Lame

  So two of the books I read over Christmas break were lame, and I'm pretty disappointed.   So the first one was Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir.  I have to stop reading the historical fiction chick lit that people keep recommending.  It's about Queen Elizabeth's childhood and right before she takes over the throne from her half sister Queen Mary.  So I find the time period interesting, and I thought reading a book about Elizabeth's early life would be good.  And then it wasn't.  Especially the part where the author has written several biographies and history books on the time period and Henry VIII's family, and in all of them asserted the Elizabeth was actually the virgin queen.  But because it's the new historical fiction chick lit (my new least favorite genre), Elizabeth had to have sex and get pregnant.  WHAT?  

   The second one was Dean Koontz's The Darkest Night of the Year.  Several people told me I had to go back to Koontz.  Despite loving Dark Rivers of the Heart, Seize the Night and it's sequel and lots of his early stuff, his books lately have been awful.  But this one was about a woman who rescues Golden Retrievers and of course something weird and scary happens to her.  I thought I'd like it.  I did not.  The characters were boring, the kids in the story were tortured and beaten by their parents(one was autistic (maybe), the other one had Downs Syndrome, I don't like reading about that kind of thing anyway, but especially for special needs kids, what was he thinking?).  I did not find the dog charming (here's a hint there buddy, people like reading about real dogs.  Not special dogs who can do amazing things.  Remember Rocky from Dark Rivers of the Heart?  That dog was a character in your book).  I skimmed through to the end because I couldn't take it anymore.  If you are curious, the kids live happily ever after.  Despite the emotional damage they had to deal with.  

   I don't like to review books I didn't like, but both of these came recommended by lots of people, and I hated them both.  Luckily I took my manager Kelly's recommendation and started I love you Beth Cooper.  Amazing, when I finish I'll post my thoughts.