Is It Just Me?

Is it just me, or is the final book in a series never as good as the rest?  I have noticed a pattern with the last few series books that I have read lately; I have felt empty after reading the final book of the series -almost EVERY series that I have ever read. As of late, I have read; The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan, The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and don't even get me started on the whole disgusting baby love thing in Breaking Dawn, of the Twilight series. Every one of these series started out great.  The authors (whom I love and will continue to eagerly await their next books) had prose that wouldn't leave my mind for weeks afterwards. These were books that I couldn't put down even if i tried.  I would read each book in a day or two, then I would sit rocking in the corner, clutching my dignity as I waited for the next installment to come out. As each series came to a close, I would hungrily devour the final book just as quickly as I had the previous books.  But for some reason, I didn't feel the same after finishing it.  Sure, I would love more stories told from the points of view of Mary, Gabry, Annah, Katniss, and Bella (and EDWARD of course), but I have never felt the urge to read a final book more than once.  I don't think I have everread the end of a series more than once.

Do I feel this way because deep down I am sad that it is truly over -that I will never hear that character's thoughts again? Or is it because all of the ends of these series were conflicted with war and death and sadness? Is it because the end of a book series is like the end of a relationship? (I mean, you have to come to love these characters, and suddenly they just break it off???) Or is it simply because many authors, no matter how great they are, cannot figure out how to write an ending that will satisfy everyone?  I don't know.  Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows was the ONLY book out of a series that I have read so far where I was completely satisfied with the entire book (Take note from J.K. Rowling, self).  Maggie Stiefvater is my FAVORITE author, and her third and final book in The Wolves Of Mercy Falls trilogy comes out this summer.  I have high hopes for her, as she always seems to know the right thing to say.  But my question is, am I the only one who hates endings?  Everything has to come to an end at some point, and maybe that's why I have rarely liked a final story;  I DON'T WANT IT TO END *huddles into my corner and cries, clutching my battered copies of Shiver and Linger*.

Thoughts? Comments?

LOVE

I recently got this tattoo on my foot:

 

(Yes, I am aware that my feet are translucently pale)

It was my first tattoo (and most likely, my only; though, I feel that if I ever get a book published I will probably want to get a tiny one somewhere to commemorate it).  But when people ask me why I got that particular tattoo, I want to tell them the real reason.  But it takes a while for me to be able to explain it fully.  So I usually just tell them that it stands for my love for my husband and my family (which is true), and that I drew it up and thought it was pretty (which is also true).  But my real reason for getting the word "love" permanently engraved into my skin is this: the world revolves around love.

 

If you stop and think about it, love is all around us.  Almost every song out there, from country music to rap music, is about love.  They are about falling in love for the first time, or falling in love for the umpteenth time.  They are about having your heart ripped out, or having your heart repaired by a new love.  All movies have to have some sort of love plot, or people will lose interest.  Even in the most gruesome horror stories, love plays some part in the plot line. Most books are completely about love.  I have heard several authors joke, "kissing sells books".  And it does! Because everybody wants to play a part in love, whether it's their own or someone else's.   

 

And there are so many different types of love, how could you resist?  We are built for love.  There is the love you have for your significant other, the love you have for you parents, the love you have for your children, the love you have for your friends, and even the love you have for worship.  All of these are different unto their own, but we crave it.  We live for it.  If you were to find one person in this world that doesn't feel some type of love, you will be looking at a dead person.

 

I think it is beautiful that this one emotion can cause so much ecstasy, anger, frustration, happiness, and utter thankfulness.  So all in all, I love - LOVE.  Love can make you feel like nothing else in this world, like nobody is more special, like nothing could be better than what you are feeling right at that moment.  And who doesn't want that?

 

Night Owl

I am curious as to what makes an "early bird" and what makes a "night owl".  I am the latter, where my husband is the former.  He is ready for bed at 8:00 p.m.  every night.  I am usually just getting started by then.  If it were up to me, I would stay up until 2:00 a.m. and not wake until about 11:00 or 12:00 the next day.  Oh wait! It IS up to me, because that is exactly what I do (when I can)! No matter how early I go to bed, I DETEST any time before 10:00 a.m.  Catch me before then, and all you get in return is a grumble or two.  Maybe an eye roll.  Or a hiss.  I am NOT a morning person.  Even when I was little, I NEVER wanted to get up and watch early morning cartoons on Saturday.  Four year old Stefanie would get MAD if someone tried to wake me before I was ready.  Heck, I still do.  I have broken several alarm clocks...

But seriously, what makes a night owl?  I feel most productive after 9:00 p.m.  I have no clue why.  If I sat down and tried to work on my novel, I guarantee you that I would get a higher word count AND more carefully crafted phrases in the middle of the night than I would at, say, lunchtime.  It's like my brain doesn't turn on until the sun goes down.  

But some people can jump right out of bed with a smile on their face and a "good morning- no, GREAT morning" on their lips.  SOME people can wake up and be immediately alert and ready to grab the pick-axe and head off to the salt mines.  I am not one of those people.  

But I love to sleep.  People tease me about it, but I DON'T CARE.  It's fun.  I could sleep ALL day and not get tired of it (yes, I meant that pun. Yes, I am lame).  My excuse is that I have a very LARGE imagination, and my dreams are more interesting than any t.v. show or movie.  They make absolutely NO sense when I wake up, but while I am actually dreaming them, they are the intense and, well, awesome.  I wish there was some way to record a dream, even though I would probably be studied after showing it to someone.  (They get pretty weird.  I mean, REALLY weird).  I have the type of dreams that I like to think cats have.  You know, when you see a cat (or a dog, I'm an equal opportunist) twitching like they are running from something. Like that dream is so intense, their body moves along with whatever is happening to them in their sleep world.  You can probably find me twitching and sighing and mumbling and all sorts of other hilarious things pretty much every night.  

NIght owl or early bird, insomniac or comatose, everybody has their own sleeping and waking preferences.  Do you like sleep as much as I do, or do you prefer to be awake?  Are you a night owl, or an early bird?  Have any funny dream stories?  I'd love to hear them!  If you want to hear any of my crazy dreams (which happen multiple times every night) just ask, and I will be happy to share.  My brain is quite entertaining.

(Just for the record, my snoring, twitching cat inspired this post.  At 12:00 a.m., by the way.  O_O ME AWAKE!)