Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Official Summary

Indiana, 1818.   Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

My Two Cents
Now is your chance to read this book before the movie comes out this summer!  Absolutely worth it and I am definitely getting myself to the theatre to see this one.

LOVED THIS BOOK.  Made me a little nervous because I was not a fan of the author's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, because that was just the same exact story line with Zombies mixed in, I didn't get past the first chapter.  Well, the same could be said for this book - it was the story of Abraham Lincoln with Vampires mixed in; it acted and felt like a non-fiction book (which I usually really dislike) but it read like a novel.

I have to admit to a fascination with the Lincolns, both Abe and Mary.  And I have to admit to a fascination with scary vampires - (not fluffy sparkly "Twilight" vampires), so my review perhaps may have a bit to do with that.  But beyond that, to me, it's such an interesting concept - who would of thought to put the two together??

Somehow the author made this work and created an eerie, viable alternate history.  What a fun read.  Good for the teenagers, too - going to recommend this one to Max.

One Day by David Nicholls

Official Summary

It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself.

My Two Cents

Now I am a pretty tough sell as far as this "romantic" kind of book genre goes (if you couldn't tell by now) and I have to say that I really, really enjoyed this book. And I was super leery about reading it, I mean...a major motion picture with Anne Hathaway? Uuuugggghhh. But I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. It was an honest look at romance, a realistic love story if you will - with all kinds of ups and downs and emotions and actions that made no sense and left you shaking your head...much like real life. Nothing was idealized, most especially the main characters. It was a story about growing up and just how painful and difficult - yet amazing and happy - it can all be. It was also very funny and intelligently written - a great read...I strongly recommend.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Official Summary

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST
is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

My Two Cents

Everyone who knows me knows how I feel about Stephanie Meyer, or more accurately, the Twilight series - so needless to say I was very skeptical about this book. But I am here to tell you that I loved it! It was such an interesting take on an age-old theme (aliens invade and take over Earth) and what I love most about the book is that it is told from the alien's point of view. It is mature - not "silly" at all. Nor is it over the top Science Fiction-ey. It is a great, very original love story. Ms. Meyer should really put her talents to good use and write more books for us grown up girls!

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

The Official Summary

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina—has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal. Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite Paxton Osgood—has restored the house to its former glory, with plans to turn it into a top-flight inn. But when a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light, accompanied by a spate of strange occurrences throughout the town. Thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the passions and betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover the truths that have transcended time to touch the hearts of the living.

My Two Cents

God, I love the South. And I love books about the South. And this one did not disappoint. It was a fun, "nice" story with characters you could like and a theme everyone can relate to - coming to terms with your past and how it has made you who you really are. And everyone needs one of those feel good books every now and again.

My only real complaint - there were some unexplained occurrences that I think were supposed to be attributed to an odd supernatural element. I think it should have been "blown out" a little more or just eliminated altogether because as it stood it was unnecessary. But it did not by any means ruin the read for me.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Official Summary

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.

My Two Cents

This book was really quite good - a little on the young side i.e. one "our age" could not imagine wanting to end your life over the reasons this girl describes, but one has to let go of "our age" and subsequent wisdom in order to really feel for this character. Yes, you do want to shake her until she rattles. But I think that might be the point.

Finished this one in less than two days. Easy read with a good story.

This is something that I think I will encourage Max to read. Just to understand what kind of effect your actions may have, no matter how inconsequential you think they may be. Think lots of teens should probably pick it up. From what I understand from the press surrounding this book, it has changed and possibly saved more than a few of their lives.

Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford

Official Summary

When Newt Newman's football-star brother, Chris, is knocked into a coma during the biggest game of the season, Newt's two best friends keep his mind off of the accident by helping him create the ultimate Halloween costume: Captain Nobody. Newt feels strong and confident in his new getup, so he keeps wearing it after Halloween is over. Soon Newt assumes the role of a hero in a string of exploits that include foiling a robbery and saving a planeload of passengers. But will Captain Nobody be able to save the one person he cares about most?

My Two Cents

Charlie started off reading this book to me, which was a nice change of events- and after the ringing endorsement on the cover from Henry Winkler I was anxious to hear the story.

Well, the story was ok. Not great, not terrible. But certainly not memorable. Sadly I found myself encouraging Charlie to read this one to himself. Which he did, and he enjoyed it well enough - it had a decent and endearing message...but it was just a little too much for me to enjoy it for my own self. Great book for your grade schooler - but let them tackle this one on their own.

Sorry, Fonzie.

Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah

Official Summary
Born in 1937 in a port city a thousand miles north of Shanghai, Adeline Yen Mah was the youngest child of an affluent Chinese family who enjoyed rare privileges during a time of political and cultural upheaval. But wealth and position could not shield Adeline from a childhood of appalling emotional abuse at the hands of a cruel and manipulative Eurasian stepmother. Determined to survive through her enduring faith in family unity, Adeline struggled for independence as she moved from Hong Kong to England and eventually to the United States to become a physician and writer.

My Two Cents

Why is it that we find stories of family members being completely awful to each other so very compelling?

This book was the Chinese version of Angela's Ashes, The Glass Castle, or I suppose even Mommie Dearest. Anyone who knows me knows that I struggle through non fiction. But this read like a novel and was very engaging, albeit pretty pathetic.

What made this book different from its counterparts listed above was not necessarily the specific incidents of abuse and neglect, but rather the setting. It takes place in China predominantly during the mid-twentieth century and chronicles the upheaval of the Nationalist party and the establishment of China as a Communist country. This is something I hate to admit I really didn't know a lot about so I found that the secondary story of a well-off capitalist family's means of thwarting the government added an interesting element to the story.