What We're Reading: The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones

Yes, it's a vampire book!

The April selection for Bella's Book Club is The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones. Don't let the sad boy on the front cover fool you. There is something freaky going on at Lapeer High. What if that friend of yours who is always there for you, always ready to be the shoulder you cry on, was really a vampire who lives on the tears that you cry?

Read the book, then come to our discussion on April 7th, 3:30 pm at the Tecumseh Branch in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Or, for those of you reading along with us long-distance, please comment here or on the book discussion page that I'll post a few days after April 7th.

And, as if that wasn't enough, we have a book trailer to watch for this one! Awesomesauce!

Book Discussion: Fallen by Kate Lauren

Random notes from the March Bella's Book Club meeting about Fallen:

She keeps dying over and over again because she loves this guy--unfair, and kinda repetitive!

Luce is clingy. She is shallow because as soon as she sees Daniel she doesn't like Cam! What is with this?

The story started out slow, but gained momentum about half way.

All the clues in this book lead to nothing (note: some of them do lead to something, but there are a LOT of red herrings!

Everyone in this school is involved in this struggle between good and evil, and Luce doesnt know that at first.

They don't fight to win---they fight til they get tired.

The librarian is evil--that's just wrong (tee hee!)

Cam does nice things, yet he is a "bad" character. He gets a bad rap.

We really like the shadows, they build suspense and their existence really adds to the mystery of the book.

What We're Reading: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Bella's Book Club is reading Fallen by Lauren Kate as our book of the month. We will be discussing it at our in-person meeting on March 3 at the Tecumseh Branch Library, and we will be discussing it online here shortly after that. Read along with us, and put your comments on the blog.
Here's a book trailer for Fallen:



Fallen has been optioned as a movie by Disney Studios, so we may see this book hit the big screen. Here's a plot summary:

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

What we're reading: BEASTLY by Alex Flinn

Bella's Book Club met in January to discuss a potpourri of books, because over the holidays, we left it sort of open-ended for each reader to choose a book, and bring it in to discuss. It gave us all great ideas for future book discussions!

We chose the book for February: Beastly, by Alex Flinn, from one of those discussions. We also want to make sure to read Beastly before the film is released in March. We will be meeting at the Tecumseh Branch Library in Fort Wayne, IN on February 3 at 3:30 to discuss this intriguing book!

If you are reading along with us, hope that you enjoy this book...I know can't wait to read it! We will post a discussion after the in-person book club meets. In the meantime, here some nifty tidbits from the upcoming film:

What Were Reading: The Gifted Series

If you're reading along with Bella's Book Club, We have chosen the next book for Octobers discussion. The Gifted Series by Marilyn Kaye. It starts with Out of Sight,Out of Mind But this time we want you to read all the books or one it can be out of order. Then tell use what you think about
that book and we will get all the store from you at are next discussion. The gifted promises to be a fast and fun read with all sorts of gifts mixed in!

Here's The Gifted Series In Order:
1. Out of sight,Out of Mind
2. Better Late Then Never
3. Here Today Gone Tomorrow
4. Finders Keepers

Discussion: Den of Shadows Series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

This month's book was In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, but some of us read into the rest of the series which includes Demon in My View, Shattered Mirror, and Midnight Predator.

This book had mixed reviews in our group. Here's negative: It was slow moving, and didn't seem like it was going anywhere. The plot seemed a little too simple. Not a sensory-rich book. Not enough romance (in the first book). The ending of the first book was abrupt and confusing. The main character, Risika, seems hard, cold, and unfeeling---making her hard to like.

Here's the positive: It has a good surprise ending. The characters are mixed within the four books, and you realize how each character has an important part in each individual book. Each book takes you to a different part of the vampire world. The main character, Risika is strong, heroic, and independent, making her a gallant character.

Our verdict: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' series Den of Shadows needs to be enjoyed as a whole, because the over-arcing storyline is a strong, exciting one. One doesn't really get the full benefits of the series by reading just one. The payoff in this series is in sticking with the characters through all four books.

What we're reading: Den of Shadows Quartet

If you're reading along with the book club, we have chosen the book for September's discussion! The Den of Shadows quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes starts with In The Forests of the Night. It promises to be an epic vampire story with some werewolves mixed in!


Here's The Den of Shadows quartet in order:

1. In The Forests of the Night
2. Demon in My View
3. Shattered Mirror
4. Midnight Predator

Happy Reading! We'll post a discussion where you can comment in the first week of September.