10) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

I've got to say that this book was a pleasant surprise.  Usually I don't read books about vampires or politicians, but something made me pick this one up.  I thought the idea of Old Abe as an axe-wielding vampire slayer was too funny not to explore.  Perhaps it's just because I'm a native Illinoisian, but this book was wonderful.  It read much like a regular biography, which the vampire storyline woven in between.  That being said, however, I DO NOT typically like biographies and find they read like a really boring list of events.  Grahame-Smith's writing was captivating throughout the novel.  His simply storytelling skills are what make such a subject so enjoyable to read.  I also have to say that everything in this book made sense as far as how the vampire situation affected Abe's life and political goals.  Everything fit like a glove and I didn't feel like there were any pieces missing or pieces forced to fit when in reality they just didn't.  Wonderful book and has a lot of true, interesting information about Abe Lincoln, although I wouldn't read it for that purpose.

Favorite quote:  "Without death," he answered, "life is meaningless.  It is a story that can never be told.  A song that can never be sung.  For how would one finish it?"

8) Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

I have no idea what came over me when I decided to read this book.  I say this because I have never, in the least, had any desire to learn about Asian culture.  I have no idea why this is, but it's never interested me in the slightest.  Then, I finally watched Mulan (yes, I know it's only an inaccurate Disney portrayl of historical events) and loved it.  It's probably one of my top 3 favorite Disney movies and that's really saying a lot! 

Because I enjoyed previous books about women in different forms of slavery, I thought I'd give this a try.  I remember that when the movie came out years ago, it got a bunch of buzz, but I had no intention of watching it.  I'm one of those people who likes to watch the movie after I've read the book, if at all possible.  It makes me feel more invested in the story, I guess you could say. 

Anyways, once I picked this book up, I could not put it down.  The writing was simple, yet fascinating all at the same time.  It was rich with Japanese history, but it wasn't presented in a boring way.  The life of Chiyo, later known as Sayuri, was captivating to say the least.  It always amazes me what the women in books like these survive.  I'm not so sure that if I had been in a similar place, I would not have crumbled like a dead cherry blossom.  It's been presented as a love story, but it's so much more than that.  This book has really inspired me to learn more about Asian history.  I am well aware that geisha are only a small fraction of that history, but considering I never had any desire to learn anything about that part of the world, I consider this book a success!

My favorite quote: "We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course." ~Chiyo/Sayuri