40: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln hunted vampires?  According to the first-hand writing of Seth Grahame-Smith,  Lincoln not only  hunted, but he also killed many vampires.  Very interesting.

The movie came out over the weekend, and the hubby wanted to go and see it, so I suggested he read the novel before going to see it on the big screen.  He did.  He really enjoyed it.  Interesting.  So, yes, I had to read the novel, also.  I really, really (yes, to be redundant!) enjoyed the hunt...ooopppsss,the book.

First, I appreciated the historical accuracy of this novel, as I took a journey back and actually learned many of the narrative details of Lincoln's life.  Now, I would truly enjoy reading a "real" biography of this President of the United States.

Quickly, Grahame-Smith introduces the reader to other main character...vampires  (yes, the group as a whole acts as a main character).  We learn how and why vampires directly impacted Lincoln and the life-changing decisions that result, how and why vampires came to America, and why they so desperately wanted to remain in America.

As I told my students today (I am teaching in a summer high school program...Upward Bound Math and Science), if I were not convinced that vampires are pure fantasy, I just might be convinced that I have been wrong all this time, for this rationale for their existence really, just almost, makes sense!

I have heard from two sources that the movie is not that good.  Then, the movie must not follow the novel.  The hubby and I have a date to see the movie in a couple of days...I will be back to update this post then!

I have read several novels in which vampires played a prevalent part, including the Twilight series, the Sookie Stackhouse series, and the House of Glass series, and... drum-roll please...I really like this one.  Would be safe to say this is my favorite vampire book.  Yes, it is that good!

By the way, Grahame-Smith also wrote the best-seller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and the just-released Unholy Night (his story of the three wise men in the Bible).

Please read...enjoy!

#39: Voyager

I am now hooked on Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, and I enjoyed this third of seven (so far) novel Voyager the most.

After sharing the news with daughter Brianna that her father lived 200 years ago, Claire decides to return to Jamie upon learning that he did not die at Culloden. Then begins several hundred...a total of 870 pages in all!...of one adventure after another, traveling from Edinburgh to Lollybrach to Jamaica, from life-threatening scene to another.

What I appreciate...besides the characters, the plot, the twists, the turns...is the history so embedded throughout the novel.  Again, as I noted in the previous book review, my knowledge lacks greatly in the area of history, especially in other countries (of course, now, Jamie, Claire, and Ian have landed in America).  Scotland, England, France, Jacobite, King Charles.  Again, this may have been part of the reason for my not being pulled into the first novel as much as I now am into the series...I had to have a few history lessons!

I really, yes, really wish I had begun this series several years ago, for in my attempt to read them all this year for the online challenge, I often feel a bit overwhelmed by the length of every book (you definitely receive your money's worth in this books!), knowing that I have several more to read...and that I have stacks of other books into which I also want to delve.  Plus, I want to have them read before next year's release of book eight Written in My Own Heart's Blood.  Oh, the pressure!  :)

Enjoy!

#38: The White Queen

Our high school faculty's third read in three months!  Cool!

Author Philippa Gregory, also well-known for her The Other Bolyn Girl, created The Cousin's War Series...after investigating this site, I realize now our group may have read book two!

As I read, I struggled.  Not because the novel is poorly written, for it is not, but because Gregory intensively researches...and my background in this time era lacks...greatly!  Thus, though, I learned so much. 

Told through the voice of Elizabeth Woodville of the house of Lancaster, the reader listens as she approaches King Edward, becomes his queen, births his children, and experiences the many ups and downs as the brothers and others fight for the crown, many of whom had the same name!  So confusing, at first!

For me, history has been too summarized, meaning that years of history has too often been condensed to one page in a history book.  Novels such as these enliven that history, reminding me of the humanness of the times, that these figures in history ate, slept, felt...just as I do.

I especially enjoyed Gregory's use of the gift of second sight and the power of the Melusina, the river goddess, that displays in Elizabeth's mother, then herself, and later in the novel through her own daughter Elizabeth.  I really was not expecting this. 

I look forward to reading the rest of this series.  What are you thoughts on historical fiction?

#37 Hide in Plain Site

Written by Marta Perry, Hide in Plain Site was another one I read on our Kindle (free here at Amazon!)...must say I do enjoy reading books on the Kindle, books, that is, that I do not have to annotate.  I can feel myself being drawn into this tech tool.

Marta Perry writes inspirational romance, often featuring the Amish.  This novel includes both.  I appreciated the reminder in this book that often God's will for our lives is not exactly what we had originally planned for ourselves.  Yes, He does have His way of placing us where He wants us!

Andrea returns home, from a climbing career, when her sister is injured and then struggles with her decision to remain and assist her grandmother in transforming the family home into a bed and breakfast  in hope of recovering from their dismal family financial strain.  Then...things begin to go bump in the night...

After venturing onto Perry's website, I now realize that this novel is the first in a trilogy...I do love a good series!

This is somewhat off the topic, but have you ever noticed how book covers select you?  They do me!  "Pick me, Tammy!"  If you have a moment, please go here and view Marta Perry's books' covers...love these!  In addition, if you enjoy cooking Pennsylvania Dutch style, here the author has posted several recipes.

