Not Entirely Living

Dead and Gone, by Charlaine Harris. Big stuff always happen, but the major events always seem anticlimactic to me. I remember details from previous novels, but not the big deal towards the end. I think the author just doesn't do action well. These are on my preferred beach-reading list, but they hardly have any literary merit. There's not much swearing, pretty tame sex compared to some, and I still really like the characters. You do have to keep up on the series-- I haven't reread anything since I read the last installment. Also, Novelist informs me that there are short stories associated with the series, which appear in some of the short story compilations like Bite. I've previously stated my feelings on that kind of thing. If indeed there are related stories in other publications, it might further explain why I felt out of it.


Reposessed, by A.M. Jenkins. I really loved reading this book! Thinking critically about it, it does seem that it would have a pretty small, specialized audience-- there isn't a lot of action, there are lots of things to think about, and, while not actually challenging, the writing style and vocabulary aren't very hip; they are more , you know, correct and actually good. I'm not sure how teens will feel about it. I loved it, as stated, and I think, once it finds its way into the hands of the right readers, they will love it too. It's nice to see some books that ask the interesting questions, give readers a chance to think about things they maybe don't normally. I'm not worried about concerns from the religious contingent-- just like every other book in the collection, this one isn't for everybody, but it's not particularly blasphemous. It in fact draws upon some religious views. Young readers who are or were at least nominally Christian will maybe get a little more out of it than readers unfamiliar with some religious views, but I don't think it will make a big enough difference to affect enjoyment.