Book Review: Dracula's Guest, A Connoisseur's Collection of Victorian Vampire Stories Edited by Michael Sims

Before Twilight and True Blood, vampires haunted the nineteenth century, when brilliant writers indulged their blood thirst imaginations, culminating in Bram Stoker's legendary 1897 novel, Dracula.

Acclaimed author and anthologist Michael Sims brings together the finest vampire stories of the Victorian era in a unique collection that highlights their cultural variety. Beginning with the supposedly true accounts that captivated Byron and Shelley, the stories range from Aleksei Tolstoy's tale of a vampire family to Fitz James O'Brien's invisible monster to Mary Elizabeth Braddon's rich and sinister widow, Good Lady Ducayne. Sims also includes a nineteenth century travel tour of Transylvannian superstitions, and finishes the collection with Stoker's own Dracula's Guest- a chapter omitted from his landmark novel. 

This book is a fantastic treat for anybody interested in this genre. Michael Sims has put together a brilliant collection of stories and I loved being able to read more about the author's and the origins behind them.
I think that vampires are always going to be popular within the world of fiction, the Twilight phenomenon has brought them to the fore again but they are a creation that allows so many different themes and ideas to be explored in one story. Bram Stoker's Dracula is one of my favourite books so it came as no surprise that Dracula's Guest was my favourite story within this book. There is something about Bram Stoker's writing that entices you in even though you know you are probably going to come across something that is pretty scary.
Bloomsbury have produced a stunning book to look at, I completely fell in love with it. This would make a brilliant present and I know that it will be sitting on my book shelf for many years.

Dracula's Guest was published on 30th October, many thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy for review.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Right this is not going to be a lengthy review as it is too easy to give the plot away and that is not fair to those who have not finished it yet. I really wanted to like this book; as I have said before, Twilight really grabbed me and I have really enjoyed the others in the series, especially New Moon. However, Breaking Dawn just didn't quite do it for me. I loved the beginning part with Edward and Bella's wedding and honeymoon but to be honest it went downhill for me then. It wasn't that I didn't want a happy ending as I really do not have a problem with Meyer's conclusion to the saga. It is just that for me personally it all got a bit too ridiculous. I know that sounds strange as the whole Twilight world is pure fantasy but for me I felt that I could not believe in the final book. Everything was a bit too convenient; after all the questions and worries that Bella had about changing throughout the other books, it all seemed stupidly easy when it did happen.
I did enjoy the way that Meyer has split Breaking Dawn into three books, two of which are narrated from Bella's perspective and one from the perspective of Jacob Black. The plot moves as well as it did in the previous books and the characters are just as well developed. I have loved this series of books and the story of Bella and Edward will stay with me for a long time. Meyer has created brilliant characters and I know that I will read Twilight again in the future; I am glad that I know how the story ended but I do not think that I will be picking up Breaking Dawn again.

Booking Through Thursday: The Best?

Ah it's my first Booking Through Thursday of 2009- Happy New Year everyone!!

It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?

Well I had a good think about this and there were 4 books that really stood out for me in 2008. I am in no way saying that these are the best 4 books ever written but they are the ones that brought me the most enjoyment, see what you think:

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini- I had really put off reading this because there was so much hype surrounding it and I was worried that I would be disappointed. However, I think it is one of the best books that I have ever read! For quite a short book there is so much in there; Hosseini is such a wonderful story teller and this book stays with you for a long time after you have turned the last page.
2. 31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell- I loved this, it is chick lit really but Jewell has this brilliant way of drawing you straight in. I read this book in one night and everyone who has borrowed it has said that they couldn't put it down either.
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte- I cannot believe that it took me until 2008 to read this book. I will undoubtedly read this again and again and get something new from it each time. The character of Jane is so complex however plain and simple she appears to the outside world. Mr Rochester is a brilliant creation and the love he has for Jane survives against all odds.
4. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- I was put off reading this as I thought I was perhaps too old but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I think it is actually my favourite book of 2008. I get totally drawn in by a good old love story and this is exactly what this book is about. Yes there are vampires and werewolves and it is all very unrealistic but at the end of the day that is what fiction is all about. Many people have knocked Meyer's writing and no it is not the best, however she is totally character driven and I love that. So much work has gone into creating her characters that the reader can completely believe in them and that is what kept me turning the pages!
   