Enjoy!

#36: Dragonfly in Amber

What a long (nearly 750 pages), intense (did I mention intense...very few pages) novel!  Diana Gabaldon gives her readers ample content for every penny spent on her novels.

Dragonfly in Amber, the second in Gabaldon's Outlander series, a series that contains eight novels (so far), continues the many adventures of Jamie and Claire Frasier via a flashback as Claire relates to her daughter who her father really is...a man who lived two hundred years ago. I became so caught up in the narrative that I forgot, until brought back to the future, that the whole novel was actually a memory.

I have struggled with this series...until about midway through this second novel, but now I am hooked!  I have already pulled the third one off the shelf, ready to continue the journey with Claire.

Claire almost seems to have a split personality:  the person she was two hundred years ago and the person she really is...or is not.  The passage through the stone changes not just time but also the character of Claire, as well.  Personally, I prefer the older Claire...or is it the younger Claire...the Claire from two hundred years ago.  She is truly alive and in love.

I have not read nearly enough historical fiction in a very long time and am greatly enjoying it and am learning much.  This may, in part, be why I struggled with the content, for I did not bring enough background knowledge concerning the history of English, France, and Scotland from several hundred years ago when I began this novel.  I actually slowed down as I read this second one and studied...yes, studied the historical context.

Summer is just the perfect time to delve into a book in which time allows the immersion into such an intense world.  Yes, now would be a great time to check out this series!

#34: Write Like This

Kelly Gallagher's Write Like This should be a must-read for all English teachers.  Full of ideas, activities, and samples, one quickly becomes overwhelmed with the avalanche of tips.  Having read his book Deeper Reading, I prepared a foldable to garner the suggestions that I thought I might later include in my thematic units that I will be teaching this fall.

Gallagher organizes this book into six real-world writing purposes:

• Express and Reflect
• Inform and Explain
• Evaluate and Explain
• Inquire and Explore
• Analyze and Interpret
• Take a Stand/Propose a Solution

For each of these chapters, he then provides so many ideas.  In every chapter, I noted several that I hope to include within my classes...soon!

I especially enjoyed his last chapter entitled "The Wizard of Oz Would Have Been a Lousy Writing Teacher."  I am hosting a brunch in August for my department, and this is the chapter, Gallagher's list of core beliefs, I hope we discuss.  Very interesting.  A list I support.  A list that I may consider emulating this summer.

You may preview this book online here.

If you are an English teacher, I would encourage your department choosing any of Gallagher's works as a close read.  You will so enriched by his many years of experience he so willing shares with his readers.

#33: The Gospel of Ruth

Earlier in the year, I began a study of the book of Ruth in hopes of helping coordinate a ladies' retreat for our church ladies, but due to lack of interest at this time, the retreat was delayed, but not my study of this book of the Bible.  I had read this book before but never had I intentionally chosen to intensely study a book of the Bible, so I ordered a few books.  After skim/scanning them, I chose The Gospel of Ruth:  Loving God Enough to Break the Rules. Oh, what a blessing this study has been thus far!

When the Biblical narrator would skip over details or time, author Carolyn Custis James would slow us/me down and analyze and provide scholarly research on the meaning(s) within and between the lines.  While I have always admired and respected both Naomi and especially Ruth, I never truly knew the story.

Their journey fully demonstrated the term hesed:  the living out of the gospel, "something you do."  James takes the actions of each woman and further explains that Naomi, the female version of Job, mourns more than just the loss of family and home; she mourns the loss of hesed, rejoices as she sees Boaz as a living example of hesed, and watches carefully as Ruth makes choices that prove her knowledge of hesed.

This concept I am sharing with my discipleship training class as we continue our study of Andy Stanley's Discovering God's Will, for it seems to me that if we are in God's will, we too will exude hesed.

While I, too, had read this book of the Bible as the typical Cinderella story, through James' book, a whole new meaning takes shape.  Ruth's goal is self-less; her goal is to salvage the name of Elimelech, to honor her promise to Naomi:  "Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried." (1:16-17)  Now, that is a promise.

I do have one concern about James' thoughts about the Ruth's baby and Naomi's role in his life.  That thought, though, needs to be discussed after you have read this book.

The book is full of nuggets, simply a mine of value.  I so encourage your reading this book.  Blessings!

#32 Glamorous Illussions

This book is a free download for Kindle readers!  Cool! I am attempting to save a bit of money and utilize my daughter's Kindle as I see if I can break my addiction to the real thing...I really like books and am an annotator, but I am deliberately choosing books that are just "fun" reads, and that is what I needed today after a very busy week.

Two other things you should know about Glamorous Illusions:

1. This is the first in a new series by author Lisa Bergren.
2. Glamorous Illusions is a work of historical Christian fiction

This novel contains it all...loss, growth, adventure, romance, intrigue.  Embedded throughout are the author's religious convictions, which I happen to support!  Main character Cora Deihl Kensington learns that she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, and her life take a 180-change.  In an effort to familiarize herself with her siblings, she goes on a tour of Europe, the Grand Tour, and reaffirms who she must remain, one true to herself and God.

