Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Book six in the Artemis Fowl series.

Artemis's mother is dying. When Artemis tries to use the last of his stolen magic to heal her, he only manages to make her condition worse. After summoning Holly to help, he discovers that his mother has a magical disease called spelltropy. The only known cure comes from the extinct African lemur. Artemis caused the death of the last one while trying to fund an expedition to save his father.

Artemis guilts Holly into traveling back in time with him to undo the damage and save that last lemur. They race against time (literally) to save the lemur before it is too late.

But even with the help of the demon warlock, No. 1, events might get too twisted to ever untangle. Not only does an old enemy reappear, but Artemis must also face a 10-year-old Artemis, who is ruthless enough to sabotage the entire mission.

I was disappointed that Artemis's love interest from the previous book never showed up. I also wanted to know more about the demons. Mulch Diggums is my favorite character and did not have as much fun as in previous books. While the book kept me entertained, the story became difficult to follow as it kept twisting in on itself. That pesky time paradox...

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Fourth (and final) book in the Twilight series.

I absolutely loved the first three books, and as a member of "Team Jacob" I was really hoping for a happy ending for him.

I have mixed feelings about the resolution to Meyer's marvelous series. Much of what I loved about the earlier books remains--the interesting twists of vampire and werewolf legend, the well-described setting, Jacob's snarky comments, and the realistic and entertaining dialogue between the characters. Even though the ending was too neat, I was glad that everyone got their happy endings.

However, where I was able to suspend my disbelief and go along for the ride in the earlier books, this one was a bit harder to take. Probably because Meyer's Mormon philosophy was much more obvious--I felt like I was getting beaten over the head with her belief system. The early marriage, the immediate pregnancy, the willingness to completely submerge her own needs and act like a martyr in order to keep the guys happy, the self-blame...Bella was a disappointment. And the conflict with the Volturi--underwhelming, to say the least.

If you enjoyed the rest of the series, don't let the negative reviews stop you from reading the finale. Even though I didn't LOVE it, I still think it was a worthwhile read.

Readers looking for a fantasy series with strong, smart female characters who rescue themselves, check out Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy. It combines elements of magic, romance, and historical fiction. And it might even make you think...