4-25-10 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith - Fiction

4 - I must admit that I have never read the original Pride and Prejudice but once I heard about this new version "now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem" I just had to pick it up. I confess, I think I would find the original duller than dirt. The zombie attacks and Miss Elizabeth Bennet's use of her Shaolin training made this book a joy. Picture the five Bennet girls forming the Pentagram of Death when a ball they are attending is overrun by unmentionables and imagine them cutting down all the zombies in the room. See, it seems much more fun and interesting that way doesn't it? For those Austin purists out there who have decided this is an intolerable abomination of her work I have only one request: please go out as soon as the stores are open and purchase a sense of humor. It will make getting along day-to-day much easier and more fun. For everyone else, there are reading group questions in the back. Make sure to read those for an additional giggle. For myself, I may have to see if there are more zombie classics for me to read.

4-21-10 Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child - Fiction

5 - OK Dad, this is one from the box you sent. See, I am reading them! I've enjoyed Child's books before and Jack Reacher is one of the great characters in thriller fiction right now. Ex-military, Reacher is a wanderer who floats from place to place as the whim strikes and he never makes plans. That's until he's contacted by a member of his old military unit. The story moves from L.A. to Vegas and back again with points in between and brings the atmosphere of both places to life. I love a good military thriller and Bad Luck and Trouble does not disappoint.

4-19-10 Brooklyn Knight by C.J. Henderson - Fiction

5 - Do you love Indiana Jones? Then try this book out because Professor Piers Knight is the new generation's answer to Indy. Professor Knight is curator of the Brooklyn museum and he knows a lot. More than most people, as his new assistant comes to learn. His grasp of history and archeology is astounding and includes not just facts, figures, and dates, but also some practical knowledge of what we would call magic. When what could be the archaeological find of the century threatens him and his museum, Professor Knight and his assistant must race to discover who is behind the threat and what their ultimate goals are. Hint: it's not the Nazis.

4-16-10 The Accident Man by Tom Cain - Fiction

4 - You have to give Cain credit for choosing an event so dynamic and shrouded in conspiracy theories to plan this great thriller around. Nope, I'm not going to tell you the event but you'll remember it unless you're under 20 or have lived under a rock for two decades. An international thriller with a British mercenary and a Russian spy at the center of the fiasco, The Accident Man has enough military info and action to balance the espionage and keep me interested. Especially when you consider this is Tom Cain's first novel. Thriller lovers, give this one a shot.

4-13-10 The House of Night series 1-6 by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Fiction

This is a re-read so see the individual books for ratings.

4-7-10 Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris - Fiction

5 - I love that Harris doesn't keep Sookie in Bon Temps all the time. It's so interesting when she has to wander and meets new and interesting "people." I also like that these books aren't all about her being lovey dovey with Bill all the time. They have their relationship problems on top of all the vampire/were/other thing problems. There isn't much more I can say about the series except that if you love Kim Harrison's Hollows series, you should definitely try these.

4-6-10 Death by Chick Lit by Lynn Harris - Fiction

4 - A funny mystery, Death by Chick Lit, is a great satire of the genre. Lola, a one book author, gets pulled into a mystery when the NYT bestselling authors of chick lit begin dropping dead. She tries to keep a balance with her new husband, her struggling book career, her friends, and her new case and she endearingly stumbles along. This was a very enjoyable palate cleanser.

4-3-10 Bright Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich - Non-Fiction

3 - An interesting look at how the constant "positive thinking" adopted by so many is making the world a worse place. Ehrenreich pulls from her own experiences as well as from others who don't believe "positive thinking" is a cure for all that ails you. Her first chapter about keeping a positive outlook in the face of illness was most interesting to me. She spoke of her own experience with breast cancer and how it seemed as if she was not allowed to be angry or depressed about her illness. Support groups and online forum reinforced this by never using or allowing the words 'victim' or 'patient.' The new positive thinking movement places all blame for all problems, whether they be medical or financial, on the people affected by stating they allowed too many negative forces into their lives. Noe, I'm all for personal responsibility, but telling the person who lost their job, home, and car or the terminal cancer patient that it's all their fault because they didn't try hard enough and thought negative thoughts is a load of bull. The effect "positive thinking" has had on religion was my second favorite chapter. I'm normally a pretty chipper person, perhaps a little heavy on the sarcasm, but even I get pissed off royally on occasion and don't feel I should be punished for venting. If you think the same way, but especially if you don't, check this book out.

4-1-10 Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison - Fiction

4 - I've come to enjoy the depth of Harrison's Hollows series so this is a little too juvenile for me, but it is a teen book. Madison is a dead teenager who, when not in school, hangs out with a reaper. Barnabas is a light reaper who tries to save the lives of those targeted for an early demise by the dark reapers. Madison is to be trained by him because, in a weird twist of fate, when she died she was able to steal an amulet from her reaper and keep the illusion of a corporeal body. This amulet involves her in a power struggle between the forces of light and dark. Not like being a teenager wasn't hard enough. Luckily, Once Dead, Twice Shy contains Harrison's slightly off humor, mostly in the form of a guardian angel with a penchant for limericks. Not a bad teen book but if you've been spoiled by the Hollows books like I have you may want to skip this one.

3-31-10 The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan - Fiction

5 - An excellent story that spans 76 years, including the turbulent period during which India declares independence, and four generations. Sivakami is married at 10 following Hindu tradition and goes to live with her husband at 13. She bears him two children before his death when she is 18. The Toss of a Lemon is Sivakami's story as she lives as a strict Brahmin widow with one exception: she moves back to her husband's house, now her son's, to raise her children and manage the lands. Her story is full of light and dark as the world changes around her and her children grow and leave for their own lives. At first, this seems like a long book but the reader becomes so involved in Viswanathan's vivid descriptions of village and city life, Hindu tradition, and the changing country that the length of the book is forgotten. A very emotional read that should appeal to those interested in different cultures and how time alters tradition.