New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

New Moon is the second installment of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight saga. In this book the reader learns more about Jacob Black. Jacob and Bella become best friends and spend a lot of time together. Bella is comforted by Jacob's presence and her father, Charlie, couldn't be happier that she is spending so much time with Billy's son.

I thought this book was better than the first one. It was more interesting and had more going on. It moved away from the school scene and had moments of action and suspense. I found this book took the reader through more emotions than the first. It expanded from the simple romance between Edward and Bella and made the characters' relationships more complicated.
New Moon introduced new characters and explored some in-depth. However, learning more about the characters isn't always a good thing. For example, I think if Bella was a real person, I would not get along with her because of certain personality traits. But even though I am not fond of Bella, she is more realistic. It is refreshing to read a book that has such a different take on the protagonist. I don't think main characters should be perfect, cookie-cutter people all of the time.

New Moon kept my attention from the beginning. It was better than I expected (compared to the first one), so I give this book a Thumbs Up.

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Peony in Love by Lisa See

Peony in Love is a historical fiction about a young girl in 17th century China. Peony's parents believe that unmarried girls should stay in the home at all times. But on one special day, she is allowed to view a play on their property; protected from sight by a screen. She is able, though, to glimpse a man whom she instantly becomes infatuated with. Tragically, Peony has been arranged to marry another man she has not met. Overtime, Peony falls so deeply in love with this man that she becomes heartbroken when her wedding day draws near. It affects her so much so that she becomes deathly ill. "So begins Peony's unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow-as Lisa See's haunting new novel, based on actual historical events, takes readers back to seventeenth-century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed."

Peony in Love is based on accurate historical events and cultural aspects. In this book, Lisa See again explores the roles of women in China. I was happy that the cultural traditions were not repeats of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. See added a twist by including the traditions and rituals of the after-life.

I thought this book was even better than Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. It began with some heavier historical content and Chinese language but quickly became much easier to read. The story was beautifully written and very tragic. There was a twist close to the beginning that I was not expecting and it made the story so much more interesting! I give this book a huge Thumbs Up.

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The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

In The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold, Susie Salmon is murdered. However, the reader is able to see Susie's perspective of the afterlife. Susie describes the mysterious place she finds herself living in and watches over her family. Her father attempts to solve the murder case with little support from others. And everyone tries to heal and cope with the grief.
 There was nothing "lovely" about The Lovely Bones. I thought it was boring and very depressing. It was supposed to be an amazing story about a girl helping her father solve her murder case from beyond the grave. It was supposed to be uplifting and thought-provoking. But I just thought it was a big downer. I just didn't understand it and it wasn't what I expected. Thousands of people love the book but it just wasn't what I was expecting. I took me forever to get through this book and I had to push myself just to get to the end. I give The Lovely Bones a big Thumbs Down.

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