Q. Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?
Now that I have a blog of my own, I see myself as a writer (not necessarily a book author--but definitely a writer). I know how much time and energy I put into each post and review in an effort to make sure that my message is clear to the people who read my blog. With this thought in mind, I can only imagine how much work the authors put into their craft. Also, I readily admit that with the millions of books out there I would love a book that others do not and vice-versa. That is one of the wonders of being a reader. There is so much out there to explore, to learn, to experience.But to answer the question, I think the worst book that I read and actually finished was the The Twilight Saga Collection
. I had a serious problem with the relationship between Edward and Bella being presented as a model to aspire to. Edward was a possessive, controlling boyfriend who presented some serious stalker behavior. Bella had to lose everything, even her very humanity, in order for them to be together. This relationship is not one I aspire to have--and not a relationship I would want my daughter to aspire to. It was also the inspiration for my number 1 literary pet peeve. However, to be fair to Stephenie Meyer, I recently read Prom Nights from Hell
and thought her short story in that collection was the best. I hope to post my review very soon.
Looks nice.... ;) It's funny how people love some things and hate some things. Different strokes, right.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I just found your new blog and I think it is super-cute! I am a new follower :)
ReplyDeleteI COMPLETELY agree with you about Twilight-- whether you think it was a good or bad series, you can't deny that it sends a terrible message to teenage girls by portraying an unhealthy, dysfunctional relationship as "romantic." Not a fan!!
OK, that was my rant haha. You can see my FF post for this week at the link below-- I'd love it if you stopped by to see me sometime :)
Have a great weekend!
Lea @ LC's Adventures in Libraryland
PS~ I'm grabbing your button for my blog roll as well ;)
ReplyDeleteI refused to read Twilight for years, right up until they came out with the movie for New Moon. Finally I caved and borrowed the book from a friend. I loved it... BUT I totally understand your view point. It wasn't a healthy relationship. I remember when I read Midnight Sun and read the part where he climbs into her window and makes a note to bring oil with him so the window doesn't make noise. Now THAT creeped me out. LoL How about the fact that he is dead with no blood pumping through his body but he can functionally reproduce? Like I said I loved the saga (hate the movies) but there are some flaws in it.
ReplyDeleteSorry for my own personal rant. Have a good weekend.
Book Sniffers Anonymous
Glad I'm not the only twilight hater out there! I totally get what you mean about it setting a bad example, that is not the sort of relationship people should aspire to by any stretch of the imagination!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog
The Cait Files
Hi! Just following back.
ReplyDeleteYay for the Twilight haters! I never got into the craze just because I didn't feel like reading about teenage drama mixed with sparkly vampires.
Kristy
http://rantsofaucg.blogspot.com/
Hi! I'm a new follower. The Twilight series wasn't a favorite of mine at all. I read Prom Nights from Hell, but can't remember what her story was about. I mainly read the book for Kim Harrison.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, have a great Friday!
~Christy @ Love of Books
Following back! Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree on Twilight. I bought into the hype right at first, but then once it wore off, ugh. I saw so many things I hated about the books. I think they have their place, but not in my library!
Have a great weekend!
Ems
Hopping through. New follower! As you can probably guess from my avatar, I love Twilight. But I very much understand why you have issues with it. For whatever reason, I just looked past that.
ReplyDeleteMy Hop
Thank you for visiting me at http://kafkatokindergarten.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteFollowing you now
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm sorry that you didn't like the Twilight Saga.
ReplyDeleteDanielle
@Ramblings From This Chick
See, while I feel like Breaking Dawn was the worst book in the series and was highly frustrated with Eclipse (due to Jacob's actions and just him overall), I disagree about Edward and Bella. Let me go on the record and say, that yes I do feel like certain aspects of their relationship may have been a bit unhealthy or dysfuctional, but that doesn't mean that parts of her relationship that she might would have had with Jacob wouldn't have been either. And it also doesn't mean that just because Jacob was human, that he was the better choice for her. Bella chose on her own, to be with Edward. She said from the very beginning that she loved Edward, that she couldn't live without him, that she wanted to be with him. And in the end, I feel like it's up to the two people in the relationship, who they want to be with and if they want to be with each other then there it is. My problem I have, comes from those who act like Jacob was the better choice, simply because she wouldn't be giving up her own life (which, again is something that Bella herself chose, and not something that Edward wanted for her to begin with) to be with him. I'm really funny about how I feel about this, because I actually like Edward/Bella together in a innocent sort of Twilight (first book) sort of way. And I get that it was Bella's choice, nobody forced her to change. Nobody forced her to want to be with Edward or to feel like she needed to be with him. That was all her doing. It's not fair, to make Edward/Bella seem so wrong, because some don't agree with them as a couple.
ReplyDeleteI've said this before and I'll say it again, if there had been no Edward in her life, then I could see her and Jacob together. But, there is/was/will be an Eward in her life from here on eternity and I have to do nothing but respect her choice. My qualms with the final book, was more to do with a world of contradictions. Not to mention the fact that if Jacob couldn't have Bella, then he could for sure have her daughter. Ugh, I really hated that baby storyline worse than anything else. lol.
I'm torn, because I no longer have as much love as I once did for this series, yet I am an Edward/Bella fan and I feel like I have to constantly keep defending them.
Suz @ A Soul Unsung
susanhaugland@att.net
Thanks for visiting and following my blog!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more about the problemas with Twilight. I only read half of it because I just didn't want to waste time on it anymore, so that's why I couldn't use that as an answer to this week's FF question. I would have, otherwise. I hate that Edward is held up as some sort of great guy/perfect gentleman when he's such a possessive, selfish jerk. It's scary that young girls are reading these books and thinking he is so ideal. It sets back the feminist movement about 50 years...
