken over each other, both trying to save one another but only causing more pain to everyone around them. Bella saved Edward but only with the warning that she would eventually have to become a Cullen. Not that she objected to that, but Edward was very unsure of what she should do and wanted her to wait but of course as Bella is, she didn't want to wait. Then it happened Edward gave her a condition, a condition I am not sure she ever said yes to.....a proposal and I guess they were going to wait until after graduation, but it will definitely be interesting to see how the Voltri will come back into the picture? If Bella allows Edward to transform her?? And will Jacob come back into her life somehow? And will Bella and Edward marry, have children??

So many unanswered questions, which makes me more impatient to move onto the next book!!!! Hopefully Walmart will get my book in the mail quickly, because I don't know how long I can hold Adriane out from moving on.......I know it'll be hard for me!!!!

Happy Reading!!!