Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick - 273 pages

It is Leonard Peacock's 18th birthday.  Instead of getting presents from others, he plans to give presents to his four "best" friends and then one a gift to himself.  He's going to take his grandfather's World War II Nazi gun and shoot his former best friend Asher Beal and then himself.  How his gifts are received will determine what happens to both himself and Asher Beal.
This book has been on my list to read for a couple of years.  The uncertainty of what would happen was intriguing to read.  *** SPOILERS*** However, once I realized that the author also wrote Silver Linings Playbook I realized that the book would most likely have a redeeming ending.  Once figuring out the ending, a lot of the "need" to read the book disappeared.  I did think the addition of letters from his future family were an interesting touch for most of the book.  Although, that too fell a little flat at the end of the story.

MSCHMITT--Happy Birthday Princess Jennifer Weinberg 32

 MSCHMITT--Happy Birthday Princess Jennifer Weinberg 32

The Disney princesses are having birthday celebrations! Cinderella has bows, Rapunzel has a purple gown, and Tiana has glowing lights!

MSCHMITT-- Fairytale Cake by Mark Sperring 24

 MSCHMITT-- Fairytale Cake by Mark Sperring 24

The inhabitants of every fairy tale ever written are making a very special cake and delivering it for a very special birthday!

MSCHMITT--Happy Birthday Mrs. Millie Judy Cox 29

 MSCHMITT--Happy Birthday Mrs. Millie Judy Cox 29

Every birthday party needs baboons and cubcakes…Silly me I meant balloons and cupcakes! While I thought my kids and I were going to enjoy this book…the rhymes just did not fit and the humor was just not that funny.

MSCHMITT--- Curious George and the Birthday Surprise, H.A. Rey, 24

MSCHMITT--- Curious George and the Birthday Surprise, H.A. Rey, 24

George is at again! He is up to his old antics only to find out that the birthday surprise is for him.

Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia - 563 pages

In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - 563 pages

Ethan can't wait to get out of the town of Gatlin.  Nothing ever happens or changes.  Until he starts having dreams of a strange girl shortly after his mother's death.  On the first day of school he finds out the girl in his dreams is real.  She's the niece of the local crazy Macon Ravenwood.  Everybody in town is determined to hate Lena from the moment she arrives - everyone except Ethan who is drawn to her.  Then he discovers there's more than just strange dreams.  Lena is a Caster who will be claimed by either the Light or the Dark on her sixteenth birthday.
I decided to read this book as the movie was released and my teen book club was talking about the book.  I really enjoyed it.  It's a pretty good paranormal romance.  One thing i found very interesting is that it is told almost completely (except for about five pages) from Ethan's point of view.