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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

May 24, 2009 by annanausten

Well readers, I have sacrificed my time to read this book so that you don’t have to.  Seth Grahame-Smith, to his credit, has very seamlessly managed to work a sub-plot involving man-eating, undead zombies into the original Jane Austen story surrounding the social antics of the Bennet family and their community.  However, aside from a silly sort of humor, the zombies don’t, in my opinion, really add anything of real value to the original storyline.  It is, perhaps, a case of unfair bias on my part, as Jane Austen is one of my all-time favorite authors, and it is hard to improve on near perfection.  However, I realize that Mr. Grahame-Smith isn’t really trying to improve on Austen.   In giving him the benefit of the doubt, I can see how this version, which still contains approximately 80 percent of the original Austen prose, might attract an audience which might not otherwise be inclined to read a work by Jane Austen.  So, in that regard, I get it.  And it was, at times, funny.  However, in the end, upon finishing the book, the characters I missed most were the living ones and not the unfortunate undead.  So, ultimately, unless you have a sort of perverse sense of humor, I would advise readers to stick with the real thing.  Unless, of course, you have an 11 year old boy whom you really want to read Jane Austen.  In that case, this book might be just the ticket.

I give this book 3 out of 5 bookmarks.

Reviewed by:   Anna

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Alice: Alice Roosevelt Longworth from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker by: Stacy A Cordery

May 24, 2009 by annanausten

I genuinely enjoyed this book,  and for many reasons.  I love a good biography.  Learning about real people, especially those who are so interesting and enjoyable, is always fun for me.  Also, I love  history, particularly American history, and this book is full of interesting information about nearly a century of American history and politics. 

The subject of this book, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, was the eldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife, who dies just days after Alice’s birth, and also within days of her mother-in-law,  Teddy’s beloved mother.   With two such devastating losses  suffered at the same time, T.R., as he is called in the book, essentially checks out of fatherhood and allows his sister to begin to raise Alice.  Only  after his remarriage, at the insistence of his new wife, does Alice become a part of Teddy’s life.  Although present is reality, T.R. is distant in spirit.  Even with many half-siblings,  Alice finds family life at the White House rather lonely.  With no mother and an absentee father and step-mother, the trouble that the growing Alice gets herself into is inevitable.  Her antics are at once hilarious and heart-breaking.  Finally finding love,  or so she thinks, Alice eventually marries Congressman Nicholas Longworth and remains interested in politics for the rest of her lift.  It is the only constant in a life otherwise filled with turmoil.  Her husband is less than faithful, but she staunchly supports his political career, largely in the hopes of getting back into the White House.  She eventually settles into a life of comfort, surrounded  by family and friends, and some of the  most powerful and influential people in Washington.  Becoming legendary for her wit, her sharp tongue, and her ability to bring together  the movers and shakers of our nation, Alice herself becomes a force to be reckoned with in Washington.  Her invitations were nearly as sought after as an invite to the White House itself.  She had the ear of politicians and their admiration too.

Alice Roosevelt Longworth was infamous as the first daughter while she was young, and famous in her own right as an adult.  She was colorful, outrageous, brilliant, shy, outspoken, influential.  She was fixture in Washington while she lived and remains one of the most famous presidential children ever.   She witnessed first hand nearly a century of American politics with a front row seat.  Such a figure is rare indeed.  

If you want to know this extraordinary woman and see American politics through her distinct perspective, I highly recommend this book.  I give it 5 out of 5 bookmarks.

Reviewed by:  Anna

Posted in Biography, Non-Fiction | 2 Comments »

A. Lincoln: A Biography by: Ronald C White, Jr.

May 24, 2009 by annanausten

This book is a mite intimidating at first glance, just because of it’s size.  However, once I began reading, I realized that there was nothing to fear.  This author has a very easy to read style of writing, and given the interesting subject matter, I was done in no time.  This is a very expansive biography of Lincoln’s political life.  However, I found it a bit slim on the personal front.  If Lincoln the politician is the man you are after, then this is the book for you.  I found it very similar in content to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals”, which was also fascinating.  There is definitely more of Lincoln’s early life and personal life in this book than in Goodwin’s, but. to my mind, this book is predominantly a political bio., as I said before.  Although I found it light on personal information, that is not to say that I did not enjoy the book.  I found it to be very well-written, and although it is a sizable book, I read it on my kindle, which made it more convenient.  Having just witnessed a most interesting presidential race and inauguration, I found this book particularly interesting to read, at this time in our history.  The passion and intelligence of Abraham Lincoln are most inspiring, and after reading this book, I found a renewed sense of admiration for him.  I truly believe he was our greatest president.  Read this book and be inspired.

