Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

The funny thing about this book is that it is the latest in a 4-novel series; one in which I completely trashed two years ago in my myspace blog. I went off about the main character's overall bashing of morals, Republicans, and religion. I felt insulted throughout all of the first three books, was more than unimpressed with the author's writing, and yet I went ahead and checked out the fourth installment from our library. I must have been thinking maybe this will be the book that shows some growth in the main character, now that she has graduated from college. Maybe she'll realize the importance of values and the fact that she has been very immature for the past six years of "her life". I was hoping to see change. I did not get this at all.

Fourth Comings opens with the main character Jessica Darling, who is about to break up with her long time on-again off-again boyfriend. The first thirty pages are very entertaining and sometimes a little heart-breaking. I was on the edge of my seat. Or, bed. Then Jessica's boyfriend asks her to marry him instead of break up. Jessica tries to stay true to her original intention of seeing him, but her boyfriend insists that she take one week to think about the proposal and return again with an answer.

So the whole basis of the book is: Which will she choose?

The entire novel leans towards one answer. I won't tell you which, though, because no fair in me spoiling it. I will admit, some of McCafferty's novel has its amusing points. The author makes a lot of witty remarks, but unfortunately her characters go little beyond that. Everyone in the book is either immature, real annoying, or completely insane. Jessica never grows up, never evolves in this book. She simply comes to a conclusion that I had predicted at the beginning, and it literally ends with it. Not even an afterward.

Do I smell another sequel?

Hopefully I'll know better the next time her new book hits the shelves.

Greetings

Whether on purpose, or not, you have stumbled upon my newest blog, purely devoted to the books I'll be reading over the next three-hundred and fifty-something days.

Recently I thought it might be fun to keep track of how many novels I read in a year, and then I thought it would be even more fun to write about them, too. That way I could share my opinions on books in a more appropriate space than my myspace blog, and not bore people to death who aren't really interested in the first place.

Currently I am reading a couple of books... one I should finish tonight, and then I'm picking up another right after. Ideally, I'll have my first review up tomorrow, so WATCH OUT! for that : )

Anyhow, I'm not sure how this thing is really going to go, or even if more than 3 people will ever read my posts, but I'll try to keep it interesting. I'm hoping to write at least twice a month during school semesters, and much more often during the summer.

Also, I'm open to all book suggestions if you ever read a review and think, oh, I think she would really like blank blank! Seriously, I need more diversity in my life. So thanks in advance to my fellow literature junkies, and hopefully I'll be writing here again real soon.

- Mel