Where Are All the Writers???

I feel like I've read a string of disappointments lately. As much as I write (and REVISE -in the case of Compis), I read a LOT. A lot, a lot. I give new meaning to the word bibliophile. Look at my book reading history, for one. Now imagine that I only put down 1 in 3 of the books I'm reading. 



Anyway, back to my point. With the exception of the books I've reread in the past few months, I haven't really read anything that's set me on fire. Too angsty. 



Let's see. First there are the Lighting Thief books. I've heard rantings and ravings about them, but to be honest, I couldn't get through the first one. 



Then I tried the Scott Westerfeld books. I made it through book number two, before I gave up. There was nothing about any of the characters that drew me. They were completely without any sympathetic component. I just call them the Ugly Series. 



Next up: The mortal instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I read all three of these, but as I told my sister, who recommended them, they were the work of a very juvenile writer, in my opinion. She needs to write a couple more series before I'll be tempted to pick her up again. I got so tired of all the whirling, spinning, thrashing and general descriptions of movement of her crazy characters. Not to mention that whole "is he or isn't he my brother" thing was just disturbing. 



And finally, the Bartimaeus Trilogy. This one I had the highest hopes for. The narrator was great (except for all the annoying footnotes), the characters original, the storyline engaging. Then I got to the end of the series and... ***MAJOR SPOILER*** 



The main character dies. Is that horrible? Not if it was an adult book, or even a young adult book. But this book was in the children's section. THE CHILDREN'S section. I started reading chapter books when I was 9. No 9 year old should read a book where the main character dies. And please, don't point out Harry Potter to me. I've read all of them, yes they have death, but the final books aren't exactly for children, now are they? And if you let your 9 year old read the final books, then you are a different parent than I. My son won't be reading any of the last books until he's in junior high. Period. 



Before this string of bad luck, I did read The Hunger Games, so that was good. I really appreciated the ending, even though I thought it was predictable, even the part with the president. It's what I would have done, as an author. Her work was thoughtful and fast paced. I couldn't put it down. But I need something good again. I've gotten the next couple Fablehaven books and the new Robin McKinley. We'll see how I feel at the end of those. 



Good reading, folks.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.