I give this book 4 out of 5 bookmarks.  

Reviewed by:  Anna

Posted in Biography, Non-Fiction, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Princess Ben By: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

March 25, 2009 by annanausten

I loved the book Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock!  A fantastical book about a girl locked away in a tower after being orphaned by her evil aunt, Queen Sophia.  Princess Benevolence or Princess Ben is starving and miserable up in her tiny closet of a room.  But during her confinement, she stumbles upon a secret room and gains magical powers!  Her lessons consist of walking through walls, learning to fly and duplicating herself!  All while trying to act, dance, and speak like a princess and attend royal balls and banquets!  And she might even manage to save her country from not only war, but chaos from a classic beast!  This is a fun filled story with lots of surprising twists and turns!  If you have read any of my other reviews, you can tell that this is definitely right up my alley!  Magic, adventure, evil queens, unlikely love and an amazing main character!  Ben is a great female main character, I think, because she is definitely not perfect and embraces that fact, she is witty and sarcastic, and has talent that, when unleashed, is amazing!  I would recommend this book to all fantasy-loving readers, boys and girls, and even to those who tend to shy away from fantasy might enjoy this book!  What are Ben’s magical powers?  Will Ben save her country?  What kind of beast might she best?  Read Princess Ben to find out and I think you will definitely be satisfied with what you read!  I know I was!

I give this book 5 out of 5 bookmarks!

Reviewed by: Austen A.

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Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by: Walter Isaacson

March 6, 2009 by annanausten

After reading and thoroughly enjoying Isaacson’s book about Albert Einstein, I was particularly eager to read this earlier book about Ben Franklin.    While Isaacson’s style of writing is very user-friendly, I found this new subject a bit harder to invest myself in.  I confess, I don’t really  know why I found this book a bit harder to get into and to get through.  It is not as though the subject matter is any less interesting to me.  Perhaps the fault lies with me, the reader.  Maybe I was expecting something different.  And perhaps it only suffers in comparison to the Einstein book.  Who is to say how I might feel had I read them in reverse order. 

That being said, I do not want to lead anyone into thinking that I did not enjoy this book or it’s subject. I enjoy the way Isaacson does not sugar-coat his subject matter.  We learn all of the truly remarkable things that Franklin accomplished in his long and prolific life, but we also learn of his character faults.  This makes the man seem more real, albeit, sometimes a bit less likable.  A truly great statesman, Franklin was, at times, selfish and hypocritical.  But then, who of us isn’t?  This is what made him human and thus, more interesting.  While still a young man, Franklin formed many of the ideas and opinions that he would steadfastly hold to for his entire life.  He never, even in his most advanced years, lost his sense of child-like curiosity.  He enjoyed surrounding himself with young people and those with strong opinions.   Some of Franklin’s greatest gifts were his sense of calmness and his willingness to compromise.  These two traits served him well as one of our nation’s founders.  During the very volatile time of the country’s founding, Franklin played a pivotal role in bringing together all of the many varying ideas and tempestuous personalities.  Isaacson’s book does a wonderful job of laying out the life of Franklin and the birth of our nation, both within the context of each other.  This was an enjoyable book about a brilliant and tireless man.  A man who was quintessentially American.

I give this book 3.5 bookmarks.

Reviewed by:       Anna

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The Historian by: Elizabeth Kostova

March 6, 2009 by annanausten

I must admit, fellow readers, that I felt a little betrayed when I first started this book.  I picked it up, because it looked like a rousing historical journey, something akin to the Da Vince Code.  But as I began to read, I felt as though I had been tricked into reading another vampire story.  Not being one to quit a book once started, I read on.  And I am glad that I did.  The payoff was, indeed, a Da Vince Code – like story, which takes the reader through Communist Eastern Europe of the recent past and the mysterious, vague boundaried Eastern Europe of the distant past.

