World War Z

World War Z by Max Brooks is a survivor account of the zombie war. Told in a very straight forward and serious manner the impartial author interviews and records the stories told by the survivors.

My over imaginative brain filled in a lot of the scenery for this film as will the mind of any other lover of the zombie movie. Moaning walking dead with their arms outstretched saying something close to "Brains......"

My mind made this story a comedy. But at the same time, it was a very serious and interesting story to think about and mentally chew on. What would we do if a virus erupted that turned people into the living dead? How would we handle a problem on this sort of scale?

I really enjoyed this book. I was fascinated by the politics, the humanness of it all, and by how close to an imagined reality this story gets. As you read survivor accounts you can believe whole heatedly that a real life reaction would be dead on similar. No pun intended.

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman - Typically I wouldn't read a book on the subject of marriage, children, loss and the struggles of step motherhood. But this story got a great write up when it was first published. And I'm a sucker for great write-ups.

Basically this story is about Emilia and her struggles with the loss of her new born child, trying to deal with an over privileged, spoiled, and incredibly intelligent young stepson, the ex-wife, and coming to terms with what her marriage is really about.

Had I just read the book description it would have been back on the shelf. But because of the write up I read it. And I really enjoyed the story. I can't relate to the character but I can empathise and understand where she is coming from. And were I in her shoes I don't think I would have acted much differently. I guess I saw a lot of myself in the story and the type of person I might have been if I had made different choices in my life.

I think the New York Times review says it all:

The New York Times - Chelsea Cain
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits is clearly out to irritate some Mommy groups. It may also be the first chick-lit novel (it features, after all, a young career woman who falls in love with her boss, shops and worries about her relationships) that in addition to being a romantic, shocking and sometimes painful page-turner does the unthinkable: it actually says something new and interesting about women, families and love.

You Remind Me of Me

You Remind Me of Me by Dan Chaon - Ok, I can boil this book down to one word. "Eh"

A Million Little Pieces

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey was a very good read. Raw, harsh, and beautiful. Full of lyrical prose that made me stop, think, and read them for a second time. I don't care what the truth is behind this story. Nor do I care about how much or how little of the story was embellished. It was simply a wonderful read. And I loved it. So very human, full of the best and the worst in mankind.

I also think the book can be and has been an inspiration for addicts. From what I was able to find on the internet about the controversy there were many people whose lives were changed for the better because of this book. If that is the case it doesn't matter how true it was. I have not found anything that said that Frey wasn't an addict. And if he has stayed clean and changed his life than that is all that matters. If one person is saved by this book than that is all that matters. And regardless of all of that the bottom line is, this is a wonderfully written book and I loved it.

Blue Moon Rising

Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green is the first in a series of three stories about Prince Rupert and Princess Julia. However these two characters are the same two that are in the Hawke and Fisher series. This is their story before the time of Hawke and Fisher.

Simon Green has yet to let me down. I loved this story. How can you not love a story whose central characters include a Dragon and a Unicorn? There are two more books in this series, unfortunately they are out of print so I will have to hunt around for them.

But as always, Mr. Green has written a fantastic adventure. From start to finish I am always fully entertained by his stories.

The Vampire Papers

The Vampire Papers by Michael Romkey is book two in the Vampire series. This story focuses on two serial killers that have come together to destroy the families of a small southern town. And it is up to David and Mozart to stop them.

The second book is just as good as the first. I am enjoying this series and I look forward to the rest of the books. Most of them are out of print but I found the collection at a used book store and had them shipped to me.