The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

Being in the mood for vampire books these days I took a cue from my aunt's review and decided to give this series a try. This is the first book. I was a little wary that I found it in the romance section of the bookstore, but I figured my aunt wouldn't reccommend a book that was too steamy and she seems to be way more sensitive then I would be. I actually don't mind a good romance.

This book did have some romance novel quirks to it but mostly nothing premarital so how can you fault that? (: Anyway as far as the story goes, Victoria Grantworth has taken on her family's legacy of becoming a Venator, someone who hunts and kills vampires. However she finds it difficult to balance her Societal duties of finding an eligible husband and protecting the innocent. She does manage to catch the eye of the most sought after bachelor, the Marquess Rockley. He is everything she would wish for but can he understand her destiny or will she have to constantly deceive him.

This book was fun to read. Definitely a good summertime novel. I'm sure I'll move on to the second book here pretty soon. It's pretty much what you would expect to get out of a book like this, not a work of art by any means but it can be engrossing and good for a non-thinker or if you just want something frivolous to read.

House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Go here for a synopsis of the book. I didn't actually read this book for the book club. I read it a while ago and reccommended my roommate read it also and she picked it for this month's bookclub book. Only three of us actually finished the book by the time of the meeting. The language of Hawthorne's writing was a bit of struggle to get into.

I am a big fan of Hawthorne and this is one of slower books. It takes almost 3/4 of the book settting up the exciting ending. I think most people will enjoy it once they lose themselves in the language. Hawthorne takes his time in order to get the reader to really care about the characters and you become so familiar with their mannerisms. Anyway, I liked this book and I think I may need to read it again after hearing it discussed and reading over some of my highlighted quotes. Unfortunately I don't have the book with me otherwise I would share some with you. You'll just have to trust me and pick up the book for yourself.

Twilight + New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

I read both of these books in five days (both around or over 500 pages) if that is any indication as to how good they are. Bella, moves to Forks, Washington, a town she hates, to live with her father so that her mother can spend time with her new husband. As she settles into school and making new friends and turning away multiple advances from boys she ultimately falls for a mysterious classmate with amazing ability to save her life time and time again. Turns out he is a vampire. Their love is very passionate, but rocky as Edward Cullen tries to keep Bella safe from enemies and himself.

In the sequel New Moon, Bella and Edward are happy together at the beginning of a new school year other than the constant argument they have over whether she should be turned into a vampire. Edward refuses to let that happen though Bella is more than willing. A little accident that puts her life in danger, not from enemies but one of Edward's family drives him and his family away. Edward convinces Bella that he doesn't love her anymore and wants to keep her safe from any more harm so they leave, supposedly for forever. Driven to living a pathetic, sad life while she grieves for her loss, she is suddenly pulled out of her depression by a welcome voice and her new best friend Jacob Black, who soon becomes a little more than human as well.

Though I had been told by several of my friends how good this book, I just had no idea how good. I can't remember the last time, it pained to have to put a book down to go to sleep, or to work. Every page is filled with suspense and wonderment at how this relationship between a human and a vampire will work as well as all the action that takes place. The sequel isn't quite as good as Edward is gone for most of it and even though Jacob Black is a wonderful character he just isn't quite the substitute for the reader or for Bella either, but you make do as she does. Also, some of the surprises were a little predictable but I was able to get past that as there were other things to make me jump with a renewed verve for reading. I'm a little sad that it's over though I do have the third and final book to look forward to which comes out in August. Ugh, I have to wait two months. Seriously read these books. I'm feeling really into vampire stories right now. I think I'll read Dracula next.

Austenland by Shannon Hale

This is a book after my own heart and pretty much anybody else who has ever read or seen Pride and Prejudice. It tells the story of a young woman, Jane, who has been disappointed in love many times which drove her to be comforted by watching Pride and Prejudice. She became obsessed with the idea that if a man couldn't compare to Mr. Darcy then he wasn't worth being with. She is ashamed of her obsession and so hides her DVDs in her houseplant. Found out by her aunt she is bequeathed a all expense paid vacation to Pembrook Park, where people go to pretend they live in 1816. Jane is going for therapy, to indulge in her obsession, to then be able to leave it behind. She soon becomes immersed in the period however, and finds herself falling for the Darcy-esque Mr. Nobley as well as the gardner.

I was worried as I began the book that I wouldn't like the story. That the way Jane is so obssessed about Pride and Prejudice seemed a little cheesy and unbelievable, but once she arrives at Pembrook Park and other characters are introduced the story becomes really fun. I laughed out loud several times, especially when modern day occurrences disturbed the serenity of Regency period living. I wouldn't mind going to Pembrook Park myself, especially if you are guaranteed that one of the handsome gentleman will fall in love with you.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Wow, this book was cute. It left me wanting more at the end. I read it really quickly too. I finished it last night around one in the morning. The story is about a girl who lives in a mountain village and learns that she among other girls in the village must attend a princess academy. When the prince of the land is of age the priests divine which town the future princess must be chosen from and this time Mount Eskel is chosen. Because mountain people are somewhat uneducated and looked down by the lowlanders the academy is begun to turn the girls into proper, educated young ladies. After a year the prince will come and choose his bride from among the girls. Miri, who has never felt like she has added anything to the village since her father refuses to let her work in the quarry with everyone else, works really hard while enduring cruelty from her teacher to win the title of Academy Princess and get the first dance with the prince. During this process, Miri is outcast from the girls but soon makes new friends and learns what she wants to do with her life, but ultimately she must decide if she really wants to be a princess if she is chosen. I'm excited to read Shannon Hale's other books.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This was our May book for my book club. I had heard about this book many times but never felt the urge to read it. I'm glad it was chosen now. It was such a great read. Heartbreaking and redeeming. The writing style was so awesome. I plan on reading this book again someday and pick out all the great quotes that I just skimmed over this time. If you haven't read it you should.

"I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in
the winter of 1975." So begins The Kite Runner, a poignant tale of two
motherless boys growing up in Kabul, a city teetering on the brink of
destruction at the dawn of the Soviet invasion.
Despite their class
differences, Amir, the son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan, his devoted
sidekick and the son of Amir's household servant, play together, cause mischief
together, and compete in the annual kite-fighting tournament -- Amir flying the
kite, and Hassan running down the kites they fell. But one day, Amir betrays
Hassan, and his betrayal grows increasingly devastating as their tale continues.
Amir will spend much of his life coming to terms with his initial and subsequent
acts of cowardice, and finally seek to make reparations.
Hosseini's
depiction of the cruelty children suffer at the hands of their "friends" will
break your heart. And his descriptions of Afghanistan both before and after the
war will haunt readers long after they've read the last page. The Kite Runner is
a stunning reminder that the dark hearts of adults are made, step-by-step, by
the hatred they learn as children, and that all it takes for evil to triumph is
for a good man to stand back and do nothing. --Barnes and Noble review.