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse is the third book in the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer. Bella and Edward are back together after their confrontation with the Volturi and are trying to have a reasonably normal relationship. Eclipse sees the character's laying out their wishes for the future; Bella wants to become a vampire as soon as possible and Edward wants them to marry before this takes place. As in the previous two books, Bella and Edward's relationship is extremely intense and I know that this irritates some readers but I think it is probably what I enjoy most about the books. Due to Edward being over 100 years old, it is quite an old-fashioned romance and it is interesting to see how he and Bella try to compromise on what they think are the correct values to live by.
This book also explores Bella's relationship with Jacob Black. She gradually realises that she does love him but it still does not compare to her love for Edward. I think that the character of Jacob serves to highlight all that she is willing to give up. Yes, he is a werewolf but she could still have a reasonably normal future with him. By choosing Edward she would literally be giving up her life, her family and everything she has ever known apart from him.
Eclipse also sees the return of Victoria who is pursuing Bella in order to avenge the killing of her mate James. Victoria has created an army of reckless, new-born vampires who she has rampaging and murdering their way through Seattle before setting off for Forks. The danger that Bella is in leads the werewolves and the Cullens to put their hatred aside and work together in order to bring Victoria down.
I did enjoy this book; I personally found some of the parts about the werewolve's history quite boring but I do understand why it was included. I felt that this book was really important in developing Edward and Bella's relationship and putting things in place for the future. Meyer has created amazing charcaters in her saga and I think this is what draws me into the story and makes me want to read the next book.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

WOW! This is one of the best books that I have ever read! I was intrigued by all the hype surrounding this young adult book about vampires so I decided to investigate and I simply fell in love with it. I was totally drawn in and could not put this book down. Bella Swan moves to the small town of Forks and meets Edward Cullen (a 107 year old vampire in the bodily form on a 17 year old), they fall in love with each other and this book follows the difficulties in their relationship and the obstacles that they have to overcome; the main one being that Edward has to stop himself from eating Bella.
For me it is the characters that made this book so special to me; Meyer is totally driven by them. She describes how they look, walk, think, the music they like, the way they smell, the way the light falls on their skin; the tiniest movements they make. Due to all of this you are led to care about the characters deeply and obviously this makes you want to keep reading in order to find out what happens. It does help that the character of Edward Cullen is so mesmerising; honestly I am 26 but I have felt like a 15 year old girl with a crush when reading this. For me he is like the Maxim de Winter of the vampire world; he totally loves Bella with everything that he has yet he is so frightened of hurting her or putting her at risk. There is an element of Romeo and Juliet about this; they are very much star-crossed lovers and their love is so, so intense.
There is not one aspect of this book that I did not enjoy and I will be reading the others in the series. I know that people have knocked Meyer's writing but in no way is it awful; for me she is a totally character driven author and I love that type of writing. Twilight is a love story at the end of the day with a massive twist but it is the twist that makes the story so intense and the characters so complex. I completely loved this book and I know that I will be reading it again in the future.

Tuesday Catch Up

I started reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight last night and was hooked instantly- read the first 5 chapters and then Mr S made me go to bed! I really wanted to see what all the hype was about and so far I have not been disappointed!

I am not sleeping well again at the moment; I seem to get 2 weeks of sleeping normally and then 4-6 weeks of hardly sleeping! I just can't seem to switch off and then when I do finally sleep I have really bizarre dreams which then wake me up and we start all over again!!

We went into town after work last night and it was really busy with people getting their last bits and bobs! We went to get a couple of Christmas presents and I also got some shoes with a voucher that I had for my Birthday; I was pleased to find some high shoes that I could walk in and even more pleased when I got to the till and they were half-price!

Tonight I have my two best friends coming over for dinner, as everyone is a bit strapped for cash this Christmas we decided to have a Christmas meal together instead so I am really looking forward to that as I don't get to see them enough!