Twilight - Book 1 of the Saga

Not my usual type of series book that I read but after avoiding all the fanfare of seeing the Movie when it was in the cinema, prior to the release of The New Moon movie I was tempted to see the Twilight Movie on DVD after I heard that the movie's star Kristen Stewart was going to be playing one of my all time favourite rockers Joan Jett in an upcoming movie about The Runaways (Joan Jett's first band which also had heavy metal goddess Lita Ford in it.)
I loved the alternate style "edginess" to the first movie. (Forkes had that kind of Twin Peaks type town vibe to me) So unlike a lot of fans of the book who went to see the movie I was in the group that was intrigued to read the book after seeing the movie.
That's said there were some distinct differences in the book and some scenes in the movie that I felt would of benefited if they had been as the book was. The major one to me would of been towards the end of the book where Jacob comes to the Prom and asks Bella to dance whilst Edward looks on. In the movie Jacob sneaks up to Bella while she is outside the dance and doesn't dance with her unlike the book. I think that dancing may have helped establish the relationship between Bella and Jacob better for the second movie.
Another notable was the big fight scene in the ballet studio. In the book it barely happens. Reason being the book is being written in the first person with Bella as the star and after Bella is thrown against the mirror she goes off to the land of dreams until she wakes up in hospital. Thus what she missed is only referred to through her questioning of Edward.
I can see how the book and movies have become a huge hit, but I must say whilst reading the book I was being manipulated by the old tried and tested Days of Our Lives Super couples of the 90's. We could liken our heroine Bella very much to Hope and Edward to Bo. A good looking couple like / don't like each other (doth does protest too much) until they finally admit their feelings only to be torn apart by circumstances, their own feelings of lack of self worth, good looking other people that complicate there relationships, danger - with one of the partners trying to protect the other and keeping away from them for their own good ETC ETC ETC. Hey I know this stuff so well I should write my own love story. lol.

Nancy Drew Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion

Nancy Drew Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion (Revised Edition - Important to note as the original book was a completely different story)

As I was having to attend a course in Sydney and had two days of catching a train into the City I decided I needed to choose a book to read that wasn't too heavy for my bag, (hence the Twilight hardcover book I was half way through reading was not a practical option)

I read this book in preparation for the Nancy Drew Convention next year.

Read over the two days of travel to and from the city I must say I was totally engrossed. I have been to Florida before on vacation but to not any of the places listed in this book and the story encouraged me to want to see The Kennedy Space Centre and Merritt Island.

It kind of reminded my of some of the Trixie Belden books that take place on vacation and make you feel like also taking a vacation to see the sites at the same place.

The story is a bit far fetched in places (okay that's an understatement) and Nancy is saved at the end and I prefer my heroines to do the saving but that aside the story flowed so well and kept me so interested it made me want to read another Nancy Drew book next even though Nancy isn't usually my first choice,

On a side note I love the Nancy Drew torch series, the covers are great and the books have a nostalgic feel to them and they aren't too heavy for a handbag.

The Motor Girls on a Tour

By Margaret Penrose. (Margaret Penrose was the pseudonym used by Lilian C. Garis)
Again I tried my luck with an audio book from the Motor Girls Series by Margaret Penrose.
The lack lustre voice no longer bothers me as I find myself concentrating on the world of Cora Kimball, her brother Jack, and their friends.
This is the second Motor Girls book I have read and this book talks about "The Motor Girls Club."

Cora's best friends are twins Bess and Belle Robinson which are described as opposites which would make them fraternal twins and are two of the girls in the Motor Girls club.
Cora's car is nicknamed the Whirlwind, The twins car is called the Flyaway and another of their friends car is called "The Turtle."

In this story the girls are involved in a mystery linked to a small disabled girl who is asking people to sign a "promise book." The promise is to keep an eye out for a desk that she believes holds a family will that will help her family.

Again the story is dated by the cars being such new inventions but the story behind it is good if you can overlook / or enjoy it from a historical perspective. Must say I love the social norms of the time and the delicacies of the feisty main character.

The Motor Girls

I finished The Motor Girls Audio book I was listening to. The annoying voice didn't bother me after a while though I was reminded of it when my husband got in the car and started making all the same complaints about the voice that I had.
This would have to be the most dated book I have written to date. (Hey it's a story about this wonderful new invention - the car - I suppose it is to be expected.
The girls wear Motor outfits to go out driving in and every second chapter seemed to be a street car race (not really something you would concentrate on in a book for young people on these days.)
I enjoyed the audio book enough to download the next, and enjoyed the first book I have read in this series.

Nancy Drew The Secret of the Old Clock

The first book written in the ever popular Nancy Drew Series I got through this book at a relatively fast pace.
Nancy was solo in this story (no George or Bess in sight) with the story concentrating on the relationship between Nancy and her father, lawyer Carson Drew.
(I read a re- edition meaning there were changes to Nancy's character and to the story in the rewrite.)
The Topham sisters become great snobby rivals and antagonists to Nancy's character.
Nancy is portrayed as a popular girl although only one friend (Helen) is really mentioned and she enters the story to sell tickets to a charity event to Nancy.
I enjoyed the story and it encouraged me to continue to read the series in order. To see the development in Nancy's character early on in the series.
Like Trixie Belden, Nancy doesn't really age during the series which I know will erk me after a while as I really like the character / relationship development that happens from a character developing in age during a series.

Nancy Drew Convention

I am currently considering attending the Nancy Drew / Hardy Boys Convention next year in Florida.

I loved my last trip to Florida so this is a great addition to a return trip there.

I have read a few Nancy Drew books so I may need to put a few more up the top of my priority reading list.

The Motor Girls by Margaret Penrose

Internet Audio Book
I have had to do a lot of long distance driving for work lately and I decided that an audio book would be great to listen to instead of the radio for a change.

After doing a number of searches for free audio books I decided to start with The Motor Girls.

So far first chapter down.

My initial impressions are:

1) I wish the person reading the book wasn't so mono tone!! I mean she reads a sentence about saying something with a laugh and a smile and there wasn't that sound of even a smile in her voice

2) I wish that the reader didn't pause in the wrong places the way she does which makes it harder to comprehend what has been said.

That said I have surviived the first chapter and I am willing to see how I go with further ones. Which is just as well as I have another long drive ahead this week.