Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Why I Picked It Up: 

I've recently found the mother-of-all challenges on Goodreads ;o). If you like reading challenges, The Seasonal Reading Challenge is definitely that -- a challenge! And, with 56 tasks to complete and over 75 books to read in 3 months, I have no hope in finishing it. But, oh, it's going to be fun to try!

So, why did I pick up Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? I chose this book to complete a task called An Ode to Illinois. One of the books for this task had to be a book about Abraham Lincoln or his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. I was planning to just read a nonfiction bio of Abe Lincoln, but when others started talking about reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter for the task, I was intrigued. Here's a synopsis of the book:

From the Publisher:

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 uponThe 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 rolevampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

My Thoughts:

This book just wasn't my thing. I didn't hate it, but by the time I was about half-way through it, I wished I'd just picked a nonfiction biography of Abraham or Mary Todd Lincoln. Their lives were actually really interesting, in a sad sort of way. I don't think their story needed to be embellished with a fictional fight against vampires. Oh, well... Now I know...


However, I'm not quite finished with this task for the reading challenge. An Ode to Illinois is a two book task. The other book must either be set in Chicago, have Chicago in the title, or be an Oprah book club pick. When I was looking through past Oprah winners, I realized that my book club's pick for August -- Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat -- will work so I'm planning to read that to finish up the task.

Sookie Stackhouse Challenge Update

I've been plugging along on the Sookie Stackhouse challenge and I should be able to finish the series (all but the latest release, anyway) by the June 30 deadline.

The last book I reviewed was book #4, Dead to the World. Since then, I've read through book #7.

Book #5 in the series is Dead as a Doornail. In this installment of the series, Sookie finds out what happens to her brother, Jason, and a sniper is going around shooting shifters.

It turns out that there is a book of Sookie short stories, too. I found the book, A Touch of Dead, while hunting around the library for books #8, and #9. It includes a short story that tells what happens to Sookie's cousin, Hadley, who shows up in book #6. These short stories can be found in various short story compilations with other authors as well, but if you're looking just for the Sookie stories they're all included in this book.

Book #6, Definitely Dead, continues the story with Sookie going to New Orleans to clean out Hadley's apartment. Along the way, she meets the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, a few half demons, and a witch named Amelia.

The latest one that I've finished is book #7, All Together Dead. In All Together Dead, Sookie leaves Bon Temps and goes with the the Queen and the other Louisiana vampires to a vampire convention. With that many vampires in one place, mayhem ensues and, of course, Sookie is right in the middle of it.

With each book I read, I enjoy this series a little more. I'd give books 5 through 7 four roses because I'm really enjoying them.

Look for reviews of books #8 and #9 soon.

Review: Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert

Season of the Witch is set in modern-day London, but this psychological mystery/thriller has a decidedly creepy, gothic feel. The story begins when Gabriel Blackstone, a computer hacker with psychic abilities, is asked by his former lover to "see" what has happened to her missing stepson before her ailing husband, and the young man's father, dies. At first, Gabriel tries to refuse, but he does ultimately take a peek inside the missing man's head. What he sees is Robert's obsession with two beautiful, mysterious sisters--Minnaloushe and Morrighan Monk. He also sees Robert's death at the hands of one of the sisters. But which one? In an attempt to unravel the mystery, Gabriel is also drawn to the sister's secret, magical world. If you're looking for something a little spooky that mixes the genres of thriller, suspense, and erotic romance with a healthy dash of the paranormal, Season of the Witch might just be what you're looking for (this would be a perfect read for Carl's fall RIP challenge).  

  Highly recommended

Reviews: Book Club books

In the last couple of months, my face-to-face book club has brought two very different, but excellent books to my attention. The first is 72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell. This is the story of Keri, a successful black business owner who gets caught up in a world she cannot control. It all starts when her 18-year-old daughter, Trina, starts to experience the uncontrolled mania of unmedicated bipolar disorder. Because Trina is an adult (even if just barely), mental health facilities can legally hold her for a maximum of 72 hours against her will. After 72 hours, she is released whether her medication is working or not. Eventually, frustrated with the system, Keri tries to go circumvent it in an expensive and ultimately unsatisfactory way. However, Keri's desperation to help her daughter came through loud and clear. So much so, in fact, that the book often read like a thriller. It was very compelling reading and I couldn't put it down to the very end. Excellent.

