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Bring up the subject of vampires versus werewolves and the conversation immediately turns to Twilight. Let’s go over why Stephenie Meyer is so successful.

First, she builds characters that draw in readers who want to know them better. The uncertain new girl at school who becomes a guide into the supernatural evolves into a fierce wife and mother as the series progresses. The vampire hero yearns for love and takes action to protect his family.This{{/tag} helps explain it more. Meanwhile, his werewolf rival navigates the complexities of a new role (more…)

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The trilogy as an art form has been around since the Ancient Greeks performed three interconnected plays during festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and festivity. Trilogies in books stem from those original plays. The same author will write three novels with connected characters, themes and storylines from one book to the next. Trilogy novels are very popular due to the fact that readers get incredibly involved with the characters and want to absorb the next installment as soon as possible.

One of the most popular examples is The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein. The author originally intended it to be one novel published in six parts, but was made into three books. The trilogy follows the travels of Frodo, a peaceful hobbit, as he attempts to defeat an almost endless stream of evil at every turn with the assistance of many different allies. The novels have been popular since they were published in 1954, but the hugely successful movie trilogy has added to their already loyal fan base.

Stieg Larsen is the author of The Millenium Series, in which the main characters are Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. These novels follow the two main characters as they find themselves in many precarious situations that typically involve powerful people using their wealth and power to commit unspeakable acts.

The Fifty Shades Trilogy, penned by E.L. James, follows the sexual journey of a young woman through college and into parenthood with a man she meets by accident. This was James’ first attempt at fiction writing and the trilogy became wildly successful in a short amount of time.

Suzanne Collins had an unexpected hit with her The Hunger Games Trilogy, a story that takes place in a dystopian future where the dividing lines between classes can mean the difference between life and death. The heroine, Katniss, becomes a figurehead for rebellion to the lower class and eventually elicits the change she tried to create.

The popularity of the trilogy form of novel writing will not fade. It gives the avid reader a collection to look forward to and the publisher is guaranteed to reap a sales benefit. For those not interested in reading the trilogies, the movie renditions of such novels are often playing on Direct TV.

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After losing her job as a lingerie buyer, what’s a nice, divorced, big-haired, New Jersey girl like Stephanie Plum supposed to do? Naturally, become a bounty hunter. Throw in some hunky love interests, crazy villains and wacky family dynamics, and you’ve got a fun mystery series that’s hard to put down.

Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Series begins with One For the Money. Stephanie has lost her job, had her car repossessed and is very close (more…)

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Who is the most popular author Of all time? New books hit the shelves daily. There are love stories, mysteries, true crimes, biographies, and a medley of fictional books to choose from. Many of us have our favorite authors such as Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, James Patterson, and many others whom write the tales we love to read.

The answer is not black or white but grey, as there is no most popular author, but many that are loved by their fans. Authors topping the best seller list of (more…)

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From “Dracula” to “Frankenstein” to the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, spooky books for adults abound. However, it is somewhat challenging to find books that are set on Halloween itself. The three classic books below are not only spooky, but they also take place during the Halloween season. Reading any one of them will surely get you into the Halloween spirit.

“Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury

In Bradbury’s classic Gothic novel, two boys discover the dark secret hidden in (more…)

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When the Autumn weather begins to bring a chill to your bones, there are fewer things more comforting than curling up with your children while reading a great story; especially when the book has a crisp, fall sentiment. There are so many autumn themed children’s books out there to choose from. These five are our personal favorites to read with our children while snuggled in blankets with a warm cup of tea.

1. Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert; Amazing illustrations created with leaf collages.Get more (more…)

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I have two preteens in my house, both avid readers. The favored book my son read this season was ‘The Lightning Thief,’ by Rick Riordan. It’s an adventure story involving mythical monsters and Greek gods.

He also enjoyed ‘Johnny Tremain,’ by Esther Forbes. Set in the time of the American revolutionary war, it involves a disabled apprentice who is able to provide assistance to Paul Revere on his famous ride.

My daughter prefers ‘The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle,’ by Avi. It’s set in (more…)

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