The book tells the story of an academician and his reluctant hunt for his friend and mentor, who seems to have been abducted by Dracula himself.  While on this journey, our hero meets and falls in love with a mysterious woman.    We learn the story as he tells it, in installments, to his teen-aged daughter.  Jumping back and forth in time from the present to the past, when the abduction actually occurred, we slowly learn that the story isn’t just in the past, and it isn’t quite over.   Filled with interesting characters, good and bad, suspense, drama, romance and adventure,  Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian, is worth the time  is will take to read it’s over 900 pages.  I recommend this book to any who like adventure and history.

I give this book 3.5 stars.

Reviewed by:     Anna

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Inkheart By: Cornelia Funke

January 31, 2009 by annanausten

I really enjoyed the book Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.  As you know, the movie has recently come out, I have yet to see it, but I can only hope that it does this terrific book justice!  Inkheart is a book about a book called Inkheart.  Twelve year old Meggie and her father Mo are crazy about books, their house is filled to the brim!  But Mo never reads aloud because of his magical gift to bring stories to life.  One night he reads aloud from Inkheart and he accidently lures the evil ruler, Capricorn, his superstitious henchman, Basta and the lowly fire eater, Dustfinger, out of their story and into his own, but in reading them out of the book, Mo reads his wife into it.  The characters disappear for years, until one day, Dustfinger shows up at the door and Mo, Meggie and Meggie’s great aunt Elinor are swept up into an adventure full of danger, bloodthirsty villians, fairies, eccentric writers, betrayal and a brave, young heroine who saves the day.  At the beginning, this story is fun and easy to read, but at about a fourth of the way in, I personally think that the story gets a little dry.  I was ready to put the book down for good, but my mom, who had already read the book, told me that I should read a few more chapters, give one last chance.  So, I did, and I am glad that I listened.  After a few more chapters, the story really picked up again.  So, if you get a little stuck, just keep pushing forward and hopefully, the story will pick up for you as well.  I ended up loving this book, and I recommend this book to everyone, this is a great story about life, imagination, books, and good always trumping evil.  Will Mo and Meggie be able to harness the evil magic that brought the characters to life?  What other sort of fun, eccentric or dangerous characters will Mo and Meggie meet along the way?  Read Inkheart to find out, but be warned, I wouldn’t dare read it aloud!

 

I give this book 4 out of 5 bookmarks!

 

Reviewed by: Austen A.

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Three Cups of Tea by: Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

January 26, 2009 by annanausten

Let me just begin by saying that I think that everyone needs to read this book.  This is a powerful story about a one man grass roots movement to eliminate terrorism by building one school at at time.  I know that this may sound crazy, but Greg Mortenson is a force of nature and through reading this book, he makes you  believe that this is possible.  In fact, Mr. Mortenson, makes you believe that to go about it any other way is crazy.

Greg’s story begins with a failed attempt to climb K2, the famous peak in northern Pakistan.  He gets lost and winds up in a small village where he is shown extraordinary kindness in the midst of extraordinary poverty.  The people of this village, their kindness and tenacity inspire Greg to offer, nay, promise to return and build a school for their children, who were currently conducting their studies outside in the wind and cold.

Eventually raising funds, learning to conduct business in Pakistan and making friends whose trust he has gained through his honesty and faithfulness to his mission, Greg and his foundation go on to build many schools, primarily for girls, to whom education was previously not available.  The reader follows Greg from village to village, meeting with adults and children alike who have repeatedly been let down by the American and the Pakistani governments.  We are able to witness the birth and rise of the Taliban, and how this turn of events makes Greg’s mission even more important.  We are shown, through the journey of this brave American, that education is the key to stability and peace in this region.

This book is not only an incredible story of one incredible man on a mission, but a plea for help.  The work that Greg Mortenson is doing is important and I believe that one day he will be awarded a Nobel peace prize for his efforts.  He builds these schools one village at a time and is always in need of aid.  I recommend that you read this book and spread the word.  We should be talking about Greg Mortenson for a long time to come.

