Photos from our Eclipse Dream Catcher & Twilight Fun class

Ohhh, I am so sad that the rain prevented some of you from being able to join us, but we had a great group and SO much fun. Here are a few photos to make you jealous. =)


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The Ninja Reviews. . .Gone by Lisa McMann

!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
If you have not read the first two books,
be aware that this entry may contain spoilers.
You have been warned!




This is the final - the LAST!! - book in the Wake trilogy by Lisa McMann and she certainly did not disappoint this particular reader!

Janie is not only suffering the aftermath of the her investigation and trial of several of her high school teacher's, but she also with what she must decide conerning her fate as a dream-catcher. She has Cabel to rely on, but is it fair to stay with him, knowing she will make his life harder when she loses both her sight and the use of her hands?

Responding to frantic messages on her cell phone from her best friend and neighbor, Janie and Cabel abruptly end a relaxing vacation to rush to the hospital where Janie's mother has been taken. However, it's not Janie's alcoholic mother who has been hospitalized, but Janie's father, whom she knows absolutely nothing about. While this should be a chance to learn about him, Janie is shocked to hear that he is in some sort of coma and won't last much longer. To make matters more confusing and disturbing, Janie is sucked into her father's nightmare and learns some devastating things about him that only serve to make her final decision about being a dream-catcher even tougher.

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I read this book in roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Each book in the series is a really quick read, so they are great if you want something to read on a plane ride or a long car trip. With each book McMann writes, I am always impressed by her unique style. Each chapter starts with a date and time and reads somewhat like a journal, as it is written in short, descriptive bursts that get straight to the point. Despite this fact, there is a lot of character development for Janie and some of the other characters.

While the first two books each follow an actual mystery involving the police, this last book is more about Janie's internal struggle to figure out which path is the right one to follow. Some readers may be disappointed that this third book does not follow the plot format of the others (no mystery involving Janie and Cabe's work with the police). It does read more like a family drama, and the end is 100% concrete. However, if a third book was to be written, I'm not sure how else McMann should have written. I think she did as well as she could have. Some online reviewers have said she should have written another in the exact same vein as the first two, or else just stopped with the second. I'll let you read and decide.

As for other content, there is some harsh language from time to time, as well as an intimate relationship between Janie and Cabel, but all is done tastefully and within the confines of the story itself. Keep in mind that Janie's story is a rather dark one, but there is also a lot of hope because she is ultimately a positive person who will always battle for what is right.

It's difficult to find books very similar to the Wake books, but try these anyway!

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

The Ninja Reviews. . .Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie has a problem that no one knows about. When she is close enough to someone who is asleep, Janie falls into their dreams. She can't control it and, what's worse, the strongest pull comes from intense nightmares. Her vision goes and she can't control her body. The first time it happened was when Janie was 8. As she gets older, it becomes more and more difficult to deal with. High school students are more likely to fall asleep in class, and this makes it harder for Janie to cope.

On top of that problem, Janie lives with her alcoholic mother who doesn't work, so Janie has to work evenings and nights at a nursing home. All of this while struggling to keep her grades up so she can have a better life.

Janie drives by a house late one night and nearly wrecks her car after being thrown into the most violent, frightening nightmare she's ever experienced. After this and an equally strange experience at her work, Janie knows she has to learn how to navigate and possibly control the dreams.

I love the way this book is set up. It's a quick read because the book is written in segments marked by the day and time. This sets up the reader for a lot of suspense. There are also some intriguing characters, like Cabel, whom I had the hardest time figuring out if he was good or bad.

If you love mysteries and just a little bit of supernatural, you will definitely enjoy this book. Check out the sequel, Fade, and also keep an eye out for the third book, Gone, which will be published in Spring 2010.