The other book recently picked by the book club was Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang. This book is a fascinating look into the history of China thorough the eyes of the women in the author's family. The tale starts with Chang's grandmother, a warlord's concubine, moves through to her mother's experiences as an officer in the Communist Party, and ultimately on to Chang's own experiences as a young woman in China and her eventual settlement in England. The book is long, detailed, and completely absorbing. I didn't realize how much I didn't know about China until I read it. Also excellent.

Reviews: In Death series by J. D. Robb

Another series I'm working my way through is the "in Death" series by J. D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts). I'm up to book #13 of 37 (if you count all the novellas).

Book #11 of this series in Witness in Death. In this book, New York police detective Eve Dallas attends opening night for a play in her husband Roarke's New Globe Theater. As she (and several hundred other people) watches the action on stage, it becomes clear that the leading man's murder isn't just theatrics, it's real. Now she just needs to figure out which of the actors on stage are innocent and which are just really good actors. As with all the "in Death" books, I enjoyed this one. It wasn't my favorite, but it was good.
  very good

The next book in the series, #12, was Judgement in Death. So far, this book is one of my favorites in the series. The mystery wasn't anything exceptional--a series of cop killings--but the emotion in this book, between Eve and Roarke and between Eve and the bad guy makes it stand out for me.
  Excellent

Review: Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Dead to the World is book #4 in the Sookie Stackhouse series and follows on the heels of the previous book, Club Dead. In Dead to the World, Bill, Sookie's vampire boyfriend, is off to Peru. While he's out of the picture, Eric, Bill's boss and the head vampire for the area Sookie lives in, turns up at Sookie's house with no memory of who he is and what's happened to him. It turns out that some powerful witches want to take over Eric's businesses in Shreveport and have put a spell on him, erasing his memory. While they figure out what to do about the witches, the other vampires ask (read: demand) that Sookie hide and take care of Eric. When Sookie's brother, Jason, disappears she doesn't know if the witches have him or if his disappearance is unrelated, but one thing is certain, the witches need to be stopped.

I liked Dead to the World much better than Club Dead. After Club Dead I wasn't sure I was going to continue with the series, but I already had Dead to the World on my bookshelf so I decided to at least read that one. I'm glad I did and I already have the next book in the series, Dead as a Doornail, on my TBR pile ready to go. 

Very Good

Review: The Nerd Who Loved Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson

One of the categories for the Shelfari Readers of Romance Spring Challenge is to read a book with a beta or an unlikely hero. For this category, I chose to read The Nerd Who Loved Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson. The hero in this story is Harry Ambrewster, a shy accountant who works for a Las Vegas casino. The same casino where the heroine, Lainie Terrell, dances as a showgirl. Harry is intrigued with Lainie from the beginning, but doesn't believe a showgirl would ever be interested in a solid, boring accountant like him. However, when Lainie asks him to babysit her son, Dexter, Harry can't resist. The kid is brilliant and he and Harry get along great. One night, just after the 4-year-old Dexter beat Harry in chess, a game which Harry just taught him how to play, Dexter's drunken father starts pounding on Lainie's apartment door. Harry takes the kid, shimmies down a tree, and runs. He picks up Lainie at the casino and they set off on a journey masquerading as husband and wife while Harry tries to protect Lainie and Dexter from her ex. Cute story. Nothing Earth-shattering, but I enjoyed it.


Good

Reviews: Mysteries & Thrillers

I've read a couple of good thrillers lately. First up is Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. I know a lot of people think that Dan Brown's writing isn't great, but I really enjoy his books. His plots are intricate and, for the most part, don't make me want to roll my eyes and toss the book at a wall (occasionally, especially in Angels & Demons, I lost the suspension of disbelief, but mostly I can hang in there with him). Anyway, in The Lost Symbol, Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbolist form The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons is back. This time, Langdon is called to our nation's capital to rescue his friend and mentor, Peter Solomon. In order to find his friend, Landon must unravel some of the country's hidden history, travel through secret tunnels and chambers buried beneath D. C., and decipher ancient Masonic symbols and rituals. It was a fun, fast, and fascinating read. I'd give it 3.5 roses (very good).