I give this book a hearty 5 out of 5 bookmarks!

 

Reviewed by:    Anna

Posted in Memoirs, Non-Fiction | Leave a Comment »

Wondrous Strange By: Lesley Livingston

January 25, 2009 by annanausten

The book Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston was definitely right up my alley!  I absolutely loved this book!  It had everything from faeries to betrayal to true love.  This book was inspired by the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.  Seventeen-year-old Kelly Winslow is an aspiring actress in New York City, starring in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, when she, by chance, meets Sonny Flannery in Central Park.  Sonny, who keeps bumping into Kelley (usually around Central Park), is a Janus Guard of the Samhain Gate, the doorway between the human world and the world of Faerie.  For the entire year, but one night, the door is shut, but on that one night, every kind of nasty type of Fae tries to escape and wreak havoc.  This year, though, Kelley is suddenly thrown into the picture as she reveals her true, but dangerous heritage.  Her eyes are truly opening to the Fae that surround and protect her.  And she finds that she is the only one who can stop an ancient, evil spell from reawakening and destroying everything that she loves.  I adored this book!  Overflowing with romance, betrayal, scandal, danger, magic, myths come to life!  This book will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read on and on to find out what curse is stirring yet again after so many centuries, what Kelley’s true heritage is, and how Kelley and Sonny’s fate is intertwined.  I do have to thank my friend Vianna, though, because I might never have read this if she had not given it to me for my birthday!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m sure that you will too, as you travel between worlds, through time and follow Kelley on her hunt for her true heritage.  Read Wondrous Strange and I guarantee that you will be absolutely enchanted!

 

I give this book 5 out of 5 bookmarks!

 

Reviewed by: Austen A.

Posted in Fantasy | 1 Comment »

Wildwood Dancing By: Juliet Marillier

January 25, 2009 by annanausten

I loved the book Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier!  It had everything that I love in a book, adventure, secrets, hidden doors, magical worlds, folklore come to life, darkness versus light, and true but forbidden love. This story takes place in Transylvania a few hundred years ago.  When Jena’s father becomes ill and has to go to the coast for the winter, she and her sisters must fend for themselves with only the help of their Uncle, Aunt and Cousin Cezar.  At first, everything is well, and the 5 girls can keep the business running and still escape to the Other Kingdom deep in the Wildwood every Full Moon for some dancing and fun.  But things take a nasty turn when Cezar starts, slowly, trying to take over their home and business when their father is still alive.  They can cope at first; still able to leave to the Other Kingdom every month, and Jena has here constant companion and confidant, Gogu the frog, to help her out through the tough times.  But, when Tati starts to wither away over her love for a seemingly dark creature of the Other Kingdom and when Cezar goes a little crazy, trying to avenge his brother’s death by demolishing the Wildwood while simultaneously completely moving into the house and controlling all of the girls funds and trying to take Jena herself, Jena has no other option but to call upon the powerful, old witch of the woods, Draguta.  I think what I loved most about this book was Jena, the main character, who showed amazing strength throughout the entire book.  She braced her sisters for Cezar’s crazy actions of vengeance and stood up to him when he tried to take over the business, no matter what happened she wouldn’t back down and let him get to her and her sisters, and she also braved the dreaded witch of the Wildwood, Draguta, and wouldn’t let her leave without an answer either.  All of the girls had to be strong enough to keep their secret from Cezar and from the rest of the valley.  They all had to show immense strength, but I just think that Jena really had to show more than any of them. I would recommend this to anyone who has a soft spot for the idea that true love trumps all, or someone who enjoys anything with magic and myths come to life or adventure.  I recommend this to not just girls, but guys too!  Everyone who needs to escape to a land of adventure and magic for a little while, this is the book to do just that!  What is Draguta really like?  What will happen to Cezar?  Will he do anything irrational?  What will happen to Jena?  Will Tati be with her true love forever or will she be doomed to wither away in the human world?  And just who is Gogu the frog and where did he come from?  Read Wildwood Dancing and find out!  I promise that you will not be disappointed!

 

I give this book 5 out of 5 bookmarks!

 

Reviewed by: Austen A.

Posted in Fantasy | 1 Comment »

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