Books, Book, and More Books

If you've ever headed over to my Book Recommendations page, you know I keep a little notebook with me to write down book recommendations.  I make notes of who suggested it, whether I've got it on hold at the library, and what I thought of it.  I also recently discovered that the easiest way to put books on my "list" when I'm out at the giant movie/book/music superstore is to whip out my camera phone and take pictures of the covers.  They probably think I'm weird, photographing books, but really I'm just too cheap to buy them.  I use the college library since it's oh so handy.

So anyway,  I thought I'd fill you in on some of my recent finds.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.  Yeah, I know.  But really, it's good.  I haven't seen the movie but it looks like an action tour de force.  The book isn't like that.  It's the weaving of Lincoln's own words and actions with a compelling fantasy narrative.  Several times while reading, I felt like maybe the book does a disservice to the historical and great Lincoln, but I couldn't help but enjoy the story.  I especially liked the ending.

5th Victim by Zoe Sharp.  Sharp writes about a close protection agent (bodyguard) by the name of Charlie Fox.  She was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, but joined the military and has endured some horrendous treatment at the hands of others.  In this novel, Charlie is hired to protect a young trust-fund heir after a series of kidnappings in their luxury circle.  Fox thwarts one attempt, but the circumstances lead to questions about who's behind this and why.  When Charlie finds out the answers, she will not be happy.  Check it out.

The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan.  This is the story of an Indian woman from around 1900 to her death in the 1960s.  It is also the tale of her family members.  This is a story that's about the journey, not the destination.  You'll be introduced to cultures, beliefs, and customs that are probably unfamiliar, and may even make you angry, but the journey is wonderful and stays with you for days, especially as much of the story is based on the author's grandmother's life.  I didn't even want to pick up my next book so I could continue to ponder the life of Sivakami. 

Here are some on my "to read" list for summer:

Survivors (The Morningstar Strain) by Z.A. Recht

The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

In the summer, I usually read dozens of books, but since I'm teaching this summer, I haven't had as much time.  What are you reading this summer?