Lisa Bergren also has an interesting website, containing much info and book promos.  I enjoyed roaming around her site.

Good read!

#28-31: Sookie Stackhouse Series

Since school got out, I have immersed myself in continuing to read Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series...the ones on which the HBO series True Blood is based (none of which I have watched).  So far I have read...

• #3:  Club Dead
• #4:  Dead to the World
• #5:  Dead as a Doornail
• #6:  Definitely Dead

Sookie is just so normal...well, if you disregard that she is a telepath and seems to continually encounter one major conflict after another.  I just like her character:  she is honest, caring, and shops at Wal-Mart!

Throughout these novels, Sookie, a barmaid by trade in Louisiana, continues to learn about the "others":  vampires, weres, shapeshifters, fairies, and witches.  She continues to love with a love (okay...maybe some lust involved also):  Bill, Eric, Quinn...Sam?  She continues to kick butt, righting wrongs and living to tell about it, as she remains loyal to family and the few friends she has due to her special powers of reading minds, which is one reason she enjoys hanging out with the others for their minds are more difficult for her to read. Some, even, impossible, for vampires are dead, and that includes their brains.

Recently released, the next installment...number 11...means that I have a few books to read to be current on this series...looking forward to seeing where Arkansas author Charlaine Harris takes her characters.  Just might say that I hope Bill's character takes a more positive turn!

Should you enjoy series, Harris writes other series:  Lily Bard...set in Shakespeare, Arkansas (the English teacher within me appreciates this!) and the Aurora Teagarden (have not read any of these...yet).

Enjoy the fantasy world of vampires and such?  I have read several, and this is my favorite.  Enjoy!

#27: Serena

In his novel Serena, author Ron Rash takes the reader to the logging woods of North Carolina in 1929 with newlyweds George and Serena Pemberton.  Cold, callous, and calculating...just to name a few c words, this couple will do anything to guarantee their own financial success.

The novel could easily have been named George and Serena or George, Serena, and Others, for the novel closely follows several characters.  Seldom do I read a book, though, where I do not like the main character, but Serena exhibits few morals or ethics, while murder and mayhem abound.

I purchased this book some time ago because of a teacher-recommendation. Then I let it set...until she posted on Facebook that this novel is being made into a movie.  Have to read the book before I can even think about watching the movie!  Right?  Therefore, as I read, I found myself mentally picturing how I would portray scenes on the big screen.  Many will want to watch this movie because of the historical context, and some will watch because of the logging angle.  Many will watch, though, to see Serena...and her horse and her trained eagle that rides on her arm.  Did I mention that this eagle is trained to kill snakes?

As I read the book, I commented to my husband that he should read the book.  He's a former logger and appreciates history....and this novel just seems to be more of a "guy" book, well, if you remove some of what my female friends refer to as "fluff."  Or maybe I am just attempting to stereotype the novel since it was just not my favorite read.

Maybe I just read to too soon after school was out and on a holiday weekend as I was sitting by the pool when I was really wanting to read one of those "fluffy" books mentioned above?  Maybe?

Would I want to watch the movie?  Yes.  Just to see if it follows the book.

#26: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Earlier in the school year, a student asked, "Mrs. Gillmore, have you ever read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?"

"No."

"You should.  It's not what you think it will be. It's really not a kid's book."

"For you, Nathan, I will read that book."

I did, and I agree:  this book is much more than a "kid's book."  An allegory?  A political response to the times?  I am sure support exists for both of these interpretations.

Lewis Carroll's story relates the journey that Alice takes upon falling down a rabbit hole, the characters she meets, and the changes...literally...that she must make.

This is also my first e-read on our Kindle.  I am attempting to read a few online this year...to save money and also to determine if I can overcome my addiction to the real thing:  books!  The verdict is still out on this decision!

Upon finishing this read, I related to Nathan that I had completed this fantasy, and we discussed how it can be read on a more sophisticated level.  Then, I commented that I could now watch the movie since I had read the book.  No, he was quick to inform me.  The new Johnny Depp movie is of Alice Through the Looking Glass.  Okay.  I now have it on the Kindle!

#25: The Road to Grace

Amazing.  Just what I needed after this very trying week.

Richard Paul Evans' new release The Road to Grace continues Alan Christofferson's walk across America, which he began after the death of his wife, the loss of his business and home.  During this nearly 1000 miles of his journey from South Dakota to St. Louis, Alan meets...and re-meets...some very interesting people and learns through them the importance of forgiveness...of both self and of others.

Richard Paul Evans' gift in truly enlivening his characters makes this a quick and memorable read.  You feel Alan.  You mourn with Alan.  You acknowledge with Alan.  I suspect the read will eventually forgive, accept.

This cover interests me, for the road seems to end...unless you turn around and come back.  Yes.  That happens in life, doesn't it?  Thank God for allowing us to backtrack!

Please consider giving some time to this series, for you will be blessed.  This is one of those series that I am already looking forward to re-reading.  Yes, it is that good.  Yes, I need that many blessings!

Now, to wait for the next installment to continue the walk...