Hi Suz--
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily think that Jacob would have been a better choice (although Jacob with a shirt-off in the movie was kind-of a highlight for me...wait that isn't my point). I agree--Bella made her choice and that pondering what she should have or would have done had Edward not been there is silly. Edward was there. He was her choice.
What I really struggled with was Bella giving up everything for either guy. She was 18 (even younger when she made her decision). That seems awfully young to me for me to make a decision like to give up life and humanity. Combine that with the issues I had with Edward's stalking behavior and that is why I did not like the story.
Please don't feel like I am attacking you. Part of the reason I started this blog was to have friendly debates with other bookies. I completely respect all of the fans of Twilight. :)
Hi Shanan! Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier! I agree that Bella and Edward's relationship was far from healthy. I did enjoy the series overall, but I did read it in my 20s, so I wasn't overly influenced by the bad decisions and teen drama.
ReplyDeleteNew follower stopping by! I didn't like the Twilight Saga for the same reason. Meyer basically glamorized stalking. :/
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a good weekend! :)
Alyssa
Reader's Refuge
I was curious to see what others had to say about your anti Twilight stance..
ReplyDeleteI thought it(the craze) was very silly & then I thought I'd read book 1-Twilight one cold weekend (it was over Christmas holiday 2008) I fell in obsession with the series. I read all 4 books in a week or less.
Breaking Dawn was my fave cuz she became a vamp & the kid was born, etc. Real articulate huh? lolz.
I liked the story but thought Bella to be a bit whiny & needy & insecure to the point it was soooo annoying.
Lets face it we all have insecure moments in life but chick was borderline " I need to pop a chill pill" material!
Jacob imprinting on the baby was a tad weird to me too. I know it was supposed to be a-sexual but one couldn't help but to go "ewww".
I was actually more let down by the movies than the books themselves.
Lets not get going on that train wreck known as "NEW MOON"..
I for one am stoked for Breaking Dawn (got the countdown on my blog ;) but I am not gonna act as if the series is the end all be all of vamp books either. It's not.
I adore House of Night & Vamp Academy much much more.
I think the Thirst series by Chris Pike rules over Twilight any ol day.
I won't lie, I am older and have had my share of crap-tastic relationships so a guy as..dedicated..as Eddy was a refreshing cup of juice BUT after awhile ANY gal would tell him to back off.
While the series entertained me I am not blinded to the obvious flaws of it.
I do like it and will see BD 1&2 in the theaters and will continue to wish Midnight Sun would be released..lolz..
Good honest post. *HiGH FIVE*
Grabbed ur button too :)
LOL--oh yes I had similar feelings when Jacob imprinted on the baby. That was just...well odd is the best word I can come up with now. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is really confusing to me, really, how can a million set of people love something to the point of obssessing over it, and then another set hating it and loathing it, it is really strange and i found that i could not get past the first page even though i found the movies wonderful. So this is my question, why do u think it's bad is it the storyline (which i think is brilliant; sprakly vampires honestly, genious!) or is it the writing style, i dont gett it and the sooner someone puts me tru, the better. BY the way, thanks for coming over to my blog, it's really great when i see a comment and know that pwoplw actually read you post and thought it was worth commmenting on. http://theseven-piecestone.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletethe commments here are hillarious.
ReplyDeleteMEYER GLAMOURIZED STALKING
FELL IN OBSESSION
I think anything that has the spark that leads people to love it will have just as many people who hate it. :)
ReplyDeleteRegarding your question: I personally found sparkly vampires ridiculous, however I have found that as I have read more and more vampire books they all try to explain why the night thing is really a myth. Sparkly vampires may not be my favorite answer--but it is not out of the context of the genre. So I chalk up my feelings on that as personal preference.
Really it is the unhealthy relationship that I can't get past.
And your post about Disney has really stuck with me. I am still thinking about it. :)
I really quite agree with a lot of people here about hating and loving twilight but I for one thing never read any twilight series/saga but I've heard a lot about it from friends,reviews etc I think I just like Edward's sweet treatment to bella.. the stalking part is really quite creepy..the movie is really awkward to begin with their acting skills sucks big time I can't feel any love at all they failed to deliver some good points I've been expecting based from what I've heard..The New Moon the starting part there's somewhat kinda love in it but in the next couple of minutes are so-so..the book got lots of not so good messages/meaning if you really think about it and some answers here made me thinking how can a vampire reproduce without any pumping blood in them?good point haha! I have no idea..my only knowledge about vampires are some dracula horror movie biting people for them to transform and such haha! forgive my insolency I guess Edward is the 1st sparkly vampire which is really weird Oh the work of fiction..
ReplyDeleteAbout their dysfunctional relationship I guess that reflects some relationship in life and from that some readers learn what not (hopefully)
I love reading all your opinions makes me feel I'm really not alone with those random thoughts swirling inside my head ^_^v
Hi Kimyunalesca--
ReplyDeleteI am glad to have others to share my random thoughts with as well.
In my humble opinion, I do not think it was awkward acting in the beginning. I felt the book had a little bit of an awkward beginning that was not smoothed out in the movie. Although, I have heard others say that the actress that plays Bella is like that in a lot of her roles--so it could be a combination of the story and the acting.
In some ways, I think Meyer stepped away from the traditional myths about vampires a lot in her story--which I am not criticizing. There was some creativity in some of her decisions, but it does make it hard to compare her vampires to the traditional models of vampires such as Dracula.
Thank you for stopping by. I love when we get discussions going in the comments section. :)