Tag Archives: paranormal

Review – Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

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Anya's Ghost Book Cover

 

Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part…

Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.

Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.

Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya’s Ghostis a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol. –from Goodreads

 

 

If you are looking for a graphic novel with a great story line and a clear, positive message – look no further. I know, it might seem a little strange that a graphic novel would bring positivity with it, but Anya’s Ghost is a fantastic graphic novel for those of you who want to delve into the awesomeness that is the graphic novel.

I think that teenagers, particularly girls, will really identify with Anya. She embodies what all teenagers go through (self-doubt, self-image problems, and the like). My first impression of Anya was that she was whiny and too self-absorbed, but when you think about it, that really encompasses about 99% of teenagers. Things do get better, however. Anya slowly starts to see that maybe her life isn’t so bad and she starts to appreciate the people and things around her.

What I really enjoyed were the illustrations. They are done in black and white and are very well executed. I am kicking myself right now for not taking pictures when I got the chance. Nevertheless, Vera Brosgol does a very nice job with Anya’s Ghost.

Overall, I think Anya’s Ghost is the perfect introduction for those of you who are thinking about delving into graphic novels. It’s not your typical superhero type of comic. There is a bit of realistic fiction, some mystery, and a good bit of suspense within this novel.

Have you read Anya’s Ghost? What did you think about it?

 

abraham vampire hunter

Review: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith (Audiobook)

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Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother’s bedside. She’s been stricken with something the old-timers call “Milk Sickness.”

“My baby boy…” she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother’s fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, “henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose…” Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation. — From Goodreads

My Review

This past Christmas I saw previews for the movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I was a little skeptical. It looked stupid. It sounded stupid. It was stupid.

It was only a couple of weeks later, when I found out it was a book, that I became slightly intrigued by it.

Boy was I wrong.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith was nothing I thought it was going to be. That is a good thing. I wasn’t sure what to think when I went into this novel. Having never read any of Seth Grahame-Smith’s novels, I was expecting a complete retelling of the Abe’s story. Instead, I  got Abraham Lincoln’s biography with fabricated facts. History is not my thing, but Seth Grahame-Smith did his homework. The details of Mr. Lincoln’s life are hardly overshadowed by the fact that he is a vampire hunter. I don’t want to give anything away, but the double life Mr. Lincoln leads is well-played. Both of his lives play off of each other.

I would be lying if I said that the plot moved along at a nice pace. Honestly, I found a good bit of the biography part of the novel a bit boring. But you must remember, I am not a history buff. The action is swift and Mr. Smith’s writing is very precise. The action sequences are followed by long bits of biographical sequences. While these bits kept my attention, I kind of wish Lincoln’s vampire hunting was more of the focus. However, the story behind Abe’s reason for going into vampire hunting makes up for that.

The narrator for the audiobook, Scott Holst, did a good job of keeping things dull. That sounds bad, but I think it deserves an explanation. For some reason, when I think of Abraham Lincoln’s voice I imagine a slow and dull monotone. That is exactly what Scott Holst brings to this audiobook. Had Scott been more dynamic with his vocal range, the novel would have a very different feel to it. People are not kidding when they say a narrator makes or breaks an audiobook.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a good novel for historical/biographical novels and vampire fiction fans alike. It’s got the best of both worlds. Overall, it was an interesting read and I would love to read more of Seth Grahame-Smith’s work, particular Pride and Prejudice, and Zombies and his newest novel, Unholy Night.

What did you think the first time you heard about this novel/movie? Were your reservations that same as mine? Do you think you will pick up the book at some point? Or will you just go see the movie?

Check out these cool links below

The (AWESOME!) Movie Trailer (in theaters June 22)

Seth Grahame-Smith website

Happy Reading,

Jayla