Next up was another fast moving thriller--1st to Die by James Patterson. 1st to Die is the first book in Patterson's Women's Murder Club series and it's been sitting around on my shelf for way too long. Like Brown, Patterson is a master break-neck plotting. The action never slows down and with Patterson's one to two page chapters, it's easy to stay up way too late and devour his books in a night or two. This book introduces a group of women--Lindsey Boxer, a San Francisco homicide detective; Claire, a medical examiner; Cindy, a reporter; and Jill, an assistant D.A.--who join forces to help stop a manic who is going around killing newlyweds. Unfortunately for them, the manic is famous which puts pressure on the police department to make sure they get it right (and they do, eventually). This one was certainly good enough for me to continue with the series. I gave this one 3 roses (good).

And, last but not least, I finished up the third installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Club Dead, written by Charlaine Harris. In Club Dead, Bill, Sookie's vampire boyfriend, is working on a secret project for the Queen of Louisiana. A secret project that winds up getting him kidnapped. Eric, Bill's bloodsucking boss, sends Sookie and a werewolf friend after him. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I liked the first two in this series. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't usually like vampire books. They just don't do much for me. I think part of my problem with this book was that Bill is just being a jerk. And, while Eric is okay, I don't really like him as a mate for Sookie either. In fact, the only character I really liked was the werewolf, Alcide. If I didn't already have the fourth book in this series on my shelf, I'm not sure I would continue but I have it so I'll give it a whirl and see if it gets any better. Ath this point, though, I'm not sure I'm going to stick it out through book #10. I'd give Club Dead 2.5 roses (okay).

Readers of Romance Spring 2010 Challenge

The Readers of Romance Shelfari group's spring 2010 challenge has already started and it goes thought May 31, 2010. The object of the challenge is to read 5, 10, or 15 books that fit the following criteria. I've listed the books I think I'm going to read for each category, but they often get shuffled around. I'll come back and link each book to its review as I finish it.


THE CHALLENGE:
1. Read book with a one word title -- Captiva by Randy Wayne White
2. Read a new (to you) author --  72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell
3. Read a book from a genre you have not read/rarely read -- Too Wicked to Kiss by Erica Ridley
4. Reader’s Choice -- Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
5. A book that has been in your TBR pile for a long time -- Judgement in Death by J. D. Robb
6. Read a Western (united States)- historical or contemporary -- McKettricks of Texas: Tate by Linda Lael Miller
7. Read a book with a Sports Theme -- It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
8. Read a Beta/Unlikely Hero --About a Boy by Nick Hornby
9. Read a book from the backlist of an author you enjoy! -- 44 Cranberry Point by Debbie Macomber
10. Read a book that is a Cabin/Road Romance http://www.likesbooks.com/cabinroad.html -- The Enforcer by Anna Perrin 
11. Select a book that has been marked favorite or 5 stars from another group member's shelf -- Witness in Death by J. D. Robb
12. Read a book that was read by another member in Any of the previous challenges.-- Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
13. Read a book with a Name in the Title -- Ben’s Wife by Charlotte Douglas (1997 HQN Intrigue)
14. Read a book that has love, kiss or heart in the title -- Ransom My Heart by Gayle Wilson (1998 HQN Intrigue)
15. Read a book that has an arranged marriage or Marriage of Convenience -- The Nerd Who Loved Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Readers of Romance Winter 2009 Challenge Wrap-up

Even with the Olympics slowing me down, I did manage to finish the Readers of Romance Winter 2009 Challenge by the hair on my chiny-chin-chin. This challenge was to read 15 books between December 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010 that fit particular categories. Here are the books that I read:

1. Read a book that was read in the Fall Challenge -- Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber (read by Marie T)
2. Read a book with a cheesy cover -- Does She Dare by Tawny Weber (2008 HQN Blaze)
3. Read a Julia Quinn Book -- What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
4. Read a romance that starts as a friendship Suggestions -- Black Hills by Nora Roberts
5. Read a book with “ICE” or “FIRE” in the title -- Familiar Fire by Caroline Burnes (1998 HQN Intrigue)
6 Read a book that is a Cabin/Road Romance Suggestions -- Nerd in Shining Armor by Vicki Lewis Thompson
7. Reader’s Choice (Author last name A-K) -- Dying Scream by Mary Burton
8. Reader’s Choice (Author last name L-Z) -- The Gift by Nora Roberts
9. Read a book with a color in the title -- Blue Bayou by Joann Ross
10. Read a book that has a setting other than the U.S. or England -- Fugitive by Cheryl Brooks (takes place on Barada Seven)
11. Read a book with a "magic" element (time travel, miracles, magic, psychic, angels...whatever this means to you!) -- Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert
12. Read a book that is a stand alone (not part of any series) -- River of Eden by Glenna McReynolds (Brazil)
13. Read a new to you author -- Breakfast in Bed by Robin Kaye
14. Read a book that has a three word title -- Big Sky Dynasty by B. J. Daniels (2009 HQN Intrigue)
15. For Winter, Read a book that has a “W” word in the title -- Whisper My Love by Gayle Wilson (1998 HQN Intrigue)


Favorites: Lots of favorites in this challenge -- Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber and Black Hills by Nora Roberts were predictable favorites for me. I like just about everything I read by these two. But What Happens in London by Julia Quinn was a shocker, I don't normally read historical romances but I loved this one. I also throughly enjoyed Blue Bayou by Joann Ross and Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert.


New Authors:  Julia Quinn, Natasha Mostert, Mary Burton, Vicki Lewis Thompson, and Robin Kaye were all new to me.


I'll be signing up for the spring challenge tomorrow. Already have my books picked out for it. Want to know more or sign up for the Spring Challenge? Check out the Reader of Romance Challenges Blog.

What an Animal III Challenge

Now I'm getting back into the swing of things. I should be reviewing some books, but instead, I'm going to sign up for another challenge. Yvonne over at Socrates' Book Reviews is hosting the What an Animal III Challenge this year and isn't that picture adorable? I had to have it, so, of course, I had to join the challenge. Hey, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The challenge runs from March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. The idea behind it is to read at least 6 books that have an animal in the title, an animal on the cover, an animal as a main character, or a main character that turns into an animal. Here are the books I have on my list so far:

1. Next by Michael Crighton (monkey on the cover)
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (birds on the cover)
3. 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber
4. Wild Swans by Jung Chang
5. The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey (snake, monkey, mongoose, parrot, owl, falcon on cover)
6. Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (dog on the cover)

If you'd like to sign up for this challenge, too, head over to Socrates' Book Reviews. Happy reading!

What an Animal II Challenge Wrap-up

Now that the Olympics are over, I can get back to my normally scheduled life! And that includes wrapping up the What an Animal II Challenge. Thanks to everyone who has joined me in this challenge the last couple of years. It's been a ton of fun. 


I know some of you have also finished the challenge. Congratulations! If you've finished it and you haven't left your wrap-up post link in another post, feel free to add it to the comments on this one.


I won't be hosting the What an Animal III Challenge, but never fear, it will go on. Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews is going to pick it up. Thanks, Yvonne! So head on over there and sign up (she's got an adorable picture for it, wait 'til you see it!). I'll be right behind you. Just because I'm not hosting it doesn't mean I've dropped it! I'm just going to read for it this time. I have a few other challenge ideas percolating that I'd rather host. You'll hear about those as soon as I work out all the deets.


As for the What an Animal II Challenge, here are the books I read:
1. Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr
2. The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
3. Marley & Me by John Grogan
4. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
5. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
6. Black Hills by Nora Roberts


I have to say that Black Hills was my favorite. It's the story about a woman who runs a big cat rescue in the Black Hills. Excellent, edge-of-your-seat suspense kind of book with a decent amount of romance thrown in for fun. I also throughly enjoyed Marley & Me and Art of Racing in the Rain. Both great books.

Not Much Reading Going On...

The Olympics are seriously cutting into my reading time. I've been trying to finish the same book for the last week and a half. And I haven't updated the blog in longer... bad me!  Look for a barrage of reviews and other posts (including a wrap-up post for the What an Animal II Challenge) after the Olympics closing ceremonies ;o).

