Why I will never read Stephanie Meyer and never again read Nicolas Sparks

Have any of you read Stephanie Meyer??? OK, I know about half of you have. And I've talked to many people that have. And I just can't do it. At first, it was just because everyone else was reading it. I'm just stubborn that way. But I find it hard to want to read a book that, from what those who have read it tell me, is written for the teenager sort of crowd.

I just expect a lot out of a book. I expect it to be written well, that it have a plot that is tight, and has characters with depth. I don't like fantasy. I don't like the Disney/fairytale happy endings. So, I just don't think anything Twilight related is going to work for me. It just isn't. I mean, people, I don't even care for Harry Potter. It's not terrible (although I suspect is far and above a better written book than the Twilight series) I just don't go in for that kind of stuff. I know, I'm nuts. Whatever.

I will admit, I have read one Nicolas Sparks book. It was about this firefighter guy who had lost his dad in a fire and this girl with a son who didn't speak much and was trying to make it on her own.......while there were some real life things that happened (the firefighters bf died in a fire) the ending was just dripping with unrealistichappyendingnonsense. I have seen The Notebook. And while that story is a great story, it still isn't that realistic. At least to me. It just seems that the guy keeps writing the same lame story over and over with the same happy ending business but with different names, different places and different sad stories that somehow magically end up well. It kind of makes me sick. I will never read his books again. It gets boring. And when you read too much of that kind of nonsense (and other romance novels) I can't see how you don't start to buy into that kind of thing. Or at least have that expectation in your lives. And yeah, not everyone will, but it's got to mess with your head right? Same with Danielle Steel. Same story, different title, different characters. Although I haven't read her in years, so perhaps she has changed. I doubt it though. Those mass producers of books can't help but have the same stuff in every book. How else would they have put out so many?? (jodie picoult, nicolas sparks, danielle steel, mary higgens clark, and some others that I can't think of right now)

So, what do I read? A huge variety of things. I read historical fiction, historical nonfiction, just plain fiction......I choose carefully, but if there is France, or Paris involved, sometimes I buy it just for that. Which doesn't always make it a good book! But. I guess that is my form of escapism. Running away to Paris. OK, back to the books I read. I have in my pile at the moment John Adams, 1776, World Without End, The Matchmaker of Perigord, The Duchess, and....some other ones. I try and expand my knowledge with my reading, not just escape. I've read some of the knock offs of Pride and Prejudice. I've read Flags of our Fathers. I've read an historical fiction book series about Ireland and how it has been trying to get out from under the very large boot of the UK. I've read The Devil Wears Prada. (I laughed out loud on that one) I read PS I love you years before it was even made into a movie.

So, call me prejudiced, close minded, whatever. I will never read Stephanie Meyer or Nicolas Sparks ever. I just have better books waiting for me to read.......

(if you have read the above books, I am not trying to put you down in any way. I'm just talking about why I will not read these books. no offense bella and edward.........)