Too Much Of A Good Thing

Sometime you can have too much of a good thing. But that's rarely the case with good books. There can never be enough good books - even though I have yet to make a dent in the massive collection. There are so many times when I buy a book and hope that the words will entrance me the way so many others have. I am disappointed time and time again by the inadequacy of some authors but other times I am so pleasantly surprised that I will choose another book by that same author hoping that the magic happens twice.

In this case, it hasn't.

I decided on "The Other Boleyn Girl" mainly because it was half off. It was the rare occasion that I was at a new book store but even then I cannot bring myself to pay full price. Had I known then what I know now, I would have paid full price for this book. And surprise, surprise, it will be one of the many that I will keep. The story is about King Henry the Eighth and one of his many wives. Its a historical fiction full of lust for power, greed, envy - you know, all the good stuff. It is an easy summer read written in clear, yet descriptive language.

I liked the writing so much that I decided to try another book by the author Phillipa Gregory. This time I picked up "Wideacre" it was her first novel and the first in a trilogy - a big step for a young author. Bad move - on my part and hers. I should have learned my lesson from Jodi Picoult. I loved her book "My Sister's Keeper" so much that I read three more of her books - hating each one more than the last. But since I loved that first so much I tried again and again but being more and more disappointed. "Wideacre" is a historical romance - not even a very good romance . . . although I have to admit that I have only read once romance author and I read it more for "family obligations" then for the romance. But I am considering giving her a pass on this one. I will finish this book but I will not read the rest of the trilogy - the incest is a bit too disturbing for me. I will probably try another one of her later works - maybe she learned her lesson?