January 2010 Wrap-Up

Books read: 10

Books read in December but reviewed this month:

Spirt of the Place by Samuel Shem

Books read and reviewed this month: 

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Dying Scream by Mary Burton

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

The Red Door by Charles Todd

Fugitive by Cheryl Brooks

Breakfast in Bed by Robin Kaye

Other books read:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke -- 2.5 roses (OK)

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf -- 2 roses (So-so)

Whisper My Love by Gayle Wilson -- 3 roses (good)

Midnight Investigation by Sheryl Lynn -- 3 roses (good)

Books abandoned: none

Favorite book(s) read this month: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Books I could have done without: To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf -- Woolf is just not my favorite author. I can’t get into the stream-of-conscienceness style. 

Challenges completed: 

What an Animal II (ends 2/28/10) - 6/6

Raved-About Reads - 25 read

Challenges joined: 

In Death Challenge

Challenge progress: (those without an end date end on 12/31)

1. Readers of Romance Winter Challenge (ends 2/28/10) - 11/15

2. Sookie Stackhouse Challenge (ends 6/30/10) - 2/9

3. Countdown 2010 Challenge (ends 10/10/10) - 26/55

4. 2010 TBR Challenge - 0/12

5. 2010 Reading Resolutions Challenge - 0/15

1. Read 12 eBooks - 0/12
2. Read 5 books from 3 series - 0/15
3. Read 25 category romances - 2/25
4. Read 10 Filling in the Gaps books - 1/10
5. Read 5 books set outside the U.S. - 2/5
6. Read 5 books for Book Around the States Challenge - 0/5
7. Read 4 books for Shelfari’s Playing Book Tag group -1/4
8. Read 4 books for Shelfari’s Author, Author group - 1/4
9. Read 4 books for f2f book club - 1/4
10. Read 5 books on the New Classics list - 0/5
11. Read 1 book in each Dewey Decimal classification - 0/10
12. Read 5 Science in Fiction books - 0/5
13. Review more books in 2010 than in 2009 - 7/54
14. Read 5 books for every 1 I acquire - 5 read/0 acquired (except for Christmas GC purchases)
15. Sign up for only 6 timed challenges at a time (this does not include perpetual challenges) - 5

Perpetual Challenges:

Book Around the States Challenge - 27/50 (0 this month)

Around the World in 80 Books - 14/80 (1 this month)

Science in Fiction - 7 read (0 this month)

New Classics Challenge - 25/100 (0 this month)

Filling in the Gaps Challenge - 1/100 (1 this month)

Currently Reading: 

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Plans for February:

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert

1st to Die by James Patterson

What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

Blue Bayou by Joann Ross

River of Eden by Glenna McReynolds

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

The Corpse Had a Familiar Face by Edna Cuchanan

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Anyone read any of these? What were your thoughts?

Review: Breakfast in Bed by Robin Kaye

Title: Breakfast in Bed

Author: Robin Kaye

# pages: 361

Date published: 2009

Genres: contemporary romance

Rating: 

 (Excellent)

First sentence: 

"Rebecca Larsen shouldered open the door of her new Park Slope apartment and surveyed the wreckage."

What’s it about? Rich Ronaldi is a complete domestic disaster and when his girlfriend dumps him because he's not "relationship material," he vows to learn to cook and clean to prove her wrong and win her back. But he needs some help, a Domestic Coach, if you will. Luckily, because of a familial mix-up, he's sharing an apartment with Becca Larsen. Unfortunately, she can't stand him, but maybe she'll help him anyway... 

Random thoughts: This is a very cute, fun romance. Rich comes across as sweet and sexy -- a good combination any day. Breakfast in Bed is Kaye's third book and I'll definitely be reading others from her. Luckily, I have her second book, Too Hot to Handle, on my bookshelves. I'll have to see if I can find a digital version of her first, Romeo, Romeo.   

About the Author: Robin Kaye is a professional writer and winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award for her first novel, Romeo, Romeo. Her romantic comedies feature sexy, nurturing heroes and feisty, independent heroines. She lives with her husband and three children in Mt. Airy, Maryland.

Fun tidbits:

• Check out Robin Kaye’s web site
• Thanks to Danielle of Sourcebooks for sending me a copy of Breakfast in Bed

Recommended for: if you like the funny, sweet, sexy romances of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lori Foster, or Jennifer Crusie you'd probably enjoy Robin Kaye's books, too.